On the cover was a bright yellow 427 Corvette, branded, “Baldwin-Motion SS-427 Phase III Corvette”! On top of the standard ’68 big-block hood bulge was a grafted-on ’67 Stinger 427 scoop that totally looked like it belonged there. On the sides of the Stinger hood were badges that read, “SS-427”. WOW Read More
On the showroom floor was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen (except for Ann Margret in “Viva Las Vegas”!). It was a 1965 Corvette Sting Ray Coupe. Standing there with my mouth gaping open, a sales guy said, “You like that car, kid? Here’s a brochure!” and then scribbled his name on the cover, perhaps hoping my Dad would buy a Corvette. Fat chance!
I took the brochure home and poured over it a hundred times. I didn’t understand more than five percent of what I was reading, but the photos and line drawings captivated me. Fifteen years later, as an illustrator, I specialized in line art of machines and cars. Forty years later a friend gave me a 1965 Corvette brochure he had because he knew I once owned a ’65 Corvette. I was blown away to see the line illustrations in the brochure and could clearly see where my influence came from. Read More
The only thing hotter than an August day in Michigan was the all-new, 1963 Corvette Sting Ray. The GM Proving Ground was first opened in 1924 and was the industry’s first dedicated automobile testing facility. Located in Milford, Michigan, the facility is huge and today has 4,000 acres, 107 buildings, and employs around 4,800 people. Some say that in the summer months, out on the 4,000 acre black asphalt surface, the temperature can reach 140-degrees! Read More
Unlike the one-of-a-kind Brooks Boxer and Alembic-I, the body had to be engineered for mass production. The directive was to lay out the body parts as if they were steel, which makes sense, as that’s what they were used to doing. Besides, fiberglass was the quick way to get to a body design that would later be made from steel. This was the plan at the time. Read More
Mauri Rose was a genuine unsung Corvette hero. Having won the Indy 500 three times, Rose had the most racing experience of any GM engineer. Chevrolet Chief Engineer, Cole told him, “You are the man to do the sports car.” Read More
