Duntov’s New 1963 Z06 Corvette Sting Ray Battles Shelby’s New 289 Cobra and WINS!
Dateline: 6-3-22 This story originally appeared in the February 2008 issue of Vette Magazine
Introduction: The C8 Z06 has just about taken all the air out of the room when it comes to talking about Corvettes. The April 28, 2022, Michelin Corvette Bash at the National Corvette Museum was astonishing. Engineers from Michelin and the Corvette team were on hand presenting seminars loaded with technical information about the new C8 Z06. A week or so later, Team Corvette teased fans with a 30-second teaser of the 2023 Hybrid All-Wheel-Drive Corvette that will supposedly be released in 2023. Continue reading “Z06 Corvette Review, Pt 2 – The ORIGINAL Z06 – the 1963 Z06 Corvette”→
DATELINE: 3-19-22, this story first appeared in the January 2017 issue of Vette Vues Magazine – The C8 mid-engine Corvette is arguably the biggest news in the world of Corvettes since the very beginning in 1953. Many of us thought Chevrolet would never offer such a Corvette, but here we are. And thanks to an established pattern of performance track-model Corvettes that started in 2001 when Chevrolet decided to brand the car, “Z06” after the one-year-only 1963 Corvette, subsequent new model Corvettes have offered a Z06 model. Within minutes after the C6, C7, and now C8 Corvettes were debuted, fans’ second question (after “how much is the new Vette?”) is, “Where’s the Z06?” Yes, we expect it and Chevrolet has not let us down since.
As of this writing, Chevrolet has their Traveling Road Show in full-swing at select Chevrolet dealers to show the loyal faithful exactly what the new C8 Z06 is all about. On March 25, 2022, Stingray Chevrolet, in Plant City, Florida will be hosting their C8 Z06 presentation. No doubt, owner Steve Hurley will put on a fantastic presentation.
So, with that in mind, the next dozen or so posts here on Corvette Report will present stories I have written for Vette Vues Magazine over the last ten years about the Z06. The C8 Z06 did not arrive from nowhere, there’s been a progression of Z06 Corvettes that go back nearly 70 years to 1963 when “RPO-Z06” was an obscure, one-year-only “racer kit” option that Zora Arkus-Duntov seeded into the 1963 Corvette option list that was essentially a “suspension and brakes” option on top of the L84 Fuelie. There were no external badges or special body enhancement and the car looked like any other Fuelie Corvette. And truthfully, unless a customer wanted to go road racing with their new Corvette, the Z06’s performance suspension and brakes were of little value on the street. There was no fanfare and after 1963, no one but Zora and his hardcore racer friends missed the Z06, so the Z06 faded into Corvette history; that it until the release of the 2001 model year. Ever since then, the Z06 was THE track weapon for Corvette racers.
So, let’s have a look at how we got to where we are with the C8 Z06. It is arguably the most exciting story in Corvette history. – Scott
When I was a wee lad and would see the term, “For Off-Road Use Only” I used to think, “Well who drives these cars in the dirt and grass?” What I didn’t understand was that the term is code for “RACING”! Beginning in 1957, Chevrolet’s new general manager, Ed Cole, made the command decision that he would let “customers” carry the Corvette racing mantle by offering Chevrolet-engineered parts, specifically designed for racing, available through the Chevrolet Parts Department. Continue reading “Z06 Corvette Review, Pt 1 – The 1963 Z06 Racer Kit”→
A loving tribute to a brother, a husband, a father, a hero, and the very first production Z06 Corvette Sting Ray racecar
We all have “defining moments” in our life. You know, those rare moments that can happen in an otherwise ordinary day that changes the course and direction of your life. It could be the day the prettiest girl in class “smiles that smile” that makes you forever a softie for blonds. Or, like for me, the day I saw a 1965 Corvette Sting Ray Coupe at a Chevrolet dealership and a salesman gave me a brochure with technical line art that helped set me on my life course.
