When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

[Steven B.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

[quote=Steven Brohard (5759);414542]There were three, all front engined. Some of the most beautiful cars ever built. Google Reventlow Scarabs, there are some good pics. like below. If you get a chance to see the book Scarabs, long out of print, it is very interesting with more great pics. A few decades ago Road & Track had a cover story on Lance's street Scarab. He removed the Hilborns and installed 3X2's for the street! I have seen Scarab at speed at Mid Ohio and Monterey historic races and the speed and acceleration is unbelievable for cars of that era!


And these pics;

New Scarab Photos! -- From "Modena West" (?)

"Ran across your website and it motivated me to dig into my old archive. Here are two pictures from Henry Pickett who was the Scarab transporter driver/mechanic for years.
Locations unknown -- I forgot the stories! Henry was an old friend of Phil Hill's and was
in the background for many years with Scarab and other times. I wish I had more scans
from his personal collection when I had a chance to look through his stack of faded
pictures 12 years ago..."

"I figured your readers would be interested in these historical pictures that probably
have never been seen before except for a handful of us at Tuesday lunches many years ago. They might be able to identify the people /locations also." Another New Scarab Photo!
Back to: Updates -- 2007
Back to: The Scarabs Back to: New Old Stuff

[Bill O.]

Re: When We Were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

Beautiful

Looks like an Echidna

[Bill M.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

If you get a chance to see the book Scarabs, long out of print, it is very interesting with more great pics.

The picture of Jill is from the book. (I cropped Lance.)

[John H.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

OK, here's some EARLY history for Lance (when he was 17). I took the photo below in the paddock at '57 Sebring during scrutineering, of his new #27 Maserati 200Si, bought for him by his mother, Barbara Hutton (who pulled strings with Alec Ulmann to let Lance drive when under-age). The body had been hand-worked to perfection, not a ripple in sight, flawless paint, and Von Dutch had pinstriped it. He was teamed-up with Bill Pollack, who drove the first stint.

Near the end of Lance's first stint, he missed a downshift at the end of the back straight behind the pits (went 5-2 instead of 5-4 at about 140 mph), and the engine wound to the moon and disappeared in a huge cloud of oil smoke, rods, and crank pieces. Sure was pretty, though.

[Steven B.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

OK, here's some EARLY history for Lance (when he was 17). I took the photo below in the paddock at '57 Sebring during scrutineering, of his new #27 Maserati 200Si, bought for him by his mother, Barbara Hutton (who pulled strings with Alec Ulmann to let Lance drive when under-age). The body had been hand-worked to perfection, not a ripple in sight, flawless paint, and Von Dutch had pinstriped it. He was teamed-up with Bill Pollack, who drove the first stint.

Near the end of Lance's first stint, he missed a downshift at the end of the back straight behind the pits (went 5-2 instead of 5-4 at about 140 mph), and the engine wound to the moon and disappeared in a huge cloud of oil smoke, rods, and crank pieces. Sure was pretty, though.

Thanks for the great picture and history John! His cars certainly looked as good as they went.

Looking at the truck---'remember when Coke came in wooden crates and you could redeem them at the local grocery for 1 and 2 cents?
A nickel for the Coke and a penny for a handfull of peanuts, put peanuts in Coke and spend hours trying to get the last of the peanuts out of the bottle.

Steve

[George J.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

Bill:

Wasn't it great there in those days!
Lance Reventlow owned a place in Venice, CA were those Chevy-powered Scarabs were made. They were rear-engine in 1962...how about in '58? Carol Shelby won with one in Castle Rock.
Reventlow, allegedly was one of the last people to see James Dean alive before his crash. What a life they had, but both tragically shortened.

George:

Attached is something for the Mrs....Gurney in 1962

Bill,
Yes, he was quite the ladies man, if history is correct. He still has that famous sense of humor, too.

Others, thanks for the great pictures.

George

[James G.]

Legends Of Riverside Museum 3-29-2009

I was very fortunate to be invited to attend the 1st Annual "LEGENDS of RIVERSIDE Racing Film and Legends Gala" at the new RIVERSIDE RACEWAY MUSEUM on March 27-29, 2009.

I wish you all could have been here with us. In 2007, a group of old race enthusists and the City of Riverside founded the Museum, and this weekend was full of people and movies from back in the day that would blow your socks off.

I took my driving test at Riverside, so it was a special place for me.

61 drivers from around the county showed up. Many of them had not sen each other since the 60's.

Dick Guldstrand, Doug Hooper, Bob Bondurant, Bill Pollack, Pete Lovely, Tony Settember, Jim Jeffords, Jerry Grant, Davey Jordan, Billy Krause, Scooter Patrick, Andy Porterfield, Paul Reinhart, and Dan Gurney were the Corvette drivers from 1957-72 era that were in attendance. I could fill pages here of each persons history, and I am very lucky to known them all well.

The weekend began Friday at 10:30am, and the Museum had plenty of time for visiting. Pete Lyons did a great seminar on Can Am cars. Matt Stone MC'd the Dan Gurney Tribute Saturday evening after a great banquet.

Friday evening, Paul Newman was featured and his brother was on stage with Bob Bondurant with a few great stories about the racing days of Paul. Bondurant said Paul was his 4th student in his new driving school in 1968. "WINNING" was one of the many old Racing Movies shown thruout the weekend.

If you click http://www.legendsofriverside.com/contents.htm
it will give you an idea of the fun we had. Scroll thru and see the 2009 photos. Next year will be bigger and better.

[George J.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

Jim,
I was trying hard to be able to make that event. I have wanted to attend the Film Festival for a few years, now. Unfortunately, it just wasn't in the cards. I am still trying to find a dvd copy of "Winning". Glad to hear it was a success.

George

[James G.]

Re: When We Were New With Our Corvettes - Chapter #21

Jim,
I was trying hard to be able to make that event. I have wanted to attend the Film Festival for a few years, now. Unfortunately, it just wasn't in the cards. I am still trying to find a dvd copy of "Winning". Glad to hear it was a success.

George

The 2nd Annual will be held the last weekend in March 2010.