Vintage 1963 Corvette Race Car Found After Being Parked for 44 Years!
The world is full of undiscovered treasures. Some people use metal detectors to dig up lost wonders, and others hunt garage sales for that pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow. Gearheads, however, search the classifieds for their automotive lost treasure. This is that story, but this time around it wasn't the high-tech interwebs, it was a printed ad in a small-time newspaper. Yep, those still exist.
As Todd Evans explained, "I was browsing a little-known local newspaper that serves the High Desert areas of California and the Lake Havasu, Arizona, area on a Sunday evening when I ran across the ad. 'CAR COLLECTION FOR SALE: 1963 Corvette cpe, 4 sp, SCCA race car w/spares.' That was it, a small text ad with no pictures in a little newspaper. The ad had a few other cars listed, a trailer, and two motorhomes that I didn't even pay attention to. However, it did have a phone number, which, in today's online advertising world, where people refuse to even talk to you unless it is via text or email, was like gold to me. Unfortunately, the ad said not to call after 9 p.m. It was 9:30, but there was no chance I could wait until morning. I would have gone clinically insane."
Evans continued: "I called, and a great old guy named John Lloyd answered, laughing after I apologized at least five times for calling past his 9 p.m. deadline. John began to tell me the story of his Corvette that he had purchased as a stock split-window back in 1968, before turning it into his dream racecar in the early 1970s. Honestly, I'm not even entirely sure I heard what he said during most of the conversation. My mind was racing so fast it kind of reminded me of having a chat with Charlie Brown's teacher. He said it had big flares, big turbine wheels, big-block hood, side pipes, and a 'cage. He knew a lot of people wouldn't like all of those things, but I assured him, in the calmest voice that I could muster, that I loved all of them. He's telling me all of this and I still haven't even seen a picture of it yet! I was crushed when he proceeded to tell me he already had a deposit on the car!"
"John had raced it extensively throughout California in the '70s, and Riverside Raceway was his home track. He owned Rialto Wheel & Tire at the time and was a weekend warrior, as opposed to being a big-dollar, sponsored racer. He had some success, won some races, and had a blast with all of his buddies, racing every chance that he got. He finally retired the car in 1978 and switched to a much lighter tube-chassis Camaro, along with taking care of his now growing family. He parked the car in his friend's yard outside his garage after the last race that day and it never moved again for 44 years," recalled Evans.
"Back to the phone conversation—it was now about 10:30 at night and I offered to come out immediately. I would bring cash and a trailer, but it would have put me in Riverside around midnight. I didn't care. I wanted it. After much convincing (also known as begging), John said I could come out first thing in the morning to look at the car in case the guy that had put a deposit on the car backed out. No problem. I'll be there. Remember waiting on Christmas morning as a kid before you got to open your presents? That's what the rest of my Sunday night and Monday morning turned out to be."
"My good buddy Ken from Moreland Choppers and Hot Rods and I loaded up the trailer while it was still dark the next morning and met John at a coffee shop in Temecula. He wanted to sit down and find out who I was before we would even go see the car, which I completely understood. After shooting the breeze for about an hour, my Christmas came even earlier than I expected. John said the guy that supposedly had given him a deposit was a friend of a friend of an acquaintance, who knew about the car from years ago. Turns out, he had been saying he would send a deposit for over a month and hadn't done anything. John was ready to move on and I was even more ready!"
Evans recalled to HOT ROD, "We arrived to see the car out in Riverside, and the Corvette was so much cooler than we ever could have imagined. Aside from fading on some of the paint, it was just as it had been that day when he parked it almost 50 years ago. The interior, while obviously dirty, was like a time capsule, right down to the melt-in-the-sun, annoyingly sticky early-'70s SS steering wheel. I didn't want to negotiate. I didn't want to haggle. I had already told John numerous times that I would pay more than his asking price if he just let me buy the Corvette. John isn't that guy, and said if I wanted the car, I could have it for the original asking price.
