White Grand Sport

[The Old One]

I'm 61 years old and this will be the first Chevrolet I've ever owned.
I'm very much looking forward to it.
Larry Widmer

My Dad was a sport

 

[warren s]

Welcome aboard Larry.

That’s a magnificent website, best hour I spent in a long time.
Good luck with the project, looks fantastic!!!

WS

 

[XLR8]

Welcome to the Corvette Action Center, Larry! And thanks for sharing the stories and photos.

I want one. :L

We'll look forward to hearing more from you!
Jane Ann

 

[Z06Man]

I just know you'll love it here. I sure do.

Man, you sure picked a winner to start out with. Hope you realize the dream soon. Send us your observations once you get behind the wheel.

 

[MDKyleZ]

Awesome website.

Good luck on the project.

 

[vett boy]

I'm impressed

 

[The Old One]

I'm working on the instrument cluster right now. I bought some block ABS material, and the finish look very much like the OE combination.
Gary (at Mongoose) needs the dash by next Monday, so I have to hustle on this end.
They have fitted the carpet to the interior and they will begin assembling the suspension to the chassis tomorrow. The reports and pictures they send me make it hard to keep my mind on the work at hand here at Endyn!
I'll keep you all posted.
Larry

 

[Tom Bryant]

Larry,

I would also like to add my welcome to the Corvette Action Center. Your car is amazing. Thanks for sharing it with us. I'll be looking forward to updates.

Tom

 

[67vet]

Great photos Larry. I really enjoyed reading about the cars. Wow

 

[The Old One]

Thanks to all of you for the warm welcome. I hope I can become a positive contributor to the site.
I received some more pictures late yesterday and I added several to the tail of the article on the car. These pics show the chassis before and after painting, the doors, the front of the car (including the wiper motor assy and the bell-crank mechanism that actuates the brake booster/master cylinder.
There are also some pictures of the chassis with the suspension attached.
As I have said before....this project is making it very difficult for me to sleep, work, etc, etc.
Thanks again everyone. Here's the link to the revised article: My Dad was a sport

Larry

 

[The Old One]

All of us at Endyn are just back from the PRI show in Orlando. Gary and the crew at Mongoose have been busy this last week as can be seen in the latest additions to the article on my GS build: My Dad was a sport
It's looking really good to me.

Larry

 

[JohnZ]

All of us at Endyn are just back from the PRI show in Orlando. Gary and the crew at Mongoose have been busy this last week as can be seen in the latest additions to the article on my GS build: My Dad was a sport
It's looking really good to me.

Larry

Looks like they're doing an outstanding job for you! I built mine in 1995-96.

 

[The Old One]

Hi John,
I have admired you car in pictures for years. I think it's the nicest Grand Sport replica I have ever seen. In fact, it's "look" what really sold me on the notion of doing a replica from the get-go.
Once I get mine, there are a number of things that I will be re-engineering....including the wheel diameters and suspension/brake modifications necessary. These cars just don't look "right" unless they have some tire sidewall, especially in the rear. Since Goodyear stopped making their 17" 45-series tire, there's nothing available that "helps" the look in 17".
Once I have time, I'll figure out how to go with some 15" wheels, and I really want to untimately do what-ever is necessary to permit the use of wheels with a more correct offset.
We have the ability to fabricate and machine darned near anything we want, so we'll see what options are available once I have the car here for measuring.
I look forward to sharing things we dream-up, and I hope your experience will help keep me from going down too many dead-end roads.
Larry

 

[Toms007]

This is so cool! I can't wait for the next "installment".......

 

[The Old One]

I have just updated my article on the car Mongoose has been building for me. The car should arrive here on the 7th of january if our schedules remain as-is.
My Dad is 93 years old and suffering from dememtia. He's been unaware of my GS project. Thrusday, he was particularly depressed, so I brought him in to my computer and let him see the article on the car. He immediately snapped out of his depression and his excitement babout getting to ride in the car made for the best Christmas There's no way I could ever adequately repay Gary and the guys at Mongoose for making this happen:
My Dad was a sport

Larry

 

[XLR8]

............My Dad is 93 years old and suffering from dememtia. He's been unaware of my GS project. Thrusday, he was particularly depressed, so I brought him in to my computer and let him see the article on the car. He immediately snapped out of his depression and his excitement about getting to ride in the car made for the best Christmas...................
Larry

Sad to hear about your father's condition, Larry, but your Christmas story was great to hear.

I hope that he has more good days and that the two of you can share the finished project together.

Jane Ann

 

[Mike G]

GS Forever!!

the Old One, you are keeping the flame alive - with a blow torch! Thanks so much for all the effort in keeping this legend going and working to post everyone in addition! I saw Mongoose M'sport and hats off to them also. It is extremely important to keep the record straight regarding the Vette assault on the enemy Cobras of the time, like fighting with your feet tied with GM cutting Zora's efforts and the horrible aerodynamics. Ford uses a British car (Shelby's idea) while Chevy does the whole thing themselves with a (very) modified Vette. That's what I love about the Vette - it's authentic!

I hope this is all absorbed by your dad. I miss my dad, he was the only reference I ever had.

Press on Old One, thanks by the truckload!

 

[Verle]

Quote from your web site: "In February 1964 the two of us attended the “Polar Prix” SCCA sports car race at Green Valley Raceway in Northeast Fort Worth Texas."

I was also at that race. I had forgotten exactly when it was. A friend and I drove from Tulsa in his Austin Healey 3000.

Being a Chevrolet guy I was enthalled by the Grand Sport and the Chevy/Lola. I took pictures of both if I can ever find them.

I hung around the Mecom pits so I could look at the car. They said they were preparing the cars for Nasau so they didn't run the whole race. They would go out and do a few laps, come back in and make changes then do some more laps. Everyone knew when the GS was on the track; you could hear it over the other cars and it looked like everyone else applied the brakes on the straights.

I had lunch with Delmo Johnson and Dave Morgan at the Historic Races at Laguna Seca a few years ago and enjoyed their banter back and forth about racing each other. Delmo told stories about racing the GS and how it handled and stopped.

Someone should do a video interview of Delmo Johnson and Dave Morgan about their Corvette racing experiences.

 

[The Old One]

It's strange that Mecom (or GM) didn't allow Delmo to drive one of the cars at Nassau, if he was the one shaking it down for them.
The only conversations i ever had with Delmo were in the pits between races. He was the original "man in black".
My Father asked Delmo how safe the car was and he promptly put his hand on the roof and flexed it up and down a couple inches. Next he walked around to the rear fender and pushed down....and the opposite corner of the car raised up!
At that point my Dad made the comment that the car looked like an unsafe piece of shit....and Delmo readily agreed. And that's why my Father wouldn't loan me the money to buy the Sedvajian car a few years later.
I can only imagine how good the stories must have been with Delmo and Dave.
Larry

 

[The Old One]

Gary and Steve from Mongoose Motorsports delivered my car Wednesday night.....and nothing's been the same since!
I've added some of the arrival pictures to my article: My Dad was a sport

Now we'll begin doing the engine wiring, the fuel system and the header/side-pipes for the car. I'll add the updates to the article as soon as I have them.

I can't adequately thank Gary and Steve (as well as the other guys at Mopngoose) for building exactly what I wanted. Their workmanship is superb. I can't imagine getting higher quality anywhere.

Larry