A Few Words About “Legends”
“Attempting to identify a group of people who qualify as Corvette
‘legends’ is a daunting task – certainly not a chore for the
faint-of-heart. No matter how hard we try, we run the very real risk of
offending someone. Behind all the well-known people like Harley Earl, Ed
Cole, Bill Mitchell, Zora Arkus-Duntov and Dave McLellan (to name just a
few), there have been literally thousands of talented men and women who
have contributed their blood, sweat and tears to Corvette’s success
over its 44-year life span. They may be unsung and unrecognized, but
they are bona fide ‘legends’ in their own right. Their fingerprints
are all over the car, even if their names are not, and we owe each one
of them a sincere debt of gratitude.”
Tom Hoxie
Director – Product
Communications
Chevrolet Motor Division
November 1996
The Designers
Harley Earl
For those in the know, Harley Earl is generally regarded as the
“Father of the Corvette.” Earl was GM's legendary head of the Art
and Colour Section — the American auto industry’s first in-house
styling department. Earl had made a name for himself at GM by setting
trends in automotive style. So it was, in the early 1950s, that Earl
became concerned about a growing new trend: The rising popularity of
European sports cars like the Jaguar XK120, MG TD, Triumph TR2 and
Austin-Healy. These cars were beginning to dominate the American
enthusiast market, and GM had yet to capitalize on the opportunity.
Earl found a likely co-conspirator in Ed Cole, then Chief Engineer at
Chevrolet, a division with a reputation for stodgy cars. Together, Earl
and Cole developed a concept for a two-seat sports car. With help from
designer Bob McLean, a plaster mock-up (internally referred to as
Project Opel) was created.
Earl and Cole then sold the concept to GM’s president, Harlow
Curtice, and Chevrolet’s conservative General Manager, Tom Keating, in
April of 1952. It was displayed as the Chevrolet Corvette “Dream
Car” at the January 1953 GM Motorama in New York’s Waldorf Astoria.
And the rest is history.
Earl retired from GM in 1958 — just five years after the first
public viewing of the Corvette. But by then, engineering legend Zora
Arkus-Duntov had arrived on the scene; the Corvette was faster, handled
better, and was on its way to a firm place in history, as was Harley
Earl.
Bob McLean
The task of designing the underpinnings for Project
Opel, which
later became the first Corvette, was unexpectedly given to a brand new
engineering designer, Bob McLean.
McLean had just moved from the California Institute of Technology to
Chevrolet, and was bubbling with innovative ideas. His
clean-sheet-of-paper design approach was quite different from that of
his contemporaries: He designed the car’s chassis from back to front
instead of the traditional starting point — the center, or dash/front
bulkhead area.
McLean drew in the rear axle line first, then positioned the
passenger compartment and passengers in front of it. Next, he drew in
the location of the front bulkhead and placed the engine as close to it
as he could. This allowed Harley Earl’s studio designers to achieve
the car’s ground-hugging good looks. Forty four years later,
McLean’s basic chassis concepts are still in force.
McLean, like others who worked on the early Corvette, was aware of
his competition and was himself a sports car enthusiast. Not entirely by
accident, the original Corvette dream car’s wheelbase was 102"
— precisely the same as the Jaguar XK120.
Bill Mitchell
Bill Mitchell was hand-picked at an early age by Harley Earl to work
for GM’s Art and Colour Section (later renamed GM Styling) in 1934.
Mitchell was Earl’s “golden boy,” rising quickly to the styling
head for Cadillac. Mitchell learned his craft largely from Earl, and
succeeded him as head of GM Styling in 1958. And although Mitchell’s
influence on car design in the 60s and 70s encompasses a wide range of
cars, he is best known for his work on the Corvette.
Mitchell’s influence on Corvette began with the now-famous Stingray
Racer, a car he developed to go after the likes of Jaguar and Mercedes
on the race track. Mitchell’s racer eventually gave its styling cues
to second-generation Corvette Sting Ray models (1963 to 1967). Mitchell,
along with designer Larry Shinoda, gave a harder edge to Corvette —
rounded lines turned to the mean stance cherished today by Corvette
lovers.
