In January 1953 the first Corvette was proudly displayed at General Motors’ Motorama show, held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The marque’s first sports car, the Corvette was conceived and designed by the legendary Harley Earl, and it was initially powered by a Blue Flame straight-six backed by an automatic transmission. Just 300 examples of the fiberglass-bodied Corvette, all finished in Polo White with red bucket seats, were constructed for its first model year. Immediately recognizing the performance potential latent in this new model, Zachary "Zora" Arkus-Duntov personally wrote then Chevrolet Chief Engineer Ed Cole outlining his desire to work for Chevrolet on the Corvette program. That spring, Arkus-Duntov started his career at Chevrolet as an assistant staff engineer.

Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1909, Zora Arkus-Duntov had a passion for all things mechanical from a very young age. He graduated from the University of Charlottenburg in Berlin, Germany in 1934, where he studied mechanical engineering. He later moved to Paris and would eventually serve in the French Air Force during World War II. When the French surrendered, Zora and his family escaped France to Spain, gaining passage on a refugee ship out of Lisbon, Portugal destined for New York City in December 1940. In Manhattan, Zora and his brother Yura started a successful munitions business after the United States entered the war. Following the war, they offered the legendary Ardun overhead valve conversion kits for Ford’s successful flathead V-8 engines.

Arkus-Duntov would eventually get into racing himself when he attempted to qualify with a Talbot-Lago for the Indianapolis 500 in 1946 and 1947, sadly not making the cut either year. He would move on to a position with Allard in England, driving for the team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, first behind the wheel of a Chrysler-powered Allard J2X Le Mans along with Frank Curtis in 1952, and then a Cadillac-powered Allard J2R with Ray Merrick in 1953, unfortunately not finishing either year due to mechanical failures. Porsche took notice of Arkus-Duntov’s talents, offering him a seat in 1954 with their Porsche 550/4 RS Spyder; he and Gonzague Olivier earned a class victory and 14th overall finish. Arkus-Duntov competed in what would be his final Le Mans appearance in 1955, once again driving for Porsche, this time with Auguste Veuillet in a Porsche 550 RS Spyder with the team earning a class win and finishing 13th overall.

Arkus-Duntov would bring a different perspective to Chevrolet and the Corvette team, one focused on innovation and performance. The initial version of the Corvette looked great, but it lacked true sports car feel and capability; by 1955, after the popularity of its initial release had faded, so too had sales—despite the addition of an optional 265-cubic-inch V-8 and an optional three-speed synchromesh manual gearbox. The Corvette appeared to be on the chopping block of GM executives, and Arkus-Duntov knew that proving the model’s prowess with performance exercises and racing would be key to its salvation.

On 20 December 1955, Arkus-Duntov, behind the wheel of a 1954 Corvette test mule with a new 307-cubic-inch V-8 (a punched-out 283), exceeded 156 mph at GM’s Mesa proving ground. In January 1956, he would pilot a new 1956 Corvette featuring a V-8 with a Duntov camshaft at the NASCAR-sanctioned flying mile at Daytona Beach to a speed of 150.583, giving the Corvette and its new powertrain some great press. It was around this time that American driver John Fitch was hired to manage a factory-supported Corvette racing team.

The 12 Hours of Sebring in 1956 would be the first big event for Corvette in competition. Five Corvettes were entered in the race, with Raceway Enterprises #1 Corvette Special piloted by John Fitch and Walt Hansgen starting 1st, ahead of a Ferrari 375 Plus in 2nd. The four other C1 Corvettes would all start in the top seven. The race proved a challenge, but the #1 Corvette Special finished 9th overall and won its class. Ferrari dominated the event with a pair of Scuderia Ferrari 860 Monzas finishing 1-2, followed by a Jaguar D-Type in 3rd. Enthusiasts and amateur racers took notice of the Corvette’s success and sales benefited, nearly reaching the model’s record sales achieved in 1954.

There was still something missing from the equation, however: A factory-supported, purpose-built racecar. Chevrolet needed one of their own, especially if they wanted to compete with the likes of Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati, and Aston Martin.

PROJECT XP-64

Harley Earl, the legendary designer and creator of the Corvette, was one of Zora Arkus-Duntov’s supporters within the upper echelons of GM. He respected Arkus-Duntov’s aptitude for engineering and—acknowledging the public appeal of competition racing—recognized Arkus-Duntov’s vision of the Corvette as a true performance car.

