TCracingCA

OK maybe I am wrong on what #00000 is. I went on the C2 Registry to push the 1963 list forward, and they list that car as a Tuxedo Black and Saddle interior, 250hp car.

First I thought a Vin of #00000 was odd, had to be a prototype thing, and we have the prototype with a 000000 license plate. That is a problem. When they say three initial people pre-production cars were hand-built, apparently I need to look into this more. As this #00000 car exists apparently, I will go revise to that being the car. I dont think the Vicari/Franz list I saw lists a #00000. Will check this further. Something isn't right.

AOS_L79

The c2 registry has 1963,1964 and 1967 vin 00000. All are listed as being in Europe. I suspect that is a placeholder for a car whose vin is unknown.

TCracingCA

Yes, thanks, I see that, and am learning. Your work to provide finds, super appreciated. I added the claimed black car from the C2 Registry, it says 1963 #000000 is in Sweden currently. I saw that silver coupe prototype, or styling mockup, whatever with that 000000 license plate and jumped right on that. Interesting! Also technical glitches prevent me from posting some pictures I have found. Like you just can't copy pictures from Pinterest, Mecum, Proteam, and other sites with a simple copy. I have pictures that just won't upload. I am trying to figure that out, Copyright laws are strange for the internet, and when it doesn't copy (protected), I leave those be, and look for a source where I can do a,simple copy. And most pictures I have shared, I got prior to such, or off of forums, facebook, etc. When shared by others. That is one reason I do not do any of this for profit too! I do see guys now taking old existing pictures, adding in their copyright, like they took these pictures, and charging for copies, and also in some membership sites. I duplicate the original capture, keeping the date, site source of the pictures I find, and then post from the copy, so the date updates as to when last accessed, on the copy. Kind of complicated.

On that silver 1963 car with the 000000 license plate and the red roadster, I see those cars mentioned as GDP bodies or something. We also have the Stylized cars, that I was going to look into. I have seen all of those in real life close up, but never thought to look at them for Vin or Tags, etc.

I hope I am doing a fair job on this public quick reference registry. Right now attempting to add in the commemtary, so people can follow along, see the evolution of thought. Naturally some experts would get bored following, and many enthusiasts, this is just not their thing.

I was thinking the so-called 1963, and 1968 Pilot line, and prototypes, pre-production. These are significant, as these are the cars that lead up to the next generation. I am thinking 1965 Big block also.

TCracingCA

I am attempting to make this thread, super cool for everybody.

TCracingCA

For that Brake/Tire test in December 1962. Apaarently three cars were there. The #001 Grand Sport as a Coupe in White. It did six hot laps, is what one source said, but that was done too publically, too many people were there and GM President Donner caught wind of it, and shut down that racing endeavor. Everything done after that was done basically, clandestinely.
Also they brought out the Prototype, Pilot line Z06 (Silver car).




And then they had a regular production car there for comparisons, is what is said in a few literature sources.

TCracingCA

OK I put a little work in today, adding in C2 Registry cars, and Small Tank Z06s, and still need to dig out more of those, but Registry is moving along. It just takes time to get to this and post. Daily is slow progress just to get the data posted.

I am missing Verne, as he was one of my big supporters in doing this kind of stuff. As anyone posted a dediction post to anyone? I was thinking about the Post #2 1963 Z06. I was going to separate out the Pilot line, protootype stuff, as it will shorten scrolling time for me. I am liking Franz's & Vicari guys work on that pilot line stuff, the only big problem with their stuff is that it isnt too public, so in my Registry to get data out, Is for public appreciation. I still have work to do there, but a little burned out on that section, as spent about three days, of breaks, lunch hours looking at that stuff.

Some things like that #000000 car, I just wonder if someone found what they thought was a custom, not a prototype, and hung new fenders etc. on the car,, and now it is Black.. why hang a license plate on #000000, on that Silver Prototype?.

