The First L-88
08-11-2016, 10:20 AM
#141
Safety Car
I agree, but something happened! He even got a drive in the Grand Sport, but I think for a time period they forgot about him there from 1964 till the Whims Sebring Car. He kind of did the Corvair thing and GM knew him as that guy, but in his Corvette rides during that time, he ran BP, so I think by not fielding a big block in 1965 their was a hiccup in his being noticed! I have to research that! But he was full insider and was given top stuff there starting in 1966! I think his book that I have mentions something was going on! I will try to see what that might have been! I have probably 100+ related Yenko articles also to look through!
My opinion is 1965 was a funky year and badly covered related to the inside happening, politics, engineering work, etc of the behind the seens within Chevrolet! Kind of a transitionary year in so many ways!
My opinion is 1965 was a funky year and badly covered related to the inside happening, politics, engineering work, etc of the behind the seens within Chevrolet! Kind of a transitionary year in so many ways!
Tony went to driver’s school at Watkins Glen (NY) in 1964, using his father’s 1964 fuel injected Stingray. Tony and his brother had pressured their father (a GM employee) to order a new 1964 with all the racing options (except the 37 gallon tank) as a company car.
SEE THIS...........''When he started his actual racing career, however, it was in his own 140 HP Corvair Corsa over the 1965 and 66 years. The SCCA series he was running eventually turned out to be the TRANS-AM series. In fact, the last race he ran was at Marlboro (MD) and this was (reportedly) the start of the TRANS-AM. At the end of the 1966 racing season, Tony had qualified for the SCCA run-offs but didn’t have the funding to travel to the Riverside (CA) event site. His brother remarked that this emphasized the need for sponsorship funding in racing.
In 1967, Tony obtained sponsorship from Hanley Dawson Chevrolet. He purchased a 1967 L-88 Corvette and ran this car in the SCCA Nationals, replacing his Yenko Corvair Stinger. During this period, he became close friends with another Corvair racer, Jerry Thompson from Pennsylvania.[ JERRY WAS THE D/P SCCA CHAMP IN THE YENKO CORVAIR STINGER]
Mid-year, 1967, the pair were offered an opportunity to run with the Sun-Ray DX team, at Daytona in 1968. Tony decided that they would build a new 1968 roadster (from parts) and run it as an L88. It wasn’t actually an L88 from the factory but it passed SCCA inspection as a production car. The car was assigned # 30 for the Daytona race. The car would ultimately be run in both “A” production and “B” production classes. As the car changed back and forth between classes, the windshield, roof and flares would come off for “A” Production and then be re-installed for GT.
This is the car that was eventually assigned to Jerry Thompson in 1969, when Tony actually bought a real 1969 L88 to use as his own car.
At the first race of 1968 season, the SUNRAY DX team, ran three cars…two 1968’s and the old 1967. It was the 1967 that won the GT class. But, since the Sunray sponsorship was focused on the Daytona event, finding enough financing to keep three cars was an issue.
...........As a result, the 1967 car was sold to Don Yenko later in the year. Yenko ran it in the SCCA national series. Tony and Jerry kept the other two 1968 cars to run in “C” Production and “A” Production. But even after off-loading the 1967, the decision to run a two car team was weighing heavily on Tony's Troy Productions budget. Clearly he would need some new sponsorship.
Early in 1968, Dollie Cole, wife of Ed Cole, had taken the idea of sponsoring a race team to Curtis Lemay (Board of Directors for Owens-Corning) and convinced him to enter racing as a viable advertising medium. By August 1968, the Owens-Corning group had come on-board with the DeLorenzo team as a new sponsor. At Mid-Ohio the car first appeared in the new sponsor’s colors…a Randy Wittine design. At Daytona of 1969, the new Tony DeLorenzo/Dick Lang car ran #66. The older 1968 Jerry Thompson/Jim Harrell car ran #67. When the car originally appeared at Sebring, in 1970, it carried #1 and had no driver name on the door. The car had finished 1st in class and 10th overall. ............THERE IS A LOT MORE TO THIS STORY.
