Contact the Pikes Peak Hill Climb museum at the Broadmoor Hotel. Bill Daniels Al's son has passed but the family is still co-owner of Daniels-Long Chevrolet. They had pictures of the Corvettes that the family raced up the Peak still hanging out side of the parts department. My dad and his good friend Thom Jamison raced Corvettes up the Peak and Thom worked in the parts department for Al. Both my dad and Thom have passed along with the stories. Left to right Thom Jamison, Gil, and my dad Elwood Buster. 1964 new Fuelie that later was involved in a two car crash during a practice run.
I bought at auction a 1962 Corvette fuelie that has been in the Daniels family since it was ordered new in 1961 by Al’s son, Bill who was then employed as a salesman at Daniels Motors. It is believed to be the #69 car that was raced by Al in the 1962 Pikes Peak Hill Climb and came in fourth. Al’s granddaughter Elizabeth, part owner of Daniels-Long Chevrolet in Colorado Springs has been most helpful in providing me with many photos and articles about Al and Bill including a photo of the ‘62 going up the hill with Al at the wheel. The car is documented with the complete dealer jacket containing the original purchase order, dealer delivery sheet including date codes, inspection reports and service records from Daniels Chevrolet. When I bought the car the original FI unit and air cleaner were in a box in the trunk. Al and Bill had replaced the FI with a carburetor presumably to make the run up the hill to 14,000 feet. The car was ordered with the 327/360 fuelie engine, 4-speed T10 transmission, 4:11 posi rear axle, soft top delete option and oversized 15x5.5” wheels and blackwall nylon tires. PPHC requires all entries to be equipped with a roll cage. The cage was subsequently removed by Bill and he used the car as his daily driver until he put it in storage in the basement of the dealership where it remained for decades. Patches of fiberglass under the soft top storage deck are clearly visible. The car was treated to a beautiful fawn beige repaint, although all exterior brightwork is beautiful and original. I have rebuilt and reinstalled the FI unit and distributor and returned the car to the way it left the factory. Of the 30+ Corvettes I’ve owned over the last half century, this is clearly the most unique and best documented and nastiest. Fuelieguy
The Jalopy Journal
