Month: January 2012

Amelia Island’s Concours d’Elegance is renowned for bringing unique and rare cars together and this year will be no exception as the rear-engined experimental Corvette XP-819 will be displayed on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton in Northeast Florida during the weekend of March 9-11, 2012.

The history of XP-819 is very interesting reading. Legend has it that Zora, a known proponent of mid-engined Corvettes, didn’t think a rear-engined concept would be viable and in fact there was a disagreement between the Corvette’s chief engineer and Chevrolet’s engineering chief and head of R&D Frank Winchell over such a design. Winchell’s experience with the Corvair led him to believe that a Corvette with an aluminum V8 mounted over the back wheels much like the Porsche 911 was in fact both conceptually and commercially sound.

Although Zora thought the vehicle would be too unwieldy with poor weight distribution, Winchell put Corvette designer Larry Shinoda on the project in 1964 and soon after a concept that met Zora’s liking was approved. Within a couple of months, XP-819 was built and equipped with a marine-spec reverse-rotation small-block V8 mated to a two-speed transaxle.

Just as Zora feared, the handling of the prototype was problematic. Although Shinoda said the Corvette should be able to achieve 1g on the skidpad, it required staggered wheel sizes. Unfortunately, an engineer was testing the prototype with standard Corvette tires and the car crashed during a high speed lane change test.

GM ordered the prototype to be destroyed and sold for scrap, but instead it went out the back door to the garage of racing legend Smokey Yunick where it was cut and stripped of its useable parts. What was left of the car was put into storage in an old paint booth in Smokey’s Daytona Beach shop until it was sold to a Chevrolet dealer in the late 1970′s. After a few more owners, the XP-819 prototype is now owned by Mid America Motorworks founder Mike Yager.

Normally, the Corvette prototype is on display in Mike’s personal museum, but this spring, it will be shipped to Florida for the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

“So many valuable prototypes disappear or end up in the junk yard once their usefulness ends,” said Bill Warner, Amelia’s founder and chairman. “I’m glad this one made it back to tell its story. It’s a unique piece of GM heritage and a design that might have worked if it had more development and testing time; just look at the Porsche 911.”

The 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance runs from March 9-11, and will be held at The Golf Club of Amelia Island which is adjacent to Amelia Island’s Ritz Carlton. For more information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org or call 904-636-0027

Source:
Automobile Magazine

Related
MCACN 2011: Mid America’s Prototype C5 Corvettes
Mid America Motorworks Wraps Up Another Successful Corvette Funfest
Mike Yager’s 1957 Corvette Barn Find

Mecum Auctions has announced that they’ll be offering 12 Corvettes from the Chuck Ungurean collection at their Kissimmee, Florida sale later this month. All dozen cars will be selling without reserve when they cross the auction block on Saturday, January 28th, 2012. Included among the spectacular lots are a 1969 L88, a 1972 ZR-1, and a pair of black 1967 L71’s.

The unique collection contains Corvettes from every generation except the 5th. The early cars consist of a 1953, VIN 153 and a Venetian Red 1957 fuelie. Midyears are represented by a matching set of 1967’s finished in black with saddle interiors. The coupe and convertible are being sold as a pair. Shark fans can pick from a 1969 L88 coupe, an unrestored 1972 A/C LT-1, and an uber rare 1972 ZR-1 coupe.

Later model cars are comprised of ultra-low mile examples including a 1991 Callaway with 1,217 miles on the clock. We’re pretty sure this is the car we found on eBay just over a year ago. Other C4’s include a pair of Grand Sports, coupe and convertible, with red interiors in addition to a Polo Green 1994 ZR1 with 3,400 original miles. C6 fans will note the 1-of-399 2007 Ron Fellows edition Z06 that’s basically brand new with 18 miles on it.

All of the lots will cross the block on Saturday January 28th starting around 2:15pm eastern. Here’s a list of all the cars from the Chuck Ungurean collection.

• 1953 Roadster
  VIN 153; Frame off restored, Gold Spinner award.

• 1994 ZR-1
  Polo Green/Saddle interior; 3,400 original miles.

• 1957 Fuelie
  Frame off restored.

• 1967 Coupe
  Black / Saddle L71; GM Canada docs.

• 1967 Convertible
  Black/Saddle L71; NCRS Top Flight; Tank Sticker.

• 1991 Callaway
  1,217 original miles; 1 of 71 built in 1991.

• 1972 Coupe
  LT-1, factory air, NCRS Duntov and 5 Star Bowtie; Bloomington Benchmark.

• 1969 Coupe
  L88 with Side Exhaust; Blue/Blue; Naber’s restoration.

• 1996 Grand Sport Convertible
  Red interior; 86 miles.

• 1996 Grand Sport Coupe
  Red interior; 527 miles.

• 2007 Ron Fellows Z06
  18 miles; 1 of 399.

• 1972 ZR-1 Coupe
  1 of 20; Tank Sticker and POP docs.

We’ll have more coverage of Mecum’s Kissimmee sale (and all of the January auctions) coming up over the next couple weeks so stay tuned to CorvetteBlogger to see more Corvettes that will be up for grabs.

