Grand Sports #001 & #004 From 1963, Plus #001 From 1996 Confirmed For Corvettes At Carlisle

CARLISLE, PA – Corvettes at Carlisle attendees will be in the presence of nearly half of the original Corvette Grand Sport production run. Corvettes at Carlisle, taking place August 27-29 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, announced the appearance of two of the five original 1963 Corvette Grand Sports ever built—Chassis #001 and Chassis #004. Together, these legendary machines represent one of the rarest gatherings in Corvette history and serve as the centerpiece of the event’s Grand Sport 30th Anniversary Celebration.

Conceived by legendary Corvette Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Grand Sport program was Chevrolet’s answer to Carroll Shelby and the Cobra. Designed as lightweight, purpose-built competition cars, the Grand Sports were intended to challenge the world’s best on the track. However, General Motors’ corporate racing ban brought the ambitious program to an abrupt halt before full-scale production could begin. Only five Grand Sports were completed.

Despite the program’s short lifespan, the cars would go on to cement their place in automotive history through victories at Watkins Glen, appearances at Sebring, and memorable performances during Nassau Speed Week. Today, the original Grand Sports are widely regarded as some of the most important and valuable Corvettes ever built.

Leading the display in Carlisle is Grand Sport Chassis #001, the first Grand Sport ever constructed and arguably the most recognizable of the five.  Secretly preserved by Duntov rather than destroyed following GM’s racing ban, #001 became the foundation of the Grand Sport legacy. Its story includes a transformation into a roadster configuration, competition duty under Roger Penske in the iconic blue-and-yellow Sunoco livery at the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring. The car resides within the esteemed collection of Harry Yeaggy and has been meticulously restored to its famed Penske/Sunoco appearance.

Joining #001 in Carlisle is Grand Sport Chassis #004, a car whose accomplishments on the track helped define the Grand Sport name. Although assigned serial number four, #004 became the first Grand Sport to compete, earning the model’s inaugural victory when Dr. Dick Thompson drove it to a win at the Glen Classic at Watkins Glen in August 1963. Following its early success, the car returned to Chevrolet for additional development before joining Mecom Racing, where it played a key role in the team’s domination of the 1963 Nassau Speed Week events and later preparation for endurance competition, including the famed 12 Hours of Sebring. Chassis #004 calls the renowned Revs Institute in Naples, Florida home, making its appearance at Corvettes at Carlisle an exceptionally rare opportunity for enthusiasts. 

While the original 1963 Grand Sports established the name as a symbol of Corvette performance and competition, Chevrolet revived that legendary badge more than three decades later with the introduction of the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport.  Appearing as part of Corvettes at Carlisle’s 30th Anniversary celebration of the 1996 model, Grand Sport #001 represents the beginning of another celebrated chapter in Corvette history. As the first example produced in Chevrolet’s limited 1996 run of just 1,000 Grand Sport Corvettes, this C4 is among the most significant examples of the modern Grand Sport era. Finished in the iconic Admiral Blue paint with a wide Arctic White center stripe and signature red fender hash marks, the car was powered by the one-year-only 330-horsepower LT4 engine, making it the ultimate performance version of the final C4 Corvette. 

Beyond its production significance, Grand Sport #001 (1996) played an important role during development as an engineering and validation vehicle before becoming the personal Corvette of legendary Corvette engineer and racer John Heinricy, one of the key figures behind the return of the Grand Sport name. Today, this historic Corvette represents the continuation of the Grand Sport legacy and joins the original 1963 legends for a rare celebration of Corvette history.

While only two of the original five Grand Sports will appear in addition to 1996’s #001 and a Fun Field filled with other modern Grand Sport examples, enthusiasts continue to celebrate the legacy of this amazing build. In fact, as part of Team Chevrolet’s visit, they’ll have on hand, their all-new Grand Sport and Grand Sport X. Each will be showcased within their tent on the Manufacturers Midway. 

How much of a big deal are these Grand Sports, especially the two from 1963? During the weekend of August 13-15, just two weeks before Corvettes at Carlisle, Grand Sport Chassis #003 is slated to cross the auction block with RM Sotheby’s carrying a pre-sale estimate of more than $10 million. In fact, #003’s sales sheet promotes it as rarer than BOTH the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe and Ferrari 250 GTO. That’s a pretty big deal!

Whether your passion lies in Corvette racing history, engineering innovation, or simply witnessing automotive legends in person, Corvettes at Carlisle offers an opportunity to experience two of the most historically significant Corvettes ever created. For additional information, including registration details, schedules, and event activities, visit www.CarlisleEvents.com.  Gates open at 7 AM daily, with kids 12 and under admitted free. Discounted spectator admission tickets are available online, plus student and military discounts are available at the gate with valid ID.

Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of nearly a dozen annual collector car/truck events.  Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA) and Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA).  The season schedule includes automotive flea markets of varying sizes, multiple auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners, and performance sport compacts.  Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe.  More information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

The post Grand Sports #001 & #004 from 1963, plus #001 from 1996 confirmed for Corvettes at Carlisle appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.