In support of Arkus-Duntov’s plans, Earl purchased the Jaguar D-Type that had finished 3rd at the 1956 12 Hours of Sebring from Jack Ensley of Indianapolis. He shipped the car to GM and presented the idea of installing a Chevrolet engine in the D-Type and campaigning the car, knowing full well the suggestion would cause a stir. Naturally, when Arkus-Duntov heard this, he respectfully proposed rather than starting with another manufacturer’s car, they create a purpose-built racecar from the ground up—an all-Chevrolet product. Earl’s plan had worked, and the pair justified the project to a surprisingly willing Ed Cole, who himself wanted to compete on the biggest stages of racing.

In early October 1956, following approvals from GM’s top brass, Ed Cole, then General Manager of the Chevrolet Motor Division, assigned Zora Arkus-Duntov with the task of building a Chevrolet racecar that would be known internally as Project XP-64, later officially named the Corvette SS (Super Sport). In total, two cars were produced: one fully finished example for competition and display, and a test car/prototype with minimal bodywork affectionately referred to as “The Mule.”

Zora Arkus-Duntov hand-picked a talented team of draftsmen, stylists, mechanics, and electricians who worked around the clock to complete the new car, with the lofty goal of campaigning a finished car in 1957. The team operated in a skunkworks-type environment, in a cordoned-off section of the Chevrolet Engineering Center. The new purpose-built racecar was to be an exercise in lightweight construction and aerodynamics with a state-of-the-art powertrain, and to accomplish this, GM studied the successes of similar cars they were trying to emulate from the period. It has long been said that the tubular chassis construction of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL served as the inspiration for the design Arkus-Duntov would utilize in the SS, building a custom tubular truss-type frame made of chrome-molybdenum tubing. The finished framework weighed in at just 180 pounds, an astonishing achievement.

Independent suspension was implemented at the front of the car, with the rear featuring a de Dion setup—a relatively uncommon design that kept unsprung weight low and provided excellent road adhesion, though at the cost of increased complexity. Bringing the SS to a stop was a unique front and rear drum brake system, each with their own individual vacuum assist unit system, operated by one pedal. At the front, composite cast iron brakes with finned outer aluminum drums were mounted at the wheels, while at the rear, brakes were mounted inboard, as on the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R racecars. Steering featured a recirculating ball-type gear with linkage ahead of the front wheels, and a final steering ratio of 12:1 ensured a precise experience for the driver.

The body was built by General Motors Styling department, in an agreement by Ed Cole and Harley Earl. In a true test of modern coachbuilding, the body was constructed in lightweight magnesium. The stunning low-slung aerodynamic bodywork was hinged at the front and rear for quick trackside access to either section of the car, with Hartwell flush latches securing the panels. A toothed grille was the sole off-the-shelf nod to the model’s Corvette lineage, while a specially designed low-cut plastic windshield extended into the doors. The interior featured two sport seats, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a competition instrumentation layout including a tach, oil and water temp gauges, oil pressure gauge, and clock. A streamlined rollbar/headrest was beautifully integrated into the design of the bodywork. The car rode on quick-change cast magnesium knockoff wheels with special tires. A finishing touch to the SS was a unique airplane-style canopy.

The SS was powered by a standard 283-cubic-inch V-8 block with a bore and stroke of 3.875 inches by 3.0 inches. It featured a high-performance camshaft and, in the interest of creating a lightweight final product, incorporated a number of experimental aluminum parts including cylinder heads with solid lifters, water pump, radiator core, and clutch housing, as well as an oil pan cast from magnesium. Each cylinder had its own exhaust pipe that fed into a collector with air then moving through a non-restrictive straight-through type exhaust before exiting on the sides of the car, just in front of the rear wheels.

Fueling the 283 was another experimental part: Chevrolet’s Ramjet fuel injection system—again borrowing from European manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, who used comparable systems in their 300 SL road car and W 196 R racecar. The Ramjet system was fed by two electric fuel pumps pulling from the car’s 43-gallon plastic fuel tank with a shape contoured to fit below the car’s aero body behind the driver. The engine weighed in at 450 pounds—80 pounds less than the engine in a production Corvette. With an output of over 300 horsepower (over 1 horsepower per cubic inch), this was a powerplant poised to put up a fight with the European sports car competition.

