The Experimental Corvette SS video

[D S.]

A local friend/Corvette owner, Larry Langston (also friend of Carl Droste) sent me this vintage video of a C-1 prototype race car Corvette being built referred to in the film as a Super Sport. I thought some of you would like to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upquH0f-LQA

Thanks,
Scott Sims
Texas Chapter

[Terry D.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Thanks for sharing, love the bullet out the back window, wonder if the car survived?

[D S.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Thanks for sharing, love the bullet out the back window, wonder if the car survived?

If it did would it be at the Corvette Museum? I've never been.

[Dave S.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

If it did would it be at the Corvette Museum? I've never been.

There was a special brochure issued for this car in 1957. Its a cool piece to see and read.

[Rick M.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

The Corvette-SS was built in 1956 and the car/project was killed in 1957 by the AMA racing ban that GM honored. The car has been at the NCM a couple of times but is permanently displayed at the Indianapolis Speedway Museum. It will no doubt be at Monterey this week for the Corvette 60th celebration. The car was restored for the 1987 Monterey races celebrating the 75th birthday of Chevrolet. Still is a beautiful car, needs to be seen in person to be appreciated.

[D S.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Wow. That's great for enthusiasts to be able to actually see the real-deal car.
Of interest is the Super Sport designation. I assume GM had a patent on the name and later revived it for the '61 Impalas. I read somewhere that the Super Sport option could be ordered for any line of '61 Chevrolet models but fortunately was only ordered in the 2-door hard top or convertible Impalas. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Steven B.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Beautiful magnesium bodied car! IIRC Zora donated it to the IMS Museum in '75. I was fortunate to see it a number of times at the museum when I lived in Indy and at Monterey. You are right Rick, it does need to be seen in person to really be appreciated. Years ago I went to the top floor of the museum to the photo archives and bought 3 pictures of the SS. They were prof. taken for promo and for sale, along with pics of other museum cars. I also got to the basement once where a number of cars not on display are stored---along with some spares. They had some Firestone 170's like on the SS but would not sell them.

[Steven B.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

[D S.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Much nicer in color rather than the B&W video.

[Tom P.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, that is NOT the Corvette Super Sport! It is the SS (they are/were two DIFFERENT cars)!
The 1957 Corvette Super Sport was basically a stock 57 body/chassis that was slightly streamlined (no windshield) and modified. Whereas, the SS (above car) was was a specially designed/built car for racing at Sebring in 57 (after 20+ laps, a suspension bushing failed and it was out of the race).
MANY years ago, the Super Sport was badly wrecked and sat for MANY years, essentially untouched. As I understand it, it is finally undergoing restoration.

Also, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY "experts" swear that the T-10 never had an alum main case until 1961----------------------check out the all alum T-10 in the video, and then stop your swearing (if the shoe fits, wear it).

By the way, both cars (the SS and Super Sport) still exist.

This is the 57 Corvette Super Sport.



The SS with Zora behind the wheel.

[Terry D.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Tom, are those louvers on the side door of the super sport? If not what are they? Terry

[Steven B.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, that is NOT the Corvette Super Sport! It is the SS (they are/were two DIFFERENT cars)!
The 1957 Corvette Super Sport was basically a stock 57 body/chassis that was slightly streamlined (no windshield) and modified. Whereas, the SS (above car) was was a specially designed/built car for racing at Sebring in 57 (after 20+ laps, a suspension bushing failed and it was out of the race).
MANY years ago, the Super Sport was badly wrecked and sat for MANY years, essentially untouched. As I understand it, it is finally undergoing restoration.

Also, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY "experts" swear that the T-10 never had an alum main case until 1961----------------------check out the all alum T-10 in the video, and then stop your swearing (if the shoe fits, wear it).

By the way, both cars (the SS and Super Sport) still exist.

This is the 57 Corvette Super Sport.



The SS with Zora behind the wheel.

Tom, you are correct. Tom, Dale, anyone know how the restoration of the Super Sport is coming? I have to dig out the pics of the Super Sport NM 'accident". Steve

[Richard M.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

The 57 Super Sport is alive and well and fully restored. The louvers on the doors are fake air inlets.

[Tom P.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Terry,
Those are air scoops which were/are functional on the #1 and #2 SR2 cars. Their purpose was to provide cooling for the rear brakes. On the #3 and #4 SR2 cars as well as the Super Sport, those scoops are non-functional.
Harley Earl had the #1 SR2 built for his son Jerry. Bill Mitchell had the #2 SR2 built for him. Both of those cars were pretty much full blown competition cars with HD brakes/susp and later FI was added.
The #3 SR2 was built for Harlow "Red" Curtis (the big man at the top), but it was primarily for show without the HD components for competition.
The #4 SR2 was put together by one of the Corvette engineers, Bob McLean, and is now referred to as the McLean SR2. All 4 SR2s are alive and well.

Here is the #2 SR2 that was built for Bill Mitchell and now owned by Bill Tower. The hole at the rear of the scoop can be seen below. The air went from the hole in the rear of the scoop/cove to a duct that directed air to an opening in the rear of the door and then the air passed into another hole in the body and was ducted to the rear brakes.







The first version of a rear brake air scoop (on a Corvette) was the purpose built 1956 Sebring race cars. One genuine restored example is alive and well today (below).




The next version of a rear brake air scoop was the 1956 SR1 cars (6 built on the St. Louis assembly line). The Sebring race cars and the PRODUCTION 56 SR1 cars ARE NOT the same thing. The Sebring race cars were modified (Jan-Feb) by engineering folks specifically for the 56 Sebring race. The 56 SR1 cars were later PRODUCTION (May-June) St. Louis assembly line cars. Two examples (of 6 built) are known to exist.






And finally, ducting to provide cooling air to the brakes became RPO 579D (Airbox cars) in mid 57 production

[Steven B.]

Re: The Experimental Corvette SS video

Anyone have pics of the Mclean car? Thanks!