Mitchell was destined to create yet another legendary design. The
idea came to him while watching a shark glide and twist through the
water while deep sea fishing off the coast of Bimini. The result was a
concept car called the Shark. The Shark — a dramatic two-tone car that
looked as much like a shark as an automobile — spawned the Mako Shark
II, which ultimately became the third generation Corvette (1968 to
1982).
Mitchell held the shark-influenced designs among his all-time
favorites. And with good reason. The Sting Ray name, and its two design
iterations, remained on the market for 20 years.
Larry Shinoda
One of Bill Mitchell’s lead designers was Larry
Shinoda. Like many
influential designers, Shinoda loved racing, and it influenced his work.
One of Shinoda’s first assignments at GM was working on the design of
the Sting Ray. Shinoda took Mitchell’s basic design ideas, which began
with the Stingray Racer, and designed what would become one of
Mitchell’s crowning achievements — the 1963 Sting Ray “split
window” coupe. Shinoda also worked with Mitchell in designing the Mako
Shark I and II — show cars that influenced the Corvette’s 1968 to
1982 third generation body style.
Jerry Palmer
If Bill Mitchell had his work cut out for him when he succeeded the
legendary Harley Earl, Jerry Palmer’s job was just as difficult.
Palmer, named head of Chevrolet Studio III in 1974, took over
responsibility for Corvette exterior design when Mitchell retired in
1977, and found himself following in the footsteps of Earl and Mitchell
— fathering a new Corvette.
Palmer’s first experiences with Corvette came in the early ’70s
as an assistant to Bill Mitchell. And when Palmer took the reins in
1977, he put developing the fourth generation ’Vette in high gear.
“I really believe we've designed a car without compromises,” Palmer
said of the 1984 Corvette. “But we've managed to retain Corvette
identity.”
Palmer was one of a new breed of stylists, breaking ground by getting
involved in all aspects of the car, not just the exterior. Every aspect
of the car’s appearance was designed to contribute to its aura of
high-technology.
“On this car,” said Palmer of the ’84, “stylists had input on
areas formerly closed to us. The dipsticks have sculpted T-handles. We
helped to locate every hose and wire in the engine compartment. I
remember lengthy discussions concerning the eventual color of the
high-tension cable leading to the spark plugs.”
Palmer’s concepts and the hard work of his team paid off. Following
its introduction, the fourth generation was regarded as one of the most
advanced production sports cars in the world, and went on to spawn the
legendary ZR-1, the fastest production Corvette ever built.
The Engineers
Ed Cole
Ed Cole began his career with GM in engineering and was made Chief
Engineer for Chevrolet in 1952. But Cole found himself an enthusiastic,
performance- oriented individual in a fairly slow-moving conservative
organization. He was constantly on the lookout for ways to revise
Chevrolet’s image. So, when GM design legend Harley Earl came to him
with the concept of a two-seat sports car to compete with slick European
roadsters of the day, Cole was inspired.
It was Cole who worked with Earl to create a running prototype of the
1953 Corvette “dream car.” Cole hoped that the car would be accepted
by the public and approved by Chevrolet’s management for production.
In fact, Cole helped Earl sell the concept to Harlow Curtice, then GM
President and Thomas Keating, Chevrolet’s General Manager. Cole and
Earl both knew that a genuine American-made sports car would infuse some
excitement into the Chevrolet lineup, and could serve as an entrée into
endurance racing — a sport dominated by Europeans.
This attitude shaped Cole’s influence on the Corvette long after
its introduction. By the fall of 1954, Corvette was entering its third
model year, and sales were weak. Cole, however, was still hopeful about
the Corvette’s potential, and wouldn’t let the car die. Instead, he
turned the Corvette into what it was originally designed to be: A true
sports car. He brought engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov on board, and replaced
the “Blue Flame Six” engine with his redesigned small block V8,
which became standard equipment in 1956. Cole’s small block V8 has
since powered millions of vehicles, on land and water — for racing,
recreation, everyday and commercial use.