In late September 1962, 16-year-old Doug MacDonald had such a defining moment. Doug’s big brother was road racing legend and 2014 National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame Inductee, Dave MacDonald. When your brother is eleven years older than you, while you are growing up, your perception is that your sibling is “one of the adults.” In 1960, Dave MacDonald started racing a 1957 Corvette when he was 23 years old and Doug was only 13, so the best Doug could do was hang around on the sidelines, take in as much as he could understand, and do his best to stay out of the way!
Dave MacDonald was one of a group of Southern California guys that were Zora Arkus-Duntov’s favorite people – young men that raced their Corvettes. These were the burgeoning years of the California car culture. What’a time to be a young man with a driver’s license and a knack for mechanics! Dave had a job at Don Steves Chevrolet and formed a friendship with salesman Jim Simpson. Together the young fellows bought a beat-up 1957 Corvette and built a racecar. Simpson helped get a small sponsorship from their employer and the two lads were off to the races.
The Dave MacDonald story is now legendary and I have covered Dave MacDonald’s amazing but short career in the October 2012 issue of Vette Vues. Dave was a natural and taught himself to drive racecars via the school of trial and error. It didn’t take too long before crowds started to notice MacDonald’s “tail out” driving style and quickly nick-named the young man, “The Master of Oversteer.” (Dave would have LOVED modern “Drifting” racing!)
What most of the young fellows that were honing their skills on the SoCal racetracks didn’t know was that important and powerful men in the racing and manufacturing were closely watching the amateur-racing scene, looking for talent. As MacDonald kept racking up an impressive string of wins, two of the most powerful men in manufacturing and racing were following Dave very closely – Zora Arkus-Duntov and Carroll Shelby.
MacDonald’s rookie year was 1960 when he took five 1st place wins out of 18 races – a 27% victory rate! The following year in 1961, Dave drove the Don Steves Corvette to 15, 1st place wins out of 25 races – a 60% victory rate. From January to April 1961 Dave and Jim won the first nine races. For the season, the guys only had three 2nd place finishes and five “DNF” (Did Not Finish), and one “DNS” (Did Not Start) race. One DNF race was with their all-new, Max & Ina Balchowsky purpose-built 1961 Corvette.
The purpose-built Balchowsky Corvette happened because one day at the track, Carroll Shelby told Dave and Jim that to take their racing to the next level, they should get a Balchowsky purpose-built car. “Purpose-built” racecars were hand fabricated, tube chassis cars with hand-made, lightweight fiberglass silhouette replica bodies. Think prehistoric tube frame Trans-Am cars. Balchowsky’s 1959 “Old Yeller II” was already a legend, so Max and his wife Ina were the “go-to” couple for competitive hand-made racecars.
When word got out that MacDonald and Simpson were building a tube frame Corvette, it got the attention of Mr. Duntov because he too was thinking about building a tube frame Corvette, but with the body of the upcoming new 1963 Sting Ray. Yes, we’re talking about the Grand Sport Corvette during its larva stage. One day, when Duntov was in the Los Angeles area, he stopped by MacDonald’s house for a visit and to check out what Dave and Jim were up to!
Doug MacDonald was just 14 years old then and recalled, “Mr. Duntov’s accent was so thick, I couldn’t understand much of what he said. Somehow, Zora and Dave understood each other enough, but I was completely lost.” A bond of racer’s respect was forged and Duntov would later put Dave to work for some interesting “field testing” opportunities. The 1,750-pound purpose-built car, now called the, “1961 Corvette Special”, was powered by a mildly modified 327 Fuelie, and had tremendous potential. Dave and Jim now had two cars they were campaigning on a small budget, despite the Don Steves Chevrolet sponsorship.
From October 1961 to May 1961 Dave and Jim raced the 1961 Corvette Special in eight races, taking four 1st place wins! But a close examination of the points standings showed that Dave and Jim had a better chance of a championship racing with their stock-based Corvette racer. So, the 1961 Corvette Special was sidelined. Both young men were gunning for a championship!