I haven't finished most of the things that I have on the list to do. Each time I open this thread, I add to that laundry list. I want to now picture the Z06s from race to race. The numbering changes make it confusing, like the George Robertson drives 1963-65. Jerry Grant going from the Alan Green car to a Nickey Chevrolet team car. Thecwhite car had the Nickey red rims painted, and the one car sprayed a Nickey color.

I want to move the Hablow 3070 car to the other notable famous 63-67 other section, and show that in its various liveries. And I have so many other notable cars to work to add, in the queue!

I think I have the early race history of these cars figured out, what all happened, so it probably needs a summary. On some things I am showing my evolution of thoughts, even mistakes in research interpretation. I hope to bring things full circle,, as I work toward correct information.

And we still have the hidden from the public,, claimed #875 Z06. At this point, I dont believe in that car or #689 being Z06 cars, if Z06s were used for those 427 builds no way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did see that the Experts did denote black interior for the White 427, so I was right on that.

mikelj

I wish I could have been there when my Z06 tanker was delivered at Ernie Porter Chevrolet in Pasadena, and the first owner took it out immediately to race......

TCracingCA

I worked with the son of Ernie Porter but this guy was so not into cars. He took a piece of memorabilia I brought in to show him,, like it belonged to him, no offer to buy it. He was having health problems, and there was a lot off about him. Older guy. I let him have the Post Card and key fob, even if I hadn't planned to part with those. Lucky thing I didn't bring the plate frame in.

Thanks for the participation and share. Do we have a Vin? To speed up integrating it to the list. I have not seen a car race in this Ernie Porter livery and I have all of the West Coast programs, but naturally, not every car listed in grid sheets, has a picture anywhere for me to see. I can trace It, if I have a Race driver. I am trying to read the script over the door. It looks like AJ Foyt, who was guest driver for Nickey, out of Chicago, and a member of the Mecom Team.

Super cool car!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you were doing a 1964 Big Tank, which I should consider.

TCracingCA

Just so people don't think I am slow, I do have this in the queue, Mecum 300k. There is a car showing Zone 20-379 if I remember as the Nickey. I do need an explanation on how a car shipped to the West Coast, is the claimed Nickey car? That makes no sense. I think we might be getting this cleared up!!!!!!!!! Cool! Nickey would not normally need to source any special Chevy. I assume #02124????? Nope, nope, nope, double nope, I sure hope not nope!

TCracingCA

NA the 20-379 was the Black on Black car (Vin 9281?) I think is the claimed #81 racer. Ernie Porter Chevrolet is 20-407, but they had at least one other Code. I am probably one of the leading guys to share these California codes.

Ernie Porter Chevrolet became Jack Wall Chevrolet in about late 64, early 1965. The Rose Parade!

TCracingCA

I got it, car #15092!!!!!! Thanks, I am adding it. I haven't gotten to all of those higher numbers yet! I am adding it now!!!! Cool. I will see what story comes with the Car. Not the Nickey, but that #81 Black car needs some explaining. But why do you have AJ Foyt on it? Threw me there, saddle interior, and all!

mikelj

Yes, that is it, one of the last batches of Z06s built, this one sans radio. I put AJ on it as it was rumored AJ drove it on some practice laps at an SCCA race at Laguna Seca once in mid to late-'63. I can't verify that, old owners tale. Ed Luwanie was the original owner, Mr. Wingate at Clippinger remembered the car.

TCracingCA

This is the type of car share I appreciate. It can be appreciated too by others in forum glory.

I have the final standings of the 1964 SCCSCC slalom season, and the complete season results for 1965, so I will get those back out one day, and look for your first Ownership. I like AJ, no research, but I will make a casual attempt to see how that connection happened. The Indy car and Stock car stars came out to the West Coast (Ontario in the 1970s, and Riverside 1960s &70s). They used the Corvette Corral club guys to do some driver introduction laps at Riverside, that I remember. I know AJ attended a few Monterey Historic events, and they had the Marque club lunch laps, but will see why AJ might have come out for SCCA, my guess would be for Laguna Seca, for an IMSA race into the 1980s. He piloted a few Porsches around that era.
I was at a bunch of shows or events with Wingate, never got a chance to have a conversation with him.

