Ken Amrick is reporting in the Fall 2006 issue of On Solid Ground that the body from Corvette #002 may have been located. On Solid Ground is the publication of the Solid Axle Corvette Club.

Many modifications and oddities about the early Corvette body appear to be consistent with records showing that body No. 002 served as a test car for production Corvettes, including whether the then-developmental small-block V-8 would work in the two-seater.

GM records show body No. 002 was assigned duty as an engineering test vehicle (and assigned No. 3951), and was used in various V-8 design tests, as well as cooling system, 12-volt power, Powerglide and exhaust development. The body that was recently found was removed when car No. 3951 received a new body in May 1955.

There are some interesting characterists to the body believed to be that of #002. They include:

• The body has a one-piece floor, thought only to exist among the first 12 Corvette bodies.

• The fiberglass finish is extremely crude, especially in trunk and behind seats, per early cars.

• The right-side inner fender has been reworked to fit a 12-volt battery.

• The brake pedal arm and emergency brake have differences from any other Corvette.

• Several sets of holes in the firewall indicate multiple placements of heater motor and hoses.

• The normal exhaust holes were covered with factory-type materials, and there is evidence that extra exhaust holes were cut in rear fenders, as on 1956-’57 V-8 models. An early photograph known to be of body No. 002 shows two sets of exhaust holes, and they are in the same location on the body of the car in question.

The earliest known Corvette still existing is No. 003, which has been restored to show condition and sold at the 2006 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale for $1 million dollars. Corvette No. 001 is known to have been destroyed in a burn test by General Motors.

I'm hoping that there will be more details about this historic find including how, where and when. Keep in mind as well that we are not talking about a complete Corvette, only the original body. We'll try to post more details when they are released.

Source: Old Cars Weekly

Technorati Tags: Corvette