DZAUTO

Over on the NCRS forum, a person asked what an Airbox Fuelie car was.
At first, I was kind of surprised that the question was asked. But then after I thought about it, I realized the question was about a car that is 58yrs old and with the small number of Airbox cars built, and VERY RARELY shown in public, maybe there are a lot of people who are not familiar with these old relics and are embarrassed to ask.
So, my question here is, does everyone know what a 57 fuel injected Corvette is with the Airbox (RPO 579D) option? It was probably presumptuous of me to think everyone knows about them.
The moral is, NEVER hesitate to ask if you don't know!

grumpy10956

yes , i am.

1965fuelie

I wasn't born in 1957, but I still know what a 1957 airbox Corvette is....

wmf62

I know

Dr L-88

The question is..............................."do ya know how to identify a REAL airbox car" ?

bluestreak63

ohiovet

Tom,
I know.

I looked at the first Air Box Car when it was in Bill Kings barn in Trenton, Ohio and tried to buy it. But no deal.
King wanted to sell it to someone he knew would restore it properly.
Joel Lauman and old racing buddy and Bill Connell were the right guys.
I watched some of the restoration and it was amazing to see and examine the car. Lots of one off parts and very cool stuff.
The cover on the tach was definitely different.
Also Ken Kayser was very interesting to talk with and his knowledge is priceless.

I am no expert but I sure learned a lot.

I actually had a conversation with Barb Howe a few months ago, her dad Bill Howe was the original owner/buyer/racer.

69z28&ss396

I do not.. But I would love to know! The reason I never asked, is because I didn't even know an airbox car existed?? 579D? I think I knew of A and B but is there a C? What is a C and a D is obviously an airbox car, I figured that.. Any more info on these 58 year old relics?? Haha..


O and btw, that video did not help! Hyped up for no information!! That was like a wet dream you don't remember!!

DZAUTO please enlighten me..

ohiovet

All RPO 579 options are fuel injected.

RPO 579E is 283 HP, manual trans (3 or 4 speed) the only Air Box option.
43 were produced , SN 4007 was the first one manufactured.
RPO 579A 250 HP with manual trans. 182 were manufactured.
RPO 579B is 283 HP with high lift cam. 713 were made.
RPO 579C is 250 HP with Powerglide trans. 102 were made.

I have a RPO 579C , one of 102 produced.

The price for RPO 579E was $726.30.
All other RPO 579 options were $484.20.

I hope this information helps .

DZAUTO

Tony,
Short version, the 57 Corvette with the RPO579D option was for all practical purposes, a factory built race car. There were 43 57 Vettes with the 579D option. Possibly at some time in the past, as well as in the future, in some of the literature, you may see RPO 579E--------------that is wrong-------------and always has been.
For 57, RPO 579A was the 250hp FI (hyd cam) with manual tranny.
RPO 579B was the 250hp FI with Powerglide.
RPO 579C was the 283hp FI (solid lifters) with manual tranny (the solid lifter FI engine WAS NOT available with PG).
RPO 579D was the 283 FI with Airbox pkg which included many "Heavy Duty" parts (translate racing). Most notable as far as equipment was NO radio, NO heater, HD suspension (numerous different parts), HD brakes which included ventilated backing plates, wider FINNED drums and special brake shoes. The 579D option was not available as a regular option until about May. VIN 4008 is considered to be the first true 579D car. Prior to 4008, there were a few cars built with some of the above HD parts, but not as a complete pkg.
The 579D cars also had a PLAIN 8000rpm tach mounted on the steering column and the hole for the stock tach in the center of the dash was covered with a nose/trunk emblem. Wide wheels were included which DID NOT have the retaining bumps for the normal full wheel covers, so 57 dog dish caps were used.
The above are just some of the special features of those 43 1957 579D cars.

The Airbox tag came from a special, hand laid fiberglass duct which directed cooler outside air to the FI unit as well as to the left rear brake.

Todd H.

Tom,

Agreed on the 579D, but I think you have 579B and 579C switched. Most sources say 579B is the 283hp with manual trans.

Todd

ohiovet

Tom,
I agree on the RPO579D which is well documented in Ken Kayser book starting on page 345.
Unfortunately NCRS and most others do not use the "D" designation.
Vin 4007 is said to be the first Air Box car although it is noted as a "Pilot Car". It was sold to Bill Howe from Middletown, Ohio as you know.
Bruce B.

DZAUTO

Todd,
That is EXACTLY correct! MOST literature/publications show them switched. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, again, this has been incorrect for MANY, MANY years (just as 579E has been incorrect). In Ken Kayser's book, pg175, he points this out. So again, in the past years, RPOs 579 B, C, E have been wrong and have been carried over year after year after year.
What is so great about Ken's book, is that not only was he a GM engineer throughout his career, but he has also supported all of the information in his book with GM documentation and not repeated hearsay from people who claimed to have factual information.