After digging the Corvette out from its resting place and finding, surprisingly, that the Firestones all held air, we winched it up onto the trailer with huge smiles on our faces. I think the common phrases on the drive home consisted of a lot of 'I can't believe that just happened.' We were given a bunch of old pictures of the car back in its heyday, even some in its former red-white-and-blue paint scheme. John being the guy that he is, he even threw in the rat poop, mice nests, and raccoon skulls for free!"
So, what's next for this rescued vintage racer? Well, cleaning will be kept to a minimum, but Evans will be removing the critters, rat droppings, and bones from the interior and engine bay. As for the rest Evans told us, "I've never done much road course racing, so I would leave it just like it sits and make a nasty street car out of it. It still has the original VIN and title so it could be registered. We have a Hilborn-injected small-block sitting here in the shop begging to be put in something anyhow. It would be impossible to not love a streetcar that looks like it belongs in one of the best movies of all time, The Gumball Rally." Sounds like a solid plan to us, and we asked him to let us know when the vintage Corvette racer is back on the road! -Photos By Todd Evans
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Mecum is auctioning a rare 1942 Harley-Davidson XA military motorcycle from World War II that boasts many early engineering firsts in the company's long history. Developed after the U.S. and its allies came up against superior BMW motorcycles during the war, it aimed to beat the Nazis at their own game. Now one newly restored example can be yours.The XA was an attempt to overcome the Nazis' all-terrain superiority, particularly in North Africa, and to address issue that American bikes had involving chains in rough terrain. Harley landed on a shaft drive setup, solving that problem. And the most expedient way to engineer a shaft-drive bike was to reverse-engineer an existing one, like the excellent overhead-cam BMW R75M used by the enemy. Perhaps unable to get its hands on an R75M, the XA copied the civilian flathead R71, which wasn't quite as well-optimized for the task.Despite being a copycat, be reassured that the XA is still a true Harley-Davidson. Around 1,000 XAs were built in Milwaukee for the U.S. Army during the war, according to the Mecum, and it resulted in many production firsts for the company. It is claimed to be Harley-Davidson's first shaft-drive, four-speed, foot-shift and hand-clutch motorcycle, and also the first equipped with two carburetors. The motor's opposed cylinders were positioned "across the frame" for improved cooling in the wind compared to Harley's longitudinal V-twin designs of the time. It was also the first Harley to feature a rear-suspension plunger, and had a top speed of over 60 MPH back in 1942. The XA Type II (this example is a Type I) got Harley's first telescopic forks, which didn't reappear on Harley-Davidson designs again until years after the war.The XA, innovative as it was relative to Harley's native bikes, wasn't a success. Consider that Harley produced over 80,000 units of its V-twin motorcycles during the war, while the XA was only ordered for testing. Ultimately, the Army declined to order any more, and its role fell to the Jeep, far superior for general purpose tactical mobility. You may find it a little more adaptable to suit your interests, which are hopefully more peaceful.This isn't the first time this exact motorcycle has been auctioned in recent years. It appears to have previously been auctioned by Mecum in 2015, according to the matching plate numbers in both sets of images, where it failed to meet reserve at a high bid of $30,000. It was expected to go for as much as $50,000, but this time it's offered with no reserve.The restoration finished this XA with leather saddle-bags, a beautiful speedometer detail, and according to the listing, the auction lot includes a special mounted case for a period-appropriate "non-firing" Thompson sub-machine gun that is apparently included in the deal. The auction is in Vegas, in case that wasn't obvious.Whatever else this XA is, it's a newly restored WWII Harley-Davidson that's also particularly rare and interesting, and at least we know the bike should run very cool and catch plenty of attention. The lot is up for auction with no reserve until Jan. 29, according to the Mecum website.