Yes I had to wipe my eyes and blink a few times to read that script name over the door. I dont track Ownerships, unless they were in racing. I d9nt know who had #2224 and what was done to it, but seeing AJ, seeing a white car, my initial fear was did they take and Install a saddle interior, to the Nickey car #2227, sacrilege. So was relived when I jogged thru the White/Saddle cars, and there it was! Also PS, the SCCSCC wasn't the only organized Slalom stuff happening, and some of these local cars had quite the Competition Rally history. I hope something turns up. I pride myself in at least finding others like yourself, one tidbit of potential History, if it had any presence locally at all.

TCracingCA

Yesterday I made big strides in uncovering history. I made two humungous finds, one for those paying attention was the Candi car from Puerto Rico. My fear was a false claim of being one of the sacred cars evolving around either Riverside, or the Daytona Speed week events, but no. I think the car is sensationalized, but could have been a GM PR thing. It delivered just prior to the Puerto Rican GP thing in November 62. There is a letter, and I am trying to date/signature analyze to validate it, as people own typewriters. Plus that is often the validation method, as I wrote before in other threads, to find an old timer with bits and pieces of memory, to claim it is so. A letter naming Cochran & Celli, seems suspicious, as if you are apologizing for an order not being filled, you dont tell the customer, oh you weren't as important as other PR events, and dont worry, we did it to Reinhart and Sherwood also. Then the car was, shipped out supposively sans Z06 brakes, when the later serial number Thompson/Grady Davis car showed up with the brakes at the same event. Then it wasn't in the big race, but a Corvette parade sounding lap. Also there is the one big glaring error that the Cochran & Celli team as not entered for Riverside, no WRONG, they were, as look at the event pages I posted. Programs are generally printed about a week prior to the event. Get the information together two weeks out, to printing, and with enough time for proofing, distribution, etc. My Father was semi-involved with the Times GP advertising, working for Krupp-Taylor Direct Mail Marketing and Advertising firm on Pico, based near the LA Times Headquarters in downtown LA. He used to weekly take ad copy back and forth for Chandler's approval, as Otis was very hands on related to that. Krupp- Taylor was a full print capable firm, and put out most of the advertising, newspaper inserts, for the paper, and businesses direct and those bright yellow, ted, green single page, tear off coupons, and junk mail that landed in your mailboxes. Ads like Parnelli Jones or Carrol Shelby page inserts for their tires, etc was done by my Father. The advertising was the money making venture, not the .25 cent paper. We, my family were VIP at all of the Times GP events growing up.

Here is the guy to be mad at, my Junk mail advertising Father (RIP).




Dont get me wrong, as it is sounding like a very high end great L84 car, which often was pressed into service. But I will check things out. I will rip that Puerto Rican race event history apart. I have the literature to do so. It also is a little mystery, as to why Yenko didnt run the same day second team car, but his old C1. I found a note that they were having brake issues too, and they used the brakes to field one car, that Yenko choose to run his old reliable friend car. I am now thinking if this Higuera car was found with Z06 hardware, that might have been why Yenko didnt field a Z06. But will check. Stories that explain things, do surface in the old literature often. I have more of that than anyone, generally.

