Jan 1956 Fitch 55-56 Mule in SI mag

[Geoff C.]

1956 archive monthly pump media

[Joseph T.]

Notice..no fender scoops *NM*

[Joseph T.]

Notice..no front emblem *NM*

[Loren L.]

Nice gathering of '56 articles, Doc.

As Joe indicates, the photo is of the "prototype" 1956 body mounted on a 1955 frame, which, when it had the windshield, side windows, door posts, etc removed, would appear as racer #1 (with fin) at Daytona and B Modified at Sebring, also as #1.

[Rob Dame]

No fender stainless and only one wiper *NM*

[Geoff C.]

Who is who?

OK, so this Fitch car is later a January Daytona Speed Week participant. Maybe one of these 3 in these Speed Week pictures below from Hot Rod magazine. Who is who? Who is a 55? 56? Both? Any EX-##?
And are they related to or otherwise have something in common with these 2 other look alikes?

http://www.docrebuild.com/dr-r-web/currentevents-82a-01.html

http://www.docrebuild.com/archive/55vin5.html

Confused in Connecticut

PS This freakin Corvette geneology is so confusing. You really need help to see whose a son of, or bastard, or orphan or made up in Provincetown or Hoboken.

[Alan T.]

Re: Who is who?

Doc, I recently had the opportunity to examine the car in the second link you posted (the Hemmings ad for info on the 1955 #5 Corvette). It was indeed that car, 1955 vin #5, with the fin on the back. It was in the process of being restored in Texas. The story I got was that it was driven by Skelton on the beach at Daytona in Feb. '56 and had ties to Smokey Yunick.

[Joseph T.]

3 - 4 events to keep in mind

* Dec 1955..Zora goes to Daytona Beach with Corvettes and staff to set beach record with approval from Bill France and his NASCAR officials..but bad weather prevents the attempts

* rather than just sit there..Zora/Smokey drivers and Corvettes make daily long trips to Sebring to work the cars

* weather improves in early January..attempts are made on the beach and records are set in time to announce at the Jan.56 Waldorf Astoria motorama featuring the new 1956 Corvette.

* Zora/Smokey drivers and Corvette return to Daytona Beach in Feb.1956 for the full all out Daytona Speedweeks.

* Feb.56 now the Corvettes all have 56 looking bodies..not 53-55 style. One real new actual 56 Corvette and two rebodied 55's. ( as memory serves me )

* where is 55 Corvette VIN #5 at this Feb. 56 event. I don't know. It may have already gone on to race other sanctioned races...as a private entry.

A very good chronology and pictorial of these cars can be found in Nolands book.. Corvette.. American legend book #3.

[Alan T.]

Re: 3 - 4 events to keep in mind

Joe, great info! I'm certainly no expert on the sequence of events at Daytona in '56...but if you look at that photo of 1955 vin #5 (the one Doc had posted the link to in the Hemmings ad), its on the beach at Daytona. I saw the blowup of this photo when I examined the '55 vin #5 - it definately is on the beach (someone had written Daytona Feb. '56 on the back of it and it was old writing) and the consensus among us when we saw the photo is that you can see Yunick there alongside the car. But I don't know, and have always wondered why the front end damage, when I thought the Speedweeks was just flat out top end runs, not like road racing where some damage like that could have been done. So I, like Doc and you, would like to know more about the history of that vin #5.

By the way, Joe, I hope you are not still sore with me for a while back trying to fish for info from you on this car without giving you some details. It was just a miscommunication on my part, I should have phrased a few things differently...but please try to understand I was politely but firmly told not to reveal some things in exchange for the priviledge of being able to examine the car.

[Clem Z.]

aero because at that speed they would slow

the corvette a lot. at the beach race quailifying in 57 we taped over all the items that would trap air on the 150 sedan and we got it to 12th fastest. they did not check the car them like they do know. we did have to tear the engine down before the time trials so they could check the bore and stroke and cam lift.

[Joseph T.]

Re: 3 - 4 events to keep in mind

No worries!

There were numerous Corvettes on the beach in January/February 1956..including two unidentified 53-55 bodied cars..wearing the fiberglass headlight screen covers. I don't dispute that 55 Vin #5 was there.. I just don't know that for a fact.

I visited with Paul Goldsmith last week who drove and set the standing and flying mile records on the beach in Feb.1957. Paul was partners with Smokey Yunich at that time. He drove a fuel injected 57 Chevy built by Smokey in the beach road course race and would have won except for a blown engine late in the race. He came back and won the last Daytona Beach course race in 1958..in another Smokey built Chevy.

We can guess all we want..but in the end either we rely on first hand testimony..albeit 50 years old..or we continue to do research for documents.

Personnaly..I find it very interesting...as the story and facts unfold.

Joe

[Alan T.]

Re: 3 - 4 events to keep in mind

Joe, I thought some more about that photo, and it bothers me because now I seem to recall that instead of Yunick, it might have been Duntov standing next to the car. But I just can't remember, it may sound stupid that I can't recall something like that, I wish I had taken notes at the time instead of just assuming I would remember. But it was definately either Yunick or Duntov, his back was kind of turned but I recall that the profile was certainly recognizable. If I could see the blowup photo again I would then know which one of the two it was.

I was told the photo had hung in Smokey's garage for years and that Smokey himself had owned the car for a while. I know this doesn't shed any more light on that '55 #005, but regardless that was a special car in my opinion and an important part of Corvette history. I'm hoping somebody can dig up something on this and solve the puzzle - this is interesting and important stuff and goes back to the very roots of Corvette racing.

[Geoff C.]

How does the 55 at B.McDorman figure in? *NM*

[Alan T.]

Re: How does the 55 at B.McDorman figure in?

Is that the same car that was at the NCRS 2000 National Meet in Bowling Green, unrestored and for sale by a bible broadcasting or college or some similar outfit? I think it had been donated by a guy to them. I remember they had Duntov's logbooks for the car there, and was being represented as Duntov's test mule. They were taking offers - I just wish I had the sense then to find somebody to go in it with me. Later I think the Restorer did an article on the car, it had since been restored, fin and all. So, is that the same car as what you refer to as the Bob McDorman car?

[Joseph T.]

Re: 3 - 4 events to keep in mind

I have a picture of Smokey and Zora next to what is most likley the Jan 56 record setting 56 prototype bodied Corvette. I believe Bill France is at the wheel.

Probably the picture you are referring to.

If there is another picture like this with 55 #5..I have not seen it yet...or have not recognized the car to be a production 55.

Joe