Corvette-powered NZ race cars '50s/'60s

Rileys Anglia was Candy Apple Red,as was the Lotus ,if my memory is correct they were painted by Morrie and Ken Smith when they traded as M and K Smith Car Painters
The Zephyr in the Progam No 58 is the ex Rod Coppins car,R Tanner is the Consul-Jaguar discussed on here recently I have a strange idea Robbie was a late entry so was not included in the program,programs could be a bit funny back then,I have some Levin ones that don't include the competitor in the list of entries at the front but have them listed later in the program in their respective races
Bob

Without quoting the chapter and verse from Richard Langworths Chev books,the improved 396 with the so- called "porcupine head" with inclined valves ,and a strengthened bottom end, was based on an earlier 427 which was a bored out 409 which was the worked over 348 truck engine from 1958. Like the Mopar saga of similar but non-interchangeable parts,the permutations seem endless and ultimately not all that terribly interesting to any but the completely obsessed !!

And yes that porcupine head did end up on the later 427s---from which earlier version the 396 was derived !!
Makes similar sense to an Escher drawing really !

A bit of correction here ,

348 and 409 were completely Different engine to either the small block (262-400) and the big block (396-454{460 -601} ).
348 truck engines are different versions of the 348 W engine. The truck version was supplied in trucks right into the 1960's and has a deep block ,in the same manner that car big blocks are different to the Big block truck engine of the later unrelated series.
The 409 was larger capacity version of the Car 348. and there were a few in NZ. Gail Prast is an owner that comes to mind. She had a '59 impala coupe with 409 which would do 12 second 1/4 miles. One of the guys I served my time under ended up with it,and the last time I had seen it it had been parked away for many years in Auckland.
Those old enough will recall the beach boys 'my 409' song.
The alleged secret motor(427 Cu in ,Z11 motor*) that ran once at nascar was a pre production big block and in no way resembled the 'W' 348 or 409 . The W motor has heads with out combustion chambers,those are in the block ( think mercedes 3-0-0 m189-198 ) .
The alloy block Big block was an uncommon engine and could be called rare when you see it relation to normal Chev production runs.
One of favorite pics, Bruce and juan check out the new Alloy big block with Alloy open chamber LS heads ,Open chamber heads have the porcupine style valves ,but this was also available on cast iron heads too. The big block showed itself to be inferior to the small block very early on,and today is only raced as a 600+ Pontiac headed decendent in some drag race classes.
check out the kiwi style hiteco engine sling.

Some of us find all engines interesting espspecialy car based blocks which went on to power race legends such as Chev V8s ,Olds mobiles, BMW four cylinders ad finitum,nothing at all obssesive at all on my part.
*The Secret engine ( because they weren't supposed to be running it..) was so low in Production in can hadly be counted among the thousands of production engines.
A special 427 cubic inches (7.00 L) version of the 409 engine was used in the 1963 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe ordered under Chevrolet Regular Production Option (RPO) Z11. This was a special package created for drag racers, including aluminum engine and body parts and a cowl-induction air intake system, along with the 427 engine. The aluminum body parts were fabricated in Flint, MI at the facility now known as GM Flint Metal Center[1]. Unlike the later second generation 427, it was based on the W-series 409 engine, but with a longer 3.65 in (92.7 mm) stroke. A high-rise two piece aluminum intake manifold and dual Carter AFB carbs fed a 13.5:1 compression ratio to produce an under-rated 430 hp (321 kW) and 435 ft·lbf (590 N·m). 50 RPO Z11 cars were produced at the Flint plant. GM Documents exist that show 50 Z11 engines were built at the GM Tonawanda engine plant for auto production, and 20 partial engines were made for replacement/over the counter use. No evidence from GM has been found that show 57 cars were built.

