Vehicle Description
First of a Series of Five Pilot Competition Test-Fleet Corvettes
Before the Airbox Corvette, Five Fuel Injection Corvettes with
Heavy Duty Brakes and Suspension, and 4-speed transmissions were
assembled at the St. Louis GM plant in February of 57. Zoras
specially built Field Test Fleet Offered for sale is an impressive
example of an ultra-rare 1957 Corvette originally assembled with
Fuel Injection (RPO-579C), Heavy Duty Brakes and Suspension
(RPO-684) and T-10 four-speed (RPO-685). This Corvette (2276)
includes rear leaf-springs with engineering part numbers not yet
available on GMs part list which add to the mounting proof that
this Corvette was part of Zoras special Competition Test-Fleet.
During this time, GMs engineering department was busy pushing build
orders at warp speed. Just before, in 1956, Zora Arkus-Duntov and
crew readied the Corvette Super Sport for debut at the New York
Auto Show in December. Chevrolets first purpose built race car was
slated to run at Sebring in 1957. Many of the parts designed to go
on the SS needed testing and trusted racers to return feedback on
their performance. In order to do so, not only did GM need to
design, manufacture and procure the parts necessary, they needed to
fit them to Test Fleet Corvettes. The rear leaf springs, an
engineering 0 dash part number, was fitted to this Corvette in St.
Louis before becoming available to the public. How these Corvettes,
and their engineering parts, ended up in the hands of GM friends
and racers, is somewhat unclear. Mack Yates, racer and co-owner of
Barford Chevrolet of Clayton, Missouri (one mile from the St. Louis
plant), ordered the second Competition Test-Fleet Corvette #2281.
Yates Corvette included fuel injection, HD brakes, and a four-speed
which was SCCA raced from 57-59. As one of the largest new Corvette
dealers in the U.S., Barford Chevrolets close proximity to GMs St.
Louis plant, and special-order service specializing in high
performance, shed light on Zoras goal for real-world performance
testing and feedback. Ken Kayser, a well respected researcher and
author with access to Zoras personal engineering files, verifies
this small Pilot run of eight to twelve Competition Corvettes in
St. Louis. He states in his book Legend or Myth Zoras Marque of
Excellence Volume III - The History of Zoras Ramjet Fuel Injection,
The Competition Corvette Pilot Run with VINs in the E57S102030 to
S102325 range incorporated the following RPOs: RPO-684 HD Brakes
Suspension RPO-685 Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed RPO-677, 678 679
Positraction with 3.70, 4.11 4.56 axel ratios RPO-276 Kelsey-Hayes
Co. 15x5.5 Steel Wheels 3748348 RPO-469C 270 HP V8 possibly
including the 8,000 RPM AC 1548680 Tachometer Upgrades to the
RPO-579C 283 HP V8 including the 8,000 RPM AC 1548680 Tachometer
This Field Test Fleet was assembled prior to availability of
Corvette bodies with rocker panel ducting to the rear wheels. Most
of Zoras Field Test Corvettes were originally painted Polo White
with a red interior. Mike Hunt, originator of Research Project
1956/1957 , had what appeared to be unprecedented access to
information relating to Corvettes assembled in St. Louis. Hunt
maintained for thirty years that Chevrolet St. Louis assembled two
RPO-579C Fuel Injected Corvettes for conversion in to fresh Sebring
Racers, in the VIN range S102000 to S102200. Internal GM
Engineering Build Orders surfaced verifying the activity relating
to the Sebring race in 57. One build order in-particular, dated
January 14, 1957, requests competition brakes for Sebring Race.
Mike Hunts letter to Rich Mason mentions, prior to the airbox,
there had to be some H.D. non-airbox cars. Chevrolet was
competition developing 1956s, so 1957 was just a continuation. Hunt
also states, they almost definitely built some special or slightly
special cars. Some were probably sold via normal channels some were
probably done for Chevrolet people and/or their favorite
competition people, or buyers who managed to get the cars they
wanted. This explains Yates special order Corvette 2281. In 89,
owner of Yates Corvette 2281, Raymond Masciarella, corresponded
with Hunt discussing RPO-581 Corvettes 2276, 2281, and 2361 all
built in February in St. Louis. Hunt explained to Mason, previous
owner of Corvette 2276, that there was something to that VIN range
and the evolving RPO and H.D. components werent black and white.
Testing and revisions to race specd parts were frequent. The
Corvette Restorer Magazine posed the question in 1986, How about an
RPO-579B Corvette (283 horsepower without the air box) with the 684
option? In the article 1957 Corvette RPO 579E 684 it mentions at
least one example exists today. Walt Zoern purchased Corvette 2361
in Southern California apparently light on the usual Corvette
options. It had no heater and no two-tone paint but had fuel
injection, the H.D. brakes and suspension. More curious is Zoern
states that Corvette 2361 was apparently delivered new in
California with no top as there were no signs of either a 1957 soft
top or hard top ever having been installed. Zoern reached out to
Zora Arkus-Duntov regarding the possibility of a Corvette
manufactured without a top. Zora explained to Zoern, that several
Corvettes for racing were sent to California without tops and
wondered if Corvette 2361 had some crudely made parts. Zoern
observed the parts but thought they were home-made. Zora told him
they were probably factory. History Corvette 2276 may have been
sold through a dealership in Southern California like Corvette
2361. However, the original owner of Corvette 2276 is unknown.
Discovered during restoration were two repaired cutouts for a roll
bar, indicating that Corvette 2276 was competitively raced, which
supports the research behind this special Test Fleet being used and
tested for competition. After locating and corresponding with
several of the previous owners of Corvette 2276, all recalled it
being a fuel injected car with big brakes. Mike Pillsbury, known as
famed Corvette Hunter by Motortrend, was very well known in
Corvette circles for his uncanny ability to find old Corvettes,
particularly race cars. One of his great finds was on of the 60
Cunningham Le Mans cars, which he literally discovered in a
junkyard. Pillsbury owned Corvette 2276 in 1968, but subsequently
sold it. It was white with a white top at that time. Mason,
previous owner of the Chevrolet SR-2 (Amelia Award winner at Amelia
Island Concours DElegance), asked Pillsbury to find him a fuel
injected car with big brakes. Pillsbury tracked down his previous
Corvette. Mason meticulously restored Corvette 2276 to its current
glory in 1990. No instruction was given to restore the chassis,
which appears to be in original condition. Its currently fitted
with Halibran 15'x5.5' wheels. Here is a chance to own a very rare
and highly collectible 1957 Corvette. Now accepting offers.
