VMCC
The Tankers
1963 CORVETTE SPLIT WINDOW COUPE Z06 NO3 BIG TANK FUEL INJECTION SEBRING SILVER
This 1963 Corvette Z06 Tanker was delivered new to Dexter Chevrolet of Detroit, Michigan. Finished in Sebring Silver with a dark blue interior, it includes 6.70×15 black sidewall tires, a U65 AM Signal Seek Radio, an N03 36½-gallon fuel tank, 2-bar cast aluminum knock-off wheels, and the Z06 Special High-Performance Package. This package includes metallic power brakes with a dual-reservoir master cylinder, heavy-duty stabilizers, heavy-duty shocks and springs, a Posi-Traction rear axle, a 4-speed manual transmission, and a 360-horsepower fuel-injected engine. Only 63 Corvettes from the 1963 model year are believed to have the N03 “Big Tank” option and the Z06 Special High-Performance Package.
Dexter Chevrolet was a well-known high-performance Chevrolet dealership located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan. Known by the slogan “The Big Dealer on the Big Road,” they were also recognized as the only Chevrolet dealer on 8 Mile Road. Verified by the NCRS Shipping Data Report, this Corvette was indeed delivered new to Dexter Chevrolet and is documented in the C2 Corvette Registry as a Z06 believed to be a COPO (Central Office Production Order) car, ordered with 2-bar cast aluminum knock-off wheels (Generally not offered as a factory option on this model).
The Z06 Special High-Performance Package, developed by Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, also added larger brakes with “elephant ear” cooling ducts, internal cooling fins, and metallic brake pads. Given that this Corvette was ordered near Zora’s Detroit headquarters, it’s likely someone had insider knowledge about this factory race car and placed their order with racing in mind.
This Z06 made its way to Florida, where its restoration began. A collector from Bakersfield, California, purchased the Corvette in “under restoration” condition and completed it to Concours standards. Joe Verrillo of Verrillo Motor Car purchased the fully restored car and has since entered it in multiple judging events. The Corvette received an NCRS Top Flight Award at the 2022 Northeast Chapter meet and a Regional Top Flight Award at the 2024 Northeast Regional Meet in Marlboro, Massachusetts. Joe also took the Z06 to the Bloomington Gold Show, where it received a Bloomington Gold Award. He aims to achieve a Gold Concours award at MCACN and the coveted “Triple Diamond Award.”
1964 CORVETTE COUPE J56 NO3 BIG TANK FUEL INJECTION TUXEDO BLACK WHITE LEATHER
This 1964 Corvette Fuel-Injected Tanker with the factory J56 brake option is one of three cars believed to have come from Guaranty Chevrolet of San Diego, California. This is the only known example finished in Tuxedo Black with a white leather interior and these specific options.
Factory options include the J56 brake package, which features a special dual-reservoir brake master cylinder and special metallic brake pads, an L84 fuel-injected engine, F40 special suspension, K66 transistorized ignition system, N03 36½-gallon fuel tank, M20 manual transmission, N11 off-road exhaust system, P48 cast aluminum knock-off wheels, T86 backup lights, U69 AM/FM radio, G81 Posi-Traction rear axle with a 3.70 ratio, and A01 tinted glass.
This Big Brake Tanker eventually made its way to Kentucky, where it was purchased by Dick Ferrando of D&A Corvette in Gillespie, Illinois. Dick, one of the most respected Corvette restorers in the country, purchased this Tanker to restore for his special collection. He meticulously restored it to concours condition before selling it to collector Mike Johnson of New Mexico, who is known for his collection of Tankers and rare Corvettes. Under Mike’s ownership, the Corvette entered the national judging circuit, earning multiple National and Regional Top Flight Awards.
In 2023, Mike decided to let the J56 Tanker go, and Joe Verrillo of Verrillo Motor Car in Clifton Park, NY, purchased the Corvette. Joe went on to receive a Bloomington Gold Award and an NCRS Regional Top Flight Award at the NCRS Northeast Regional Meet in Marlboro, Massachusetts.
1965 CORVETTE COUPE NO3 BIG TANK DISC BRAKE DELETE A/C NASSAU BLUE WHITE LEATHER
This 1965 Corvette Tanker was sold new at Newt Godfree Chevrolet of San Antonio, Texas. Finished in elegant Nassau Blue with a white leather interior, this Tanker is especially unique due to the Disc Brake Delete option, which replaced the first-year standard disc brakes with drum brakes from the previous model year.
