1957 Corvette: From Show Winner to Race Winner
This wild 1957 Corvette make no apologies for no longer being stock. It is still pretty enough to be a show car, but it shows no mercy at the drag strip.
1. Not Just a Pretty Face
Let's face it - most drag race cars ain't show cars, and most show cars are slow (or at least driven that way). You rarely see a vehicle pulling double duty, for a variety of reasons, but Mark Pappas' gorgeous and menacing 1957 Corvette, which was highlighted in a recent Super Chevy feature, is the perfect dual purpose Corvette. To that affect, it competes and wins on both the ISCA show car circuit and numerous drag strips around the country.
2. The Makings of an Inspiration
Like all of us, Pappas obtained his interest in hot rodding from a very familiar place - after seeing American Graffiti for the first time back in 1973. The hook was set, and Pappas' first car was a doozy of a 1957 Chevy Bel Air with a small block. He's been a devoted Chevy fan ever since, driving everything from Camaros to Chevelles, but he always had dreams of drag racing a vintage Corvette.
3. Ten Years in the Making
Pappas started his quest for a car suitable of fulfilling the dream nearly ten years ago. That's when he first came across the shell - a stripped out 1957 Corvette that someone had attempted to turn into a race car. From there, it was slowly transformed into what you see today - a show winning car that continues to get faster at the strip. Now, the Corvette torches the quarter mile in the 8 second range.
4. A Solid Foundation
Obviously, it takes a lot more than just a big motor to make anything that fast. A custom 4130 chromoly steel chassis sits underneath, with a 4.56 geared rear end and 41-spline axles. A set of attractive Billet Specialties 15" wheels are covered in Hoosier Quick Time rubber - 3.5" wide fronts and 15" rears - and those big and littles are hiding big old 12" slotted and drilled brake discs.
5. Heart of the Beast
To propel this light weight but highly attractive Corvette down the track, Pappas went with a huge naturally aspirated 565ci big block put together by Reher-Morrison Racing Engines out of Arlington, Texas. The massive mill is based on a Dart Big M aluminum block, which contains goodies like 14.5:1 forged aluminum pistons and a custom ground camshaft. Up top, you'll likely notice the Pro-Filer Performance Sniper Ram intake first, with a pair of Holley 1050 Dominator carbs on top. That combination is good for a cool 1,100 horsepower, and makes this '57 one of the prettiest 8-second drag cars we've ever laid eyes on.
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