Experimental Corvette -- SS

General Motors recruited engineer and race car driver, Zora Arkus Duntov, to help them inject some performance into their brands.
Duntov wanted to make the Corvette competitive with sports cars from Europe like Ferrari and Maserati. To gain respect it needed to win on the track. He organized a team to build the SS or "Experimental Corvette" and took it to Sebring.
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[@bobalbright8732]

Thanks for posting. This is a piece of (automotive) history I wasn't aware of. These types of videos represent the best use of KZbin, as a means of gaining unbiased knowledge.

[@NcalBiker]

There was a Chevron station in Clamath, CA., now gone, that had a collection of Corvettes parked outside next to the station. Around 1967, I had occasion to stop with my parents for gas. I spotted the cast wheels used on the SS under the tarp covering it, and went over to take a look. I was chased off as I started to lift the tarp, but I did ask if it was a real SS, and was told it was, but not to mention it to anyone. The station is now gone, and the collection, I am told, disbursed to family members.

[@tatocorvette]

My absolute favorite car of ALL time, bar none. Thanks!

[@KingRoseArchives]

I agree --- the archives a loaded with great old films that tell us a lot about history and are fun to watch.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Man what a beautiful design that was! 50s car's where the most beautiful car design ever!

[@beagle7622]

I love this stuff when it comes up. I love this channel but having worked in production engineering for a different car company it is utterly fascinating for me to watch this .

[@rickintexas1584]

Wow. I had no idea that this car ever existed. What a great video.

[@KingRoseArchives]

@NormJJames Thank you for your comment and sharing the history of this car. Do we see you in the video? best, Michael

[@KingRoseArchives]

I agree that "Europe" is an artifical construct much like the idea of any region. It's a handy way to refer to a geographical region that also shares a common history. But it also has some political legitimacy beyond its semantic usefulness. There is a European Union and a common currency, the Euro, which replaced the Lira in Italy. In any event, you are right that Maserati and Lamborghini were developed in Italy. Although, Lamborghini is now owned by a German company, Volkswagen.

[@jerrybailey5797]

Fascinating piece of film

[@RafaelSatchmo]

Norm: Thanks for the inside "look." The car had a problem with rear suspension bushings and that's why it failed in the race (along with brake problems). With Fangio at the wheel of the "mule" -- the first car built -- he was down record lap times at Sebring. This car had gobs of potential. Just that GM cancelled the program due to the AMA anti-racing agreement signed in 1957. GM had the best designers and engineers in the world then. What has happened to them?

[@kidofponymaker]

Thanks Michael for sharing this! I love these! Holly Clark

[@turboslag]

This is a car I've always liked but the claim of advanced technology is a little exaggerated! Compare it with a D Type Jaguar from the same era and it looks dated. The Jag had disc brakes, wind tunnel designed aerodynamics that produced even more futuristic looks, forged alloy wheels and jet fighter inspired instrument layout. The Corvette is very striking to look at though and did have engineering merit.

[@bradgotch]

Clam bake movie knocked me out when I first saw this car.

[@shiddy.]

2:28 excellent to see a bunch of engineers lower the engine in

[@semashow]

Nice vid, thanks for sharing. Please keep 'em coming.

[@Tommy_Mac]

1:55 "...filed by hand for a precision fit" OMG

[@Mercmad]

The Studied very deeply,the Mercedes 300SL and SLR when designing this car.

[@bobwalker599]

No computers. No electric fans. Hand built. I see a future for this car!

[@KingRoseArchives]

sorry if two of my comments seem to appear as news from nowhere but the comments I'm responding to must have been removed by the posters. Odd.

[@tom7601]

I built a 327 and used a 30/30 Duntov cam and fuelie heads.

[@jservice6594]

The only Duntov cam I heard of was the 20-20.

[@jservice6594]

Well, I learned something new. In the late 60s I built a 301 with the duntov cam. We all thought they were 20 20 cams and set the lash accordingly. No harm done apparently. Still have that cam hanging in the basement.

[@KingRoseArchives]

huh? I'm sure the people who built the car were skilled trades UAW members at the GM Tech Center. These are the people who build the concept cars, the special editions and do what's called the "Pilot" build on the cars which is where they build a few hundred vehicles as the engineers and the workers try to figure out the build sequence and discover any issues before the cars are mass assembled at the plants. These are really elite members of the GM team.

[@TheRoguelement]

They could call it what they like the insane importance placed on Aerodynamics for any road car of that time period was silly .they already had the Stingray so the S/S should have been all about different power and handling packages .like break out some of the crazy head's and intake manifolds they developed ..

