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Dryer Vent Cleaning Rochester NY

[itsworn]

Three Friends Revive an Abandoned Firebird and Road Trip it 2,000 Miles

Every once in a while we come across a story that inspires us to want to go on an adventure, and this is one of those tales. Jon Bunger, from Eastern Iowa, never forgot the day he first laid eyes on a second-gen Firebird languishing away under a tattered car cover while visiting a friend in Southern California. Right away, he spotted the traction bars and headers, his mind filling with visions of sliding around corners like Burt Reynolds with a cowboy hat and a stolen bride riding shotgun. Despite the faded, light blue exterior, a closer look revealed fenders and underpinnings free of the Iowa rust he was accustomed to. The car turned out to be a 1975 Firebird Esprit- a bug eyed redesign stuck in between the sleek lines of a 1973 and the iconic 1977 that gave Buford T. Justice so much trouble in Smokey and the Bandit. The cracked blue vinyl of the interior was littered with spares, the inner fenders tossed to the side, and many modifications were clearly done in an era where disco was king. With other plans that afternoon, he didn’t investigate any further, but asked a friend to give the owner his number and tell him that he was interested in that car.

This is the car that Jon Bunger couldn’t help but buy, a 1975 Firebird Esprit with a faded light blue paint job, he thought was a steal at $1,000.

A week or two passed and just when he had nearly forgotten about the car, the owner gave him a call. Apparently he hadn’t driven the Firebird in several years—after throwing ignition and fuel parts at it, the car had declined to start, so he it was left to sit. The car wasn’t listed for sale, but Jon was told that a mere $1,000 would do the trick to get the car out of the man’s driveway, and the wheels in his mind began to turn. Sporting its original 2-barrel Rochester carb and sitting on dry rotted tires 2,000 miles away, he needed that Firebird like he needed a hole in his head. However, a conversation with friends Aaron and Emily Reeves about a week later hatched an ambitious plan. Aaron told him “Emily and I have invested everything into adventure and experience of life.” That simple philosophy stuck in Jon’s mind. Sure—this Firebird didn’t have T-tops, a fire breathing 400, or the black and gold paint job that got Sally Field into the passenger seat, but it came with the opportunity to live out the kind of story you tell your grandchildren. Without a second thought, Jon dialed the owner to inform him that—although he didn’t have any plan logistically or financially—he would be purchasing his car and putting it back on the road.

The car was a little rough around the edges after spending years baking in the California sun, but compared to the rusty piles he was used to in Iowa this thing was pure gold with solid bones.

At this point he could have done what any sane person might have done, getting the car shipped the 2,000 miles to his house just to have it sit for five more years in a different spot, but that didn’t have the flair he was looking for. Come hell or high water, he needed to drive this car home, on a shoe-string budget, in under a week. Having zero experience with Pontiacs and a very strained relationship with carburetors, he sought out the help of a stranger from the internet named Vladimir Zagumenny. Certain people live for a chance at adventure no matter how ill-advised they may seem, and Vladimir, a YouTuber and Pontiac aficionado was just that kind of fellow. He immediately agreed to fly to California and lend a hand. The wheels were in motion, this car was going to cross 2,000 miles of American highways and byways, no matter what it took.

Inside, the interior was dry and crusty, but relatively complete. With some sketchy wiring, they were able to get an ignition switch rigged up inside the car.

With a laundry list of issues, the Firebird was a long way from the Trans Am Jon had dreamed of owning as a kid, but it was what he could afford, and sometimes that’s all that really matters. It didn’t even have the graphics he had fallen in love with watching the antics of Burt Reynolds on the silver screen with a screaming chicken on the hood of his chariot. This problem was to be solved by another YouTube personality—Matt Henry, from Imperial Beach, California, who offered to hand paint the graphics he wanted on the car. So with plane ticket in hand and a carry-on filled with zip-ties, duct tape, and a whole lot of optimism, Jon boarded a plane bound for So-Cal. He had shipped four tires, a carb rebuild kit, and a slew of various other spares to the location of the car leaving everything else needed to get the car going to be resolved by ingenuity and a little bit of luck. Armed with some wire, carburetor cleaner, and a small tool kit, Vladimir, Matt, and Jon met for the first time in the driveway where the car resided and immediately set about troubleshooting the issues they could find.

