1957 CHEVROLET 150 RACE CAR 'BLACK WIDOW'

Details

Frame-off, state-of-the-art, correct restoration of Chevrolet Black Widow car #47 driven by Jack Smith. This is one of the original six factory-backed cars. SEDCO of Atlanta NASCAR race-prepared vehicle. 283/283 fuel-injected engine and correct components, including 6-lug wheels, Fenton headers and exhaust, high-performance Hydrovac brake system, 20-gallon gas tank and special HD 3.90 rear end. This vehicle scored 997 at Classic Chevy Nationals and recently won First Place-Racing Class at a 2012

Ault Park Concours d'Elegance. No GM documentation. In late 1956, Vince Piggins and GM President Edward N. Cole agreed to establish Southern Engineering and Development Company (SEDCO) in Atlanta on paper as a division of Nalley Chevrolet Inc., Atlanta, GA. Chevrolet sent six special 150 2-door sedans by rail from Detroit. The first race for the SEDCO-built Black Widows was the NASCAR Daytona Beach race on February 17, 1957, the fourth race of the '57 season. The drivers were #50 Johnny Beauchamp, #87 Buck Baker, #46 Speedy Thompson, #44 Rex White, #47 Jack Smith and #45 Frankie Schneider, and the result was a very successful debut for the Chevrolet Factory Team. Two weeks later at Concord, NC, they scored a clean sweep with a Smith win, Baker second and Thompson third. On March 17 at Wilson, NC, Baker and Thompson ran second and third. The following week at Hillsboro, NC, they scored another clean sweep - this time in front of General Motors President Ed Cole, who was on hand for the event to evaluate the Chevrolet effort. Baker won, Thompson was second and Smith was third. The following week, it was Baker winning and Thompson second. The Chevrolet factory team had a very successful debut, but in the May 19 running of the Virginia 500 at Martinsville, another car, a Mercury, crashed and injured several spectators, some seriously. The race was stopped, but Baker was awarded the win in his 'Black Widow' Chevrolet. The Automobile Manufacturers Association prepared a resolution to stop all participation in racing, and GM endorsed this on May 23, 1957. On June 6, 1957, Ed Cole instructed Vince Piggins to close down the SEDCO operation, due to the May 23, 1957, GM endorsement. The cars, spare parts and equipment were divided up between SEDCO's top three drivers: Buck Baker, Speedy Thompson and Jack Smith. Chevrolet would have an outstanding season in 1957. Baker would win 10 races and give Chevrolet their first NASCAR Grand National (Sprint Cup) Championship. Thompson would finish third in points and Smith fifth. Chevrolets would win 21 races in 1957 following their debut at Daytona.