Category: Corvette Oddball

Corvette Oddball: Did GM ever explore more than 8 cylinders for Corvette?

Published on by Scott2 Comments

Let’s Play, “Corvette Oddball!” Quirky Vette Factoids

Question: Did GM’s Chevrolet ever explore more than 8 cylinders for the Corvette?

By K. Scott Teeters, creator of Illustrated Corvette Series as seen in Vette Magazine

Answer: Briefly, but not deeply.

Falconer12cylinderThe Dodge Viper certainly gets a lot of attention, thanks to its stunning good looks and impressive V-10 engine. Over the last few years we’ve seen high-end, luxury concept cars sporting V-10, V-12, and V-16 engines. But you know how it is with overcooked concept cars.

Back in ’92 Corvette Engineering must have been in a press-teasing mood. They decided to show the car mags their latest engineering study that stretched a late-model Corvette to accommodate the 55.5-inch long,  601-C.I.D. Falconer aircraft engine that cranked out a leisurely 660-horsepower and 782 ft./lb. of torque. Continue reading “Corvette Oddball: Did GM ever explore more than 8 cylinders for Corvette?” →

Corvette Oddball: Did GM ever consider a rear engine Vette?

Published on by Scott

Let’s Play, “Corvette Oddball!”
Quirky Vette Factoids

Question: Did GM’s Chevrolet ever seriously consider a “rear-engine” Corvette?

By K. Scott Teeters, creator of Illustrated Corvette Series as seen in Vette Magazine

Answer: Ah… yes, but fortunately, not seriously. I covered this unusual engineering study car in The Illustrated Corvette Series as installment No. 42. Take note of how tiny the car was. Here’s the story…

Rear_engine_ corvette

Car companies make prototype cars all the time. Most of these machines are never shown to the public. Continue reading “Corvette Oddball: Did GM ever consider a rear engine Vette?” →

“Corvette Oddball!” Grumpy’s Toy – A Corvette?

Published on by Scott

Let’s Play, “Corvette Oddball!”
Quirky Vette Factoids

Grumpy’s Toy- A Corvette?

by K. Scott Teeters

Hey! No mailbox hood scoop and Lakewood traction bars???
Hey! No mailbox hood scoop and Lakewood traction bars???

Question: Is the “Grumpy” Corvette for real?

Answer: I’m going to make a broad assumption that everyone reading this knows who Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins is. If not, we’re going to have to suspend your drivers license for a month while you take Muscle Car and Nostalgia Drag Racing Sensitivity Training Classes. Test at the end.

But seriously folks, Bill Jenkins is a true living legend, right up there with Zora Arkus-Duntov, A.J. Foyt, Don Garlits, and lots more. Da’ Grump doesn’t live too far from the Carlisle Fairgrounds – just up the PA Turnpike a ways. Back in 2007at the Corvettes at Carlisle Show,  it seemed that the bright guys from K. C. Kerbeck, in Atlantic City, NJ thought it would be a lot of fun to dress up an out of the box, $44,950 Corvette with a few official Corvette accessory items, add some stripes, letter the car with “Grumpy”  and “JENKINS/KERBECK” graphics. Then, to really send up the flag, they got the grumpy one himself to come by on Saturday, sign autographs, and grunt through endless bench racing stories. Continue reading ““Corvette Oddball!” Grumpy’s Toy – A Corvette?” →