Ed Cole then became Chevrolet’s General Manager in 1956 and later
served as President of GM. But it was his work as an engineer that
helped define the man and the car, and gave both a place in history.
Maurice Olley
Maurice Olley was plucked from Rolls Royce because of his expertise
in ride and handling. As head of Research and Development at GM, Olley
determined the chassis design for the 1953 Corvette. According to
Olley’s original concepts, the Corvette had to be able to travel above
70 mph, brake adequately and have a weight-to-power ratio under 25:1.
Olley also required a low center of gravity, minimum overhang,
smooth-yet-firm suspension and quick steering response. These were
aggressive goals for the time.
After it was introduced, the Corvette was initially criticized for a
lack of performance and its two-speed automatic transmission. But Olley
was a believer, and defended the original ’Vette, saying that the
market was broadening and not all sports car drivers wanted to wrestle
with a manual transmission. Besides, Corvette had the realities of
production to contend with. Olley and the rest of the engineering team
were forced into using off-the-shelf parts in order to create a Motorama
“Dream Car,” and ultimately a production car, in about 18 months
from concept to reality — a tall order by any standards.
Corvette would need a couple of years to find its true identity; but
in the end, Olley and the entire Corvette team would meet their goals,
and then some. And although early Corvettes are not known for their
performance as much as their style, they are collectors items in their
own right.
Zora Arkus-Duntov
If Harley Earl was the father of the Corvette, Zora Arkus-Duntov was
the Godfather. When Zora Arkus-Duntov arrived at GM in May 1953,
Corvette was in its infancy. He had seen the Corvette at the 1953
Motorama just months before and had written a letter to Ed Cole, saying
it would be his honor to work on such a beautiful car.
But Arkus-Duntov had an agenda. He was a racer and a student of the
“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” philosophy. He knew that a sports
car had to win on the track in order to build its performance
reputation. Once at Chevrolet, he set out to make Corvette the performer
he knew it could be. In 1956, an Arkus-Duntov designed camshaft fitted
to Ed Cole’s small block V8 boosted horsepower from 195 to 240. With
that engine, Arkus-Duntov proved his point when he set a record behind
the wheel of a Corvette for the Daytona Flying Mile at 150.583 mph.
Arkus-Duntov was named Corvette Chief Engineer in 1968. During his
years with Chevrolet, Arkus-Duntov became an icon to Corvette owners and
buff-book writers, and was arguably the most recognizable of all the
“legends.” He involved himself deeply in the Corvette and its place
on the roads and race tracks of America.
Along the way, he continually improved the ’Vette. He was
responsible for introducing innovative technology that not only
influenced Chevrolet’s other cars, but cars throughout the industry
— innovations such as disc brakes, independent rear suspension and
limited-slip differential. He masterminded several experimental cars,
including the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (code named CERV).
Arkus-Duntov's CERV I was an open-wheel racer used as a research tool.
It appeared at public events and helped Arkus-Duntov test some of his
engineering theories. CERV II — the world’s first mid-engine car
with full-time four-wheel drive — was designed to test technology that
would improve not only high-performance, but day-to-day street
performance as well. The CERV acronym is still used by engineers today.
Arkus-Duntov died in April 1996 — only months before the
introduction of the fifth generation Corvette. In his absence, the fond
memories linger among those who knew him.
John Cafaro, Chief Designer for the 1997 Corvette, echoes a common
memory of the man: “The one impression I’ll cherish,” says Cafaro,
“is the warmth. Zora was held in such high esteem in Corvette and
automotive circles. Yet, he’d sit there for hours and hours signing
autographs. He always had time to devote to Corvette lovers.”
