Mark C5

I've PM'd Adam Boca and asked him to do some checking. Hopefully he can shed some light.

$$$frumnuttin'

I don't doubt you, but honestly if all you are interested in is its worth, despite the forum name, this is not the place to get a good answer...too many 'armchair experts' here if you know what I mean. Best to contact Mecum or Barrett/Jackson.

hotwheels57

That's just what I was going to suggest. If it's well documented, that car could be very popular at the BARRETT-JACKSON auctions in Scottsdale, Florida or Las Vegas. And MECUM sells a lot of Corvettes at his auctions.

$$$frumnuttin'

Also, if it truly is a 'pilot vehicle' it should show the code...see my first day car (pilot build C5) 4th option from the bottom here....

VIN 1G1YY22G9V5100098
VEHICLE BUILD
Merchandising Model : 1YY07 -1997 CORVETTE COUPE
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating : 1692 kg (3731 lb) Order Number : PYL942
Build Date : 10/29/1996 Build Plant : 1V5Y - BOWLING GREEN
OPTION CODES
AAB - MEMORY PACKAGE AG2 - SIX-WAY PASSENGER POWER SEAT
AK5 - DRIVER & PASSENGER SUPPLEMENTAL INFLATABLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM AQ9 - ADJUSTABLE SPORT LEATHER BUCKET
BGR - BOWLING GREEN PLANT B34 - COLOR-KEYED FRONT FLOOR MATS, CARPETED INSERTS
B84 - BODY SIDE MOLDINGS CJ2 - AIR CONDITIONING-ELECTRONIC DUAL ZONE
C2L - DUAL REMOVABLE ROOF PANELS DL8 - HEATED REARVIEW MIRRORS
FE1 - SUSPENSION SYSTEM-SOFT RIDE FE9 - FEDERAL EMISSIONS
F45 - CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE REAL TIME DAMPING GU2 - REAR AXLE 2.73 RATIO
IL3 - TRIM INTERIOR DESIGN-AQ9 JL9 - 4-WHEEL ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
K63 - 110 AMP GENERATOR LS1 - 5.7L LITER SFI, V8
MX0 - 4-SPD. AUTO. TRANS. W/OVERDRIVE M30 - 4 SPEED ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH OVERDRIVE
NF2 - FEDERAL EMISSION SYSTEM NK4 - LEATHER WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL
NV7 - POWER STEERING QD4 - STYLED ALUMINUM WHEEL
UN0 - AM/FM STEREO W/CD PLAYER UV7 - WINDSHIELD ANTENNA
UZ6 - QUAD SPEAKER SYSTEM U1S - COMPACT DISC PLAYER, REMOTE
U52 - ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION V73 - STATEMENT OF VEHICLE CERT.-U.S. /CANADA
WD0 - I.D. PLATFORM CONTAINMENT WD1 - PILOT VEHICLE
XGG - FRONT TIRE-P245/45ZR17 BW SBR YGH - REAR TIRE-P275/40ZR18 BW SBR
1AA - RETAIL AMENITY DELETE 19I - BLACK INTERIOR TRIM
193 - BLACK LEATHER 70U - TORCH RED

c4cruiser

There are going to skeptics until there is some form of proof to show the truth. If you have some of the documentation, then you should post it when you get your hands on it.

As far as the car itself, I was always under the impression that when GM built prototypes, the VIN usually had an X somewhere in the VIN. This identified the car if there was a need to register it for testing on the street and prototype cars were usually not sold to the public.

Probably the most famous example of a prototype winding up in the hands of a private citizen would be the guy in England who found and bought one on the 1986 C4's used by Lotus for their development work on the LT5 motor in the ZR-1. It runs, licensed in England and the guy even shipped it to the US for the 50th Anniversary deal in Bowling Green. Chevy really wanted the car bac as it was supposed to go to the crusher.

