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C3, 73 Coupe 454 owned by my son was an Arizona GM Proving Grounds car. It has flared wheel wells that GM put on or had them put on. GM also put in a 9 inch solid axle. He has no written documentation, so we were wondering if this is a rare car and how can we verify that it was a GM Proving Grounds car. I have owned Corvettes for over 30 years, but am no longer active in clubs. I currently have a '99 C5 6 speed and love it as a driver. Any help is appreciated.
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
Gordon, I don't have an answer for you, but what lead you to believe that GM made the said modifications?
Art -
Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
If it still has a tank sticker I would drop the tank and look at it. The shipped to and sold to place would tell if it was a GM bought 73. LyleLyle
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
Gordon----
The "9 inch solid axle" sounds VERY suspicious to me. I seriously doubt that GM would have made such a mod, even to an experimental, proving grounds-only type of car.
The 9 inch solid axle configuration was and is a popular mod for Corvettes which are drag-raced since the Corvette IRS and differential will not hold up to high power and torque. I doubt that GM would have been doing any proving grounds testing for a drag racing Corvette configuration. Even if they did and/or wanted to use a solid axle, I expect that they would have found something suitable within the GM parts bin rather than use a FORD 9" unit.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Can we assume your son is NOT the original owner? *NM*
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Re: Can we assume your son is NOT the original own
My son is the 2nd or 3rd owner.Comment
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Repeat Art's question: What leads you
to the Proving Ground?Comment
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
My son bought this car from his friend's father who has been into corvettes, hot rods, drag racing, etc. I have met him, and he appears to be a straight shooter??? Thanks for your inquiry.Comment
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
NEW INFORMATION. An automobile related business owner purchased the car from GM and pulled it out of a hanger at the proving grounds. When he purchased it from GM all the work had been done. It had a 572 c.i. blown big block. Rear is 4 linked adjusted coil over shocks. Very rare front suspension. The suspension could be adjusted in a way to fit the track. 10 in. wheels in front and 12 in. in rear. Car was set up to do road course racing. It also has a different nose which is glass and car has been fat fendered, all done by GM or GM had it done, supposedly. Any information regarding how to document this car and the rarity of it would be appreciated.Comment
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
I'll let the experts go on about this car, but here are a few things I see:
A car set up for road racing wouldn't run a blown engine. The top mounted blower would obscure the driver's view. A front mounted blower would be serious rework of where the radiator is, not to mention moving the CG of the car forward. The builder wouldn't toss out an IRS to put a solid axle under it.
The rear suspension sounds like a drag racing suspension. In drag racing, you would not use 10 inch wide front tires, but rather 5 inch.
It could be you have mistaken some of the parts. A John Greenwood rear suspension looked somewhat like a 4 link. Many attempted to duplicate such and had different looks to theirs. Turbocharging could be mistaken as "being blown" as they do "blow" into the engine. In which case, you could be looking at a prototype Chevy IMSA race car, similar in many ways to the ones Greenwood produced.
As to documenting, go to every owner you can find, have them write down all they can tell you about the car, including all names they know were involved, and sign the letter.
Then search out every name they give you and do the same with them.
Hopefully, in the course of this, someone may produce shop orders, bill of materials, old pictures, or other paperwork.
It would help if you posted a few pictures on a web site and gave us a link to look at the car.
Good luck.Comment
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
Gordon, Your NEW INFORMATION has me puzzled as GM has a very strict policy that ALL Company car sales go thru a dealer and it doesn't sound like this is what happened. Can you elaborate on this transaction?
ArtComment
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Re: C3 GM Proving Grounds Corvette
i am the forth owner since it came out of proving grounds. it was bought by the owner of autotrader mag. he bought it sometime in the 80's owned it for a few years.we were told that when he bought it it was a blown 572 big block, but still was set up for road racing. it also had the rearend changed. it has factory gm disc brakes converted over to the ford rearend. we were also told that the body kit was also done by gm or someone at the proving grounds. if i send in the vin # can we try to find out off of that? this car is very rare the looks as well as the suspension. it is not factory equiped. please let me know this is all i have really. i just know for a fact that autotrader magazine owner purchased it and it came from the proving grounds.Comment
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