Speaking of stories, I think I am now up to finding 6 versions of Mickey Thompson getting the Hooper #119 car, some a slight variation, and some with a radically different timeline. I think a different car was being tested as early as July, as that even makes the #0008 Vin suspect, July way too early. I am thinking it was something more primitive, than the so called Pilot line cars. Production timing about Mid September. To be running around in July, that is to early in the time line. There is mention of three hand built cars, in the production line with the C1 end days run. I am checking. I do believe the car was still a Chevrolet Engineering test car up to the very start of September 1962. I do think Thompson was brought into it, August 1962, as three versions of the story have the car air freight into Burbank, an airport I actually know well personally.
There are subtle clues here and there,to watch for in researching. Take the Bonneville Tire test of the Mickey Thompson ran car. I found that car was borrowed back from Norm Burger (former White 427 car). Yes, he bought that car when Mickey Thompson liquidated his Corvette racing team. Doug Hooper my friend was,attempting to get a Corvette Service shop open, in that 1963/64 year. Doug used that car at his new shop, to promote his Corvette Service (white 427). It used to be parked out front and he raced it. My understanding, is he Norm also negotiated the purchase of that #6844 car too, as why they are getting mixed up.

They could have just asked me!

I didnt make the connection to Norm, back then, but knew it wasn't Mickey Thompson. If you all notice on the livery decaling, his shops name on the flank. Also they pulled in Sponsorship from Mickey Thompson also, who loved getting his name onto things (Hoopers new shop name).


The car was another Don Steves Chevrolet shipped special (both 6844 & 0787) and it basically became a promotional car for brands, Allstate Tire, Doug's new shop, Mickey Thompson, etc. And the 6844 too, known to promote Radar rims, and Mickey Thompsons Chevrolet line of products, drove the later around for personal transportation.

Remember to, they were hoping for a reversal of GM AMA race ban. There was,still hopes for the Grand Sports maybe, for LeMans one day. Part of this speed test, was in consideration of the Sting Ray going out onto the Mulsanne Straight in LeMans France. The Mickey Thompson axles with the high speed race differentials and all! Krause was still hopeful. Damn he made the mistake of jumping to Corvette from Cobra, a top line guy that was racing things like sports racer Birdcage Maserati's.

Basically Ken Miles was signed, because Krause left being Shelby's top Cobra ace!!!



The thought to be coming Grand Sport factory lightweights was the lure, leave the chicken farmer, and go with Factory Chevrolet..
I do think the experts are mixing up July proving grounds tests, and competition testing with prototype cars, with the start of that with the #119 racer. I think that car was not existing in July 1962 yet, but took over competition testing. It could very well have been shipped out for live Riverside testing, sent back, and then Air Freighted in. The Air Freighting sounds like a rushed operation thing. They were having other problems with that car for competition. Other than the brakes, the valves were floating badly. They were attempting to get a handle on that too! That was the primary demise, for the balance of the Riverside Corvette entrants. Luckily M/T team ran on the tachometer, and survived to the end of the race. I personally have heard Doug retelling of the torture of running that race on the tachometer, and probably the single most moment of self control, he ever exercised in his whole entire life.
And everyone, Donner the GM head was,so upset about that Grand Sport testing, then the Daytona Nascar Stock car thing, that he had to know that some planned race cars were crushed.
For 50+ years there has been thought, there were 6 Grand Sports, but history repeatedly finds only 5. I just wonder if the true Grand Sport #1 was crushed, along with the newly returned Silver 427 car, after Daytona from both of those highly public found out test and racing activity related to those cars. I could see Donner telling his people, you crush me a few race cars now!!!!!! This last part is speculation, but they actually did destroy prototypes, etc back then. A lot of them. Most involved do have a memory of a Z06 or two being destroyed, upon its return to Chevrolet. As per Brock Yates, The Hooper car #119 was impelled on a concrete safety barrier piling, on Sunday at Dodger Stadium, after Daytona. He won the heat on Saturday.

I could go on, as I read this old stuff. I also boldly above, realigned my thoughts on the true Vin numbers. I have added in, with reservations, the Candi car above, OK no harm, no foul! If people want it to be a Z06, it doesn't affect the core important cars,I am fine with that,I said my piece, but will study that letter.
I have so many books, and literature, I have slowed down buying. I heard a particular newer Corvette book about Z06 was more restoration, than history. So I chose to not get that one, for a few tidbits. Yes maybe some good tidbits of history, insight into just maybe a few things, I am still considering it's , as I practically own every Corvette book known to mankind.