But Duntov’s meeting with MacDonald made a powerful impression on the Corvette chief engineer. By the summer of 1962 when preproduction Corvettes were ready for some promotional track testing, MacDonald and Dr. Dick Thompson were invited to a sampling. From June 29 to July 2, 1962, Chevrolet produced a promotional film with MacDonald and Thomson driving a ‘63 Coupe and Roadster at the GM test track. After a few laps, Mr. Duntov interviewed the drivers. The promotional film is titled, “Biography of a Sports Car” and fortunately is on YouTube. The television commercial for the then-new 1963 Corvette Sting Ray has footage of Dick Thompson and Dave MacDonald driving a coupe and convertible at the test track. This too is on YouTube.com.
A few weeks later, Duntov flew Dave and Sherry, Jerry Grant, and Bob Bondurant out to St. Louis to pick up three of Duntov’s latest “racer kit” Z06 Corvettes. Chevrolet brass decided to give Dave Z06 #1! That’s right, the Don Steves Chevrolet Z06 Corvette racecar is the first “official” Z06 to roll off the assembly line! Jerry Grant drove his Sting Ray out to Washington state, while Dave and Bob drove their cars to California.
Dave and Sherry loaded their suitcases in the back of the Sting Ray and headed west. Dave actually liked his lady driving a hot car. Sherry recounts, “A lot of times if I was driving one of our Corvettes, Dave was always telling me, “Drive faster, drive faster!” Do you think the MacDonalds opened up the Z06 on the way home from St. Louis? Sherry remembers seeing the speedometer pegged at over 140-mph! But the Z06 wasn’t their personal car; it was scheduled to become a racecar. The MacDonald’s would soon purchase a new Sting Ray as their personal car; a Riverside Red 1963 Fuel Injected Sting Ray Coupe with 4.11:1 gears, 4-speed, and power windows. Yes, it was very quick.
Meanwhile, back at home; Doug MacDonald could not have been more stoked! His big brother/hero was being flown around the country with all expenses paid by Duntov and Chevrolet. Dave was track testing preproduction Corvettes for Zora and now was one of four select racers (Dave, Jerry Grant, Bob Bondurant, and Mickey Thompson), personally invited by Duntov himself, to take delivery of what was supposed to be Zora’s secret weapon for his Corvette racer customers, RPO Z06. The all-new Sting Ray with its much-improved frame, structure, chassis, and Fuel Injected 327 was now available with a special suspension and brakes package that was designed for victory.
The long trip home was designed to break in the Z06 so that by the time the cars arrived in California, they could be prepped for the L.A. Times 5th Annual Grand Prix Race at Riverside 3-Hour Enduro in October. Doug’s big brother Dave and sister-in-law Sherry were driving the new Z06 home from St. Louis where the car had just rolled off the assembly line. This was VERY heady stuff for a 15-year-old kid!
Phone calls along the way kept the MacDonald family apprised of the trip home. When Dave and Sherry got off the freeway and called home, what they didn’t know was that they had company. “New Cars” were hyped back then, but not like they are today. Think for a moment what cars looked like in 1962, and then hold in mind the images of a 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window Coupe. There was NOTHING like it. The new Sting Ray looked like “the automobile from another planet!” Buck Rogers and George Jetson didn’t even have rides this cool!
Doug was waiting outside of his parent’s home when Dave and Sherry turned the corner of their street. Doug recalls, “I could not believe what I saw. The bright white Sting Ray was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life! But as the car turned the corner of our street, a dozen or more other cars were following Dave and Sherry – and we didn’t live on a busy street. These people followed Dave and Sherry off the freeway and to our house because they wanted to see this stunning new Corvette! I’ll never forget it. We were all stunned!” The scene was forever burned into Doug’s memory and 54-plus years later, Doug MacDonald would be driving his own white Corvette Stingray, with a special purpose in mind.
With less than three weeks before the L.A. Times 5th Annual Grand Prix 3-Hour Enduro race, Dave and Bill Thomas (Mr. Cheetah) got as much done to prep the car as they could. Modifications were limited to rebuilding the engine, installing side exhaust, adding a roll bar, and removal of the bumpers. The Sting Ray’s fender humps and hood bulge were painted blue with red pin striping and “Don Steves Chevrolet” and MacDonald’s “00” lettering was added.
