Sunday, October 14, 2007

Duntov Corvette





Duntov Lightweight:

Some of what I am writing about is direct quotes from the booklet that was given to me by Sonny Adams at the races. The photos of the car are all mine and remain my property.

While at the Miller Motorsports Race track for the Hero’s of Speed vintage car races I came across what I thought at first was a Corvette Grand Sport. Only five Grand Sports were built before GM cancelled the project. GM ordered that the cars be destroyed and put aside two of the Grand Sports and then he sent cars 003, 004 and 005 to John Mecom in Texas. Those cars were sold to various racers.

Grand Sport chassis #003 recently changed hands for more than $6 million. The Duntov Motor Company was formed for the 40th anniversary of Sebring 1965. The Duntov Motor Company was organized to produce an exact replica of this famous car.

The Duntov Lightweight automobile is not a kit car. Every part is hand made to replicate the corresponding part in the original #003 car as it was presented at Sebring in 1965.

Duntov Motor Company was authorized to use the Duntov name by Elfi Duntov, in part to recreate the spirit of the original car, and to demonstrate that spirit to a new generation.

Specifications and performance:

Like the original Grand Sports that were built as racecars and is not intended to be driven on the street the Duntov Lightweights as also race cars and not intended to be driven on the street.

The cars come with three engine options starting with a Chevrolet ZZ383 small block that makes 425 HP at 5400 RPM on 93 octane gas, resulting in a weight to power ratio of 5.3 lbs. per horsepower.

The Duntov racing small block produces 675 HP at 7700 RPM on race gas. Weight to power ratio for this combination is 3.33 lbs. per HP.

As a point of reference, a new Corvette Z06 is 6.2 lbs. per H; a new Ford GT is 6.8.
Prices for production Duntov Lightweights start at less than half of a Ford GT, and less than 2 % of the market value of an original Grand Sport.

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