All the work on the car was done with the car parked on the street just outside the house of the owner they purchased it from, surely making the neighbors quite curious.

Initial inspection revealed every bit of the ignition system was brand new, along with a new fuel pump, and a key that was permanently stuck in the column. A properly butchered hot-wiring job brought the starter back to life and revealed that no spark was coming from the distributor. After swapping in a new HEI module, checking the oil, and crossing their fingers, they squirted some starting fluid into the carb and turned the key. Much to their surprise, it sputtered and coughed, meaning they had spark. That previously installed, brand-new HEI module was all that had kept the car dormant for years. So they drained the gas tank, cleaned the carburetor, and swapped on the new tires they had the car ready just in time to hit up HOT ROD and In-N-Out’s 70th anniversary celebration happening in Pomona that weekend. 

Under the hood was a Pontiac 350ci engine that was certainly dirty, and a little worn out, but it fired up with minimal effort and seemed to run decent enough to get them home.

Due to a malfunctioning accelerator pump, the car sputtered and stalled the whole way there, but they managed to make the hour-long drive to Pomona, proving the car might just have enough life left in it to get them home. They spent all day hanging out at the show with thousands of cars on display and plenty of drag racing action taking place on the historic track. Matt took this opportunity to start lettering the spoiler—The Surfin’ Bird—since the previous owner and Matt were both surfers. After walking miles of cars and meeting lots of great people it was almost time to pack up and get ready for the long drive, but not before one more surprise. Standing at the stage, they watched and applauded as priceless cars and their owners won hard earned awards. When the editor on stage began telling a story about a car rescued from its grave just days before the show as they called Jon’s name giving him an Award of Excellence for “Most Roadkill car at the event.” They had turned a broken car into a road trip machine, made the event, and won an award from HOT ROD at their 70th anniversary. Now all they had to do was make it back to Iowa.

Jon is pictured here on the left holding the award we gave them at the HOT ROD 70th anniversary celebration with Vladimir on the right.

Their last day in California was nothing short of a mad thrash. They had a hood to paint, a nest of wiring to relocate, and an accelerator pump problem to fix. Matt set to work sketching the fire chicken for the hood by hand, Vladimir pulled the carburetor again, and Jon got to work fixing leaks and whatever other problems he could find. A close inspection unearthed the carb issue. An incorrect gasket from years prior had the accelerator pump completely blocked, so they swapped on the correct one, and before they knew, it the car was transformed. The spoiler was installed, the hood sported a one-of-a-kind screaming chicken, and they were ready to hit the road. After saying goodbye to Matt and their other new friends in So-Cal, they were off! With no heat, no backup plan, and all their hopes hung on a 43-year-old car, they had a 2,000-mile trip ahead of them.

Matt Henry painted this fire chicken on the hood using only masking tape and spray paint which really stands out against the faded paint.

Over the course of the next two days, Jon and Vladimir took shifts in the passenger seat wrapped in a sleeping bag for warmth. Neither one ever really slept for fear the other might doze off. The car did well and they visited the Grand Canyon as well as Meteor Crater in Arizona, melted and fixed a few wires in New Mexico, and finally made it to Vladimir’s family in Nebraska just a day before Thanksgiving. As if rescuing one car wasn’t enough, Jon and Vladimir set about reviving yet another neglected Pontiac- his 1968 Firebird with a 461ci stroker that had been sitting for a year and a half. Armed with a fresh battery and some yellow old gas, yet another neglected hot rod roared to life before Jon made the rest of the trek to Iowa.

They also attached a spoiler to the car using a piece of cardboard as a template for where to drill holes in the deck lid of the car.

 Looking at it now, Jon realizes the struggle is what makes the car so special, saying, “It isn’t the sleek Trans Am I had wanted since I was a child; it is something much better. The Surfin’ Bird is a time capsule for all the places it has gone and will go. It’s a time machine that takes me back to hours spent turning strangers into friends and miles into memories. It’s a car that doesn’t just take me places—it makes me feel something while I’m getting there. At the end of the day, my Firebird isn’t special to most people, but it still brought people together making memories that will last a lifetime, and that’s what hot rodding is all about.”

