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Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 26th 12, 02:24 PM posted to alt.autos.corvette
MummyChunk
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Posts: 174
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered

From AB



Iconic Race Car to be Unveiled at Corvettes at Carlisle

Whereabouts Unknown for more than 50 Years - See Automotive History on
Display

Thursday, August 02, 2012

When Chip Miller co-founded Carlisle Events in 1974 and launched
Corvettes at Carlisle in 1982, his heart and mind overflowed with his
love of family, love of work and love of the Corvette. In a 2011 film
by Michael Brown called "The Quest," Miller's pursuit of an
historic racing Corvette from the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance Race
was well chronicled. Also told within Miller's story was that of a
trio of cars commissioned to race by American entrepreneur and
sportsman Briggs Cunningham. Miller found his historic racer, the #3
Cunningham car, and it now resides in Carlisle, Pennsylvania as part
of the Miller family's private collection. The #2 car, after multiple
owners and a drop off the radar for nearly 20 years, is part of a
collection owned by Bruce Meyer in California. The #1 car, which also
raced at Le Mans at 1960, was, within two years of the race,
lost...until now!

Lance Miller, Corvettes at Carlisle, Kevin Mackay, Corvette Repair
Inc. and Larry Berman of BriggsCunningham.com are excited to announce
that the #1 Cunningham Corvette has been found and will be available
to be seen for the first time in over 50 years as part of the 2012
Corvettes at Carlisle event. The car will first be unveiled to a
limited audience Thursday night, August 23 at 7 p.m. just off grounds
and will then be on stage all weekend long where enthusiasts and event
attendees can revel in this piece of automotive history.

Discovered in the St. Petersburg area of Florida, the #1 Cunningham
Corvette was the last of the three Cunningham cars to be located. How
the car was found, however, is a unique story. Though the search was
on for many years, the trail always turned cold. Finally, in June of
2012 the heat was on as the car owner actually researched its VIN
number online, which led him to the BriggsCunningham.com website. At
that point, site representative Larry Berman called and then emailed
Miller, a friend of his and owner of the 1960 #3 Cunningham Corvette,
to inform him of the lead. From there, conversations took place with
the owner of the #1 car and many of the details from that call fit
aspects that had been researched prior. Through multiple phone calls,
many questions and even a site visit by the car's current owner, buyer
and seller became friendly and within a month, the sale was complete.

Since Sunday July 22, 2012 when the initial payment request was made
until now, the car has traveled from Florida to the northeast where it
will reside for the foreseeable future. Not only will it be on display
at Carlisle in "as found" condition later this month, it
will also go through a vigorous restoration process, which may take
upwards of two years. Throughout restoration, it's expected that the
car will annually return to Carlisle so that enthusiasts can track its
progress. Further, Miller hopes that he can work with Loren Lundberg,
owner of #4 Camoradi Corvette and Bruce Meyer, owner of the #2
Corvette as well as the new owner of the #1 racer for a reunion of the
three Cunningham cars. If that feat were to be accomplished, it would
be the first time since approximately 1960 that all four racing
Corvettes were together in the same place at the same time.

Finally, as part of the grand unveiling, Miller and Mackay will share
the full story of how the car was found, who owns it and what all went
into the acquisition of it. These details and more will be told in
grand fashion Friday, August 24, 2012 on stage during Corvettes at
Carlisle.

Ads
  #2  
Old September 26th 12, 03:50 PM posted to alt.autos.corvette
Dad[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,100
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered


"MummyChunk" > wrote in
message ...
> From AB
>
>
>
> Iconic Race Car to be Unveiled at Corvettes at Carlisle
>

Old news snipped
> Finally, as part of the grand unveiling, Miller and Mackay will
> share
> the full story of how the car was found, who owns it and what all
> went
> into the acquisition of it. These details and more will be told in
> grand fashion Friday, August 24, 2012 on stage during Corvettes at
> Carlisle.
>

When this unavailing was to take place an owner with a Florida title
came forward and claimed the car. It then was removed by one of the
claiming parties and is now at an unknown location. Now the lawyers
will share the prize.

"A Florida businessman, Dan Mathis Jr., filed both a stolen-vehicle
report and a lawsuit against Carlisle Events co-owner Lance Miller and
others, claiming that he is the rightful owner of the famous car.
Mr. Miller filed a countersuit in Cumberland County Court in Central
Pennsylvania. Both suits were filed last month."


Read mo
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...s-race-654663/

  #3  
Old September 28th 12, 02:20 AM posted to alt.autos.corvette
uncle_vito
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 245
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered


"Dad" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "MummyChunk" > wrote in message
> ...
>> From AB
>>
>>
>>
>> Iconic Race Car to be Unveiled at Corvettes at Carlisle
>>

> Old news snipped
>> Finally, as part of the grand unveiling, Miller and Mackay will share
>> the full story of how the car was found, who owns it and what all went
>> into the acquisition of it. These details and more will be told in
>> grand fashion Friday, August 24, 2012 on stage during Corvettes at
>> Carlisle.
>>

> When this unavailing was to take place an owner with a Florida title came
> forward and claimed the car. It then was removed by one of the claiming
> parties and is now at an unknown location. Now the lawyers will share the
> prize.
>
> "A Florida businessman, Dan Mathis Jr., filed both a stolen-vehicle report
> and a lawsuit against Carlisle Events co-owner Lance Miller and others,
> claiming that he is the rightful owner of the famous car.
> Mr. Miller filed a countersuit in Cumberland County Court in Central
> Pennsylvania. Both suits were filed last month."
>
>
> Read mo
> http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...s-race-654663/
>


They will likely over restore it too. They should keep it as found. Just
clean the dirt and dust off.


