1963 CORVETTE GRAND SPORT

CORVETTE GRAND SPORT
1963

ONE THING BETTER THAN A CORPORATE RACING EFFORT IS A SECRET CORPORATE RACING EFFORT. IN EARLY 1962, VETTE ENGINEER ZORA ARKUS DUNTOV BEGAN TOP SECRET WORK ON A PURPOSE-BUILT RACE CAR TO PUT AN END TO THE LOSSES CHEVY HAD SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF SHELBY & HIS COBRAS. THE ENVISIONED GRAND SPORT WAS TO BE THE ULTIMATE CORVETTE - A LIGHTWEIGHT, TREMENDOUSLY POWERFUL FACTORY BUILT RACER, FAR MEANER THAN THE Z06 STING RAY. AFTER THE PROTOTYPES HAD PROVEN THEIR METTLE, 125 STREET BEASTS WERE TO BE UNLEASHED.

IT NEVER HAPPENED. WHEN THE CHEVROLET BOARDROOM LEARNED OF ZORA'S SECRET PROGRAM THEY PUT A STOP TO THE CAR'S CONSTRUCTION. BUT FIVE GRAND SPORT CORVETTES HAD ALREADY BEEN BUILT.

ALL FIVE UNDERWENT VARIOUS MECHANICAL & EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS TAKING ON A VARIED SUCCESSION OF SCOOPS, FLARES & ENGINES. TWO OF THE COUPES WERE CONVERTED INTO ROADSTERS. AFTER A SECOND GM RACING BAN IN 1965, THE FIVE GRAND SPORTS WERE SOLD OFF.

THANKS TO THE DEDICATION OF A FEW VERY SERIOUS COLLECTORS, ALL FIVE OF THE ORIGINAL GRAND SPORT CORVETTES STILL EXIST TO THIS DAY & ENJOYED A HISTORIC REUNION AT THE AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE IN 2003.
VALUED AT 1 MILLION DOLLARS PLUS (PER CAR) & RARELY SEEN BEYOND THE CONFINES OF AN OCCASIONAL AUTO SHOW, THE GRAND SPORT CORVETTE STILL CREATES EXCITEMENT IN THE MINDS OF ALL THOSE THAT WITNESS THESE AMAZING AUTOMOTIVE LEGENDS.

REFERENCES: AUTOWEEK/2003 - GRAND SPORT REGISTRY - IDAVETTE.NET

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