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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Lightweight

The Grand Sport program began in the early 1960s as a means to combat Ford and the Shelby Cobra and to be homologated for international Grand Touring races. The goal was to build 125 examples of the Corvette Grand Sport for homologation purposes, however, the clandestine project was halted after GM executives learned of the project, and just five examples were built. The AMA and GM had imposed a ban on racing and this clearly violated this edict. With just five examples built, the cars could not be homologated as production GTs like the Cobras, and were forced to run in C Modified, a class they were never designed or intended to race.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Lightweight photo
Fastback Coupe
Chassis #: 004
View info and history
The Grand Sport weighed around 800 to 1,000 pounds less than the production Sting Ray and was raced with several different engines, the most potent of the factory engines was the 377 cubic-inch displacement, all-aluminum, small block with four Weber side-draft carburetors and a cross-ram intake, rated at 550 horsepower. To achieve the impressive 1,000-pound reduction, the body panels were made from thinner fiberglass and the inner body structure 'birdcage' was aluminum rather than steel. Large seamless steel tubular side members connected the front and rear with cross-members of about the same diameter tubes. A third cross-member was located next to the transmission and the fourth one at the rear was used to secure the roll cage. Despite being 94 pounds less than the production 1963 Corvette, the ladder-type frame was slightly stiffer. All non-essential items were removed, and lightweight materials were used wherever possible.

Dick Thompson won the 1963 Sports Car Club of America race at Watkins Glen on August 24th, 1964, driving Grand Sport 004. This was the first victory for the Grand Sport. At the 1963 Nassau Speed Week, the Grand Sports were finally able to battle the Cobras. The Corvette drivers were Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Dick Thompson, John Cannon, and Augie Pabst. The engines in the Gran Sports were 377 CID aluminum engines and the car's owner was John Mecom. The driving talents and the powerful Grand Sports easily dominated the Cobras. The Grand Sports finished third and fourth at Nassau in 1963. Roger Penske returned the following year and won the Nassau Trophy race.

Chassis number 002 currently resides in the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the only Grand Sport body that is original and unrestored. Chassis number 004 is part of the Miles Collier Collection at The Revs Institute in Naples, Florida.


by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2020

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Lightweight Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Corvette C2

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
21,513
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 326.72 CID., 304.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 340.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 360.00hp
$4,035 - $4,250
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 377.00 CID., 616.00hp
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 365.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 375.00hp
$4,040 - $4,250
23,564
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 365.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 375.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 425.00hp
$2,947 - $3,210
27,720
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 390.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 425.00hp
$4,080 - $4,290
22,940
98.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 390.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 400.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 435.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 560.00hp
$4,141 - $4,353

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