Today in Corvette History

[MOTV8]

October 18th:

1967 - United Artists premieres the film Clambake, starring Elvis Presley, in the US. The red sports car driven by Presley's character is the 1959 Sting Ray racer.

Nice car phone!

1984 - At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic - The Runoffs final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held, over four days. Finishing 1st in Showroom Stock GT class is Kim Baker, driving a 1984 Corvette. This is the first national championship win for the new C4 Corvette model. Baker would go on to play a prominent role in the testing and development of the ZR-1.

1985 - At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Valvoline Road Racing Classic - The Runoffs final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held, over three days.

Finishing 1st in Showroom Stock GT class is Danny Graham, driving a Corvette.

Finishing 2nd in Showroom Stock GT class is Greg Graham, driving a Corvette.

Finishing 3rd in Showroom Stock GT class is Geoff Burney, driving a Corvette.

2003 - At the Road Atlanta Motorsports Complex in Braselton, Georgia, the 6th annual Petit le Mans race is held, round nine of the American Le Mans Series.

Finishing 3rd in GTS class and 7th overall is the Corvette Racing #4 Corvette C5-R, driven by Kelly Collins, Oliver Gavin, and Andy Pilgrim.

Finishing 5th in GTS class and 14th overall is the Corvette Racing #3 Corvette C5-R, driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell, and Franck Freon.

2003 - At the end of the American Le Mans Series race season, the Corvette C5-R team wins the Manufacturers, Drivers, and Team GTS titles. Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell are tied for the Drivers championship title.

2005 - The American Le Mans Series holds its awards banquet. The Most Popular Driver award is won by Corvette Racing's Ron Fellows.

[MOTV8]

October 19th,

1980 - At the Laguna Seca Raceway in Laguna Seca, California, the CRC Chemicals Trans-Am Championship - Round 8 race is held.

Finishing 1st is the Pickett Racing #6 Corvette, driven by Greg Pickett.

Finishing 5th is the Jepsen/Corvette America #60 Corvette, driven by John Brandt.

Finishing 6th is the Rick Stark Enterprises #17 Corvette, driven by Rick Stark.

Finishing 7th is the Phantom Racing #43 Corvette, driven by Frank Joyce.

Finishing 9th is the Herb Forrest Racing #83 Corvette, driven by Herb Forrest.

Finishing 19th is the Little Foreign Car Shop #93 Corvette, driven by Michael Oleyar.

Finishing 20th is the Round Table Racing #14 Corvette, driven by Peter Brallier.

Finishing 22nd is the F.E.M.S.A./C.C.G. #39 Corvette, driven by Richard Colombo.

In 23rd place, but not finishing the race, is the Full-Time Racing #99 Corvette, driven by Phil Currin

1982 - John DeLorean began his automotive career with Packard in the 1950s, and was recruited to Pontiac in 1959. A rising star at Pontiac, DeLorean pioneered the successful GTO and Grand Prix, and by the late 1960s had risen to the top position in a company that was behind only Chevrolet and Ford in sales. In 1970, DeLorean was moved to manage the Chevrolet Division, and by 1973 Chevy was selling a record 3,000,000 cars and trucks, with DeLorean seeming a top candidate for General Motors' (GM) next presidency. But in late-1973, he walked away from his $650,000 job at GM, boasting he was "going to show them how to build cars." After raising nearly $200 million in financing, DeLorean formed the DeLorean Motor Company in 1974, and constructed a car factory in Northern Ireland. Interest in DeLorean's sleek and futuristic DMC-12 car was high, but by the early 1980s the company was in serious financial trouble. Failing to find additional investors, the proud DeLorean became involved in racketeering and drug trafficking in a desperate attempt to save his beleaguered company. On this day in 1982, after being caught on film during an FBI sting operation trying to broker a $24 million cocaine deal, DeLorean was arrested on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. But two years later a federal jury ruled that he was a victim of entrapment, and DeLorean was acquitted of all charges. Nevertheless, the debacle ruined his credibility, and John DeLorean's fall from the top of the automotive industry was complete. He died from a stroke at the age of 80, on March 19, 2005.

A shout out to A.C.E. bro' Dan, aka "3,503 lbs of trouble"

1992 - Corvette program manager Russ McLean informs his staff that the GM Strategy Board has placed all projects after 1996 on hold or cancelled, including the 1997 Corvette.

