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to street use. There were two large fiberglass patches on the tops of each front fender – the Gulf Oil cars had two large air scoops on the tops of each fender to deliver fresh air to the "fuelie" unit. There was a small patch on the sides of the car – the Gulf cars had small lights mounted in that spot to illuminate the car’s numbers during the night. There were about a dozen other modifications that seemed to match those on the Gulf cars. Further investigation revealed that his used-car find, the 3,980th Corvette built that year, was the Dick Thompson championship car. A phone call to Tony Denman also revealed the original 327 engine, the ultra-rare 37-gallon fuel tank, and other parts used on the original racer were still in Denman’s garage.
     Today, Mike & Phyllis Ernst’s Corvette is a tribute to those first-generation Corvette racers. Restored to its Sebring endurance race configuration, Mike’s Corvette again sports the original engine and race equipment, right down to a set of tires prepared to be installed during the ’62 Sebring race but never used. Mike, now living and ministering in Muskego, Wisconsin, has shown the car many times, including three Bloomington Gold Special Collections. This remarkable Corvette is a moving monument to the many people that gave the early Corvettes their first notable victories, including Zora Duntov, the man behind the machine, and Dr. Dick Thompson, the racing dentist that had the most success in those early years. Without them, there may never have been a second-generation Corvette.  CM.com
For The Record
1962 Gulf Oil Corvette Race Car
VIN 20867S103390
Owners: Rev. Mike & Phyllis Ernst
2/11/62 Daytona Continental 3-hours 1st in class, 7th overall
3/11/62 Sebring 12-hours 2nd in class, 18th overall
4/29/62 Virginia International 1st
5/13/62 Cumberland, MD 1st
6/3/62 Bridgehampton, NY 1st
6/17/62 Elkhart Lake, WI 1st
7/8/62 Lake Garnett, KS 1st
8/5/62 Wisconsin Grand Prix 1st in class
8/26/62 Connellsville, PA 1st (twice)
9/22/62 Watkins Glen, NY 1st