The Story of the C3, C4, C6, and C7 ZR-1/ZR1 Corvette: Part 1 of 4

From “Racer Kit,” to World Class Sports Car: Waiting for the C7 ZR1 & Looking Back at Past ZR1s

Dateline: 7/7/17 (This story was first published in the Sept 2016 issue of Vette Vues Magazine

Suddenly… its 2009 again! Is it “Déjà vu” all over again? It kind’a seems that way. In the summer of 2008, as the presidential election was heating up, Wall Street and the economy was shaking and quaking until finally in October 2008 the stock market crashed so badly that the candidates had to suspend their campaigns for a few days to vote on the big, bank bailout bill.

What followed was another deep recession that hammered the already stressed auto industry. 2009 was pretty ugly and the Mighty Wurlitzer, called “the Internet” was starting to get cranked up over C7 Generation Corvette speculation.
In 2007 Chevrolet sold 40,561 Corvettes – the best sales year since 1984 when 51,547 Corvettes were sold. Then in 2008 they sold 35,310 Corvettes. Yes, sales slipped, but that’s still an impressive sales figure. Then in 2009 the bottom fell out with only 16,956 Corvettes sold – that is a 48-percent drop! Continue reading


The Story of the C3, C4, C6, and C7 ZR-1/ZR1 Corvette: Part 1 of 4″

A Scale Visions Birthday Tribute to Zora Arkus Duntov

Dateline: 12.24.12

Master model builder Don Theune shares his touching encounter with Corvette maestro, Zora Arkus-Duntov 

Don-Theune-1Forward: 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. Continue reading “A Scale Visions Birthday Tribute to Zora Arkus Duntov”

Vette Videos: 505-Horsepower LS7-Powered Duntov Motors Grand Sport

Dateline: 3.11.12

The Civilized Grand Sport Corvette Replica – Sort of…

Today you can go to your local Chevrolet dealer today and buy a Grand Sport Corvette to your liking.  Almost 50 years ago, there were only five Grand Sport Corvettes in existence and they were NOT for sale. “Unrealized potential,” “the ultimate could’a been Corvette” and many other expressions tell the original Grand Sport Corvette story. Unlike today’s C6 Grand Sports, the originals were all-out racing Corvettes, designed to give the Cobras a good run for it.

But GM had a completely different attitude about racing back then that can be nicely described as “backward.” Fortunately, all five original Grand Sports are still around. Along the way, there have been numerous companies that offered Grand Sport replicas – some, better than others. But today there is only one “officially licensed” by GM, Grand Sport replica, and that is the Duntov Motors Grand Sports.


Continue reading “Vette Videos: 505-Horsepower LS7-Powered Duntov Motors Grand Sport”

Zora Arkus-Duntov, Ahead of the Curve in 1953!

Dateline: 12.23.11

Duntov’s Thoughts Pertaining To Youth, Hot Rodders, and Chevrolet

Chevrolet engineer and Duntov co-worker, Gib Hufstader, managed to save one of Duntov's DOHC experimental engines from the scrap heap! It might have been one of the above engines. Too bad they all weren't saved!

Zora Arkus-Duntov started working at General Motors on May 1, 1953. His first few months were a little bumpy, plowing through some junky assignments, such as sorting out why a prototype car with a heavy rear end wouldn’t handle right and solving a driveline vibration on a GM bus. A few weeks after Zora started, his immediate supervisor, the very capable senior engineer Maurice Olley, suggested that Duntov quit because he didn’t like Zora’s non-engineering solution to the prototype’s handling problem. And Duntov actually considered it! (for a very short time)

But ever the “GO-GO!” racer guy, Duntov had gasoline in his veins and was a pretty good writer for an engineer. Below are his thoughts on the then burgeoning aftermarket hot rod industry Continue reading “Zora Arkus-Duntov, Ahead of the Curve in 1953!”

Coming Attractions For The Illustrated Corvette Series!

Scott Teeters Illustrated Corvette Series

1978 – 2003 Special Edition Corvettes

Things have been COOK’N here at Free Spirit Enterprises. Last month, not only was our Illustrated Corvette Series book released for publication, but we launched a new website, CorvetteLaserArt.com. With those two big projects behind us, we’ll now have more time for The CorvetteReport blog.

So, here’s what’s coming up in The Illustrated Corvette Series, as well as some BIG NEWS at VETTE Magazine. Continue reading “Coming Attractions For The Illustrated Corvette Series!”