Anything can go wrong in an endurance race, even the simplest things. The biggest challenge to the new Corvettes was Shelby’s new Cobra that weighed 1,100-pounds less than the 3,100-pound Corvettes. In the first hour of the race, hard-charging MacDonald fought Billy Krause, driving the Cobra. Just before the end of the first hour, within minutes of one another, the driver’s side rear wheel of MacDonald’s Z06 came off (likely due to one or more loose lug nuts), then Krauss’ Cobra broke a rear axle. Later in the second hour, the engines in the Bondurant and Grant cars let go, leaving Doug Hooper, driving the Thompson Z06 to win the race.
Thompson, ever the showman, proclaimed, “I don’t think its ever been done before! A new production car winning the first time out.” While a “win is a win,” it was a default win because Corvettes would be chasing after Cobras until Duntov’s L88 arrived in 1967. Ironically this was the last time MacDonald ever professionally raced a Corvette. By the end of 1962, Carroll Shelby offered Dave a golden opportunity as a full-time driver. The Don Steves Corvette was raced a little, but nothing serious. The car has since been beautifully restored and is currently owned by Jim and Nancy Jaeger.
Life often offers up pivotal moments where a single decision can make profound changes. Dave MacDonald’s decision to take Shelby’s offer to professionally drive Cobras took Dave away from the world of Corvettes and into Shelby’s world of beasty Cobras – which Dave loved driving. Not only was MacDonald driving Cobras, he was helping to develop the cars. Dave was also deeply involved in the development of the fastback Cobra Daytona. He was also given the opportunity to race NASCAR stock cars. But back then, just as it is today, the big prize in American racing it to drive and win the Indy 500.
Mickey Thompson was called, “The King of Speed” because he was into anything fast on four wheels and “Sir Mick” wanted an Indy 500 win for his record. Thompson developed a radical, mid-engine Indy racer that was extra low to the ground thanks to its tiny 12-inch tires. The car debuted at the 1963 Indy 500 with mixed results, but after the race, Thompson hired MacDonald to drive for him the following year. But a month later, USAC officials mandated all cars run on 15-inch wheels for future 500s. This was devastating news to Thompson, as the change raised the car’s center of gravity, negated the unique design advantage, and caused the car to lift at speed.
Many of the top drivers of the day track-tested Thompson’s car but passed on driving for Thompson in the 1964 Indy race. However, MacDonald would stay loyal to his friend and not abandon him. Dave also viewed the Indy 500 as a big opportunity and that if he backed out, he’d never be invited back. (probably not so, but it looked that way to Dave) Many drivers questioned his decision. Racing legend Jimmy Clark was track practicing and following MacDonald on Carb Day when Clark pulled off the track after Dave and told him, “Get out of that carmate! Just walk away!” Later, Dave reiterated to Sherry that if he walked away, he’d be branded a “candy-ass”. Even Carroll Shelby tried to get MacDonald to change his mind with the promise of a ride in a really good car for 1965. But Dave’s “word” was his word”.
When the race started, MacDonald, ever the hard-charger, did what he’d always done on a racetrack – charged hard, passing everywhere he could. Racer Johnny Rutherford later reported that MacDonald’s car seemed to be handling badly and he thought, “He’s either gonna win this thing or crash!” At the beginning of the second lap, the Sears-Allstate Special went out of control and crashed, taking the lives of Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs.
Life for the MacDonald family would never be the same. Doug MacDonald was so overcome with grief and anger that he burned all of the memorabilia he’d collected about his brother’s racing career and he didn’t drive a car for several years. Sherry MacDonald raised their children; Rich and Vicki. After a long investigation, the Indy officials concluded that the crash was caused by the car’s design and there was, “No driver error!” In retrospect, one has to wonder why the car was approved to race in the first place.
But time heals most wounds – sort of.
