Criswell Chevrolet’s Mike Furman delivers new Corvettes to his customers who come from all across the country to work with the nation’s top individual Corvette seller.
Mike has been on a well-deserved vacation for the entire week so we have no new C8 Corvette deliveries to share. As we await his return, Mike left us an awesome collection of thowbacks and other Corvette images for your viewing pleasure. Mike will be back in the office this week and he’ll have some great new Corvette deliveries to share next Sunday. So in the meantime, stretch out those scrolling fingers and let’s go for a stroll through Corvette history!
You can see all of Mike’s posts and pictures through the week on his CorvetteFurman Facebook Page.
~ Zora Arkus Duntov saw a huge problem for GM, due to their lack of participation in the Hot Rodding community in the early 50’s. Check out this letter he wrote on the subject:
TO: Mr Maurice Olly, ADDRESS: Research & Development Section
FROM: Mr Z Arkus-Duntov, ADDRESS: Research & Development Section
DATE: December 16, 1953
SUBJECT: Thoughts Pertaining to Youth, Hot Rodders, and Chevrolet
The Hot Rod movement and interest in things connected with hop-up and speed is still growing. As an indication: the publications devoted to hot rodding and hop-upping, of which some half-dozen have a very large circulation and are distributed nationally, did not exist some six years ago.
From cover to cover, they are full of Fords. This is not surprising that the majority of hot rodders are eating, sleeping, and dreaming modified Fords. They know Ford parts from stern to stern better than Ford people themselves.
A young man buying a magazine for the first time immediately becomes introduced to Ford. It is reasonable to assume that when hot rodders or hot rod-influenced persons buy transportation, they buy Fords. As they progress in age and income, they graduate from jalopies to second-hand Fords, then to new Fords.
Should we consider that it would be desirable to make these youths Chevrolet-minded? I think that we are in a position to carry out a successful attempt. However, there are many factors against us:
Loyalty and experience with Ford.
Hop-up industry is geared with Ford.
Law of numbers: thousands are and will be working on Fords for active competition.
Appearance of Ford’s overhead V-8, now one year ahead of us.
When a superior line of GM V-8s appeared, there where remarkably few attempts to develop these, and none too successful. Also, the appearance of the V-8 Chrysler was met with reluctance even though the success of Ardun-Fords conditioned them to the acceptance of Firepower.
This year is the first one in which isolated Chrysler development met with successes. The Bonneville records are divided between Ardun-Fords and Chryslers.
Like all people, hot rodders are attracted by novelty. However, bitter experience has taught them that new development is costly and long, and therefore they are extremely conservative. From my observation, it takes an advanced hot rodder some three years to stumble toward the successful development of a new design. Overhead Fords will be in this stable between 1956 and 1957.
The slide rule potential of our RPO V-8 engine is extremely high, but to let things run their natural course will put us one year behind – and then not too many hot rodders will pick Chevrolet for development. One factor which can largely overcome this handicap would be the availability of ready-engineered parts for higher output.
If the use of the Chevrolet engine would be made easy and the very first attempts would be crowned with success, the appeal of the new RPO V-8 engine will take hold and not have the stigma of expensiveness like the Cadillac or Chrysler, and a swing to Chevrolet may be anticipated. This means the development of a range of special parts – camshafts, valves, springs, manifolds, pistons, and such – should be made available to the public.
To make good in this field, the RPO parts must pertain not only to the engine but to the chassis components as well. In fact, the use of light alloys and brake development, such as composite drums and discs, are already on the agenda of the Research and Development group.
These thoughts are offered for what they are worth: one man’s thinking aloud on the subject.
Signed,
Zora Arkus-Duntov
December 16, 1953
~Corvette Grand Sport#003 in the prototype class at SpeedWeek Bahamas 1963 – Orginally acquired by Dick Doane – Raced by Jim Hall, Augie Pabst and John Cannon – Owner Mecom. Photo Bernhard Cahier.
“To establish the sports car, you have to race it.”
~ Zora Arkus-Duntov.
~Clearly much of the 1968 Corvette, the start of the 3rd generation derived from the “1964” Pontiac banshee XP833.
~ This week’s Top Corvette Barn finds and throwback pictures from around the globe!
Drive safely and enjoy the week.
Mike Furman
Criswell Chevrolet
Gaithersburg, MD
301-212-4420 desk direct (not a text line)
Off Fridays and Sundays
“I sell and ship Nationwide and have done so for 45+ years!
[email protected]
CorvetteFurman.com
Click on the link below for Cigar Aficionado magazine article that just came out:
Cigar Aficionado: The Legend of Mr. Corvette
Each day I post up Corvettes stories and delivery videos…follow on Instagram: corvette.furman and Facebook: CorvetteFurman
Mike can deliver new Corvettes at Criswell Chevrolet in Gaithersburg, MD or through the National Corvette Museum’s R8C delivery program. He can also deliver new Corvettes via covered transport direct to your door or a courtesy delivery to the Chevrolet dealer near you.
Related:
Corvette Delivery Dispatch with National Corvette Seller Mike Furman for Nov 3rd
Corvette Delivery Dispatch with National Corvette Seller Mike Furman for Oct 27th
Corvette Delivery Dispatch with National Corvette Seller Mike Furman for Oct 20th
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