1995 - General Motors names Dave Hill Corvette's vehicle line executive, a new title in General Motors' ongoing restructuring.

[MOTV8]

October 20th,

1980 - At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held, over seven days. Finishing 1st in B Production class is Jerry Hansen, driving a Corvette. This is Corvette's tenth class win in the last twelve years. The class is discontinued after this year.

Sound familiar? Corvette turns out the lights on the 2007 ALMS GT1 party today at Laguna Seca.

1988 - The Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette is taken to the Transportation Research Center in Columbus, Ohio, to see if it can run over 250 mph. Considered to be the ultimate super car, this car was built with a single purpose, to be a 250mph showcase for Callaway’s turbo technology while retaining all of its drivability and the civility of a standard Corvette. The Sledgehammer project began after the famed “Top Gun” project where a Callaway Corvette was prepared for the Car & Driver Magazine “Gathering of Eagles” test event. In that event, Reeves Callaway drove a Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette to a maximum speed of 231 mph (a production Callaway also ran in that event, with a top speed of 187.95 mph). The Top Gun lived up to its name and walked away the winner but shortly after that test, Reeves Callaway began to put together a list of items he would do differently – items such as, low speed drivability, all power options retained (including air conditioning and radio) and, had to be driven to and from the next event at the Transportation Research Center (TRC). Starting with Callaway Corvette # 88-051, the crew that Callaway Cars enlisted began to formulate their plans according to Reeves’ ideas. From its four bolt “Bowtie Block” to the special pistons and rods inside, to the Brodix heads atop the block, the engine was hand built for maximum power and extreme durability. The goal of the car would have you thinking that the engine was radical. However, remembering Reeves’ goal of civility, the car is docile in traffic, much thanks to the cam, which was kept not that aggressive. The engines packaging was tight, especially with the two large turbos saddling the oil pan. The turbo intercoolers were moved from the normal location (one on either side of the intake manifold) to up to the front, behind the bumper area. The relocation of the intercoolers also mandated a special designed hood to clear all the equipment. The turbos selected were Turbonetics T04b units set at 22psi, with a cockpit adjustable boost control dial. Engine power was rated at (a conservative) 898 horsepower @ 6200 rpm with 772 lb-ft of torque @ 5250 rpm. The suspension was tuned by Carroll Smith, using a set of Koni shocks and some other tricks including, relocating the lower control arms for proper control at speed and lowering the car overall by one inch. Special Goodyear tires were also developed and used on the car mounted on the standard 17 inch Dymag Magnesium wheels. The interior was kept mostly stock with modifications done primarily for safety. The exterior was another story though. The Sledgehammer introduced the world to the Callaway Aerobody package. The first of many collaborations between Deutschman Design and Callaway Cars, the Aerobody was the most exciting bodywork ever supplemented to a Corvette chassis and continues to be one of the most recognized shapes ever to take the road. Designer Paul Deutschman was tasked with providing a design that would remain stable at the 250 mph mark and remain aesthetic to the eye – He succeeded on all accounts and the design ultimately became available on B2K Corvettes beginning in 1989 and remains available today, from Callaway Cars. On October 19, 1988, the Sledgehammer was driven out of the Callaway shops in Old Lyme, CT, beginning its journey to the TRC in Ohio.

[MOTV8]

Evelyn Woods' condensed speed-reading version...

October 21st,

1983 - At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic - The Runoffs final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held, over three days. Finishing 3rd in GT-1 class is Alan Sevadjian in a Corvette.

1983 - Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film The Right Stuff to theaters in the USA. An astronaut (Dennis Quaid playing Gordon Cooper) says "Got me a Corvette" as one of the perks of being an astronaut.

2006 - At the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, the Monterey Sports Car Championships race is held, round ten (final) of the American Le Mans Series.

Finishing 2nd in GT1 class and 9th overall is the Corvette Racing #4 Corvette C6-R driven by Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta.

Finishing 3rd in GT1 class and 10th overall is the Corvette Racing #3 Corvette C6-R driven by Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell.

2006 - At the end of the American Le Mans Series, Corvette drivers Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta are tied for first place in the GT1 Drivers Championship. Corvette Racing is first in GT1 Team Championship.

October 22nd,

1954 - Ford Thunderbird cars arrive in dealer showrooms. 4,000 orders are placed on the first day.

1956 - Rochester Products Plant completes the first production fuel injection unit, destined for a Corvette.

