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Everything Else => General Automotive => Topic started by: lkjohnson1950 on February 24, 2019, 02:29:16 AM

Title: Briggs Cunningham
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on February 24, 2019, 02:29:16 AM

Briggs Cunningham was one of the last "Gentleman Racers" He took Cadillacs to Le Mans in the '50's without much success. But in 1960 he took 3 Corvettes and for the first time ever gave America a class win at the iconic race. He founded one of the best auto museums ever and in his spare time won the America's Cup. He was recently elected to the Corvette Hall of Fame.

https://www.racingjunk.com/news/2019/02/14/briggs-cunningham-named-to-corvette-hof/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RJnewsletter_2_23_19 (https://www.racingjunk.com/news/2019/02/14/briggs-cunningham-named-to-corvette-hof/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RJnewsletter_2_23_19)

Title: Re: Briggs Cunningham
Post by: cosworth151 on February 24, 2019, 03:59:00 PM

I'm amazed that Mr. Cunningham wasn't one of the first people in the Corvette HOF. He is probably second only to Zora Arkus-Duntov,  the father of the Corvette, in building the mystique of the brand.

Cunningham also produced his own marque of sports & GT cars from 1951 to 1955. The cars were built in West Palm Beach, Florida. Here is an absolutely beautiful example. It's a 1953 Cunnungham C-3 coupe. Coachwork was by Vignale and power came from a Chrysler Fire Power hemi V8. A drophead model was also available.

Title: Re: Briggs Cunningham
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on February 24, 2019, 07:32:57 PM

He built his own hemi powered racing cars as well. My fave:

(https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/gallery/pebble2015/Cunningham-C-4R-77029.jpg)