Features Corvette hot rods - picture thread

Bruce, Ron Reader owned the car and told me he drove it on Woodward but received so many tickets by 1963 he turned it into a track car. He ran both 389 and 421s built by George DeLorean. Ron told me that the camshafts were pretty radical and did not last long but ran strong when they lasted. I asked George one time about the car but he told me he did not remember too much about the car and if Ron told me something about the car he was probably correct. Ron always ran 4 speeds. Ron told me he did drive the car a few times but his go to driver was Dan Elkins. When Ron Reader registered the car for the 65 Nationals Ron was listed as driver but I think Danny handled most of the driving chores. As you probably know Danny was killed a couple of years later (1967) at Ubly Dragway driving his "Chevy Also" Chevy II during an exhibition run. The Chevy II was super quick and I have read it ran in the 9s.

After 65, the car was painted black and a stack 427 Chevy engine was installed and had two principal drivers, Bob Schaeffer and Dave Kanners. I worked in 1972 at a gas station (owned by Jack Fruehauf) while I was a senior in college and Kanners was a good friend of the owner's son, also named Dave. I talked to Dave Kanners about the car (he was running a black Camaro at the time as part of a four car team). I asked Dave if he knew where the car was and he said he would ask around but it went nowhere. Kanners was a character IMO. Ron Reader told me Dave was a great driver but Bob Schaeffer followed directions better.

Butch Elkins who was great with cylinder heads (and later with Dart) helped build Ron's cars and he was mostly responsible for the blue 62 Midwest 1962 Vette powered by a 336. Ron told me that was one of the earliest cars with a Watts linkage, which Butch designed. The car had a 25% setback though and Ron told me it was a handful at times and about 3/4s down the track it would turn left. Both Butch and Al Maynard drove the car. One year when I was checking in at Autorama with my black 62, Maynard who was a regular at Autorama told me that he drove a 62 Vette and he was surprised when I told him, Yea I know-it was the blue car. He told me the car was a real handful.

As you probably know the ex-Pontiac powered 57 was sold at the end of the 67 season to George Foltz and the car was renamed Pron***o with Roger Davenport driving. It won Indy in 69 in B/G. I believe the car also won Indy under Ron Reader in 66 but I cannot confirm it. The entry blank for Indy shows the 57 Vette with Bob Schaeffer driving and Schaeffer won cl*** but the articles I have read said Schaeffer was driving a 66 Vette. Ron seemed to remember it was the 57 and said the articles may have been incorrect but I wish I could confirm it for sure.

If I had to pick one of my favorites to watch it would be the black 57 Midwest/Pron***o Vette from 67 through 69. I remember one time at Milan in 1968 when the stack injected 427 Corvette we were running ("King Rat") would possibly have to race Kanners in Pron***o. Pron***o was then owned by Foltz (with a torqueflite then-without the hardtop) and Roger was his go to driver but for some reason he put Kanners behind the wheel. I was standing at the fence with my buddy Tim (who drove "King Rat") watching Kanners make a test p*** and Kanners stood the car on its wheels twice and still ran a 10.60. We both kind of said said "Wow". Tim ran him that day early and we were eliminated. Good memories for sure.

Prontio was later painted yellow, a hardtop was re-installed and a clutch flite was added. That is it in the staging lanes a couple of posts up.

Here is a pic of the 57 when it ran the Pontiacs.

 

I have a new entry on my bucket list, I want to come up to Minnesota and go eat at that joint with you!

 

What's the story behind your vette? Did you build that car? How long have you had it? Etc...

 

Hell yes its cool. I admire you and @scotty t for the way you personalized your corvettes. Most corvette people I know wouldn't have the nutsack to do it. Stock ****s on every car in my opinion.

 

It was fun cutting the hole in the hood! Dad told me he would haunt me if i restored it He meant it...

 

Ya gotta admit, there probably wasn't many guys like your dad, that had a hitch and pulled a camper with their Corvette! I'd say he was one helluva guy man.

 

Now that's a hot rod, bet it was more fun than the scrambler ride at the carnival.

 

Location Savannah - South Butler, NY__ spectator my older brother Walt aka "Vice Grips" was a member of the Dragin' Derby hot rod club which had an NHRA charter. Look Ma, no Guard rails!

 

Pretty radical front end treatment on the 58-60.

 

Marv Ripes & John Dianna ?

 

grumpy,on the make...