Corvette Returns to the Sea-Sort OfThis '47 Republic Seabee plane should still have a Franklin flat-six aero engine, but those spares ran out in the '70s. Owner Ken Kunz fitted this one with a new LS6 Corvette engine kit detuned to 350 bhp. The plane flies out of Boundary Bay Airport, near Vancouver, British Columbia. Ken restored and sold his previous Franklin-powered Seabee and bought this one with no engine after decades of storage in a barn. The plane belonged to his uncle, a Canadian bush pilot in the '50s, who was still flying in his nineties.
The new V-8 drives the original propeller via a custom extension shaft containing a 1.7:1 reduction drive: on take-off, the engine revs at 4,250 rpm and the prop spins at 2,550. The engine uses nine gallons an hour to cruise at 105 mph. Of the 1,000 or so Seabees originally built, there are still about 200 left in the air, and more Corvette conversions are likely since replacement Franklin parts must be machined from billet aluminum. - Iain Ayre
Iain Ayre, our automotive journalist in Vancouver, British Columbia, located this odd Corvette mutation. "The little flying boat with the Corvette engine was amazing," he said. "I couldn't decide whether it was hideous or cute." We have to agree. Here is a tidbit for your next game of Trivial Pursuit: In 1948, the entire Israeli Air Force was comprised of one Seabee plane.
Gavin, Beretta, and Magnussen Score a Le Mans DoubleCorvette Racing teammates Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, and Jan Magnussen scored a Le Mans Double with their win in the '05 running of the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The trio duplicated their win earlier this year in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. They finished one lap ahead of the No. 57 Aston Martin DBR9 and third overall.
The two "Ollies" along with Jan Magnussen took their second straight Petit Le Mans victory and the No. 4 Corvette C6.R's sixth win in their last seven starts.
Beretta qualified the Millennium Yellow C6.R on the GT1 pole and took control at the drop of the green flag. The team took a decisive lead at the four-hour mark when Gavin gained a one-lap advantage on his closest pursuer; they maintained that margin throughout the remainder of the race. "It's been hard; it's been hot; it's been everything you would expect of Petit Le Mans," said Gavin. "Aston Martin pushed us all the way. At times the track got very slick, and everyone in the class was struggling. A few things went our way, and we were able to take those opportunities with both hands. The team did a fantastic job with the race strategy and tire selection. As always, the Corvette C6.R performed brilliantly. Now we have won the big Le Mans and the small Le Mans in one year! Olly and Jan are fast and clever teammates; they know when to push, and when it is time to save the car. The Corvette C6.R has shown it's the car to have in GT1. This race was quite hard because of the traffic, but we didn't have contact once. At the end, I was just taking care of the car."
The win marked Corvette Racing's fifth Petit Le Mans victory in six years, and Beratta's 23rd career American Le Mans Series victory. Gavin and Beretta hold a 15-point lead (173-158) over Fellows and O'Connell in the GT1 driver's championship with one race remaining. A victory in the four-hour Monterey Sports Car Championships is worth 23 points; either the No. 3 or No. 4 team could take the driver's title.
Corvette Racing clinched the '05 GT1 manufacturers' championship for Chevrolet at Road America in August, the fifth straight title for Chevy. -Greg Aleck
GM Announces Corvette Chief Engineer David Hill to RetireGeneral Motors has announced that David Hill, currently vehicle chief engineer (VCE) of the Chevrolet Corvette and vehicle line executive (VLE) of performance cars, will retire effective January 1, 2006, after more than 41 years of dedicated service.
Tom Wallace will replace Hill as vehicle line executive of performance cars and vehicle chief engineer of the Corvette. Additionally, he will assume responsibilities for compact rear-wheel-drive performance cars, including the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky. Wallace currently is VLE of small and midsize trucks.
"Dave Hill has taken the Corvette to heights that few of us can imagine. In terms of performance, refinement, and value, he has truly helped to make Corvette second to none. He is a true car guy who will take his rightful place among the legends of Corvette lore," said Bob Lutz, General Motors vice chairman, global product development. "What do you do to replace a guy like Dave? You do your best to get another one. Tom Wallace also is a car guy and racer who will make a perfect choice to lead the Corvette and Performance team. Besides, Tom was Dave's choice too. That should tell you all you need to know," Lutz concluded.
Hill has a rich history with GM since joining Cadillac Motor Car Division in 1964. He moved through various engineering positions and was named an executive in 1979. In 1982, he was named chief engineer of the Cadillac Allante. Following the introduction in 1992 of the Northstar engine in the two-seat luxury roadster, Hill assumed chief engineer responsibilities for the Cadillac Deville and Concours. Hill was then named chief engineer of the Chevrolet Corvette in 1993, only the third chief engineer for the sports car in the vehicle's 53-year history. In 1995, he was named vehicle line executive of performance cars and led the development of the fifth-generation Corvette and the introduction of the Cadillac XLR. Last year, Dave launched the sixth-generation Corvette followed by the introduction of the new 505bhp Corvette Z06 for 2006.
Editor's note: I recently got to spend a half day with Dave Hill during my testdrive of the new Z06. We had a great time driving around the Virginia countryside, and I am thankful I got the chance for some one-on-one discussion with him. He will be sorely missed by the Corvette hobby and all of us here at CF.
This month, Corvette Fever is continuing the new Royal Purple-Corvette Fever Trivia Quiz. The Royal Purple Trivia question will be featured in each issue of Corvette Fever and at www.corvettefever.com. Readers can answer via e-mail or regular mail. Those who answer correctly will be part of a drawing for a $200 gift certificate from Royal Purple. The winner of the contest will be featured in the next issue of Corvette Fever.
Enter the Royal Purple Trivia Quiz by answering the question and filling out the required information online, or by sending the answer on a 3x5 card with your name, address, phone number, and date of birth. See Rules on page 93.
Royal Purple-Corvette fever Trivia QuizThis month's Royal Purple-Corvette Fever Trivia Quiz question is:What was a required option when the L78 engine option was ordered in 1965?