Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (1999–2004)
The C5-R is the factory GTS/GT1 Corvette that Pratt & Miller built for Corvette Racing from 1998 to 2004. Only 11 chassis exist. It won Daytona outright in 2001 and took three Le Mans class wins. Buyers are collectors and historic racers, so each car's chassis number and race record set its value.
History
Chevrolet and Pratt & Miller started the C5-R programme to race the C5 Corvette in endurance GT racing. The car first raced at the 1999 Daytona 24 Hours 1. Katech built the engines from LS1 parts. A 6.0 litre unit was used at first, and a 7.0 litre version replaced it during 1999 1. Chassis 001 and 002 raced through 1999 and ended their factory careers at Le Mans in June 2000 2. Chassis 002 finished that race 10th overall and third in GTS 4.
A second-generation car arrived at Mosport in August 2000. Chassis 003 used suspension and bodywork about three inches wider than the first two cars 2. It won the 2001 Daytona 24 Hours outright, then won GTS at Le Mans in 2001 and 2002 3. In August 2001 GM announced a customer programme for up to five cars and said it held two deposits 14. Pratt & Miller built 005, 006 and 007 during 2001 2.
The last factory chassis, 008 to 011, appeared from 2003. Cars 008 and 009 made their debut at the 2003 Le Mans test day 2. That year 008 finished second in GTS at Le Mans 7. In 2004 the team fitted an Xtrac sequential gearbox and moved to Michelin tyres 1. Chassis 010 won GTS at Le Mans in 2004 6. The factory career ended at Laguna Seca in October 2004, and the C6.R took over in 2005 12.
The cars then went to private teams in Europe and North America. Selleslagh Racing in Belgium bought 007 in 2003 and later ran 005 as well 85. GLPK-Carsport, Pacific Coast Motorsports, PSI Experience and Luc Alphand Aventures also raced ex-factory chassis 1. Luc Alphand ran 010 in the Le Mans Series and at Le Mans in 2006 and 2007 6. Today the surviving cars appear in historic endurance events, and several have been restored to factory livery 789.
Palmarès
Chassis 003 won the 2001 Daytona 24 Hours outright and took GTS wins at Le Mans in 2001 and 2002 3. Chassis 010 won GTS at Le Mans in 2004 6. In 2003 the Corvettes finished second and third in class behind a Ferrari 17. Corvette Racing won the ALMS GTS title four years running up to 2004 1. Privateers added the 2005 Belcar title and FIA GT wins at Imola and Zhuhai in 2005 1. Chassis 005 won the 2006 Zolder 24 Hours 5.
What to check before you buy
Read the chassis plate and match it to the claimed number: Palmeter's chassis history shows the serial plate sits in the same place on every C5-R. With only 11 cars, the number decides the value. Cross-check every claimed result against a chassis results database: Racing Sports Cars lists each chassis race by race. This is how the false Le Mans claim for 005 shows up. Ask for the factory paperwork package: The 2011 sale of 005 came with set-up data, supplier lists, FIA homologation papers and Pratt & Miller letters. A car without them is harder to sell and run. Ask which engine is fitted, who rebuilt it and when: Cars ran 6.0 L and 7.0 L engines, and restored cars often have fresh Katech 427 units. Hours since rebuild matter more than the original specification. List the spares in writing: The 2024 listing for 007 included an engine, gearbox, four corners, shafts, floor, diffuser, most bodywork and two wheel sets. Use that as a benchmark. Read the original bill of sale for use restrictions: The sale terms for 008 and 009 allowed track use but banned road use. Similar terms may pass to the next owner. Do not trust the name alone in auction databases: Price databases list cars sold as C5-R for $13,400 in 2009. No genuine Pratt & Miller chassis sells at that level, so these are road or club cars.
