dbacr

Great find. Keep posting pics.

gbvette62

From your original post, I will say that it is an interesting car, and may have an interesting history. It does appear that the previous owner may have some of his dates or details wrong though.

The prior owner told you that "He bought it used in 1964 from Roger Penske Chevrolet" and that "Mr. Penske played with it at that racetrack in Waterford".

Roger Penske did not own his first dealership until sometime in 1965. He was hired as a manager by a Philadelphia Chevrolet dealership, McKean Chevrolet, in 1963 or 64. He aquired McKean in 1965, when the owner retired, and then changed the name to Roger Penske Chevrolet.

Penske had started out racing a 57 Corvette, but by 1962, he was racing professionally. He had competed in 2 US Grand Prix, and had won many major events at places such as Riverside, Nassua, etc. Before retiring from driving at the end of 64, he had also raced the Corvette Grand Sports and Jim Hall's Chaparrals.

You may want to get more details from the previous owner. Did the previous owner travel to Philly to buy this Corvette from Penske? Also, I find it funny that Penske would have used this Corvette to "play" at Waterford Hills, Mich, when there were so many tracks closer to him. Penske graduated from Lehigh University in PA, and after college, I think he remained in eastern PA, which was how he ended up with a Philadelphia dealership. When he started his race team in 65/66, he based it in Newtown Square, outside of Philadelphia. Marlboro MD (where Penske started racing and where Marlboro Maroon gets it's name), Vineland NJ, Watkins Glen NY, Bridgehampton NY, Lime Rock CT, and others, would have all been closer than Waterford Hills.

I'm not saying his story isn't true. I remember reading something once about how Penske dealt some in used race cars, to fund his early 60s racing career. It could be very advantages to try to gain some more history and info from that previous owner.

And as others have said, more pictures please!!!

sub006

They do look like Rader wheels, made in the mid-'60s by a Southern California firm. If Mick sold Raders, it was as a dealer, not a manufacturer. I bought Velevetouch metallic brake shoes from his Long Beach shop in the '70s for my '64.

If you want new Raders, an East Coast firm (New Jersey?) started making or importing them again a few years ago. AIR they changed the name to "Radir". Maybe they're still around, see what Google says?

vettedreamer50

Congrats and welcome to the forum. Nice find and good luck with it. If you want to make lots of friends, keep posting pics!

vettedad61

here is "thexgarage" original post from the "new members intro" section of this forum; http://forums.corvetteforum.com/intr...t-it-home.html

Welcome to the forum, can't wait to hear more about your 62 barnfind!

92GTA

Congrats, looks like a GREAT project

Mine was asleep for 39 years, you will lots of fun getting it cleaned up

TheSaint

I just love barn finds and the story behind the car. Keep the pictures coming

Railroadman

I agree with the poster in your other thread: It would be interesting to contact Roger Penske directly, he could probably fill in a lot of the blanks in its history for you.

Good luck with it and keep us informed!

midnight02

x2

Redbird

Great find, but start watering/fertilizing the money tree and enjoy the labor and love of doing the restoration. I just found another 62 myself.

jimgessner

I have copied your original post, and will comment within the copy below.

"Prior to that it was tore down in 1965 for a repaint that never came, and ultimately it sat in an unheated garage for 35yrs. The frame is rough to say the least. The original fuelie motor is Loooonnnggg gone.

TO VERIFY IT WAS A FUEL INJECTION CAR, SEE IF THERE ARE TWO BOLT HOLES ON THE DRIVER INNER FENDER WHERE THE AIR CLEANER WAS BOLTED. THEY WILL BE ABOVE THE CENTER OF THE DRIVER TIRE WHERE THE INNER FENDER MEETS TO TOP OF THE FENDER.

Suprisingly we found all the chrome parts and trim, except the fender mouldings and rocker mouldings. As a kid I knew man that owned. He was a local guy that drank with my Dad. I remember stories of the car that grew with the years. STORIES ALWAYS GROW WITH AGE.

He was a body guy, and it was he who tore the car down for a re-do. He also cut out the front bumper channel and glassed the lower valence to the front facia to eliminate the bumpers for a custom look.

YOU SHOULD CHECK THIS AREA FOR FACTORY MADE, BUT CRUDE AIR SCOOPS THAT FED FRESH COOL AIR TO THE REAR OF THE BRAKES. ALSO, SEE IF THE BRAKE BACKING PLATES HAVE SCREENS IN THEM. THE SCREENS MAY BE COVERED BY PLATES

I can only guess that this was a 1960's custom thing. Plans are to return it to the way it was. I just finished talking with a long time friend of the body guy; and my late father; who grew up in the area and knew the car. He told me of the owner of the car that the body guy bought it from in 64', or 65'. Last he heard he was still alive and lived nearby. My wife suggested seeing if he was on the internet white pages. Last night we looked up his name and there it was. The city was close to where he was thought to live. The age was right. So we called. A women answered, I asked her if her husband had ever owned a 1962 White Corvette and she said yes. I could here her call to him in the background and when he took the phone he confirmed the story. YOU NEED TO GO AND VISIT HIM AND GET HIS STORY ON VIDEO OR AT LEAST A RECORDING.

