Omg
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,020
Likes: 2,262
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
That picture was taken in the walkway between the GM Styling Lobby and the Executive Garage, with the reflecting pool/lake in the background; I was in that building almost daily in the late 60's-early 70's. That car (with mostly cardboard add-ons) was one of the occasional humorous distractions that were created when Bill Mitchell was out of town.
Chuck and I were among the founding members of the Motor City Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America in the early 70's, and when he was transferred to Opel for two years, he stored his Ferrari Daytona in a room in the basement of the Styling building while he was gone. When he returned, the first thing he did was to go downstairs to check on it, and the photo below shows what he found - the Studio folks had decked it out (in cardboard) as the world's ugliest J.C. Whitney-styled Ferrari; it took him most of the day to get over it and calm down.
Chuck and I were among the founding members of the Motor City Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America in the early 70's, and when he was transferred to Opel for two years, he stored his Ferrari Daytona in a room in the basement of the Styling building while he was gone. When he returned, the first thing he did was to go downstairs to check on it, and the photo below shows what he found - the Studio folks had decked it out (in cardboard) as the world's ugliest J.C. Whitney-styled Ferrari; it took him most of the day to get over it and calm down.
JIM
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Chuck was an incredibly talented designer, always well-dressed, had a great sense of humor, and LOVED his Ferraris. Mitchell used to rag on him about the Ferraris, but Mitchell himself had a huge collection of exotic Italian motorcycles (Laverdas, Moto Guzzis, Ducatis, etc.), and occasionally rode them to work. Mitchell was a bit on the "portly" side, and wore custom-made Bates leathers - he looked like a blue sausage in his leathers. 
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Laguna Niguel California
Chuck Jordan's "Batmobile" Corvette story
Here's the background story;
Chuck Jordan was close friends with George Barris since the early 60's. George had just created the Batmobile for the mega-successful TV series, Batman. In 1967, George was doing a promotional "Batman" tour around various parts of the USA with Adam West who played Batman, and who was quite a celebrity in those days. George decided to stop by Detroit, so he telephoned Chuck to ask him if he could come by for a visit together with Adam West to GM Styling. Word of this upcoming visit got out to the styling staff and a few of the "Jokester" designers decided to play a prank on Chuck.
After George and Adam arrived at the styling center, Chuck proudly took them on a tour of GM Design. When Chuck took his guests to lunch, the designers grabbed his new 1967 Corvette and did it up in a "Batman" motif. Of course, Chuck had no idea of this prank.
Near the end of the tour, George, Adam and Chuck proceeded last to the executive garage where Chuck proudly wanted to show them some of the latest GM styling concept cars and his newly acquired Corvette. Low and behold after they entered the garage Chuck looks at his Corvette and was shocked and flabbergasted. He was speechless! The joke was on him! The guys got him good!
Chuck just smiled and replied "Its amazing what they can do with a little cardboard and tape".
Needless to say, George and Adam got a good laugh too!
Chuck Jordan was close friends with George Barris since the early 60's. George had just created the Batmobile for the mega-successful TV series, Batman. In 1967, George was doing a promotional "Batman" tour around various parts of the USA with Adam West who played Batman, and who was quite a celebrity in those days. George decided to stop by Detroit, so he telephoned Chuck to ask him if he could come by for a visit together with Adam West to GM Styling. Word of this upcoming visit got out to the styling staff and a few of the "Jokester" designers decided to play a prank on Chuck.
After George and Adam arrived at the styling center, Chuck proudly took them on a tour of GM Design. When Chuck took his guests to lunch, the designers grabbed his new 1967 Corvette and did it up in a "Batman" motif. Of course, Chuck had no idea of this prank.
Near the end of the tour, George, Adam and Chuck proceeded last to the executive garage where Chuck proudly wanted to show them some of the latest GM styling concept cars and his newly acquired Corvette. Low and behold after they entered the garage Chuck looks at his Corvette and was shocked and flabbergasted. He was speechless! The joke was on him! The guys got him good!
Chuck just smiled and replied "Its amazing what they can do with a little cardboard and tape".
Needless to say, George and Adam got a good laugh too!
Last edited by miuras; Nov 18, 2014 at 05:46 PM. Reason: Grammar and clarity
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 173
From: Somewhere North of The 49th Parallel Ontario
That is such a cool story. Love to see all these old photos. In the middle picture, is that Adam West on the far left with the glasses on? Sure looks like him.
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Laguna Niguel California
Adam West is the man wearing the glasses at the far end. Chuck Jordan is next to him and George Barris is the 5th person from the left.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 482
Likes: 2
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '14
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38,362
Likes: 2,085
From: California
i have the article or details on this car somewhere!
I came ac ross it recently this year, but I would have to search it down again. Off the top of my head, it didn't stick as a memory, but I am looking for something this weekend and I will see if I can find that piece on this car.
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Laguna Niguel California
Chuck Jordan "Batmobile" Corvette story
I came across this article written by John Lamm. I believe it might have been printed in Motor Trend, but I can't verify the year.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
When he returned, the first thing he did was to go downstairs to check on it, and the photo below shows what he found - the Studio folks had decked it out (in cardboard) as the world's ugliest J.C. Whitney-styled Ferrari; it took him most of the day to get over it and calm down.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,947
Likes: 407
From: Bronx New York
Weren't the jellybean looking Caprices his idea ?
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/24/bu...dn-t-sell.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/24/bu...dn-t-sell.html
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 37
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Outside of the GM Styling work environment, Chuck was a different person - he and I had a lot of fun as two of the founding members of the Motor City Region of the Ferrari Club of America. Our winter Ferrari garage crawls were always great entertainment. 