YENKO ALSO WAS A 3RD DRIVER OF THE 67 DANA CHEVROLET 1967 L-88 THAT WENT TO LEMANS WITH DICK GULDSTRAND AND BOB BONDURANT. HOWEVER, HE NEVER DROVE AS THE CAR EXPIRED IN THE 13TH HOUR. EACH DRIVER WAS TO DO 8 HOUR SHIFTS. DICK DID HIS.......BOB WAS 5 HOURS IN, AND THE ENGINE HAD A CRANKSHAFT PROBLEM.
Last edited by jimgessner; 08-11-2016 at 10:25 AM.
08-11-2016, 10:35 AM
#142
1965 m-22 Corvette
It is so rare when I get to express by opinions, thanks!
Which story, because they are a few with the highest I think now selling for 60 millions.
You have the American Car Distributor coachwork guy's operation Michael Sheehan and the chassis 3781, that someone rambunctiously over paid for, so to not lose the investor value, I think they got senile Favre the coachwork guy from the originals to claim that he did that body on that car!
They also produced a bitchn 512 BB/LM replicar!
You also have the claimed restored chassis rebuilt back in 1962.
And a few more funky stories!
Which story, because they are a few with the highest I think now selling for 60 millions.
You have the American Car Distributor coachwork guy's operation Michael Sheehan and the chassis 3781, that someone rambunctiously over paid for, so to not lose the investor value, I think they got senile Favre the coachwork guy from the originals to claim that he did that body on that car!
They also produced a bitchn 512 BB/LM replicar!
You also have the claimed restored chassis rebuilt back in 1962.
And a few more funky stories!
Any history about a black 1965 396 Corvette coupe with an m-22 that raced at Mosport Ontario CANADA? I think it was delivered new by Gorries Chevrolet Toronto Ontario if I remember correctly? Thank you.
The following users liked this post:
TCracingCA (08-11-2016)
08-11-2016, 11:04 AM
#143
Team Owner
YOU FORGOT TONY DELORENZO AND JERRY THOMPSON. THE YENKO CONNENCTION . I KNOW BOTH AS WELL AS DAVE MORGAN. ALL ARE STILL WITH US TODAY. TONY'S PARTIAL BIO IS BELOW. WE DID A SEMINAR AT BLOOMINGTON IN 2014 IN Champaign, IL. AGAIN DEREK, PLEASE GET INVOLVED. YOU CAN BRING A LOT TO THIS AND OLTHER HISTORY LESSONS.
Tony went to driver’s school at Watkins Glen (NY) in 1964, using his father’s 1964 fuel injected Stingray. Tony and his brother had pressured their father (a GM employee) to order a new 1964 with all the racing options (except the 37 gallon tank) as a company car.
SEE THIS...........''When he started his actual racing career, however, it was in his own 140 HP Corvair Corsa over the 1965 and 66 years. The SCCA series he was running eventually turned out to be the TRANS-AM series. In fact, the last race he ran was at Marlboro (MD) and this was (reportedly) the start of the TRANS-AM. At the end of the 1966 racing season, Tony had qualified for the SCCA run-offs but didn’t have the funding to travel to the Riverside (CA) event site. His brother remarked that this emphasized the need for sponsorship funding in racing.
In 1967, Tony obtained sponsorship from Hanley Dawson Chevrolet. He purchased a 1967 L-88 Corvette and ran this car in the SCCA Nationals, replacing his Yenko Corvair Stinger. During this period, he became close friends with another Corvair racer, Jerry Thompson from Pennsylvania.[ JERRY WAS THE D/P SCCA CHAMP IN THE YENKO CORVAIR STINGER]
Mid-year, 1967, the pair were offered an opportunity to run with the Sun-Ray DX team, at Daytona in 1968. Tony decided that they would build a new 1968 roadster (from parts) and run it as an L88. It wasn’t actually an L88 from the factory but it passed SCCA inspection as a production car. The car was assigned # 30 for the Daytona race. The car would ultimately be run in both “A” production and “B” production classes. As the car changed back and forth between classes, the windshield, roof and flares would come off for “A” Production and then be re-installed for GT.
This is the car that was eventually assigned to Jerry Thompson in 1969, when Tony actually bought a real 1969 L88 to use as his own car.