Then Came the All 'Aluminum' 427/ZL1 Camaro....'Povety Pack' ,6cyl body, Massive Cubic inch's 4speed Muncie,12 bolt 'LSD' rear end,'Cowel Induction Bonnet,50 were ordered (COPO,Central Office Purchase Order)by Fred Gibb, Chevrolet....these cars Sold for arround $7400,where a fully loaded Z/28 1969 Camaro cost $4700... these cars are fully GM documented built Cars, only 69 were built (other than a couple of Corvette's)of which there is a huge following, asking price today,Million plus even in this financial climate............regards427

Originally posted by thunder427
A Corvette's that raced in the Australian Sports Car Class was the 1964 'Blue coupe' of Charlie Occhipinti this car was purchased by the Steve Wherret of "Holley Peformance" ( in Melbourne) with his close friend Roger Condon,I was given the 'Vette' to fit the L88 flares in all 4cnrs to suit the 15x10's......"And MJ, do something with the paint",....."How about RED,WHITE-N-BLUE !!!!!!??????....."YEP !!! That will work !" ,this car looked the 'Goods',but never reached its full potential ,as Steve's need for SPEED, ended his life in a, tragic, high speed boating accident,like a lot of things, the car was put away and eventually found its way back to the 'street,minus the 'Warpaint' and its outrageous 'Flares' ................regards427

Good Day,
I recently joined this site and really enjoy this history. I am an old Corvette race fan (raced a 64 B/P Fuel injected car as well)

Three of us started the REGISTRY OF CORVETTE RACE CARS (see www.registryofcorvetteracecars.com) and are having fun from people all over the world sending us info to add.

I handle all the C-1 and C-2 cars from 1953 thru 1967. But we have entries thru 2008 models.

I know the owner of the 1960 Camoradi Corvette and it's history is below. Any new info on that engine? Last we heard was the engine found its way into a boat and the boat SANK ! Sure would be fun to reunite the engine with the car.

THE HISTORY IS NEAT: Visited with JIM JEFFORDS last weekend at the RIVERSIDE RACEWAY LEGENDS get together (see new string). Jim had a lot of fun with this car, and Maserati to.

1960 CORVETTE: # 4 CAMORADI RACE CAR: Vin # 00867S102272

White /blue 290hp fuel injected engine, T-10 four speed, RPO # 684 Heavy Duty suspension, quick steering, Heavy duty brake option which includes screened backing plates, semi-metallic linings, finned drums, “elephant ear” air scoops, rear metal air scoops. A special 3:08 positraction rear differential was installed for the 1960 LeMans race.

One of 10 cars built in 1960 with the optional 24 gallon gas tank. That tank was replaced with a special 37 gallon tank prior to LeMans which is in the car today. Only six were ever made.

RACE HISTORY:
February 1960 : Premio de la Habana GT , Havana, Cuba 1st in class,
8th overall. Driver Jim Jeffords:

March 1960 : Sebring 2nd in class, 26th overall : Drivers Jim Jeffords
and Bill Wuesthoff.

May 1960 : Targa Florio, Italy: DNS

May 1960: Nurburgring : DNF front wheel bearing failure : Drivers Fred Gamble, and Lee Lilley.

June 24-26, 1960 LeMans: 10th overall, but the index of performance mileage was not met. The car went all 24 hours and 2307.7 miles , only 42.4 miles or 5 laps behind the 8th place finish Cunningham # 3 Grossman / Fitch CORVETTE.
The car was driven back to Modena Camoradi Headquarters. In July 1960, it was entered in the Swedish Grand Prix, Karlskoga, Sweden: Finished 4th in GT. The car was to compete in the Tourist Trophy the following day, but being driven back to the hotel after the GP race was in a road accident and could not compete.

The car was abandoned and the engine and transmission returned to Maserati in Modena where they were installed in a 250F chassis that ultimately went to New Zealand and lost. The Corvette went thru 4 owners as a badly restored street car in Sweden until 1981 when it was parked. Current owner found the car in 1995 and returned it to the USA and restored it to NCRS specifications with a matching number driveline. The paint and interior have been restored to the LeMans race configuration.

Originally posted by Vettefinderjim
...the engine and transmission returned to Maserati in Modena where they were installed in a 250F chassis that ultimately went to New Zealand and lost

A small correction in that the Corvette's B-W T-10 did not make it into the Tec-Mec; keep on checking the Modena garage sales.......