Doug MacDonald eventually did some racing on his own and for a few years was a driving instructor at the Bob Bondurant Racing School. Over the years, Doug had a few stout Camaros and Corvettes. But for Doug, two things never changed; his passion for Corvettes and the memory of Dave and Sherry driving down his street in that brand new, white 1963 Z06 Corvette Sting Ray. Then in 2009, Doug made the leap into what was then, Chevy’s closest thing to an all-out racing Corvette, the C6 Z06. Doug’s Z06 was Atomic Orange and he added the rear spoiler and aftermarket hood.
In 2012 Doug had the opportunity to get a previously owned D&D Grand Sport replica. The car was a blast to drive but has its own unique ownership challenges. Grand Sport and Cobra replica cars show us just how rough and brutish the originals truly were. These are not cars that owners tend to drive a lot. They are loud, harsh, and garish. No one takes long trips in them, as they’re not especially comfortable. You can’t go to the store in one because; A. There’s no storage space, and B. You wouldn’t want to leave the car parked without an armed Blackwater Security guard or a big nasty dog! And C. they are cop-bait! Drivers often get pulled over so that law officers can get a good “look-see”. The limitations and routine can get old after a while.
In 2016 when Chevrolet debuted the C7 Grand Sport, Doug saw the possibility of fulfilling a dream of building a modern tribute to the Corvette he still couldn’t stop thinking about, the Don Steves “00” 1963 Z06 Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window Coupe. When Dave and Bill Thomas prepared the 1963 Z06 for the L.A. Times 5th Annual Grand Prix Race at Riverside, they didn’t have a lot of time or much budget, so the prepped racecar had stock black steel wheels. When Doug MacDonald saw that he could get a white Grand Sport with black wheels with blue center stripes, his tribute Corvette plan clicked into place. Combining his two passions into one, Doug sold his 1963 Grand Sport replica, and his C6 Z06, and bought his 2017 Grand Sport Corvette from Nate Chandler of Van Bortel Chevrolet in Macedon, New York because they advertised, “We can beat any deal!”
Doug ordered his Grand Sport with the following options; 3LT Adrenaline Red interior (top of the line), Competition seats, black wheels (just like Dave’s 1963 Corvette) with red calipers, blue center stripes, Heritage Package with red fender hash marks, the Phase II rear spoiler, and the Corvette Museum Delivery. The optional interior plaque reads, “In Memory of Dave MacDonald”. Doug later added the front aero winglettes and rear spoiler wickerbill. He also changed the car’s red taillight to clear taillights.
Doug’s Museum Delivery was also special. Doug and his lady, Sherry Sablan, dealership salesman Nate Chandler and his wife, all attended the Museum Delivery. All of the proper photos and certifications were fulfilled, the event was documented and posted on Facebook and lastly, Doug and Sherry drove the car home to California, just like Dave and Sherry MacDonald had done in September 1962!
It took Doug months of living with the car and looking at it to come up with a plan to complete his tribute. Doug wanted to replicate the 1963 racecar’s “white with blue stripes and trim” look on a very different body shape. Doug started with the basic Grand Sport center stripe and had the stripe extended forward, past the hood air extractor, and onto the front bumper cover to better match the look on the 1963 car. Doug’s fender stripes hit the mark perfectly by starting at the inside line of the headlights and flowing back, intersecting perfectly with the red fender hash marks, then flowing and thinning back towards the A-pillar. The rear fender strips just kiss the tops of the rear fender creases, splitting the space between the edge of the fender crease and the rear fender scoops, and flowing back. And at the back edge of the rear glass in white lettering, it says, “IN LOVING MEMORY OF 2014 CORVETTE HALL OF FAME LEGEND DAVE MACDONALD WWW.DAVEMACDONALD.NET”.
Doug MacDonald is absolutely delighted with his C7 Grand Sport Corvette tribute car. “I love everything about the car! The car’s looks, stance, the interior is gorgeous, the Competition Seats are excellent and I even like the automatic transmission, it shifts hard and quick. I’m sure Dave would love this car!”