At the first race of 1968 season, the SUNRAY DX team, ran three cars…two 1968’s and the old 1967. It was the 1967 that won the GT class. But, since the Sunray sponsorship was focused on the Daytona event, finding enough financing to keep three cars was an issue.
...........As a result, the 1967 car was sold to Don Yenko later in the year. Yenko ran it in the SCCA national series. Tony and Jerry kept the other two 1968 cars to run in “C” Production and “A” Production. But even after off-loading the 1967, the decision to run a two car team was weighing heavily on Tony's Troy Productions budget. Clearly he would need some new sponsorship.
Early in 1968, Dollie Cole, wife of Ed Cole, had taken the idea of sponsoring a race team to Curtis Lemay (Board of Directors for Owens-Corning) and convinced him to enter racing as a viable advertising medium. By August 1968, the Owens-Corning group had come on-board with the DeLorenzo team as a new sponsor. At Mid-Ohio the car first appeared in the new sponsor’s colors…a Randy Wittine design. At Daytona of 1969, the new Tony DeLorenzo/Dick Lang car ran #66. The older 1968 Jerry Thompson/Jim Harrell car ran #67. When the car originally appeared at Sebring, in 1970, it carried #1 and had no driver name on the door. The car had finished 1st in class and 10th overall. ............THERE IS A LOT MORE TO THIS STORY.
YENKO ALSO WAS A 3RD DRIVER OF THE 67 DANA CHEVROLET 1967 L-88 THAT WENT TO LEMANS WITH DICK GULDSTRAND AND BOB BONDURANT. HOWEVER, HE NEVER DROVE AS THE CAR EXPIRED IN THE 13TH HOUR. EACH DRIVER WAS TO DO 8 HOUR SHIFTS. DICK DID HIS.......BOB WAS 5 HOURS IN, AND THE ENGINE HAD A CRANKSHAFT PROBLEM.
Tony went to driver’s school at Watkins Glen (NY) in 1964, using his father’s 1964 fuel injected Stingray. Tony and his brother had pressured their father (a GM employee) to order a new 1964 with all the racing options (except the 37 gallon tank) as a company car.
SEE THIS...........''When he started his actual racing career, however, it was in his own 140 HP Corvair Corsa over the 1965 and 66 years. The SCCA series he was running eventually turned out to be the TRANS-AM series. In fact, the last race he ran was at Marlboro (MD) and this was (reportedly) the start of the TRANS-AM. At the end of the 1966 racing season, Tony had qualified for the SCCA run-offs but didn’t have the funding to travel to the Riverside (CA) event site. His brother remarked that this emphasized the need for sponsorship funding in racing.
In 1967, Tony obtained sponsorship from Hanley Dawson Chevrolet. He purchased a 1967 L-88 Corvette and ran this car in the SCCA Nationals, replacing his Yenko Corvair Stinger. During this period, he became close friends with another Corvair racer, Jerry Thompson from Pennsylvania.[ JERRY WAS THE D/P SCCA CHAMP IN THE YENKO CORVAIR STINGER]
Mid-year, 1967, the pair were offered an opportunity to run with the Sun-Ray DX team, at Daytona in 1968. Tony decided that they would build a new 1968 roadster (from parts) and run it as an L88. It wasn’t actually an L88 from the factory but it passed SCCA inspection as a production car. The car was assigned # 30 for the Daytona race. The car would ultimately be run in both “A” production and “B” production classes. As the car changed back and forth between classes, the windshield, roof and flares would come off for “A” Production and then be re-installed for GT.
This is the car that was eventually assigned to Jerry Thompson in 1969, when Tony actually bought a real 1969 L88 to use as his own car.
At the first race of 1968 season, the SUNRAY DX team, ran three cars…two 1968’s and the old 1967. It was the 1967 that won the GT class. But, since the Sunray sponsorship was focused on the Daytona event, finding enough financing to keep three cars was an issue.
...........As a result, the 1967 car was sold to Don Yenko later in the year. Yenko ran it in the SCCA national series. Tony and Jerry kept the other two 1968 cars to run in “C” Production and “A” Production. But even after off-loading the 1967, the decision to run a two car team was weighing heavily on Tony's Troy Productions budget. Clearly he would need some new sponsorship.
