This is one of the first stock framed, flat side, open flared, wide body GT race cars in the world. This car is the most original of all the three cars. These cars continually raced at over 230 mph, powered by the legendary Reynolds all aluminum 427 CID CanAm-based engine. Very few cars, including those in Formula 1, approach those speeds today.
This revolutionary cars chassis modifications were designed by Bob Riley of Riley, now of Riley and Scott. The bare chassis was ordered from Chevrolet and then was acid dipped. The chassis weakness from the acid dipping process was compensated through the carefully designed roll cage and strategic reinforcements.
The aerodynamic body revisions were created by John Greenwood and the father of the Corvette, Zora Duntov, along with the Chevrolet Styling department. Their innovations changed the automotive design and racing communities forever. The body parts could be ordered over the counter from any GM dealer. With the engine moved back 12 inches, down 4 inches and to the right 2.5 inches (similar to the legendary Corvette Grand Sport), there was almost perfect weight distribution on the car with the driver in it.This car also introduced a new cross-ram injection manifold which provided the Greenwood Team with much more usable power over the rpm curve (up over 1OOhp) than Chevrolet powered Can Am cars.
The biggest problem the Greenwood Widebody Corvettes had was building a drivetrain that would hold together with all the torque generated by the Reynolds engine and the new manifold. As an example, in 1975, Greenwood Corvettes qualified first 11 times, beating out the factory BMW and Porsche teams, but kept destroying driveline components, even on a de-tuned engine! It was the only car to break the Porsche dominance in the '74-75 season.
The Greenwood race cars were also used as "mules" for Zora Duntov and the Corvette design team. As an example, the rear suspension of these cars was used to develop the suspension of the C4. Somehow trick" suspension pieces and other parts quietly made their way out the back door of the Chevrolet R&D Center and showed up in a Greenwood car.
The car raced for over ten years in various races and body styles. Some of the most memorable races were in the 1974-1981 IMSA endurance series. The Shulnburg privateer team raced against Porsche and BMW factory teams for many years.
Using famed Corvette driver Dave Heinz and Porsche specialist Michael Keyser (also co-author of the book "Speed Merchants" with Brian Redman), the Shulnburg car never attended an event they did not think they could win. The highest qualification for the car was 2nd outside Johnny Rutherford and in front of AJ Foyt.
This is the most original of three wide body chassis cars produced and designed by Bob Riley and built by Rob Fornier, Charles Selix and Gary Pratt before forming Protofab Engineering. It features:
• Modified stock (acid dipped then reinforced) 1972 over-the-counter frame with 2" ladder style roll cage, full aluminum, dual insulated floors and firewalls with fiberglass tunnel, dash and inner door panels. GM supplied Greenwood with frames.
• Greenwood modified, adjustable front suspension, with cold air brake ducts.
• Greenwood A-arm, anti-squat, anti-dive coil over rear suspension.
• Dual master cylinders with balance bar, Hurst/Airheart 2"x 4 piston calipers with aluminum hats, 12" rotors and alignment cones.
• Greenwood anti-roll bars with nylon pillow block front and rear.
• Original Sterling magnesium wheels - 11x15 front, 15x15 rear.
• 427 cubic inch aluminum block with aluminum heads, steel crank, steel rods, 12:5.1 compression TRW pistons, roller rockers, original Greenwood magnesium cross-ram injection manifold (including rare integrated fuel cooler) with Lucas timed metering unit and Kinsler electric and high pressure pumps. Kinsler angle drive distributor and Corvette transistorized ignition, Carter low-pressure feed fuel pumps and Fram fuel filter.
• Three stage dry sump system and 20 quart oil tank, Harrison oil cooler. Greenwood custom brass radiator with Harrison expansion tank.
• Stewart-Warner gauges and 11lb. Halon fire system.
• ATL custom 32-gallon fuel cell, Greenwood/Stahl custom headers and side pipes.
• M-21 transmission with Greenwood custom shifter and linkage, Lakewood bell housing, Hays 11" clutch, with Greenwood Z Bar and linkage.
• Greenwood one-piece wide body nose and tail, Greenwood adjustable roadster removable top.
The car is currently in the same livery as raced at Sebring in 1977 by Shulnburg and the well-known professional driver Dave Heinz. It has been meticulously maintained throughout its current long-term vintage racing ownership. The car is in "race-ready" condition and comes with a handful of spares. Truly, this is magnificent example of a very fast, high-horsepower American racing sports car and would be eligible and extremely competitive in many high-profile vintage events worldwide, including the LeMans Classic in 2016 and the new "Daytona Classic" being planned for 2016 as well. It may be inspected in the Seattle area by appointment.