1963 Corvette Grand Sport: arguably America's greatest race car, dumped before it got started

[Ace-Garageguy]

 

[Brudda]

On 12/13/2024 at 10:26 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

 

Fantastic video

[Exotics_Builder]

I was able to see this car in detail when it was owned by Tom Armstrong of Issaquah Washington.  He had it at his "garage" along with other racing cars such as a Lola T70 and Ford GT40.  My best friend was good friends with him, and I was able to get access to his garage often.  We also had an annual Puget Sound Auto Modelers Association meeting at his garage. 

I have a bunch of detail photos of the car that I should scan and post.  May do it after the holidays.  

He raced that in SVRA, hence the safety equipment as required by them.  The color, when I was seeing it was a Chrysler Blue that was close to the racing color but much more easily obtainable (and repairable as he had some "events" with it including a broken half shaft at Goodwood that did a little bodywork damage.  The numbers matching 377 CID small block was removed and on a stand.  In its stead was a replacement more modern small block that was configured the same.

He sold it in 2003 or 2004, just after I was transferred to Chicago.  He was a great guy, and I got to meet a lot of racers at the SVRA event at SIR in the 90's, including Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan and Maurício Gugelmin.  Tom was an investor in PacWest Indycar team.

[Exotics_Builder]

I found the Pix.  Just scanned a few to whet the appetite