Early in 1968, Dollie Cole, wife of Ed Cole, had taken the idea of sponsoring a race team to Curtis Lemay (Board of Directors for Owens-Corning) and convinced him to enter racing as a viable advertising medium. By August 1968, the Owens-Corning group had come on-board with the DeLorenzo team as a new sponsor. At Mid-Ohio the car first appeared in the new sponsor’s colors…a Randy Wittine design. At Daytona of 1969, the new Tony DeLorenzo/Dick Lang car ran #66. The older 1968 Jerry Thompson/Jim Harrell car ran #67. When the car originally appeared at Sebring, in 1970, it carried #1 and had no driver name on the door. The car had finished 1st in class and 10th overall. ............THERE IS A LOT MORE TO THIS STORY.
YENKO ALSO WAS A 3RD DRIVER OF THE 67 DANA CHEVROLET 1967 L-88 THAT WENT TO LEMANS WITH DICK GULDSTRAND AND BOB BONDURANT. HOWEVER, HE NEVER DROVE AS THE CAR EXPIRED IN THE 13TH HOUR. EACH DRIVER WAS TO DO 8 HOUR SHIFTS. DICK DID HIS.......BOB WAS 5 HOURS IN, AND THE ENGINE HAD A CRANKSHAFT PROBLEM.
Hey Jim, you do seem like such a nice guy, that you even try to look past my personality disorders for the sake of the information and records! I just don't do good when I get in conflicts or arguments! I tend to go into full attack and insult back mode!
For the subject, I was just starting to wind up and pitch! And I was sticking to Pre-L88/HD Competition cars of 1965/1966. Off of the top of my mind the Delorenzo group early history is a little funky!
I actually on some of the stories don't have those memorized enough to post! The Delorenzo very start, I need to get my notes and take a self study refresher course on it all! I don't think off of the top of my head, that their story prior to the 1967 L88 included one of these cars, no not on my list. I was actually about two months ago working on the C3 winning streak, trying to create the list of those wins! Because everyone states that, but I have never seen the actual list! Their 1967 L88 history I have that down (memorized) and their C3 history runs mostly, except which specific races were counted in that winning streak! The 1967 L88 car came straight from the skunk works! Earlier than that car for a big block entry by them like I said, I have to look it up!
Maybe that is where you guys that follow the Ownership trails and me following race records and attempting to attach them to a car or chassis could work together! There are thoughts straight from Doug Hooper about his and Ozzie Pohl's 1966 car which got sold being one of these! Even Rex Ramsey went to the ARRC Championships at Daytona and his 1966 car was sold there! He then got his 1967! As I mentioned in the posts removed were cars that I have looked into.
What I was just trying to cover or share was work related to the identification of those 1965/66 pre-L88 HD competition cars with the funky gear drive cams, etc. and such in some of them! These were cars that were semi obvious from their lap times or performance envelopes! To put it simple, cars that were out running the Cobras in production rule events! Actually the 1965 version wasn't quite there on development of the overall chassis also when the big block was added! I also think very few 1965 cars! I think 1966 was the big year of the special back door racing Corvette story! The Delorenzo story history above that you shared posted which is good stuff is devoid of them having one of these machines! Why they aren't or weren't included, but I have them down for investigation! Off the top of my heads, I can't remember if they field a Corvette big block Corvette prior to 1967!
I think when the actual car owners come into these history conversations is when it all goes bad! And occasionally OK! The Harold Whims history is pretty interesting and some interesting cars! And tell these investor friends, that the story always can use additional work! And sometimes there are things that might cause it to be further scrutinized, because this stuff is so old, and there are so many out there with bad memories erased or mixed up by the passing of time!
And Jim I tried to participate here on the forum, and my experiment on your Facebook! I just end up in conflicts! That Jan guy was sending me PM warnings, Wayne didn't know what to think! The Riverside Raceway Museum was ill prepared to receive me, when I showed up to blend SoCal region records! The in person happenings I handled all polite, but I made the mistake of talking about my dissatisfaction with who they allow access to! And got on a war!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-11-2016 at 03:06 PM.
