Watkins Glen August 1963 SCCA Race

[Geoff C.]

Gentlemen,

Forty years ago I went to this race and have forgotten who was driving what. I put these pictures up last night and then realized I had some inaccurate names attached to these two Corvettes. Does anyone know who was #81 in the Black Split Window or in the Red 1962 ????

I found this info on the web. August 24, 1963 Watkins Glen winners were
Bobby Brown (USA) A.C. Cobra 1 in AP (??? White said Essex Wire on it)
Robert Mouat (USA) Chevrolet Corvette1 in BP (??? color ??? #)
Dick Thompson (USA) Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 1in CM (??? color ??? #)

Geoffrey Coenen

PS Disregard the Farm Report if you are not a farmer and the picture of my old 63. I got a new scanner hooked up.




Watkins Glen 1963 Corvettes

[Joe L.]

Re: Watkins Glen August 1963 SCCA Race

Geoffrey------

I thought that one of these photos might be a "shameless" attempt to "plug" for BOAC (British Overseas Aircraft Company). However, I think they went out of business about 30 years ago, so that couldn't be the case.

[Duke W.]

Re: Watkins Glen August 1963 SCCA Race

Thompson's Grand Sport, entered by Grady Davis, was white. Thompson won overall, which was the first overall and class win for a GS. It was, of course, classified as a C-modified car rather than production class, but was bigger and heavier than most of the V-8 powered "specials" that made up the CM class. The GS at this time was in its original configuration with no flares and fairly narrow tires, and was running a mildly modified L-84 engine. To casual observation it didn't look much different than an AP Sting Ray.

After this race it was returned to Chevrolet and would re-emerge in December for the Nassau race in a decidedly different configuration - big fender flairs, wider wheels and tires, and an all aluminum 377 CID SB with four 58mm side draft Webers.

It's unfortunate that one of the Grand Sports was not restored to its earliest configuration before the big flairs, hood scoops, and trick engines.

Duke

[Rich G.]

Re: Watkins Glen August 1963 SCCA Race

Can't help with the ID's, but did you also go to Bridgehampton in those days? I think my first time there was summer of 65. Now, like everything else on Long Island it's a golf course/strip mall/condo community.

Rich Giannotti

[Loren L.]

A.M. Forsyth, 5th overall in A&B Prod

race, 3rd in A production; Need a # for the 62 - 62 would also have been in A production UNLESS running with a 283 - some old straight axle names in that race though - Bob Mouat, #57, 3rd overall, 1st BP - probably in his '57 which has recently been found; Frank Dominianni #69, 7th overall, 4th in A/P, probably in his 62 - which was red;

[Clem Z.]

al forsyth was a member

of our corvette club back then,in fact his widow laura went with us to BG and NV for the 50TH anniversary. al was a chevy dealer in homestead pa near pittsburgh pa.

[Gary Bishop]

Gerry Brownrout competed in a `62

Gerry Brownrout of Buffalo, N.Y, competed in a `62. I forget what colour his `62 was. In `61 he had a white with black coves.

[Franz E.]

Re: Al Forsyth Car# 81

Alvin Forsyth, from Gibsonia, PA, was the driver of car# 81. Interesting, Alvin was selected to participate in a NASA stress study along with one another driver. I recall reading about the NASA study in a Restorer Magazine in the mid eighties. The article focused on Jack Moore and neglected to mention Alvin Forsyth’s contributions to the fledgling space effort. Both competed in the USRRC sanctioned race at Watkins Glen on 6-30-63.

[Jerry G.]

Ed Lowthar was around that time and area

I have his old 64 roadster Corvette racer. It was blue and then white with #71. Great racer and great car.

[Mike M.]

Re: Ed Lowthar was around that time and area

Gary: you have a piece of Pittsburg SCCA racing hisory owning Ed's ol 64.believe Ed is still among the living. His good buddies Don Yenko, Grady Davis and (just last week)Don Blatchley are now history.If you are located closeto cumberland, md, we are running auto-crossing this cominmg weekend at the cumberland airport(in an attempt to reinstitute the glory years of cumberland scca racing).if you'd like to bring ed's ol 64 down for some serious reunion runs(donna mae mims will be here), give me an email for specifics.mike
n

[Clem Z.]

ed is also gone as i went to his funeral .

he died several years ago,had a heart attack on the PA turnpike on the way to one of his racing buddies funeral. ed was living in fla but came back here to the pittsburgh area quite often. ed could keep you ROTFL with his stories.

[Jerry G.]

Re: ed is also gone as i went to his funeral .

I agree. I have letters from him regarding the car and good stories. His race car lives on. I race it with SVRA and HSR & VSCDA at tracks like Watkins Glenn, Atlanta, Road America,Sebring etc, it's a blast.This is what these cars were made for.

[Loren L.]

On of Ed's stories at the '98 Carlisle racer

gathering related to a weekend that he was driving with/for the Grady Davis team:

"I took the car our for practice to learn the course as I had not been there. Pulled back in and Grady gave me my lap times. I told him I wasn't running hard.

Later Grady gave me Dick Thompson's times - even though I wasn't running hard, I was amazed that they were 25-30 seconds quicker, so I went out again. Cut the gap to ten seconds. realized I needed help, so I went to Dick and asked "Where do you brake for turn 3?"; he thought about it and said "I don't brake for turn 3."; I asked "Where do you brake for turn 7?"; He thought again and said "I don't brake for turn 7.".

That's when I knew I was racing for second place that weekend."

[Clem Z.]

Re: On of Ed's stories at the '98 Carlisle racer

ed tells about driving into a corner on a road course with his foot still to the floor and he sees the car next to him braking sliding the tires,and he says "o **** one of us is wrong"