The engine was backed by an aluminum four-speed close-ratio gearbox, with synchro-mesh in all forward gears. The unit weighed in at just 65 pounds. The differential was a cast unit made of low-weight alloy, and it featured quick-change gears. While final drive was set to 3.55:1, the quick-change unit allowed the ratio to be changed anywhere from 2.63:1 to 4.80:1 depending on usage needs.

All of this culminated in a stunning finished product. The aerodynamic, lightweight design of the SS had an impressive power-to-weight ratio the likes of which Detroit had never seen. The SS weighed in at 1,850 pounds dry—nearly 1,000 pounds less than a production Corvette. Equally remarkable was Project XP-64’s incredibly short timetable: Going from drawing board to test track in just five months, the Corvette SS was an unbelievable accomplishment for Chevrolet.

12 HOURS OF SEBRING 1957

Zora Arkus-Duntov had set his sights on competition with the SS, with the goal of competing at Le Mans. First, however, they would need to put the new prototype through its paces at the track. The 12 Hours of Sebring, held yearly in March since 1952, provided the perfect test opportunity.

Zora Arkus-Duntov had signed agreements with two well-known American names to drive for Chevrolet for 1957, John Fitch and Carroll Shelby. The Corvette SS was completed just a week before Sebring and arrived just the day before the race, and it is believed that this led to driver changes for the event. Apparently unsure as to whether the SS would even arrive, Shelby took a seat with Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250S, driving for Maserati. Fitch would sign his former Mercedes-Benz teammate, Italian Piero Taruffi, to join him in driving the SS at Sebring.

John Fitch, of Connecticut, was a pilot during World War II with an impressive wartime resume; he was one of only a few American pilots to have shot down a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet. Fitch had survived being shot down, spending the end of the war as a POW. Like many hero pilots, returned home looking to fill the void of combat flying. His outlet was car racing. Fitch opened an MG dealership in White Plains, New York, and began racing cars in the Northeast—initially his own specials and modified MGs—before catching the eye of Briggs Cunningham, for whom he would race for a number of years. Going into 1957, Fitch’s resume included having won the SCCA’s first National Championship in 1951; two 1st class finishes for Cunningham at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; a 1st class finish at the Mille Miglia in 1955 behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL for Daimler-Benz AG; and four appearances at the 12 Hours of Sebring, finishing 1st overall for Cunningham in 1954, and taking a 1st in class finish the year prior in 1956 in a Chevrolet Corvette Special. An impressive American driver in his own right, Fitch had also managed the Corvette race team in 1956, and his mechanical background allowed him to help teams he raced for to dial in the cars he was piloting.

Piero Taruffi initially started his racing career in motorcycles. In 1932, he won the 500-cc European Championship, and later, in 1937, he became a motorcycle land speed record-holder, achieving a top speed of 274.18 km/h. Taruffi competed for six years in Formula One for Alfa Romeo, Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, and Vandervell. His one Grand Prix win came for Scuderia Ferrari at the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix, a race in which he also scored the fastest lap. His last podium finish in Formula One came at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix where Taruffi, behind the wheel of an open-wheel Mercedes-Benz W 196 R, finished 2nd behind teammate Juan Manuel Fangio in a W 196 R Streamliner.

In addition to Formula One, Taruffi enjoyed a great career in sports car racing. His highlights up until 1957 included a win at the 1951 Carrera Panamericana, alongside co-driver Luigi Chinetti behind the wheel of a Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale, and a 1st-place finish in the 1955 Tour of Sicily, again behind the wheel of a Ferrari. Taruffi, then 50 years old, would later in 1957 go on to win the last Mille Miglia in May for Scuderia Ferrari, driving a 315 S, retiring from racing following the event. Taruffi had raced at Sebring the prior three years for Scuderia Lancia, Luigi Chinetti’s Ferrari, and Maserati. In each appearance, however, a win remained elusive, with 5th being his best finish. But before his retirement, before his win at the last Mille Miglia, Sebring represented the next challenge for Taruffi, then still seeking his first win at Florida’s challenging endurance race. Perhaps, with the experimental Corvette SS, things would be different in 1957.