Brace yourself. The Lincoln concept debuting at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a massive take on a future luxury electric car with a giant 14-foot reverse-hinged door—longer than some entire vehicles—and even features its own red carpet for a dramatic, royal arrival wherever it goes. Ford's luxury brand makes a grand statement with the Lincoln Model L100 Concept. The name is in celebration of Lincoln's 100th anniversary and pays homage to the automaker's first luxury vehicle, the 1922 Model L.While the name is a nod to the past, the car is very much the future of Lincoln. The brand has promised a full electric vehicle lineup, with three new EVs by 2025, a fourth in 2026, and a fully electrified portfolio by 2030. For a glimpse into what the near-term EVs will look like, Ford's luxury brand first showed us the Lincoln Star concept, an electric streamlined SUV with dynamic lighting, transparent frunk, and coach doors. The Lincoln Model L100 is the long-range preview of a world where autonomous vehicles share the road with EVs driven manually.Designing the Lincoln L100 From the Inside OutDesigners and modelers worked furiously to pull a show car together to toast the past and future simultaneously with a debut during the country's most ostentatious car event: Monterey Car Week. The five-passenger concept was designed digitally first and a foam model of the massive car grew from that. A version in sheetmetal, with the help of 3D printing, was being pulled together right up to the reveal deadline.The final show car is imposing. It is longer than a Lincoln Navigator L; the long-wheelbase SUV is 18.5 feet long. The L100 dwarfs it at more than 20 feet long and 6 ½ feet wide with more than 16 feet of interior space. Lincoln Global Design Director Kemal Curic said they built the interior first and it is the largest that Lincoln has ever created. Then came the exterior, resplendent in metallic paint paired with frosted acrylic in lieu of chrome to create a soft white that transitions to blue.In a nod to the past: the concept was designed so it can still be driven. In a nod to the future: the driver can decide to lean back, stretch out, and let the car drive completely autonomously, in theory.Step Inside and Stretch OutThe 14-foot door is a piece of art with the most complex rear hinge the automaker, or maybe any automaker, has ever attempted. Once open you can remain upright as you enter the cabin—no yoga moves required to reach the queen and king seats in the back, which can be set to lounge mode with legs out and heads resting against the huge singular headrest that spans the cavernous interior. In autonomous mode, the dash disappears under the instrument panel and occupants have an unobstructed view of what is ahead.The seating layout is designed to be social. Passengers can all face forward, or front passengers can swivel to face their rear companions. The digital floor can create a mood or experience, such as projecting the image of flying above the clouds in an attempt to take passengers back to the time of romance and travel.The car plays up all the senses in a minimalist interior. Screens are not overpowering, there is no steering wheel or column. The animal-free materials in the cabin include a recycled suede-like fabric with amethyst accents.Tap Into Your Inner Child and Steer Like A Toy CarTo steer, there is a center console chessboard with a crystal chess piece controller that replaces a traditional steering wheel. Think of how a child plays with a toy car, grabbing its sides and sliding it forward or twisting it to turn. The same motions with the chess piece direct the car. An adult from any seat can assume control—there is no set driver or passenger seat since there is no restrictive steering column to work around.The lighting projects a red carpet onto the ground, but the concept also goes beyond puddle lighting. Tracking lighting detects you and follows you, 360 degrees, as you walk around the vehicle—an artificial intelligence feature designed to make you feel both safe and special, as if it knows you.The frunk was designed to be a jewelry box and there is a heritage jewel inside: a crystal greyhound ornament under the transparent hood that harkens back to the hood ornament originally selected by Edsel Ford in the 1920s to symbolize the grace and elegance of the Lincoln brand, which the Ford Motor Company had purchased.The L100 has a modern take on the Lincoln star logo on the front of the car. It is simple and backlit, like the apple on a MacBook. This is the first use of this new adaptation and could become a signature on future models.It is only a concept, so powertrain can be fictional. Lincoln officials say the L100 would use a solid-state battery to provide greater range at less cost. The teardrop shape and long tail give it the aerodynamics needed for greater efficiency, along with closed-off wheels and air flow through the bottom of the grille.At first glance the car appears to have an extremely long hood, but it actually starts almost in front of the front wheel with a cut line rear of the