Corvette History

1962 Corvette Le Mans
#1 - Chassis 20867S101261

Le Mans and Bowling Green - Overall Pictures
Bowling Green - Exterior Details
Bowling Green - Interior Details
Reference - Engine Details

The first, and arguably the most famous, Corvettes to run at Le Mans were the 3 car team entered by Briggs Cunningham in 1960. 

Conversely, one of the most obscure Corvettes at Le Mans must certainly be the 1962 Scuderia Scirocco USA/GB of Modena entry by Hugh M. Powell, a racing enthusiast from California. Drivers were Tony Settember (an American Formula 1 driver) and Jack Turner (a British racer and car builder).

Above - A photo taken during the 1962 Le Mans race is from the book "24 Heures du Mans, Volume 1, 1923-1962", page 362. The 327 Corvette was the only car in the "+5000 cc Grand Touring" class. It finished 29th overall out of 55 starters.

Above - Another photo taken during the 1962 Le Mans race. The original publisher incorrectly identified it as a Briggs Cunningham car, which it definitely IS NOT!!

Above - 2006-01-01 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. (The #17 Ferrari 250 TR Experimentale finished 6th overall. The drivers were Bob Grossman and Fireball Roberts!!)

Above - 2006-08-24 - Incredible photo of the crowd at the 1962 Le Mans race prior to the start. (Thanks to Gary McNutt for sending it.)

Above - 2006-08-24 - Close up from the previous photo. 

Above - 2006-08-24 - Self explanatory (if you read French). (Thanks to Gary McNutt for sending it.)

Above - 2006-01-01 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. (The #6 Ferrari 330 LM TRI is the overall winner driven by American Phil Hill and Olivier Gendenbien.)

Above - 2007-06-21 - Photo of the classic start at the 1962 Le Mans race with the Corvette on the pole by virtue of displacement, not speed.

Above - 2006-01-01 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. (The #22 Ferrari 250 GTO is the 3rd place overall car.)

Above - 2006-08-24 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. (Thanks to Gary McNutt for sending it.)

Above - 2006-08-24 - Excellent photo taken during the 1962 Le Mans race. (Thanks to Gary McNutt for sending it.)

Above - 2005-04-21 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. This picture was with the restored car at the National Corvette Museum.

Above - 2006-01-07 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. This is the lead picture in an article about 1261 from the February, 2006 issue of "Vette Vues" - page 59.

Above - 2006-01-07 - Photo during the 1962 Le Mans race. This is a blowup from the lead picture in an article about 1261 from the February, 2006 issue of "Vette Vues" - page 59.

Above - A photo and close-up during the 1962 Le Mans race from the book "24 Heures du Mans, Volume 1, 1923-1962", page 365. It appears to be just after the start as the cars accelerate under the Dunlop bridge. The Corvette is second, passed, maybe, by the number 11 Aston Martin P212 driven by Graham Hill and American Richie Ginther.

Above - 1999-07 - I found out about the 1962 Le Mans Corvette from Grand Prix Models of England through their kit list of 1:43 scale models. I bought, and later sold, the kit.

Above - 2005-04-21 - I did not know that the actual 1962 Le Mans Corvette existed until I stumbled upon it at the National Corvette Museum. To say that I was excited to find it would be a serious understatement. Many detail pictures from that day follow.

Note - 2007-06-21 - Ken Hansen of the "OrinDales" shop called when he saw this website. He noted that the above Corvette was sold to "The Bowman Company" in California for $489,000 plus fees. He also noted that it is a "Different" white, a "brighter" color.

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