Corvette Odd-Ball: The One & Only 1984 “Zora 1” Corvette

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.30.11
Montgomeryville, PA Corvette enthusiast, Skeets Mariano’s one-of-a-kind, 1984 “Zora 1” Corvette

Back in ‘01, I was talking with a few Corvette club presidents looking for unique production Corvettes in the South Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania area. One club president told me about an area man with a preproduction Corvette with the official model name, “Zora 1.” After a few phone calls, I connected with Corvette racer, collector, and car enthusiast, Skeets Mariano. Continue reading “Corvette Odd-Ball: The One & Only 1984 “Zora 1” Corvette” →

Illustrated Corvette Series No. 172 – 1967 L89 427 Corvette Corvette

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.28.2011
Was This The Best C2 Sting Ray?

In March of ‘65 GM’s styling VP, Bill Mitchell blew everyone away with his Mako Shark II concept car. The new shark just had to be the next Corvette. Management was so excited, they tried to get the rebodied Sting Ray completed as a ‘67 model – a totally unrealistic goal. When it was obvious that the new design wouldn’t make it in time to be a ‘67 model, stylists were tasked to give the existing Sting Ray one last pass.

The stylists came back with subtle changes that made the ‘67 Corvette totally unique. Most obvious was the new five-louver front fender vents and the 15×6-inch steel rally wheels with their beauty rings and caps, the backup light was relocated just above the license plates, and a closer look revealed that the fender badges were gone. Since ‘65, big-block Vettes could easily be spotted by the domed hood. Big-block ‘67 Corvettes received the new “Stinger” hood scoop, which is arguably the most popular performance car hood scoop of all time. While not functional, except for the L88 racing version, it just flat-out looks great! The interior had slightly revised seat patterns and door panels, the passenger-side dash grab bar was gone and a center-mounted parking brake added. The suspension and drive train was unchanged, however, the Kelsey-Hayes knock-off cast-aluminum wheels were redesigned for a regular 5-lug pattern. Knock-offs and spinners were deemed unsafe by the government.

The big news was under the hood. Two small-blocks were available, the base 300-HP engine and the $105, 350-HP L79 327. But it was the selection of big-blocks that made jaws drop. With five 427s to choose from, the question was, “how much horsepower would you like and how much money do you have?” Continue reading “Illustrated Corvette Series No. 172 – 1967 L89 427 Corvette Corvette” →

Is This The Future of Car Magazines?

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.27.11
Could digital magazines, like the RM Auctions Monterey’s 562-page event catalog, be the salvation of the magazine business?


This is a screen shot of the online version of the RM Auction Monterey event catalog.

If car magazines were digital, viewable on a PC, laptop, Kindle, iPad, etc, and cost just $12.00 for a one-year subscription, how would you feel about it?

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I got a really neat email from Kevin Mackay of Corvette  Repair this morning with an interesting link. I’m sure that most of you have heard that the John Greenwood 1969 ZL-1 Corvette race car is going on the block at the RM Auctions Monterey event, August 13 and 14. It’ll be interesting to watch this one because they are expecting between $750,000 and $950,000 for the car. So, we’ll see how hungry the market is for a beautifully restored piece of Corvette racing history. Kevin is also closely following this because he did the restoration work on the car.

So, if you go HERE, you can see what Kevin sent me. (The link to the left will open a new window) Kevin knows I’m a big fan of the early Corvette race cars and especially the Greenwood cars. So, enjoy the images, they’re beautifully photographed, But that’s not what this post is about.

When you go to the page, look in the middle of the page towards the bottom. See the gray forward and backwards arrows? In the middle it says, “110-11/562.” That means you’re looking at pages 110 and 111, of a 562-page document. What you have is the entire 562-page catalog of the cars that are up for auction August 19 and 20. Continue reading “Is This The Future of Car Magazines?” →

Corvette Timeline Tales: July 1962 – Production of the “Lightweight” aka Grand Sport Begins

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.27.11
This could have been the beginning of a grand adventure for Corvette racing!


This is how we tend to think of the ’63 Grand Sport Corvette, with its aggressive fender flares, scoops, vents, and fat racing wheels and tires. Initial production was supposed to be 100, but Duntov envisioned at least 1,000 Grand Sports!