Versions and evolutions
| Version | Years | What changed | How to identify |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-generation narrow body (C5R-001, C5R-002) | 1999–2000 | Original body and track width. Started 1999 with the 6.0 L engine, changed to 7.0 L during the season. 5-speed manual gearbox. 2 | Narrower bodywork; only two cars. Factory race history ends at Le Mans 2000. |
| Wide-body cars (C5R-003, C5R-004) | 2000–2002 | Suspension and bodywork about three inches wider than 001/002. Debut at Mosport in August 2000. 2 | Race record from Mosport 2000 onwards; 003 carries the 2001 Daytona overall win. |
| 2002-season cars (C5R-005, C5R-006, C5R-007) | 2001–2003 (factory), later privateer | Built during 2001. 005 and 006 raced for the factory in 2002–2003; 007 was a spare and test car, then became the first customer car. 8 | Chassis plate number; 007 has no factory race record before its 2003 sale. |
| Final factory cars (C5R-008 to C5R-011) | 2003–2004 | New chassis and bodies from 2003. 2004 cars used the Xtrac 6-speed sequential gearbox and Michelin tyres. 7 | 008 and 009 ran the blue 50th-anniversary livery at Le Mans 2003. 010 is the 2004 Le Mans GTS winner. |
Known issues
- Wide-body hood and splitter are hard to source — Team RaceArt reported in 2016 that Pratt & Miller no longer had moulds for the original hood. The new hood fitted only the narrow 001–004 bodies, and the splitter had the same problem. 10
- Katech 7.0 L engine needs specialist rebuilds — The RaceArt rebuild of 006 needed a new block casing, pistons, rods and all bearings, done by Katech in the USA. Art & Revs also shipped the engine of 007 to the USA. 10
- Gearbox varies by year and by later owner — Factory cars used three different gearboxes between 1999 and 2004. One 2024 sale listing for 007 describes a Hewland 6-speed sequential. 8
- Several chassis carry crash or fire repairs — 005 was badly damaged by fire at Laguna Seca in 2002. 004 had a serious crash in Texas in 2001 and was rebuilt. 009 was reported written off at Sears Point in 2004, then rebuilt. 2
- Privateer-era changes to engine, body and livery — Selleslagh Racing fitted a newer, lighter engine in 2006. Original livery panels on 005 were only refitted when it was retired in 2008. 17
- Race claims in sale material can be wrong — One team update described 005 as a Le Mans class winner. Its full results list shows it never raced at Le Mans. 5
Checklist before you buy
- Read the chassis plate and match it to the claimed number — Palmeter's chassis history shows the serial plate sits in the same place on every C5-R. With only 11 cars, the number decides the value. 17
- Cross-check every claimed result against a chassis results database — Racing Sports Cars lists each chassis race by race. This is how the false Le Mans claim for 005 shows up. 5
- Ask for the factory paperwork package — The 2011 sale of 005 came with set-up data, supplier lists, FIA homologation papers and Pratt & Miller letters. A car without them is harder to sell and run. 11
- Ask which engine is fitted, who rebuilt it and when — Cars ran 6.0 L and 7.0 L engines, and restored cars often have fresh Katech 427 units. Hours since rebuild matter more than the original specification. 7
- List the spares in writing — The 2024 listing for 007 included an engine, gearbox, four corners, shafts, floor, diffuser, most bodywork and two wheel sets. Use that as a benchmark. 8
- Read the original bill of sale for use restrictions — The sale terms for 008 and 009 allowed track use but banned road use. Similar terms may pass to the next owner. 7
- Do not trust the name alone in auction databases — Price databases list cars sold as C5-R for $13,400 in 2009. No genuine Pratt & Miller chassis sells at that level, so these are road or club cars. 18
Running costs 10
| Rebuild interval | unknown; no public figures for engine or gearbox hours were found |
|---|---|
| Typical rebuild cost | unknown |
| Consumables | Wide-body hood and splitter must often be made from new moulds; one 2010 review quoted distributor caps at $80 |
| Spares availability | Katech still rebuilds the engines and Pratt & Miller has restored cars, but some body moulds no longer exist 107 |
Where it races today
- Masters Endurance Legends · GT1 cars (up to 2012), period group 1995–2004 — The 2026 eligibility list names the Chevrolet Corvette C5 GT1. The series covers cars eligible for Le Mans, ALMS and similar events from 1995 to 2016. 12
- Peter Auto Endurance Racing Legends · GT1 — Peter Auto describes the grid as GTs and prototypes from the 1990s and 2000s. Sellers of 002 and 007 state eligibility; the C5-R is not named on the series page, so confirm with the organiser. 13
- Le Mans Classic, Daytona and Sebring classics, Goodwood Members' Meeting · Endurance Legends / support grids — Chassis 002 ran at Le Mans Classic 2022 and Goodwood in March 2023. 007 had one outing at the 80th Members' Meeting. Other events are seller claims. 9
Market prices
- C5R-008 and C5R-009, Pratt & Miller restored, Mecum Indianapolis: no sale, high bid $350,000 per car: 350,000 USD (2010-05) 7
- C5R-008 and C5R-009 as a pair, Mecum Indianapolis: no sale, high bid: 775,000 USD (2010-05) 7
- Sports Car Market valuation for the 008/009 pair: 500,000–750,000 USD (2010-05) 7
- C5R-005 on eBay: bid at time of writing, reserve not met: 175,600 USD (2011-01) 11
- C5R-007, restored, dealer listing (Art & Revs / Fantasy Junction): price on request USD (2024-05) 16
No public auction sale of a genuine C5-R was found after 2011; cars now trade privately at prices on request (checked November 2026). The 2010 no-sale bids are the last firm public figures.