This looks like the January 1962 testing. This nose grafted onto a C1 car, license plate dated 1961. So still checking! Technically Z06 #1!

TCracingCA

PS Norm Burger took care of the race Fuel Injection units for Mickey Thompson. In Magazine article, I have seen Norm Berger referred to as one of Mickey's friends and mechanic! He was one of those Renaissance type of guys, dabbled in all kinds of things, to include racing himself (buying all three of the remaining M/T cars (#787, #809, and #6844). At the Bonneville Salt Flat, it was Burger's car, but Mickey was given the chance to set the A/GT Touring Sports car record at a touch over 162 mph (Official was 158.45 mph as you had to go both directions) in that radial tire line being sold by Sears (All-State line of Service, tire, battery outlets). Remember Mickey Thompson ran the 406 mph in the four engined Streamliner!

TCracingCA

OK calling the Silver 427 Vin 787, really dicked this up, but I understand how it happened.

I would not need a psychologist, and a psychiatrist if they would have said that car was Pilot line car 4, 5, or 6. But Vin #3809 would have been good. I can accept that.

Going back to the Authorization of the Z06, it looked like 13 A-designated cars were planned, plus 2 C-designated cars. Total 15 initial cars. Also out of the 13, two were and I will use the term Pilot cars. So that is basically the Hooper Daytona Blue and the 1962 December brake test car, my strong opinion. If a Silver #0787 was shipped out, then we lose two cars, the Silver Pilot line or Vin #3809 car and we lose a White car. That is what has happen.

If we go with McIntyres car being the White 427, all of the cars work, the world is green, the sky is blue.

In Spring of 1962, they cleared out a whole section of the Production area, and next followed the Engineers & Technicians, new C2 unique Fixtures and equipment. Originally 25 what they call Display cars were to be built for Press and Public previews.

We know they got to Vin #23 for sure, as that one was,designated thru GM Canada, to go out for the London Show order 10271, a Silver one finished on August 27th, 1962. Thus now I am going to look for the earliest known one completed, to give us our completion window!

Funny how three spots Pilot line 4, 5, 6 are missing. Maybe that is our Metallic Red, our Silver Convertible ran by Thompson and MacDonald, and who knows what one. I need to see when that video was shot, date of that interview, etc.

I am also researching the following- Ben Moore, Gary Morgan, Wright Horn, Jack Moore, Bill McLaughlin, Joslin, both I think I mentioned as potential Z06 cars.

Oh did I mention Silver was an extra charge color.

TCracingCA

OK they did not make this easy.

We have claimed Vin #23 August 27th

We have claimed Vin #15 September 18th

We have claimed Vin #16 September 27th.



Funny is that September 18th, 1962 is thought to be the official Production start date, so what? Did they friggen just guess at the dates on a few?

Thus back to the dreaded Pilot Line cars. I actually hate those now, but I am sure in some piece of literature I have, is an accurate memory of the ins and outs of which car we were seeing, and when. I might grab that Kimble book next, as I find his research recollection pretty darn good. I have a bunch of those Sensational American volumes too, maybe leaf thru and eat dinner. Later.

TCracingCA

I have to work my real job, Monday morning here, but was curious as to whether that #3809 car might have been the 1962 Brake test silver car and subsequently the Silver 427 car.

It was completed about 11/26/1963. By that point they could get a car done in a day. The brake test was conducted in mid-December. This car really seems out of sequence if the early October build group, and the late October build group of Z06 cars, so maybe it was just a Non-Z06 car? If it was Vin 3809,then I wouldn't call that a prototype.

If all of the cars now I am tracking are true Z06 cars, then the count is now at 17 on my attempt at an accurate registry listing of them, meaning if we take that known 15 as per Chevrolet paperwork, and the validation of further paperwork saying 13 black interiors and 2 blue interiors, then we have essentially two phony cars on my list.

So which are the phony cars?

