Scalextric C3654 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88 – Le Mans 1974

June 15-16, 1974: LE MANS 24 HOURS. Car no.51 was driven by French drivers Henri Greder and Marie-Claude Charmasson. No.51 Chevrolet Corvette was powered by a Chevrolet 7.0L V8. 253 laps were completed.

The L-88 Corvette #51, now dark blue with white accents and First National City Travellers Checks sponsorship. The fastest Porsche Carrera now qualified nearly 10 seconds a lap faster, and the Ferrari Daytona 7 seconds faster than Greder/Beaumont who qualified in 4’24”07. At mid race, the Corvette was in 27th position overall, while the first Carrera was 5th and the Daytona 6th. Greder/Beaumont finished in a deceptive 18th place after ignition, water pump, battery problems, as well as the loss of 1st and 2nd gear.

With a 10th in GT class finish, they were nearly 600 kms behind class leader Grandet/Bardini with their 365 GTB4 who finished 5th. The car was sold in the US in 1975, #194679S706401 later came back to France, where its owner enters it from time to time for historic events. It still has the dark blue paint job with the Traveler Cheque and #51. Henri Greder has had the opportunity to drive with his old racer on several occasions, such as “Le Mans Classic”, and “Tour Auto Historique”.