1957 "Airbox" Corvette - What is it?
#1
Platinum Supporting Dealership
Thread Starter
1957 "Airbox" Corvette - What is it?
I came across this article tonight and have never heard the "airbox" term. Can anyone fill me in on what it is?
Thanks,
Keith
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http://www.journal-news.com/hp/conte...orvettea1.html
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Three years ago, Bill Connell and Joel Lauman made a remarkable discovery inside a hog farmer's barn in rural Trenton that they likened to "finding a Picasso in your attic."
What they found rusting inside that old barn was an extremely rare piece of American automobile history — a 1957 Chevrolet "Airbox" Corvette.
Fewer than 50 of these racing-model cars were produced by Chevrolet and fewer than half of them are known to exist today. But even more surprising, the "Airbox" car Connell and Lauman found was the prototype, or "pilot car," used to produce all of the subsequent Corvettes in that 1957 line.
That meant the car had unique parts that wouldn't be found on any of the other "Airbox" Corvettes, making it truly one of a kind.
"This car is so rare that even the most-dedicated Corvette hobbyists have never seen anything like it," Connell said.
"The probability of us finding a car like this is unbelievable," said Lauman, 66, of Colerain Twp. "I wouldn't equate it to finding the Holy Grail, but it is kind of like that in an automobile sense."
Thanks,
Keith
----------------
http://www.journal-news.com/hp/conte...orvettea1.html
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Three years ago, Bill Connell and Joel Lauman made a remarkable discovery inside a hog farmer's barn in rural Trenton that they likened to "finding a Picasso in your attic."
What they found rusting inside that old barn was an extremely rare piece of American automobile history — a 1957 Chevrolet "Airbox" Corvette.
Fewer than 50 of these racing-model cars were produced by Chevrolet and fewer than half of them are known to exist today. But even more surprising, the "Airbox" car Connell and Lauman found was the prototype, or "pilot car," used to produce all of the subsequent Corvettes in that 1957 line.
That meant the car had unique parts that wouldn't be found on any of the other "Airbox" Corvettes, making it truly one of a kind.
"This car is so rare that even the most-dedicated Corvette hobbyists have never seen anything like it," Connell said.
"The probability of us finding a car like this is unbelievable," said Lauman, 66, of Colerain Twp. "I wouldn't equate it to finding the Holy Grail, but it is kind of like that in an automobile sense."
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#2
DZAuto has a super rare (1 of 1) 1956 Airbox!
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jwindarwin (01-23-2022)
#4
Platinum Supporting Dealership
Thread Starter
Tom:
Thanks for bringing me up to speed on the "airbox" function and the photos were awesome. Thanks!
Keith
Thanks for bringing me up to speed on the "airbox" function and the photos were awesome. Thanks!
Keith
#5
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I dn't think you mentioned the "other" famous name for this wonder car....a 579E.....from the rpo option number, rpo579E. I think someday there will be more than 43 in existance.....thanks to an excellent knowledge base, an existance of brake parts, other necessary parts, and repro air boxes and brake ducts!!! The "forgotten" rare 57 is the rpo684...the heavy duty brake option with the 270 horse 2X4 car...there were ony an estimated 8 of these made. Very cool looking with the 2X4's, brake ducts under hood, wide wheels, etc. Wish I had either one!!!
#6
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I dn't think you mentioned the "other" famous name for this wonder car....a 579E.....from the rpo option number, rpo579E. I think someday there will be more than 43 in existance.....thanks to an excellent knowledge base, an existance of brake parts, other necessary parts, and repro air boxes and brake ducts!!! The "forgotten" rare 57 is the rpo684...the heavy duty brake option with the 270 horse 2X4 car...there were ony an estimated 8 of these made. Very cool looking with the 2X4's, brake ducts under hood, wide wheels, etc. Wish I had either one!!!
#7
Cool pics, Tom. I thought I saw in Ken Kayser's book that there was an airbox built with the 250 hp engine? I'd look it up, but I loaned out my copy.
