Imported into the UK in 2011, this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette C1 was fully restored and rebuilt to competition specification over a period of four years. The work was carried out by Adam Ruddle, an engineer for Tesla, with assistance from famous Kent-based specialist Claremont Corvette.

Completed at the end of 2015, the car is a tribute to the Scuderia Scirocco Corvette that ran in the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hours, where it was driven by the Anglo-American pairing of Jack Turner and Tony Settember. With cars lining up for the start of the race in order of engine capacity, the 5.4-litre Corvette – which was given the race number ‘1’ – was actually at the front of the queue as the flag dropped and drivers sprinted across the track.

It ran well during the race until an error by one of the drivers damaged the transmission, and in the end the rumbling Chevrolet retired after fourteen and a half hours.

In 2016, this Corvette was invited to race in the new one-hour Kinrara Trophy at the Goodwood Revival. Co-driven by Henry Arundel, the Earl of Arundel and Surrey, it took its place on a mouth-watering grid of pre-1963 GT cars – including Ferrari 250 GTOs and Short Wheelbases, plus Aston Martin DB4 GTs and Jaguar E-types – and successfully reached the chequered flag.

The car also competed at that year’s Le Mans Classic – 54 years after the Scuderia Scirocco team had raced at La Sarthe. Despite being the oldest car in Plateau 4, where it was up against the likes of GT40s and Shelby Cobras, the Corvette ran strongly throughout – particularly in the dawn session on Sunday morning, where its V8 muscle led to it overtaking the likes of Porsche 911s and a Ferrari 275 GTB.

It also competed at the Silverstone Classic that year, before having a winter refresh that included a respray, a new clutch and a rebuild of the four-speed Muncie gearbox. The Corvette subsequently returned to the Le Mans Classic in 2018 and has raced at other major international events such as the Donington Historic Festival and the Grand Prix de l’Age d’Or.

Now being offered for sale, this Corvette C1 is a charismatic and robust choice of historic racer that is eligible for the world’s finest events. It comes with FIA-HTP papers that are valid until 31 December 2026, and is fitted with the original Rochester injection system – although it includes the complete kit for switching to a Holley carburettor.

It has a choice of exhaust system – a straight-through set-up for racing, plus silencers for road use – and comes with an extensive collection of spares, including a pair of wheels with tyres, hoses, gaskets, ignition components and an electric fan.