Do you think that they'll ever revive the name "Stingray" for the Corvette? I was under the impression that this name was somehow associated with Zora Arkus Duntov but I could be wrong. I just think it would be cool to have that name on ther 'Vette again. :cool:

 

The name Stingray came from Bill Mitchell's concept Corvette. From 63-67 it was Sting-Ray and from 69-76 it became one word Stingray.

I would like to see the Stingray name revived on a future Corvette. :yesnod: :cheers:

 

That might be cool :yesnod:

 

Bill Mitchell bought from GM the Corvette SS "mule" chassis that Duntov had used for SS chassis development, circa 1957, for one dollar and supervised his protege, Larry Shinoda, in preparing the detailed body design, which was surrepticiously built by the GM design staff and placed on the SS mule chassis.

Mitchell then hired Dick Thompson to drive the car in 1959, and he won the SCCA C-modified national championship in 1960. Mitchell was the entrant and the car was simply called "Stingray". There was no ostensible tie to GM or Chevrolet.

No doubt this was Mitchell's way to test public reaction to the design, and it was a hit. If anything, the production '63 Coupe with it's two-piece backlight was even more dramatic.

For whatever reason, apparently lost to time, the name Stingray was changed to Sting Ray for the production car, dropped in '68 with the new "Shark" design, then resurrected in it's original form, Stingray, in '69, but dropped completely in '77.

Back in the fifites and sixties the Corvette was the vision of one man - Harley Earl for the original design of the early fifties and, for the follow-on product, his successor, Bill Mitchell, who was even more obsessed with the Corvette, making it his own personal fiefdom, which led to some interesting conflicts with Duntov who became the defacto Chief Engineer for the Corvette long before he officially received the title.

The automobile business was a lot different back then, when one man could call the shots, and that's why the '63 Sting Ray looked like no other car, and I don't think such a unique looking car will ever again be produced by a volume manufacturer like GM.

Duke

 

The 63 Sting Ray actually looked like one too.(Like the fish).

 

how true this statement is :sad:

 

I wasn't referring to the look, I was more interested in the name being associated with the Corvette again.

 

Personally I think the whole Stingray name is a load of nothing. On the 63-67s it meant something but after that the emblems just meant extra weight. Unless the C6 looks like it could dive into the water and swim they should leave the Stingray name canned.

 

:iagree:

 

My thoughts it will come back one day... :yesnod:

 

:iagree:

 

You read a lot of comments today in car magazines about "derivative styling". With aerodynamics ruling there are limitations to overall shape and detailed styling features, but the cynic in me just believes that today's consumers prefer ugly trucks to elegant cars.

I have mixed feelings about Chevrolet bringing back the Sting Ray name. If there are enough "heritage" styling cues in the design I guess it would be okay by me, but if they never resurrect the name again that's okay by me, too.

You may love or hate the C2, especially the SWC, but you can never call the styling "derivative".

Duke





[Modified by SWCDuke, 9:30 PM 12/29/2002]

 

I also have a 63swc. It's Daytona Blue....and it's cool. The C5's all have that kind of stylish dip in the top that kind of suggests something. Maybe only an owner would know,but the trunk,(Z06),is wavy too.
My edit is that they could go to a compound curved back window that puts a split there in design only.The Government would stop an actual split because it;s harder to see. It would be kind of sexy.


[Modified by Weasel, 2:18 PM 12/30/2002]

 

Lambos have worse visibility than a 'Vette with a split rear window. It would be hard for the gov't to justify banning it, especially if Chevy says that it's a safety feature. :lol:

 

I'm not aware of any DOT standards on rear visibility. I can see GM possibly resurrecting the Sting Ray name, but I would be willing to wager a substanial sum that the split backlight will remain unique to the '63 SWC.

Rear visibility was never an issue to me. Sure, there was the bar running down the rear window, but you could still clearly see what was behind you. It did not really create anything that can be described as a "blind spot".

With the short rear fender the outside door mirrow provides a panoramic view of the rear, and I adjust the inside rear view mirror to catch the right rear quarter blind spot being as how there is no outside mirror on the RH side.
Rear visibility on the SWC just isn't the problem it's been made out to be over the years.


Duke




[Modified by SWCDuke, 10:10 AM 12/30/2002]