1967 corvette coupe, Vintage Racer

1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Description

Old-Blue, #58! I’ve owned this car for 44 years. I’ve loved it, cussed it and admired it for all those years; oh, and lest I forget really enjoyed it. Living at the adhesive limit in a 60’s design car with ‘trailing-arms’ in the rear, cannot be duplicated by any other means; well maybe bull riding.

So here it is: 1967 small-block coupe, Le Mans Blue, left the production line in Nov. 1966. Original RPO’s went like: 350HP 327cu-in engine, T-10 4spd close-ratio transmission, 3.70:1 “posi” rear-end and the “SHP” suspension package. Side-(loud)-exhaust system, AM-FM radio, standard heater and vents. Electric windows; at the time I bought it (Feb. 1972) had ~32000 miles on the ODO.

It presently remains a ‘Vintage Racer’ with the “numbers matching” 327 stashed away in my garage. I have upgraded the suspension to the original 1963 ZO6 level with 900 lb/in front springs, 550 lb/in rear (steel) spring, gas shocks and 1” front sway bar and a custom made, adjustable rear bar. I still have most of the things from the original corvette stashed in the garage and all is included in the transaction! An adapted L88 hood and air induction system with the ’67 big-block hood lets the Holley Commander 950 throttle-body injector eat fresh air. Bring a trailer behind a truck!

The present engine is a 1974 4-bolt, 350 block set up for 1968 B-production “off-road” racing tune. 12.5:1 pistons, gapless rings, Manley steel billet rods fed AMSoil 20W-50 via a Ross, 9qt dry-sump setup. 1492 casting iron heads (so-called “fueli” big valve heads) with quite a bit of work done on the bowls and ports. Cam is a roller version close to the Duntov 141 GM off-road series (by Comp Cams). My Dynomation software says ~520HP at sea level. There is a 4.33:1 rear end in it at present for short tracks and autocross and the 3.70:1 original stored in the garage (I’ve used it at Brainerd Raceway!). There’s a spare 1966 ‘vent-block’ 327 and a Holley 750 carb in case more strict vintage rules prevail. So that’s the car, 3 engines, two rear ends, 3 sets of wheels (plus the original spare); bumpers and boxes of new parts and wiring that I haven’t had time to mount on the old beast. The rear trailing arms now have the off-set arms to allow 275-45 16 Hoosier R7’s on Bogart wheels under non-flared stock fenders.

Old Blue does need paint for show; however its patina got it invited to show at the 2013 Santa Fe Concorso. Our judge, Sterling Moss’ finger prints are still on the car! The car was featured in Corvette Magazine, June 2014 issue; “Cone Warfare” by Zac Mayne, page 74. It has taught me far more in the art of life and hobbies than an equivalent double PHD! To this day there still is not a body design that rivals the 2nd generation, “Stingray” look! I’ve injected enough of my DNA into its nooks and crannies that it is truly part of me! A car like this, used as I have throughout the Rocky Mountain region for all those 40+ years has defined me amongst friends and acquaintances.

But, (here it comes) I am 75 this year and the last couple of maintenance foray’s have taken me closer to a heart attack on the creeper than I can tolerate for my family. Those thoughts of the wife finding me laying on the creeper, cold and AMSoil dripping on my face, lately have kept me up at night. It’s time to find a younger gear-head with interest and time.

Prior to my purchase (1972) the car must have suffered damage from something falling off of a cargo deck or near by truck or possibly a cliff. Damage was done to the left rear fender top and rear body (fiber glass only) over the gas tank area. The gas tank was damaged also (replaced then). Very poor repair was done to that part of the car body though I was not astute enough at the time to detect it. I replaced the tank and lived with the body until 1984 when I purchased a rear clip from Eckler’s and rebuilt the entire rear body of the car. No damage was found on the frame or other parts of the car.

I’ve used the car in all manner of sport from Autocross, hill-climbs, track time-trials and Vintage Road racing with the Denver RMVR club. I have performed body-off-frame restorations 8 times in those 44 years; no location in or on that car has not seen my face and hands and tools and blood and sweat. I yield to the next brave soul who needs a project to fill up his/her heart and mind with some true richness! It will probably take you where you never expected to be. It has done that for me!