As the sun set on their final day in California, all that was left was to load up their tools and hit the open road with 2,000 miles to get home.

Matt Henry drove his Mustang, which he calls the “Punish Stang,” up from San Diego to help out and paint the graphics on the car.

On the way back to Iowa, they stopped and also revived Vladimir’s 1968 Firebird that had been sitting in a storage yard for over a year.

Here is a vintage photo that the previous owner dug up of himself with the car complete with surf boards strapped to the roof.

The post Three Friends Revive an Abandoned Firebird and Road Trip it 2,000 Miles appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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[itsworn]

Modernized Classics: 1964 Corvette Daily Driver With LS Power

Chevrolet built 22,229 Corvettes in 1964—8,304 coupes and 13,925 roadsters. Even after accounting for over a half a century’s worth of losses to collision, theft, and attrition, there are still plenty left today to satisfy restorers and customizers alike. Better yet, when we use the term “customizer” in 2019, we’re mostly talking about resto-modders, a.k.a. folks who tastefully retain and respect the external appearance, but go wild under the skin with chassis, suspension, interior comfort, brakes, and driveline upgrades.

But it wasn’t so long ago when customizers (often spelled with a “k”) turned the equation around, grafting hideous fiberglass wings, scoops, flares, and spoilers on the plastic body while leaving everything mechanical alone. Sadly, the result was often clownish and gaudy. But times and tastes have changed since they locked up Manual Noriega.

So, as much as we all love and respect a perfectly restored 1964 Rochester fuelie (1,325 built) or N03 “tanker” coupe (the 36-gallon fuel tank appealed to endurance road racers who didn’t have to stop as often to refuel), the plain truth remains, the rest of the Corvette herd is ripe for upgrading.

In stock trim, 1964 Corvettes just don’t drive as well as they look. Few vintage cars do. Though diehards don’t mind carburetors with manual choke cables, or drum brakes that put you in the next lane when stabbed, the core of the classic car audience has been spoiled by the new car experience. Today’s auction block results prove most buyers will pay much more for a nicely resto-modded Corvette (or Tri-Five Chevy, Baby T-Bird, 1965-’73 Mustang, GTO, etc.) than a concourse correct relic sitting on skinny 6.70-15 white walls.

Thanks to the fact GM used the same basic underpinnings on all C2 and C3 Corvettes built from 1963 through 1982, a thriving aftermarket has evolved to add modern upgrades beneath the skin of any vintage Corvette. Sure, some purists may cringe, but happily most of what’s done to these cars is reversible. In this story, let’s examine how Josh and Eric Buzzell of NextGen Performance in Spencer, Massachusetts brought a 1964 Sting Ray roadster into the 21st century with some basic—but much needed—modifications.

As delivered to NextGen Performance, the subject wore a 1966-’67 big-block “stinger” hood, side pipes, and American Racing Torq-Thrust D rims mounting 15-inch radial tires. The imposter even had the audacity to wear the sacred 4-2-7 scoop logo above its mouse-sized heart. Blasphemy! The 427 didn’t arrive until 1966.

The take-out engine (behind LS3) was bolted to a Muncie M20 wide-ratio 4-speed of unknown origin. The replacement LS3 is coupled to a new Tremec TKO-600 5-speed manual gearbox with overdrive.

Looking past the left rear brake rotor, the Ridetech control arm’s bridge-like construction is contoured to allow 10-inch tires to fit with ease.

Soon after being modernized by NextGen Performance, the roadster was purchased by comedian Kevin Hart, who from the looks of his Instagram page, is quite happy with it!

Eric and Josh Buzzell operate NextGen Performance and prove the future of Car Crafting is safe for years to come. They can help with your next LS engine swap.

Tech Notes Who: Josh and Eric Buzzell, NextGen Performance What: 1964 Chevy Corvette Where: Spencer, MA

Engine: The Corvette initially arrived at NextGen Performance with a mild 327 (that’s an old school 5.3L for any metric fans), but it wouldn’t last long. A 2008 was a good year for standard Corvette power plants; the base 6.0 liter / 364 cube LS2 grew into the 6.2 liter / 374 cube LS3, thanks to a factory 0.060 inch overbore (from 4.00 to 4.060), 10.7:1 compression, 42-lb/hr. fuel injectors, rectangular-shaped intake ports, hollow intake valve stems, and more. In bone-stock trim, the LS3 delivers 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft of torque. Best of all, its all-aluminum construction slashes 50 pounds off the Corvette’s nose compared to the outgoing iron mouse. More good news is the fact the stock Corvette front dress fits the 1964 frame and engine bay without mods. The only deviation was elimination of the power steering system and AC.