For those of us who are fans of the early days of the Corvette, the name, “Zora Arkus-Duntov” casts a very long shadow. GM’s chief of styling, Bill Mitchell once referred to Zora as, “Just a lowly engineer on a low-volume production Chevy.” While that may well have been correct, thanks to friends in very high places inside Chevrolet, Duntov got away with some astonishing things. And the Grand Sport wasn’t the first or last bodacious stunt he pulled.


There wasn’t much under the thin fiberglass body. The car had magnesium Hallibrand knock-off wheels,  an aluminum bell housing, transmission case, and rear differential, plus a 36-gallon fuel tank. Note how the side pipes came off the stock cast iron exhaust manifolds. FIA rules mandated that the cars carry a spare tire. (GM photo from the book “Corvette Grand Sport” by Lowell C. Paddock)

For this adventure, Duntov’s GM “angel” was Simon “Bunkie” Knudsen. While Bunkie personally never raced cars, he did work on the GM assembly line as a college student in the ‘40s and was passionate about race cars. While general manager at Pontiac from 1956 to 1961, Knudsen was responsible for Continue reading “Corvette Timeline Tales: July 1962 – Production of the “Lightweight” aka Grand Sport Begins” →

The Art of the C4 ZR-1 LT-5 Corvette Engine

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.23.11
Corvette Engines as Art Objects


Too bad this wasn’t a 283 Fuelie!

Everything has a beginning, right. For me, it goes back to 1965 when my Dad bought me “The Visible V8” model kit. What a wonderful way for young boys to understand the basic operational principals of an internal combustion engine. If you carefully put the parts together and didn’t get glue in places you shouldn’t and wired everything right, your got to see the pistons go up and down, rocker arms actuate, the fan spin, the camshaft rotate, AND the red grain-of-wheat lightbulb spark plugs light up at top-dead-center. Of course, it sounded all “WHEEEEEE” Because the battery-opperated starter motor was driving everything. “Sorry kids! No VROOM! VROOM!”


LT-5 art prints available HERE.

But, it was a lot of fun and started my lifelong passion for engines. But engines didn’t become “art” for my until I got into drag racing and those wonderful supercharged hemi engines. And the first Corvette engine that wowed me was the 1967 L71 427/435 big-block. While 3-deuces Continue reading “The Art of the C4 ZR-1 LT-5 Corvette Engine” →

Corvette Timeline Tales: July 23, 1936 – Happy Birthday to Corvette Racer, Dave MacDonald

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.23.11
Dave MacDonald – “The Master of Oversteer”

“I think Dave had more raw talent probably than any race driver I ever saw.” – Carroll Shelby

The original Grand Sport Corvette is considered by many to be the ultimate “could have been” Corvette. Well, when it comes to drivers that raced and loved Corvettes, El Monte, California race car driver, Dave MacDonald is arguably the greatest “could have been” Corvette race car driver. That’s not just my opinion – that’s what I learned from researching Dave MacDonald’s racing career, from his contemporaries. Many drivers and team owners from Dave’s day are on record stating that had Dave’s life not been cut short at the ‘64 Indy 500, he would have likely been one of the greats. MacDonald’s shining star was about to go super nova!


Here’s the signature-style MacDonald rear-wheel-drift.

While I was familiar with Dave MacDonald from books in my Corvette library, it wasn’t until I started researching Dave’s background while working on a story for VETTE Magazine that I learned what a terrific guy he was. If you look in your Corvette books that have chapters covering the early ‘60s road racing scene, look for the “00” Corvette with the tail hanging out. That’s Dave “The Master of Oversteer” MacDonald. Continue reading “Corvette Timeline Tales: July 23, 1936 – Happy Birthday to Corvette Racer, Dave MacDonald” →

March 1 & 2, 1990: 1990 ZR-1 Corvette Shatters 50-Year Speed Record!!!

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.20.11
Try to imagine driving a loaded for bear, 1990 ZR-1 Corvette for 24-hours at an AVERAGE speed of 175.885-mph!

Racing Corvettes used to have a long history of durability issues. There are many accounts of Corvette racers setting track records and winning pole positions, only to have parts breakage put their cars out of the race. The success of the Showroom Stock and the Corvette Challenge cars proved that the new C4s had what it took to win long races. So it was only a matter of time before someone tested the new ZR-1 under racing conditions. Enter Morrison Motorsports.

