Lot 217: Chevrolet Corvette Competition Coupé

Documents with this car suggest that it was a development vehicle for the privateer team that took a Corvette to Le Mans in 1967. Reputedly, it was badly damaged in testing and another was taken to the race. The car was prepared for competition in California by Corvette Corrections' Mike Scott, one of the foremost Corvette specialists in the USA who has raced them since 1967. Logbooks dating back to the mid-1990s come with the car, which was quite successful in the West Coast historic scene, winning the VARA Championship in 2004. The Corvette was little used in 2005 when its owner switched to a more modern car, and was purchased in mid-2006 by the current vendor, albeit too late for use that season. In good order when it arrived, the 'Vette nevertheless needed a number of alterations to ready it for racing in the UK and Europe (wipers, headlights, seat, fire extinguisher, silencers, etc). This was done and the car professionally rewired by Vehicle Wiring Services. The vendor's first outing with the Corvette was at Castle Combe in 2007 in the Top Hat/Masters series. Although clearly fast, the car did not corner well. It was discovered that its last race in the US had been on an oval track and the suspension was set up for left turns only! Better balanced, the car made its second outing at the Silverstone GP circuit. 17th on the grid due to a timing failure in qualifying and 5th at the end of lap 1, it ended up 7th due to a slow driver change. Some subsequent chassis work has been carried out and the vendor estimates that the car would now lap Silverstone's Historic GP circuit in around 2m 09s. The Corvette was not used again in 2007, and in 2008 only did the VSCC Pomeroy Trophy at Silverstone in February and a test session there in March. Apart from a test session at Silverstone in March 2009 it is unused since. The car is reported as 'on the button' and ready to race, never having missed a beat since acquisition. It has had very little use since being rebuilt and is very nicely put together, although the vendor feels that it would benefit from new side windows and a differential oil cooler for races of more than 45 minutes duration. There is plenty of space inside: the vendor is 6' 4" tall and weighs 19 stone yet has room to spare. Specification highlights (full list available) include a 327ci (5,360cc) engine bored to 332ci (5,442cc) and developing 462bhp (see dynamometer printout); Hooker competition exhaust headers with Flowmaster Mufflers (102dBA so Castle Combe compliant); oversize alloy radiator; T10 Gearbox with Hurst shifter; limited-slip differential; fully welded chassis; dual-circuit disc brakes with rear pressure reducer; and an hydraulic handbrake (with ratchet for MoT). Safety equipment includes a new Sparco seat and harness (fitted for 2007); new Zero 360 plumbed-in fire extinguisher (for 2007); FIA rain light; and a foam-filled fuel tank. Towing eyes are fitted. The American Racing wheels on the car are shod with road-legal Yokohama A32R radials, which are acceptable for CSCC, Eifell Classic and similar events. They are said to be good for testing too, possessing a fraction more grip than Dunlops but lasting much longer. The wheels are modified with tapered seat inserts and special oversize studs and nuts, a common Corvette modification. Accompanying spares include ten wheels, 12 tyres, side pipes, fuel pump, differential, brake discs (x2), door window net and wheel nuts, plus numerous smaller items. Offered with Swansea V5, the car comes with a large history file of paperwork, receipts, etc and is taxed and MoT'd.