Grand Sport Corvette
30 years after it's last professional
appearance in 1966, the name
Grand Sport re-appears on the Corvette. Modeled after the
original
1963 Corvette Grand Sport, this 1996
Grand Sport represents all that
the Grand Sport was, and all that it should be.
The color scheme is based on the Grand Sport
that was driven by
the legendary A. J. Foyt at the 12 hours of Sebring 1964, blue
with
white stripes running over the whole car.
When the original Grand Sports ran at Nassau
in the fall of 1963,
three different colors were used on tape on the front cowl of the
cars
to help identify them as they passed the pits at speed. Red is
used on
the 1996 Grand Sport on the left front fender as a styling
enhancer to
tie the two generations together.
Coupes and convertibles were offered on the
Grand Sports. The coupe
utilized larger ZR-1 size rear wheels and tires. The bodywork
could not
tolerate these large tires without additional fender flares. What
a
wonderful touch this is, considering it's predecesor had to do
exactly
the same thing to accomodate and handle the increased horsepower.
The stylists decided that the convertible's
lines would be disrupted
with these rear fender flares. The convertible's body panels
remained in their original form.
Custom stiched seats were standard equipment
on these legends.
Choices of color were either charcoal or red.
The engine that powered the 1996 Grand Sport
was unique itself.
This engine that powered the Grand Sport was
based upon the
the reverse-flow LT-1. When raised port cyinder heads, raised
port intake manifold, higher lift camshaft and other special
internal
modifications were installed, the result is the LT-4. This engine
propelled the Grand Sport down the 1/4 mile with an elapsed
time and speed that rivaled the King, the ZR-1.
Callaway engineering modified these LT-4
engines and renamed
them as supernaturals. 12 sec. 1/4 times were the norm.
The supernaturals were the next evolutionary
step after the
Twin Turbo Callaway Corvettes were
discontinued.
The Grand Sport, a name that will live in
eternity with the Corvette .