Sherwood and Higuera cars shipped without Z06 brakes?
Do we not count the #0008,, but they said two prototypes of the 13 were?
Did Vince Piggins get a car, and that became one of the racers?

So quick review
Silver Prototype?
Sub Total 1

7 Riverside Entrants
Daytona Blue Prototype- Hooper
White- MacDonald
White Gurney
Silver-Blue- Bondurant
Daytona Blue- Reinhart
White- Grant
Silver- Breskovich Mann Chevrolet
New Sub Total 8

Add two
White-Puerto Rico car
Black- Sherwood car
New Sub Total 10

Add in three
White- Nickey car
White- Grady Davis
Daytona Blue- Grady Davis
New Sub Total 13

Throw in the Vince Piggins claimed car
New Sub Total 14

Throw in #3809
New Sub Total 15

Two thought to be Z06s raced prior to 12/18/1962 at Nassau.
Bob Kingham
Ed Cantrell
Total 17 is where I am at.

I could see a special thought to be needed car built, one more for a special purpose, so that could be #03809 maybe for that test. Total from original authorization, up to 16 cars, leaving one potential phony one!

Yes if there is a phony car, I have to find it.

I am finding very little written on the Z06 at that brake test, tire test at Sebring. The focus seemed to be on the Grand Sport. Everyone was there from Zora to Bob Clift, and Mickey. They also were doing their damnest to keep the Z06 off camera, or film was too precious to waste.

Then the track rental planned for January was cancelled, due to Donner shutting it all down with warning.

My brain is foggy on all of this, so should even verify what Z06 brakes they were testing at Sebring December 1962. I assumed disc brakes, similar to the Grand Sport. I have stuff in print talking of the difference in the Grand Sport and the Z06 on discs. Heck I am going to go back and check the two 427 cars, for discs or drums. Sometimes something written can lead one into a wrong direction of thinking.
For the Z06 brake problems, they did change to a thicker drum to cure the serious ills.

So people think a Z06 or team of them were shipped there for brake testing, Mickey and crew could have did all kinds of brake testing, swapping at Riverside. So I fully believe something else was going on.

They basically for Sebring, were doing the same thing they did leading up to the Riverside race. Testing at Sebring for a planned run there! Get the Gremlins out, learn the track, get data on running there. Masten Gregory gave them consistent laps within about a second for things such as fuel consumption.

The debut of the special Grand Sport Corvette was going to be Sebring on March 23, 1963. That didnt happen.
instead two cars got squirrelled away out the back door to trusted, keep your mouth shut types- Grady Davis, John Mecum, and eventually Jim Hall.

Mickey Thompson was too big of a personality. Always in front of cameras, always would talk, so I think his mouth, and big celebrity persona got the plug pulled on his program.

Mickey had the four car deal working with Harvey Aluminum for Indy, and the plan was 4 all-aluminum Chevrolet engines. This was another attraction for Krause coming to the Team, as Mickey was going to give him 1 of the 4 cars. He was trying to hang onto MacDonald offering potential Indy fame.

Heck even Smokey was out for probably the same, he wasn't so loud, but everyone was lazer focused on when he was present. He caused a buzz, just entering Daytona after the exploits with the Pontiac NASCAR Catalinas Super Duty cars. Especially when cars he was associated with, ripped off fastest laps. I dont think he touched the 377 engines!

I need to dig out everything Smokey said about those two 427 Corvettes.

TCracingCA

Thoughts of the day, prior to heading to my Office to work!

Many 1963 Z06 and other cars definitely have lost their race identities. I might have to go into Ownerships, to uncover which car is which. I am still hoping some summaries by previous Owners gives me a clue, but many Owners could have some of these cars raced,, and not even know it. Example Is I saw a Lady named Horn running around involved with one of these Z06 cars, then I posted a different car driven by a guy named Horn #71 car. Could this be a coincidence and a clue.. I will have to look into that car that she was collaborating on. The NCIS movement to restore cars, took over in the 1990s (heavy influence), and Cars with flares, customized were returned to stock, along with many of the race cars, and their identities and histories lost. To sell and make a killing, it was definitely a bad thing to share that a car was raced, but now just the opposite if famous or a notable car. Everything in the 1990s was low mileage, never raced, and driven by an old lady!

