1953 Corvette - No. 211 out of 300 - Daytona Beach NASCAR
From ProTeach Corvette Sales:
This Daytona Beach NASCAR 1953 Corvette Convertible, VIN #E53F001211, Chevrolet Engineering #3950, Race #27 is one of two, a 1953 and a 1955, that were reclaimed from the depths of Chevrolet Engineering to be equipped with dual four high output 1956 engines, 3 speed close ratio transmissions, heavy duty stock car racing rear end assemblies (3.27 gear ratio), plastic tonneau covers, small racing windshields and relocated gages per Mauri Rose. Work was done by Chevrolet Experimental Shop and Garage, subject title: "Rebuilding of NASCAR Corvettes for Stock Car Racing." Delivered to NASCAR/Daytona Beach in time for the February 12th-26th, 1956 7th Annual NASCAR Sanctioned Performance Trials and The Flying Mile competition and promotional photos with Bill France in the dark (black) helmet driving our car, number 211. Also, may have worn race #62 at NASCAR tracks in the Carolinas (Raleigh) on August 20th, 1955. After Daytona Speed Week, the pair of cars received roll bars and were raced at NASCAR's Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC with drivers Pee Wee Jones and Billy and Bobby Myers and were maintained by Hubert Westmoreland for NASCAR sports car races. This Dual Branding NASCAR/Chevrolet Engineering effort involved Briggs Cunningham, John Fitch, Z.A. Duntov, Ed Cole, and over 125 engineers and several 1953 to 1955 Corvettes that culminated with a win at Sebring in 1956 with John Fitch driving a 1955 Chevrolet Engineering Corvette VIN #1194 of which spared the Corvette from extinction. Documented with the Chevrolet Engineering department build orders and vintage photos from Chevrolet and the NASCAR archives! Polo White paint with Sportsman Red interior and Blue racing stripes. This is the earliest known Corvette to run NASCAR's sanctioned events... and maybe the earliest Corvette (VIN) to ever race thus "A Pioneer of Speed". Credit must be given to Loren Lundberg for without his help the true identity of VIN #211 could have been lost forever and Gray Tuttle of Clinton, NC who bought #211 from NASCAR/Jack Hawkins in 1958 and was extremely helpful in identifying the "bones". An historically important car that we body-off restored in 2013/2014 as built by Chevrolet Engineering for NASCAR sportscar activities. Others who participated in #211's history are: John Hutchins, Noland Adams, Dave Bartush, David Burroughs, Tim Jones, Chocolate Myers, Chevrolet archives, and the Daytona Beach NASCAR archives. Show Awards and Invitationals: Invited to be part of the "Competition Corvette" display at the Corvette Nationals show on November 17th and 18th, 2012. Invited to the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance that took place on March 9th, 2014. First Place Class award and the Bill Rudd Honorary Trophy at the 36th Annual Ault Park Concours d'Elegance in June 2014. Invited to the 36th Annual Concours d'Elegance of America in late July 2014.
Gallery: 1953 Corvette - No. 211 out of 300 - Daytona Beach NASCAR
More Information: Chevrolet Engineering Cars that helped save the Corvette
Related Video: Chevrolet Documentary: 1956 Daytona Speedweeks
Barrett-Jackson Auction Listing - Scottsdale, AZ - January 10-18, 2015
Source: Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Scottsdale, AZ
January 10 - 18, 2015
VIN: E53F001211
Lot: #5054
For sale at auction: Lot #5054 - The earliest-known Corvette race car. This Daytona Beach "NASCAR Unit" was created by Chevrolet Engineering for NASCAR stock car racing, and was probably a dual branding effort between Chevrolet's Ed Cole and NASCAR's Bill France. This effort was part of Ed Cole's push to save the Corvette from extinction (700 sales in 1955) and Chevrolet's first effort in creating a brand image of speed and performance lasting through seven generations of Corvettes. This Daytona Beach NASCAR 1953 Corvette Convertible is one of two, a 1953 and a 1955, that were built/rebuilt by Chevrolet Engineering to be equipped with dual-quad high-output 1956 engines, 3-speed close ratio transmissions, heavy-duty rear end assemblies, plastic tonneau covers, small racing windshields and relocated gauges per Mauri Rose. Work was done by Chevrolet Experimental Shop and Garage, subject title: "Rebuilding of NASCAR Corvettes for Stock Car Racing," dated November 3, 1955. This project was under the direction of Ed Cole and the conversion was under the supervision of three-time Indy 500 winner Mauri Rose. Delivered to Smokey Yunick's shop Daytona Beach, FL, in early February 1956 in time for promotional NASCAR photos with Bill France Jr. and Joe Hawkins, and the subsequent February 12-26, 1956, Annual Winter Daytona Beach Classics, which included the 7th Annual International Safety and Speed Trials and Stock Car Races (race number 27). Prior to rebuild by Chevrolet Engineering, this 1953 VIN #211 and a 1955 Corvette VIN #399 were raced by NASCAR's legendary Thomas Brothers (Herb & Don), Junior Johnson, Jimmy Massey, Ralph Liguori, Johnny Dodson and Gwyn Staley at the Bowman Gray Stadium, Martinsville Speedway and Raleigh Speedway in 1955 (race numbers 55, 62 and 92). After the February 1956 Daytona Beach races, this car returned to the grit and grime of the legendary North Carolina NASCAR race tracks, primarily Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston Salem, where it was driven by Pee Wee Jones, Bobby Myers, Gwyn Staley, Junior Johnson, Ralph Liguori and Jimmy Massey with race numbers 3, 16, 27 and 116. In 1958, Mr. Leslie Gray Tuttle purchased #211 from NASCAR and received the GM MSO and became the first titled owner of #211, and over 50 years later, Mr. Tuttle provided conclusive evidence that helped identify #211 as the original NASCAR Daytona Beach and Carolina racer. Documented with Chevrolet Engineering department build orders, newspaper articles and vintage photos from private collections, Chevrolet and NASCAR archives. This is the earliest-known Corvette to run NASCAR sanctioned events and the earliest-known Corvette to ever race, thus a pioneer of speed and a fascinating chapter of Corvette and NASCAR history.