Originally posted by Loren Lundberg
A small correction in that the Corvette's B-W T-10 did not make it into the Tec-Mec; keep on checking the Modena garage sales.......

Loren
The reason for questioning your suggestion that the Corvette engine didn't go into the Tec-Mec was that it has long been believed in New Zealand that it did. I've just done a "Search BB" and there's a 2008 post confirming this - from someone called Loren Lundberg

Whilst writing that, I think I've figured out the confusion - the Maserati 250F to which the Corvette engine was fitted in Italy was known throughout its New Zealand career as a Tec-Mec. Any relation to the F1 car of the same name is confined to similar personnel only

And I guess Jim confused me by saying "...the engine and transmission returned to Maserati in Modena where they were installed in a 250F chassis that ultimately went to New Zealand and [was] lost", ie suggesting the 250F chassis was lost
instead of "...the engine and transmission returned to Maserati in Modena where they were installed in a 250F chassis and ultimately went to New Zealand and [were] lost", meaning the engine and transmission were lost

David ,I think what Loren was saying ,was that the Borg Warner T10 transmission did not go into the TecMec.

.

B-W = Borg Warner - gotcha!

Apologies to all concerned

Have read the entire thread again and will now add my personal experiences with “Corvette in NZ” since the early 70’s

In the late 60’s early 70’s I was involved in the hot rod scene in Auckland. I had a lace painted 30 A Ford roadster with a 283 Corvette engine . At the time I was told it was a genuine piece with a Duntov Pink spot cam, and had a racing history of some kind.
I didn’t have the knowledge at the time to positively identify it myself .

It sure ran strong , I could smash a 39 ford trannie in the blink of a eye . Fridays nights in Queen Street always started with a visit to stores at work for a length of key steel and that combined with a hacksaw , hammer and jack was all that was required for a good nights street racing.
Note no mention of females, they were too concerned about the doors popping open every time I gave it a shoeful. If I could keep the flathead trans and diff keyways intact there wasn’t any thing could touch me . Shaker GTHOs were putty in my hands
.
Those days, Friday and Saturday nights, Queen Street Auckland had a carnival atmosphere street racing and cruising was at its very best.. I once saw a supercharged B/BChev pink slicked funny car blast across Wellesley St in front of Friday night shoppers . That was a sight to behold.

That time of life faded, and after a good year in business in 1974 ,I bought a 3 yr old Steel Cities Gray Corvette from a Kiwi who was resident in Canada. Pow! Instant Drug Dealer!, I have never been stopped so much by the police for no apparent reason in a single car, ever. I had joined, it seemed a rather exclusive little club . Less than 40 all told at the time ,from 58 thru to 72. I paid more for that car than a new V12 Jaguar . It was quick , a 4 speed 270hp coupe .

I replaced it with my current car, a 70 370hp LT1 in 75 I had a list of over 30 people who wanted to buy my 71 and it was sold in 1 phone call on a Sunday night for my price. My how things change.

By comparison the LT1 was a rocket ship. I used to do the Auckland to Wellington trip on old ST HWY 1 regularly in less than 6 hrs and once did it in 5 hrs 40 ( I had contracts in Wellington) That time I recall passing a Black and White H Q with a crest on to door on the Himitangi Straight and I ll put money on it I was going 100 MPH faster than him he did however get time to flash his head lights at me.
You can slip that car into 1st gear at 40mph and it will accelerate quicker than you can react, I once passed a station wagon with 2 kids in the back and I can still to this day see the astonished look on their faces as I shot past them . I bet they both have Corvettes today.

Come to think of it ,I’ve had that car longer than both wives put together!!.

My love affair with Corvettes has continued and still does to a certain degree. Im not as involved with them as much nowdays , but cannot keep away from the small and big block Chevs with the work I do with historic racecars.