On March 1 and 2, 1990, the Morrison Motorsports prepared ZR-1 Corvette shattered the 50-year old, 24-hour speed record with an astonishing average speed of 175.885-mph with a “near-stock” ZR-1 Corvette! The details of the ZR-1 speed machine are a genuine testimonial to the quality of the new ZR-1.

In 1940, David, “Ab” Jenkins set the 24-hour speed record with his “Mormon Meteor III” racer. The huge 5,000-pound machine was designed by Augie Duesenberg and used a 850-hp, 27.5-litre aircraft engine! In 1940 Ab nailed the record with an average 24-hour speed of 161.18-mph. The record stood for 50 years. Many attempted to break the record, and all failed… until the ZR-1 arrived. Continue reading “March 1 & 2, 1990: 1990 ZR-1 Corvette Shatters 50-Year Speed Record!!!” →

Michael Beal’s 1991 ZR-1 Roadster!

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.19.11
Chevrolet didn’t make a C4 ZR-1 Roadster, but Metalcrafters of California got the job done and today, Michael Beal of Connecticut is still enjoying this unique high-performance Corvette!

For most Corvette fans, there was “that day” when a Vette stole your heart. For Michael Beal, it was the jewel-like LT-5 engine that powered the C4 ZR-1 Corvette. The beautiful LT5 engine may well be one of the most underdeveloped engines in Corvette history. While the numbers don’t look impressive by today’s standards, when the first 375-horsepower ‘90 ZR-1 was finally unleashed, heads spun faster that the rear tires of the new beast. By ‘93, Corvette engineers tweaked here and there and bumped the LT-5’s power output to 405-horsepower. It is worth reminding readers that in March 1990, a race-prepared, Morrison Motorsports ZR-1 shattered records at the 7.71-mile Bridgestone Tire test track in Texas with an AVERAGE 24-hour speed of 175.885-MPH!!!

And least you think this was a stripped down, lightweight ZR-1 – no, no. FIA rules mandated that the car carry spare parts incase of a breakdown. Consequently, the ZR-1 was carrying an additional 300-pounds of gear! And, to add a little “sauce for the goose” for the story, the track was just three lanes wide and had no guard rails! One of the team drivers was the famous Kim Baker. You’ll get to learn a little of what Kim is up to these days in the below story. There’s also some insight as to how much red meat Chevy engineers left inside the LT-5.

Too bad the ZL-1/LT-5 didn’t arrive two or three years sooner. Too bad Chevrolet didn’t make a roadster ZR-1. Apparently, ZR-1 fans asked the same question, and a few did something about it! Below is Michael Beal’s delightful story of how he came to own one of the few ZR-1 Roadsters, and his meeting with Corvette legend, Kim Baker. Here’s Michael. Continue reading “Michael Beal’s 1991 ZR-1 Roadster!” →

Corvette Wheels Pt 3 of 3 – 1997 to 2009

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.19.11
A Historic Look Back at the Wheels that Vettes Ride On!

After much anticipation, the all-new C5 Corvette was released as a 1997 model. The new design was truly a “modern” Corvette. However, many of the basic components can be traced all the way back to the ‘57 “Q-Corvette” proposal. Yes, forty years before, Zora Arkus-Duntov was thinking about advanced hardware that included and all-aluminum, fuel-injected engine, an aluminum-case transaxle, inboard-mounted rear drum brakes to reduce unsprung mass, a lightweight pan chassis similar to the 356 Porsche, and four-wheel independent suspension. Fast forward forty years and you have the C5 Corvette. Lightweight alloy wheels eliminated the need for the inboard-mounted rear brakes and the new hydroformed frame rails replaced the pan body structure. Other than those details, body styling, and a lot of computerized components, the new C5 Corvette was the realization of the ‘57 Q-Corvette proposal.


1997 – 1999 Wheel

As tire and wheel size grew to handle increased horsepower, it was now essential that the wheels be as light as possible for a production car. Additional unsprung mass from larger wheels and tires is the kiss of death for improved handling. The new C5 was riding on 17” x 8.5” front wheels and 18” x 9.5” rear wheels. In comparison, the ‘96 C4 Corvette Continue reading “Corvette Wheels Pt 3 of 3 – 1997 to 2009” →

Corvette Odd-Ball: SHOCKING! Naked C1 Fuelie Corvette!