Induction: The new-for-2008 Corvette LS3 induction system included a fresh intake manifold design capable of flowing 365 cfm with no modifications. For comparison, before the 2008 revamp, the best Corvette intake manifold was the 320cfm unit found atop the 2001-’04 LS6. By the way, this “best of” statement covers Corvette intake manifolds all the way back to the first triple-Rochester side-draft carburetor unit of 1953 as well as the high-rise Winters Foundry goodies of the L88 era. We truly are living in the “good old days” right now! To package the K&N conical air filter away from radiator heat and the upper radiator hose, NextGen’s Eric Buzzell fabricated a nifty aluminum gooseneck from three sections of tube. He says: “Air inlet temperature tumbles from over 180 degrees to the same temperature the driver is breathing.” This cooler air is denser and best for performance. The stock 2008 throttle body was retained. On SMG Motoring’s Dynojet chassis dyno, the red ’64 roadster delivered 351 horsepower at 5,450 rpm and 375.13 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm.

Transmission: Though not indicated by codes presented on the body tag, clues suggest this car was born with a manual transmission. The 3-speed manual was still standard Corvette fare right through the 1969 model run, and this feature car was upgraded from a wide-ratio M20 Muncie to a brand new Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual with overdrive and a 525-hp rated Street Comp clutch kit. Using a complete kit from Hurst Driveline with a Hurst Sidewinder II shift handle conversion assured trouble-free installation. Until the 1984 arrival of the Doug Nash-supplied 4+3 manual transmission option, no Corvette came from GM with overdrive.

Rearend: The 1964 Corvette offered axle ratios of 3.08, 3.36, 3.55, 3.70, 4.11, and 4.56:1, with 3.36:1 being most popular (installed on 8,338 out of 22,229 cars). Not surprisingly, the feature car has the 3.36:1 setup, which was refreshed with new bearings and a rebuilt Positraction unit. About that Posi, before Positraction became standard equipment in 1970, Corvette buyers paid an extra $43.05 for the pleasure of smoking both rear tires. In 1964, Posi was a very popular option with 18,279 out of 22,229 buyers asking for it. Of course that means 3,950 1964 Corvettes were “one wheel wonders..

Chassis / Suspension: The original 1964 frame was in excellent condition and required only a cleaning before being powder coated black by Central Connecticut Coatings of Hartford, CT. The stock Sting Ray suspension was a radical departure when introduced in 1963. Up front, Corvette finally got away from the king pin suspension used since 1953. Lacking anti-dive geometry, the king pin setup hurt road course handling and was high on Corvette Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov’s list of fixes. The new-for-’63 front suspension featured ball joints (Chevy passenger cars got them in 1955) and stamped control arms from the full-size (Impala, Biscayne) parts bin. Out back, Duntov’s wish for independent rear suspension (IRS) was also granted—but with compromises. The heavy transverse leaf spring weighed anywhere from 44 to 60 pounds, depending on which suspension option was chosen. A fix in the form of a nifty 8-lb. plastic spring arrived in 1981—a little late to have much effect on Corvette’s racing legacy. All of the factory stuff was replaced in favor of a Ridetech coilover system for 1963-’67 Corvettes. With four-corner coilover shocks and rugged tubular / bridge girder control arms with a rear Muscle Bar, the bolt-in system offers superior handling with less flex and mass than stock.

Brakes: Many Corvette fans forget that four-wheel disc brakes didn’t arrive until 1965. Before that, all Corvettes used 11-inch drums all the way around. Borrowed from the full-size Chevy parts bin, they were prone to fade in competition settings which led to a series of fixes involving air ducts, backing-plate scoops, metallic shoes, and finned iron drums. None of it begins to compare to the four-corner Wilwood disc brake conversion kit installed by NextGen. With drilled rotors and six-piston / four-piston (F/R) calipers at each wheel, Duntov would have loved it.

