C3-R: Rick Jung’s 1968 Corvette
Who says you need a new Corvette to have fun?
When it comes to Corvettes, the C3 gets a bit of a love/hate relationship with enthusiasts. Well, it’s not quite a bad as the C4 but you get the idea. However, what many would end up dismissing is a lightweight chassis that can be updated into an impressive, fast, and fun car that often ends up beating C7s at the autocross and even the road course. This example is not only an excellent one but a SCCA National Championship Autocross winner as well.
One of the reasons for the dismissal, especially later C3s, is the engine. During its era, a new form of bureaucracy was created to battle smog – the EPA. While the intent was for the betterment of our way of life via breathable air, it really ended up hurting engines by choking them down as manufacturers learned how to battle carbon emissions at the time. However, now we’re able to install engines that are far better with powertrains that are far more efficient. The 350 small block and TH400 have now been retired and replaced with a six-liter LS2 V8. Rick and PCHRODS went beyond just sticking a new engine in and calling it done. The stock oil pan had to go so one from Milodon could be installed for better oil control in hard-g corners. The ECU was tuned by Norris Motorsports to take advantage of the Spectre intake, 2.5-inch SS center exit exhaust and X-pipe, and Pypes muffler.
A T56 six-speed replaced the TH400 for shifting duties so a Centerforce clutch and aluminum flywheel were installed in place of the torque converter and flexplate. The driveshaft was shortened and Spicer U-Joints replace the worn stock ones. The transmission mount is a Custom Image Corvettes T56 tubular crossmember and an Energy Suspension urethane mount takes care of the flex under torque. Of course, the differential beam was beefed up with Vansteel differential beam billet reinforcement plates and their solid differential bushings keep movement to near zero and was moved back to improve suspension geometry.
The rear suspension is modern thanks to a Vansteel coil-over conversion that utilizes double offset trailing arms for increased inner tire clearance. The dampers are Bilstein Motorsports units custom tuned by Guy Ankeny at DamperWorks. Ciro Racing and Design camber struts feature heavy-duty heim-joints. Up front we find those Ankeny-tuned Bilsteins attached to Vansteel upper shock mounts in which a Ciro Racing and Design aluminum shock tower brace is used to square up and stiffen the front suspension. An SPC adjustable aluminum upper control arm allow fast camber and caster changes while the Vansteel sway-bar keeps front roll in check. A Ciro Racing and Design lower A-arm keeps the front hubs moving in the right direction with the SPC uppers.
Those 18×12 E-T Wheels are wrapped by a set of BF Goodrich Rival-S tires in 335/30R18 size all around.
[Editor’s Note: It seems that this Corvette was wearing Bridgestone RE71R up front on this particular day.]
The carbon fiber wing and side rocker splitters are designed by Ciro Racing and Design. To move those large tires quickly, a quick ratio steering box by Borgeson is installed with lines that were custom made by Mesa Hose. The brakes are Vansteel rebuilt stock units but feature new stainless steel braided and hard lines.
Inside is all business with nothing to distract Rick as he chases cones for that FTD. A large Auto Meter tachometer features a shift light to let him know the right time to shift up but there is also a custom tablet mounted inside with virtual OBD-II gauges. To keep him planted inside, an Oreca Racing/Sparco race seat is attached to Ciro Racing and Design lightweight seat brackets that also feature an extinguisher mount. That white shift knob? That’s a 3D printed one made by Ciro Racing and Design as well.
Since he first owned it, Rick and the Ciro Racing C3-R have taken top finishes in several events, including first place at the 2017 O’Reilly Street Machine Nationals TCI Autocross, winner of the Goodguys Del Mar Autocross in Street Machine, and just recently took third place at the V8 Builds Autocross in the Classic Muscle class. If you come across a C3 in your project car hunt, you may not want to blow it off like you might have done before. These cars can be fast when built right and the C3-R is no exception.
