This ’57 Vette Brings Old School Flavor Wherever it Goes

It’s been said that you can never really replace an old dog with a new one. A good case for this is cartoon character Charlie Brown; his story wouldn’t be the same without his old pal Snoopy. Although, it’s not an identical scenario, it’s possible to understand the same dynamic at work for Frank Jenkins and the ’57 Corvette he’s owned for nearly 50 years.

“I’ve had the car since around 1967,” Frank tells Drag Racer. “It was really a basket case and wasn’t running when I got it. I traded a Model A pickup hot rod for it, but kept my engine and trans.”

Even though it was thrashed beyond restoration, Frank could still envision its true potential as a race car. He dropped in a 283 block bored out to 301 ci and started racing Stock Eliminator, pulling gears with a four-speed. He later bought a ’67 ’Vette with a top-of-the-food-chain 435-hp L71 427 and Muncie four-speed.

“I started running tracks close to me like Pittsburgh, 75-80 and Mason-Dixon Dragway,” Frank says. “I fluctuated running from B/Gas to A/Modified Production based on the tire I was running. In the Gasser classes, the tire could stick outside the fenderwell, but they had to be tucked inside in Modified. I ran until 1973 when I retired the car. I just didn’t have the time or money to keep up with the others at the time.”

When I went to the Hilborn unit and alcohol I got a lot of positive comments because of the old-school look. —Frank Jenkins

Snoopy the ’Vette stayed in the doghouse until 2004 when Frank finally retired from running his body and collision business. Although some of his friends urged him to put the car on the street, Frank never lost his passion for drag racing and really wanted to give it another try. In studying where best to return to competition, the growing interest in stick-shift racing grabbed his attention. The car, however, would need some serious updating to be safe.

Snoopy was rebuilt with a ladder bar rear suspension and an Olds rearend with 4.56 gears. A Jim Meyers front suspension with QA1 coil-overs was used on the opposite end. A 12-point roll cage ties the chassis together. M/T 29.5×11.5 slicks are used with Goodyears out front. Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes and a single DJ parachute provide the stopping power. Trouble-free shifts are accomplished with a G-Force GF2000 transmission.

During the winter of 2006, Frank updated the car with a 486-inch Chevy big-block. On the bottom end an Ohio Crankshaft crank with Eagle rods actuated the Wiseco 13.5:1 pistons. Dart Pro 1 aluminum big-block heads featured T&D rockers. Dual quad carbs and a tunnel ram sat atop the Rat, providing a low-maintenance yet potent engine combination.

Next came fuel injection. “When I went to the Hilborn unit and alcohol I got a lot of positive comments because of the old-school look,” Frank says. “Some Corvette people look down on it because of originality, but I still like it. There was definitely a learning curve when it came to getting the tune-up right. It always ran rich and I couldn’t get it leaned out, but the car really woke up once I got the jetting right. At 2,900 pounds race ready, it’s running nine flat now at 147-plus.”

There was definitely a learning curve when it came to getting the tune-up right. It always ran rich and I couldn’t get it leaned out, but the car really woke up once I got the jetting right.//—Frank Jenkins

Frank is a regular on the Pro Stock circuit that runs in the Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia areas, as well as some Super Chevy and other local events. While he admits to looking at building a Chevy Beretta to run this circuit in 2016, Frank won’t be abandoning his Snoopy Corvette. His old doggie friend will still be at home, parked not too far away.

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