1966 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Tribute in Ft Worth, Texas

This 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Tribute offers a rare chance to own an outstanding and ultra-capable performance car, that's only been lightly driven and whose automotive inspiration was piloted to great results in competition by the likes of racing icons A.J Foyt and Roger Penske.

Starting with a real 1966 Corvette as a donor vehicle, this Grand Sport has the stripped-down look of a predator. The paint is the correct shade of Penske Blue to accurately recall the greatest Corvette racer in history. Obviously having benefited from a garage-bound, sheltered life, this car cuts a fine presence, offering up a deep shine from front to back and showing good rubber seals and clear glass. Grand Sports were the result of a very specific plan: take a traditional Corvette and pare off anything that didn't contribute to speed or safety, in order to create a worthy opponent for the rival Shelby Cobra -which was then wreaking havoc on the racing circuit. The result was a lean racer that tipped the scales at under 2,000 lbs. This faithful and well-crafted Grand Sport II conversion by Mid-America Industries is a charismatic-looking performance car in its own right, and those performance-based modifications yielded obvious dividends. The prominent scoops on the hood and front fenders, as well as the perforations on the rear fenders and back panel, certainly give this car a unique look, but it's one that's comfortably familiar, too.

The interior reinforces the message that this is, at its essence, a true street-worthy racer, yet it's an inviting driver's environment, as well. The black leather buckets are only lightly used, and you can feel a sense of intoxication as you picture yourself climbing behind the wheel and checking out the assortment of Auto Meter Phantom Gauges set inside the brushed aluminum backdrop in front of you. There's a surprising amount of legroom built in here, and with the tilt column and well-positioned seats, it's easy to find a comfortable driving position that won't leave you with your knees straddling that custom Corvette steering wheel. The compact trunk area in back has a new look, lined in black carpeting and showing no wear to speak of.

The drivetrain in this lightweight performer is configured for grin-inducing performance. A fuel-injected 5.7 liter LS1 V8 sits under the scooped hood, churning out 345 horsepower and 350 lb/ft. of torque - a lot of power for a car this light. Starting right up and idling smoothly, the engine emits a great throaty tone that reverberates out of the chrome side pipes. It's bolted to a 4L60E 4-speed transmission, whose unusually short first gear ratio combines with overdrive to provide versatile performance at all driving speeds. MAI employed a sturdy tubular steel frame, which is well integrated into its surroundings, revealing itself just enough to convey a sense of safety and confidence with the help of aluminum upper/lower control arms, aluminum front spindles, adjustable Koni shocks, modified front/rear sway bars and the monoleaf composite spring Corvettes are known for. Stopping power comes from 4 way power disc brakes which bring this car to a standstill in virtually nothing flat. This one comes with a set of optional 17" Halibrand Knock-Off Spinner wheels, outfitted with Goodyear Eagle radials - 275s in front and asphalt-grabbing 315s in back.

Coming complete with build receipts and photos, if you like the idea of a race car for the street, especially a historical one, this Corvette will simply blow you away. Call today!