I’m sure that Doug isn’t completely done with his tribute car. There’s a possibility he might have “stick on/peal off” vinyl “DON STEVES CHEVROLET” AND “00” in a round blue meatball made for the doors and hood, for when he displays the car at shows. But mostly, Doug and Sherry’s plans are to get into their 2017 Grand Sport and drive, drive, drive, and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy – just the way Dr. Duntov wanted all of his Corvette customers to do. – Scott
The Spring 1990 issue of “Corvette Quarterly” was a banner issue for 1963 Corvette Grand Sport fans. Late in 1989 arrangements were made for a very special meeting at Sebring International Raceway, in Sebring, Florida. Two Corvette race cars, separated by twenty-five years gathered for some comparison testing between the Grand Sport #002, known as the “Wintersteen 427 L88” Grand Sport #002 Roadster and the 1989-90 Morrison Engineering and Development Trans-Am Corvette.
On hand to witness and advise was then-retired, former Corvette Chief of Engineering, Zora Arkus-Duntov. In the 1970s GM’s corporate retirement age of 65 mandate was in place, and Duntov was put out to pasture, way too soon in December 1974 when he turned 65. GM president Ed Cole and Sr. VP of Styling, Bill Mitchell faced similar fates at GM. You can read the amazing track comparison of the Grand Sport and the Trans-Am Corvette in Pt. 4 of The Duntov Files.
This story, “Zora Looks Back” offers some interesting insights into Duntov’s tenure at GM, as well as the “Lightweight Grand Sport Corvette” experience. For instance, Duntov said, “It was a quick and dirty sledgehammer project that we put together in a couple of months. There were so many compromises and constraints that we made something of which I am not particularly proud.” Interesting. Well, we sure love them!
Duntov was there, this was his baby, and he would know the real skinny on the Grand Sport. For Grand Sport race car fans, this article by Bill Oursler is a real treat! – Scott
PS – You can access the entire collection of Corvette E-Booklets and the Duntov Files HERE.
Dateline: 2-28-19 – Images: GM Archives; Graphics & by K. Scott Teeters
Of the six men in our “Corvette’s Founding Fathers” series, Peter Brock had the shortest career at GM, but his contribution was enormous. Like all of the Founding Fathers, Brock had “gasoline in his veins” and was cut from the same cloth as Larry Shinoda; post-WW-II southern California, the birthplace of modern hot rodding.
Brock got the car bug at the age of 12 when he spotted a 1949 MG TC with a broken engine in back of the garage where he had his first after-school job. Brock studied the lines and mechanicals of the MG TD and at 15 bought the car. With help from his car pals, he got the car running. Brock’s second car was a 1946 Ford that he made into a fast, award-winning hot rod. Whereas Shinoda’s “Chopsticks Special” hot rods were scrappy-looking drag racers, Brock’s Hot Rod Ford was a sleek beauty that was quick at the drags and had class-wins at the Oakland Roadster Show in 1954 and 1956
.While pit crewing for some older car pals that were racing, Brock decided that he wanted to race, but Brock observed that racing was an expensive enterprise. He determined that he’d better first learn a trade. And since automotive design was his second passion, he’d have to go to Art Center College of Design.
Brock’s approach to getting into the school was stunning; he walked in and told the receptionist that he wanted to attend. The lady asked about his portfolio and Brock had to admit he didn’t know what a portfolio was. After she explained, Brock went to his car, created a series of drawings on blue-lined school paper, came back in after a few hours and said, “Here’s my portfolio.” He made his case that after a month, if his work wasn’t approved, he’d leave.
Brock didn’t see much value in life drawing, light and shadow, and graphics classes. But the “Transportation 101” class was exactly what he was looking for. With great teachers, classmates, and his enthusiasm, Brock was ready for his next big break. His only problem was that he ran out of money! GM Designer Chuck Jordan was then working as a headhunter scouting new talent. When Brock explained his situation to Jordan, he received a round-trip ticket to Detroit for an interview with GM, and later a job offer. Brock later said, “GM was like going to the best grad school. The best education a car designer could hope for.” At 19 Brock was the youngest designer ever hired at GM.