But back to the 70’s. I had started collecting up serious Chev speed equipment and noted that there were an unusual number of 2x4 WCFB carb setups appearing.
Like in excess of two dozen setups.
.Several of these had been modified to work on 327 engines. It turned out that most were from complete engines imported from the late 50’s thru early 60’s by guys like the McGriels for flat bottom hydro boats. These early ones were all 283s and were imported as complete crate engines duty free for marine use .It was cheaper I was told to import a crate Corvette engine for a boat. than a used std one for car use. I saw one of these at the McGriels Panel Beaters in Parnell in the early 70’.s I would suggest that there were probably far more “real” Corvette engines around in NZ in the early 60s racing scene than we would have ever thought . especially after the boats went to 327.ci. Many of these “boat motors” probably went straight into cars

Occasionally I would come across real blocks and correct heads , but after several years in boats they were pretty well used up, pretty rusty and suffering from electrolysis decay the head studs would pull, and the bores would never clean up nice . These early 283s had single (270 h) and double tower( 245hp) marked heads , later with the 327’s it became harder to spot a hp head as they all had single pyramid heads until the late 60s’ It was just a case of knowing the right things to look for. Which reminds me , the heads on the engine that Bruce and Juan are looking at are early closed chamber heads they had screw in core plugs , the open ones did not have this feature.

In NZ circuit racing I can only recall in period a Silver 63 split window owned by an American engineer on the Manopouri power project racing at club level at Teretonga and in ChCh a Blue 69 iron head tripower coupe racing at Ruapuna.

Mike, Corvette still had a certain amount of status here in NZ thru the late 70’s It was simply amazing how much kudos a pair of bolt on rocker covers gave you to the uninformed observer. Still have some originals . I have two fuel injection setups from period engine imports, and I still believe the Camoradi Corvette / TecMec setup is here in NZ. I saw it years ago at a swop meet. It will surface again I am sure.

Finally, I have a photo of my Hot Rods engine beside me with its 6 x 2 barrel carbs and it clearly shows the single tower 57 270 hp heads.



“A real Corvette engine” .

Re the lost Tec Mec motor.

I think this shows the first step in its disappearance. It appeared in the Shouts & Murmurs column in the July 1963 edition of the Auckland Car Club Bulletin.

John Riley has sold his coupe (to G. Bunce) and the Monza Ferrari, and purchased a D type Jag (ex Simon Taylor) and the Tec Mec V8 motor.

Originally posted by Duncan Fox
Have read the entire thread again and will now add my personal experiences with “Corvette in NZ” since the early 70’s

In the late 60’s early 70’s I was involved in the hot rod scene in Auckland. I had a lace painted 30 A Ford roadster with a 283 Corvette engine . At the time I was told it was a genuine piece with a Duntov Pink spot cam, and had a racing history of some kind.
I didn’t have the knowledge at the time to positively identify it myself .

It sure ran strong , I could smash a 39 ford trannie in the blink of a eye . Fridays nights in Queen Street always started with a visit to stores at work for a length of key steel and that combined with a hacksaw , hammer and jack was all that was required for a good nights street racing.
Note no mention of females, they were too concerned about the doors popping open every time I gave it a shoeful. If I could keep the flathead trans and diff keyways intact there wasn’t any thing could touch me . Shaker GTHOs were putty in my hands
.
Those days, Friday and Saturday nights, Queen Street Auckland had a carnival atmosphere street racing and cruising was at its very best.. I once saw a supercharged B/BChev pink slicked funny car blast across Wellesley St in front of Friday night shoppers . That was a sight to behold.

That time of life faded, and after a good year in business in 1974 ,I bought a 3 yr old Steel Cities Gray Corvette from a Kiwi who was resident in Canada. Pow! Instant Drug Dealer!, I have never been stopped so much by the police for no apparent reason in a single car, ever. I had joined, it seemed a rather exclusive little club . Less than 40 all told at the time ,from 58 thru to 72. I paid more for that car than a new V12 Jaguar . It was quick , a 4 speed 270hp coupe .

I replaced it with my current car, a 70 370hp LT1 in 75 I had a list of over 30 people who wanted to buy my 71 and it was sold in 1 phone call on a Sunday night for my price. My how things change.

