OPINION: Which Corvette Best Exemplifies Your Image of Corvette Drag Racing?
01-14-2008, 01:15 AM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Member Since: May 2002
Location: Conway SC
Posts: 537
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OPINION: Which Corvette Best Exemplifies Your Image of Corvette Drag Racing?
I know there must be hundred's of answers to this question but I always thought the 1961 Candy-Apple Red Corvette of "Big John" Mazmanian was just about the perfect example or image of a Corvette Drag Racer. Big John's Vette could run in the 10.90's and was always in show car condition. The paint was a work of art. I also thought highly of the '63, H/Gas Split-Window Coupe of Ault & James and the Harwood's C/MP '67 "Checkmate" Corvette Coupe.
A couple of local guys, Phil Corbin with his '91 Coupe and David Outten's '66 Coupe, both with their wheel standing Vettes offer a great image of a Corvette Drag Racer. But for me I think "Big John's" '61 is my pick.
What Corvette fits your Corvette Drag Racing image?
A couple of local guys, Phil Corbin with his '91 Coupe and David Outten's '66 Coupe, both with their wheel standing Vettes offer a great image of a Corvette Drag Racer. But for me I think "Big John's" '61 is my pick.
What Corvette fits your Corvette Drag Racing image?
01-14-2008, 01:22 PM
#6
Race Director
sadly, with their suspensions more-suited to going around-corners than hooking-up without grenading themselves, Corvettes were never a favorite amongst many racers:
by the late-'60s, with the advent of the A/FX Class morphing into Funny Car, many tried to use the sleek C3 body, but many meet with untimely-demises (hence the term "Corvette Curse" ).
Probably the most famous of these were Tom McEwen's 'English Leather'-backed Corvette, seen here winning the '78 U.S. Nationals against then all-conquering Don Prudhomme, just a few weeks after McEwen's son died of lukemia.
Another well-known Corvette Fuel Coupe was 'Moby Dick', which match-raced across the country and was recently restored by former owner/driver Ezra Boggs to it's original glory
Former Pro Stock terrors Reher-Morrison/Shepherd once campaigned a Sportsman (Modified Production? ) Corvette with success before joining the Professional category, but I can't find any pictures.
by the late-'60s, with the advent of the A/FX Class morphing into Funny Car, many tried to use the sleek C3 body, but many meet with untimely-demises (hence the term "Corvette Curse" ).
Probably the most famous of these were Tom McEwen's 'English Leather'-backed Corvette, seen here winning the '78 U.S. Nationals against then all-conquering Don Prudhomme, just a few weeks after McEwen's son died of lukemia.
Another well-known Corvette Fuel Coupe was 'Moby Dick', which match-raced across the country and was recently restored by former owner/driver Ezra Boggs to it's original glory
Former Pro Stock terrors Reher-Morrison/Shepherd once campaigned a Sportsman (Modified Production? ) Corvette with success before joining the Professional category, but I can't find any pictures.
01-14-2008, 10:22 PM
#9
Melting Slicks
01-15-2008, 10:18 AM
#12
Team Owner
In my opinion Brandond Wilkinson's SS/AA 69 L88 is the epitome of what a drag race vette is.
01-16-2008, 07:33 PM
#16
Race Director
sadly, with their suspensions more-suited to going around-corners than hooking-up without grenading themselves, Corvettes were never a favorite amongst many racers:
by the late-'60s, with the advent of the A/FX Class morphing into Funny Car, many tried to use the sleek C3 body, but many meet with untimely-demises (hence the term "Corvette Curse" ).
Probably the most famous of these were Tom McEwen's 'English Leather'-backed Corvette, seen here winning the '78 U.S. Nationals against then all-conquering Don Prudhomme, just a few weeks after McEwen's son died of lukemia.
Another well-known Corvette Fuel Coupe was 'Moby Dick', which match-raced across the country and was recently restored by former owner/driver Ezra Boggs to it's original glory
Former Pro Stock terrors Reher-Morrison/Shepherd once campaigned a Sportsman (Modified Production? ) Corvette with success before joining the Professional category, but I can't find any pictures.
by the late-'60s, with the advent of the A/FX Class morphing into Funny Car, many tried to use the sleek C3 body, but many meet with untimely-demises (hence the term "Corvette Curse" ).
Probably the most famous of these were Tom McEwen's 'English Leather'-backed Corvette, seen here winning the '78 U.S. Nationals against then all-conquering Don Prudhomme, just a few weeks after McEwen's son died of lukemia.
Another well-known Corvette Fuel Coupe was 'Moby Dick', which match-raced across the country and was recently restored by former owner/driver Ezra Boggs to it's original glory
Former Pro Stock terrors Reher-Morrison/Shepherd once campaigned a Sportsman (Modified Production? ) Corvette with success before joining the Professional category, but I can't find any pictures.
These 2 vette belonged to a friend of mine.
01-16-2008, 08:38 PM
#17
Race Director
Sportsman-class Corvettes are always cool to look-at..... there just weren't many around when I got-involved in the mid-'80s:
a high-school buddy, who's Dad worked on a class-legal C2 in the '60s and early-'70s, bought a '66 big-block 26 years after we graduated, and I helped him (and his father ) haul it home.....
Here is his father and I, before starting the long-ride home
This is another picture of a C3 Funny Car
..... wonder whatever happened to him.....
a high-school buddy, who's Dad worked on a class-legal C2 in the '60s and early-'70s, bought a '66 big-block 26 years after we graduated, and I helped him (and his father ) haul it home.....
Here is his father and I, before starting the long-ride home
This is another picture of a C3 Funny Car
..... wonder whatever happened to him.....
01-17-2008, 12:20 AM
#18
Pro
Thread Starter
Member Since: May 2002
Location: Conway SC
Posts: 537
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The photo of the Ault & James '63 split window coupe is greatly appreciatedby me - their Speed Shop in Dayton, Ohio got most of my pay checks back in the late 60's and early '70's. The amazing thing to me is that big Blower sticking out of the hood rested on a 283 CI motor and was running on the H/Gas record or below all the time. Of course it was sure a long time ago but those memories are still with me - wonder what ever happen to many of these Vettes that saw duty as some very fun to watch drag racers. A lot of the road racing Vettes end up in one of the museums like in Bowling Green or Mike Yager's "My Garage" of Mid America Motorsports but I don't think Yager even has a Drag Vette in his collection - too bad!
01-17-2008, 09:05 PM
#19
Safety Car
Hmm, I'll take whats behind door three Monty...
You got admit...its got Klass with that 2 tone paint job......... Its one of them there new Korvette Hybrids......The trailer hitch is what really makes it.
Last edited by Tsab; 01-18-2008 at 11:15 AM.
