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Chevrolet CERV I - unsuccessful as a racing car, but groundbreaking for Chevrolet

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Created on July 31, 2015

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

RM Sotheby's

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Michael Furman - Courtesy RM Auctions

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Archiv

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RM Sotheby's

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Michael Furman - Courtesy RM Auctions

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Archiv

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) -die freistehenden Räder sollten den Testfahrern helfen, die Arbeit der Aufhängungen zu beobachten

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - breite Reifen

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - Mittelmotorbauweise

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - mit der Karosserie, die ihm Shinoda 1964 verpasste

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - schnittige Heckpartie

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - Einsitzer als Testbett

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - Frontansicht des Einsitzers

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - Heckansicht des Einsitzers

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - der Pilot hatte viel Platz

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - das Corvette-Lenkrad kam ersetzte das etwas schmucklose Steuerrad, das anfänglich im Cockpit installiert war

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - deutlich schöneres Cockpit als 1961

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - komplette Instrumentierung, hübsches Lenkrad

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - der leistungsstarke V8 hinter dem Fahrer

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - Einlässe im Experimentalmotor

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - schöne Ausführung des Hecks

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Chevrolet CERV I (1960) - vorderere Einzelradaufhängung

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Chevrolet CERV I 1960 - Zora Arkus-Duntov mit dem Experimentalfahrzeug mit Mittelmotor und rund 355 SAE-PS

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - elegante Heckpartie

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - die erste Variante der Karosserie von Shinoda

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - teilweise entmantelter Prototyp, der für die Entwicklung der Corvette C2 wichtig war

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - viel Platzim Cockpit und gute Sicht nach draussen - nicht zu sehen ist das zweite Bremspedal, das links von der Kupplung angegbracht ist

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - ohne die Kunststoff-Karosserie sieht man direkt auf den Alu-Motor und die Einzelradaufhängungen

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - gut sichtbar die innenliegenen Trommelbremsen und Einzelradaufhängungen, die die Corvette damals noch nicht hatte

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Chevrolet CERV II (1964) - vierradangetriebenes Experimentalfahrzeug - wurde als Lot 139 an der RM/Sotheby's Versteigerung von New York am 21. November 2013 für eine Million USD versteigert

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Summary

In 1960, Zora Arkus-Duntov built an experimental vehicle with free-standing wheels and a powerful V8 engine at Chevrolet. It was intended to race on Pikes Peak and at Indianapolis, but this never happened. Why the prototype nevertheless had a major influence on the development of Chevrolet vehicles of the time and what became of the vehicle is explained in this report, which is illustrated with many current photos and illustrations from the time.

This article contains the following chapters

"Sold" as a test vehicle
Innovative solutions
Plenty of power in the rear
Good space and special features for the driver
Designer skin
No success in racing
Continuous further development
Rescued and restored
In many ways a forerunner of the Corvette C2
On sale to the public for the first time
Further information

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Zora Arkus-Duntov, motorsport enthusiast, engineer and head of a test department at the American car manufacturer General Motors, began dreaming of mid-engined sports cars back in the 1950s. But he had to wait until 1960 before he was given the go ahead to build a thoroughbred racing car with the engine behind the driver. He received support from the fact that Chevrolet was less skeptical about racing and that the Chevrolet Corvair was already a rear-engined car in the product range, which could definitely use some positive publicity regarding the unusual drive concept for Chevrolet. Arkus-Duntov was clever enough to sell the proposed prototype internally less as a racing car and more as a test instrument and experimental vehicle. After all, they were already thinking about the next Corvette and such a "test bed" offered many possibilities. But inside, Belgian-born Arkus-Duntov was also aiming for racing success and designed the CERV I (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle Number 1) with a view to taking part in the Pikes Peak hill climb, but also for possible Indianapolis outings.

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