hood. The rear is sliced off, with a sharp angle like the back of a super yacht. The glass roof seamlessly melds into the body at the rear.LED Lights are the New ChromeLike most EVs, the concept plays up lighting as a new brand signature. LEDs are the new chrome, Curic says. The spinning wheels have smart covers that use sensors and lighting. The digital look makes it look like the car is gliding along the road. The glowing wheels also indicate the car's rate of charge, like giant analog dials.The L100 sets the pace for the future, says Lincoln Global Product Director John Jraiche. "A lot of the form language and strategy will be in future Lincolns." He says Lincoln is not beholden to its past and is creating a new identify in the EV age. Some aspects are pure concept -the massive door won't make it to production—but the idea behind it, of the car welcoming and hugging its occupants, is an idea that will be taken forward to production models. Some of the lighting and the face of the L100 could be in the first Lincoln EVs to hit the market, Curic says.The L100 project started before the Lincoln Star concept and the two proceeded in parallel, as two takes on the future of Lincoln from different time points, with brand signifiers in both vehicles. The team does not rule out a smaller version of the L100 for production. "Lincoln has always been special to me and my family, especially my father and my grandfather. If there is one secret to Lincoln's longevity, it is the brand's ability to balance its core values with a desire to innovate and create the future," said Ford executive chair Bill Ford in a statement. "Lincoln has been one of the most enduring and stylish automotive brands in the world and in many ways, it is perfectly positioned for a second century defined by great design, zero-emissions and technology-led experiences."
Muscle car aficionados take heart: the future of electric cars from Dodge is mean, menacing, and loud. Proof: The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept which teases the production electric muscle car coming in 2024 amid promises it will beat all the performance metrics Dodge has laid down to date.Yes, the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT is powered by batteries and electric motors, but air still swooshes through chambers and pipes for a rumble very similar to the roar of a Hemi Hellcat V-8 in today's Dodge Chargers and Challengers. It is only when the electric Charger is being turned off that the final whirr reminds you it is a battery-electric car. And no melted jellybean shape here—the car is sleek, powerful, and true to Dodge muscle car DNA.The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept has been imbued with the looks and sounds that should appeal to the muscle car brotherhood customer base. The concept is Dodge's vision of its replacement for the internal combustion engine muscle cars that will soon go out of production. The last Dodge Chargers and Dodge Challengers will roll off the line at the Brampton, Ontario, plant in December 2023. Here's what it sounds like, from the live reveal on YouTube:Dodge brand CEO Tim Kuniskis says Dodge needed its own unique pathway to the EV age; the small brand would get lost if it tried to do things the same way as bigger players. To stand out and hold its own, Dodge needed to show electrification can still shock people.The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept is designed to impress and appease its loyal customer base, many of whom are fundamentally opposed to EVs and all they stand for. So, Dodge created an e-muscle car that looks mean and roars as loud as the Hellcats with supercharged Hemi V-8s that it will replace. "We believe we need the sound and experience," says Kuniskis. That is why the car has a multispeed transmission and an exhaust note, so the driver can feel and hear the crack of the exhaust while shifting.Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept is a True CoupeThe Dodge Charger Daytona SRT is a large car, and yes, this Charger is a true coupe with only two doors but with a hatch for greater utility. The concept, in Greys of Thunder dark glossy paint, has a clean design right down to the flush door handles and absence of a rear spoiler. It is muscle without being a caricature, bold yet subtle. Head of Dodge Exterior Design Scott Krugger says his team started by designing a muscle car, not an EV, with a signature face, swept profile, and turbine-style 21-inch wheels.It is also pure EV without a melted front for aerodynamics. Instead, true to the Daytona name, it has a nose cone built into it, a patented R-Wing which allows air to pass through the front of the hood and enhance downforce while keeping a blunt Dodge profile that all but hides the headlights. There are carbon fiber intakes on both sides of the front and rear fascias for an air curtain to further improve aerodynamics. The front end is patented, as is the sound, which means these are intended for production."We found a way to make a muscle car slippery," Kuniskis says.What about the Fratzog logo Dodge has been