08-11-2016, 11:25 AM
#144
Pro
Refer to the 6-page 1965 M22 appendix in Alan Colvin's Chevrolet-by-the-Numbers, 1965-69.
The following users liked this post:
-vet (08-11-2016)
08-11-2016, 12:20 PM
#145
big blocks - the best building blocks
08-11-2016, 01:59 PM
#146
Race Director
Tony decided that they would build a new 1968 roadster (from parts) and run it as an L88. It wasn’t actually an L88 from the factory but it passed SCCA inspection as a production car. The car was assigned # 30 for the Daytona race. The car would ultimately be run in both “A” production and “B” production classes. As the car changed back and forth between classes, the windshield, roof and flares would come off for “A” Production and then be re-installed for GT.
This is the car that was eventually assigned to Jerry Thompson in 1969, when Tony actually bought a real 1969 L88 to use as his own car.
This is the car that was eventually assigned to Jerry Thompson in 1969, when Tony actually bought a real 1969 L88 to use as his own car.
which also means the car Rick Hendrick bought at barrett-jackson for $1.1 million is not and never was an L-88 Corvette, unfortunately for me we will never know what the third car the O-C team built started life as, Tony bought it as a theft recovery from Don Yenko, thats it below as raced in Germany by Tony`s friend Curt Wetzel with it`s Randy Wittine psychedelic blue-white-purple paint scheme
08-11-2016, 03:01 PM
#147
Team Owner
Hey wait, I also spend time in Off Topic! I take that back!
Oh ya, Canadian racing records are really sparse, making it near impossible to track the racing exploits of this Gorries Chevrolet sponsored car. I think what Canadians did after the races, was to go instantly to drink beer and celebrate, forgetting to document the history of what just happened.
So now the investors will probably start creating phony special Corvettes claimed to have shipped to Canada, because I admitted to having a blind spot on my researching ability north of our border. But PS I only think there was one more Canadian dealership up there, that got really special stuff and might have gotten one of these cars.
But then again, sometimes I get Canada mixed up with some of the northern US states!!!!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-11-2016 at 03:26 PM.
The following users liked this post:
-vet (08-11-2016)
08-11-2016, 03:09 PM
#148
Team Owner
I have that book, and this guy other than Vette Vues had made the best attempt to document M22! It is a good read! Not a typical book Corvette guys would buy, because it is Engine and transmission and other numbers for generally all Chevrolet performance cars. Maybe one of us should post it up, so we don't make those unable to follow along, not have that book, crazy!
08-11-2016, 03:12 PM
#149
Team Owner
Also above in the post reply to Jim, I typed that all so fast, I went back and shifted the paragraphs around to flow better in why the Delorenzo car was not mentioned. And added a little bit more. I have spent enough time on 1967 L88, that I wasn't trying to go into that history. I do have a few new things that I could share on those though if the topic comes up in the future and I am in the right sharing mood!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-11-2016 at 04:17 PM.
08-11-2016, 03:14 PM
#150
Team Owner
which also means the car Rick Hendrick bought at barrett-jackson for $1.1 million is not and never was an L-88 Corvette, unfortunately for me we will never know what the third car the O-C team built started life as, Tony bought it as a theft recovery from Don Yenko, thats it below as raced in Germany by Tony`s friend Curt Wetzel with it`s Randy Wittine psychedelic blue-white-purple paint scheme
When we all are good enough friends to collectively work on the complete and accurate history of the famous Corvettes book, you are writing that chapter buddy!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-11-2016 at 03:28 PM.
08-11-2016, 03:19 PM
#151
Team Owner
So no one wanted to tackle the sensitive issue of what makes or allows a rebuilt car to maintain its more pedigreed history.
The to be linked to the original has to at least have either the body or the frame minimum and some think the engine. Some would argue if the body is lost, then the car no longer exists. Some would say if the tub with the Vin was never lost, and all sides had new glass hung, then the car is good to continue on as the original. But a few of the famous cars running around, and lost their tubs at one time or another.
The to be linked to the original has to at least have either the body or the frame minimum and some think the engine. Some would argue if the body is lost, then the car no longer exists. Some would say if the tub with the Vin was never lost, and all sides had new glass hung, then the car is good to continue on as the original. But a few of the famous cars running around, and lost their tubs at one time or another.
