How do you make a Corvette seem even more big bad and all-American? Simple. You make it to late-1980s IMSA GTO spec.
Back in the 1980s there were multiple classes in IMSA, just like today. GTP, Lights, GTO and GTU. GTP and Lights cars were prototypes, similar to the Group C cars of their day. GTO and GTU cars were ostensibly based on road cars.
Why do I say ostensibly? Because the GTO cars were, in effect, spaceframe chassis with some body panels hung over them to make them at least resemble the road car. In this case the slightly forgettable C4 Corvette was transformed into something magnificent.
Lowered, bonnet given a bulge, heavily turbocharged and flared everywhere, this is an object of unrelenting automotive desire. And to ride onboard with one of the men who were tasked with wrestling these beasts around race tracks in the 1980s is something special.
Ron Fellows was reunited with this recently restored GTO Corvette, originally put together by Protofab, at the Monterey Reunion, which we live streamed in full. But our friends over at Racer were there and had a moment to, cleverly, pop a camera in with Fellows as he blasted his way to victory in what quickly became our favourite car of the weekend.
Sit back and enjoy the whole 15 mintues.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: The Ferrari film trailer is full of emotion and gear changes
Elevenses
IMSA
GTO
Corvette
Onbord
Ron Fellows
Monterey Reunion
Monterey Reunion 2023