won the Mens Production Sport Car
Class; Flying Mile and Duntov used
EX87/5951’s vital components to cap-
ture this victory. When testing was
completed, GM refurbished EX87/
and donated it to NASCAR for promo-
tional duties. When NASCAR finished
using the Corvette it was sold to Duane
Church of Wilkesboro, North Carolina,
where he drag raced it for several years.
It went through two more owners before
it was donated to the Bible Broadcasting
Network (BBN) for promotional use.
After Yunick passed away in 2001
EX87’s original record setting engine
was purchased from his estate. The 307-
cid was marked “Record Run” on the
bellhousing. The body was retrieved
from the BBN and reunited with its
original engine, restored and eventually
purchased by Ken Lingenfelter. Since
Ken purchased this historic Corvette
it has won several significant awards.
It won the Grand Sport Trophy at the
Amelia Island Concours for its con-
tribution to Corvette history. This
Corvette was named as one of the 50
most significant Corvettes built since
1953 at the Great Hall ceremony the
2014 Bloomington Gold Corvette show.
Ken told Vette, “I love loud cars and this
car produces great noise. You really have
to work at driving it as it has no power
steering or brakes and the steering is
vague. The engine is powerful and loud,
but the best part is the father of our
beloved Corvette developed and drove
this car, it does not get much better
than that.” VETTE
This 307/305hp small-block was recovered from legendary Smokey
Yunick’s estate after he passed away in 2001. The engine was reunited
with EX87 prior to its restoration.The small-block Mouse Corvette engine
was 41 pounds lighter was the I-6 cyl-
inder engine it replaced and produced
more horsepower.This Carter four-barrel carburetor with a
temperature sensitive choke (the round
cylinder with a black cover at the top of
the photo) feeds this 307ci engine.This bumper assembly was added
to EX87 to experiment with how the
exhaust exits the Corvette. This design
became standard on all 1956 Corvettes.
This aero-
dynamic
fin helped
keep the Corvette straight when it
encountered crosswinds while it was
testing at high speeds. It had to be
removed to open the trunk.Ken Lingenfelter accepts his Great Hall
gold medallion and certificate at the 2014
Great Hall award ceremony. Bloomington
Gold President Guy Larsen is on the left
and Great Hall founder David Burroughs
is on the right when Ken accepts this
honor. (Photo courtesy of Walt Thurn)20 VETTE 19.
[FEATURE]
RARE EX87 CORVETTE