Corvette Challenge Cars

[Scrrem]

I see they are going to have a reunion of the Corvette Challenge cars again at Carlisle this year. How many challenge cars were there anyway? I thought just a handful, but seems like there are quite a few out there.
Rich

[A1990]

If I recall correctly one of our members recently purchased a challenge car. Maybe he can help with your question.

Brett probably knows too.:dancing

[ZZZZZR1]

We have over 8 registry members who own Challenge cars! I met with 3 in Florida these past few weeks!

Can't wait for Carlisle this year!!!

:cheers:

David

[Blue Flame Restorations]

1988
56 built and only 50 converted for racing

1989
60 built and only 29 converted for racing

I own 1988 #98 and used to own a 1989 unconverted Challenge car.

http://i61.tinypic.com/30b2uz4.jpg

[Z06scentair]

So what did the challenge car consist of?

[LGAFF]

Cars had a 300HP SEALED MOTOR, MANUAL TRANS, CLOTH SEATS, ETC

[Z06scentair]

Cars had a 300HP SEALED MOTOR, MANUAL TRANS, CLOTH SEATS, ETC

By sealed you mean dry sump?

[LGAFF]

No they put a green paint on the bolts to ensure the engine was not opened up..... this was to ensure fairness and that all the cars were the same spec.

[Kevin]

data collection, fire suppression and a roll cage also

[LGAFF]

http://showyourcorvette.com/index.php

[Scrrem]

http://showyourcorvette.com/index.php

Very cool!!

Rich

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Lance has done a wonderful job with the Challenge Car website. He's about the only one championing these cars and keeping the history alive.

Running SVRA will help to get more exposure with these cars. This year there is an SVRA Invitational at Indy. They'll run the old F1 configuration. This is my personal goal for the future, growing up around Indy, it's a MUST for my bucket list.

[Vette Guy]

Rich,

It appears I owe you a phone call!

http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27.jpg
http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27_1.jpg
http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27_2.jpg

1988 Challenge Car, #27 driven by Randy Pauly. I had the pleasure of picking up #27 from him just a few days ago in California. Factory race car with full roll cage, fire suppression system, Corvette Challenge race seats, Dymags, racing Bilstein shocks, PBR race pads, Desert Driveline exhaust, Corvette Challenge emblems, mounting hardware for the GM CAMS system, decals, and SCCA log book and a ton of documentation! I'm thrilled!!!

I caught the bug after watching Warren Aplin run his Morrison #99 car at Circuit of the Americas.... One call with Brett, and I was hooked.

I'll be bringing #27 to Carlisle this year for the 25th reunion!

Regards,
Mark

[Kevin]

that's awesome mark. very cool

[Blue Flame Restorations]

That big smile tells it all. Congrats, Mark. What a fun journey you are about to embark upon!

[Blue Flame Restorations]

I just found an UNCONVERTED Challenge Car. Anybody want one for under $10k. Needs seat covers (or Challenge Seats). SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Build Sheets actually say CHALLENGE CAR. Look at the upper end of the pic for "1989 CHALLENGE VEH"
http://i61.tinypic.com/i21vlt.jpg

1989
Red
Salvage Title (doesn't really matter, the vin number is what matters)

These unconverted cars are very hard to find since they were never raced. You just have to keep your eyes open and know what you're looking for.

[RyanChappel]

I live in Boone County..

[Blue Flame Restorations]

I live in Boone County..


It's about an 8 hr drive from Indy. Are you interested?

[RyanChappel]

It is an intriguing piece....

Yes, I am interested.

[Schrade]

History: Chevrolet built fifty-six identical Corvettes for the first year of the Corvette Challenge in 1988. Each wasequipped exactly the same, with all standard equipment, the 245hp Cross-Fire fuel injection engine,

...



Cross-Fire???


Stock wheels (RPO?) have better airflow than Dymags?

...



http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27_1.jpg


Looks like several cars rolled with stock wheels, and one even with the flat-style (RPO?) wheel:

http://showyourcorvette.com/images/small_95_1988.jpg

[Blue Flame Restorations]

None of the cars came from the factory with anything other than 88 or 89 wheels.

[Schrade]

None of the cars came from the factory with anything other than 88 or 89 wheels.

Wow - who wrote the article on the showyourcorvette challenge series webpage?

Each car converted [by Powell, I presume??? ] had specially installed roll cage, fire system, Challenge car seats, seat belts, brake ducts, exhaust system, oil cooler and Dymag wheels.

Cross-Fire injection, Dymags, ... :confused:

I was wondering about the cars too, like Z06CentAir.

Anyone got more accurate links on the car?

I've been mis-informed a few times, but not very often wrong...

[Blue Flame Restorations]

[QUOTE=Schrade;195185]Wow - who wrote the article on the showyourcorvette challenge series webpage?

Lance's website is a good one. The cars left the factory with stock wheels and were converted in Wixom, by John Powell. Dymags were an aftermarket thing for the series, introduced during the 1988 season. The teams did not have to run them, although most teams did both years.

Old pics can show any types of wheels added at a later date.



:usa:

[Vette Guy]

The stock wheels were on the car during this pre-season photo, however it raced with Dymags, and has the Dymags w/ Gatorbacks on it now. Corvette Challenge series cars were all L98 based TPI cars.

