John
Fitch Retrospective Exhibit 2006 |
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The boss needed some R&R so I suggested an
educational mission to the Saratoga Auto Museum in Saratoga, NY. This is
a beautiful region with the Catskill Mountains and what a thrill to see
a variety of models that John Fitch raced. |
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Happy Birthday John Fitch,
Tuesday he was 89 years young. |
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John Fitch is one of
my hero's: WWII fighter pilot, race car driver, race team manager, auto
safety inventor, specialty car builder and more. I met him a few years ago
at another auto museum and was struck by how shy and unassuming he was.
He is a tall man and I wondered how he crammed his 6 foot plus tall frame
into those tiny cockpits in those long endurace races like LeMans. |
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This Museum is actually located in the suburb of
Saratoga that was famous for the mineral springs, hence this locale is called
Saratoga Springs. NY. The Museum is housed in one of the old bottling plants
that packaged these Saratoga natural spring tonics. In the main room above
are three of the models that John Fitch raced. From Left to Right:
1960 #3 LeMans Corvette, 1955 M-B Gullwing and the 1957 Corvette SS. |
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There was a large reprint of this 1957 photo of
John, Zora, Elfi and the SS at Sebring. More of the 57 SS Corvette |
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The one and only 1957 Corvette SS. This beauty
is or was on long term loan to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in
Speedway, IN. And honestly, of the half dozen times I've been there, it's
usually out on special display elsewhere. |
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On Saturday Sept. 9 at 2 PM the Museum is having
a seminar by one of the designers of several Corvette model, Bob Veryzer who along with Peter Brock
was responsible for this design. I'll be there. It's a In Service Training
for PhD degree. (Post Hole Digger). |
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You know, sometimes I get a little wiggly in the
presence of these historical artifacts and pull the trigger instead of squeezing
it gently. Need more time at the range. |
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I love these headlamp covers. They remind me of
my old XKE. I did not check to see if these were T3 bulbs, but will when
we return. Nope no T3's on Sept 9, 2006. |
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I counted 15 teeth in this beauty. Note the swept
back angle on the upper and lower bars on each tooth; unlike the more vertically
oriented production teeth. More agressive looking. Remember 13 teeth on
a 53-57 and 9 on 58-60. |
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Sweet from any angle. |
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Pretty futuristic for 1957. Looks like 61-67
red tail lamp lenses. |
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The only problem with this beauty: it's not
in my garage. |
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That fairing is 50's Buck Rogers. Note the oval
vent in the rear deck. |
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Looks like a wood wheel. Note the 59-62 style horn
button and 61-64 style fluted dash knobs. |
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Typical wrap around bucket seats. Note the quilted
insulation along the door area and drivers side transmission tunnel. Rear
view mirror integrated in the center dash. Whats's that black box below
the mirror? |
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I haven't got the foggiest idea what this stuff
is under the dash??? First correct answer at Carlisle gets a FREE Popsicle.
(How to determine the correct answer????) Does it have a Rochester Products
nameplate? Can anyone identify the spliced Pink wires? What is that Gold
tubular object on the lower left? Looks like it snaps in. Mustard dispenser? |
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The Popsicle Contest was won by none other than
John Hinckley who was fortunate to have even seen this race at Sebring.
He explained that this mechanism was a Front-Rear Braking Bias Adjuster.
It did not work that well, and per John, more effort should have been applied
to engineering than styling. But this is a sweet looking old girl, no matter
how you look at her. |
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Interesting shifter and perhaps I guess a circular
lockout. |
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These large side vents appeared to be functional.
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Another view of the side vents and body panel
release lever. |
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The crossed flags and F.I. emblems appears
to be just like other 1957's. |
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Regretfully the horiozontal pedestrian barrier
blocked and complicated this view of those side pipes and the parallel vertical
cooling slots. |
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Another view of the main exhibit display room from
the second floor. Check out that gigantic poster with a Red 55 on the wall above the SS. I actually
tried the gift shop to see if there was a replica for sale. But no luck. |
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I give up, what Corvette is this? Looks
like a Gypsy Red 1955, as I can barely see the tips of the Gold "V"
on the side trim. But check out the finned brake drums, 3 ear KO spinner
and Halibrand wheel. On that wheel at 12 o'clock in white chalk is LF, the
usual mark for Left Front.
Is this 55 the cats azz or what?
I think M-B was very fair in their presentation. |
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John Neas, a virtual
authority on 56-57 and Sebring models, offered the following. "The
55 appears to be the test or mule car for the 1956 Sebring race.The brake
drums appear to the final Corvette HD production drums for 1956." Since
three of the four factory Corvette team entries at 1956 Sebring were rebodied
1955 chassis - this could be one of those. I got to peek at another of
his 56 models at the recent Corvettes
at Carlisle. |
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Chip Millers
(RIP) 1960 LeMans raced Corvette driven by John Fitch and Bob
Grossman. (RIP). I have 25 plus shots of this beauty when it was recently
on exhibit at Carlisle. There I was fortunate to have that preeminent Corvette
restorer, Kevin Mackay give me a personal tour of it's numerous unique
features.
Check this link: 1960
LeMans Corvette Racer |
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We can credit John Fitch for these sand
and/or water filled highway safety barriers. |
and now a word from our sponsor |
|
oOSOEZ |
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