11 replies to this topic

[group7]

I know that these cars have been discussed in different threads here in the past. I've found photos of the restored cars on the internet. two are now red, and one is blue, are these the original colour schemes ?

 

they were built for Jim Hall, Gary Laughlin & Carroll Shelby.

 

I'm given to understand that the car for Jim Hall was an automatic ? as was one other, the third car being a standard. is this information correct ?

can any one tell me which one of them was Hall's car ? 

 

two cars had different style vents in the front fenders, one did not have vents. at least this is what I see on the cars now.

 

I expect Jerry Entin will be the first in with a detailed answer.

 

thanks, Michael, in Canada

[Felix]

In Dave Friedman's Chaparral Can-Am & Prototype Race Cars the Corvettes appear variously, in one (B&W) pic taken at 1963 Nassau Speedweek the #65 car of Hall appears to be metallic blue, while his 1964 Sebring 12 Hour car was white. 1964 Road America entry (#67) for Hall, Sharp and Penske is white - but the drivers are said to have "jumped from one car to the other" - and at the 1964 Speedweek Penske again drove a white car, #82. All cars whose front fenders are visible in the book have two vents behind the front wheels, and nothing is mentioned about automatic.

 

None of this means, of course, that one or other car was (or not) red at some stage, or that auto trannies were (not) used.  

[group7]

Felix, thank you for your reply, you are referring to the Gran Sport Corvettes, one of which Jim Hall drove.

 

I'm looking for information on the the Scaglietti cars, one bodied in Italy and the other two bodied in America. they were based on production 1959 Corvette chassis.

 

some information in the link.

 

http://www.conceptca...etti-coupe.aspx

[Jerry Entin]

Oil man and Ferrari racer Gary Laughlin of Fort Worth was responsible for the concept of those cars and for bankrolling their production. Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby agreed to buy one of the first [and only] batch of three built.

Laughlin's had a manual transmission, the other two came with an automatic. Laughlin was disappointed with the end result, especially the construction quality, and sold his car almost immediately. Hall kept his for years, but hardly used it. As usual in those days, Shelby was short of cash and never took possession of the third one, which was then sold by Laughlin to a Texas doctor.

Shelby's only involvement in the project was using his connections with GM to secure three rolling chassis from the St. Louis production line for Laughlin.

As told by Gary Laughlin to Willem Oosthoek

[fbarrett]

I believe that one of the cars was restored by Chuck Brahms in California. There's lots of info here: http://www.welovecoo...glietti-bodied/

 

Frank

Edited by fbarrett, 17 January 2017 - 23:50.

[group7]

thanks Jerry for the informative answer.

 

thanks Frank, for the "we love cool cars" article, plus the link there to the Stevens piece.

 

there is a lot of conflicting information about these cars on the net, so I'm still not 100% sure which car was Jim Hall's ? I need to sift through it all again.

 

Michael

[arttidesco]

I understand the red Scaglietti Corvette with the manual transmission currently belongs to the Peterson Museum, all three appear to have subtle differences regarding bonnet scoops, radiator intake decoration and bumpers / over riders.

[D28]

OK after much searching I have found the article in Sports Car International Apr/May 1999 by Richard Prince on the Scaglietti Corvettes. If you could access this it would help you out a lot.

 

Prince's information states that 2 of the chassis were equipped with 315 hp fuel-injected engines, four speed transmissions, Cerametallix brake linings and Positraction. The third was equipped with a detuned 230 hp engine with Powerglide; this is the car that ended up with Jim Hall. Hall used it very sparingly and sold it on to team photographer Donald Weeks.

 

Differences in appearances existed with the 3rd car having front fender louvers, a hood scoop and egg crate grill; the others had modified Corvette type grills. This 3rd car was one of the high performance ones. 

 

2 of the cars  are photoed for the story, both red but there is no information on the original paint.

 

The alloy body saved about 400 lb and in conjunction with the hot engine the car was very fast. However, Laughlin said the handling was practically lethal. While this could have  been readily corrected with local mods and tweaking, he was reluctant to spend even more on an expensive project and the car was sold off.

 

As you say, some differing info appears on the net. However this article is well researched with both Gary Laughlin and Sergio Scaglietti interviewed for the story. I would tend to go along with this account. It is well worth checking out if you can. Thanks for bringing this up again, they are great looking rides.

Edited by D28, 19 January 2017 - 13:48.

[Lee Nicolle]

OK after much searching I have found the article in Sports Car International Apr/May 1999 by Richard Prince on the Scaglietti Corvettes. If you could access this it would help you out a lot.

 

Prince's information states that 2 of the chassis were equipped with 315 hp fuel-injected engines, four speed transmissions, Cerametallix brake linings and Positraction. The third was equipped with a detuned 230 hp engine with Powerglide; this is the car that ended up with Jim Hall. Hall used it very sparingly and sold it on to team photographer Donald Weeks.

 

Differences in appearances existed with the 3rd car having front fender louvers, a hood scoop and egg crate grill; the others had modified Corvette type grills. This 3rd car was one of the high performance ones. 

 

2 of the cars  are photoed for the story, both red but there is no information on the original paint.

 

As you say, some differing info appears on the net. However this article is well researched with both Gary Laughlin and Sergio Scaglietti interviewed for the story. I would tend to go along with this account. It is well worth checking out if you can. Good luck. And thanks for bringing this up again, they are great looking rides.

A base 283 and powerglide does not seem a great combo. Jim got left out!

The car pictured belonging to Petersons looks really good and had the potential of very good performance.

[Jerry Entin]

One or two automatics among the Scaglietti Corvettes? When I talked to Gary Laughlin on the subject some six years ago, he mentioned two automatics. However, his advanced age [he is 93 now] may have had something to do with it.

I posed the question to some people of the Fort Worth in-crowd at the time and this is what Willis Murphey just replied:

" Yes, I remember seeing the car at Burney Russell's backyard shop. Not sure if it was a 4-speed or automatic, must have been 1960-1962. Silver, as I recall, 283 cid. I think Burney was hooking up the instruments, real bare bone interior. Ferrari looking body, like a LWB Berlinetta with covered headlights. I don't think that Laughlin kept it very long"

Burney Russell was Laughlin's long-time race mechanic.

All research: Willem Oosthoek

[Sisyphus]

The red version mentioned in post 7 is in the Peterson Museum basement vault collection.  I saw it last year when I took the tour.  And there is some info on the https://petersen.org website.  They mention a Roy Cherryholmes as being one of the collaborators on the project--didn't see his name in the above.

 

A really beautiful car--too bad the performance was poor.

 

By the way, the Petersen is having a special exhibit of Gurney's Eagles opening Jan 28 to the public.  Not sure which cars will be on display except the first and last Indy cars and at least one of the F1 cars.

Edited by Sisyphus, 19 January 2017 - 20:47.

[Jerry Entin]

Roy Cherryhomes was a Wichita Falls, Texas, rancher with oil interests. He was a Allard and Ferrari and OSCA team owner, and occasional driver, in the fifties. But apart from the fact that Burney Russell was his mechanic at the time, I have never seen any connection of Cherryhomes to Laughlin's Scaglietti Corvette program.

All research: Willem Oosthoek