1962 Corvette: One of the Last, Greatest Big Brake Fuelies
Daily Slideshow: Packing every bit of racing technology Chevy had to offer in the early '60s, this rare Corvette is a fascinating piece of history.
Trickling Down
It didn't take long for Chevrolet to find racing success with its legendary Corvette. By 1956, in fact, the Corvette had already claimed its first international class win at the Sebring 12 Hours. And perhaps more importantly, the knowledge they gained from those efforts led to exciting cars like this big brake fuelie '62 Corvette, which we spotted over at Mecum Auctions.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
Race to Street
It didn't take long after those racing efforts for Zora Arkus-Duntov to adopt the heavy-duty suspension and quick-steering from his race cars to the production option 684, which debuted merely a year later.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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Stopping Power
By 1958, RPO 684 included metallic brake linings, finned drums, elephant ear air scoops, and cooling ducts for the rear brakes. And things just kept progressing from there as Chevy accumulated data from the track.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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Titanic Shift
Around the same time, Chevy was determined that its Rochester fuel-injection system was also the wave of the future. Even though it was hastily developed at the time, this revolutionary idea would eventually prove to be a titanic shift in the way cars were built.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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Last of Many
This stunning 1962 Corvette, coincidentally, features both of those exciting technologies. It's also the last production year for the C1, a car that bowed right before the revolutionary Stingray took over.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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Very Special Car
According to the seller, this particular Corvette was also one of the very last big brake fuelie cars ever built. And with just 53k original miles and sporting a full nut-and-bolt restoration, it certainly looks the part of a very special car.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
>>Join the conversation about this 1962 big brake fuelie C1 right here in the Corvette Forum!
Rarely Driven
Just 37 of those miles have been accumulated over the last 21 years, as the special 'Vette has remained in the care of the Lynch Collection over that period of time.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
>>Join the conversation about this 1962 big brake fuelie C1 right here in the Corvette Forum!
Numbers-Matching
There are certainly no bones to pick here, at least not that we can see. The Roman Red beauty with a matching red interior is numbers-matching and retains all of its correct bits.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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Truly Correct
That includes the original 327/360 engine, 4-speed manual transmission, and Positraction rear end. The black convertible top is date-coded, and the car sports options including an AM radio, heater, defroster, clock, and chrome hubcaps.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
>>Join the conversation about this 1962 big brake fuelie C1 right here in the Corvette Forum!
Slice of History
This gorgeous 1962 Corvette might represent the end of an era, but it's also the culmination of many years of hard work and research. And for those reasons and more, it's certainly earned its place in Corvette history.
Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.