Zora Arkus-Duntov created RPO Options so anyone could order a ’57 CORVETTE FUELIE: BUILT TO RACE!
In 1957, the Corvette was the first production American car powered by an engine producing one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch – 283 cubic inches, 283 horsepower – and fitted with an optional Rochester Ramjet Fuel Injection engine. Checking off the right boxes could net you with a four-speed transmission and Positraction rear axle. The ’57 Corvette is respected worldwide as one of the most significant performance models in the marque’s more than seven-decade history. By offering a select number of Regular Production Options (RPO), a ’57 Corvette could be optioned specifically for road racing.
“The 1957 Fuel Injection Corvette reinforced Chevrolet’s high-performance image and shaped the future of the Corvette as America’s Sports Car. Fuel-injected 1957-1962 Corvettes dominated SCCA B/Production racing for years,” said Kenneth Kayser, right, retired GM engineer, ’57 Corvette Fuelie specialist, author, and TEAM ZORA USA’s Corvette Racing Historian.
“On May 19th, 1957, three 1957 Fuel Injection ‘customer’ racecars driven by Dr. Dick Thompson, Carroll Shelby and Bill Howe Jr., finished First, Second and Third, respectively, at the SCCA Regional at Cumberland, MD. One week later at the SCCA Nationals at Elkhart Lake, WI, four B/Production Corvettes, led by Jim Jeffords, finished 1-2-3-4! Dick Thompson and his Fuel Injection 1957 Corvette would win SCCA’s coveted National Champion honors in 1957,” added Kayser.
’57 CORVETTE FUELIE: BUILT TO RACE! SPECIFICATIONS
RPO-579D 283-CID, 283-HP V-8 Engine
Rochester Ramjet Fuel-Injection,
Cold Air (Airbox) Induction
10.5:1 Compression Ratio
Duntov “097” Solid-Lifter .393/.399-inch-lift, 287/287-degree-duration, Lightweight valve train.
Forged Steel Crankshaft & Rods
RPO-685 Borg-Warner Close-Ratio T-10 Four-Speed
RPO-677 Positraction 3:70:1 Rear
RPO-684 HD Racing Suspension, Brakes & 16.4:1 Fast Steering
RPO-276 15×5.5-inch Wide Steel Wheels w/Small Hubcaps
Column-Mounted 8,000-rpm AC Mechanical Tach and Radio Delete Block-Off Plate
Historic racer Mike Moss has purchased a fuel-injected ’57 Corvette, dubbed it Spirit of Zora, top photo, and created TEAM ZORA USA to celebrate America’s Sports Car and honor the legacy of its first Chief Engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov, responsible for the ’57 CORVETTE FUELIE: BUILT TO RACE! The Spirit of Zora will compete in 1000 Miglia events in the U.S. and Italy in 2024 and 2025.
For complete details about the 1957 Corvette, please visit https://over-drive-magazine.com/2022/09/02/1957-corvette-fact-sheet/