Vehicle Description
- Ultra rare Factory produced RPO 1625 & RPO 687 "Big Tank Big
Brake" Fuelie
- Documented SCCA B Production Race Car campaigned in 1961
season
- Race prepared by Ray Nichels for the 1961 season
- Complete Owner History
- 2001 Bloomington Gold Special Collection
- Bloomington Gold Certified
- Triple crown award
- 6 NCRS Top Flight awards
- Performance Verification
- 2x Duntov "mark of excellence" award
- Corvette Fever Magazine cover car & feature
- Bulletproof Real Tanker 1 of only 25 Produced
Ordered new with the intention to race. Charles Blanchard & racing
partner Thomas Terrell Jr purchased what we now know to be one of
the rarest 1st generation Corvettes produced at GM. Sold new by
Quality Chevrolet in Oakland Illinois and after delivery this
extremely rare factory built Tanker was sent to Nichels Engineering
in Highland Indiana for race preparation. Ray Nichels was famed
Indianapolis 500 Pole Mechanic of the year with many racing
accolades under his belt. With the season change in the midwest &
summer here the racing season has begun.
- June 18 '61 SCCA Road America at Elkhart Lake Driver Tom Terrell
Results 5th
- July 16 '61 SCCA Wilmont Hills Driver Chuck Blanchard 2 races
Results 3rd / 4th
- July 23 '61 SCCA Meadowdale Intl Raceway Driver Tom Terrell
Results 7th
- Aug 8 '61 SCCA Wilmont Hills Driver Chuck Blanchard 2 races
Results 1st / 1st
- Sept 9 '61 SCCA Road America 500 Driver Tom Terrell Results
7th
After retiring from racing the vehicle was returned to street trim
& passed through a few different long term owners. A complete no
expense spared body off chassis restoration was done on this
numbers matching Corvette with NCRS & Bloomington Gold judging in
mind. Once Completed this car again was the center of attention for
many years on the judging field receiving multiple NCRS Top Flight
Awards, Bloomington Gold certification and Gold Spinner award
resulting in the "Triple Crown". After all the buzz in the Corvette
collector car world & now the heavy interest in rare factory built
race cars this '61 BIG TANK BIG BRAKE FUELIE had the honor of being
displayed in the Special Collection at Bloomington Gold. One would
think that would be enough certification to prove its authenticity
but the judging kept going on with the next owner & well known
Corvette Collector going forward and passing performance
verification and receiving the coveted Duntov "mark of excellence
award not only once but twice. This is the only double Duntov
Tanker known to exist. This Corvette has been part of three
different major collections & now a part of ours for the past few
years. This car runs & drives amazing & we have thoroughly enjoyed
using it.
-283/315 hp Fuel Injected Engine
-4 Speed Manual Transmission
-4.11 Positraction Rear Axle
-Heavy Duty Brakes & Suspension
-24 Gallon Fuel Tank
-15x5.5 Wheels
-6.70x15 Nylon Tires
-Deluxe Heater
-Radio Delete
-Auxiliary Hardtop
-Ermine White "solid"
-Red Trim
