Search Results for: 1959 stingray racer

Corvette Factory Show Cars, Part 1 -1958 XP-700 Corvette

Published on by Scott

The XP-700 was built on a 1958 283 Fuelie Corvette. In 1950s excess style, everything is “bigger and better”. The front was pure “custom car design” with an elongated, elliptical nose and a scoop under it. Mitchell wanted to break away from the Earl driven, big toothy grille, towards something slim and lightweight. The now-classic Dayton Knock-Off Wire Wheels were part of the effort to make the car look lighter. The Lucas spotlight headlights are moved forward and also had scoops under them. The recessed hood vents showed up on the 1963 Corvette, but with fake grille inserts, and the 1964 Corvette, sans the grilles. The front fender scoops were shorter versions of the production 1956-1957 fender scoops. Read More

Corvette’s Founding Fathers, Larry Shinoda, Pt 5 of 6: Sting Ray & Mako Shark Designer

Published on by Scott

Larry Shinoda was the perfect designer/stylist for GM VP of Styling Bill Mitchell. In the same way that Mitchell fit with Harley Earl, Shinoda clearly understood what Mitchell wanted. As VP of Design, Mitchell’s job was to hold the vision for what he knew would be new and fresh, then lead his designers and stylists to bring his vision into reality. Corvettes were always Mitchell’s pet projects and he was famous for saying, “Don’t get cocky, kid! I design Corvettes around here!” Mitchell’s Corvettes were about design, speed, power, and performance. And for that, he needed a designer/stylist equal to Duntov’s engineering/racing prowess. Larry Shinoda was his man. Read More

Founding Fathers Pt 3 of 6: Bill Mitchell, Creator of the Corvette Look

Published on by Scott

A few years before his death in 1988, Mitchell has this to say about the C4 Corvette, “That square box is pretty near plastic… the instrument panel – Dracula’s dressing room… it rides like a truck… it isn’t a style car, it’s an machine car… engineers are running it. Earl would never let that – I would never let that happen, and I condemn the guys for it!” Read More

1965 Cut-Away Corvette Sting Ray Show Car Hits the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction Block

Published on by Scott

It is unusual when a factory cut-away hits the auction block, meaning that a private citizen will get a chance to own a unique piece of Corvette history. The 1965 Fuel Injected Corvette Sting Ray Coupe Cut-Away car will go on the block at the 2018 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Corvette, January 13-21, 2018. The Lot number is, Lot #1413 Read More

Corvette Odd-Ball – 1965 Fiberfab “Centurion” Goes On the Block January 2018

Published on by Scott

What the Centurion that is up for auction has going for it is that, aside for the Stinger hood, it appears to be period correct in many ways and very well crafted. The interior looks very much like the real Stingray Racer. The side pipes are close to the real car’s and the engine is a 283 with an early Rochester Fuel Injection setup. The black-spoke American Mags are 1960s style and the Firestone Wide Oval tires are mid-60s size.

This “may well be” one of the best Fiberfab Centurion cars built. There is NO RESERVE on this car, so someone just might be able to scoop up an interesting car for not much cash. This will might be an interesting auction that I will have to record and put on our YouTube channel. The auction date is January 19th and 20th, and the Centurion’s Lot number is 1009.1. Read More

Inside Bill Mitchell’s Secret Garage – 2 VIDEOS

Published on by Scott

My monthly column in VETTE Magazine, “The Illustrated Corvette Series” is now in its 21st year. I’m in the middle of a series I’m calling, “The Corvette’s Founding Fathers” that covers the careers of Harley Earl, Ed Cole, Bill Mitchell, Zora Arkus Duntov, Larry Shinoda, and Peter Brock. Each of these men played a foundational roll in setting the pattern and personality of the Corvette. Without them, the Corvette might not have survived the 1950s. Read More

George Barris’ Out of This World – Asteroid 1963 Corvette Sting Ray

Published on by Scott

What’s not known is if the finished Asteroid was what Nordskog had in mind, or if he handed the new Corvette over to Barris and said, “Customize my Vette.” Custom cars tend to polarize opinions – people love them, or hate them. But from the perspective of 1963, the Asteroid was a hit. Bob Nordskog’s custom/drag Vette won Top Award at the 1963 Long Beach Motorama and the Mickey Thompson Auto Boat Speed Show. There were a few unique factors at work here. First, the Sting Ray was not just new; it looked like nothing else on the road. It was the look of “the future” in 1963. Second, the auto sport of drag racing was really beginning to gain popularity. The beach rock’n rollers, Jan & Dean used a photo of the Asteroid on the back cover of their 1963 album, “Drag City.” Read More

1963 Fuelie Corvette vs 1967 L71 427/435 Corvette – Videos

Published on by Scott

Today, some 1963 split-window coupes command very high prices. Only 199 Z06 Corvettes were built in 1963, making restored versions extremely valuable. And only 20 1967 L88 Corvettes were built, putting them close to the top of the “most expensive classic Corvettes” list. Read More