1957 Motorama Corvette Super Sport
12-14-2012, 12:32 PM
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1957 Motorama Corvette Super Sport
"studearch" recently registered at Corvetteforum, searching for information on the 1957 Motorama Corvette Super Sport. He lives in Albuquerque, happened to take pictures of it years ago and wanted to learn more about the car.
He sent the following message and offered to share his pictures, if I would post them on his behalf. After some conversation, it turns out we went to the same high school, although we were several years apart. I think he was in the class with Cybil Shepard.
I told "studearch" I'd send him a link to this thread once I got it posted so he could join the conversation.
He sent the following message and offered to share his pictures, if I would post them on his behalf. After some conversation, it turns out we went to the same high school, although we were several years apart. I think he was in the class with Cybil Shepard.
Over 20 years ago, I was able to see this car at the owner's house in Albuquerque and take some photographs. As there still seems to be an interest in the car, I thought I would share these photos.
I know the car no longer resides in Albuquerque and may be hidden due to a dispute between the two owners. I know the car and a donor car were purchased by the N.M. owner, who chose to restore the donor car. The donor can be seen in the background in some shots.
When I saw the car, it had the original tires on it, bald in the rear. The
owner proposed that it may have been the first Corvette to have a production fuel injection unit, but had no proof of that. It had been taken off the production line and rushed to be displayed in the Motorama tour of 1957.
It was well known in the Albuquerque area in the '50's and '60's and disappeared after being in a wreck. It has one-off tailights, aluminum floor boards, a magnetic cup set on the console, and of course the windscreens and pearl paint. All was based on a rally theme with a console mounted clipboard.
I'm unclear how the car ended up in Albuquerque, but it was given to someone's son as a high school graduation present. After ripping around town for sometime he put it into a telephone pole in a street race. Dad took the car back and sold it. The next owner stashed it in his garage for many years. It was sold to the present owners for an undisclosed amount of money.
I believe a spare 1957 Corvette frame to repair the damage was included in the deal. Some provenance documentation was included but I don't know what that was. That's all I know. If someone else can add to this story, please do.
I know the car no longer resides in Albuquerque and may be hidden due to a dispute between the two owners. I know the car and a donor car were purchased by the N.M. owner, who chose to restore the donor car. The donor can be seen in the background in some shots.
When I saw the car, it had the original tires on it, bald in the rear. The
owner proposed that it may have been the first Corvette to have a production fuel injection unit, but had no proof of that. It had been taken off the production line and rushed to be displayed in the Motorama tour of 1957.
It was well known in the Albuquerque area in the '50's and '60's and disappeared after being in a wreck. It has one-off tailights, aluminum floor boards, a magnetic cup set on the console, and of course the windscreens and pearl paint. All was based on a rally theme with a console mounted clipboard.
I'm unclear how the car ended up in Albuquerque, but it was given to someone's son as a high school graduation present. After ripping around town for sometime he put it into a telephone pole in a street race. Dad took the car back and sold it. The next owner stashed it in his garage for many years. It was sold to the present owners for an undisclosed amount of money.
I believe a spare 1957 Corvette frame to repair the damage was included in the deal. Some provenance documentation was included but I don't know what that was. That's all I know. If someone else can add to this story, please do.
I told "studearch" I'd send him a link to this thread once I got it posted so he could join the conversation.
12-14-2012, 01:26 PM
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Well it seems as though a lot of mystery still surrounds this car.
It would sure be nice if some responsible, consciencious person would acquire and restore it correctly.
For those here who may not be familiar with this car, it is NOT, repeat, NOT the Corvette SS that was the forrunner to the 63 Stingray design.
It is a 57 Corvette, which was modified/customized for a Motorama and called the Super Sport.
The Corvette Super Sport and the Corvette SS are two TOTALLY DIFFERENT cars!
The SS is alive and well, the Super Sport is still in somewhat questionable condition and ownership.
