Features Corvette hot rods - picture thread

1962 Winternationals
Heads up Street Eliminator finals

Earl Wade in Mike Lenke's black 62 A/SP Corvette puts a hole shot on KS Pittman in the Pittman Edwards Olds powered C/GS 41 Willys. Earl held the lead all the way to win Street Eliminator, a great win for a stock fuel injected Corvette.

 

@bertbrown, that is a great picture and some interesting history. The car was an impressive performer I bet that KS was surprised. Thanks for sharing

 

I was wondering how that Corvette beat a C/GS Willys. Love it.

 

In 62 the record for C/GS was around 11.90 to 12.10. I recall Vinnie Tarentolas Willys was running in the mid 12s with the Buick engine. I forget what the rules were but I believe 9#/cu. in. for C/GS. I'm a little foggy on the exact specs and time but it is and was conceivable for the 327 corvette to beat the Willys.

Pat

 

Bert I believe that is one of the real highlights of Corvette drag racing. I am amazed that with the pie crusts and no track prep that Wade could pull such a holeshot and run low 12s. He had run mid 12s to get to the Street eliminator run but apparently upped his game with the tune. For a "stock" Corvette to run low 12s in 62 is really amazing to me. Mickey Thompson drove a 360 hp 62 Vette in a magazine test and ran high 13s and that was a record for small block (of any of the big three) magazine testing that I believe lasted for a decade. To run low 12s was bookin.

 

Earl Wade was not merely a tuner. In addition, he was a skilled driver and, most importantly, he obviously understood the mental elements of the art of drag racing. He had kept his ET potential in the bag all weekend in anticipation of turning it loose at an opportune moment. I would guess that K.S. had read the same magazine article that Jim referenced above and made an erroneous assumption. Racing a "sandbagger" is always tricky business but it's, likewise, at the heart of the "Eliminator" racing format.

 

I like the name on the building!!!

 

Lol me too

 

Best factory exhaust system. Ever.

 

Jason would have loved to see that car run. Carol Yenter used nitro for awhile I believe.

 

Edgewater

 

Anybody recognize this Corvette that was racing against Bruce Larson’s Cobra
At the winter nationals?

 

Dave that was Fred Cattaneo from northern California. He ran the car earlier painted white with a 327 in B/MP (according to what he said). Notice the same number on the door. According to a statement made by Fred he said he later painted the car purple and ran in B/G with an injected 427, although your picture shows he was still running B/MP.

 

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Car ran at Edgewater near Cincinnati.

 

Looks like Moroso in the far lane opposite the midyear.

 

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