BBC powered Vintage GT1/TA Corvette
Sale price: US $20,000.00 Make an Offer
| Condition: | Used | Model Year: | 1975 |
| Modified Racer: | Yes | Model: | Corvette |
| Make: | Chevrolet |
Solana Beach, California, United States
Vehicle description
BACKGROUND
In 2016, after 35 years of track days and club racing, and given my senior citizen status and some health issues, my wife talked me into retiring from racing. Big mistake. Watching someone else race was not the same. Therefore, in 2019, at 79 years old and bored out of my mind, I decided I needed a new car project, and to get back on the track. After a few months of perusing all the standard race car classifieds, I eventually found this vintage GT/TA roller. History unknown. No engine, no transmission, no driveshaft, no exhaust system, etc., etc. Although rough, neglected and crude in many respects, it had lots of potential so for the past 18 months I"ve been repairing, replacing, rebuilding and re-engineering. No more boredom. DETAILS/DESCRIPTION
Late 60"s early 70"s vintage Corvette GT/TA. C2 frame, coil-over stock car front clip, a full cage, a C3 diff and a modified coil-over independent rear suspension with C4 modified uprights. Advanced Composites Products [ACP] C4 wide body. Removeable Dzus fastened fenders, doors, body panels. Differential rebuilt with a new 3.36 ring and pinion, new posi, new rear hubs, discs and calipers. Tex 101 dog ring racing 4 speed transmission, Hurst shifter, custom driveshaft, 7.25 dual disc QuarterMaster/Tilton clutch, rebuilt massive six piston Wilwood front calipers, new NASCAR front rotors. 468 cubic inch, 650-700 horsepower BBC solid roller engine with aluminum heads and all the right equipment [built by the same Bay Area guy who used to build engines for Reggie Jackson], new PowerMaster HD starter, new mini-alternator, new QuickFuel carb. Freshly rebuilt Sweet power rack and servo, stainless headers, straight exhaust, dual oil filters, new hydraulic and oil lines, dry sump system with oil cooler and five gallon NASCAR oil tank, dual electric fuel pumps, new 22 gallon fuel cell with foam, fire suppresion set-up. Custom aluminum Real brand wheels - fourteen inch wide-5 TransAm wheels and tires in back, thirteen inch wide -5 TransAm wheels up front as well as new 27x10 aluminum wheels and NASCAR tires up front. CURRENT STATUS - REASON FOR SELLING
I"ve fired up the engine a dozen times with the car on stands, and run through the gears to check out the transmission and new diffrential. Everything has looked and sounded good. Unfortunately, when I was finally ready to begin preparing the car for the track, I ruptured a disc in my back and have not been able to climb into the car through the window without a lot of pain. While I"m still getting physical therapy, it looks like I may need back surgery. Hopefully not, but whatever the case, my doctor has advised me that an 80 year old with a bad back should not be climbing in and out of a race car window. Therefore, I"ve decided to sell the car as a work-in-progress project. Having put hundreds of hours, and a significant amount of money in the car, it would be an understatement to say I"m disappointed that I won"t have a chance to drive it. But I have no choice. Of course, there"s still a lot of work and testing to be done to get the car ready for the track, e.g., tire pressures, spring rates, ride heights, brake bedding, shock adjustments, alignment, engine tuning, clutch and brake adjustments, etc., etc. However, the bulk of the work has been done.
CONCLUSION & COMMENTS
While it"s not a show car, the early GT/TransAm cars were pretty crude by today"s standards, it"s a good looking 50/50 rule car, has a lot of potential and should be a rocket on the track once it"s all track readied. With a 3.36 rearend and a 27" tire this car should go into turn 1 at Auto Club at 160+ MPH at a conservative 7000 RPM - which, understandably, is not for everyone. Bottom line: Racing is dangerous and as with any race car, there are no warranties express or implied. This is a car for a dedicated Gearhead. If you"re not a competent mechanic and fabricator with MacGyver like skills, and an experienced race car owner and driver, this is not the car for you.
In 2016, after 35 years of track days and club racing, and given my senior citizen status and some health issues, my wife talked me into retiring from racing. Big mistake. Watching someone else race was not the same. Therefore, in 2019, at 79 years old and bored out of my mind, I decided I needed a new car project, and to get back on the track. After a few months of perusing all the standard race car classifieds, I eventually found this vintage GT/TA roller. History unknown. No engine, no transmission, no driveshaft, no exhaust system, etc., etc. Although rough, neglected and crude in many respects, it had lots of potential so for the past 18 months I"ve been repairing, replacing, rebuilding and re-engineering. No more boredom. DETAILS/DESCRIPTION
Late 60"s early 70"s vintage Corvette GT/TA. C2 frame, coil-over stock car front clip, a full cage, a C3 diff and a modified coil-over independent rear suspension with C4 modified uprights. Advanced Composites Products [ACP] C4 wide body. Removeable Dzus fastened fenders, doors, body panels. Differential rebuilt with a new 3.36 ring and pinion, new posi, new rear hubs, discs and calipers. Tex 101 dog ring racing 4 speed transmission, Hurst shifter, custom driveshaft, 7.25 dual disc QuarterMaster/Tilton clutch, rebuilt massive six piston Wilwood front calipers, new NASCAR front rotors. 468 cubic inch, 650-700 horsepower BBC solid roller engine with aluminum heads and all the right equipment [built by the same Bay Area guy who used to build engines for Reggie Jackson], new PowerMaster HD starter, new mini-alternator, new QuickFuel carb. Freshly rebuilt Sweet power rack and servo, stainless headers, straight exhaust, dual oil filters, new hydraulic and oil lines, dry sump system with oil cooler and five gallon NASCAR oil tank, dual electric fuel pumps, new 22 gallon fuel cell with foam, fire suppresion set-up. Custom aluminum Real brand wheels - fourteen inch wide-5 TransAm wheels and tires in back, thirteen inch wide -5 TransAm wheels up front as well as new 27x10 aluminum wheels and NASCAR tires up front. CURRENT STATUS - REASON FOR SELLING
I"ve fired up the engine a dozen times with the car on stands, and run through the gears to check out the transmission and new diffrential. Everything has looked and sounded good. Unfortunately, when I was finally ready to begin preparing the car for the track, I ruptured a disc in my back and have not been able to climb into the car through the window without a lot of pain. While I"m still getting physical therapy, it looks like I may need back surgery. Hopefully not, but whatever the case, my doctor has advised me that an 80 year old with a bad back should not be climbing in and out of a race car window. Therefore, I"ve decided to sell the car as a work-in-progress project. Having put hundreds of hours, and a significant amount of money in the car, it would be an understatement to say I"m disappointed that I won"t have a chance to drive it. But I have no choice. Of course, there"s still a lot of work and testing to be done to get the car ready for the track, e.g., tire pressures, spring rates, ride heights, brake bedding, shock adjustments, alignment, engine tuning, clutch and brake adjustments, etc., etc. However, the bulk of the work has been done.
CONCLUSION & COMMENTS
While it"s not a show car, the early GT/TransAm cars were pretty crude by today"s standards, it"s a good looking 50/50 rule car, has a lot of potential and should be a rocket on the track once it"s all track readied. With a 3.36 rearend and a 27" tire this car should go into turn 1 at Auto Club at 160+ MPH at a conservative 7000 RPM - which, understandably, is not for everyone. Bottom line: Racing is dangerous and as with any race car, there are no warranties express or implied. This is a car for a dedicated Gearhead. If you"re not a competent mechanic and fabricator with MacGyver like skills, and an experienced race car owner and driver, this is not the car for you.