There are/were a few of the VERY EARLY Corvettes that were significant forrunners to the development, performance and heritage of the Mark, and it's a shame that this one has not been acquired, restored and cared for as it deserves.
As we all age, it seems that fewer and fewer people are aware of the significant role and influence these cars had on today's Corvette.
Hell, MANY, MANY owners of today's Corvettes don't even know what a 53-62 Corvette looks like. I say that with a certain amount of assurance because all you have to do is read some of the questions that are asked. SAD!
Tom Parsons
It would sure be nice if some responsible, consciencious person would acquire and restore it correctly.
For those here who may not be familiar with this car, it is NOT, repeat, NOT the Corvette SS that was the forrunner to the 63 Stingray design.
It is a 57 Corvette, which was modified/customized for a Motorama and called the Super Sport.
The Corvette Super Sport and the Corvette SS are two TOTALLY DIFFERENT cars!
The SS is alive and well, the Super Sport is still in somewhat questionable condition and ownership.
There are/were a few of the VERY EARLY Corvettes that were significant forrunners to the development, performance and heritage of the Mark, and it's a shame that this one has not been acquired, restored and cared for as it deserves.
As we all age, it seems that fewer and fewer people are aware of the significant role and influence these cars had on today's Corvette.
Hell, MANY, MANY owners of today's Corvettes don't even know what a 53-62 Corvette looks like. I say that with a certain amount of assurance because all you have to do is read some of the questions that are asked. SAD!
Tom Parsons
Paul like little restoration jobs like that. 
12-15-2012, 11:39 AM
#7
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The 1957 Super Sport was restored several years ago.
It is actually a 1956 Corvette that was customized by the Chevrolet Styling Department in late '56 for the show scene and allegedly to debut fuel injection for the production '57's. Styling took '56 # E56S101589 and re-tagged it as a '57, E57S001589. Note they changed the 5th digit from a one to a zero, so that the number would not conflict with the production '57 #1589.
The SS was first shown at the Waldorf Astoria Car show in January of 1957.(pics below) There was no Motorama Show in 1957.
After the shows it attended, it went to Dick Doane Chevrolet in Detroit. It was then sold to a dealer in Albuquerque, NM.(old poor quality news print below). The dealer sold it to a private party in NM, then was crashed some time later. It then went to a junk yard and was later sold to a local who held it for many years. Years later it was purchased then restored.
It is actually a 1956 Corvette that was customized by the Chevrolet Styling Department in late '56 for the show scene and allegedly to debut fuel injection for the production '57's. Styling took '56 # E56S101589 and re-tagged it as a '57, E57S001589. Note they changed the 5th digit from a one to a zero, so that the number would not conflict with the production '57 #1589.
The SS was first shown at the Waldorf Astoria Car show in January of 1957.(pics below) There was no Motorama Show in 1957.
After the shows it attended, it went to Dick Doane Chevrolet in Detroit. It was then sold to a dealer in Albuquerque, NM.(old poor quality news print below). The dealer sold it to a private party in NM, then was crashed some time later. It then went to a junk yard and was later sold to a local who held it for many years. Years later it was purchased then restored.
12-16-2012, 05:09 PM
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The 1957 Super Sport was restored several years ago.
It is actually a 1956 Corvette that was customized by the Chevrolet Styling Department in late '56 for the show scene and allegedly to debut fuel injection for the production '57's. Styling took '56 # E56S101589 and re-tagged it as a '57, E57S001589. Note they changed the 5th digit from a one to a zero, so that the number would not conflict with the production '57 #1589.
The SS was first shown at the Waldorf Astoria Car show in January of 1957.(pics below) There was no Motorama Show in 1957.
After the shows it attended, it went to Dick Doane Chevrolet in Detroit. It was then sold to a dealer in Albuquerque, NM.(old poor quality news print below). The dealer sold it to a private party in NM, then was crashed some time later. It then went to a junk yard and was later sold to a local who held it for many years. Years later it was purchased then restored.