[@KingRoseArchives]

@hookuspookus529 I think GM still has it.

[@KingRoseArchives]

A fine hair to split but yes they are Italian and Italy is a part of Europe so one can say these cars are both European and Italian as well as from planet earth.

[@wallacegrommet3479]

Where is it now?

[@BillyG869]

Looks like 1957?

[@RSEFX]

43 gallon tank?

[@robh6638]

Sucks I started watching this I put the phone down got three minutes into it I go back to watch the video I get stuck watching another 30 second commercial I got three minutes of commercials into this video so far

[@tedecker3792]

Grille fits like grandpa’s dentures.

[@Hals]

I guess the biggest difference is that italians are way more nationalistic then most other european people... Great piece of film by the way, i liked it

[@burtvhulberthyhbn7583]

drum brakes?

[@torque-ej4nu]

Disk brakes weren't very common yet and still in early stages. They were still learning.... up until this time they hadnt seen automotive applications hardly at all until jaguar proved they were excellent improvement, prior mostly tanks and planes used diskbrakes. And a small handful of cars.

[@rollingstopp]

then in 1960 camoradi and cunninigham enter factory corvettes in the 24 our of lemans

[@MrFishface5]

Where is that car now?

[@tatocorvette]

This car is in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

[@enerrivers4392]

1800lbs & 300 gross horsepower. That's a winning recipe ,what happened? $$$$$$$$?

[@six-pack1332]

43 gallon fuel tank!

[@billrichter8871]

Imagine what the Corvette might have become if this program was allowed to contiue and race on the world stage, what a tragic loss of an opportunity to move Chevrolet / GM into the elite of engineering?

[@Rainj]

Who's the dude in the bathrobe at 3:27? lol

[@RSEFX]

if you look closer you can see it's an open lab coat. (If you're still alive. I mean, your comment was made a decade ago! Hope you're still around! :-)

[@zr1zora]

zoraduntov is still well alive to day or i should say his work z06 zr1 so forth and the ultra succefull yellow 600 hp katech enged vettes have just dominated 24 hrs here and 12 hrs there thtas what ahhpend to them thier learnings and lessons still thrive today plus ls 7 enging of the yr award and so forth i feel though the new engine out to not be called lt 1 ass they use dit twice already ok but LR-1

[@rrodriguezone]

i love how cars were made back then.... not plastic crap now..

[@UncleRobsGarage]

Umm? Corvettes were made out of plastic AKA fiberglass!

[@bilbobaggins4710]

@@UncleRobsGarage fucker

[@YourUncleScroatie]

C7 grille.lol

[@r3dph0n3]

GM should of sold the car and any other experimental car they may have to pay there bills instead of taking the tax payers money

[@cliffwebb1621]

r3dph0n3 you're a pinhead

[@MrCtsSteve]

Quit being an idiot

[@wer2xu]

thank god the Engineers kept the union guys out...otherwise they would still be trying to build it today.

[@tomdave42]

wer2xu them are Union members building that vehicle. Unions built the United States of America, the sole purpose of the Union is to protect the average working man from unfair an unsafe labor practices. you ought to be thankful for the unions across America.

[@MrCtsSteve]

You have no idea what you're talking about moron

[@RSEFX]

@@tomdave42 Indeed. My dad and most of family were union members, most of them working for the auto companies. The pay wasn't great, but the medical coverage helped several members of the family through very difficult times of serious illness. My kid brother---who has also worked in Michigan many years---is having to have his hip replaced due to near torturous working conditions because the unions now have been weakened so much. This would never have happened in the 50's. I remain very grateful for my parents being able to afford to help me get through school and college (a scholarship also helped), which i doubt would be possible today.

[@2007Colonial]

What a tragedy, can you imagine where engineers like Duntov, Ed cole, Pete Brock and designed Bill Mitchell could have taken GM without that politically correct racing ban? GM would have been a forward looking technology leader, not a producer of the boring clunkers they produced from the early seventies on, I hope they have learned their lesson?

[@edgarbeat275]

Very true but a glimmer did arrive with the Quad four powered record breaker streamlines of the 80s.

[@Thomass7586]

That thing is ugly

[@KingRoseArchives]

+Thomas L I'll give them A for effort but it never became the Ferrari beater they'd hoped for.

[@ts00500]

One ugly ducking. Come on. Inboard rear drum brakes? This in contrast to the Jaguar C, D and E types which are marvels of engineering, aerodynamics and styling.