1977 Corvette IMSA “SuperVette” is Up For Sale
An 8.2-liter V8 engine from Ed Pink Racing Engines propels this beautifully restored SuperVette, and produces 750+ HP of maximum power.
After exchanging hands several times, this 1977 Chevrolet Corvette IMSA “SuperVette” is back on sale. The car is currently under the ownership of Canepa, and the company has restored this ‘Vette back to its original 1978 IMSA glory. The race car has an impressive motorsport lineage. John Paul Sr. drove this race car to compete against Porsche 935s in the GTX category.
The car is the brainchild of John Greenwood, who enlisted famous designer Bob Riley to engineer this iconic race car. This Greenwood Corvette racer is one of only two tube-frame examples in existence. The tube-frame chassis of this Corvette was built by Gary Pratt and Charlie Selix. This association later went on to become the lauded engineering and product development company- Pratt and Miller. This Corvette was the last chassis to be built by Riley’s team.
The frame is made out of 2-inch Chrome-moly tubing. The chassis itself is quite strong, thanks to extensive triangulation. The Chrome-moly construction is much lighter than mild steel. Under the possession of John Paul Sr., modifications to the car’s bodywork improved its performance. With its new narrower track, the race car was much more aerodynamic, which allowed the team to achieve a higher top speed.
Enthusiasts can race this gorgeous SuperVette in the historic IMSA championship.
John Paul also decided not to use the Greenwood powerplant. Instead, Paul decided to employ a big block motor to propel the COV002 SuperVette. The all-aluminum V8 motor was a Can-Am Racing offering. In its original tune, the powerplant could produce more than 750 HP of power and generate over 800 lb-ft of torque.
Canepa decided to equip this racer with an 8.2-liter V8 engine from Ed Pink Racing Engines. The aluminum 500 cubic inch motor is also good for 750+ HP and comes mated to a Jericho four-speed transmission. The engine sends power to the rear wheels, and the magnesium Porsche 935 brake calipers are responsible for the braking duties.
On the design front, we find that the rear-end of the SuperVette features a giant wing. Right behind the elongated nose, we also find large NACA ducts. The car has been part of many collections in its lifetime, but it eventually made its way to Canepa. Right now, we do not have any information regarding the pricing of this breathtaking race car.
Image Source: Canepa
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