Corvace AC body with SBC

[Tom Kirkham]

While I was in Poland last week I was told about a Corvace. It seems that one of my customers owns one. His friend told me that there were 5 cars made with a small block Chevy engines and Muncie transmissions. When I got home I did a search on google and found

dega.cs.unc.edu/~nick/new/vir/ 57-aug/hh-5708/hh-5708-2.htm

Does anyone have any more information on the car?

[Randy Rosenberg]

Is the link correct?

[computerworks]

The link from Tom...fixed

..shows a pic from VIR in August 1957...
The #78 car is identified as a Corvace.

[Cal Metal]

Probably what CS had in mind until Ed Cole shut the door in his face.

[takomaned]

Hi Tom,you may have already discovered this,considering the date of this thread. The first Corvace was owned by Roger Wing,an SCCA club racer from Bethesda,MD. It was his concept,as far as i know. The original car was his AC Ace/Bristol. He contracted Jack Belgard and Ron Winneberger to do the work. Jack passed away several years ago. Ron left the Wash DC area and moved to Duck,NC. Roger's daughter,Joann is still alive. She often talk about the car. As Ron told me,they took the car to VIR in '57.Shelby was there driving a Maser.During the heats,Shelby was doing a thorough inspection of it and complimented them on their work. The car had a '57 Corvette engine and trans.I don't know if it had carbs or injection. I do remember they had a "Corvace" badge made up for it. Roger Wing had intentions of building these,but I thing he couldn't arrange the financing necessary. This is most of what I remember.My older sister still talks to Joann Wing. If you are interested in more details,contact me,I'm sure she would be willing to talk. Ned young in MD

[steerm]

Someone else was looking for this car(s). I own one. Purchased it from the Commander at North Island Navel Air base, in San Diego the mid 80's. He was stationed at the Pentagon and shipped the car to CA. It was in pcs. took me years to restore and put together. No manuals. Keep it original, do have to design a built a new tunnel, got some bits from the cobra club. Car have all original number corvette engine and parts, holly carb. Went like scolded rat. My friend had a IROC, could not keep up with me. With the narrow 16" Jag wheels/Disc brakes, was hard to hold on to. Added a custom plate ACE 57, sold it to gent in LA or the bay area in the late 90's. Saw it a Monterey in the pits, not as a race car, he had others. So it still out there. I know live a hour from VIR. Who knew? I still have pics and a part or two.

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by steerm

Someone else was looking for this car(s). I own one. Purchased it from the Commander at North Island Navel Air base, in San Diego the mid 80's. He was stationed at the Pentagon and shipped the car to CA. It was in pcs. took me years to restore and put together. No manuals. Keep it original, do have to design a built a new tunnel, got some bits from the cobra club. Car have all original number corvette engine and parts, holly carb. Went like scolded rat. My friend had a IROC, could not keep up with me. With the narrow 16" Jag wheels/Disc brakes, was hard to hold on to. Added a custom plate ACE 57, sold it to gent in LA or the bay area in the late 90's. Saw it a Monterey in the pits, not as a race car, he had others. So it still out there. I know live a hour from VIR. Who knew? I still have pics and a part or two.

Thank you for sharing your story.
Can you post pictures of the car and parts?

[PeteF]

There is a description and excellent photos of one such car in the book "Cobra- The First 40 Years" by Trevor Legate. Chapter 2, Missing Links.

[Thor maine]

So what you are saying is that all we love of Cobra , is because some guy put a Chevy in an AC ACE ,went racing and Carroll Shelby saw it???