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-11-2016 at 04:29 PM.
08-11-2016, 04:28 PM
#152
Team Owner
Also based on M22 transmissions, a whole bunch of street cars are getting cataloged as special cars.
These out the back door HD Competition cars went to outfits racing first and foremost!
The project that maybe I will think about tackling is the Competition records of these known cars. But it would be cool to identify them all first.
PS I forgot to tell you guys I have worked on Cobra chassis numbers also. But anyone that knows the base 427 Cobra 19 competition models, along with some of the 31 427 SC's which were put back onto the track, these were out mixing it up with these special Corvettes.
So if a Corvette was out there out running a 427 Cobra in Production Racing Classes, more than likely it was one of these special cars.
These out the back door HD Competition cars went to outfits racing first and foremost!
The project that maybe I will think about tackling is the Competition records of these known cars. But it would be cool to identify them all first.
PS I forgot to tell you guys I have worked on Cobra chassis numbers also. But anyone that knows the base 427 Cobra 19 competition models, along with some of the 31 427 SC's which were put back onto the track, these were out mixing it up with these special Corvettes.
So if a Corvette was out there out running a 427 Cobra in Production Racing Classes, more than likely it was one of these special cars.
08-11-2016, 05:01 PM
#153
Also based on M22 transmissions, a whole bunch of street cars are getting cataloged as special cars.
These out the back door HD Competition cars went to outfits racing first and foremost!
The project that maybe I will think about tackling is the Competition records of these known cars. But it would be cool to identify them all first.
PS I forgot to tell you guys I have worked on Cobra chassis numbers also. But anyone that knows the base 427 Cobra 19 competition models, along with some of the 31 427 SC's which were put back onto the track, these were out mixing it up with these special Corvettes.
So if a Corvette was out there out running a 427 Cobra in Production Racing Classes, more than likely it was one of these special cars.
These out the back door HD Competition cars went to outfits racing first and foremost!
The project that maybe I will think about tackling is the Competition records of these known cars. But it would be cool to identify them all first.
PS I forgot to tell you guys I have worked on Cobra chassis numbers also. But anyone that knows the base 427 Cobra 19 competition models, along with some of the 31 427 SC's which were put back onto the track, these were out mixing it up with these special Corvettes.
So if a Corvette was out there out running a 427 Cobra in Production Racing Classes, more than likely it was one of these special cars.
08-11-2016, 05:59 PM
#154
fixer upper
On the post where I started the 65/66 list and cars that used up the M22 supply, I had the Gorries car which was thought to have been blue I think listed up. I have complete notes on that story. So this Canadian car is claimed to be the very very first of these M22 receiving cars. That was I think 4/17/1965 (off of memory). There is a lot of controversy surrounding that claim. I do have Gorries as a top tier Chevrolet performance receiving outfit. I was going to try to dig out all of this stuff. Then the bad post think, just made me say, is this crowd worth the effort to share or spend the time to accumulate research here in consideration of Off Topic types of mentalities!
Hey wait, I also spend time in Off Topic! I take that back!
Oh ya, Canadian racing records are really sparse, making it near impossible to track the racing exploits of this Gorries Chevrolet sponsored car. I think what Canadians did after the races, was to go instantly to drink beer and celebrate, forgetting to document the history of what just happened.
So now the investors will probably start creating phony special Corvettes claimed to have shipped to Canada, because I admitted to having a blind spot on my researching ability north of our border. But PS I only think there was one more Canadian dealership up there, that got really special stuff and might have gotten one of these cars.
But then again, sometimes I get Canada mixed up with some of the northern US states!!!!
Hey wait, I also spend time in Off Topic! I take that back!
Oh ya, Canadian racing records are really sparse, making it near impossible to track the racing exploits of this Gorries Chevrolet sponsored car. I think what Canadians did after the races, was to go instantly to drink beer and celebrate, forgetting to document the history of what just happened.
So now the investors will probably start creating phony special Corvettes claimed to have shipped to Canada, because I admitted to having a blind spot on my researching ability north of our border. But PS I only think there was one more Canadian dealership up there, that got really special stuff and might have gotten one of these cars.
