Bill Mitchell’s 1977 Car Classics Magazine Interview
To read the PDF version of the Bill Mitchell interview from the October 1977 issue of Car Classics magazine, CLICK HERE.
In 1935, at the age of 23, Willian Leroy “Bill” Mitchell went to work for General Motors in the Art and Color Section. While working in New York City at Collier’s Advertising, Bill befriended Miles and Sam Collier with their common interest in cars. Sometimes on weekends, the guys would go to one of the Collier estates and roar around the grounds in their souped-up machines.
Bill was a car guy, an illustrator, and could not have been in a sweeter position, working for and learning automotive design and manufacturing from the Master himself, Harley J. Earl. By the early 1950s, it was obvious that Mitchell was being groomed for Earl’s VP position upon retirement in 1958.
Although the Corvette was Earl’s project, Mitchell was over the moon for the new Chevy sports car, especially when the 265 small-block Chevy engine arrived and the body was revised in 1956. Designers are always thinking years ahead. As the Corvette was gaining sales and beginning to win races, it was time to start designing the C2 Corvette.
While we all revere Harley Earl, for the future of the Corvette, it was a very good thing that Bill Mitchell was ready to take control of the next Corvette. Peter Brock’s outstanding book, “Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon,” has photos of Earl’s full-size clay model for the C2 Corvette. If this design had gone into production, “Corvette” would not have survived the early 1960s.
Mitchell’s first Corvette project was his 1959 Stingray Racer, based on Peter Brock’s design work on the stalled-out “Q-Corvette” project. The Stingray Racer served two functions. First, Mitchell wanted to go racing. He used to say, “Hey, I’ve got gasoline in my veins!” The Stingray Racer won the SCCA C/Modified Championship in 1960. The second function was to test the public’s response to the design of the 1959 Stingray Racer. He knew all along that he wanted the Stingray Racer shape to be the basis of the C2 Corvette.
Mitchell’s impact on GM styling was huge. Bill felt that a car’s styling should look like a freshly pressed business suit. That’s why many classic GM cars from the 1960s and early 1970s have sharp creases.
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Bill Mitchell’s tenure at General Motors went from 1935 to 1977. He was the VP of Design from 1958 until his mandatory retirement in 1977. Unlike Duntov, Mitchell pretty much stayed in the background as a powerful GM insider. Sometimes we would see his picture in a car magazine, standing next to one of his wild Mako Shark Corvettes. The press didn’t fawn all over him, the way they did with Duntov.
Car Classics magazine interviewed Bill Mitchell around the time of his retirement. In the same issue, writer Rich Taylor covered Mitchell’s 1959 Stingray Racer and gave a full report on what it was like to drive the Stingray Racer. The bones of the Stingray Racer came from the chassis and complete running gear of the 1957 Corvette SS mule car.
To read the PDF version of the Bill Mitchell interview from the October 1977 issue of Car Classics magazine, CLICK HERE.
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I will be sharing those stories with you soon. – Scott
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