1982 - At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held, over two days. Finishing 1st in GT-1 class is Doug Bethke, driving a Corvette.

1993 - At Chilhowee Park in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Corvette Expo is held, over three days. Ninety Corvettes are offered at auction, with 29 selling. A 1967 Rally Red convertible with 427-ci 390-hp engine and 4-speed transmission sells for $33,300. _nilly: This one is currently listed for $175K!

2006 - At the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, the Monterey Sports Car Championships race is held, round ten (final) of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT series.

Finishing 4th is the Banner Engineering #6 Corvette C6 driven by Leighton Reese.

Finishing 7th is the LG ProLong Tube Headers #28 Corvette C6 driven by Lou Gigliotti.

Finishing 10th is the Blackdog Racing #34 Corvette C6 driven by Tony Gaples.

Finishing 17th is the Foametix #26 Corvette C6 driven by Claudio Burtin.

Finishing 18th is the WIT Motorsports #67 Corvette C5 driven by Kevin Chambers.

Finishing 19th is the #2 Corvette driven by John Boos.

Finishing 21st is the Diamond Construction #25 Corvette C6 driven by Brian Kubinski.

Finishing 25th is the LG Motorsports #87 Corvette C6 driven by Tomy Drissi.

Finishing 27th is the MAECO Motorsport #40 Corvette C6 driven by Greg Weirick.

Finishing 28th is the Whelen Engineering #31 Corvette C6 driven by Sonny Whelen.

Finishing 29th is the WIT Motorsports #68 Corvette C5 driven by Keith Videtto.

2006 - At the end of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT series, Lou Gigliotti is the only Corvette driver placing in the top ten, at second place. WTG, Lou!

October 23rd,

1960 - At the Laguna Seca raceway in California, an SCCA professional series race is held. The Sting Ray racer has a collision and does not finish. Driver Dr. Dick Thompson DNF'd after ramming the back of Walt Hansen's Cunningham-entered Maserati Type 60 in Turn 9.

"I told Walt to keep that slow ass red foreign-job outta my way...." - Dr. Thompson

October 24th,

1985 - A special air flight leaves Newark, New Jersey, bound for Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Malcolm Konner Chevrolet dealership pays to fly a group of purchasers of RPO 4001ZA, the 1986 Malcolm Konner Special Edition Corvette, to the Corvette plant. There, they will tour the plant, attend a special ceremony to pick up their keys, then embark on a three-day 1000-mile rally back to the New Jersey dealership. Chevrolet made 50 coupes available, 20 manual transmission, 30 automatic, as a $500 option, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first group of Malcolm Konner-sponsored purchasers of Corvettes to pick up their cars at the plant. Each Special Edition Corvette had special two-tone paint schemes, Silver Beige over Black, coded "spec". All had graphite leather interiors. One was retrofitted with a Callaway twin-turbo engine. After a 200-mile test and shakedown drive at Callaway, it was delivered to Konner Chevrolet. As far as it is known, this is the only 1986 model year Callaway Twin Turbo built. First pic is THE rare '86 Callaway, second one is a regular RPO 4001ZA.

[Guest ccsurprise]

Very impressive! I'm just learning and who needs a book when I have all of you!!

[MOTV8]

October 25th,

1979 - Chevrolet introduces the 1980 model Corvette. New bumper caps for both ends were featured in 1980, and they included integral spoilers. They were similar to the 1979 and (pace car replica) 1978 spoilers but without the seam they offered a neater appearance. Radiator airflow was improved with the new design. Corvettes, which had been slowly gaining weight, went on a diet for 1980. Lightened roof panels, an aluminum differential housing and crossmember along with a thinner hood, windshield, frame and door panels all contributed to the cause. Federal government regulations entered a new era of absurdity with the requirement of a speedometer limited to 85 mph. 1980 was not a good year for Corvette buyers living in California. They were restricted to one engine choice, a 305 cu in. motor that was common to the other Chevrolet models that year. There was also only one available transmission - an automatic - no four speeds allowed. This was the result of the state's tougher emissions regulations. The '80 305 'California' 'vette made Time magazine's list of '50 Worst Cars of All Time'. Base price is $13,140, and 1980 production reaches 40,614.

1980 - At the Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, the CRC Chemicals Trans-Am Championship - Round 9 race is held.

Finishing 1st is the Pickett Racing #6 Corvette, driven by Greg Pickett.