Zora Arkus-Duntov, with his contributions to automotive technology
and his tireless promotion of the Corvette throughout his life, is a
Corvette legend without equal.
John Dolza and Harry Barr
Although the names John Dolza and Harry Barr may not be as
recognizable as Harley Earl or Zora Arkus-Duntov, the two are
“Corvette Legends” in their own right. One of the many gifts Dolza
and Barr gave to Corvette during their years was fuel injection.
During Corvette‘s early years, Dolza was a GM engineer and Barr was
the Chevrolet Chief Engineer who succeeded Ed Cole. Both men played a
role in the development of the fuel injection system for Chevrolet‘s
new small block V8 — the engine Cole redesigned and released in 1955.
Fuel injection made an immediate impact.
The 283 cubic-inch V8 in the 1957 Corvette achieved 283 horsepower
— the magic milestone of one horsepower per cubic inch. While fuel
injection was powerful, it was also an extra-cost option and took time
to capture the hearts of buyers.
Today, electronic fuel injection is standard equipment across the
board on Chevrolet passenger cars and trucks, and is widely accepted as
the best way for engineers to maintain performance, and stay within the
confines of government fuel economy regulations. The fuel delivery
system on the 1997 Corvette is among the most sophisticated — a
tuned-port, sequential system that optimizes both fuel economy and
performance. Little did Dolza and Barr know in 1957 that their
contribution did more than boost horsepower; it helped change an engine,
a division and an industry forever.
Dave McLellan
Dave McLellan was a 15-year veteran of GM when he was assigned as a
staff engineer under Corvette legend Zora Arkus-Duntov. Prior to that,
McLellan had been involved in the Camaro program and other performance
car platforms. In 1975, six months after joining the Corvette team,
McLellan stepped into the retiring Arkus-Duntov’s hard-to-fill shoes
as Chief Engineer of Corvette.
When McLellan took the helm, Corvette’s future was uncertain. A
wide range of prototypes and experimental cars had been devised as
possible future Corvettes — both mid- and front-engine designs.
McLellan’s first Corvette redesign effort resulted in the 1978
hatchback coupe, but the basic Corvette platform was in need of a major
update and McLellan faced challenges that none had faced before.
Aerodynamic design was of utmost importance because of its effect on
fuel economy, top speed, handling and overall performance. McLellan
cited customer research as the reason to stay with a front-engine
design, and work began in earnest toward a radical change in the basic
structure of the Corvette.
Working with styling chief Jerry Palmer, McLellan and his team
designed the fourth generation (1984) Corvette — the first 140 mph
Corvette in more than a decade. McLellan's changes included substituting
a unitized steel frame for the separate frame and “bird cage”
underbody structure.
His team introduced new technologies such as ABS, Traction Control,
Passive Keyless Entry, Extended-Mobility Tires and Air Bags into the
Corvette, many of which soon became common features and options on a
variety of Chevrolet passenger cars. As a finale, McLellan led the
development of the venerable ZR-1, the “King of the Hill.” McLellan
retired from GM in 1992.
The Racers and Tuners
Dr. Dick Thompson
To many, Dr. Dick Thompson is the icon of the weekend racer — the
leader of a culture of racers whose dream was to buy a fast car and race
it, with little modification beyond taping the headlights. Thompson, or
“Dr. D” as he is often referred to, is a dentist-turned racer who
piloted one of the first Corvettes at Pebble Beach, Calif., in 1956. He
finished first in his class, and second overall, never having been
behind the wheel of a Corvette before that season.
That year, Thompson won the SCCA C-Class national championship. The
next year at Sebring, Dr. D took a production Corvette to first place in
the GT class, 20 laps ahead of the next nearest competitor.
Meanwhile, Zora Arkus-Duntov, wanting to ensure Corvette’s success
at the track, supported racing by building Chevrolet’s own specialized
racer — the Corvette SS. Unfortunately, a ban by the AMA on
manufacturer-sponsored racing sidelined the Corvette SS after only one
race. It was up to private racers like Thompson to carry the ball. In
1957, the year of the racing ban, Thompson took another national
championship behind the wheel of a Corvette.