But then again, sometimes I get Canada mixed up with some of the northern US states!!!!
I think the build date on that Corvette was June 2nd 1965. Also it was ordered as a race car without a radio to. It was not as if Gorries didn't know what that Corvette was going to be used for.
Last edited by -vet; 08-11-2016 at 05:59 PM.
08-11-2016, 06:22 PM
#155
Team Owner
Yes, they did continue on past CSX 3050. I was referring to the 50 initial chassis and that count. But yes the official count went up! Like one of those received a Frua Coachwork body. With the 29, you are subtracting his own personal Super Snake and the copy. One of those getting driven accidently off of a cliff, and the other selling at Auction I think up at the RM in Monterey for 6 million. Those two being CSX 3000 series cars (I think 3005/3015 off of the top of my head), those two having the twin Paxton Superchargers! Bill Cosby's was CSX 3303.
So to be technically super correct-- yes (29 Semi-Competition cars and 2 Super Snakes) for a total of 31.
And then in the modern, they even continued on with more CSX 3000 series cars, Shelby claiming that he had those already slated to be produced. He found a loophole in the DMV rules.
There was controversy 15-20 years ago when I was working over all of these chassis numbers. About 4 cars were converted back from the conversion to SC, back to Competition was the claim, and then some of the series from (off memory only, my notes are all at home) from CSX 3051-3057 or 58 became Competition models. Somewhere I have those after CSX 3050 identified! Like CSX 3054 is the Cobra Super Coupe.
Thanks for keeping me honest!
So to be technically super correct-- yes (29 Semi-Competition cars and 2 Super Snakes) for a total of 31.
And then in the modern, they even continued on with more CSX 3000 series cars, Shelby claiming that he had those already slated to be produced. He found a loophole in the DMV rules.
There was controversy 15-20 years ago when I was working over all of these chassis numbers. About 4 cars were converted back from the conversion to SC, back to Competition was the claim, and then some of the series from (off memory only, my notes are all at home) from CSX 3051-3057 or 58 became Competition models. Somewhere I have those after CSX 3050 identified! Like CSX 3054 is the Cobra Super Coupe.
Thanks for keeping me honest!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-12-2016 at 01:51 AM.
08-11-2016, 06:38 PM
#156
Team Owner
The 65 396 Corvette was traded back to Gorries after racing it. The dealer offered the car to employees for $1200 but it went elsewhere. The mechanic thought it was too rough!
I think the build date on that Corvette was June 2nd 1965. Also it was ordered as a race car without a radio to. It was not as if Gorries didn't know what that Corvette was going to be used for.
I think the build date on that Corvette was June 2nd 1965. Also it was ordered as a race car without a radio to. It was not as if Gorries didn't know what that Corvette was going to be used for.
I used to cut out articles and put them in notebooks, but I have a 100 notebooks now and can never find what category I put them in, or the sticker on the notebook fell off, telling me what category of stuff is in a notebook. Then I started thinking having full collections of magazines would be smart, so like all of the Corvette News mags I cut up, I replaced with intact copies, and the same for Vette Vues. And then at a certain point, I stopped cutting out articles all together, and switched to notes, then computers came out! So I put a whole bunch of stuff on floppy discs, and then tried to modernize that to CDs, but never finished, then the floppy drive broke, then the format of the CDs with modern op systems has changed, and I had one computer crash where I had did a back up, but the back up got corrupted. So I stopped putting anything on computers except for pictures now, because I just don't feel like typing from the start again. Now I am back to notes, which I could formally put in more notebooks, or I see something so I used a sticky yellow note to write it down, or I wrote a whole history on the back of a utility bill envelope, or in my work notebook, or on a box lid, is how I file my notes! Too bad the Dewey Decimal system was invented yet, when I started organizing literature. Just kidding!
It would be so cool if God had given us all an assistant! That should have been included as a package deal when we got two arms and two legs, a brain, and a mouth/ears.
Yes June would make a lot more sense!
My mystery like on those 30 Corvettes ordered by Yenko, if that was just the new Big Blocks he wanted coming in, or a mix of cars to supply his dealership? And then the story on the one in the back!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-11-2016 at 06:50 PM.