With the introduction of Ken's book, it has upset a number of "experts", set people on their heads, eliminated some confusion and dispelled several myths about early FI cars.
I do not know when, or if, but Ken is planning on a follow-on book which will include even more GM documentation about these early cars and their development. Should be a great book for anyone's library who tries to keep abreast of this old stuff.

Todd H.

Tom, I should have assumed you were right, and the conventional wisdom was not. I read Ken Kayser's book this past winter, but I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention. There it is, as you said, on page 175. I thought my 283hp '57's designation was 579C a few years ago, but I was corrected by my NCRS Judging Manual, which I assumed would have reliable information (no slam intended-nobody's right all of the time). The NCRS JM (4th edition) says 579B for the 283hp with manual trans, and 579C for the 250hp powerglide, which were not the designations released by Chevrolet Engineering in October, 1956.

This kind of nit-picky information might not be interesting to many people within the hobby, but it points out that Ken Kayser's book probably corrected lots of old mix-ups that have been accepted as factual, if only readers like me will pay close enough attention. Anyone with an interest in the history of Corvette fuel injection and early racing will love this book. My copy is a limited "Dolza" edition that formerly belonged to racer Jack Knab, and I bought it with help from Bill Connell, who was mentioned earlier in this thread.

DZAUTO

Todd,
Me and SOME NCRS folks DO NOT see eye-to-eye. Consequently, I do not fit the mold. So I attend VERY FEW NCRS functions (but I am planning to go to Frisco in Oct).
As a result, I do not have anywhere close to the judging experience that a lot of judges have, but by the same token, there have been WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too many times when I've seen too much fanatical, premadonna attitudes toward owners' cars. I just can't fit in with those types, although, I love the cars.
Granted, much has changed within the NCRS community, and some of those changes have come about because of more documentation coming to light, such as what Ken has published in his book.

69z28&ss396

DZ! Thank you man! I read through this thread what must be ten times. I didn't mean to start a war, which is usually, according to you, what happens when you speak bc you are correct. If you speak, you know what you say to be true. I never doubted you, that's why I asked. Thank you again!

ghostrider20

Having a “pedigree” makes the car notable, and therefore desirable to a certain crowd of people, who care or need that attention. No different then horses, dogs, cats etc.

I avoid most Corvette events and people. My experience has been they are snobbish, “look down you nose” folks who
NEED a corvette, country club membership, Harley Davidson to have friends or a life. I moved to Phoenix last year and it’s the same here.

Dan Hampton

Are you referring to all Corvette owners, new (as in 21st century Corvettes) Corvette owners or NCRS enthusiasts?

68hemi

Nice to see someone resurrecting this old thread.



I have a specific question about the number reported of 43 air box cars. There were TWO sets of these cars built. A quote in this thread “Vin 4007 is said to be the first Air Box car although it is noted as a "Pilot Car". It was sold to Bill Howe from Middletown, Ohio as you know.” This is in regard to the 2nd set built and while 4007 may have been the “pilot car” for those produced after it I think that is a confusing term with regards to ALL of the air box cars produced. The first set were produced in late 1956 for use as the factory race team before Chevrolet created it’s self imposed ban on factory sponsorship of racing. I THINK there were 12 of these cars built including mine which at one time mine was thought to be the “mule car” of the 12. I believe that since then there has been an earlier car come to light.


Now for my question. Are the first set of I THINK 12 included in the total number of 43 or is that count only for the 2nd set beginning with V.I.N. 4007?



I know this info is from 2015 and that there may be new info since then. Reading this info about air box cars makes me wonder what has been learned and proven since my experience with these cars from back in the late 70s.

Below is some additional information on the air box car I previously owned for anyone here that is interested in reading it.











My name is Darryl Dayton my phone number is 928-239-0017 for anyone that wants to talk about MY old car.
Much of this below info is copied and pasted from emails I have saved from years past communicating with several knowledgeable people on 1957 racers. It is old info and there certainly may be new info that contradicts what I am saying.