In any event, installing the C6 427 motor in a C5 would have been a real project. The C6 ZO6 uses a dry sump oiling system and the C5 engine compartment would need extensive "remodeling" to get the tank and lines in there.

So if the car is real, having documentation that you can show would help to satisfy the critics. But as you have seen, it can be easy for some to raise the flag. I would really like to see pics of the car learn more about it.

I just did a Google search for "Joe Witer" and got nothing. Who did he race for??

Mark C5

Reading the OP's posts, it doesn't sound like he is very familiar with C5' or C6's (saying last year of C5 instead of '04, saying C6 Z06 427 instead of LS7) so I wonder if he has just mistaken A C5R 427 for a LS7. It would certainly make a lot more sense. We all know an LS7 will go into a C5 but it sure takes a lot of work. You have to deal with the dry sump system and the reluctor wheel issue just for starters. I just doubt the factory would have jumped an this 2 years before the engine ever hit the assembly line.

To the OP, please don't take this as any assault on your integrity.

Phanni

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_C5-R
As for pricing
http://www.vetteweb.com/events/vemp_...5_r/index.html

does the engine look anything like this one?
http://www.corvettelegends.com/c5r.htm

Just sayin'

Vega$Vette

IMHO..

If there were 50 C5s from BG with 427s we would have heard about it a long time ago.

I have to go with Mythbusters on this one. Busted

1sickz51vette

sounds to me like maybe a chevy dealer built the car for someone with a 427...

BUBBAS 01Z06

..gotta' be

mariofromnewyork

Subscribed!

LO PHAT

A 427 in a C5: SURE

A LS7 in a C5: POSSIBLE

50 C5 Corvettes produced by the factory with LS7 engines (two years before they were introduced to the public in the C6 Z06) with one of them being an automatic: NOT LIKELY

The fact that no one has heard of these 50 cars until now: PRICELESS



LO PHAT

split71

To be sold like this by GM, I would think the drive train would have to be emissions certified for the platform and model year. I don't that's the case here.
Like others have noted, any experimental/prototype vehicle has a special VIN and CAN'T be sold to the public.

What does the paperwork say?

CCA Corvette Parts

That's what I was going to suggest

Peace
Chip

pauldana

ok... yea I got it... anyway this is just what it is, .... My son will be visiting his grandfather this coming weekend.
Will get pictures and vins...

This car was never purchased, it was a gift from Chevrolet, When joe died My father in law was his exactor or the estate, for his payment he took the car.

I have been in Joe's house before he passed and he had numerous trophies from Corvette. He was one of there drivers.

dobewillie

It sure sounds neat good luck with pricing

Mark C5

Ok, now you're pushing it. To take payment in the form of possessions for acting as an "executor" of an estate I'm pretty sure is highly illegal. Especially a possession who's value (if the story were true) is extremely difficult to assess. I'd love to see a trophy awarded by "Corvette". Who are they? I've googled Joe Witer and can find no reference to him as a factory driver for GM.

pauldana

Well you could be right,and i was given bad info .....But if you are wrong, you just made yourself look like an ***/..... priceless

pauldana

Hey... If i am right this would be really cool... so lets find out together.... Why give me a hard time, this is just the info given me....

So, please lighten up and help me find the truth... what ever it is... k?

The thing I am 100% is it was given to Joe by Chevrolet as a gift for his years racing for them. the rest we will find out together...

Mark C5

How are you 100% certain it was given as a gift? Were you there when the car was presented? Have you seen some paperwork from GM that indicates the car was gifted?

Can you provide any links or direct us to any source that shows Joe Witer was a factory driver for GM?

I'm not trying to be hard on you, it's just I've seen this many times before. A poster makes a dubious claim and when called on it provides what he feels is supporting evidence which is actually more dubious the the original statement.

I'm sure you are just repeating what you've been told as best you can. I'm just saying you got a lot of it wrong. But I am looking forward to hearing "the rest of the story".