The History of this 1986 C4 Super Gas Corvette
Back in the early 90's the NHRA came out with a class that was a pro stock/pro mod type class that limited the motor to 600 cubic inches. Dickey Callaway, from Houston Texas, who built funny cars, dragsters etc, took on this class and began building the car for this class. He purchased one of only 6 bodies made by East Coast Fiberglass. This body was chosen because the aero dynamics and the fact that the body was modified to fit the 2 inch larger wheelbase. In terms of aero dynamics, the slope of the front window was decreased to have the force of the air push down harder, ensuring that the car stuck to the track at 150 plus MPH and still handle well.
The class that the NHRA wanted never materialized and the car was about 70% complete, all of the major body was finished, frame rails, front rails, cage etc in chrome molley tubing.
A long timer racer, James Langford, from Sugarland Texas purchased the incomplete car. He was unhappy with the way the diagonal bars were, along with additions that he wanted to strengthen the car and prevent twisting of the frame under all the torque from the launch.
He took the chassis over to a reputable chassis builder in Stafford Texas by the name of Andy Kimberly, who ran Sports Performance. Andy added extra tubing where James wanted it, along with gussets.
The body was fitted to the car and he then began to finish the remainder adding the 9 inch narrowed Ford rear end to the 4 link set up. He threw in some Strange axles, a Strange aluminium section, and 4:71 PRO gears.
He then got Jim Kent Racing Engines to prepare a 498 cu in big block Chevy to move this beauty down the track.
No cost was spared, from the smallest engine components to the front Strange struts, to the Willwood brakes on all four corners. Everything was the best. All that power was transferred through a 2 speed glide and shifted by an airshifter. James owned a transmission shop in Sugarland Texas and did the trannies for all the local racers, so everything in the transmission was the best.
James ran the car as a bracket car. When he bracket raced the Vette his best time all out ET was 8.71 @ 156 mph, with a 1.23 second 60 footer. This car was nasty and he won many races.
The nice thing was that he could throttle stop it and run at a 9.90 index in the Super Gas class.
On November 19th 2006 the car was purchased from James Langford from Racingjunk.com