I have also started to tear into the actual racing records for 1962/63, as I never had reason to really do that. Take someone like a Doug Hooper, I know his general history, but I have not had to assembled it precisely, no! Take the Dodger Stadium event in early 1963, I have that program out, and he is not listed as an entrant. In talking to him (he claimed he was a late entrant is my memory from him), he had two incidents, he tied to his old #119 Riverside winning car. There is a Brock Yates given interview that is written about the #119 C2 after Daytona by Doug, on the local circuit. Doug actual when Mickey Thompson folded up his Corvette team, went back to his ole C1 for many races in 1963. As a Grand Sport car was sold to Grady Davis, race appearance early 1963, I guess the M/T Corvettes were liquidated prior to that or then.

Doug Hooper's recollection I challenge, as he did win Dodger Stadium Saturday in the Silver Krause car is what I see (not in the #119), and that was December 1963, a later record, the Silver known Krause car, being still owned by Norm Burger at least to the I s point in time. I found two stories of Dodger Stadium carnage told by Doug, his losing one time due to a shredded tire, that put him into the barrier with cosmetic body damage, and then the race ending impale onto a concrete pylon on a Sunday drive. As per Doug, he claimed late race entry as I said (those entrants don't make print, for the program and why a lot of events had a last minute grid sheet they stuffed inside, or handed those to you), so I will check event photos, to see if he was even there in that early 1963 event, and if so in what car. Maybe Daytona was the last event for the former C2 #119 car! There are just as many stories o f what happened to that car, and it looks like three different versions came from Doug himself. It would be best for me to check the records.

PS what many dont understand about these records, is you can't just casually find one, and go off on a tangent. Take like those 2 day Dodger Stadium type events, generally you had the Production AP/BP races on a Saturday, but then you had modified classes or races on Sunday. Within the modified classes, could be AP/BP entrants. At the finish, you had the modified Race Winner, but then designated Class winners. You might have the Grid showing a car there or not there, but never knew of another weekend entry in what I call the Libre event (run what you bring big Sunday race.

I am really starting to think that Silver 427 car, was Vin 3809! The timeline fits, how Thompson got the fourth car, by way of the Sebring test. I bet people have thought 9f that Silver 427 being one of the early Z06s, so that is what peoplerom his win state he had only two cars at the start of December 1962.

I am getting burned out on 1963, and I am starting to work on this, and I am also wanting to get to the rest of the project. Just the 1963 West coast season Is difficult to do, as I have a 1964 race car, and a 1963 Slalom car, so those are the starting points for my Corvette competition research, Slaloms 1964 and after, and SCCA 1964 and later and both Roadsters, so was not taking a research interest in C2 Coupes, except casually. For 1963 season, I will have to work to put that together. The 1963 season started at Vacaville, then Riverside, Dodger Stadium, Del Mar, Pomona, Riverside again-Divisionals, Laguna Seca, Kent, Santa Barbara, etc etc, to Dodger Stadium again and I am sure more race events in between that, if I look at North and South. A daunting task. Corvette wins were still happening, as Bondurant, Faris, Guldstrand, Reinhart, etc. Scored victories. I am focused on the Nationals mostly, as Regionals would be near impossible to find Ind and assemble, and many of those wins were Regionals. Ugh!

I ain't getting a whole lot of participation from 1963 Z06 interested individuals. They probably live the gospel of what was preached to them on these Z06 cars (thus much of the history is kind of jacked up) and what I type is blasphemy. They probably want to pour Holy water on me, and drive a stake thru my heart. I want to build the other categories here In my thread too!

