Racing history of this C1

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Was the car raced, in period, as white or red?

It's been a lot of different colors. It was originally red and remained that way through its time with Jerry Austin (#58 on the left in the following picture):



.... and when driven by Bob Bondurant:



Later, when it was probably owned by either Dr. Eddinger or Gary Pickens, about whom not much is known, it was painted a very dark color, possibly maroon. See the #10 car on page 48 of California Screamin'.

From approximately '62 until the car was put back together for the '87 Historics, it appeared as it does in the photo in posting #2 of this thread and was kind of a salmon pink.

It is now white with the red/blue stripes, a configuration which has no historic significance at all.

It's easy to spot this car in period pictures. Look at the roll bar. Roll bars, being hand fabricated, were the cars' "fingerprints", if you will. Find a picture of a car with a roll bar like this one, and you've found the Bondurant car. Compare, if you will, the roll bar in the above picture of Bondurant driving to the roll bar in the picture of the wrecked #5 car.

Jim

[George J.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Jim,
thank you, again. It would be nice to see this car "restored" to the color it was period raced in.

George
31887

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Jim,
thank you, again. It would be nice to see this car "restored" to the color it was period raced in.

While I agree with you, it'd be tough to pick one, single "point in time" to represent because there are (at least) three eras which are meaningful:

1. The beginning when Jerry Austin campaigned the car for Mead Chevrolet
2. The '58 - '59 era when Bondurant owned the car
3. The '62 - '66 era when it was actively and successfully SCCA raced by the then and current owner.

If it was my car, I wouldn't be able to make the choice.

Jim

[George J.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Jim,
if it was raced through the Bonduraunt era as red, the choice seems easy to me.

George
31887

[Mickey S.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Jim,
Thank you for the history. Do you have any pictures of the car as it exists today?

George
31887

George, please see the link showing a pictorial history of the Bob Bondurant '57 Corvette. I purchased the car in 1962 and have owned and raced it since that time both in SCCA regional and vintage races.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=micksvette&target=ALBUM&id=5626648026522404081&authkey=Gv1sRgCMu1-bLb3rzHpAE&feat=email

Thanks Jim for mentioning the '57 in this thread.

Mick

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Thanks Jim for mentioning the '57 in this thread.

Mick

At every possible opportunity, Mick, at every possible opportunity.

I've long held the opinion that your car has been underrecognized and underappreciated for what it is.... a time capsule, a look back into how racing Corvettes were actually prepared "back in the day".

People who are serious about vintage preparation owe it to themselves to study your '57.

Jim

Edit: Wow! You've posted some pictures that I hadn't seen before!!!

[Rick G.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Jim,

You are so right about this car! Also it could not have had a better or nicer care taker than Mickey. Superb gentleman!

Rick

At every possible opportunity, Mick, at every possible opportunity.

I've long held the opinion that your car has been underrecognized and underappreciated for what it is.... a time capsule, a look back into how racing Corvettes were actually prepared "back in the day".

People who are serious about vintage preparation owe it to themselves to study your '57.

Jim

Edit: Wow! You've posted some pictures that I hadn't seen before!!!

[George J.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

George, please see the link showing a pictorial history of the Bob Bondurant '57 Corvette. I purchased the car in 1962 and have owned and raced it since that time both in SCCA regional and vintage races.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=micksvette&target=ALBUM&id=5626648026522404081&authkey=Gv1sRgCMu1-bLb3rzHpAE&feat=email

Thanks Jim for mentioning the '57 in this thread.

Mick

Mick,
that's great! Thanks. I wonder if you can answer a question. What was the advantage of the newer, 58-61 Corvettes over a 57, when the suspension and engine were basically the same? Obviously, the 62's had the new 327, but I always wondered about this since many of the racers used 57's for many years.

George

[Mickey S.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Mick,
that's great! Thanks. I wonder if you can answer a question. What was the advantage of the newer, 58-61 Corvettes over a 57, when the suspension and engine were basically the same? Obviously, the 62's had the new 327, but I always wondered about this since many of the racers used 57's for many years.

George

George

There was no advantage to the newer 58-61 Corvettes. They were a couple of hundred pounds heavier and the '57's could update to any equipment made available to the later models. In my pictures notice the secondary front stabilizer bar that was available on later models. Also I added the rear stabilizer bar that was available starting in 1960. Over all I think the '57's were more successful.

[George J.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

George

There was no advantage to the newer 58-61 Corvettes. They were a couple of hundred pounds heavier and the '57's could update to any equipment made available to the later models. In my pictures notice the secondary front stabilizer bar that was available on later models. Also I added the rear stabilizer bar that was available starting in 1960. Over all I think the '57's were more successful.

Mick,
thanks. You confirmed what logic was telling me. What a ride! Do you go to the Monterey Historics, every year, and how is the Wine Country Classic? I have never been to that event.

George

[Jim L.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

What a ride!

It's better than you can imagine, George. I've been privileged to play the role of terrified passenger with Mick at Sears Point. He does the prettiest 4 wheel drift around Sears turn 4.

Of course, at the time I was scared to death, but I didn't let on.

In any event, those ride-alongs got me motivated to get into vintage racing myself. Mick, it's ALL your fault!!!

Jim

[Clem Z.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

George

There was no advantage to the newer 58-61 Corvettes. They were a couple of hundred pounds heavier and the '57's could update to any equipment made available to the later models. In my pictures notice the secondary front stabilizer bar that was available on later models. Also I added the rear stabilizer bar that was available starting in 1960. Over all I think the '57's were more successful.

i think don yenko racing a 57 one year for gulf in "B" production and dick thompson raced a 62 327 in "A" production.

[Mickey S.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

Mick,
thanks. You confirmed what logic was telling me. What a ride! Do you go to the Monterey Historics, every year, and how is the Wine Country Classic? I have never been to that event.

George

George

I have raced at the Monterey Historic Races every year since 1987 except for the couple of years when my entry was not accepted. The Wine Country Classic is a great event with many of the same great cars that race at Monterey.

At the present time I have retired the '57 from racing. It is too valuable and in the event of an accident I don't want to have to put it back together again. I am in the process of restoring my '53 with plans to vintage race it when it is completed.

Mick

[James G.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

George

There was no advantage to the newer 58-61 Corvettes. They were a couple of hundred pounds heavier and the '57's could update to any equipment made available to the later models. In my pictures notice the secondary front stabilizer bar that was available on later models. Also I added the rear stabilizer bar that was available starting in 1960. Over all I think the '57's were more successful.

[George J.]

Re: Racing history of this C1

George

I have raced at the Monterey Historic Races every year since 1987 except for the couple of years when my entry was not accepted. The Wine Country Classic is a great event with many of the same great cars that race at Monterey.

At the present time I have retired the '57 from racing. It is too valuable and in the event of an accident I don't want to have to put it back together again. I am in the process of restoring my '53 with plans to vintage race it when it is completed.

Mick

Mick,
thanks. We may have spoken at the Monterey races. I'm always poking my nose around the f.i. Corvettes, there. Enjoy those cars. The're great.

George