A 1962 Corvette Goes Racing Against the Best of Europe
C1s are the epitome of cool. Unfortunately for this beauty the track bit back.
In the beginning...
The car’s owner, Tom Falconer, is a staple in the world of Corvettes. Laying claim to possibly owning more bowtie vehicles than anyone on the planet. In fact, Falconer has built and restored over 700 Vettes since the early 1970s. He was definitely the man for the job and would begin to build the car from a pile of parts in his shop.
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Scuderia Scirocco
Based on the Scuderia Scirocco, the C1 entered into Le Mans back in 1962. So, to say this car is a rare gem is saying the least. The engine is 5.4L and produces 350 horsepower. The brakes remain drums per the Goodwood Revival rules. It has gorgeous lines, a fully built roll cage, and hard top. The tires are period correct which makes for tons of sliding and exciting racing. It is a full nut and bolt restoration and built exactly to the specifications of the original car.
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Devil in the Details
It’s all well and good to have horsepower and torque, but like many other things in life, it’s the details that count. The chassis of this Corvette was designed by a British engineer with a very key design feature. This car is a front engine with the powerplant placed in a kind of “mid ship” position. This means it’s mounted further back to give the best balance and handling possible. Getting all that weight close to the center of the car helps balance from initial turn in all the way to the corner’s exit.
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Racing Conditions
Conditions at the Kinrara Trophy in 2016 were less than ideal with a damp track due to rain. With cars already prone to oversteer it can get tricky controlling an older car like the C1. Pushing the limit is definitely walking a fine line between control and chaos. Competitors ranged from 289 Cobras and Ferrari 250 GTOs. Not exactly the types of machines you want to smash into!
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The Crash
Racing in the rain isn’t easy. Racing vintage cars in the rain are even more of a recipe for disaster. One of the great things about Goodwood is also one of the most tragic: millions of dollars in rare cars do crash into barriers as drivers push their priceless machines to the limit. The car wouldn’t finish the race, opting to have a run-in with a tire wall instead of the checkered flag. It was repaired and listed for sale in April of this year for an undisclosed price. We can only hope whoever bought it is still racing it the way it was intended to be.
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Your thoughts…
What would you do if you owned this beautiful C1? Is the possibility of wrecking too much to bear? Or, do you think you’d say to hell with it and burn some rubber at Goodwood? Let us know and check out the highlights here.
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For information on maintenance and repairs of your C5, C6 or C7, visit our how-to section here.