Finishing 4th is the Telesystems/Lancer Stores #88 Corvette, driven by Tuck Thomas.

Finishing 8th is the El Camino Auto Parts #12 Corvette, driven by Bob Matkovich.

Finishing 10th is the Stark Enterprises #17 Corvette, driven by Rick Stark.

Finishing 12th is the Full-Time Racing #99 Corvette, driven by Phil Currin.

Finishing 13th is the Phantom Racing #43 Corvette, driven by Frank Joyce.

Finishing 17th is the FEMSA/CCG #39 Corvette, driven by Richard Colombo.

Finishing 21st is the B.C. Autobody #41 Corvette, driven by Bill Craine.

Finishing 22nd is the Round Table Racing #14 Corvette, driven by Peter Brallier.

Finishing 24th is the Engels Racing #8 Corvette, driven by Nick Engels.

1980 - Points rankings of Corvette drivers at the end of the SCCA Trans-Am Championship series: 2nd Greg Pickett, 6th John Brandt, 9th Andy Porterfield, 10th Herb Forrest.

1981 - At the Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California, the CRC Chemicals Trans-Am Championship - Round 9 race is held.

Finishing 2nd is the NF Factors #6 Corvette, driven by Greg Pickett.

Finishing 3rd is the Swiss Chalet #94 Corvette, driven by Eppie Wietzes.

Finishing 4th is the Full-Time Racing #99 Corvette, driven by Phil Currin.

Finishing 7th is the J.D. Stacy #3 Corvette, driven by Tony Brassfield.

Finishing 11th is the Executive/Huffaker #98 Corvette, driven by Tom Frank.

Finishing 17th is the J.D. Stacy #9 Corvette, driven by Jerry Brassfield.

Finishing 19th is the Lamberts #70 Corvette, driven by Murray Edwards.

Finishing 24th is the Oly/Maple Leaf/Last Hurrah #71 Corvette, driven by Jeff Weymouth.

Finishing 25th is the Cooke-Woods #2 Corvette, driven by Roy Woods.

1981 - Points rankings of Corvette drivers at the end of the 1981 SCCA Trans-Am Championship series: 1st Eppie Wietzes, 3rd Phil Currin, 5th Roy Woods, 8th Greg Pickett. Chevrolet has the most manufacturer points (64 of 148), and Corvette has the most points (51 of 148) of any make of car.

And another two-fer....

October 26th,

1953 - A Chevrolet Work Order instructs engineering to install a V-8 engine in Corvette #3951 as a test of such installation in 1955 model production Corvettes. Corvette #3951 is also known as #002, as in the second one built. Corvette #001 (Chevrolet Engineering vehicle designated #3950) was tested to destruction and eventually scrapped, although its modified body was utilized by Chevrolet for other projects. Like #001, Corvette #002 exists only in memory. There is nothing that remains of the car that went throught the assembly line as Corvette number 002. Chevrolet kept the car for several years, building and re-building it many times over. Over time this car would be completely replaced piece by piece, with a new frame, a new engine, a new drivetrain, 12-volt electrics and wiring, and a new body. Along with new interior and exterior trim and gypsy red paint, it was re-christened EX-122, the name it holds to this day. What began as a 1953 production car, ended up as Chevrolet's concept and prototype vehicle for the V8 Corvettes of the near future. In it's most recent reincarnation, this car has once again been painted polo white and is being used as a replica of the GM Motorama car. Number 003, also a test mule and a staff car, found it's way into private hands and was 'rediscovered' in 1987 at a Rick Cole Auction in Monterey, CA as the oldest surviving Corvette.

1983 - The 750,000th Corvette rolls off the production line. The car is a white 1984 coupe, driven off the line by General Motors' employee Wayne Vollmer. Vollmer is the only employee who has worked on Corvette since 1953. The new car is purchased by Hugh Patterson.

