1976 Chevrolet Corvette

1976 Chevrolet Corvette Widebody IMSA race car by Greenwood s/n Greenwood 006 (stamped: GM-Garcia76) Red and White Period Racing Livery A wild era of motorsports For decades, the International Motor Sports Association GT class was North Americas premier Gran Touring Championship. In contrast to the Trans-Am series, the races had focus on long distance events, and sought to highlight the battle between European and domestic manufactures. The series enjoyed cross-over participation with European teams and drivers attending the famous 24 hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, and American teams attending the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which inarguably represented the pinnacle of Sports Car and Gran Touring racing anywhere on the globe. The IMSA rules package allowed for liberal modifications to the car's original platforms, surpassed only by the liberal lifestyles enjoyed by those central to the IMSA racing community during the 1970s and 1980s. Famously financed in large part by what seemed to be unlimited drug money and high octane personalities, the 1970s IMSA racing scene pushed man and machine to the edge of legality in more ways than one. To the edge of the rulebook Now famous constructor John Greenwood had a well-deserved reputation as an innovator. His mind was constantly working, and his inventive ideas helped to propel his highly modified Widebody Corvettes to considerable success in North America and Europe, including a pole position at the 24 hours of Lemans. Greenwoods innovative thinking produced an extremely fast, but sometimes vulnerable, car. Taking full advantage of every word in, and absent from, the new 1976 IMSA rulebook, Greenwood collaborated with Zora Duntov and GM designers Randy Wittine and Jerry Palmer to turn the liberal allowance for very wide fender flares into a radically shaped body that generated extreme downforce. The effectiveness of the shape was increased by wrapping the front fiberglass around the chassis instead of bolting it on top, giving the body an extreme rake. Additional downforce was garnered by an adjustable rear wing. The car also had a belly pan with an integral wing of its own at the groundplane, which in effect constituted a rear diffuser. But this underwing was a sacrificial lamb, according to Burt Greenwood: It was something that would be seen by IMSA, [and] they would say we cant run it, [but] it would improve our chances that theyd leave the flares alone, rule-wise. It worked, as IMSA did order removal of the clever underwing while permitting the team to keep the flares. When addressing the tubular chassis, Greenwood turned to legendary racecar engineer Bob Riley for help with chassis modifications. Advances included a sophisticated multi-link, anti-dive front/anti-squat rear suspension and coil-overs at all four corners, along with a complex, fantastically strong roll cage. Power was derived from an all aluminium big block of Chevrolet origin, and induction was via fuel injection with individual butterflies and fed to the ground through a 4-speed transmission and a very advanced 4-link independent rear suspension arrangement. History and condition of this Greenwood Corvette This particular example is commonly referred by historians as Greenwood 006, or C006. There are no other cars extant claiming its history, nor any competing claims to the chassis number. Of the 12 total Greenwood Widebody cars which completed in period, it is documented to have been one of the first customer cars delivered. This Greenwood Corvette was acquired by the Garcia brothers, Javier, George and Manuel. They campaigned the car in the 1976 Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours. Proving that speed was not an issue, they qualified 4th for both races, but finished 22nd and 29th respectively. The car was pressed into service again for the 1977 Sebring 12 Hours where Javier and George were joined by full-time professional Jack Baldwin. After starting eighth, they failed to finish due to accident damage. The Garcia brothers continued to campaign the car in select events until the end of 1978. After a long period of non-use, Fantasy Junction had the opportunity to sell this car to the current and consigning owner in 2005. In 2007, a comprehensive restoration was performed to very high mechanical and cosmetic standards. The restoration was performed in-house as a cost-is-no-obstacle effort on behalf of the owner, who has a significant historic racing operation of rare, high performance cars. The engine was rebuilt at that time, and again ahead of the 2013 racing season. The 454ci Donovan block is topped by a Kinsler Fuel injection system, producing 700hp at the crank when dynoed. All systems were addressed and period technical specifications were adhered to as closely as was possible. Generally enjoyed on the West Coast, this Greenwood Corvette has been accepted to both the Rolex Reunion (2009, 2010, 2012) the Wine Country Classic (2007, 2010), as well as other SOVERN and HMSA sanctioned events. While approximately 15 race weekends in total have been logged since the comprehensive restoration, just two have been logged since the most recent engine rebuild. The car was last raced in the 2022 Velocity Invitational. The next chapter The car is represented by the owner and his professional team as a race-ready car needing nothing before its first track outing. The car is fitted with a Sabelt safety harness which is good through the 2026 season. The currently installed Fuel Safe fuel cell is dated 2011. When rebuilt in 2013 by RB Enterprises, the 454ci engine block was magnafluxed, bored, honed, and fitted with new forged pistons, rings, rod and cam bearings and a new camshaft. Every aspect of the car has been obsessively detailed and its presentation is fit for the most premier historic racing events. Just as they did in period, this Greenwood constructed Corvette offers performance equal to a Porsche 935, Ferrari 512 BBLM, or DeKon Monza, at a fraction of the price, and in a more cost-effective package to campaign. While this particular example's period participation was limited to the North America continent, a nearly identical configuration Greenwood Corvette Widebody was on the pole at Lemans in 1976, and one can't help but wonder how this package of advanced aerodynamics and sheer internal combustion displacement might fair against its European rivals if accepted to Lemans Classic today! Accompanied by years of Historic Racing log books, dyno Sheets, alignment Sheets, and shock suspension diagrams, track and set up notes, period photos, and coming out of long-time ownership of a prominent American Historic racer, The Garcia Brothers Corvette awaits its next custodian looking to embrace their inner Evil Knievel and accelerate into the 2025 motorsports season. Please note a further identification number of GM-Garcia76 has been riveted to the driver side roll bar for ease of identification, as there are no specific Greenwood or Corvette identifications evident.