TCracingCA

Today I did some reorganization of the thread, clean up of the format. Decided to put the early race action of the Z06s those early races in order, but need to work on that more. I need to get out the SCCA magazines to hunt down the racing histories of action happening around the Country, to see if I can get those unidentified former race cars out, back in the day.
The Z06 work is just an example of my looking into stuff, but eventually it would be nice to add in pictures of each race car, from race to race. The number changes, liveries.
I also added a couple of pictures for a few Vin cars.

I think we are ready for a conclusion of what was happening with those early Z06 cars. If I put the clues together, that I have shared, I think anyone smart, not a jaded person to what is being shared here, is seeing where the Z06 history had gone early on; but let me summarize anyways, what happened for the stubborn types looking in on this thread.

So cars were built for Riverside, and each team was not liking the brakes.
For the Hooper car, they already knew about the bad brakes.
The brakes were so bad, they held putting them on the two cars (Cochren & Celli and Candido's export car), but decided to release them (even though they were missing three important components of that system)! Ya Ok, but let's go with that (not my history, sourced from articles, and what I see on the claimed letter to Mr Higuera in Puerto Rico.I think that letter looks to be signed by Pike, advertising guy, who around 1974 wrote another letter as an expert, saying only a total of like 15-20 were built. Thus the head of Chevrolet, boy he really was paying attention!

So we had the initial batch built on 10/1-2, problems, problems, problems, problems, problems, being the brakes and blown engines.
What happened, they stopped making them!!!!! And they definitely weren't going to the public.
OK so some events like the Puerto Rico, and Nassau were coming up, and it would have been a total embarrassment for Chevrolet, to not field the new C2, especially knowing that these were special versions know to the World. Ya tell the World your problems, and hurt sales, as the Press would have been all over that.
Therefore they put three more cars out to professional level teams, Nickey and Grady Davis. They rationed out just enough so people would see them, in those final season races. And you had entrants for Nassau. Funny how Grady Davis team passed on Nassau. Uhmm!
The two cars fielded by Cantrell and Kingham had to be in the batch close to the three 2000 series Vin cars, those built near the end of October.
So we are looking for like 10/24/62 built cars with Fuel injection, to find these missing connections.

Then we had a big dry period basically all during December. Listed is basically one car. They definitely knew, that had work to do, to fix what was ailing them.
If we analyze what was happening, is I found Vince Piggins had a car for his use. I do suspect that might be the Kingham car maybe, and that is just a gut thought.
So with brake issues basically halting this Z06 production, they built the #3089 Silver car on 11/26, special fitted with big tank, etc. and send it down with the Grand Sport, to figure out what has to be done about those brakes, to run Sebring.
So why built one special one, out of sequence, and outside of the batches, that had been built?

I found articles saying the Grand Sport, even at its lower weight was overheating the discs, and the production heavy Z06, had no chance of lasting on the Grand Sport Discs.
So they finish that, and for the Grand Sport, they put on thinker rotors.
For the Z06, they opted to stay with the drums, but they would get their fix, with a thicker drum unit.
If discs would have had worked, the Z06s would have went onto Discs probably then. But no go!

They had a solution then, not perfect, but satisfactory, so they resumed building cars in January 1963, and put out a substantial group in the 6000 Series Vin.
We had that one car on the 5000 series, and that seems out of sequence too, but then in the modern, have all of the cars been accounted for?
I need to look around the Country for potential other Z06s, that might have been built that early. I am thinking, about whether I think that one car was an actual Z06, brother was a NASCAR guy and all, the 18 year old son crashes it later on. I will look into the racing record? Of that car.
So suddenly with an adequate brake solution, now more cars were built, the two race teams Reinhart and Candido could finally get brakes that would work.

Ya 3089 had to be the Silver car at Sebring, mid-December. They had it down in Florida, planning another Sebring session at the track. Therefore being in Florida, why not do the Daytona thing. The car is there. The NASCAR guys are there.
As I said this NASCAR all banked track tri-oval GT, under 7 liters, run what you bring event, was a perfect chance for new engine race laps by the NASCAR top Chevrolet Teams.