The Corvette SS arrived at Sebring on 22 March 1957, just a day before the race, with mechanics reportedly addressing last-minute items in the truck on the drive down from Michigan. Testing began almost immediately upon arrival and the SS caused quite a stir, drawing the attention of race fans and competitors alike. Arkus-Duntov wisely shipped both the completed Chevrolet Corvette SS and the unfinished prototype, “The Mule,” to Sebring.

Following their Friday practice sessions, Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss approached Duntov to get a closer look at Chevrolet’s new racecar. Following a walkaround, Arkus-Duntov offered “The Mule” to Fangio, who quickly grabbed his helmet and jumped in the car. Fangio completed one lap, returning to the pits concerned with a whistling noise under the hood. Arkus-Duntov explained it was nothing to worry about—just the normal sound of the new Chevrolet fuel injection system. Fangio, happy to hear nothing was broken, enthusiastically left the pits and went out and set a Sebring lap record in The Mule of 3:27, a time 2.4 seconds better than the fastest lap in 1956 set by Mike Hawthorn in a Jaguar D-Type. Moss would take a turn behind the wheel as well, turning in a lap time of 3:28, also beating Hawthorn. The two marveled at the new Chevrolet design.

There was no qualifying for Sebring in 1957; starting grid was based on engine size. The Corvette SS, with its 4.6-liter V-8, started first, followed by three Corvettes, and a field littered with Ferraris, Maseratis, Jaguars, and Porsches.

At the exciting Le Mans start, Fitch began the race along with the lead pack and would hold 6th place for a number of laps. The speed of the SS was on full display, with the car gapping Jaguar D-Types on Sebring’s long straightaway. It being the car’s first race, however, there were issues. The experimental brake system was touchy and prone to locking up; this proved a problem in practice and the race, leading to flat-spotting the tires. Fitch limped the car to the pits with the engine having died on him. A faulty coil connection was determined to be the problem, and following a 15-minute pit stop, the car was sent out again, with Fitch later forced to swap the coil on the circuit.

Things would never fully settle in for the SS. Further problems arose, with the rear suspension chattering and the tires beginning to hit the fenders going over bumps. Not wanting to risk driver safety or damage to the car, Duntov ordered the SS in. Piero Taruffi returned the car to the pits, and the SS retired after 23 laps. The race was eventually won by Juan Manuel Fangio and Jean Behra in a factory Maserati entry 450S, with Stirling Moss and Harry Schell taking 2nd in a factory Maserati 300S, and Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb finishing 3rd in a D-Type for Jaguar Cars North America. For Chevrolet, a positive takeaway from Sebring was a pair of Corvette C1s finishing 1-2 in the GT5.0 class.

Following a post-retirement inspection, it was determined that a bushing had failed in the rear suspension, apparently due to incorrect installation. Yet even without the suspension bushing failure or brake issues, the car would have likely been forced to retire early due to an excessively warm cockpit and the drivers’ inability to handle the heat. The Corvette SS’s lightweight magnesium body, while great in theory, proved troublesome, as it conducted heat straight to the cockpit. To combat this, mechanics cut away lower body panels near the exhaust in an effort to dissipate the radiating heat, but this, along with the addition of cockpit insulation, could not bring temperatures back to comfortable levels.

Chevrolet Motor Division’s Ed Cole had this to say following the race: “We are quite pleased with the performances of the Corvette SS. The run at Sebring gave us an opportunity to observe, under severe operating conditions, several components we were interested in testing. It proved a design of great promise. When some elements showed signs of deterioration, faster than we thought they should, we felt it best to stop and observe these components rather than continue to point of failure which would complicate further study.”

Despite these issues, the SS still impressed, leading many to ask what was next for Chevrolet’s new racecar. Between The Mule and the SS in practice and in the race, Sebring proved Chevrolet’s new racecar was a real American contender—a car that could potentially challenge European supremacy in sports car racing.