  #4  
Old September 28th 12, 04:36 AM posted to alt.autos.corvette
Dad[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,100
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered


"uncle_vito" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dad" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>

Snip
>>
>> Read mo
>> http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...s-race-654663/
>>

>
> They will likely over restore it too. They should keep it as found.
> Just clean the dirt and dust off.
>

Have you seen it? It is not the configuration it was when raced. It
was put back to stock form and sold to the public and lived a very
hard life. It was so bedraggled that it was just another Corvette
being raced on weekends. The only thing that is left of importance is
the serial number that identifies it as the Cunningham car. It would
not be like cleaning the mud from Sophia Loren after a mud wrestling
event and she would look terrific again.

  #5  
Old September 28th 12, 09:50 PM posted to alt.autos.corvette
uncle_vito
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 245
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered


"Dad" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "uncle_vito" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Dad" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>>

> Snip
>>>
>>> Read mo
>>> http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...s-race-654663/
>>>

>>
>> They will likely over restore it too. They should keep it as found. Just
>> clean the dirt and dust off.
>>

> Have you seen it? It is not the configuration it was when raced. It was
> put back to stock form and sold to the public and lived a very hard life.
> It was so bedraggled that it was just another Corvette being raced on
> weekends. The only thing that is left of importance is the serial number
> that identifies it as the Cunningham car. It would not be like cleaning
> the mud from Sophia Loren after a mud wrestling event and she would look
> terrific again.


Thanks for filling me in. I hope some of the fiberglass is the same as well
as the chassis, otherwise they could just move that serial number to another
car. Putting the racing paint and the racing parts back on would be good
too. Seems it would be impossible to have matching number anything.
Matching diff, trans, engine, alternator, carb are long gone, although all
these were likely replaced by Cunningham for racing, anyway. The car would
definitely be worth a million, but not on the same terms as a matching
number car.


  #6  
Old September 28th 12, 10:05 PM posted to alt.autos.corvette
Dad[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,100
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered


"uncle_vito" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dad" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>
>> "uncle_vito" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Dad" > wrote in message
>>> .. .
>>>>

>> Snip
>>>>
>>>> Read mo
>>>> http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...s-race-654663/
>>>>
>>>
>>> They will likely over restore it too. They should keep it as
>>> found. Just clean the dirt and dust off.
>>>

>> Have you seen it? It is not the configuration it was when raced. It
>> was put back to stock form and sold to the public and lived a very
>> hard life. It was so bedraggled that it was just another Corvette
>> being raced on weekends. The only thing that is left of importance
>> is the serial number that identifies it as the Cunningham car. It
>> would not be like cleaning the mud from Sophia Loren after a mud
>> wrestling event and she would look terrific again.

>
> Thanks for filling me in. I hope some of the fiberglass is the same
> as well as the chassis, otherwise they could just move that serial
> number to another car. Putting the racing paint and the racing
> parts back on would be good too. Seems it would be impossible to
> have matching number anything. Matching diff, trans, engine,
> alternator, carb are long gone, although all these were likely
> replaced by Cunningham for racing, anyway. The car would
> definitely be worth a million, but not on the same terms as a
> matching number car.

Most likely they will be able to save the frame with the header frame.
No way will they move the numbers only. Most, if not all, fiberglass
panels could have been damaged during its racing days and will be
replaced.

Guess what, when you race a car like that you will lose an engine,
transmissions, rear ends, and most other parts that are hung on like
the generator, alternators were still 3 years away. It will become a
matching numbers car as it was raced or it won't be worth the price
they paid for it. There is a place within 30 miles of me that will
supply you an engine and transmission setup to match any date and size
engine you want to puke out the bucks for, and it will be large.

  #7  
Old September 29th 12, 05:16 AM posted to alt.autos.corvette
uncle_vito
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 245
Default Final missing Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Corvette discovered


>> alternator, carb are long gone, although all these were likely
>> replaced by Cunningham for racing, anyway. The car would definitely be
>> worth a million, but not on the same terms as a matching number car.

> Most likely they will be able to save the frame with the header frame. No
> way will they move the numbers only. Most, if not all, fiberglass panels
> could have been damaged during its racing days and will be replaced.
>
> Guess what, when you race a car like that you will lose an engine,
> transmissions, rear ends, and most other parts that are hung on like the
> generator, alternators were still 3 years away. It will become a matching
> numbers car as it was raced or it won't be worth the price they paid for
> it. There is a place within 30 miles of me that will supply you an engine
> and transmission setup to match any date and size engine you want to puke
> out the bucks for, and it will be large.


I know you can buy matching number parts, but according to NCRS rules, you
have to say that although the numbers match, the components are not
original.

I have a short block for my 64 with correct casting date and number stamping
on my garage floor. Not original, but purchased like you mentioned.

I do not understand how they could get matching numbers as raced. I do not
think anyone recorded the component numbers with the race parts in them.
Perhaps for the engine, the pad would be blank since it was never in a new
car. Other parts do not have serial numbers but need to correctly dated.
They can get that too. So the car could be 'matching numbers' as close to
correct as possible.


 




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