By comparison the LT1 was a rocket ship. I used to do the Auckland to Wellington trip on old ST HWY 1 regularly in less than 6 hrs and once did it in 5 hrs 40 ( I had contracts in Wellington) That time I recall passing a Black and White H Q with a crest on to door on the Himitangi Straight and I ll put money on it I was going 100 MPH faster than him he did however get time to flash his head lights at me.
You can slip that car into 1st gear at 40mph and it will accelerate quicker than you can react, I once passed a station wagon with 2 kids in the back and I can still to this day see the astonished look on their faces as I shot past them . I bet they both have Corvettes today.

Come to think of it ,I’ve had that car longer than both wives put together!!.

My love affair with Corvettes has continued and still does to a certain degree. Im not as involved with them as much nowdays , but cannot keep away from the small and big block Chevs with the work I do with historic racecars.

But back to the 70’s. I had started collecting up serious Chev speed equipment and noted that there were an unusual number of 2x4 WCFB carb setups appearing.
Like in excess of two dozen setups.
.Several of these had been modified to work on 327 engines. It turned out that most were from complete engines imported from the late 50’s thru early 60’s by guys like the McGriels for flat bottom hydro boats. These early ones were all 283s and were imported as complete crate engines duty free for marine use .It was cheaper I was told to import a crate Corvette engine for a boat. than a used std one for car use. I saw one of these at the McGriels Panel Beaters in Parnell in the early 70’.s I would suggest that there were probably far more “real” Corvette engines around in NZ in the early 60s racing scene than we would have ever thought . especially after the boats went to 327.ci. Many of these “boat motors” probably went straight into cars

Occasionally I would come across real blocks and correct heads , but after several years in boats they were pretty well used up, pretty rusty and suffering from electrolysis decay the head studs would pull, and the bores would never clean up nice . These early 283s had single (270 h) and double tower( 245hp) marked heads , later with the 327’s it became harder to spot a hp head as they all had single pyramid heads until the late 60s’ It was just a case of knowing the right things to look for. Which reminds me , the heads on the engine that Bruce and Juan are looking at are early closed chamber heads they had screw in core plugs , the open ones did not have this feature.

In NZ circuit racing I can only recall in period a Silver 63 split window owned by an American engineer on the Manopouri power project racing at club level at Teretonga and in ChCh a Blue 69 iron head tripower coupe racing at Ruapuna.

Mike, Corvette still had a certain amount of status here in NZ thru the late 70’s It was simply amazing how much kudos a pair of bolt on rocker covers gave you to the uninformed observer. Still have some originals . I have two fuel injection setups from period engine imports, and I still believe the Camoradi Corvette / TecMec setup is here in NZ. I saw it years ago at a swop meet. It will surface again I am sure.

Finally, I have a photo of my Hot Rods engine beside me with its 6 x 2 barrel carbs and it clearly shows the single tower 57 270 hp heads.



“A real Corvette engine” .

The MCGriels were right into all sorts of Chev stuff. I too knew of several boat guys who had those early dual quad setups from Corvette engines they had imported . The WCFB is a bugger to tune right but can actually make good power on a 283 with todays cams and the early powerpack heads. We popped one on a mates 57 Chev hardtop out at Papakura but couldn't get it to run very well at all. We were also running an Isky 300 track cam .The jets looked like someone had used a 1/16th drill to open them up. An early Tarantula and 650 holley got it running almost right.
I remember parking {as a wild youth} outside 246 too. I still have photo of my 39 coupe parked around the corner opposite the movie theatre with oil running out underneath from an exploded tranny after racing a porsche past Caltex house...duh... I bought my Chev engines from Kaspar autos at Otahuhu . Nuff said there I think.

JG has messaged me with regard to this extended thread and said that someone believes that the motor is still in use; I can't see that reference or interpret anything to that effect - I believe that Duncan Fox's post refers to the FI unit ONLY, and he/I have covered that ground before. WAY BACK when, we even had Bob Wallace's brother snooping and seeking....and coming up empty......
But Duncan may be correct; in Swap Meet vernacular the question would be "Mate, how much for the bloody imitation carburetor?".

