Vehicle Description
This Corvette Grand Sport 018 is a General Motors licensed Continuation Corvette Grand Sport, and not a replica. Duntov Motor Company has a history with the Corvette Grand Sport that goes back to 1965 when its founder entered the first original big block engined Grand Sport at the 12-hours of Sebring. After thousands of miles of testing both the original Grand Sport 003 and the Duntov continuation cars, GS 018 evolved to become the solid and stable GT car that was originally envisioned by Zora Duntov in the early sixties.
Duntov Motor Company has raced both the coupe and roadster versions of its Continuation Grand Sports since 2010. Subtle refinements in spring rates, shocks and stance have mitigated some of the excitement of driving the car, but none of the thrill. The car is now stable at top speed and with its stiffened, chrome moly A-arms and aluminum four-piston brake calipers, it stops straight and true. With a full tank of gas the car has a near perfect 50-50 front and rear weight distribution, and it handles like a dream.
GS 018 is as close to the original three Grand Sport coupes as safety and prudence permits. It was built to the original GM blueprints, but the frame and all suspension components were made from thicker and higher spec materials. Its hand laid body was built in molds to conform to plaster castings made from the body of the only unwrecked original Grand Sport body in existence.
The car has spent its short life on display and has been driven fewer than 100 miles. It is blindingly quick, as it weighs only 2553 lbs, fueled with all fluids. With its 50-state emissions legal e-Rod LS3 at 430 HP, it carries a weight to power ratio of 5.9 lbs per HP. By comparison, the Ferrari F-40 carries 6.3 lbs per HP, and a 2017 Corvette Grand Sport carries 7.4 lbs per HP.
The transmission is a Tremec TKO600, and with the Eaton 3.55 differential, the final drive ratio in 5th gear is 2.27. At only 5,000 RPM, Grand Sport 018 is already at over 174 MPH.
