very cool project!
Restoring Morrison racer
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 849
Likes: 1
From: Shelbyville IN
Restoring Morrison racer
We're putting Tommy Morrison's yellow No. 88 IMSA racer, which ran in 1986 and '87, back together. This was the production Corvette that engineers hooked up with Tommy to run so they could determine chassis and suspension requirements for the the upcoming ZR-1. Would appreciate help locating a set of used Goodyear Eagles that would fit 17-inch BBS wheels. 11" fronts, 12" rears. Just need to hold air.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 849
Likes: 1
From: Shelbyville IN
Aside from the machinery, the philosophic gap between C4 and C6 is huge.
McLellan's C4 vision: Fly under the radar. Sign privateers like Morrison, Powell, Baker, Rippie to testing contracts and help them race on the side. Unleash them to do battle with each other, and, oh yeah, Porsche. Nope, GM doesn't race, but our customers certainly do.
The vision since the mid-90s: Focus resources on one unabashedly factory team. Achieve great victories but fray Corvette's age-old linkage with its privateer base.
Which way is right? Does it matter?
McLellan's C4 vision: Fly under the radar. Sign privateers like Morrison, Powell, Baker, Rippie to testing contracts and help them race on the side. Unleash them to do battle with each other, and, oh yeah, Porsche. Nope, GM doesn't race, but our customers certainly do.
The vision since the mid-90s: Focus resources on one unabashedly factory team. Achieve great victories but fray Corvette's age-old linkage with its privateer base.
Which way is right? Does it matter?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 4
From: East Wenatchee (2hours from n e where) WA
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
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From: Mystic CT
The 17 inch tires are going to be a challenge. Several years ago i finally talked a vintage team to switch to 18 inch just for tire selection. Sure the wheels are better at 18 but not the main reason. When you need 16 wheels to run a weekend it adds up wildly fast for good 3 piece ones.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 849
Likes: 1
From: Shelbyville IN
QUOTE=ddahlgren;1580444512]The 17 inch tires are going to be a challenge. Several years ago i finally talked a vintage team to switch to 18 inch just for tire selection. Sure the wheels are better at 18 but not the main reason. When you need 16 wheels to run a weekend it adds up wildly fast for good 3 piece ones.[/QUOTE]
True that. The Morrison cars started out in '86 on 16-inch Gotti wheels on stock Vette hubs. Ended up on BBS 17s in '87, with special Timpken hubs. We might need to switch back to Gotti, but finding 16-inch tires will also be a challenge, I fear.
True that. The Morrison cars started out in '86 on 16-inch Gotti wheels on stock Vette hubs. Ended up on BBS 17s in '87, with special Timpken hubs. We might need to switch back to Gotti, but finding 16-inch tires will also be a challenge, I fear.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,564
Likes: 110
From: Austin Texas
The 17 inch tires are going to be a challenge. Several years ago i finally talked a vintage team to switch to 18 inch just for tire selection. Sure the wheels are better at 18 but not the main reason. When you need 16 wheels to run a weekend it adds up wildly fast for good 3 piece ones.
Finding 17" Goodyear Eagles will be a PITA. They don't make the G19 in that size anymore...and the closest you can get is using their Eagle RS DOT.
http://www.racegoodyear.com/tires/pd...web_100511.pdf
Maybe someone like John Burget MIGHT have an old set laying around...might give him a call and see. I doubt it...but worth a shot.
John Burget Tire
(262) 740-0180
Of course...going back to 16" will get you in like Flynn...they still sell those sizes in the G19 and G18 (wets).
Last edited by 1991Z07; Apr 2, 2012 at 09:48 AM. Reason: Additional Info...
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,564
Likes: 110
From: Austin Texas
Sad to see how they have changed from the development of the 80's & 90's. GM management used to (rightly) feel that more teams running gave them more data to sift.
Now they only care about the COMPANY team winning at all costs...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 849
Likes: 1
From: Shelbyville IN
No, just (a) corporate sponsored team trying to screw the other Corvette teams in the paddock out of tires and anything else they could do to ensure the "corporate" team remained #1...
Sad to see how they have changed from the development of the 80's & 90's. GM management used to (rightly) feel that more teams running gave them more data to sift.
Now they only care about the COMPANY team winning at all costs...
Sad to see how they have changed from the development of the 80's & 90's. GM management used to (rightly) feel that more teams running gave them more data to sift.
Now they only care about the COMPANY team winning at all costs...
Re: GM racing philosophy. In the C4 era, engineers truely used the track as a proving ground. So, yeah, more teams provided more data to sift, and the opportunity to put substance into the old saw about improving the breed.
For example, Morrison's IMSA program of '86 and '87 wasn't a marketing exercise. Winning wasn't likely, so the marketers paid little heed. The car we're restoring wouldn't exist today except that engineers needed to know how the production chassis could stand up in the real world to a 400 hp engine.
One could argue that Corvette racing today is less about engineering and more about marketing. It's more a demonstration than a development exercise. Is there merit in that?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 274
Likes: 12
From: Louisburg NC
There must have been some development that went into this.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...D_AM/120339961
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...D_AM/120339961
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,564
Likes: 110
From: Austin Texas
Many thanks for John's contact info. Looks like he's got what we need.
Re: GM racing philosophy. In the C4 era, engineers truely used the track as a proving ground. So, yeah, more teams provided more data to sift, and the opportunity to put substance into the old saw about improving the breed.
For example, Morrison's IMSA program of '86 and '87 wasn't a marketing exercise. Winning wasn't likely, so the marketers paid little heed. The car we're restoring wouldn't exist today except that engineers needed to know how the production chassis could stand up in the real world to a 400 hp engine.
One could argue that Corvette racing today is less about engineering and more about marketing. It's more a demonstration than a development exercise. Is there merit in that?
Re: GM racing philosophy. In the C4 era, engineers truely used the track as a proving ground. So, yeah, more teams provided more data to sift, and the opportunity to put substance into the old saw about improving the breed.
For example, Morrison's IMSA program of '86 and '87 wasn't a marketing exercise. Winning wasn't likely, so the marketers paid little heed. The car we're restoring wouldn't exist today except that engineers needed to know how the production chassis could stand up in the real world to a 400 hp engine.
One could argue that Corvette racing today is less about engineering and more about marketing. It's more a demonstration than a development exercise. Is there merit in that?
I figured if anyone had something like that around it would be him.
They (GM) still use the racing as development, but their attitude has changed in now your friends are your enemies.
Like you say...more data is better. Having 5 teams flogging the pi$$ out of your stuff and sending back data tells you a lot more than a single team with identical cars.
Their philosophy has driven all the "other" Corvette teams out for different brands or platforms. My attitude is if you are in it for pure marketing, having 5 teams running Corvette's gives you a LOT more exposure (aka AIR-time) than 1...
But that's just me...
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,564
Likes: 110
From: Austin Texas
There must have been some development that went into this.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...D_AM/120339961
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...D_AM/120339961
Once again...marketing driving the wheel instead of engineering.
Would I LOVE to see this on a C7?
HELL yes!
But it's just another design exercise...never to see anything but the tracks. It is ONLY a body, made to mount on any of the 3 chassis they run in ALMS.
Something to bring the ratings up and "sell" the Corvette brand, even though there isn't a chance in hell they'll put it into production.
