the two stripes on left front fender, what do they mean?

 

In most cases it means "I wish I had a GS"

The dual hash marks were on the Grand Sport edition corvettes.

 

The Grand Sport stripe is actually called a HASH MARK and it was USED ONE TIME AND ONLY ONE TIME on a racing original Grand Sport. That one time started a legend and history.

The hash mark was NOT on the fender- didn't show up on the fender until the NON RACING 1996 tribute edition.

In 1963 John Mecom took 3 Grand Sports to the Bahamas for Speed Week (rich boys in the early 60's went there to race on street courses, google Bahama Speed Week and the Nassau Tourist Trophy-also understand that GM NEVER raced the Grand Sports, private parties only).

All three Mecom Grand Sports were painted the same color of blue. A single HASH MARK (red, white and black I believe-sorry too tired to go look it up) was placed on the nose of each car--THE NOSE--this allowed the car to be identified as it came down pit lane. This is 1963, no cell phones, no laptop computers, no in-car radios...just a sign board telling a car to come into the pit...can't see the "side' of a car coming at you down pit lane thus the hash mark to id the car.

The HASH Marks were done with TAPE NOT PAINT. The 3 Grand Sports never raced like that again...just that single week frozen in time....thus no more hash marks.....until 1996 and later during the C5R and C6R programs. Also understand the history or racing and 'safety--in 1963 pit lanes were not 40 mph safe zones of today...they were just part of the main straight...you worked on the car while racers blew past 20 ft away at 120mph. You didn't step into pit lane (the damn racetrack) unless you had to and for your car-thus car id was critical.

Hash Marks were again used in the C5R and C6R programs...NOT just fenders but mirrors...look at pictures of the #53 BLUE LeMans C5R from 2003. You will see 3 yellow stripes on the passenger mirror (pit wall side)...again a marker to identify the car to a pit crew. Even today the C6R has a "hash mark" in every race....look at the windshield CORVETTE banner--one car has a black background and the other red..WHY? Instant Identification when viewing the car head on...

 

It's a tribute to Corvette racing. Not someone wishing that their car was a GS as there were not any C5 GS's.

 

They have taken many meanings over the years. They were present from the factory on the 1963 Grand Sport, 1996 Grand Sport and the 2010 Grans Sports.

They were used to identify the 1960's race cars of the 24 Hours of LeMans to distinguish between the race cars since they didn't have numbers. 1, 2 and 3...

I have also heard that they identified which side of car the steering wheel was on. Not sure about that though

 

Hits on pedestrians. Five and you make Ace.

 

Not even close in my case. For me, it was because I've had the car for 8 years and I wanted a change and decided to run something different for awhile. Plus, it's fun pissing off the purists and members of the "Corvette Council" who judge cars based on their own preconceived rules of Corvette ownership. I had a guy at a local show throw a hissy fit because I had "Grand Sport" stripes and "Z06" FRCs on a C5 convertible. With the exception of those two items he told me that he "really liked my car." Like I was going to lose sleep over it if he didnt.

No, I have fender stripes and red FRCs.

What's cool is that I've had two different people approach me at shows or events telling me that they saw me on the road. I asked them how they knew it was me and they told me they recognized my car by the stripes on the driver's side front fender.

 

Interesting story by Navybluevette. Thanks.

 

I had bought a roll of carbon fiber vinyl to wrap some pieces in my engine and I got to thinking that my front-end was kinda boring looking with all the white and that it needed something to kinda "make it pop" so I made myself a few stripes and put them on. I love the way it looks and I have got TONS of compliments from people about them...It may not be every ones cup of tea but I really like it and ultimately that is all that matters anyway right?

 

i don't know exactly how true it is for Corvette Racing, but i've also heard of some racers using the hash to help them gauge where the tire is (in relation to the rumble strips) going into & out of turns

 

And he is indeed correct. Many race teams with multiple cars entered in the same event used them for identification purposes, especially at speed and/or night, when the numbers aren't always identifiable at a quick glance.

 

The answer depends on whether or not you have them on your car!

I like them, but won't add them to mine.

 

I used plasti dip for my hash marks.

 

Down force. Coupled with BSM you're untouchable.

 

Car looks great! What wheels are those and what sizes?

 

I did some searching and it seems like the hash marks were used to tell the difference between two cars that were painted the same. If there were three team cars then were more hash marks added or just different colors? I also read a while back that the hash marks were reflective so the inside car could see the outside car during a night race. Can't verify that.

 

Yep, I don't think traditional racing strips running all the way down the car look good. But I want to show that I race mine. I have GS inspired strips to show just that. They are not in the same location, not the same color, nor the same size as GS hash marks.

But, they look good with my racing numbers.
no one thinks I want a GS or have a GS.
and they look cool.

 

For me it's a tribute to Corvette's racing heritage, and it doesn't bother me if others don't like them

 

They have a good history and place with Corvette...but theyve become the 20.00 mod by everyone and their brother. I love the c4 GS...it was one of my favorite Corvettes ever. I wasnt thrilled when GM released the C6 GS in multi colors and stripes everywhere.

In the end, the c6 GS is more responsible for everyone sporting them than any "tribute" factor.

 

If I'd wanted a C6 GS I'd have bought one. Instead I bought a C5, and because I liked the look of the stripes I put them on my car and really like the look they add to my otherwise plain white coupe.

I don't care what anyone else things about them. It's my car.