The Corvette had emerged as a contender, and Dr. D had emerged as the
man who took it there. Thompson went on to become a veteran Corvette
racer. His name resurfaces often in the annals of Corvette history,
including winning the SCCA C class race at Watkins Glen in 1963, driving
one of only five legendary Corvette Grand Sport lightweight race cars
ever built.
Thompson has contributed much over the years to Corvette’s rich
history, including his work with GM styling chief Bill Mitchell on the
famed Corvette Stingray Racer. But Dr. D will always be remembered as
one of the men who showed the world that Corvette was not just another
pretty face.
Dick Guldstrand
Dick Guldstrand has made Corvette his life’s work. During the 1950s
and ’60s, Guldstrand made a name for himself racing and modifying
Corvettes. He was often called upon for his expertise behind the wheel
and under the hood.
His big break came when Roger Penske called on him in the 1960s to
modify and drive one of five Corvette Grand Sports. The Grand Sports
were five lightweight racers designed by Zora Arkus-Duntov. Chevrolet
had originally planned to build in excess of 100 to qualify as
production stock. The plan was scrubbed, however and the Grand Sports
were raced privately. In 1964 Guldstrand helped put a Corvette Grand
Sport racer in the history books when he claimed the GT class at the
Daytona Continental. The Grand Sports are remembered today as icons of
the muscle car era, and further proof that Corvette could race with the
best and win.
Today, Guldstrand owns and operates Guldstrand Engineering in Culver
City, Calif., where he produces special Corvettes and Corvette
components designed to push the envelope of technology. But he has never
forgotten his Grand Sport days.
Consider one of his custom creations, the GS (Grand Sport) 90. The
GS90 is a street-legal tribute to the early Corvette racer, featuring a
480-horsepower LT5 V8. Most recently, Guldstrand created the Nassau, a
custom evolution of the GS90. The car is based on the generation four
Corvette convertible. The name “Nassau,” however, has sentimental
value. Nassau goes back to a time long ago when one of five American
race cars called the Grand Sport beat the renowned Shelby Cobra during
Nassau Speed Weeks. Long live Grand Sport!
Roger Penske
Roger Penske's name today conjures up images of success: A
multi-billion dollar empire that encompasses not only his formidable
Indy Car racing team, but also Detroit Diesel Corporation, Penske Truck
Leasing, and a handful of mega-dealerships in California. He owns two
race tracks and has a major stake in Ilmor Engineering, an England-based
engineering firm. But at one time, Penske’s life merged with Corvette,
and the two made quite a team.
Penske’s love affair with racing began 40 years ago while attending
Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Between studies, Penske raced a 1957
Corvette at local tracks. For years afterward, Penske held down a
nine-to-five job and raced on weekends. Then, in the 60s, his
involvement in racing led to a lifelong relationship with the sport. In
1962, Sports Illustrated named him Driver of the Year. Penske drove one
of the now-famous Corvette Grand Sports in 1963 and started his own race
team a year later. In his first year of competition in the Grand Sport,
Penske beat the formidable Shelby Cobra at the Nassau Speed Weeks
competition to win the tourist trophy, and history was made.
Soon, the businessman would sideline the racer. Penske bought his
first Chevy dealership in Pennsylvania in 1964 and from then on devoted
himself to fielding racing teams. Today, Penske is one of the most
recognizable names in car racing. His connection to Chevrolet and
Corvette spans three decades. Certainly, both Corvette and Penske are
better for having met.
John Greenwood
Two of motorsports’ most prestigious and noteworthy venues are
Daytona and LeMans. As a young driver in the 1960s and ’70s, John
Greenwood raced Corvettes at both places. His success made him a
Corvette legend. Greenwood was A-production class champion in 1970 and
1971. Also in 1971, Greenwood teamed up with comedian Dick Smothers and
together they won the 12 Hours at Sebring, GT class.
