1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

[Jack M.]

I recently ran into some original GM build images from 1956 Chassis E56S002522 (Corvette SR-2).
The first chassis image is zoomed into the VIN... the remainder haven't been altered.
These images come from the Revs Digital Library... you can spend hours browsing there.

For a little more info on the SR-2, check out this Hagerty article: CLICK HERE

SR-2_Corvette.jpg 1956-Chassis-(E56S002522)-01.jpg 1956-Chassis-(E56S002522)-02.jpg 1956-Chassis-(E56S002522)-03.jpg 1956-Chassis-(E56S002522)-04.jpg 1956-Chassis-(E56S002522)-05.jpg

[Gary C.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

Neat photos and find Jack!

[Paul H.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

Very impressive Jack. Thanks for sharing. We toured the Revs Institute Museum in Naples, Florida last winter. Interesting array of historic cars with race histories. Didn't spend much time in the library.

[James G.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

THE actual VIN is E56F002522. I KNOW THE CAR WELL

1956 CORVETTE SR-2 vin E56F002522


In the spring of 1956, it was a known fact the son of GM Head of the Styling Studio, Harley Earl, had a son Jerry (JEROME C. EARL) Earl who was road racing a Ferrari. Management told Dad that he should be racing a GM car.


Harley made a deal with his son. “If you sell the Ferrari, I will build you a special Corvette to race”


Once the idea was put into motion, Bill Mitchell, Earl’s assistant, wanted a SR-2 Racing Corvette also. A third car for the President of GM, Harlow Curtice was built as a show car. The show car did not include racing brakes etc.


All three cars, started life in St. Louis as stock Corvettes, but were shipped to the Styling Studio in Warren, Michigan for race modifications and cosmetic additions.


The vehicle vin number on this car is E56F002522, and has a “F” letter code. All Corvettes of this era had the letter “S” code in the forth digit as all were built in the St. Louis factory. Warren is not far from Flint, but the vin letter change is still a mystery today.


The Mitchell and Curtis SR-2’s vin numbers are E56S002532 and E56S002636 and were also built in the Styling studio in Warren, Michigan also, but have the standard “S” code forth digit as all St. Louis cars.


This car, vin #2522 received Shop Order # 90090 to keep tract of all of the modifications. The Earl car had the highest priority, and no cost or manpower was spared in building it.


Work began in early May 1956 modifying the body and adding Sebring Racing (the SR) brakes and suspension. Special windscreens were fabricated for each driver and passenger, and a low fin adapted down the middle of the trunk. The front was lengthened, and special side cove stainless steel was installed as well as unique parking lamps that had screens in them for cool air to enter the screened backing plates of the front brakes.


Over 17 engineers worked around the clock and by June 13th the painted new blue body had its trim installed complete with its SCCA race number 144 attached to the doors.


On June 23-24, 1956 the car was entered in the June Sprints at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Jerry Earl drove the car in practice and not being familiar with its handling, spun it out fortunately with no damage. Dr. Dick Thompson took over the controls and helped Jerry to complete the six hour race in a respectable position. Thompson drove his original red 1956 C/P production car and won the class. The SR-2 was a CM/P modified production class car. Thompson noted to Earl that the car was overweight and more horsepower was needed. Jerry Earl continued to race the SR-2 in the Central Region SCCA thruout 1956 and 57. Over the winter, he had the new special 331 cubic inch fuel injection engine installed along with the new 57 four speed transmission, AND the rear wing was increased in height.


Complete additional history of this car includes Jim Jeffords, National B/P SCCA Champion in 1958 and 59, purchasing the car on January 28, 1958. The original bill of sale is still with the car as well as Jerry Earl and Jeffords original titles and notorized tranfers.


Jim presented it to Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago and said, “If you sponsor me I will bring you the SCCA National Championship. Nickey agreed, and this was the first "Purple People Eater" Corvette car and raced at Sebring March 58 with Jim driving and Auggie Pabst as back up driver. The car broke a rear axel and was a DNF. This was the beginning of the sponsorship with NICKEY Chevrolet. JIM WON THE SCCA CHAMPIONSHIP in B/P production cars, NOT this car.


History shows that Jeffords sold the car to Indianapolis Chevrolet dealer and racer Bud Gates . Bud raced the car in SCCA events and also had good friend Bob Spooner do some of the driving. Gates raced the car again at SEBRING 1959.


