"This Corvette has been a part of my life since 1971. I was there when my brother-in-law pulled the body off the frame, and I really enjoyed when he and I raced it during the '70s. It was so much fun to bring it back to life as a street-legal open-road racer. I only wish that Smokey was here to see it."
Hedekin is just as proud to see his old Vette back in action. He has taken turns enjoying the Vette on the street and on the course. To Harlan, however, this vintage race car's completion is much more personal. His three-decade wait, from his first sight of this Corvette in 1972 through its completed restoration in 2002, has been worth the Herculean effort. After all, he's successfully honored his favorite hero and brought a once-forgotten Corvette back to race once again. After all, isn't that what Smokey would have wanted?
| SPEC SHEET |
| Car | '68 Corvette |
| Owner | Gary Harlan |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Block | SBC iron |
| Displacement | 383ci |
| Compression Ratio | 11.251 |
| Heads | Brodix Track 1, port matched |
| Valves | Manley steel, 2.05/1.60 |
| Camshaft | Comp Solid Roller; 0.639/0.630 lift, |
| 258-deg/258-deg duration @ 0.050-in, 108-deg LSA |
| Rocker Arms | Comp Pro Magnum steel, 1.52 ratio |
| Pistons | JE forged |
| Crankshaft | Eagle forged |
| Rods | Eagle H-beam, forged |
| Intake Manifold | Brodix single plane |
| Carburetor | Barry Grant Mighty Demon 750 Road Race |
| Fuel Pump | Barry Grant Mighty Sumo w/regulator |
| and fuel return |
| Ignition | MSD Digital 6 Plus, 6AL Backup, |
| dual pick-up distributor |
| Exhaust System | 17/8-in Hooker side-mount headers |
| with glasspack mufflers |
| Transmission | Tremec T5 with 0.82 overdrive |
| Clutch | Centerforce Dual Friction, |
| Weber aluminum flywheel, |
| 10.5-in Heim-jointed clutch linkage |
| Driveshaft | Stock |