" Tanker " Corvettes

black mamba

In 1963, Chevrolet launched the newest models of the Corvette line.....the highly sought after ( expensive in today's collector market ) rear split-window coupe, along with the convertible model. If you wanted one with a little more emphasis on performance ( better suited for some track time ) they offered the Z 06 option package. For those buyers who were likely to go racing and would benefit greatly from it, you could make another option selection and have your car outfitted with a 36 gallon gas tank....much larger than standard. Those cars with the big tank became known as....what else....." tankers ". They had 7 or 8 of them at this show. Most of them exhibited some racing modifications ranging from modest to pronounced. Very few tankers were left unmodified. There was a total production of right at 200 Z 06 optioned cars and, of that total, 36 were sold with the large tank.

Here's a few that were at the show.

1 )

2 )

This one was a pure out and out racer from the get go. Chevy had great plans for this one in international racing, but then GM made a decision to cease all factory racing. At that time, only five of these special cars....known as the Corvette Grand Sport.... had been produced. This car was a beast, considering the times, It ran a 377 C.I. V-8 putting out 485 H.P. @ 6,000 RPM.

3 )

4 )

5 )

This one was a very special car developed for Mickey Thompson to take racing. It's not as festooned with obvious racing goodies as some of the others, but it was a monster. Chevy had stuffed in it an experimental 427 C.I. MK II engine that Chevy called their " Mystery Motor " Thompson raced it for a while then it was sold to someone else. Chevy had the noted genius Smokey Yunick down in Daytona Beach pull out the mystery engine before the sale. The new owner put in a lesser engine and raced it for a while. The current owner found out that Yunick still had the original " Mystery Motor " stashed away and it and the car were united again.

6 )

7 )

8 )

Here's a bonus for you.....a 1963 Corvette that Chevy commissioned the noted Italian coach builder, Pininfarina, to re-body for them. It's all Corvette under that beautiful skin. Only one was made.

9 )

10 )

torags

Nice cars .... well taken..

36 gal tank was a rolling bomb with the Fiberglas bumpers...

My '57 had front and rear damage from modest hits...

Juano

Nice!

El Gato

Very nice set.

9 is a dream!! If only....

black mamba

@torags said:
Nice cars .... well taken..

36 gal tank was a rolling bomb with the Fiberglas bumpers...

My '57 had front and rear damage from modest hits...

Thanks, Rags. In shot #7, that white convertible in the background is one of the very few tanker cars that didn't see some kind of track time.

black mamba

@Juano said:
Nice!

Thanks, buddy.

Stumblebum

Fantastic set Tom! I love the #3!

torags

@black mamba said:

@torags said:
Nice cars .... well taken..

36 gal tank was a rolling bomb with the Fiberglas bumpers...

My '57 had front and rear damage from modest hits...

Thanks, Rags. In shot #7, that white convertible in the background is one of the very few tanker cars that didn't see some kind of track time.

Yeah, it looks like it has a removable top...

black mamba

@Stumblebum said:
Fantastic set Tom! I love the #3!

Thanks. I was around when they fired up #3. I started looking around for a place to take cover.

Stumblebum

@black mamba said:

@Stumblebum said:
Fantastic set Tom! I love the #3!

Thanks. I was around when they fired up #3. I started looking around for a place to take cover.

But I think every time I step in our out I will end up kicking that tail pipe. Strange place to put it.

Cavalier

These are great shots of some superb machines. My favorite Vette and I love the Pininfarina - I've never seen that one. Good job on the shots.

Back in the day I used to Autocross an MGA and Datsun (now known as Nissan - am I dating myself?). I did however get to drive a split rear window Corvette on the Cotati high-speed track and on the Laguna Seca track in Monterey, Ca during a break in the action at a race. Once I drove that Vette with synchromesh transmission and handling - that spoiled me for going back to my MGA! But I didn't own the Vette!

black mamba

@Stumblebum said:

@black mamba said:

@Stumblebum said:
Fantastic set Tom! I love the #3!

Thanks. I was around when they fired up #3. I started looking around for a place to take cover.

But I think every time I step in our out I will end up kicking that tail pipe. Strange place to put it.

I'm sure their research showed that the system employed proved the most efficient way to dump the exhaust. You can bet that the driver was tuned in about having any body contact with the pipes. I had a 1967 Corvette that was outfitted with the side-pipe option. In my case, as with all others who had this option, the pipes were enshrouded with a protective metal cover designed to ward off burns if touched. Well, I can attest that while the theory is sound, the last thing you wanted to do was to touch one of those pipes after it had gotten hot.

black mamba

@Cavalier said:
These are great shots of some superb machines. My favorite Vette and I love the Pininfarina - I've never seen that one. Good job on the shots.

Back in the day I used to Autocross an MGA and Datsun (now known as Nissan - am I dating myself?). I did however get to drive a split rear window Corvette on the Cotati high-speed track and on the Laguna Seca track in Monterey, Ca during a break in the action at a race. Once I drove that Vette with synchromesh transmission and handling - that spoiled me for going back to my MGA! But I didn't own the Vette!

Hi Jo. I've always thought that the MGA was one of the most beautiful designs to hit the streets. My oldest brother had a 1952 MG TD but he had so many issues with the " Prince of Darkness " Lucas electrics that he sold it before I got my drivers license.

Cavalier

@black mamba said:

Hi Jo. I've always thought that the MGA was one of the most beautiful designs to hit the streets. My oldest brother had a 1952 MG TD but he had so many issues with the " Prince of Darkness " Lucas electrics that he sold it before I got my drivers license.

@black mamba - a steady fixture in my MGA (both of them) was a can of brake fluid - never left home without it! Master Cylinders were not one of Morris Garage's greatest accomplishments.