Chevrolet Corvette SS factory race car 12 Hours of Sebring 1957

Description: A superb and rare photo made in the paddock during the 1957 edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. Shown with number 1 is the Chevrolet Corvette SS , a pure factory racing car, and one of its most famous designers: Zora Arkus-Duntov . He is nicknamed “the father of the Corvette” as he was the one that introduced Chevrolet’s new V8 engine in the Corvette. By doing so, he turned the Corvette from a two-seat curiosity into a genuine performer. The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car that has been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953. While the style of a car may be just as important to some as to how well the car runs, it was not until 1927, when General Motors hired designer Harley Earl, that automotive styling and design became important to American automobile manufacturers. What Henry Ford did for automobile manufacturing principles, Harley Earl did for car design. Taking its name from the corvette, a small, maneuverable fighting frigate (the credit for the naming goes to Myron Scott), the first Corvettes were virtually handbuilt in Flint, Michigan in Chevrolet's Customer Delivery Center, now an academic building at Kettering University. The outer body was made out of then-revolutionary fiberglass, selected in part because of steel quotas left over from the war. Underneath the new body material were standard Chevrolet components, including the "Blue Flame" inline six-cylinder truck engine, two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, and drum brakes from Chevrolet's regular car line. Though the engine's output was increased somewhat, thanks to a triple-carburetor intake exclusive to the Corvette, performance of the car was decidedly lackluster. Compared to the British and Italian sports cars of the day, the Corvette was underpowered, required a great deal of effort as well as clear roadway to bring to a stop, and even lacked a "proper" manual transmission. Up until that time, the Chevrolet division was GM's entry-level marque, known for excellent but no-nonsense cars. Nowhere was that more evident than in the Corvette. A Paxton supercharger became available in 1954 as a dealer-installed option, greatly improving the Corvette's straight-line performance, but sales continued to decline. GM was seriously considering shelving the project, leaving the Corvette to be little more than a footnote in automotive history, and would have done so if not for two important events. The first was the introduction in 1955 of Chevrolet's first V8 engine (a 265 in³ {4.3 L}) since 1919, and the second was the influence of a Soviet émigré in GM's engineering department, Zora Arkus-Duntov. Arkus-Duntov simply took the new V8 and backed it with a three-speed manual transmission. That modification, probably the single most important in the car's history, helped turn the Corvette from a two-seat curiosity into a genuine performer. It also earned Arkus-Duntov the rather inaccurate nickname "Father of the Corvette." Another key factor in the Corvette's survival was Ford's introduction, in 1955, of the two-seat Thunderbird, which was billed as a "personal luxury car", not a sports car. Even so, the Ford-Chevrolet rivalry in those days demanded that GM not appear to back down from the challenge. The "T-Bird" was changed to a four-seater in 1958. There have been six generations of the Corvette so far, sometimes referred to as C1 through C6. The first generation Corvette, the Chevrolet Corvette C1 , was introduced late in the 1953 model year and ended in 1962. These cars are often referred to as the "solid-axle" models since the independent rear suspension did not debut until the 1963 Sting Ray. 300 hand-built polo white Corvettes were produced for the 1953 model year, making it the rarest and one of the most sought after of all Corvettes. The 1955 model saw the introduction of the 265 cu in (4.34 L) V8 engine offered as an option, however the first seven off the production line featured the standard "Blue Flame" Inline-6. A new body was introduced for the 1956 model featuring a new "face" and side coves; the taillight fins were gone. An optional fuel injection system was made available in the middle of the 1957 model year. It was one of the first mass-produced engines in history to reach 1 bhp (0.75 kW) per cubic inch and Chevrolet's advertising agency used a "one hp per cubic inch" slogan for advertising the 283 bhp (211 kW) 283 cu in (4.64 L) Small-Block engine. Other options included power windows (1956), hydraulically operated power convertible top (1956), four speed manual transmission (late 1957), and heavy duty brakes and suspension (1957). The 1958 Corvette received a body and interior freshening including quad headlights, bumper exiting exhaust tips, and a new steering wheel and dashboard, with all gauges mounted directly in front of the driver. Exclusive to the 1958 model were hood louvers and twin trunk spars. The 1959-60 model years had few changes except a decreased amount of body chrome and increased horsepower engine offerings. For 1961, a complete redesign was made to the rear of the car; a "boat tail" with four round lights. The light treatment would continue for all following model year Corvettes. In 1962, the Chevrolet 283 cu in (4.64 L) small block was enlarged to 327 cu in (5.36 L) and produced a maximum of 340 bhp (250 kW) making it the fastest of the C1 generation. 1962 was the last year for the wrap around windshield, solid rear axle, and convertible-only body style. The trunk lid and exposed headlights did not reappear for many decades. Sebring started life as a United States Army Air Forces training base. From 1941 to 1946, pilots learned to fly the B-17 Flying Fortress. After World War II, aeronautical engineer Alec Ullman, seeking sites to restore military aircraft for civilian use, saw potential in Hendricks' runways to stage a sports car endurance race, similar to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sebring's first race was held on New Year's Eve of 1950. The Sam Collier 6 Hour Memorial race was won by Frits Koster and Ralph Deshon in a Crosley Hot Shot. This first race attracted thirty racecars from across North America. The first 12 Hours of Sebring was held on March 15th, 1952, and would grow to be a major international race. In 1959, the racetrack hosted the first Formula One United States Grand Prix. Due to the poor attendance and high costs, the next United States Grand Prix was held at Riverside. For much of Sebring's history, the track followed a 5.38 mile (8.66 km) layout, these days the course of the track is 3.7 miles (5.95 km) long. It is a seventeen-turn road course with long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. Many of the turns and points along the track are named for the early teams and drivers. There is very little elevation change around the track and little camber on the surface, providing a challenging track for drivers, especially when it rains. Sebring is renowned for its rough surface. The course still runs on old sections of World War II-era landing fields that were constructed of concrete sections with large seams. The transitions between sections are quite rough and often, sparks fly from the undercarriages of the cars as they traverse them. Much of the track has intentionally been left with its original concrete runway surface. The track surface has 2.4 miles of asphalt and 1.2 miles of concrete. The 12 Hours of Sebring race has a rich history, as legendary drivers such as Mario Andretti, Briggs Cunningham, Juan Manuel Fangio, A.J. Foyt, Jacky Ickx, Stirling Moss and Lake Underwood, and manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Jaguar, Cunningham, Audi and Ford have all been victorious. It is known as an excellent preparation for the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. This is a very nice and very rare non period photo that reflects a wonderful era of Chevrolet ‘s and Corvette ‘s automotive history in a wonderful way. This is your rare chance to own this photo, therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 9" (ca. 20 x 23 cm). It makes it perfectly suitable for framing. Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free! All our photos are modern photos that are traditionally made from what we believe are the original negatives and are copyright protected. (Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on photo, for ebay purposes only)No copyright expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our archives that we have gathered from various sources.All items always sent well protected in PVC clear files and board backed envelopes. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace, restaurant, bar or club! First come - first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any questions before the auction ends.

Price: 9.95 USD

Location: Utr.

End Time: 2025-01-13T09:53:02.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7 USD