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.18.11
An Expose-look under the pretty fiberglass of a C1 Fuelie Corvette!

Now here’s something you don’t see every day. A C1 Corvette without a body and interior. Just the engine, drive train, suspension, wheels, tires, and the steering wheel. And not just any C1 Corvette, a Fuelie Corvette!

Up front I must apologize because when I was at the April 2011 Strictly Corvettes and American Muscle Cars Show at the Atlantic City Convention Center, I was also a vendor and had little time to get away from my booth. So I kind of zoomed through and took pictures of what looked interesting. The chassis-only display really caught my eye. You just don’t see this every day. I did the same thing with Kevin McKay’s drivable 1969 427 L-88 drivable chassis-only, Corvette. (see links below) Continue reading “Corvette Odd-Ball: SHOCKING! Naked C1 Fuelie Corvette!” →

Corvette Timeline Tales: July 1978 – Chevrolet Studio III Chief, Jerry Palmer Sketches Out the Next Generation C4 Corvette

Published on by Scott3 Comments

Dateline: 7.17.11
It all begins with a sketch!


Image from the Dave McLellan Archives and the book, “Corvette From the Inside” by Dave McLellan

When the all-new 1984 Corvette first came out, the press and the public went wild. Perhaps it was because of the C3 platform’s 15-year production run – actually, a 20 year run, if you count the basic frame, drive train, and suspension. So, I guess you could say that the Corvette fans were a little hungry for a new Vette. And the rave reviews weren’t  just baseless praise. Corvette fans backed up their praise with CASH, as 51,547 ‘84 Corvettes were sold the first year of C4 production, up from 25,407 from 1982. But if you follow the used Corvette market, early C4 Corvettes are at the bottom of the barrel! That’s bad news if you spent a lot on one when it was new. But if you’re looking for a starter Corvette, it’s an inexpensive way to get into the hobby. But, when the ’84 Vette arrived, it was red hot!

The design process has to start somewhere and that “somewhere” is a humble sketch. Car guys are always doodling and I’m certain that designer Jerry Palmer probably had a few preliminary loose sketches of what he thought the next Corvette should look like. Continue reading “Corvette Timeline Tales: July 1978 – Chevrolet Studio III Chief, Jerry Palmer Sketches Out the Next Generation C4 Corvette” →

From the Archives of CARS Magazine: In Memory of Astoria-Chas 1967 427 L88 Corvette Roadster

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.16.11
“Astoria-Chas” Snyder – The Buddy Holly of Corvette Racing


Glen Spielberg photo.

As a lad growing up during the muscle car era in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, CARS Magazine was my favorite car mag. The publication had a definite East Coast flavor and the magazine slightly favored Chevys, which was perfectly fine with me at the time. One of my favorite cars of the day was the 1967 427 L88 drag racer, “In Memory of Astoria-Chas” 427 L-88 Corvette roadster. The story has all the elements of legend; brutally fast, quick car, great looking, owned and driven to national prominence by a young fellow, not much older than myself and my Chevy pals.

Fortunately, the car is still around and looks the way it did when it set the AHRA Nation Record of 11.04 @ 129 mph. Later, the car ran a best-ever 10.47 et. While the L88 still runs, the current owner, Glen Spielberg, does not “run” the car on the strip, as he has given his word to the Snyder family that he would not restore or race the car. Besides, the car still has its original, 40-year old tires! A stock ‘67 L71 427/435 Corvettes were solid high 13-second cars. A Mid-10-second version was MIND BLOWING back then!

Since the Astoria-Chas Corvette was a Motion performance prepared car, it got lots of ink in CARS Magazine. Below is one of many CARS articles on the car. Unfortunately, I do not have the end of the story on page 74. However, I did cover the car as Illustrated Corvette Series No. 129 back in early ‘08. The story copy is below the CARS article scans.

Also, at the bottom of this post are links to some other interesting Astoria-Chas material. CARS editor, Marty Schorr often took his little daughter, Collier to the drags to see the KO-Motion Corvette. Collier had an art show in ‘07 featuring her drawings and recollections of Chas Snyder. I’ve included links to two articles that covered Collier’s show. Continue reading “From the Archives of CARS Magazine: In Memory of Astoria-Chas 1967 427 L88 Corvette Roadster” →