While not strictly a Corvette race car, one of the nicest small blocks I have seen had a brace of Webers, McLaren rocker covers and a McLaren dyno sheet, all nestled (except the dyno sheet) in the front of a '63 split window 'Vette.

I only saw it once but I would love to see it again.

Bruce.

Ron B; you trying to tell us ,you had a 'Ghost' of a chance ,getting your money back !!!!!........regards427

Bruce , I can tell you more about the 63 split window.

The car you saw was the silver car I mentioned in my previous post. In later years it was owned by a real shady character in Thames . He installed a engine he bought from Digby Taylors McBegg sports car fortunatly he left the hood off rather than cut it up to clear the carbs.

This was the last engine used in Denny Hulmes M6. George Begg bought it after test sessions to establish a baseline for the new M8 (I even have the test sheets)

Any way said shady character wound up in jail for major drug offences and the car moved on ,eventually, dismantled to me . The car has moved on again , but I still have the engine for one of our projects here at Group 7.

Good to know that the car and engine have survived. The car was flat black when I saw it (in Tauranga) and yeah, the then owner was one shade of shady, not sure if he is the same one as you mention.

Was that a 333 cubic inch engine ? It was so long ago and I really only got a quick look at the dyno sheet.
Great looking engine though.

Bruce.

From a slightly later era but it is Chev powered.

Jack Nazer's Vauxhall Victor. What was its "pet name".

Lady Victorious

Miss Victorious

Originally posted by thunder427
Ron B; you trying to tell us ,you had a 'Ghost' of a chance ,getting your money back !!!!!........regards427

ha ha,no I could never remember the name of the owner although he did race on the western Springs Dirt with a Nash engined car. Kaspars were a real cowboy operation which sold engines way below anyone else's prices but you took a real chance buying one.
He told me that he would buy up unused import license quota's and use them to import engines from the USA,which was damn difficult in those days.
He would dump the engines into 44 gal drums full of waste oil and extra parts like gear levers etc and they would be imported as 'bolts of cloth' or 'medical sundries' . Customs never bothered to look real close,they were too busy trying to catch one Terry Clarke in those days. I bought a 283 off him which turned out to be a 365/327 minus it's intake but with a set of rings and bearings and valve job it became a strong runner.
One time I went to buy another engine from him,they operated out of an old house.. and in what was the lounge,a guy was sitting on a sofa with the open fire burning fitting rings for a Small block ford..all very cosy.

Milan, didn't the Jack Nazer's Cortina run a 'Mclaren' tuned F5000/engine????????, (not to be mixed up with 'Bruce's lot ) were they not based in 'Sunny' California,I sort of remember that car being 'super' reliable.............regards427

Originally posted by thunder427
Milan, didn't the Jack Nazer's Cortina run a 'Mclaren' tuned F5000/engine????????, (not to be mixed up with 'Bruce's lot ) were they not based in 'Sunny' California,I sort of remember that car being 'super' reliable.............regards427

It was a Vauxhall Victor, hence the nick name, and I am pretty sure the engine from the US was 6 litre

It was a 355 inch McLaren built engine (McLaren were based in Livonia, Michigan) and cost Jack $6373, minus intake and ignition.
McLaren dyno'd it with a Vertex and Lucas/McKay intake to get 540 bhp.

Source, NZ Classic Car Mag.

Dallas84...........Vauxhall Victor,your so right!!, being a 'South Pacific Pom' (New Zealander!!),now living in Melbourne/Australia. I knew this, I used to detail them when I worked for the 'Farmers Car Sales',in Christchurch,I think Ive been in Australia toooooooo long.......they used Cortina's here for 'Sports Sedans', hence the 'Boo Boo !!!!!.........sorta look the same ??!!...................regards427

A couple more from wenoopy's collection...

The Morrari, photographed at Pukekohe in 1965


...complete with its original Borrani wheels

A Stewart Quertier photo of Neil Doyle’s Anglia-Corvette at Waimate in 1966

Edited by David McKinney, 13 May 2009 - 08:57.