Greenwood has traveled the world, making a name for both himself and
Corvette in the process. He competed in the SCCA’s Trans-American
Championship series and won the Championship in 1975. Today, Greenwood
has parlayed his knowledge of the Corvette and racing into his own
business, modifying cars for ultra high performance. One of his early
creations was the Greenwood Daytona Turbo Coupe, 1981. Only four were
ever built. Prior to the ZR-1, Greenwood’s Daytona Coupe was one of
the most powerful road machines in existence, and a powerful testimonial
to Greenwood’s love of America’s sports car.
Don Yenko
Don Yenko became famous for his development work on history’s most
famous muscle cars, namely the Chevrolet Chevelle and the Corvair
“Stinger,” a modified Corvair featuring a turbocharged engine and
special suspension. When the “Stinger” won the 1967 SCCA National
Championship, Yenko thought he might have a future in Corvairs. In fact,
Ralph Nader took a special interest in the car that year as well, but
for different reasons, and Yenko wouldn’t be modifying any more
Corvairs after 1967.
Selling modified Chevy’s out of his Pennsylvania-based Chevrolet
dealership, Yenko is a symbol of the ’60s race for horsepower. Many
know Yenko, however, as a Corvette racer and aficionado — one of the
many who would find his way into the history books behind the wheel of a
Corvette in SCCA competition. In 1964 he dominated the B class. In 1968,
Yenko won the Class A Divisional Championship. And in 1971, he won the
GT class at 24 Hours at Daytona. Yenko, a name that came to symbolize
performance, found a worthy partner in the Chevrolet Corvette.
Tommy Morrison
Over the years, many names and faces have made history in endurance
racing. The name Tommy Morrison is one of the most recognizable. His
career includes Corvette racing experience in the SCCA Showroom Stock
series, IMSA GTO events, Escort Endurance Series and the Corvette
Challenge Series.
Morrison began racing Corvettes on his own, with little or no
sponsorship. But Morrison’s day in the sun would come, as would the
opportunity of a lifetime. Morrison made history when he and a team of
hand-picked endurance drivers set three world records in March 1990
using a Morrison Motorsports ZR-1 with a stock LT5 engine. The Morrison
team — which also included Chevrolet's John Heinricy, Jim Minneker and
Scott Allman, and drivers Kim Baker, Don Knowles, and Scott Lagasse —
set new land-speed and endurance records at time trials at Fort
Stockton, Texas . . . some of which had stood for half a century.
Morrison’s 24 hours averaging more than 175 miles per hour bested
the previous record, set in 1940, by nearly 15 mph. The ZR-1 set a new
world record for both 5,000 miles and 5,000 km. It was a proud moment
for Chevrolet and for Morrison. An ad run soon after the event
proclaimed “In 24 hours, we did what nobody could do for 50 years.”
Morrison has been one of Corvette’s top promoters for more than
three decades, and Morrison Engineering still races Corvettes in
endurance races across the country.
Kim Baker
Kim Baker and his Baker Automotive race team are familiar names in
the arena of showroom stock racing. In 1984, after numerous successes
with other makes, Baker took a GT Class SCCA national championship in a
showroom stock Corvette. Baker’s reputation for attention to detail
made him a winner, and made his cars winners, too.
An article on Baker in the November, 1985 issue of Road and Track
stated: “Generally speaking, when a competitor shows up with a Kim
Baker-prepared car, someone will protest it and invariably it will be
found legal . . . Ask any of his Corvette competitors who builds the
best engines in the enduro series and the answer is always the same: Kim
Baker.”
