[1]In 1957 GM partnered with Rochester Carbs to develop a mechanical fuel injection system for the 283 small block Chevy that would power the Corvette. The system was a Rochester Ramjet fuel injection that constantly flowed fuel into the heads giving producing 290 horsepower.
[2]GM wanted to change the Corvette’s imagine from an underpowered roadster to a full fledge race car. Chevy wanted the Corvette to be their flag ship race car to compete at Sebring and Daytona.
The first production fuel injected “fuelie” Corvette was used as a factory backed race car by GM and Southern Engineering and Development Corporation (SEDCO). It has recently turned up for sale on eBay [3] with the jaw dropping price of $6.5 million dollars.
The car was raced in 1957 in several events including Nassau, Sebring and Daytona where it set the then mile long speed record. The car was driving by drivers Ed Rose and Paul Goldsmith. In 1958 the Automobile Makers Association (the highest governing body of auto manufacturers) ordered GM to cease their factory racing operations.
[4]The Corvette about to over take a Mercedes. Circa 1958.
GM ceased racing operations and all of the Corvettes were sold off to the racers and teams who partnered with Chevy. Ed Rose purchased three Corvettes for a dollar a piece ($8.20 a piece in today’s money).
[5]This particular Corvette was purchased by a man named Erwin Rohrer who purchased the car in ’58 and kept it in his Chicago garage until 2004. After he passed away, his son, Erik, sold it to former Wal-Mart executive Joe Trybulec, who is selling the car on eBay.
In the cars heyday it sported a white paint job with blue stripes however, Rohrer painted it gold in 1961, however, the gold is starting to chip and the original paint job can be seen.
After purchasing the car by Trybulec, it was put on display at the Bloomington Gold Corvette show in it’s worn condition as the long lost Sebring car. While this Corvette does have plenty of history behind it, is it really worth the price tag of $6.5 million?
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