About 1976 myself and partner Jerry Gendreau purchased V.I.N. 834 from a garage very close to the Mississippi river outside of Savanna Illinois. The car was in very poor condition as it had been partially under water in the big 1965 flood of the river. After talking to several "Corvette guys" that were far more knowledgeable about air box cars then us (which did not take much as neither one of use had ever heard of one) at the urging of Mike Hunt we took the car to an NCRS meet in Rockford Ill. around 1977. It was inspected by Mike Hunt and many others there and was photographed by and later pictured in Nolan Adams first book showing the engine compartment. The caption for the picture was "would you buy this mess?" as the car was as found and we only had limited info as to what we actually had at that time. See the NCRS RESTORER magazine Vol 5-4 and 13-2 for Mike Hunt's stories on the car back in the day. Mike passed away in July 2007, but his research is still being treasured by Ken Kayser, and other 57 history freaks. Back in those days, Mike had 17 "air box" cars identified (today there are 29 of the 43 made), and this car was one that he felt was legit even though the air box cars production fall into the vin number 3950-6339 ranged of May 57 production and later. The late Mike Hunt, the authority at that time on these cars said it could only be the mule car for the Nassau and Sebring cars with as early a V.I.N. as it had. I hope to hear if this is still thought of as true and any other documented updated info about all of this. According to Mike Hunt at that time it was the first factory 57 Fuel Injected car built in late 1956 and had the famous cold air box, big brakes and suspension. It like the rest of the cars for the Nassau and Sebring racers was supposed to have been recalled to GM and destroyed when they banned factory sponsored racing, however as was the custom back then it "slipped out the back door" later to show up at Elkhart Lake racing. My research indicates the car was raced by Jim Jeffords at Elkhart Lake and sold there to the owner prior to the owner we bought the car from. Jerry and I both knew this man as well as he lived only about 14 miles from us.

I sold my interest in the car to Jerry early on around 1978. The car was missing many of the rare parts and over the course of several years he managed to locate most of them. He later sold the car and parts as a basket case to Tim Partridge. Tim restored the car and painted to appear as a Sebring racer and offered for sale. At one of the CORVETTES AT CARLISLE's recent RACE CAR REUNION, which occurs every five years, Tim Partridge was present with vin #832, (this may be a typo on the V.I.N.) which is his TRIBUTE #P3 race SEBRING car. At some point Tim sold the vin #834 car to I believe Jim Jeager past CEO Cincinnati Microwave inventor of the Escort radar detectors--current owner of our old Corvette V.I.N.834 air box car

This will make all of you chuckle. We paid $2000. for this car when we found it. LOL! Can only guess what the value of this car is today.

Much of the info gathered and shared here is OLD from around 2009 from conversations with the two below people.



Jim Gessner
1346 Laurelwood Lane
Mentone, CA 92359
909-794-7905
jim@vettefinderjim.com


Dom
Acquisitions & Historical Research
Racing Preservation Museum "-Preserving the memory of those On the track, In the pits & Behind the scenes-"
301.706.4855
rpm57scca@aol.com

DZAUTO

As I understand it, NO, particularly from information provided by Ken Kayser. Those VERY EARLY cars with air boxes were developmental prototypes-------------------not exactly production cars.

The PRODUCTION Airbox cars, beginning with 4007, that was discovered and restored by Bill Connel, were the 43 cars that are referred to as PRODUCTION Airbox cars. Ken explains very well that there were 50 airbox ducts that were fabricated------------------WITHOUT drawings to use for reference. They were essentially hand made. Of the 50 air box ducts that were made, 43 were installed on St Louis PRODUCTION cars. That leaves 7 remaining air box ducts to be accounted for.. Where are they??? Positively, for sure, one of them is on John Neas 57 (built just a few days before 4007) that was delivered to Rosenthal Chevrolet. APPROXIMATELY 1-3wks later, a COMPLETE airbox system was delivered to Rosenthal Chevrolet---------------AND AS BEST AS HAS BEEN DETERMINED, IT WAS INSTALLED IN THE ROSENTHAL SERVICE DEPT.
Thus, that leaves 6 remaining air box ducts to be accounted for. There has been various speculations by various people as to the disposition of those remaining 6 air box ducts. There was one VERY late 57 that had FI and an airbox installed (pictures and information are in Ken's book). The story goes something like: The owner did not want FI, soooooooooo, the car was almost nearly converted to a 2x4 setup and the rear half of the air box was cut off and removed (again, pictures are in Ken's book about this car). MANY, MANY years ago, before I became deeply interested in this kind of stuff, I heard stories about a HD brake/suspension 57 in Arkansas with 2x4 instead of FI. Over the years this story has popped up a few times. Therefore, if that is one of the unaccounted for 6 remaining airbox ducts, then that leaves 5. And where are those 5?????? I have no clue.
But, back to your question, the referred to 43 Airbox cars, were production cars beginning with 4007. It is not exactly a prototype, it is, and has features that were to be, on the remaining 42 Airbox cars. But production line issues occurred that made it problematic to build the remaining 42 cars, and some running changes were made to the remaining 42. Such as the 4007 car had a fairing covering the tach, and mounted to the steering column. That fairing was ONLY on 4007. The hole in the center of the dash where the regular tach was mounted was filled in and glassed over (attached pictures). This was an excessively involved process to cover the hole, so the decision was made to use the front/rear emblem to cover the car.
Bottom line, 4007 is not exactly a prototype car, it's just that those running changes were done after 4007 was built.