For sale is a 1977 Chevrolet Corvette IMSA "Super Vette" race car.
Some fans complain that race cars have little in common with road cars, but the 1970s was not a time when that was a priority. The rules were lax at the time, and in the pursuit of high performance, teams pretty much destroyed the DNA of their road cars. This 1977 Chevrolet Corvette, dubbed the "Super Vette," exemplifies the excesses of the era.
Sold by Canepa, a company known for its Porsche 959 restorations, this Super Vette was built to take advantage of a rule change in IMSA road racing: in 1976, IMSA allowed all-tube frame cars to race at the top level. Corvette racer John Greenwood saw this as an opportunity to build a more competitive car and teamed up with designer Bob Riley to build a tube-frame Corvette. This Corvette - COV002 - was one of two chassis completed in 1977.
The car bore little resemblance to the 1977 production Corvette. Underneath the bulging body is a chassis and frame made of 2.0-inch chromoly tubing. Under the bulging hood hides an aluminum 500-cubic-inch big-block V8 producing more than 750 hp.It was built by Don Nicholls, who raced in F1, Can-Am and F5000 with the Shadow Racing Team. The engine is mated to a Jericho four-speed manual transmission.
The COV002 was purchased by John Paul Sr. to compete in the 1978 season. Paul raced with his son John Paul, Jr. who was later convicted of illegal marijuana trafficking. It was certainly a different era.
It was eldest son Paul who chose the Nichols engine over the Greenwood engine. To reduce drag, the car had a narrower track and a more aerodynamic body than its counterparts
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Paul raced the Vette in the GTX class in the 1978 IMSA season, mostly against Porsche 935s. Paul finished on the podium twice that year. The car was subsequently sold, but he continued to race it through the 1982 season. After he left the team, the car changed owners several times until Canepa bought it.
According to Canepa, the Corvette was restored to 1978 racing specs and is now capable of vintage racing. The seller did not name a price, but he does not expect a car with such a pedigree to sell for less.