The following users liked this post:
-vet (08-11-2016)
08-12-2016, 02:04 AM
#157
Team Owner
It is interesting to try to remember stuff off of the top of my head, then get home and pull notes and see how good my memory was! Getting older!
Example is the 427 S/C Cobras started CSX 3005 to CSX 3054, so I was wrong on that! The 31 (includes two Super Snakes) and 7 only were originally sold in Guardsman Blue. Two were delivered in a Primer, the very first 427 S/C sold was CSX 3030 in other words after the street conversion!
So the other member here was right- 23 Competition 427 cars (1 re bodied as the Coupe).
Car histories are so interesting! But I am getting rusty on Cobras!
Ok my Cobra memory test is over! Back to casually pulling out race records on Conpetition Corvettes!
Example is the 427 S/C Cobras started CSX 3005 to CSX 3054, so I was wrong on that! The 31 (includes two Super Snakes) and 7 only were originally sold in Guardsman Blue. Two were delivered in a Primer, the very first 427 S/C sold was CSX 3030 in other words after the street conversion!
So the other member here was right- 23 Competition 427 cars (1 re bodied as the Coupe).
Car histories are so interesting! But I am getting rusty on Cobras!
Ok my Cobra memory test is over! Back to casually pulling out race records on Conpetition Corvettes!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-12-2016 at 03:06 AM.
08-12-2016, 09:05 AM
#158
Melting Slicks
Tyler
The following users liked this post:
-vet (08-12-2016)
08-12-2016, 09:50 AM
#159
Burning Brakes
I saw my first L88 when they took it off of the truck in Battle Creek Michigan. I had a 66 at the time and I think it was 5 months earlier that I ordered a 1968 Convertible with the 327/350. Well it just happened that my car was on the same carrier. The shop mechanic called me over to look at the L88 when it came off. It looked just like my car same color and all.
He let me sit in the 88 and my first question was no radio, no heater! This was Michigan and it was cold! He told me that was the way they came! I also noticed the gas warning label. They had to put two batteries in parallel to get the thing to crank over!
One last note, my Vette had a miss around 100 and a overheating problem that took months to fix. But every time I took mine in for service, the L88 was there also!
He let me sit in the 88 and my first question was no radio, no heater! This was Michigan and it was cold! He told me that was the way they came! I also noticed the gas warning label. They had to put two batteries in parallel to get the thing to crank over!
One last note, my Vette had a miss around 100 and a overheating problem that took months to fix. But every time I took mine in for service, the L88 was there also!
08-12-2016, 11:47 AM
#160
Team Owner
Hopefully you will include the 1965 frame that was modified in March/April of 65 for racing then used under a Oct 1966 car with an early version of the L 88 and one of those mystery M 22s. It was used by Duntov for testing. Pictures and documentation should be forthcoming as the car has been restored.
Tyler
Tyler
I would suspect prototype number plates and such! I had up the two proving grounds prototypes with License plates 1 3M 923 and 1 4M (off of memory can't remember- think it was 863 (i had it posted in the post that I removed, since I turned the project into homework). Also I will have to look thru literature to see if I can find any 1967 Prototypes being tested and photographed.
I do not remember having any pictures of Bill Towers car (his Green L88 prototype) running around being tested.
These are the three cars that correlate to this HD testing.
Is this car one of the two and pictured historically. I think most of the Chevrolet Prototypes got photographed at one time or another. Just a few that I am aware of that I have found no pictures!
It does sound strange that a 1965 frame either had it's body removed, or was never bodied in 1965, and a 1966 was installed. The only justification since the frame and the bodies were basically the same 1965 and 1966, that the big block installs where leading to frame stress and maybe they wanted to reinforce weld for the big block. I can't recall big blocks getting addition welding. And gusset and reinforcement welding wasn't really in yet, but then I would bet a true competition purpose built car would have had some torsional rigidity testing done. Maybe this was a chassis, purposely tested for that. There are a bunch of raw frame pictures for showing the construction back in Corvette News. Most of those that come to mind are 1963 shots, and then the mod for the C3s.
If the car has a claimed M22, then I will put it in the Transmission used count.
This may start a whole new conversation.
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-12-2016 at 12:45 PM.