Features Corvette hot rods - picture thread

Hey Jim , thanks for the in depth reply. I have never driven a clutchflite or clutch turbo although I do have an old B&M clutch turbo in the shed. I have talked to a few guys who ran them in the day and they all said they were pretty violent when shifted due to lack of cushioning from the converter.

 

Colin, my buddy Tim drove the car and he never complained and I do not remember him commenting on the violence other than some issues with learning the setup out of the hole. During the 68 and 69 season Tim also his "stock" 283/270 1961 Vette and that car was super competitive. He won a ton of trophies with that car in 69. I have fond memories of that car as on certain days, Tim was unbeatable. Car had a 5:13 gear and the car was a hoot to watch. Tim let me drive that car on the street and I probably think of that car and those days many times when I take my car for a drive. He even let me have the car for a Sunday when he was visiting his aunt. My dad told me to turn the damn car off as he was trying to watch a Lions football game and Tim ran a mag. I had tried to buy a fawn beige 283/low horsepowered 3 speed 61 Vette, but my dad had nixed the purchase so Tim's car for a day to drive as I wish was a big deal.

With the clutch turbo, as you know, the clutch was used out of the hole but then shifted "normally" on the 2 shifts. Only ran the clutch turbo for the 69 season. For 1970, Tim sold his 61 and installed a small block in the 57, so the car was converted to a tunnel rammed sbc with a four speed. I believe Tim was a four speed guy at heart.

Cool you got a clutch turbo. I was on the hunt for one myself and came close to buying one when I was rebuilding my avatar 62. My avatar was an old drag car out of New Mexico so I was determined to keep a drag race theme. I decided to go with a stack injected 427 with a turbo 400 in kind of a tribute to all the great memories I had with the 57 we ran. Backed out on the clutch turbo and the stack injection still sits on my shelf. I was in a hurry to finish the car for Autorama in 2013 and then getting it ready for the 2013 Meltdown that I put on a carburetor and it runs so well that I decided to leave well enough alone. If I had it to do all over again I probably would have gone with a four speed as I like the whole concept of clutch assisted shifting, but I have wondered at times what a clutch turbo would have been like.

Are you leaning towards giving the clutch turbo a try? Who knows may be a hoot. But a word to the wise don't remove the tower on the frame for the clutch ball setup, just in case.

 

Thanks Jim, actually bought the clutch turbo to use in a 55 sedan me and my pal Butch are working on. The Vette will be strictly 4spd

 

Doesn't this Vette belong to someone on here? Pics were on a Vette feed on Twitter. Cool car.

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Moriarity, is your car lowered? I dig the stance!


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Obviously it looks great either way but I like how the tire sits in the wheel well in the lowered pics.


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That car is usually at the Snohomish car show every year. Don’t know the owner.


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The 1957 race would be the first and last appearance of the Corvette SS in an international race.

Developed by Zora Arkus Duntov the SS was supposed to beat Ferrari in international events.

 

Cool 1960 Vette that was owned and raced by George Reed and his Race Rat team. George ran Ferraris and a few other makes and I found it cool he gave Corvette a chance for his team. Actually solid axle Corvettes did very well in the 50s and early 60s. Arguably it was their finest hour in terms of victories with other great makes,IMO. This particular car won class at Sebring in 1960. It probably won other races but my records of the road car wins is pretty deeply buried right now. If you add in the story of Corvette at Lemans in 1960 and some other cars such as this example, 1960 was one of the best years to date.

 

Posted by 296moon in the bubbletop thread.

Anybody ever see anything like this before? Maybe an english thing as he is from england

 

LB, there were a number of these tops made for the early year cars (54-55). They were not that big of a hit since they were extremely hot in the sun and I believe they were a bit pricey. There is a copper model that was owned by Roy Braatz out of California. Roy put a ton of miles on his car with the bubble top but I believe he passed away a couple of years ago. I have read there were a dozen and also read 25 were made by an aftermarket company, I believe in Chicago. A red model went through auction some time ago.

 

Yes. Bell Aircraft (Areospace) in Wheatafield NY (Buffalo/Niagara Falls) made a few back in the day. A '55 owner and long time Corvette guy Roy Bratz now deceased, reproduced some years ago.

 

MoPar!

 

Generals gathered in their masses.....

 

I believe Roy acquired the molds(?) and had some made long after the originals.

 

Just like Witches at Black Masses.....

 

I am so friggin' dense ; I have seen many pictures of the car noting the lights, wheels, stance, short lake pipes, color combo, but I never noticed the shaved door handles. I should be suspended for a week.

 

Purple People Eater

 

Without a doubt. One of my all time vintage corvette racers.