It is actually a 1956 Corvette that was customized by the Chevrolet Styling Department in late '56 for the show scene and allegedly to debut fuel injection for the production '57's. Styling took '56 # E56S101589 and re-tagged it as a '57, E57S001589. Note they changed the 5th digit from a one to a zero, so that the number would not conflict with the production '57 #1589.
The SS was first shown at the Waldorf Astoria Car show in January of 1957.(pics below) There was no Motorama Show in 1957.
After the shows it attended, it went to Dick Doane Chevrolet in Detroit. It was then sold to a dealer in Albuquerque, NM.(old poor quality news print below). The dealer sold it to a private party in NM, then was crashed some time later. It then went to a junk yard and was later sold to a local who held it for many years. Years later it was purchased then restored.
The 1 at the beginning of the sequence number began in 1957. The first 1957 Corvette was E57S100001. E57S001589 would be a unique VIN for 1957, and different than the produiction car E57S1001589.
12-16-2012, 06:42 PM
#9
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The only problem here is thst 56 VINs did NOT start with a 1 in the sequence number. The first 1956 Corvette VIN was E56S001001, so the 56 VIN used in this example would have been E56S001589.
The 1 at the beginning of the sequence number began in 1957. The first 1957 Corvette was E57S100001. E57S001589 would be a unique VIN for 1957, and different than the produiction car E57S1001589.
The 1 at the beginning of the sequence number began in 1957. The first 1957 Corvette was E57S100001. E57S001589 would be a unique VIN for 1957, and different than the produiction car E57S1001589.
Rich
12-17-2012, 01:01 AM
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12-17-2012, 03:15 AM
#13
Unless there are matching holes in the rear inner door and the door jamb, the scoops can't cool the rear brakes IMO. I say they're decorative only.
The twin teeny windscreens ARE functional, reducing frontal area by eliminating the tall, wide stock windshield.
The twin teeny windscreens ARE functional, reducing frontal area by eliminating the tall, wide stock windshield.
12-17-2012, 07:14 AM
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12-17-2012, 10:03 AM
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04-26-2014, 03:35 PM
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I thought Betty was in the Super Sport but other picture shows long nose on car
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2011/...ses-at-age-85/
I thought by the closeup picture of her in the car it was the SuperSport
as evidenced by stainless or alloy side cover but in the big picture it has the extended nose of the SR-2 so this mighthave been a SR-2 maybe the one Bill Mitchell owned. But didn't Betty own her own modified '56 or '57 Corvette (maybe bronze in color). What happened to that car? Is she enough "personality" to make that worth more than the average '56 or '57? I had lunch with her once but no advancement in job opportunity came form it. I wish I would've known how she was turned down for WWII fighter pilot as I would have commensurated with her on that as I think U.S. blew it by not taking stunt pilot women as pilots, could have shot down a lot of enemy planes. The Russians had talented women pilots as a lot of Luftwaffe pilots found out
I thought by the closeup picture of her in the car it was the SuperSport
as evidenced by stainless or alloy side cover but in the big picture it has the extended nose of the SR-2 so this mighthave been a SR-2 maybe the one Bill Mitchell owned. But didn't Betty own her own modified '56 or '57 Corvette (maybe bronze in color). What happened to that car? Is she enough "personality" to make that worth more than the average '56 or '57? I had lunch with her once but no advancement in job opportunity came form it. I wish I would've known how she was turned down for WWII fighter pilot as I would have commensurated with her on that as I think U.S. blew it by not taking stunt pilot women as pilots, could have shot down a lot of enemy planes. The Russians had talented women pilots as a lot of Luftwaffe pilots found out
04-26-2014, 07:56 PM
#17
Drifting
Betty had an early '57 done by styling for her in Gold with a white leather interior plus other touches, like crossed flags in the coves accompanied by a "Chevrolet" scrip.
12-01-2014, 09:36 PM
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Welcome to the CF. Please don't keep us in suspense. Pics, the rest of the story etc. 
Dennis
Dennis