Exhaust: The Corvette’s first factory installed N14 side mount exhaust system – that’s side pipes to you and me – wasn’t offered until 1965 for an extra $134.50. And they were not popular. Only 759 of the 23,564 Corvettes built in ’65 got them. But in the years since, they’ve become a popular add-on. Already present when the car arrived at NextGen Performance, the guys decided to retain them to let the LS3 exhale a little better. They’re fed by the stock cast iron LS3 manifolds. Before the 1965 arrival of side pipes, 1963-’68 Corvette order forms listed the N11“off road exhaust system”. These are not side pipes, but rather a louder system with larger tubing and low restriction mufflers. The N11 setup ran the entire length of the car and exited in the usual spot through the rear valance panel.

Wheels/Tires: Weld Racing worked with NextGen Performance to adapt Weld’s new 18-inch Miramar wheel design for C2 applications. The 18×7 and 18×8 (F/R) wheels are offset 4.5 and 5.25 inches (F/R) to clear suspension and brake obstructions. If you like the Miramar design and want them for your 1963-’67 Sting Ray, thank Weld Racing and NextGen Performance for sizing them to fit. Tires are Nitto NT-05’s 235/40R-18 and 245/40R-18 Nitto NT-05’s.

Paint / Body: NextGen Performance specializes in mechanical makeovers, that’s why they chose a Corvette that was already wearing an excellent Torch Red paint job. The only external modification was switching the 427 hood medallions for LS3 emblems. That said, the Buzzell Brothers spent countless hours masking the body to protect it from harm during wrenching. All underbody surfaces were coated with matte black. Fresh chrome reproduction bumpers were sourced from Classic Industries.

Interior: The stock interior was augmented by a Dakota Digital instrument cluster packing VHX gauges, including an 8,000rpm tachometer and 160mph speedometer. In the old days, sidewalk spies deciphered Corvette tachometer redlines to glean clues on engine potency. Solid-lifter mills red-lined over six grand, tame-juice lifter mills went to five grand. The stock U69 Delco AM-FM radio was a popular option and was installed in 20,934 of the 22,229 Corvettes built in ’64. At $176.50, the radio cost $68.90 more than the hottest non-fuelie 327, the 365 horsepower L76 with solid lifters and a Holley 4-barrel ($107.60). Where were peoples’ priorities?

The post Modernized Classics: 1964 Corvette Daily Driver With LS Power appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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[itsworn]

Bill Tower’s Amazingly Advanced 1956 SR-2 Corvette: Decades Ahead of Its Time!

There were exciting things were underway inside of Chevrolet in 1956. The Corvette received its first body refresh, there was an optional dual-quad, 225-horsepower 265 engine (RPO 469, $172.20) and a Special High-Lift Camshaft option (RPO 449, $188.30) that bumped the power of the dual-quad 265 to 240 horsepower, plus fuel injection was in the works.

Corvettes set records at Daytona Beach and took a class win at the 12 Hours at Sebring; memorialized with the now classic “Real McCoy” print ad. Things were looking up for Corvette.

Meanwhile, an unlikely series of events happened in Corvette creator, Harley Earl’s house; that could have become the Z06 of its day. Earl’s son Jerry bought a Ferrari with the intention of going racing. When Harley learned of his son’s plans, he hit the roof! “No son of mine is going out there with an Eye-talian car!” he allegedly bellowed. As GM’s VP of the Art and Color Division, Earl could do anything he wanted, so he charged top designer, Bob Cumberford, with the task of designing a race car for Jerry. The completed car was called “SR-2.”

Cumberford and his team took the all-new 1956 Corvette body and extended and lowered the nose, created a vented hood, short twin wind screens, side air scoops on the doors and a low vertical stabilizer fin on the trunk lid. Decked out with Halibrand knock-off wheels and metallic blue paint, the SR-2 was a great-looking Corvette. Jerry picked up his customized, basically stock Corvette on May 24, 1956, and raced the car at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, through the summer months. The car was a hit, thanks to its unique looks, but at 2,900 pounds, it was heavy and quickly ate up its brakes. The SR-2 was not competitive.

