Last week while finishing up a story about Bill Tower’s Grand Sport #005 Corvette for Vette Magazine, I came across two YouTube videos posted by GM Heritage Center. The videos are silent and were probably shot with an 8mm camera that someone brought along to the events. The film looks like hand-held and amateurish and not at all the same quality of the Jam Handy films from that era. But, you do get to see the Grand Sports in action. Read More
We are happy to announce the launch of CorvetteReport.com’s “Vette of the Month” Photo Contest. Here’s the deal.
Send us your best photo of your Corvette and we will post it on our “Vette of the Month” photos page.
At the end of the month we will pick a winner, and announce it as a post on CorvetteReport.com.
The winner will get;
An “America’s Old Glory Sports Car” print of their year Corvette, signed and numbers by K. Scott Teeters.
A feature story in Vette Vues Magazine.
After the story is published in Vette Vues, we will post it on CorvetteReport.com. Read More
A 1996 Grand Sport Coupe cost around $40,000 and the convertible went for around $48,000. So, how are these cars holding up in the market? A Grand Sport Coupe and Convertible went on the block at the Mecum Anaheim Auction on November 14, 2015. Bidding on both cars did not hit the reserve. This generally means that the sellers are asking more than the market will bear. The Coupe stalled out at $35,000 and the low volume Convertible (only 180 made) stalled at $37,500. Read More
Wintersteen 427 L88 Grand Sport Roadster Read More
In 1963 Sermon “Bunkie” Knudsen, general manager of the Chevrolet brand since 1961, ordered a special Corvette for his personal use. But, it wasn’t to be any C2 Corvette. Bunkie had signed off on many important Corvette variants during his tenure up to 1967, something important to understand regarding this 1964 C2 Corvette’s significance. Read More
Zora Arkus-Duntov was born on December 25, 1909 and would have been 103. Zora often joked that he had the birthday curse being born on Christmas Day. When you are a kid and your birthday is on Christmas you tend to not get double gifts. But Duntov made up for any toy deficiency as a child after he took over the Corvette program. Arguably, no one had more fun playing with Corvettes inside Chevrolet than Duntov. Not only did he design and develop the go-fast parts we all came to know and love, but he usually did his own track testing. What’a lucky guy! Here’s our Happy Birthday tribute to Zora Arkus-Duntov and a big THANKS to Don Theune. Read More
The first 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, The original American Idol – I call the Corvette the “The American Automotive Horatio Alger Story.” It’s the ultimate automotive rags-to-riches story. You could also call it an automotive Cinderella story. While the C6 has taken more flack than it deserves, it’s good to look back to the very beginning to get a really clear picture of how far the Corvette has come in 60 years. Today, new designs are market researched, but in the ‘50s, it was a seat-of-the-pants approach, driven by men with strong personalities. “Father” of the Corvette, Harley Earl, was the director of GM’s “Art and Color Section.” from 1927 to 1958. His successor, William L. Mitchell picked up the mantle and drove the Corvette where Earl never imagined. Read More
Larry Shinoda’s designs were so strong that when his name comes up, it’s almost always first associated with Corvettes. But Larry’s talent for designing fast-looking cars wasn’t limited to Corvettes. I suppose that when you are the go-to-stylist for a legend the likes of Bill Mitchell, you get a few peach projects. In retrospect, what helped make Shinoda’s design work so edgy was his passion for racing. In a sense, Larry’s NHRA Nationals win in ‘55 put him in the same category as 1954 Le Mans racer Zora Arkus-Duntov. As Bill Mitchell used to say, both men had, “gasoline in their veins.” Read More
