Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

you heard it here first, im calling you out rex turner youve got from now till indy to get that corvette tuned up i,ll be bringing my car and i expect a race, so dont run and hide, lets give the fans what they want to see two old modified cars going at it. oh and this wont be for free im thinking whoever loses has to by ice cream. see ya there. lynn::

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Since I know you Lynn, and met Rex at the Geezer's lunch when they were working on the car and met Bill Sheets, know Dave Thomas and Jerry Ault and also RonP that asked the question on the engine in a previous post I hope I get a chance to drive one of those screaming machines one day..................HAHA, I know bring the checkbook!


Funny, but while wearing one of the t shirts my friend Randy did for the Ault & James crew at Dallas last year David Reher stopped me and wondered where I got the shirt. Said he spent a lot of time in the Dayton Ohio area with those guys. They were all definitely trend setters in those days! had the chance to meet Jerry's Dad, he was a great person to meet in the 70's.


A lot of history in that town with Dave Layer, Fred Hurst, Keith Ferrell, Paul Frost, George Montgomery, Billy Stepp and a lot more. It's a great group to have lunch with those that are still living telling of the great times they had.

They all inspired me for sure!
Time to leave this story for others, take care guys hope to see y'all again! WE ALL NEED TO STAY HEALTHY! Sad to see all those we have lost this past year..........................RB

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

rick, you nailed it in your post, that car of rex,s has inspired me my whole life but the car would be nothing with out all the people who have been apart of it including my friend angelo, i love the cars but all the friends ive made over the years is why i cant wait to get back to the races every year.

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

I've not really heard of the 277ci, was it a combo of 265 and 283 parts ? The 287 was a more popular displacement I believe .With the rather limited availability of components in the 1970's how was a 277 built ? Just curious, thanks.

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Dave Thomas had a pretty cool street Corvette back in the day, somewhere I have an old magazine, (Popular Hot Rodding I think) that had an article on it. Red with red anodized super tricks. If I remember right it was one of the Route 66 corvettes.

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Hope to see you there my friend............

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Yes, Dave had a maroon 62 327-340 with red anodized Super Tricks. I have a photo somewhere that Dave sent me. I'll post it when I find it. Don't know about the Route 66 history.

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

TLDR This is Modified Eliminator stuff, pretty off the path for Super Stock guys.

The 277 was a 283 block (307 sometimes) bored .030 (3.905) with a 2.900 stroke crankshaft. For a budget build you took a large journal 302 crankshaft and offset ground the rods to shorten the stroke one hundred thousandths. If you put that crank in a 4.030 block that got you 296 cubic inches, also a popular combination.

So, basically it was a destroked 287.

The 283 bore size was the smallest bore that could (barely) accept the 2.05/1.60 valve combination popular in the 23 degree heads of the time. If an engine builder wanted live on the edge, they could take a 350 block and offset sleeve all eight cylinders with chrome-moly sleeves and have greater clearance between the intake valve and cylinder wall. You might even then put a larger intake valve in the head. If that allowed the port to flow more air, you might find some power. They might even go to the trouble to make a deck plate to accurately locate the bores off the head dowel locations.

I wouldn't know anyone who would go through that much trouble....Would I?

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

I know somebody who did EXACTLY that......................and his name is Jerry Ault. A LOT of work. Jerry was a magician when it came to engine building. I actually found one of his old race engines last year and I "plan" to put it in the car this winter along with a Doug Nash 5 speed, but my back surgeon may have something to say about that.:D

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

i will come help if you let me sit in the car

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Hi Rick Brown,
I hope all is well!
I remember a few years ago, your one crewman had a book that showed several Corvettes that raced in Modified in the 1970's. Do you happen to have the title to that book?

This was at Norwalk, I'm guessing between 2014-2018 when he had the large hardbound book about Corvettes with him. Unfortunately, I did not write down the title in the notepad I normally keep with me at the track.

See you at Norwalk and stay safe!!
Thanks, Ron

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Rex,

Fantastic car. I remember reading all about it. The two best periods/classes in drag racing were early '70's Pro Stock and late '70's Modified Eliminator. A few questions: The all black version appears to have different rear wheel openings. Is that correct? Did they run the injection or the carbs first? Did they run F/G with the 277, and just add weight to make H/G, or did the run a bigger engine in F?

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Greg

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

And...If...Those eight sleeves happen to get installed just a wee bit offset away from the crankshaft centerline that there might be some ET to be found.
Again, I'm not sayin' I know anybody that's gone to the time and extremes to do that. But I might.;)

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Anyone know what the sleeve offset was? I’m guessing about .090.
Terry

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Hi Greg and thanks for the kind words. I'll answer what I can. Early on the rear fenders were rounded slightly to accommodate the slicks. Once they installed the narrowed Dana 60, the fenders were repaired and have had the stock appearance ever since. Jerry has always run Crower injection with the exception of one time he was persuaded by another famous racer to switch to carbs. The car slowed down and he switched back to injection. He knew how to make the injection run. He started in F/G and I think due to some NHRA changes he went to H/G, but I don't know all the details.

Thanks,
Rex

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Stick Shift Nationals June 18. Farmington Dragway. 10,000 to win !!!!!!

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

What ever happened to the black O'Connell/Bushart 62 F/G Corvette ?

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Are these the guys who ran injectors instead of carbs?

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

They ran Kinsler injection I believe

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Anybody know what ever happened with Tim McDonald, Joe Winblad or Wendell Beveridge's Corvettes.

I would like to see the Ault & James Corvette run with the nostalia Pro Stock cars like they did at Norwalk for the national event in June.

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Brinkman's Corvette at Maple Grove
October 20, 2023

Re: OLD Modified Corvettes
 

Brinkman's 1960 Corvette
Maple Grove Raceway
October 24, 2024