I have desired for the last 11 years to share some Corvette history. I have been intrigued by this car ever since I saw a photograph of it in a Corvette book many, many years ago. I was amazed to learn it lived very near to me and I've had the opportunity over the years to get up close and personal with it. It's a remarkable car. Yesterday I had another opportunity to see it and be reminded how special it is and thankful that I've had chance to get close to it.
It's actually the very first Chevrolet Super Sport, a model suffix, SS, associated with many Chevrolets later in time. It's the first Corvette with Fuel Injection that Chevrolet introduced in January 1957 at the Waldorf Astoria Car Show in New York City. It was built by the Styling Department in the Fall of 1956 as a show car with special features and custom bodywork. The cost to do this was $18,000, a substantial amount at that time. I am uncertain what prompted the decision to build this car, but it was likely to be campaigned as a eye-catcher for the upcoming car show circuit to kick-start the planned 1957 Corvette Fuel Injection option. This would get people in the door at the shows as a marketing tool to then look at all of the other Chevrolet cars available in 1957 for sale at the Chevrolet dealerships.
Years ago I found these photos of the 1957 Car Show in NY. Betty Skelton was also present to talk about the car to all in attendance. The item she's holding is a Thermos bottle that fits in the seat separator compartment.
The Super Sport started life as a red 1956 Corvette, early build with mandatory Hydraulic Power Top and 2x4BBL 265CI V8. It had 2 Tops, one Soft Top and also a Hard Top. Note that at the same time period Zora Duntov was building the 1957 SS Race Car. The 2 are often confused.
Styling acquired the 1956 car and started modifying it for show with custom features. The vin number plate was removed and a new plate was made defining it as a 1957 Corvette with the same vin sequence number as the 1956 car except the "...S1..." was replaced with a "...S0..." in the vin so as to not replicate the actual 1957 Corvette production car number.
The red paint was covered up with a Pearl White paint and blue stripe, somewhat similar to the Sebring Race car colors earlier in the year. The Hard Top was removed and holes in the lid were filled in with crude fiberglass cloth and resin from the backside. The Power Top system was left there, however the decklid cover cylinder was disconnected from it, which shows the red paint underneath. Styling likely didn't get too detailed on items that would not be seen at the car shows. The Soft Top frame was removed, along with the windshield and side windows and all associated mechanisms. The engine was removed and replaced with a 1957 engine with special camshaft and Fuel Injection. The engine bay was enhanced with custom features including a blue wiper motor(non functional), blue generator, chromed voltage regulator cover and horn relay, and other car show touches to make it special. The FI unit had a special sealed chromed Air Filter canister.
Special treatments were done all over the car. Special heavy chromed brass side cove trims. External door scoops and custom built anodized aluminum cove fillers and special side spears. Special tail lamp housings with a flat mitered center bar to fit against the red lens. Fuel Injection emblems. A special dual Plexiglas windshield cowl to fit over the dash. Custom interior with many unique features such as ribbed aluminum floor panels and leather heel pads, custom ribbed tunnel cover, special dash panel to house the gauges, custom tachometer housing with specially built tachometer which may have been the prelude to the 1957 Airbox Car tachometer arrangement on the steering column. It has blue leather seats and dash, custom center console with clip board paper rings, blue leather shifter boot, chromed brass switched courtesy lamps, inside door panel inserts and safety lamps, Custom chromed flat spoke wood steering wheel, magnetized cup holders between the seats, Thermos bottle, and so many small details that made this a special car.
Here are some photos taken in the Styling Department in late 1956. The Shop Order number was 90181. 90 was the prefix for Corvette. 181 was the internal Dept SO#. Look closely and you will see the hand written dates of the photos, 12-3-56
After the NY show the car went to Chicago for the Chicago Auto show. Mayor Daly is on the left.
Also in my research I located 2 photos of the car at the Chicago Show.
From there, it is believed the car went back to Chevrolet, then ultimately went to Dick Doane Chevrolet in Illinois. Here is where the story of the Super Sport becomes vague. However, further research uncovered some interesting events.
A used car dealer by the name of Ralph Pool in Albuquerque, New Mexico found out the car was for sale. It is not clear but the timeframe may have been in the spring of 1958. He sent his son Larry Pool to the airport in Illinois where the car was on display and where it was to be picked up. Larry borrowed a helmet and goggles and flew to Illinois and took delivery of the car. He planned to drive it back to Albuquerque. On the ride home he stopped in Indianapolis where the Indy 500 race was being held.
He made it back home safely and was noted to say that the helmet and goggles were splattered with bugs from the ride home. A local newspaper did a short story of the car and noted a local resident bought it from Ralph Pool. Note the helmet on the driver's seat.
Next comes a story believed to be the demise of the Super Sport. Allegedly on a Sunday morning, a young man and his friend took a ride in the car to go to the store. Going down Central Ave, old Route 66 in Albuquerque, the driver lost control and smashed the car into a pole at the left front wheel area. The story has also been told to me from Dale Schafer that the accident actually occurred on Eubank Blvd, a local "illegal" Sunday use drag strip.
The car was totaled. It is unknown what the injuries to driver and passenger were. There have been varying stories of the driver. One tells me it was the son of the owner, another was the caretaker's son. Regardless, it's a sad ending to the car and it's lineage.
The car then went to a junk yard and sat outside for a long time. A local man later bought the car along with another Corvette to be used as parts for repair. The engine was removed and stored. It sat in his garage for many years.
Twenty years ago the car was acquired and was restored over a seven year period and is now together again. A rare piece of Corvette history has finally been returned to life.
