Vintage Racing Services

1966 Corvette Monterey Historic / La Carrera Champion

1966 Corvette Monterey Historic / La Carrera Champion SOLD

This 1966 Corvette was first known to Southwest region SCCA fans before dominating the Monterey Historics and west coast vintage racing, and then being remade into a top competitor for the La Carrera Panamericana.

History

The Corvette began its career as an SCCA B-Production racer before passing into the hands of two vintage racers who—with assistance from Dick Guldstrand—turned it into one of the most successful Corvettes in west coast historic racing.  Most recently, Vintage Racing Services, Inc. of Stratford, Connecticut has very successfully prepared the car for the La Carrera Panamericana Mexican Road Race, where it achieved impressive place finishes in the Historic class in three consecutive years.

Texan Dan Hines raced the Corvette in SCCA Southwest Division events from the late sixties to the early 1980s.  The car remained competitive over many years with SCCA-approved modifications and—like many—acquired a big-block engine, fender flares to accommodate ever-wider tires and numerous other modifications.

Bill Zeiring bought the Corvette from Hines in the early 1980s and began a transformation to return the car to its early configuration, selling the car mid stream to Ken and Laurie Ballard who completed the restoration.  The Corvette was honored by Steve Earle with the ‘True Spirit of Vintage Racing’ award at the 1986 Sears Point Sonoma Classic.  By 1987, the car picked up the nickname ‘Thumper’ along with a third place finish at the Monterey Historics behind a 427 Cobra and a Grand Sport Corvette.

The Corvette finished 1st at the 1990 Monterey Historics ahead of two Cobras and five Shelby GT350s.  Zora Arkus-Duntov was in attendance and was photographed with the Corvette following the race.  ‘Thumper’ was featured in Vette magazine as a ‘Cobra Killer’.  The Corvette continued to race through the 1990s with regular Top Five finishes at Monterey and other West Coast venues and only one DNF in the decade.  The Corvette thumped the 2002 Monterey Historics field again, winning B-Production ahead of three Cobras and another Corvette, and was honored the same year with the Rolex Performance in Presentation award.

La Carrera Panamericana

The Corvette was purchased by the current owner at RM Auction’s Phoenix sale in January 2004 with the intention of preparing the car for racing in La Carrera Panamericana.  This tough Mexican Road Race has been a test of cars and drivers since its inception in 1950. The historic La Carrera Panamericana began in 1988 and has grown to become one of the highlights of the world vintage racing calendar.

The Corvette has competed in La Carrera Panamericana five times; finishing well up in the standings every time driven by Bill Shanahan and Murray Smith, against far more aggressively modified non-FIA spec cars.  In 2005 the Corvette was 1st in the Historic class and an exceptional 4th overall, supported by Vintage Racing Services.

Specifications

Chassis:  194376S117043
Engine:  327c.i.
Horsepower:  400
Transmission:  4-speed manual
Brakes:  6 piston racing brakes
Spares:  engine, transmission, rear end, brakes and other components
Price: $125,000