1988 - The Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette reaches a top speed of 254.76 mph at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio. But it wasn't easy. Once the team arrived at TRC, after the car made a few laps some issues surfaced – things like a misfire condition at 135 mph and then an oil leak at 199 mph. The elusive misfire was ultimately traced down to a contaminated set of fuel injectors while the oil leak was minor. Bad weather was around throughout the testing session and warm up laps were done in the rain, at 130 mph. As testing continued, it was discovered that the airflow at the nose of the car was flowing out instead of feeding in – maybe the rain and wet weather was helping out after all. Special Callaway “speed tape” was applied and the car returned to the track. The car was now running at speeds above 200 mph around the TRC 7.5 mile oval track. Just as it seemed the car was headed on the right path, running in the 210 / 215 mph mark, the folks at TRC said, “The car seems to be fine, do you expect a few more miles per hour”? At that point, Chief Engineer Tim Good said, “No, you don’t understand – this car is supposed to go 250 mph”. The TRC Engineer turned and snickered and from that point on Tim said, the whole attitude changed from the TRC staff “it was like having a disease”. More determined than ever, the Callaway crew headed back out to the track. An “almost full throttle pass” yielded a 248 mph run. It was then, a TRC engineer asked if it would go faster… Tim said “Yes it will” and so the track remained open. At 3:45pm on October 26, 1988, the Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette was piloted to its record speed of 254.76 mph around the banks of TRC. The car was driven by John Lingenfelter, Reeves Callaway had returned from overseas with the flu. After setting the speed record, the crew celebrated their victory and prepared to head home. The car quickly became famous worldwide, and was eventually sold at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in 2004. A lucky Corvette enthusiast from Colorado now owns it and three other Callaway 'vettes he purchased at the same event. Pic is from 'Vettes on the Rockies 2005':

2003 - At the Isle Grand Prix Circuit in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Grand Prix race is held, round ten of the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge GT series.

Finishing 3rd is the 3R Racing #73 Corvette Z06, driven by Phil McClure.

Finishing 9th is the Black Dog Racing #25 Corvette, driven by Tony Gaples.

Finishing 10th is the Tiger Racing #99 Corvette Z06, driven by Thomas Oates.

In 11th place, but not finishing the race, is the WIT Racing #68 Corvette, driven by Kevin Chambers.

Finishing 12th is the WIT Racing #31 Corvette, driven by Keith Videtto.

Finishing 15th is the Metric Chemical #35 Corvette Z06, driven by David Farmer.

2003 - At the end of the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge GT series, Corvette racer rankings in the top ten by driver points: 3rd Phil McClure, 7th David Farmer, 10th Thomas Oates.

2003 - In San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Grand Prix race is held, round eleven (final) of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.

Finishing 2nd is the Revolution Motorsports #10 Corvette, driven by Bobby Sak.

Finishing 5th is the #23 Corvette, driven by Bob Ruman.

Finishing 8th is the #49 Corvette, driven by Randy Ruhlman.

Finishing 11th is the Revolution Motorsports #2 Corvette, driven by Don Sak.

In 16th place, but not finishing the race, is the #59 Corvette, driven by Simon Gregg.

Finishing 17th is the #20 Corvette, driven by Garrett Kletjian.

Finishing 21st is the #15 Corvette, driven by Jeff Emery.

[Desertdawg]

As much as I loved the chrome bumpers, I think the styling of the 80 - 82 was probably one of the best looking of the C3's

But I am a little biased...

[MOTV8]

Your bias is duly noted.

October 27th,

2002 - At the Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia, the VIR Speed Fest by Justin Bell's Motorsports Experience race is held, round 12 of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.

Finishing 3rd is the Derhaag Motorsports #40 Corvette, driven by Justin Bell.

Finishing 4th is the Tom Gloy Racing #88 Corvette, driven by Butch Leitzinger.

Finishing 6th is the Revolution Motorsports #02 Corvette, driven by Stuart Hayner.

Finishing 11th is the Revolution Motorsports #10 Corvette, driven by Don Sak.

Finishing 15th is the Derhaag Motorsports #59 Corvette, driven by Simon Gregg.

In 19th place, but not finishing the race, is the Tom Gloy Racing #49 Corvette, driven by Randy Ruhlman.

In 20th place, but not finishing the race, is the Cenweld Corp./McNichols Co. #23 Corvette, driven by Bob Ruman.

In 22nd place, but not finishing the race, is the Power Technology #30 Corvette, driven by Dan Furey.

2002 - Final Corvette driver standings at the end of the 2002 Trans-Am Series: 2nd Butch Leitzinger, 5th Stu Hayner.

2002 - At the Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia, Round 10 of the Speed World Challenge GT Series is held.

Finishing 6th is the #35 Corvette Z06, driven by David Farmer.

Finishing 16th is the #11 Corvette, driven by Craig Gelston.

In 17th place, but not finishing the race, is the #34 Corvette, driven by Tony Gaples.

