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Generation: C2 Year: 1963 VIN: 30837S106577 Race Numbers: 3 Ownership: Jim Mangione Sponsors: Johnson Chevrolet Drivers: Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan Status: collection Original Color: Daytona Blue Tires/Wheels: 6 x 15 2 bar knock off Engine: 327/360 fuel injection Driveline: ZO-6, BIG TANK Top: Interior: Blue Condition: restored URL: Unique Characteristics: Raced Sebring March 1963, finished 16th OA, best Corvette in class.Found in 2004 in Chicago storage. Bought by the Nabers Brothers Houston who restored the car. Shown at Racer Reunion Carlisle 2004. Documented as one of two cars owned and raced Johnson / Morgan Modifications: In 1963, Chevrolet made 69 Corvette split window coupes with the optional 36-gallon gas tank, fuel injected 327/360hp engine, and Z0-6 racing performance suspension and brake package.Apparently 14 cars in early production went to SCCA race people, before the balance of the 69 Z0-6 "BIG TANK" cars were built. This car was also equipped with the first set of very rare two bar knock off wheels ever used on a 63 Corvette. One of these special cars was shipped to Johnson Chevrolet in Dallas, Texas. Delmo Johnson Jr., and great friend Dave Morgan teamed up as drivers again after a successful 62 Championship racing season and entered the Second Annual Continental three hour endurance race on February 17, 1963. On the weekend of March 21-23, 1963 they raced at the famous Sebring Florida track and finished 2nd in class and an in creditable 16th overall. The Corvette was in front of all the other Corvettes in class entered that year and also beat the 3.0 liter Ferrari of Hayes / Thiem and the Cobra of Gurney / Hill. The car was sold in the fall of 63, and in new owners hands raced all over Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Missouri and Illinois until 1968. As time passed, important history had faded away and nobody suspected anything significant about the car, other than it had a 36 gallon gas tank and heavy duty suspension, shocks, air scoops / deflectors for front and rear brakes and special screened backing plates, metallic brake facings and finned drums that were used almost exclusively with Z0-6 cars. The car sat in storage in Chicago with an owner for over 20 years. In 2003, he passed away and his wife wanted to sell. Two ZO-6 experts tipped the famous Ken and Gary Naber and they purchased the vehicle and shipped it back to their Houston, Texas Corvette Restoration shop. When received, the original hood was with the car and holes in the body matched up to photos of the SEBRING race for night and marker lights. The vin was verified thru NICB that showed the car was originally sold to DELMO JOHNSON CHEVROLET. After a complete body off frame restoration, the car was reunited with Delmo Johnson and Dave Morgan at the August 2004 Corvette Racer Reunion at Corvettes of Carlisle in Pennsylvania. In October 2004, the car was displayed at the Waco, Texas NCRS Regional Meet where it went thru qualification for the NCRS Heritage Award. In June 2005, the car was invited to the Special Collection at Bloomington Gold. There are rumors of a backup car, # 2 driven by Ed Lowthar as being this car. Not true. There was another Delmo ZO-6 car, but its vin number is very late 9900 range and that car has been found in Arkansas. This is one of the most celebrated 1963 Z0-6 Corvette race cars in existence. Notes/Race History: Registry ID Number: 199 View Original Size  Delmo Johnson collection 2005 photo |