One of Baker’s highest-profile assignments was the testing of the
Corvette ZR-1 before it was released. To test a prototype of the ZR-1 at
GM’s Milford, Mich. Proving Grounds, Chevrolet would have had to
virtually close the facility down. Instead, Chevrolet enlisted the help
of Baker, and John Powell of the Powell Motorsports driving school, to
put ZR-1 prototypes through high-speed testing at superspeedways such as
Talladega, Riverside Raceway, and Mosport near Toronto, Ontario. Baker
had also participated in the Corvette Challenge Series, and found the
ZR-1 to perform even better than the Challenge racers. The crowning
achievement for Baker was gaining a spot on the Morrison racing team
that set new land-speed and endurance world records at Fort Stockton,
Texas in the ZR-1 he had helped to develop. Through his involvement with
“The King of the Hill,” Baker, too, has become a legend.
John Powell
John Powell is a man with a passion for Corvettes.
Powell, a former race car driver, was instrumental in creating the
“Corvette Challenge,” a special racing series that debuted in 1988.
The Challenge was created to meet an unsatisfied desire to race
Corvettes, a breed virtually unbeatable by the competition. In 1987,
Corvette retired from SCCA Showroom Stock competition after four
straight years without a loss. Drivers like Powell still had an interest
in racing the Corvette, so the Corvette Challenge was born.
A collaboration between Chevrolet and a handful of automotive
suppliers, the Corvette Challenge series pitted identically-equipped
Corvettes against each other in a test of driver skill. Powell worked
with the SCCA in organizing the racing series for ’88 and ’89.
Today, he runs Powell Motorsports in
Blackstock, Ontario where he
teaches driving and consults with automakers on performance. Powell has
produced training manuals and videos on the subject of driving, and has
been commissioned by the Canadian Government to design special courses
for government agencies.
While Powell’s relationship with GM goes back to 1980, life began
in 1984 when Powell met then Corvette Chief Engineer Dave McLellan.
“My life changed when I met David,” says Powell. “Dave hired me to
do brake and chassis development work on Corvette. He was an inspiration
and a considerable influence.” Powell was later asked to assist
Chevrolet in testing prototype ZR-1s. Because of his training
experience, Powell set up clinics and driving schools to show top
Chevrolet development engineers how to get maximum handling and
performance from the Corvette ZR-1.
Doug Rippie
Today, Doug Rippie is known for taking stock Corvettes and
Camaros,
and making modified racers and street rods. But back in the late 1970s
and ’80s, Rippie was known from a different perspective — behind the
wheel as a race car driver.
Following his racing career, Rippie applied his racing knowledge to
his business, Doug Rippie Motorsports, founded in 1988. His first
project was working on modified Corvettes for the newly created Corvette
Challenge Series. In fact, the first Challenge race was won by a Rippie
Motorsports Corvette.
Today, the Doug Rippie Motorsports race team is one of the most
successful Corvette race teams in the business. And for those who desire
a Rippie Motorsports Corvette for street use, Rippie created the
“Black Widow” — a Corvette with stock body work, a revised
suspension, and a modified LT5 V8 that produces 475 horsepower.
Reeves Callaway
Reeves Callaway’s name has become synonymous with high performance
turbocharger technology. As a young adult Callaway, too, took his turn
behind the wheel. Among his racing credits is the 1973 SCCA Formula Vee
National Championship.
But it wasn’t until after Callaway started his business, Callaway
TurboSystems of Old Lyme, Conn., that he left a serious imprint on the
Corvette. Chevrolet consulted with Callaway in the mid-’80s on a
turbo-charged version of the Corvette’s 5.7-liter V8 engine. The
result is now known to Corvette enthusiasts as RPO B2K — the Callaway
Twin Turbo engine option available on Corvette from 1987 to 1991. Even
as his business grew, racing was always on Callaway’s mind. “We’ve
always used competition as a showcase for our technology and
technique,” says Callaway. “It’s a chance to test ourselves and
our products in the hardest environment of all, in full public view.”
Project Sledghammer, completed in 1989, is a good example of that
philosophy. Callaway built a road-equipped, Corvette-based super car
that recorded a closed course top speed of 254.76 mph.