Earl’s successor, Bill Mitchell, was two years away from taking over as VP of Design had enough clout to order an SR-2 built for him. The Jerry Earl SR-2 was more of a styling study, Mitchell directed his SR-2 to be an all-out lightweight racer.

The body was so thin that the fiberglass matting can be seen at certain angles. While the nose of Mitchell’s SR-2 was similar to Earl’s car, Mitchell’s SR-2 had a tall vertical stabilizer fin that was integrated into the driver’s headrest. Hidden inside the headrest were a rollbar and a racing fuel filler cap for the 48-gallon fuel tank. The side scoops were ducted through the rear of the door and doorjamb, directly to the rear brakes. Yes, functional external rear brake scoops, just like a modern Z06. The interior had lightweight fiberglass racing bucket seats with racing seatbelts; a full instrument cluster; a custom-designed teakwood steering wheel with a column-mounted 8,000-rpm tachometer; stainless steel gas, brake and clutch pedals; lightweight door panels with tuck ’n’ roll door panels and a single door-close strap.

Under the hood of Mitchell’s SR-2 is a tricked-out, Smokey Yunick-built, fuelie 283 small-block Chevy engine. Keep in mind that the SBC had just come out. Advanced parts included Packard Electric solid-core stainless steel high-tension ignition wires and a higher-voltage ignition coil. The generator was mounted on the left side to give the tension-side of the belt better grip on the water pump pulley. Inside the engine was the Special High-Lift (Duntov) Cam. Most unique was the fiberglass ram-air box that connected to the driver-side inner fenderwell and was ducted to the front grille opening. The engine dynoed to 310 horsepower, a lot for 1956.

The suspension was straight out of the RPO Racer Kit parts catalog and included heavier front springs, five-leaf rear springs, larger 13/16-inch front sway bar, larger diameter 1-3/8-inch stiffer shocks, quick-ratio 16.3:1 steering and rear torque rods (traction bars). The rear axle was the new Multi-Disc Limited-Slip Positraction unit. Brakes were aluminum-finned drums with cast-in steel liners and Bendix Cerametalix brake shoes.

The SR-2 used every aerodynamic trick of the day. “Streamlining” was the buzzword of the day, just like today’s “downforce.” The SR-2 had headlight cones, short windscreens and a faired in headrest with an aircraft-style vertical stabilizer fin for high-speed stability. We see the same concept on the modern prototype road racing cars.

Although aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm invented what we call today the “Kammback” design that is very aerodynamically efficient, automotive designers and stylists favored the tapered teardrop-style for high-speed cars. While not as extreme as the long tapered speed record cars from Europe, the design of the 1953-’60 Corvette’s rear section tapers down.

Because of the rear vertical stabilizer fin, the large trunk section was hinged at the back and opens to the back. Both the front and back of the SR-2 were void of bumpers and are very clean-looking.

The SR-2’s Smokey Yunick-built engine was special inside and out. Production 1956 Corvettes had 265-cid small-block engines, but the SR-2 had the 283-cid engine. The unreleased Rochester fuel-injection system was part of the SR-2’s engine setup and was part of the fuelie’s development program. Deep inside the 283, the bumpstick was a pre-production high-lift “Duntov” cam. Steel-tube headers were a novel item in 1956. Yunick’s engine dynoed to 310 horsepower.

The airbox was a trick setup in 1956 and showed how serious the SR-2’s designers were about looking for as much horsepower as they could get. The concept is alive and well and is today a popular and easy add-on for C5, C6 and C7 Corvettes. And there it was, back in 1956!

What’s most amazing about Mitchell’s 2,200-pound SR-2 is that it was built by fabricators at Chevrolet that were not race car builders, but were damn good builders. Later, they built Duntov’s Corvette SS. But the SR-2 met the same fate as the Corvette SS; the 1957 AMA Racing Ban. In December 1956, Mitchell campaigned the car in the Nassau 70-mile Governor’s Trophy Race finishing 10th overall. In February 1957, Mitchell took his SR-2 to the Daytona Beach Speed Week, outfitted with an enclosed canopy, full Moon disc wheel covers and semi-enclosed rear wheels, a red and white stripped rear fin and Zoomy headers! Buck Baker drove the SR-2 to a Modified Class win with an average standing-mile speed of 93.047 mph, and was first in the Flying Mile at 152.866 mph. Then in March 1957, Mitchell’s SR-2 competed at the 12 Hours of Sebring, coming in 16th place overall.