Source:
Mecum Auction

Related:
The 12 Corvettes of Christmas
Corvettes on eBay: 1991 Twin Turbo Callaway Corvette
CorvetteBlogger.com Visits the Lingenfelter Collection

For sale on Craigslist is a George Barris custom creation built from a 1969 Corvette. The story goes that Barris was commissioned to the build the car for Bobby Rautbord, the off-shore boat racing champion who won the 1972 World Cup. The boat that Rautbord won the World Cup with was called the Fino #18 and so Barris named the creation the “Finovette”.

Unfortunately, no pictures seem to exist of the Corvette as it was originally customized by Barris although the seller says the VIN has been verified by Barris Kustoms and for a $1500 check, you can get a copy of their documentation.

The pictures we see of this Corvette today looks like a Batmobile/Knight Rider customization gone bad. Inside, the dash is full of faux-monitor screens and flashy buttons and there are even pictures of seat covers with a yellow/black Batman logo. We’re asking ourselves if the original Finovette had all those interior modifications built by Barris or if the came from a later owner.

A search of the Finovette turned up this description in the C3Registry:

Located this vehicle in a field in Fresno. No engine or transmission everything else including the drive shaft is intact and in the vehicle. True to Barris style as you see everything was customized to his specific design. Please note the elaborate electrical work. George redesigned this entire vehicle, this you can see from what you can’t see ie under carpet, behind dash, wiring, harnesses, digital dash, alarm system! Chrome differential! I have emailed the Barris Group the Vin# and picture of car as it is now. George Barris daughter responded that the car had been built by George Barris, the was called the “Finovette” also emailed to me a picture of the car, I believe a starting picture. I will forward this email to serious only buyers. The George Barris “king of customs” group has available complete documentation and signature plates with additional pictures for 1,500.00. Which for the person who restores this piece of history should have for historical and financial value of this car. I did some research and found that the “Finovette” was built for Bobby Rautbord (family started and owned Alpeco Company) for all you speed freaks he was the 1972 World Cup Winner Off Shore boat racing. The boat in which he won the World Cup was called Fino # 18, thus the name of Barris corvette “Finovette”. This car was later sold to John O Crouse the author and publicist for the world famous boat builder Don Aronow. Just a side note Don Aronow, Bobbly Rautbord, Clayton Rautbord and John O Crouse all hung out and played with the best big boy toys of there time. Anyway that’s all I have researched at this time. In the ad you will see pictures of a time period correct engine and transmission these are included in the bidding. 1968-1969 427 Engine, Back driver-side block, casting# 3935440 Hi Performance, Stamped on flat pad on passanger side block #T07151V-18L170654. Engine has brackets and exhaust manifolds. Transmission is a Muncie M21 or M22 seven bolt. Stamp # is 3925660. In conclusion, this is a serious piece of history and the person who takes on this project will have his skills in fabrication, mechanical, electrical and research tested. But the prize is valuable one of two “Finovettes” ever built by George Barris (the other could have been built for brother Clayton, or good friend Don Aronow). Built by the King of Kustoms Geroge Barris for the 1972 King of off shore speed Bobby Rautbord and his winning boat “Fino” # 18. Color codes from the trim plate. Assembly date is D22. October 11, 2011.

The Corvette is located in Morro Bay, California and we found it listed on craigslist for $8,000. The seller is also offering a big block engine and a Muncie 4-speed transmission for additional money.

Source:
Craigslist

Related:
The Eldorette: a $200,000 Eye-Searing Testament to Hideous Crap
SEMA 2011: The George Barris Bat Ray Corvette
Corvettes on eBay: Farrah Fawcett’s Foxy 1970 Corvette

Let’s kick off 2012 right with a morning burnout courtesy of Lew Stitely’s 1953 Corvette gasser dubbed the Tijuana Taxi. This classic first-year Corvette was doing its thing out at Beaver Springs Dragway in PA and the video features several awesome burnouts, dry hops and a nine second quarter-mile run!

According to DailyItem, the 1953 Corvette started is racing career in Texas in 1958. Lew picked up the Corvette in 1974 to use it as a parts car for his 1954 and 1955 Corvettes. Plans changed and the ’54 and ’55 Vettes were sold and so Stitely turned his full attention to the 1953 Corvette.

The Tijuana Taxi is currently running an alcohol-powered 393 small block Chevy from Seth’s Engines and burns about four gallons each quarter mile. The Taxi consistently runs in the 9s and Lew’s best time was 9.38 at 144 mph.

Stitely has retired from his Department of Public Welfare job after 35 years and now he races the Taxi full time. When asked why he continues racing the classic C1 gasser, Stitely says “This car let’s you escape, and go back to when times were good and pure. That’s what I grew up with. These older cars are truer to the history of the sport of drag racing. They remind me of how it was racing 40 years ago.”

Sources:
YouTube and DailyItem

Related:
[VIDEO] Morning Donuts: Mongoose Corvette Grand Sport
Morning Burnout: Outrageous Corvette Z06 in Times Square
[VIDEO] Morning Donuts: Jetstream Blue 2008 Corvette in the Driveway