Automotive history is filled with a series
of "what-ifs," and few of these "what-ifs" are as intriguing to Corvette
racing fans as the 1957 Corvette SS project.
In the early days before the Corvette was
an American icon, and at the time even in danger of being discontinued
by GM management, one obvious tactic to shore up the Corvette's sports
car image and spur sales was to institute a racing program. Thus
was born the short-lived Corvette SS project, with the initial goal of
winning at Sebring. Led by the gifted Zora Arkus-Duntov, a team of
engineers created this ultra-lightweight (1850 lbs) and powerful (307
bhp) racecar.
Success at Sebring for this stunning
racer was unfortunately not in the cards. Although the SS was
extremely fast for its day (top recorded speed of 183 mph), a series of
mechanical problems forced it to retire after 23 laps in the Sebring
12-Hour race. Shortly thereafter, the ban on factory-sponsored
racing efforts by the Detroit manufacturers spelled the end of the SS
project.