After the AMA Ban, the SR-2 was sold and bought, and was eventually owned by Don Yenko’s private plane pilot, Cookie Knuth, who didn’t do much with the car. In 1980, Chevrolet development engineer Bill Tower bought the car from Knuth and set it aside, as he was very busy working for Chevrolet. After some consideration, since the SR-2 was only missing a few parts, Tower chose to simply put it back together.

Tower had an interesting encounter with retired Bill Mitchell in a meeting that was supposed to last 15 minutes that turned into 3 hours. The first thing Mitchell said was, “You got my damn car and I want it back! That one got away from me. I got in a lot of trouble with those cars.” The two men benched raced about all kinds of things, with Mitchell telling Tower that he’d help him get a set of fiberglass buckets for the SR-2. When the two parted, Mitchell said, “You take care of that car and don’t wreck it! That car is very special to me!”

Tower’s SR-2 is driveable, but he hasn’t taken it out on the streets take after a near T-bone incident. Now he only drives the SR-2 after it has been transported to special events. In 1982, Tower was invited to bring the SR-2 to the Daytona 500 to the Chevrolet tent along with the new IROC Camaros. Bill Mitchell and Bill France, Sr. were there as well. After “a few,” Mitchell and France wanted to take the SR-2 out for a few laps, to which Tower said, “Like hell you will!” At the 1986 Indy 500, Tower and Pace Car driver General Chuck Yeager took a few laps in the SR-2. Later in 1986, Tower was invited to display the SR-2 at a special Chevrolet event on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Chevrolet luminaries such as Clare MacKichan, Vince Piggins, Bill Mitchell and other GM executives were there along with Linda Vaughn and singer Neil Diamond.

Since then, Tower doesn’t show the car very often and it is mostly seen via visits to his private museum. In 2016, retired VP of Global Design Ed Wellburn visited Tower and was totally blown away with the SR-2. He couldn’t get over how many key design elements on the C7 were also on the SR-2. Tower says, “Of all of my cars, the SR-2 is most special to me. Look at everything that’s in the car. And it was built in 1956!” Vette

Although on the surface the SR-2 was a toy for Bill Mitchell to go racing with, the SR-2 was an official Development car. Tower says that the numbers on the stamped metal plate attached to the top of the radiator indicate the different projects that were done to the SR-2. The overall SR-2 project didn’t have an “X” or “EX” number indicating that it was an experimental car.

The Halibrand 15×6 wheels were cast in magnesium. Take note of the five slots in the wheel’s design. That style was used when Kelsey-Hays developed the 1967 steel Rally Wheels. Knock-off wheels helped speed up pit stops, but many knockoff wheels came off of cars because the spinners weren’t properly tightened.

The SR-2 was a serious lightweight race car, but the spartan interior was nicely finished. The teakwood and stainless steel steering wheel went through over a dozen different diameter and offset variations until Mitchell got what he liked.

Even the dash was made of thin fiberglass. Note that the dash is unique, as the production Corvette’s dash had a mirrored hump on the passenger side. Serious racing instruments mounted to brushed-metal plate replaced the stock instruments.

When Tower bought the car, the original SR-2 seats were long gone. During his 3-hour meeting with retired VP of Design, Bill Mitchell, the design legend told Tower, “I’m going to help you with your SR-2 project.” A few weeks later a set of fiberglass seats arrived at Tower’s home. The seats had RPO number molded into the fiberglass, indicating that at some point, Chevrolet was considering offering racing seats as part of the Corvette’s RPO program.

The doors were gutted of their window mechanisms to make room for the side scoop vents that lead back to cool the rear brakes. The interior door panel was tuck ’n’ roll aluminum with vertical ribs and a door closure pull.

The finish and attention to detail on the SR-2 is extraordinary. While the SR-2 race car was built by fabricators that were not race car builders, they were the same people that built the Motorama cars, so they were highly qualified craftsmen. The instrument panel looks like a component from a Ferrari. Note the metal pedals that didn’t come on Corvettes until 1997.

