Of course, we're all a little biased and have been focused on the Fiero pace car for '84... but yeah, there appear to be several different makes of cars for each year at Indy. Interesting.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 03-25-2024).]
But I did a web search for Corvette Pace Car. There was none listed for 84. Closest was 86.
Raydar, I don't pretend to know anything about it... but the '84 Corvette Pace Car actually comes up quite often in a search, including in the following video...
Now do not confuse the Indy 500 cars with the PPG Indy car series pace cars.
The PPG cars were just got the other races and they were show cars that were painted by PPG,
Most were never at Indy like the orange Corvette that fell in the sink hole.
Fred’s rebodied car was one of the few Indy 500 cars to be converted.
A friend of my Father in law was in charge of these cars and a guy that lived the next road over did most of the Tiurbo work for them if there was trouble.
The PPG cars were painted in Strongsville Ohio at their headquarters. Once the series left the cars were donated to d hooks and museums. Some like Fred’s are in private hands.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 03-26-2024).]
The Indy scoops were done several ways. Sone were hinged on the roof and lifted forward. Ones like mine tiled back and up to clear the roof.
The race cars were just pinned on.
Depending on the car each once could be a bit different.
I really did not want yo do the screws into the roof. It looks bad. I just bolted mine to the deck. A hydraulic strut lifts it after I flip a latch in the front. I also safety pin the latch to prevent it from opening while driving. I have seen one that flipped up snd ripped off the car.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 03-25-2024).]
Raydar, I don't pretend to know anything about it... but the '84 Corvette Pace Car actually comes up quite often in a search, including in the following video...
I get it. Pretty sure it was a different series. (Doesn't make it any less historical.) This is the site I was quoting. It dealt exclusively with the Indy 500 pace cars. Not other series. https://www.motor1.com/feat...vette-pace-car-list/
It dealt exclusively with the Indy 500 pace cars. Not other series.
I admit, I don't know one series from the other. I (and others, I suspect) are just going by what is printed on the doors of all these cars (including the Fiero)... "PPG PACE CAR"
Yes there were 19 Indy 500 Pace cars. It has pretty much been the go to car the last so many years.
It used to be a big competition to be the pace car but not so much anymore.
The deal was the PPG Indy series CART was the Indy series owned by the team owners that took it from USAC.
Then they began to demand more from the Speedway to appear and race. The Speedway is its own race and told them they could come and run if they like but they were not paying them to appear.
What happened was the Speedway started the IRL to protect themselves from CART. This led to a split for several years till the IRL took over and that is what we have today. It was a fight over a series and the largest race in the world. At this point it is all now in Roger Penske's hands. So it kind of came full circle. Indy car has always been a bit political. But it is a business.
The whole thing has been a soap opera and in the end the Indy 500 is the top thing and the series is secondary.