In 18th place, but not finishing the race, is the #30 Corvette, driven by Bill Johnston.

In 20th place, but not finishing the race, is the #73 Corvette Z06, driven by Phil McClure.

2002 - At the end of the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge GT 2002 season, Corvette racers rank 8th (David Farmer), 11th (Phil McClure), 18th (Craig Gelston), 23rd (Eric Curran), 29th (Bill Johnson), 30th (Tony Gaples), 34th (Henry Gilbert), and 46th (Rick Boysal).

and

October 28th,

1984 - At the Green Valley Raceway in Smith Field, Texas, the SCCA Budweiser Trans-Am Championship - Round 15 race is held.

Finishing 4th is the Brandt Racing #60 Corvette, driven by John Brandt.

Finishing 12th is the Maidrite Sandwich Shops #73 Corvette, driven by Ron Boelts.

Finishing 14th is the Sawatzky Construction/Performance Auto #33 Corvette, driven by Ken Sawatzky.

In 20th place, but not finishing the race, is the DeAtley Budweiser #3 Corvette, driven by Darin Brassfield.

In 21st place, but not finishing the race, is the DeAtley Budweiser #1 Corvette, driven by David Hobbs.

1989 - The final 1989 SCCA Corvette Challenge race is run, in St. Petersburg, Florida at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix circuit. Finishing 1st is the Texas American Racing Team Corvette driven by Scott Lagasse. Bill Cooper of the Valley Chevrolet team wins the series.

1989 - At the last Corvette Challenge race in St. Petersburg, Florida, Chip Miller buys the last Challenge car built, a black backup car, from John Powell. The car has 100 miles on the odometer.

Street legal Corvette Challenge cars were built for the SCCA Corvette Challenge race series. The standard L98 engines were replace during race preparation at Powell Motorsports' Wixom, Michigan facility with engines specifically built for the Challenge by the Flint engine plant and then tuned for equal performance by Specialized Vehicles, Inc. in Troy, Michigan. The sealed engines were replaced at the end of the Corvette Challenge season with the original factory-installed numbers- matching L98s. Other Challenge preparation was similar to the 1988 season, consisting of necessary safety equipment (roll cages and fire systems) and details like seats. All 1989 Corvette Challenge cars came with the Z61 Performance Handling Package, which included the new FX3 Selective Ride and Handling system and heavy-duty springs and stabilizer bars.

In 1988, Fifty six Challenge cars were built for the 1988 SCCA Corvette Challenge race series. Fifty cars were sent to Protofab in Wixom, MI for racing gear installation.

In 1989, Sixty Challenge cars were built with thirty sent to Wixom, MI for racing gear installation. Only 28 of the original 1989 Corvette Challenge cars remain.

In 1990, 23 1990 World Challenge race prepared Corvettes were built (RPO R96).

[anmracing2]

Hey Dean,

Did they stop working on these cars after October 27??????

Chrome bumpers is where it's at!!!!!

Andrew

[MOTV8]

Hey Dean,

Did they stop working on these cars after October 27??????

Chrome bumpers is where it's at!!!!!

Andrew

Didn't think I had anybody interested, other than Dawg...and let's be honest, who cares what that mofo is in to? You can always catch up over HERE, I still do the homework....

And I agree on the chrome bumpers. I just saw Ted's this past weekend, very sweet but I think he needs to drop a crate 502 in it. And the rare double hijack: How goes the MOPAR? Get crackin'!

[anmracing2]

I'm fabricating a header spacer..... I know, sounds odd but for some reason no matter what I do the header won't clear the starter. Even the high torque mini starter hits. All I need is 1/8 inch to clear. So I'm cutting one down out of some flat aluminum stock I have.

I need to do the wiring for the new 95 amp alt, I still need to adjust the clutch. The rear end needs to be resealed. Then I need to wire the new CPU for the EFI. then I need to rewire the gauges.

After all that's done, then I need to pull it all out again when I'm ready to paint it and do it all again........

Sooooooo, I'm almost done.....

What's up with your car? Did you ever fix the underside??????

Andrew

[MOTV8]

Good luck with the spacer. Hell, I woulda just hit the header pipe with a ball peen til it cleared...

No, my cars have scars. And I figure it's 'merely a flesh wound'....why get that fixed when I'm just gonna repaint both those fenders with the flame job later? I did get some go fast goodies for X-mas! Yes, I peeked. We'll go for a test drive when it's all hooked up.