This Tanker was also ordered with an L75 327/300 HP engine, M20 4-speed manual transmission, G81 3.36 rear axle, C60 4-season air conditioning, J50 power brakes, A01 tinted glass, N36 teakwood steering wheel, N36 telescopic steering column, N03 36½-gallon fuel tank, N11 off-road exhaust system, P92 cast aluminum knock-off wheels, 7.75×15 whitewall tires, U69 AM/FM radio, and Z01 convenience package.
A favorite car of race afficionados and traveling businessmen and women who wanted to look stylish while traveling long distances without frequent fuel stops, it is believed this car was ordered by the latter. With factory air conditioning, leather interior, teakwood steering wheel, power brakes, and power steering, this Corvette is one of the most elegantly appointed Tankers ever produced.
This Corvette was part of the K.D. James collection. K.D. was a well-known Corvette collector with a particular interest in N03 Big Tank cars. This Corvette eventually ended up in Bob Gregory’s garage. Bob, a respected Corvette restorer himself, often restored Corvettes for collectors. When K.D. decided to sell the car in the early 2000s, Bob contacted his friend Bruce Smith. Bruce, already the proud owner of the 1966 Red L79 N14 N03 Tanker, also had an interest in Big Tank cars. He purchased this Corvette in 2004 and, with his brother Scott Smith, Bob Gregory, and Dick Ferrando of D&A Corvette, undertook a comprehensive restoration.
Dick, an experienced Corvette restorer and painter, applied a lacquer finish, a process that requires skill to achieve the impressive results seen on this car. After the restoration was complete, Bruce took the Tanker to the national judging circuit, where it achieved multiple awards. Bruce later sold this Tanker to Joe Verrillo of Verrillo Motor Car Co. in Clifton Park, NY. Joe took the Tanker to judging events, where it received an NCRS Top Flight Award, a Bloomington OEM Gold Award, and now an MCACN Gold Spinner and Triple Diamond Award.
1966 CORVETTE COUPE NO3 BIG TANK N14 SIDE EXHAUST CANADIAN EXPORT RALLY RED
This 1966 Corvette Coupe N03 “Tanker” is one of only two Corvettes equipped with the N03 36.5-gallon fuel tank option exported to Canada in the 1966 model year. It was ordered new by Gilles Bureau, whose father owned the only Chevrolet dealership in the town of Rouyn-Noranda, Canada. Mr. Bureau’s goal was to drive from his hometown to Montreal as quickly as possible. Ordered with 18 factory options, this tanker quite literally “checks every box.”
Finished in Rally Red with a black leather interior, it features an L79 327/350 horsepower engine, Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission, G81 4.11 Positraction rear axle, J50 vacuum power brakes, N40 power steering, K66 transistorized ignition system, N14 side-mounted exhaust, A31 power windows, A01 Soft Ray tinted glass, A82 headrest seats, N36 telescopic steering column, N32 teakwood steering wheel, P48 aluminum fast take-off “knock-off” wheels, P92 whitewall tires, U69 AM/FM radio, and U74 hazard warning switch.
In a handwritten letter to restorer Bruce Smith in the early 1990s, Mr. Bureau explained that shortly after taking delivery of the tanker, he took the car to a performance shop, where he had the camshaft swapped for a higher-lift cam and the carburetor re-jetted with bigger jets for increased performance. Gilles also sent a copy of a speeding ticket he received for going 150 km/h in a 70 km/h zone and a photo of himself with the Corvette on delivery day in front of his father’s dealership.
The car later transferred to tanker collector K.D. James, and then to Bruce Smith. Although the Corvette needed a complete restoration, Bruce, his brother Scott, and fellow collector Bob Gregory took on the challenge and restored it fully. Bruce even traced the car’s lineage back to the original owner and corresponded with him. Bruce showed the Corvette for the first time on the judging field in its home country of Canada at the 2002 Quebec NCRS Regional in July 2002, and went on to show the tanker at numerous NCRS events, earning multiple Top Flight Awards. After 28 years of ownership, Bruce passed the Corvette to a new caretaker, a friend he knew would care for the car as he had: Joe Verrillo, a Corvette collector, restorer, and owner of Verrillo Motor Car Co. in Clifton Park, NY. Joe took the tanker out for judging, where it earned an NCRS Top Flight Award, a Bloomington OEM Gold Award, and now MCACN Gold Spinner and Triple Diamond Awards.