Gates sold the car to Vernon Kispert thru his Gates used car dealership on July 5, 1962. Vernon did lots of drag racing for 4 years. He was from Terre Haute, Indiana, and the car was named “The Terror of Terre Haute” He sold the car on April 11, 1966 to the owner of a recycle yard. He kept it for some time and then it went thru a few more owners who stored the car, but never titled it.


In 1986, Rich and Shar Mason from Carson City, Nevada purchased the car. Rich and his family have loved and enjoyed the car since. SOLD IT IN AUGUST 2013 to a collector in Seattle. Sold again in 2018 to a collector an Pennsylvania. Show restored by KEVIN MACKAY and presented to AMELIA ISLAND CONCOUR in March 2019.


The car has been vintage raced by RICH MASON since 1987 at venues all over the Western US, especially the Monterey Historic Automobile Races. In 1987 when General Motors celebrated 75 years, the car received the prestigious MONTEREY CUP / PHIL HILL TROPHY. The award is “Presented to the Owner of the Automobile that is judged to have excelled in both Presentation and Performance”.


In 2002, when Corvette celebrated its 50th Anniversary at the Monterey Historic, the SR-2 was one of the featured race cars in Group 4A, “1955-59 Sports Racing Cars over 2500cc” The car ran well against the likes of a 58 Lister Jag, 57 Maserati 300S, and a 58 Ferrari 355.

[James G.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

# 144 - 1956 SCCA - J Earl (middle) with low fin SR2.jpg56 PURPLE PPE #1 AT SEBRING 1958.jpg# 144 - 1956 SCCA - J Earl low fin SR2 vs 1957 high fin - 01.jpg56SR-2 Mason 009.jpg with LARGE and Small fin, injection with duel air meter. JERRY EARL and crew as #144. PURPLE # 3 JEFFORDS as driver

[James G.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

Jeffords at book signing 2003.jpgCarlisle Race Reunion Aug 25-27,2004 115.jpgjerry earl at RA June 56.jpg56sebring 3-23-56.jpg

[James G.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

PHOTOS are of JIM JEFFORDS when car was painted PURPLE at SEBRING March 23, 1958. one photo says 56, it is March 58 SEBRING. Auggie Pabst was Jim's Co driver. BLUE photo is RACE CAR REUNION 2004 at CARLISLE. Three people are Jerry Earl at ROAD AMERIC, JUNE 56 will his family. Dr. Dick Thompson also raced the car that weekend.

[Jack M.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

GREAT history, Jim... THANX for sharing!
Here are a few more SR-2 images from REVS...
Some from Sebring, and a couple (in color) from the Bahamas.

SR-2-(Sebring)-01.jpg SR-2-(Sebring)-02.jpg SR-2-(Sebring)-03.jpg SR-2-(Sebring)-04.jpg
SR-2-(Sebring)-05.jpg SR-2-(Sebring)-06.jpg SR-2-(Bahamas)-01.jpg SR-2-(Bahamas)-02.jpg

[Mike E.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

Rich showed up at my house one day with that and his Delmo Johnson 62. We took his 62 and my Gulf Oil 62 out on I8 east of El Cajon, and blew a few cobwebs out of both of them. That was the first time the 62's had been together since Sebring 62. The SR-2 stayed in the trailer.

[David B.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

Just to clarify, add to and give proper credits: Jerry Earl was a member of the Detroit Region of the SCCA in 1956. Other members of this very active Region included:
Max Goldman, SCCA Contest Board Representative
Bob McLean, Region Program Director
Ellis Premo Chevrolet Division, GM
William L. Mitchell, General Motors Styling
Russell F. Sanders, Bloomfield Hills
Frank Burrell, GM Engineering
J. M. R. Rich Lyeth (Hi Tork Posi)
Robert W. Cummerford, General Motors Styling
Would love to have been at one of those monthly meetings with all present.
To quote Volume 6 #7 of the Detroit Regions monthly newsletter "Open Exhaust" regarding the July 1, 1956 Regional race held at Akron Airport. "Detroiter Jerry Earl ran a very beautifully modified brand new Corvette (complete with tail fin) in the race and finished it third in class C.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1956 Chassis E56S002522 - Corvette SR-2 Build Images

"A Great time to work at Chevrolet for Ed Cole." stated Russ Sanders.