A FORCED RETIREMENT

Following the race on 28 March 1957, a memo circulated within the Chevrolet Engineering department from Dean Bedford Jr. summarizing the SS Corvette’s race at Sebring. The memo outlined what went well, what did not, and what needed to be addressed going into the next race. It is rumored that the magnesium body experiment had run its course and that fiberglass construction would be utilized going forward for the SS. Less than one week later, on 3 April 1957, the Chevrolet Engineering Department received design order 17890, outlining the design and development work needed to be completed on the Corvette SS. The work order specified: “This redesign work is to include such items as brakes, exhaust systems, ventilation of cockpit, engine cooling, and any other design as directed.” It outlined a delivery date of 3 June 1957, three weeks ahead of the world’s ultimate endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Then, on 6 June 1957, racing fans and the auto industry alike were hit with shocking news. The Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA), made up of all the American auto manufacturers, agreed to end factory-supported racing efforts. This decision effectively ended Chevrolet’s Project XP-64 program and any further development or racing of the Corvette SS. Despite only competing in one race, the Corvette SS proved a stunning design exercise and a racecar with great promise, leaving everyone with the burning question…what if?

It is said that Chevrolet, prior to Sebring, had applied for and was granted three entries to Le Mans for 1957. The Corvette SS likely would have filled one of those spots. Following the proposed developmental updates, could the SS have foiled what ended up being Jaguar’s third consecutive win with the D-Type?

The fate of the second Corvette SS chassis, which underpinned The Mule development car, only fuels speculation about the project’s unrealized potential. The chassis was eventually acquired by GM designer Bill Mitchell and used as the basis of his Project XP-87 Stingray Racer. In addition to presaging the styling of the C2 Corvette, this car was raced, albeit without any official Chevrolet support or Corvette badging, by Dr. Dick “The Flying Dentist” Thompson to an SCCA National Championship victory in 1960.

By the end of 1957, Arkus-Duntov was rewarded with his efforts on the Corvette program and promoted to Chevrolet’s Director of High Performance. While unable to achieve Le Mans success with his Corvette SS, he continued to support racing efforts behind the scenes. He aided Briggs Cunningham’s Corvette effort in 1960, a year in which John Fitch and Bob Grossman achieved a class win for Corvette at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 8th overall.

With the SS project officially shut down, the car remained in the ownership of General Motors and was occasionally used for promotional purposes. It was shown at the 1957 Michigan State Fair from 30 August to 8 September. In this period, the SS was featured in numerous publications, including serving as a cover car for Sports Cars Illustrated and Motor Guide magazines. Road & Track, would feature the car, and the Chevrolet team, in their event coverage of the 1957 Sebring 12 Hour race. In 1959 Arkus-Duntov would drive the SS at the Daytona International Speedway, lapping the track at 155 mph, an impressive feat. Arkus-Duntov would later return with the SS to GM’s Mesa Proving Ground, achieving a top speed of 183 mph and proving just how potent the SS was.

On 29 November 1960, Zora Arkus-Duntov contacted Anton "Tony" Hulman Jr. to see if he was interested in the 1957 Chevrolet Corvette SS for display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Hulman replied, honored and interested in Arkus-Duntov’s offer, yet for unknown reasons, the discussions did not proceed further. The SS, still under GM ownership, was later shown on 13 March 1962 at Hallman’s Chevrolet at the Western New York Corvette Club Meeting alongside the newest Chevrolet models.

On 1 November 1966, Arkus-Duntov once again reached out to Hulman, this time encouraging him to contact the new Chief Engineer, A.C. Mair, as he was now open to the donation. It is rumored that Arkus-Duntov played a cat-and-mouse game with GM accountants for years with the SS, moving it around to various GM buildings to keep it “off the books” and out of the prying eye of accountants—and most importantly, avoiding the crusher, a sad fate of most prototypes of the era. Hulman quickly followed Arkus-Duntov’s instructions and reached out to Mair, and the car made its way to Indianapolis in late May. It was officially presented to Tony Hulman Jr. by Zora Arkus-Duntov on 29 May 1967, at the Indianapolis 500 Driver’s Meeting during race week.

Since joining the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, the SS has been displayed proudly alongside other highly significant racing machines. In 1984, the SS appeared in the very first Bloomington Gold “Special Collection,” returning the following year in 1985. In the mid-1980s, work was completed on the SS including an exterior refinish, interior retrimming, a new Lexan windshield, and a refinish of the wheels. All work was completed in time for the Chevrolet Corvette SS to travel to Monterey in August 1987, in celebration of Chevrolet’s 75th anniversary. There, it was reunited with Zora Arkus-Duntov and John Fitch at the Monterey Historic races, where the two did a parade lap around Laguna Seca in the SS with John Fitch driving. While Zora Arkus-Duntov was not permitted to drive the car at Monterey, a detour was made on its way back East, stopping at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, where he was once again behind the wheel of his legendary SS. Arkus-Duntov’s “one or two laps” behind the wheel turned into many, reportedly lapping the track at very high speed. This experience behind the wheel must have brought back memories of all that went into developing his special purpose-built racecar.