The one single element on the SR-2 that did not belong on the car is the big toothy grille. But, you have to consider that the build of the SR-2 was being directed by Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell. Both men had an acute sense of how things presented and looked. Even the 1957 Corvette SS racer had a big grille up front.

The functional rear brake scoops was one of many design elements that blew away retired GM Global Design Chief, Ed Welburn, when he visited Tower’s museum. Welburn said, “We didn’t put this on the Corvette until the 2001 Z06!”

In our time, we don’t associate Corvettes with NASCAR. But from 1936-1958 Daytona Beach was where speed records and Stock Car racing happened. Tower’s SR-2 and his Betty Skelton 1956 Corvette both set speed records on the nearly 2-mile-long beach straightaway part of the Daytona Beach and Road Course in 1957.

“What’s with the big fin?” you ask. Speed records provided street cred for performance cars back in the day. Logic of the day said; since vertical stabilizers are essential for airplanes and jets, a tall, long fin could only help a speed record seeking race car.

For many years road racing cars had to carry a spare tire. In case of a blowout the driver was required to change his own tire off on the side of the track. Because of the headrest and rear fin, the trunk lid had to be hinged from the rear. Tower has a unique lead mallet designed by Proto for knock-off Indy car wheels. The slightly loose handle gave a second hit on the knock-off spinner.

The twin windscreens were beautifully handcrafted by the Chevrolet master fabricators.

Bill Mitchell hated hood pins that stuck up and had to have their pin retainer and attachment cord in the wind. He insisted on flush-mounted, aircraft-style latches for the hood and trunk.

The vented hood was another detail that rocked Ed Welburn. This functional design element didn’t make it into production until 2014. Venting the hood helps the engine keep cooler, plus reduces frontend lift. This concept would have helped the 1963-’67 Sting Rays a lot.

The fuel filler door is located just behind the headrest. Note the rollbar tubes. NASCAR didn’t like exposed rollbars back then. The filler cap indicates that Mitchell and his team intended to race the car the following June at Le Mans. See the ring tab that’s close to the fill cap latch? A special seal was put on the fuel cap at the beginning of the race. The seal could not be broken before a car’s first pit stop for fuel.

The SR-2 sure makes Marilyn look good, doesn’t it? Marilyn Monroe was on her way to Miami for a screening of her new movie Bus Stop. At the Sebring Airport she got a ride to the racetrack on the Thursday practice session. She posed with several cars, including the SR-2. Attendees and drivers couldn’t believe it was her. Photo: SportsCarDigest.com

Here is Bill Tower at the inaugural Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance receiving the Earl B. Hadlow Award for his 1956 SR-2. From left-to-right is; Sting Ray and Daytona Cobra designer Peter Brock; National Director for Hospice; seated in the SR-2 is Betty and Bill Tower; standing next to Tower is Sir Stirling Moss; representative from Barnette Bank; and stylist Larry Shinoda. Photo: Bill Tower Photo Collection

The “Jet Age” began in the late 1940s and by the mid-’50s car designers were adding jet aircraft styling elements to their car designs. This photo was taken at the GM Tech Center before being transported to Daytona Beach. The SR-2 was decked out with an enclosed canopy, full Moon discs, semi-enclosed rear wheels and Zoomie headers. Tower pointed out that because of the small 283-cubic-inch engine, the dragster-style headers didn’t provide enough scavenger effect and didn’t help the car’s performance. Photo: GM Archives

Here’s the tricked out “Jet Age” SR-2 on at the Daytona Beach Speed Week event. The SR-2 took a Modified Class win with an average standing-mile speed of 93.047 mph and was first in the Flying Mile with a speed of 152.866 mph. Impressive for a 310-horsepower car 283 car. Photo: Bill Tower Photo Collection

The SR-2 raced at Sebring in 1957 with Paul O’Shea and Pete Lovely doing the driving. Race car suspensions have come a long way since 1957. Photo: Bill Tower Photo Collection

Posing in a relaxed moment, perhaps after Marilyn’s visit, the SR-2’s pit crew and drivers Paul O’Shea (with the sunglasses) and Pete Lovely. Sebring is hallowed ground for Corvette racing history. All of the greats of Corvette lore—past and present—have been there. Photo: Bentley Publishing

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