And I've decided which rims and tires are next, just gotta save the dinero....or win the lottery.

[Desertdawg]

Didn't think I had anybody interested, other than Dawg...and let's be honest, who cares what that mofo is in to?

I was just here for the pictures!!!

[MOTV8]

Didn't think I had anybody interested, other than Dawg...and let's be honest, who cares what that mofo is in to?

I was just here for the pictures!!!

Then enjoy this last batch, you're on your own after that....quickdraw.

I'm movin' on to Ford Pinto history.

November 7th,

1957:

Before World War II, Audi-founder August Horch cranked out his innovative Audis in the Zwickau Automobile Factory in the eastern German state of Sachsen. It was here that Audi manufactured the first automobiles with four-wheel hydraulic brakes and front wheel drive, decades before these innovations became standard throughout the automobile industry. After World War II, Germany was separated into Eastern and Western occupation zones, and Audi, like most other significant German corporations, fled to the capitalist West. Among the deserted factories the Soviet occupiers faced in postwar East Germany was the former Horch-Audi works in Zwickau. Under the authority of the Soviet administrators, and later under the East German Communist government, the Zwickau factory went back into service in the late 1940s, producing simple, pre-war German automobiles like the Das Klein Wonder F8, and the P70, a compact car with a Duroplast plastic body. In 1957, the East German government approved the updated P50 model to enter the market under a new company name--Trabant. On this day, the first Trabant, which translates to servant in English, was produced at the former Horch auto works in Zwickau. For the Trabant's first marque, the designers settled on "Sputnik," to commemorate the Soviet Union's launching of the first artificial Earth satellite the month before. The Trabant Sputnik was the first in the P50 series, featuring a tiny engine for its time--a two-cylinder 500 cc engine capable of reaching only 18bhp. In design, the Trabant Sputnik was the archetypal eastern European car: small, boxy, and fragile in appearance. Yet, despite the lack of style or power found in the Sputnik and its descendants, these automobiles were affordable, and provided the citizens of East Germany and other Soviet bloc countries with a capable means of getting from here to there.

1965:

In 1964, Art Arfons, a drag racer from Ohio, built a land-speed racer in his backyard using a military surplus J79 jet aircraft engine with an afterburner. Arfons christened the vehicle Green Monster, and in September took the racer to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to join in the race to set a new land- speed record. On October 5, the Green Monster jet powered to 434.022--a new land-speed record. However, Arfons' record would only stand for six days, for on October 13, Craig Breedlove set his second land-speed record when he reached 468.719 in his jet-powered Spirit of America. In 1965, Arfons returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats in a revamped Green Monster, and on this day shattered Breedlove's record from the previous year, when he raced to 576.553mph across the one-mile course.

Today in Corvette history:

1952 - A Chevrolet work order specifies that the second prototype Corvette be delivered to Fisher Body, for use in testing bodies.

1969 - The 250,000th Corvette rolls off the production line, a Riverside Gold convertible, purchased by George Dyer of California.

1999 - At the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada, the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Las Vegas race is held, round 8 (final) of the American Le Mans Series. Finishing 3rd in GTS class and 12th overall is the Corvette Racing #3 Corvette C5-R driven by Ron Fellows and Chris Kneifel.

1999 - Results at the end of the 1999 American Le Mans Series: GTS drivers championship: 9th is Ron Fellows, 12th is Chris Kneifel, 14th is Andy Pilgrim. GTS team championship: 6th is Corvette Racing. Not a bad debut season for the C5R, but the competition wouldn't stand a chance in the coming years...

[anmracing2]

Man oh man, can't wait to read about the Pinto...........

I'm gonna miss this thread. I never posted but I did read it. I'll check it out elsewhere.......

Andrew

[Ted Y]

What I find amazing is that Chevrolet made almost 250,000 camaros in 1969 alone and it took almost 27 years to make that many very special Corvettes!

[anmracing]

What I find amazing is that Chevrolet made almost 250,000 camaros in 1969 alone and it took almost 27 years to make that many very special Corvettes!

Well, math isn't my strong suit, but since the 25th anniversary car was in 1978....I gather you mean almost 15 years. Jeez Ted! All that schooling must be breaking your brain...

M~

[Ted Y]

Sheesh. I'm way off. I really shouldn't post after getting home form work.