If you missed out on the unconverted Challenge Car for sale, there is still a converted one available - 1988 Corvette Challenge Car #2: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ctd/4303840082.html

Mark

[Blue Flame Restorations]

The stock wheels were on the car during this pre-season photo, however it raced with Dymags, and has the Dymags w/ Gatorbacks on it now. Corvette Challenge series cars were all L98 based TPI cars.

If you missed out on the unconverted Challenge Car for sale, there is still a converted one available - 1988 Corvette Challenge Car #2: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ctd/4303840082.html

Mark


Mark, you got a little bit better of a deal than the 88 at the Toy Store. LOL

Jim Crist owns that car. He's a standup guy.

[Schrade]

The stock wheels were on the car during this pre-season photo, however it raced with Dymags, and has the Dymags w/ Gatorbacks on it now. Corvette Challenge series cars were all L98 based TPI cars.

If you missed out on the unconverted Challenge Car for sale, there is still a converted one available - 1988 Corvette Challenge Car #2: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ctd/4303840082.html

Mark

Thanks Mark!

Great link http://www.zr1.net/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif. Definitely no questions about the link.

But I gotta' be honest here; I just don't know much about the Challenge Series Car, and web info is sketchy AT BEST!!!

In fact, emails to webadmin for 'showyourcorvette.com', and to PowellRaceParts.com (who SUPPOSEDLY prepped the CS cars) came back faster than a boomerang, as un-deliverable. YiKEs!!!

So I'll probably keep lookin' for info on the cars' series, then hold off on buyin'. Not the American way, I know... But Ol' Schrade likes learnin' about stuff FIRST, with lotsa' questions uH-hUH YUp!!!

And people don't like questions, 'cause either they don't know the answer, don't giveashit, or WORSE!!! :eek:

Anybody got DEFINITIVE info on these cars?

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Unsure of what you're looking for but Lances website is the most complete info on the web.

I have a lot of info and I'm glad to help if you want?

[Schrade]

Well there Brett; why does Lance say that the cars all have Cross-Fire Injection?

And Lance says all Powell cars got DyMags. If so, why would teams put stock rims back on the cars for the track runs?

I haven't spotted other discrepancies yet; are there others?

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Well there Brett; why does Lance say that the cars all have Cross-Fire Injection?

And Lance says all Powell cars got DyMags. If so, why would teams put stock rims back on the cars for the track runs?

I haven't spotted other discrepancies yet; are there others?

Well....the discrepencies are just there. I'm sure Lance will correct them if he knows of them. Don't get too hung up on it though. We all know that the cars were TPI's. According to old Corvette Challenge Newsletters sent to the racers, Dymags weren't available at the start of the 88 season but were available sometime later. I've been reading the Newsletters that I recently acquired.

There are people who are very knowledgeable on the Series IF you can get them to tell you their information.

Study the website well and soak it up like a sponge. That's all I ever did since 2009. You can generally buy old Corvette Fever or Keepin' Track of Vette's magazines on ebay. Lots of good articles there. I have them all.

Lance's site is pretty good and he's carrying the torch for these cars. Most cars sell for a minimum of $35k....IF you can find one for sale. I know of three for sale and they are all over $60k. Some are $100k.

The Dymags cracked easily and the teams ran what they had. Keep in mind that not all teams were well funded. They just ran what they had. GM did not throw money at it like one might think.

This was almost a grass roots series. Lots of no named drivers trying to make it big. The series only lasted two yrs and then it was gone. Most people have no idea that it even existed at all.

[alnukem]

Rich,

It appears I owe you a phone call!

http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27.jpg
http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27_1.jpg
http://www.corvetteaddiction.com/images/Horner_Challenge_Car_27_2.jpg

1988 Challenge Car, #27 driven by Randy Pauly. I had the pleasure of picking up #27 from him just a few days ago in California. Factory race car with full roll cage, fire suppression system, Corvette Challenge race seats, Dymags, racing Bilstein shocks, PBR race pads, Desert Driveline exhaust, Corvette Challenge emblems, mounting hardware for the GM CAMS system, decals, and SCCA log book and a ton of documentation! I'm thrilled!!!

I caught the bug after watching Warren Aplin run his Morrison #99 car at Circuit of the Americas.... One call with Brett, and I was hooked.

I'll be bringing #27 to Carlisle this year for the 25th reunion!

Regards,
Mark
Wow Mark, That looks Badass! I can't wait to see it!

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Now THIS is a cool Heartbeat ad....My Tom Bell #98!! Thanks, Mark!!!

http://i57.tinypic.com/3310tmq.jpg

[vettebrett]

No they put a green paint on the bolts to ensure the engine was not opened up..... this was to ensure fairness and that all the cars were the same spec.

Actually, they used different color paint for different parts of the engine like for the TPS sensor, bolts of the valve covers, Mass Air sensor

http://i1353.photobucket.com/albums/q680/vettebrett/Picture096_zps4460e644.jpg (http://s1353.photobucket.com/user/vettebrett/media/Picture096_zps4460e644.jpg.html)

[IMG]http://i1353.photobucket.com/albums/q680/vettebrett/Picture098_zpsf08e1084.jpg (http://s1353.photobucket.com/user/vettebrett/media/Picture098_zpsf08e1084.jpg.html)