In 1990, the SS served as the cover car for the fall issue of The Corvette Restorer magazine. In June of 1994, the Corvette SS was once again selected for the Bloomington Gold Special Collection. Later, in September 1994, the SS was present for the grand opening of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In June 1997 the SS was shown at the Bloomington Gold event in Springfield, Illinois.

In August 2002, the SS would once again grace the Monterey Historics, shown by GM in celebration of the Corvette, and served as one of the poster cars of the event. Later that month the IMS Museum went through the process of titling the car, doing so with a state-assigned VIN, MVIN215923IND, affixed to the firewall. The SS was part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Corvette, held in 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2006, the SS was put on loan to the Saratoga Auto Museum, joining a number of other cars for their John Fitch: An American Racing Hero display. In 2010, the SS was inducted into The Bloomington Gold Great Hall, recognizing the 50 people and 50 Corvettes that influenced the model. Then, in 2012, the SS was shown at the 17th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

In May 2014, the Rochester fuel-injection unit was rebuilt by Corvette Restoration Services in Farmington, Michigan, in preparation for the SS to be used at the 2014 SVRA Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational. The SS completed parade laps around the Speedway, during which time the car, unfortunately, suffered an engine failure, with two connecting rods breaking due to oil starvation. Upon disassembly of the engine, it was determined that it was beyond repair for future use. Through the teardown process it was also discovered not to be the original engine, but one from the 1959 model year. According to Museum notes a “new old stock 1957 engine” was acquired, built, and installed in the SS, returning it to operability.

In 2016 the SS made a return to the place it once raced, Sebring, where it was displayed in the Gallery of Legends, beginning during the 64th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring. Starting circa 2018, the car began a period of long-term display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, though it has been shown elsewhere on special occasions. In the summer of 2018, the SS was exhibited at the Revs Museum in Naples, Florida, as part of their “Duntov’s Stealth Fighters” display. It was returned to the IMS Museum from 2020–2021 for a special “From the Vault” exhibition. In 2022 the SS joined 11 of the most influential Corvette concept cars at the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival to celebrate the Chevrolet Corvette’s 70th anniversary; it marked the first time the 12 cars were ever together. Returning to Connecticut the following year, the SS participated in the 2023 Lime Rock Historics, and it was also displayed at the Monterey Historics that August.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum proved a worthy recipient of the SS, and its donation was a fitting full-circle moment for Arkus-Duntov. The car he cherished most was, in the end, housed on the hallowed grounds of an event Arkus-Duntov had himself attempted to qualify for on two occasions in the late 1940s. Moreover, the Corvette is a celebrated model at the Brickyard, having served as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500, an impressive 21 times to date—more than any other model—with special editions available for public purchase.

A SINGULAR AND SPECTACULAR MACHINE

Zora Arkus-Duntov had one of the most storied careers in automotive history. By 1967, he had achieved the title of Corvette Chief Engineer, a truly coveted position. He retired from the company in 1975, carrying on as an ambassador of the Corvette for the rest of his life. His name today remains synonymous with the model he helped cement as America’s sports car.

The Corvette SS, a personal project of the legendary Arkus-Duntov, stands out among other experimental GM cars as their first purpose-built racecar. Of two such examples built, only one, this chassis, was completed with stunning magnesium bodywork and campaigned in motorsports competition. Alongside the production car-based Corvette SS show car that also made its debut in early 1957, it introduced the now-legendary “SS” moniker proudly worn by high-performance Chevrolets. Its incredibly compressed development timeline speaks to the vision and brilliance of the XP-64 program’s talented engineers and fabricators, and Chevrolet’s abrupt departure from motor racing, just as the Corvette SS was beginning to stretch its legs, invites endless speculation about what this car may have accomplished. Even without these tantalizing possibilities, it is a singular and spectacular machine unlike anything fielded by a major American manufacturer at the time.

Today, presented in running order and offered for public acquisition for the very first time, the Chevrolet Corvette SS is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a storied experimental car—one conceived and designed by the legend himself, Zora Arkus-Duntov.