54 EX87 Windshield

[Chuck P.]

Recently acquired the original production windshield from EX 87, the first Corvette to ever have a Chevrolet installed V8. Duntov's mule car. Does anyone out there have the Mecum sales brouchure for this car as sold in 2003 to it's current owner? If so I sure would like to beg, borrow or buy a copy to make a copy. It shows this windshield back on the car. Glass is dated LX (Jan '54)
Thanks, Chuck Posson #3308 816-436-9503

[Loren L.]

Re: 54 EX87 Wlindshield

EX 87 resides near Palm Springs CA and did not become EX87 until it was sold by the General in 1956. When sold it was wearing a 1955 Corvette body, believed to be one of the bodies taken from the frames that would race with 1956 bodies at Sebring as Corvettes #5 and 6. While it was in Engineering's hands, it was referred to as Engineering #5951, having been rebuilt as a Proving Ground Demonstrator.

[Mike E.]

Re: 54 EX87 Wlindshield

Is this the same car in this video?

Mike

[Loren L.]

Re: 54 EX87 Wlindshield

If the question is "Is the car in the video EX 87?", the answer is no. EX 87, as stated, is titled and serial numbered as EX 87 in CA and has been in the hands of the current owner since 1968
or so. The car in the video is '55 # 1399, rebodied with a 1954 body renumbered by Chevrolet Engineering for identification purposes as Engineering #5951, minus a fin and lower belly pan, and then donated to NASCAR in 1956.

[Dick W.]

Re: 54 EX87 Windshield

Recently acquired the original production windshield from EX 87, the first Corvette to ever have a Chevrolet installed V8. Duntov's mule car. Does anyone out there have the Mecum sales brouchure for this car as sold in 2003 to it's current owner? If so I sure would like to beg, borrow or buy a copy to make a copy. It shows this windshield back on the car. Glass is dated LX (Jan '54)
Thanks, Chuck Posson #3308 816-436-9503

The car was in the Bob McDorman collection and sold during his sale. The engine story is pretty far fetched as I know the history of the car from late 1957. The car was given to NASCAR, they gave it to Alvin Hawkins, the promoter of NASCAR races at Bowman Gray stadium, he sold it to a gentleman in my home town who drag raced the car. The engine that came with the car was destroyed during a drag race by a few errant connecting rods. When that owner passed away, for all practical purposes the car was stolen from his estate. It was sold for $800.00 sans engine and had a straight axle front end. Still had the Engineering #5951 plate on the cowl. That owner installed a correct front suspension, period correct 265, painted it Harvest Gold and drove the car for many years before donating it to the Bible Broadcasting Network. The next series of owners is where a lot of the BS started.

The SR2 style windshield was removed from the car early on, the last time I knew anything about that windshield it was in SC at Richardson's Speed Shop and Corvette Center and was glassed on a '57 Corvette and could not be bought. It is my understanding after Richardson's death the car was destroyed.

I had Zora's engineering logbook in my possession for a brief period of time. A copy of the logbook is in the NCRS archives in the Natonal Corvette Museum library. Caught up with Zora at a Corvette event in the early '80's and he verified the authenticity of the book. It was a very well worn leather bound notebook, with many pages detailing the engineering history. Many pages had his handwritten notes.

As Loren stated there are two #399 cars, the one in question and the one in CA which has been titled there for many years

There was an article written in the Corvette Restorer in the mid to late '80's detailing a little history of #5950, 5951, and #5952 Engineering cars. Author was Dave Bartish (sp)

[Loren L.]

Re: 54 EX87 Windshield

A small correction to Papa Smurf's memory statement - there are not "two #399 cars"; there are two cars that include major pieces of the '54 Corvette that was designated as Engineering
#5951, one of which is '55 #1399 that carries the body (minus the fin and belly pan) from Engineering #5951 and the other is EX 87, titled and VIN #d as such, which is the 1954 frame (much modified to added and subtracted from by Engineering) topped off by a late 1955 body with changes and updates by Engineering when being used as a Proving Ground Demonstrator
before being sold outside GM. It may or may not have been sold to an employee. The car was purchased by the current owner in Los Gatos CA circa 1968. Upon inquiry, it would seem that Chevrolet is unsure if they EVER made a Corvette.