teasing us with? The triangular badge adorned Dodge muscle cars from 1962-1976 and stood for nothing in particular. It now has a purpose as the new symbol for Dodge electrification—and there are Fratzog badges all over the concept. It glows white in the center of the cross-car light bar across the front grille, red in the rear taillight, and on the center locks of the wheels.Sounds Like a Hellcat?Back to the sound. This is the industry's first exhaust system for an electric vehicle, producing a similar 126-decibel sound as the one coming from the today's Hellcat engine. Dodge calls it "Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust." When the Daytona converts electricity to power, air flows through the exhaust system and the sound produced goes through an amplifier and tuning chamber at the rear of the vehicle. You can see and feel the pressure from the exhaust coming out the back.Dodge Charger Daytona SRT's Electric BitsDodge is not revealing full specs and details yet, but we do know the high-performance SRT trim will be powered by a new 800-volt Banshee propulsion system. Lower trim models will have a 400-volt system. The screaming Banshee badge is on both sides of the car where Dodge previously put Hellcat and Demon logos on its internal combustion-powered vehicles. The Banshee name and badge will be used only for the top-performing EVs. Kuniskis refers to the concept as the Daytona Banshee.The concept has standard all-wheel drive so we know there are at least two motors, one up front and one in the back. AWD is also key to making the Daytona SRT quicker than the Hellcats that precede it, Dodge executives say.The Daytona Banshee has a multi-speed transmission with electro-mechanical shifting. Dubbed eRupt, the transmission does not deliver more power, but allows the driver to feel each shift point, Kuniskis says. The brand chief won't reveal the number of gears or provide any performance figures yet. What we do know is there will be three power levels available and customers can go to Direct Connection authorized dealers who will offer six more levels, all covered under factory warranty. All nine power levels were designed in advance, with the hardware in place for additional upgrades at the time of purchase or later.Do a PowerShotAnd all nine levels come with a new adrenaline boost: the PowerShot push-to-pass feature. Push a button on the steering wheel for an instantaneous discharge of power, delivering an extra 25 horsepower on demand, for a few seconds, enough time to blow by the car in front of you.Drivers can choose Auto, Sport, Track, and Drag drive modes which change the driving dynamics and corresponding displays, sound, and interior lighting.Dodge officials are not yet providing range figures, but Kuniskis argues Hellcat buyers don't care about fuel economy. He says both the 400- and 800-volt models will provide the range needed to be competitive. The car will use the new STLA Large platform developed by Stellantis which is capable of up to 500 miles of range, but Kuniskis says the muscle cars will not hit that figure because of the elements that have been added to it, despite the use of carbon fiber and other efforts to reduce weight. Battery sizes for vehicles using STLA Large are expected to range from 101-118 kilowatt hours.Step Inside If Your DareThe dark sinister theme continues inside the vehicle, says Jeff Gale, Dodge's chief interior designer.The most striking feature is the multicolored lighting that stretches across the dash and through the doors, which have raised gray slats that strake diagonally for a unique look, which is not easy to do. In red, the light glows like lava flowing through troughs. There are circuit-like graphics on the carbon fiber floor that work their way up the vehicle, surrounding the passengers, flowing under the seats and up to the center console and slim instrument panel.The three-spoke performance steering wheel with flat top and bottom is also illuminated with a red SRT logo in the center, paddle shifters, and the PowerShot button on one side and drive mode controls on the other. The Daytona has a pistol-grip shifter and glowing red start button hidden under a jet-fighter-inspired cap that you flip up to engage.The driver-centric cockpit has another Fratzog as the background to the 16-inch curved screen driver display. The 12.3-inch center screen is large by Dodge standards.The concept has four slim, lightweight, race-inspired bolstered seats with a perforated Fratzog pattern. Between the seats is a floating, open flow-through storage area, all lit up. The console runs to the back to serve all four passengers.The Daytona has a panoramic liftgate-style hatch and the seats fold flat to give the car more utility—you can stuff a snowboard in this muscle car.Dodge promised it would be true to its muscle car roots when it embraced the electric car age, starting in 2024. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept, which looks production ready and has patents on its key features, appears to keep that promise.
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