#9
Le Mans Master
Keith and Tom, thanks for posting this info. This is a facinating thread, and great to read.
It makes you want to go and pick up Ken's book for sure.
Rob
It makes you want to go and pick up Ken's book for sure.
Rob
#10
Burning Brakes
3 or 4 years ago at the NCRS Florida Regional someone brought out a real deal, really rough 57 airbox car. I wonder if that was the "barn find" that is mentioned in the article.
BL
BL
#11
#12
I will get as many as I can and let you know. Brakes might be hard to get. Email me a specific list.
#13
Regards
#14
Platinum Supporting Dealership
Thread Starter
I came across some additional information about this airbox Corvette that started the conversation. Here are some additonal photos with the captions from the story:
Link to Video about the Corvette and its restoration:
http://www.middletownjournal.com/m/mplayer/m/48886
Bill Howe's 1957 Airbox Corvette "4007" was partially disassembled and left in a barn in Butler County until it was purchased in 2005 by car historian Bill Connell and fully restored by restoration expert Joel Lauman.
The 1957 Airbox Corvette featured finned brakes that facilitated cooling to prevent overheating during racing.
Special duct work on the 1957 Corvette "4007" allowed ambient air from the car's airbox to cool its brakes.
Corvette historian Ken Kayser spent two days in 2005 verifying the car purchased by Bill Connell and Joel Lauman was not only an authentic 1957 Airbox, but was the pilot car of the 43 that were manufactured that year.
The airbox on the 43 Airbox Corvettes that Chevorlet made in 1957 is one of the aspects that makes the car unique. The parts work together to help keep the engine and brakes from overheating. This picture shows the airbox before restoration.
Restoration Complete
Additionally, I used the information gleaned from this thread on a post about the 1957 airbox Corvette on my Corvette Blog. I'd especially like to thank DZAUTO again for his background information on the airbox option.
Keith
Link to Video about the Corvette and its restoration:
http://www.middletownjournal.com/m/mplayer/m/48886
Bill Howe's 1957 Airbox Corvette "4007" was partially disassembled and left in a barn in Butler County until it was purchased in 2005 by car historian Bill Connell and fully restored by restoration expert Joel Lauman.
The 1957 Airbox Corvette featured finned brakes that facilitated cooling to prevent overheating during racing.
Special duct work on the 1957 Corvette "4007" allowed ambient air from the car's airbox to cool its brakes.
Corvette historian Ken Kayser spent two days in 2005 verifying the car purchased by Bill Connell and Joel Lauman was not only an authentic 1957 Airbox, but was the pilot car of the 43 that were manufactured that year.
The airbox on the 43 Airbox Corvettes that Chevorlet made in 1957 is one of the aspects that makes the car unique. The parts work together to help keep the engine and brakes from overheating. This picture shows the airbox before restoration.
Restoration Complete
Additionally, I used the information gleaned from this thread on a post about the 1957 airbox Corvette on my Corvette Blog. I'd especially like to thank DZAUTO again for his background information on the airbox option.
Keith
#15
Melting Slicks
Being on a dialup it takes me awhile to post. These were taken at Bloomington this year. Car was not completey done but they were gracious enough to bring it. I think they had painted the day before it got there.
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_1.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_2.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_3.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_4.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_5.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_6.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_7.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_8.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_9.jpg
and my favorite.
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_10.jpg
Tyler
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_1.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_2.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_3.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_4.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_5.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_6.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_7.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_8.jpg
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_9.jpg
and my favorite.
http://deliquescence.net/~tyler/misc/57_10.jpg
Tyler
#17
Safety Car
#18
Tach Fairing
Regards
Last edited by john neas; 12-18-2007 at 11:44 AM. Reason: metal
#19
Burning Brakes
Thank you guys for the good thread. Always a pleasure to learn something new about corvette history. Plus it reminds be to pay a visit to the old timer down the road with a 57 in his garage that hasn't moved in 30 plus years. Maybe this time he will sell it
#20