Reference prices are dated and sourced; live asking prices are in the listings above.
Frequently asked questions
How many genuine Corvette C5-Rs were built?
Pratt & Miller built 11 chassis between 1998 and 2004, numbered C5R-001 to C5R-011. Ten served the factory Corvette Racing team and one was built for customer use. A further frame became a C6.R test car and is not counted as a C5-R.
Which chassis are the most valuable?
Value follows the race record. Chassis 003 won Daytona outright in 2001 and Le Mans GTS in 2001 and 2002. Chassis 010 won GTS at Le Mans in 2004. Cars like 007, which never raced for the factory, rely on their privateer results instead.
Is the C5-R a road-legal car?
No. It is a pure race car built on a GT racing chassis. The sale terms for chassis 008 and 009 even banned road use. Do not confuse it with C5 road cars or club racers that sellers sometimes label C5-R.
Where can I race a C5-R today?
The 2026 Masters Endurance Legends list includes the Corvette C5 GT1. Owners also run the cars at Le Mans Classic and Goodwood Members' Meetings. Peter Auto's Endurance Racing Legends grid covers GT1 cars of the period, but confirm acceptance with the organiser first.
Can I still get parts and engine rebuilds?
Katech has rebuilt C5-R engines for private owners, and Pratt & Miller has restored cars to factory specification. Body parts are the weak point. In 2016 one team had to make its own moulds to widen a new hood for a later wide-body car.
Sources
- Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, Wikipedia (2026) — Specs, engine sizes, gearboxes, chassis count, titles, privateer teams
- C5-R Chassis Serial Number History, Palmeter.com (2004) — Chassis-by-chassis build and race history, wide body from 003, crash and fire damage
- C5R-003 chassis archive, Racing Sports Cars (2026) — 2001 Daytona overall win, Le Mans GTS wins 2001 and 2002
- C5R-002 chassis archive, Racing Sports Cars (2026) — Le Mans 2000 result for 002
- C5R-005 chassis archive, Racing Sports Cars (2026) — Full race record of 005 including SRT years and Zolder 24h win
- C5R-010 chassis archive, Racing Sports Cars (2026) — Le Mans 2004 GTS win, Luc Alphand and DKR years
- 2003 Pratt & Miller C5-R Le Mans Racers, Sports Car Market (2010) — Mecum 2010 bids and valuation, restoration of 008/009, Katech 427 engines, road-use ban
- 2001 Corvette C5-R by Pratt & Miller (C5R-007), Fantasy Junction (2024) — 007 history, Hewland gearbox, spares package, stated eligibility
- Chevrolet Corvette C5R (chassis 002), Ascott Collection (2023) — 002 history, historic events entered, stated eligibility
- Team RaceArt And Their Number 006 Pratt & Miller C5.R, LSX Magazine (2016-03) — Rebuild of 006, Katech engine work, hood and splitter mould problem
- Corvettes on eBay: 2003 Sebring Winning Corvette C5R, CorvetteBlogger (2011-01) — 005 eBay bid, documentation package, livery panels refitted
- Masters Endurance Legends Eligibility List 2026, Masters Historic Racing (2026-04) — Corvette C5 GT1 listed under GT1 cars; series window and groups
- Endurance Racing Legends, Peter Auto (2026) — Series scope (GTs and prototypes of the 1990s and 2000s)
- General Motors to sell Corvette C5-R racecars to customers, Auto123 (2001-08) — Customer car programme, up to five cars, two deposits
- Corvette Racing Success Started With C5-R-001, Motorious (2020-03) — 001 build date and later sale to a museum
- You Need A Race Ready Corvette C5-R In Your Garage, Jalopnik (2024-05) — 007 offered by Art & Revs, price on request
- Corvette C5 Racing History (C5R-005), Palmeter.com (2008) — Serial plate location, SRT ownership of 005 and 007, newer engine fitted 2006
- Chevrolet Corvette C5-R vehicle valuation, Conceptcarz (2009) — Low 2009 'C5-R' sales that cannot be genuine factory cars
- Corvette C5R GT1 restoration, Art & Revs (2024) — 007 completion in 2001, no factory racing, restoration with Pratt & Miller
Did you know
- In August 2001 GM said it would sell up to five C5-Rs to customers and had already taken two deposits 14.
- Chassis 008 and 009 raced at Le Mans in 2003 in a blue livery marking the Corvette's 50th anniversary 7.
- Chassis 007 was completed in 2001 but never raced for the factory before its sale to a Belgian team in 2003 19.
In the marketplace now
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