When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
From the article:
Chassis number 20867S103980 is the proverbial Holy Grail when it comes to race-prepared examples from the first generation of the mighty Corvette. For starters, it’s the 1962 SCCA A/Production champion, and it was driven by Dick Thompson for Grady Davis’ Gulf Oil Racing outfit.
After reading this thread I went looking through some old pictures I have, and found this '61 that's in the same paint scheme as the '62. It was taken at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix several years ago. This might be another early Gulf Oil Racer.
From the article:
Chassis number 20867S103980 is the proverbial Holy Grail when it comes to race-prepared examples from the first generation of the mighty Corvette. For starters, it’s the 1962 SCCA A/Production champion, and it was driven by Dick Thompson for Grady Davis’ Gulf Oil Racing outfit.
Obviously, some of the members right here do not know that this car was ORIGINALLY restored to its race configuration by one of our own members right here-----------Reverend Mike Ernst.
I may not have all the facts exactly correct (Mike, please chime in just any time), but when Mike acquired the car years ago, he was not aware of exactly what he had. As time passed by, Mike discovered the true history and carefully, painstakingly returned it to its Gulf Oil race configuration------------------------THEN SOLD IT (cheap, by today's market prices)-------------DANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From there, the rest is history.
Yes, I sold it too soon (2002) and pretty much have missed it every day since. But the colleges the tuitions went to appreciated it! Family first, then hobby. Bill Clupper, former president of NCRS located the car and told me about it. Neither of us had any idea of its pedigree. I bought in 1980, and didn't figure out what it was until 1982. I found most of the parts, including the original motor, in 1984, as I recall.
Jerry, Fred Gamble indicated to me that a 5.50 X15 Bluestreak was
very close in diameter to the '60 vintage tires and that Goodyear did redo them for a while - but I fear that they are gone again. Still worth an e-mail.
Does anyone know where a reproduction of the tire shown in the photo can be purchased, or at least close?
Hi Jerry,
There were some Corvettes in the Southwest division which ran Goodyears in the early 1960s, but the TIRE of choice at that time was the Firestone T170 (below, against the wall).
There were some who ran recapped Dunlops and some ran Goodyears, but all were high profile and treaded. I think that "most" Vintage racecars today are shown with the wrong (period) tires because (say) Ferraris ran with Englebert tires, and there are no repro Engleberts today
Jerry, Fred Gamble indicated to me that a 5.50 X15 Bluestreak was
very close in diameter to the '60 vintage tires and that Goodyear did redo them for a while - but I fear that they are gone again. Still worth an e-mail.
I have a 5:50 Goodyear from 10 years ago and the lettering is not at all the same . Does anyone have an idea on sourcing the look shown in the photo.
Jerry,
The 4 blue streaks that are on the car when I sold it, and probably now, were acquired from people who got them from Gulf during the 1962 racing season.
Gulf used blue streaks during 61 and 62 and did okay with them. National A production championship and national B-production championship.
After reading this thread I went looking through some old pictures I have, and found this '61 that's in the same paint scheme as the '62. It was taken at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix several years ago. This might be another early Gulf Oil Racer.
I believe that was the corvette that was caught by SCCA with a lighten flywheel when yenko was driving the car.
Last edited by PAmotorman; 12-17-2015 at 08:41 PM.
Isn't that why Gulf reached out to Dick Thompson to drive the 61 the remainder of the year? Yenko was suspended, as I recall.
don said the reason the flywheel was in there was they had raced in a difference racing association where it was legal and they forgot to take it out for SCCA.
Yes, I sold it too soon (2002) and pretty much have missed it every day since. But the colleges the tuitions went to appreciated it! Family first, then hobby. Bill Clupper, former president of NCRS located the car and told me about it. Neither of us had any idea of its pedigree. I bought in 1980, and didn't figure out what it was until 1982. I found most of the parts, including the original motor, in 1984, as I recall.
BOY DID WE HAVE FUN IN THOSE DAYS. POMONA SWAP.......MIKE PHILSBURY FINDING MANY ''REAL'' CARS. EVERYONE WORKING HARD TO HELP OUR FRIENDS BRING BACK HISTORY.
NCRS CONVENTION IN ANAHEIM 1991 CELEBRATED THE TIME.
Last edited by jimgessner; 12-18-2015 at 08:10 AM.
BOY DID WE HAVE FUN IN THOSE DAYS. POMONA SWAP.......MIKE PHILSBURY FINDING MANY ''REAL'' CARS. EVERYONE WORKING HARD TO HELP OUR FRIENDS BRING BACK HISTORY.
NCRS CONVENTION IN ANAHEIM 1991 CELEBRATED THE TIME.
Remember when we fired up all the racers at the same time? I was next to the 67 L-88 race car, and although my 62 was plenty loud, I really couldn't hear it because of the L-88. By the way, I drove it on the freeway from El Cajon to Anaheim and back. Had no trailer, no place for trailer, and no money for trailer.
Last edited by 62corvette; 12-18-2015 at 10:37 AM.
Reason: Fat fingers
the golden age of classic cars. Significant historical classic vettes could still be found, and bought by regular gear heads. They restored them, and drove them. What a wonderful time to be in the hobby that must have been. I envy you guys that lived it.
05-03-2015, 02:06 PM
1962 Chevrolet Corvette Gulf Oil Race Car