He bought it used in 1964 from Roger Penske Cheverolet in 1964. I AGREE WITH THE POST ABOVE, THAT ROGER DID NOT OPEN HIS DEALERSHIP UNIT 1965. HOWEVER, HE WAS FULLY INVOLVED RACING CORVETTES AT SCCA TRACKS IN THE NORTHEAST PRIMARILY. ROGER IS APPROACHABLE IF YOU KNOW THE CORRECT PEOPLE.

He said that "Mr Penske played with it at that racetack in Waterford".

WATERFORD IS WHERE ALL THE GM FACTORY SCCA ENGINEER RACERS LIKE GIB HUFSTADER PLAYED ON WEEKENDS. LOTS OF TESTING WAS DONE THERE. PENSKE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GRAND SPORT AT NASSAU SPEED WEEK DECEMBER 1-6, 1963 AND ZORA DUNTOV LEADS ME TO BELIEVE HE MAY HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND RACED IT IN MICHIGAN WHILE ON GM CHEVROLET BUSINESS.

He asked if it still had it's chome roll bar and wide seat belts? It does. He said he didn't think that he ever raced it competively. He told me he only drove it for about a year, and may have put 1500 miles on it before he sold it to the body guy. The odometer shows 14407 on it.

There is still a Sunoco oil change tag on the drivers door PENSKE'S SPONSOR IN 1966 DAYTONA AND LATER

from 1964 with the mileage at 10K. He said that he heard that body guy took off the fuel injection unit, put a 4 barrel on it and drag raced it and blew the motor. He then tore it down for a redo, and then it sat... Sorry for the long post, but I do have a couple questions. Is there any way to run the VIN number to get a copy of the original build info. POSSIBLE NCRS SHIPPING DATA. SEE ABOVE POST

Also I looked and the car has some things that are different. The trans is still in the car and looks to be an aluminum body.SHOULD HAVE THE CARS VIN NUMBER STAMPED ON THE SIDE OF THE CASE

The roll bar, wide drivers lap belt WILL BE DATED

are still in the car and were said to have came that way when bought used fom the dealer. The fuel filler door has the filler neck through the door and the cap is outside the car like a truck. POSSIBLE 24 GALLON GAS TANK. ONLY 65 CARS MADE WITH THAT OPTION. USED FOR RACING PRIMARILY.

The man I called said he doesn't remember that one way or the other. I would like to find out more if possible about the mods, and would appreciate ANY insight. Have plans to make it a car for my wife, YOU NEED TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THIS CAR.....WITH MANY PHOTOGRAPHS. IT COULD ALSO POSSIBLY BE A RPO 687 BRAKE AND SUSPENSION CAR. ONLY 233 MADE. AGAIN USED FOR RACING PURPOSES.

I'm 6'3" and this car has no leg room for me. Thanks again for the time... Rob
IF ROGER OWNED IT.......AND IT IS A HD BRAKE, BIG TANK FUEL INJECTED CAR, YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO FIT IN IT......EVEN IF IT IS TO THE SHOW FIELD OR THE BIG $$$ AUCTION TENT. DO I SMELL YOUR 401K RETIREMENT HERE? HAPPY TO SUPPLY PHOTOS AND COMENTS BY PM IF YOU WANT. REGARDS, JIM

jlagarde

I'd like to know if this service is worth considering myself. Anyone used these guys and how successful were they?

Joe

corvettehunter

The guys over at BarnFinds.com just featured another 1962 Corvette barn find. Thought some of you be interested: http://www.barnfinds.com/one-owner-1...ette-barn-find

Ironcross

the Vette is from Romulus Michigan....could have bought it 25+ years ago....saw the owner every 4th of July and it was a FI piece....its been apart since the late 60`s ...the owner lost it on a loan....


thought I saw this before,,,the post is a year old

futura

Contact Bill Gould at http://www.autoancestry.com

He recently found the original owner of a 69 Z28 Camaro for a friend of mine.

Last year, Bill also located the original/owner builder (circa 1958) of a vintage gasser using only a west coast drag time slip.

Both of these owners were 3,000 miles away. He found both of them inside of 2 weeks.

jimgessner

This car was inspected last Decenber 2010, on a freezing snowy winter day of minus 4 degrees by a good California friend of mine who was back east in Detroit on other business. Ed called and said it is a real big tank, big brake car, but missing many parts, including the engine, radiator, and related parts, and front brakes and drums. The chassis is toast........complete rust bucket full of holes.

So Ed and I passed on the car, but another good friend who lives in Michigan and is a former GM Engfineer bought it.

In time, he discovered the car is the Tom Swindell race car from DAWSON TAYLOR CHEVROLET.

The car is being totally restored as I post this.



FROM A ADD IN A ROAD AMERICA PROGRAM, SUMMER 1962.

OldKarz

Very cool story!

Rudy's Stingray

Greetings!

FYI -
The dealership in Pennsylvania wasn't the only Roger Penske dealership.
Started in 1970 and sold in 1981, there was Roger Penske Chevrolet in Southfield, Michigan.

Both Waterford and Southfield, Michigan are within an hours' drive of each other.

I'm sure Roger had a place near the dealership so going to the track in Waterford was no big deal.
In addition, maybe the car was originally bought from Roger Penske Chevrolet, not the Pennsylvania dealership, but from the one in Michigan.

Joe