The Corvette Grand Sport must surely be one of the most exciting “footnotes” in the history of sports cars. As many enthusiasts likely know, only 5 of the real thing were built, but there are many reproductions out there, some so carefully built that only a real expert could tell them from one of those five. And that’s a tall order, considering how different the Grand Sport actually was from the regular production car!
Being a big fan of this body I, I keep buying them. I already have 3 in my numbered sports car fleet and I’ve just added a 4th, this black one with the white stripe. I’m still looking for the red one, but I came across this one at a good price and wasn’t going to pass it up since it was still its original jewel case. Unfortunately it has a pre-printed racing number, and since the blue one wears its “stock” number 2, this one had to be renumbered with an “UltraCal” to a number that hasn’t been used, so it was graced with #54. It was also graced with one of the sets of the “TA” wheels from Road Race Replicas, which up until very recently were unavailable, and the only set I had ever heretofore obtained were the yellow painted ones that wound up on my green Alfa Romeo. I thought I would try them on this car and, BOOM, did they look good! Those wheels got wrapped in RRR low-profile silicone tires. It came out great, better than I’d hoped, and mounted on a brand-spankin’ new Ultra G chassis it runs as good as it looks!
This wicked black Chevy bears the name “Overlord”, a name as intimidating as its looks, and is owned and operated by one “Jolly” Roger Jacoby, a San Diego native who’s good nature off the track belies an intense demeanor on the track. Being one of those few, carefully custom built recreations of the real thing, this ‘Vette does not have the real Grand Sport’s aluminum frame but it has been lightened with realistic touches including plexiglass rear and side windows and a stripped red and black interior, and the engine is as close to the original custom made 327 as anyone could realistically get, including the Weber carbs. This drives through a Getrag 5-speed box, a modern touch, to a locked rear axle just like the original car had; very unpleasant to drive on the street, but it isn’t usually, being trailered to the track and back as Jacoby, a very successful malter and brewmaster when not racing cars, has the means to do. It’s a good thing: something like this on the street would terrify the local populace, but at the track the crowd is going to go wild! Jacoby is currently in qualifying as a new entrant, and will be participating in the first races of the 1985 season!
Yet again and another great addition and the decals that you use look great!!!