I would like to thank my friend who owns this car for sharing it with me and also allowing me to share it with you. I also thank Dale Schafer for sharing some of the story of this car. He and I spent much time on the phone and in emails over the last 10+ years trying to get the history of the 1957 Corvette Super Sport.
Rich
It's actually the very first Chevrolet Super Sport, a model suffix, SS, associated with many Chevrolets later in time. It's the first Corvette with Fuel Injection that Chevrolet introduced in January 1957 at the Waldorf Astoria Car Show in New York City. It was built by the Styling Department in the Fall of 1956 as a show car with special features and custom bodywork. The cost to do this was $18,000, a substantial amount at that time. I am uncertain what prompted the decision to build this car, but it was likely to be campaigned as a eye-catcher for the upcoming car show circuit to kick-start the planned 1957 Corvette Fuel Injection option. This would get people in the door at the shows as a marketing tool to then look at all of the other Chevrolet cars available in 1957 for sale at the Chevrolet dealerships.
Years ago I found these photos of the 1957 Car Show in NY. Betty Skelton was also present to talk about the car to all in attendance. The item she's holding is a Thermos bottle that fits in the seat separator compartment.
The Super Sport started life as a red 1956 Corvette, early build with mandatory Hydraulic Power Top and 2x4BBL 265CI V8. It had 2 Tops, one Soft Top and also a Hard Top. Note that at the same time period Zora Duntov was building the 1957 SS Race Car. The 2 are often confused.
Styling acquired the 1956 car and started modifying it for show with custom features. The vin number plate was removed and a new plate was made defining it as a 1957 Corvette with the same vin sequence number as the 1956 car except the "...S1..." was replaced with a "...S0..." in the vin so as to not replicate the actual 1957 Corvette production car number.
The red paint was covered up with a Pearl White paint and blue stripe, somewhat similar to the Sebring Race car colors earlier in the year. The Hard Top was removed and holes in the lid were filled in with crude fiberglass cloth and resin from the backside. The Power Top system was left there, however the decklid cover cylinder was disconnected from it, which shows the red paint underneath. Styling likely didn't get too detailed on items that would not be seen at the car shows. The Soft Top frame was removed, along with the windshield and side windows and all associated mechanisms. The engine was removed and replaced with a 1957 engine with special camshaft and Fuel Injection. The engine bay was enhanced with custom features including a blue wiper motor(non functional), blue generator, chromed voltage regulator cover and horn relay, and other car show touches to make it special. The FI unit had a special sealed chromed Air Filter canister.
Special treatments were done all over the car. Special heavy chromed brass side cove trims. External door scoops and custom built anodized aluminum cove fillers and special side spears. Special tail lamp housings with a flat mitered center bar to fit against the red lens. Fuel Injection emblems. A special dual Plexiglas windshield cowl to fit over the dash. Custom interior with many unique features such as ribbed aluminum floor panels and leather heel pads, custom ribbed tunnel cover, special dash panel to house the gauges, custom tachometer housing with specially built tachometer which may have been the prelude to the 1957 Airbox Car tachometer arrangement on the steering column. It has blue leather seats and dash, custom center console with clip board paper rings, blue leather shifter boot, chromed brass switched courtesy lamps, inside door panel inserts and safety lamps, Custom chromed flat spoke wood steering wheel, magnetized cup holders between the seats, Thermos bottle, and so many small details that made this a special car.
Here are some photos taken in the Styling Department in late 1956. The Shop Order number was 90181. 90 was the prefix for Corvette. 181 was the internal Dept SO#. Look closely and you will see the hand written dates of the photos, 12-3-56
After the NY show the car went to Chicago for the Chicago Auto show. Mayor Daly is on the left.
Also in my research I located 2 photos of the car at the Chicago Show.
From there, it is believed the car went back to Chevrolet, then ultimately went to Dick Doane Chevrolet in Illinois. Here is where the story of the Super Sport becomes vague. However, further research uncovered some interesting events.
A used car dealer by the name of Ralph Pool in Albuquerque, New Mexico found out the car was for sale. It is not clear but the timeframe may have been in the spring of 1958. He sent his son Larry Pool to the airport in Illinois where the car was on display and where it was to be picked up. Larry borrowed a helmet and goggles and flew to Illinois and took delivery of the car. He planned to drive it back to Albuquerque. On the ride home he stopped in Indianapolis where the Indy 500 race was being held.
He made it back home safely and was noted to say that the helmet and goggles were splattered with bugs from the ride home. A local newspaper did a short story of the car and noted a local resident bought it from Ralph Pool. Note the helmet on the driver's seat.
Next comes a story believed to be the demise of the Super Sport. Allegedly on a Sunday morning, a young man and his friend took a ride in the car to go to the store. Going down Central Ave, old Route 66 in Albuquerque, the driver lost control and smashed the car into a pole at the left front wheel area. The story has also been told to me from Dale Schafer that the accident actually occurred on Eubank Blvd, a local "illegal" Sunday use drag strip.
The car was totaled. It is unknown what the injuries to driver and passenger were. There have been varying stories of the driver. One tells me it was the son of the owner, another was the caretaker's son. Regardless, it's a sad ending to the car and it's lineage.
The car then went to a junk yard and sat outside for a long time. A local man later bought the car along with another Corvette to be used as parts for repair. The engine was removed and stored. It sat in his garage for many years.
Twenty years ago the car was acquired and was restored over a seven year period and is now together again. A rare piece of Corvette history has finally been returned to life.
I would like to thank my friend who owns this car for sharing it with me and also allowing me to share it with you. I also thank Dale Schafer for sharing some of the story of this car. He and I spent much time on the phone and in emails over the last 10+ years trying to get the history of the 1957 Corvette Super Sport.
Rich
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