Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

[Gary B.]

Does anyone know anything about a 1961 Santeen Silver Corvette, 283ci/315HP, with a history as a drag racer? This car has been accepted for American Heritage Display in San Jose and given that I've been helping to organize that AH display I wanted to know some more about the car, but I don't know anything about the history of that car. I found a likely candidate on the '61 registry. Curiously in the owner info field it says "No Present Owner".

http://www.c1registry.com/index.php?...04-29&uid=4579

Anyone know if this is the car that will be in San Jose?

Thanks,

Gary
Northern California Chapter

[William C.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

I would expect Roy Sinor or someone he designates would be in charge of "Vetting" the american heritage entrants ahead of the convention. If it is indeed the car shown on the c1 regestry, it would be very interesting, the names associated with it, particularly Nicholson are well known names in the Drag Racing Circles.

[Gary B.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Bill,

Yes, Roy has the info, but I didn't want to bug him any more than I already have. I thought it would be easy to find the info from my fellow DB posters.

Gary

[Jim L.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

The car in the C1 registry is owned by Bert Brown who does live in the Bay Area. I'd guesstimate there is a 99% chance this is the car that will be in the AH display. Do you have contact info for Bert? If not, PM me.

Jim

[Gary B.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Jim,

You've got mail.

Gary

[Mike E.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Wasn't that car a cover car on the Restorer within the past 5-7 years or so, or has time passed by much faster than I can deal with?

[James G.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Hi Mike,
The car is one featured on our REGISTRY OF CORVETE RACE CARS. See here http://registryofcorvetteracecars.co.../view_cars/438

It was drag raced extensively in Southern California in late 1960-62. It was the Winternationals 1962 B/Sports class winner in February 1962. Brendon Grassman was the owner and "Dyno" Don Nicholson and Earl Wade did the wrench turning. Hugh Osterman drove it that famous Winternational weekend and the car turned a 12.7 @108 mph. Car ran as fast at 110 back in the day.

Good friend Burt Brown in Northern California owns the car since 1968. I can get you his phone number if you want it. He is an old gear head for years. In fact he sold a 58 White / red 684 fuel car to Jeff Reade in 1999. I found the original owner of that car at the RIVERSIDE RACEWAY REUNION March 27-29.

[Mike E.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Yes--
I helped Bert with that car back in the early 80's--he was vacillating between stock restoration and drag racer documentation. At that point, the road race cars were just starting to be appeciated, and the 1/4 mile cars were not yet really appreciated.
It was in a conversation with Bert that he pointed me to a metal 36-gallon 56-57 gas tank that I was able to buy and trade to Dave Bartush for my original fiberglass 36-gallon tank for the Gulf racer. The good old days!

[Gary B.]

1961 Sateen Silver drag racer; found it.

Thanks all. It's Bert Brown's car. There are some gorgeous photos of the car at:

http://www.kenbrownart.com/corvette/

Clearly the choice to restore the car to it's original drag race appearance was the right one.

Gary

[Rick G.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

The beautiful photos are by Bert's son, Ken. Bert told me a few days ago that him and his wife plan to drive the car to the Lake Tahoe Regional later this month. It really is a neat car and Bert and his family are super nice people.

[Walter B.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Hi guys,

Yep, it's my old silver 61. Gary got in touch with me this afternoon via email, thanks, Jim. Please excuse my NCRS login name, only my credit card company calls me Walter.

And Mike, good memory. You first saw the car at the first NCRS Southern Calif chapter get together we had in Thousand Oaks in the early 80s. The good old days! But the Restorer article was nearly 10 years ago, Mike. Time seems to be speeding up, doesn't it!

I did Top Flight the car at a regional in the early 90s, but it never felt right. The headers, scatter shield, mags, and traction bars went back on shortly after. Now life is good.

Best regards
Bert

[Steven B.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

'Beautiful car! I like it in its drag (race) configuration. '61 was great for Corvette B/SP's---Judy Lilly, John Mazmanian (pre blower, etc.)---. 'Anyone know where the Judy Lilly driven '61 is today?

[Walter B.]

Re: Info wanted on 1961 Sateen Silver drag racer

Thanks Steve.

Everyone remembers the Mazmanian car, probably more for the blower and the chute. But it was a formidable competitor in its pre-blower days. If memory serves me correctly, it won B/SP in 1961 at the Winternationals. Steve Hendrickson owned the car for many years, but it was sold a little while ago and is now in a museum in Nevada.

Not sure where the Judy Lilly car is today. You may want to ask the question over at the HAMB website. Lots of 60s stock class drag racing covered there, with some of the racers signing in from time to time.

Funny story about the Maz car. Earl Wade probably worked on every fast Corvette in So Calif back in the day, and he told me he didn't like working on Maz's car. Maz was crazy about that candy apple red paint and everyone with a wrench had to be REAL CAREFUL when working on it. Earl wasn't so careful on my car!