In 1994, Callaway established Callaway Competition in
Heilbronn,
Germany to build GT cars for European competition. Its first project,
the Callaway SuperNatural Corvette Le Mans, was a carbon-fiber bodied
racer that captured the pole position in its category at the ’94 Le
Mans 24-hour race. Callaway Competition has since built three
aftermarket versions of the Corvette Le Mans and in 1995; two finished
second and third at the Le Mans race.
Here in the U.S., Callaway builds an aftermarket 50-state
street-legal SuperNatural Corvette, featuring a 435 bhp LT1 V8 engine.
Callaway also builds the Callaway Speedster, an extensively modified
topless Corvette built to order based on the styling, chassis and engine
configuration needs of the owner. Available powerplants range from the
400 bhp SuperNatural to a twin-turbo Super Speedster with more than 750
bhp.
Says Callaway of his latest work: “I think the diversity of our
activities keeps our creative juices flowing and helps us stay fresh and
challenged.”
John Lingenfelter
John Lingenfelter is known in the performance world for his
company’s ability to tune engines. Lingenfelter Performance
Engineering modifies hundreds of engines each year for use in a variety
of applications — from Corvettes to boats to drag racers to street
cars and trucks. Lingenfelter started out his career as a drag racer. In
1975, Lingenfelter won the 1976 NHRA Fall Finals in a Corvette. After 12
NHRA national event wins and numerous regional wins, Lingenfelter turned
his attention to his business, Lingenfelter Racing (now Lingenfelter
Performance Engineering).
Lingenfelter began selling complete engine packages to Corvette
racers. In 1987, Lingenfelter worked with Callaway TurboSystems to build
the engine for the Callaway Sledgehammer, and it was Lingenfelter behind
the wheel when the car achieved its 254 mph top speed.
Lingenfelter currently builds emissions-conforming engine packages
for the LT1, LT4 and LT5 5.7-liter Corvette engines, taking Corvette to
even higher levels of performance. “Corvette,” says Lingenfelter,
“is one of the greatest sports cars of all time. It offers
extraordinary performance without the normally unreachable costs
associated with other exotic cars.”
And a Few Others
Joe Pike
Over the years, Corvette has had its share of fans and promoters, and
Joe Pike just may have been one of the biggest.
Pike was a Chevrolet employee in the Minneapolis Zone Office when he
purchased his first Corvette in 1954. To say he loved the car would be a
gross understatement. While on the road, he would flag down other
Corvette owners and suggest a get-together to talk about their mutual
interest.
His enthusiasm for the Corvette was evidenced by his appointment in
1960 to National Sales Promotion Manager for Corvette. That’s when
Pike’s love of the Corvette and his career merged.
One of the fruits of Pike’s labor is the National Council of
Corvette Clubs, which he founded. The Corvette Club was a natural
offshoot of what Pike himself started so many years ago on the streets
of Minnesota. Also during his time with Chevrolet, Pike served as Editor
for the Corvette News, which became the Corvette Quarterly in 1988. Pike
was a long-standing member of the SCCA as well, and would often attend
Corvette rallies, races and functions around the country.
Today, the National Corvette Museum maintains a display in honor of
Pike, who did so much to raise the country’s awareness and
appreciation of the Corvette.
Briggs Swift Cunningham
In the early ’50s, Briggs Swift Cunningham was doing what Corvette
was destined to do on a grand scale — proving the prowess of American
engineering on the race track.
Cunningham’s long career in racing fed his passion for automotive
hardware. He was an avid enthusiast and collector, and left behind an
entire fleet of rare automobiles. He even produced some of America’s
first real sports cars from 1951 to 1955, such as the Cunningham C3 of
which fewer than 40 were ever built. But he had a special fondness for
Corvettes and was one of its first backers in international competition.
It was one of his team’s three Corvettes that won the GT class at
LeMans in 1960, proving to the world the strength of American technology
on European soil.
Note:
This list was compiled in 1996 - Watch for Dave Hill, John
Cafaro, Ron Fellows, and others on the next list!
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