Brock couldn’t have been happier and would often work after hours. One evening Design Director Harley Earl entered the design studio and struck up a conversation with Brock. Earl asked Brock what he thought of GM’s design direction. Surprisingly, Brock told Earl that GM needed to look into the small car market because the Europeans was making inroads and GM needed a small “student’s car” for young people that couldn’t afford a new bigger car. Earl was intrigued. After several more evening conversations with Brock, Earl informed Brock that he was starting the XP-79 Cadet project and that Brock was to lead the design effort, under the direction of a studio boss! What an astonishing opportunity!
Brock went through the entire design process, from sketches, and line drawings, to a full-size mockup that looked like a small European GT. Earl loved the concept and expanded it to include a delivery vehicle. But when Earl showed the $1,000 Cadet concept at Styling’s 1958 line review meeting, there was dead silence. GM president Harlow Curtice said, “We don’t build small cars at GM!” The project was dead, but it did plant a seed that soon became the Corvair.
Harley Earl was about to retire, and his Olds Golden Rocket-like C2 Corvette concept was going nowhere. Around the same time the 1957 AMA Racing Ban killed all racing activity. But 46-year-old Bill Mitchell was about to take over as VP of Design upon Earl’s retirement, and had his own ideas of what the next Corvette should look like. The main Chevrolet design studio was where official GM advanced production designs were created, but Mitchell also set up a special Studio X where he could do his own private design work. After returning from the 1957 Turin Auto Show, Mitchell gave his Studio X team photos of cars that most impressed him; the streamliner record cars from Abarth and Stanguellini, and the Alfa Romeo “Disco Volante” coupe. He liked the bulging fenders and sharp horizontal crease line, and instructed his team to sketch some ideas based on the photos.
A few days later, Mitchell came back to review his team’s progress. He carefully looked at all the drawings and stopped at one and said, “Whose work is this?” Brock raised his hand and Mitchell said, “Nice! I’d like everyone to take a closer look here because this approach to the theme has some real possibilities. Your goal is to expand on this. Let’s see how we can approve.” Studio head Bob Veryzer might have been peeved because he put Brock’s drawing away! But during the next review, Mitchell asked, “Where’s that sketch I approved?” Veryzer put the Brock sketch back up and Mitchell said, “Yes, that’s the one! This is what I want!” That’s how Brock got in the lead design team.
Brock refined his design and explored removable roof panels, unique door hinges, and a roll bar built into the B-pillar. Several weeks into the project, Mitchell asked Brock if he knew anything about Earl and Duntov’s 1957 SS Racer. Brock explained that he and several of his designer friends drove around the clock to Sebring to see the car race. Mitchell was impressed and then explained that he had acquired the SS mule chassis and intended to use it as a successor to Earl’s car, and work on it as an “advanced concept”. Thus the XP-87 was born.
Based on Brock’s refined sketches, a work-order was released for a 1/5th scale model to be built. Because of UAW regulations, all of the clay work would have to be done only by the modelers and Brock couldn’t even touch the model. What Brock learned was that the modelers were outstanding, fast professionals, and totally open to his sugestions; they were there to serve the designers. Once again, Brock was learning from the best.
Around the same time, Ed Colewas pushing his Q-Chevrolet line concept that would have all 1960 Chevrolet cars, including the Corvette, use a transaxle for better weight distribution, and to eliminate the interior transmission hump. Duntov’s engineering layout included an all-aluminum fuel injected engine, a four-speed transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension, a platform chassis, and inboard brakes. A full-size space buck was built and Brock and the team translated the 1/5th scale mode into a full-size clay model. Brock commented that with the space buck, everything fell into place. Unfortunately, the entire Q-Chevrolet concept collapsed due to cost and was diluted down to a less expensive car more suitable for production.
Peter Brock explains the Stingray Racer.
But Mitchell still was hooked on Brock’s design. The XP-87 project morphed into Mitchell’s Stingray Racer and then into the 1963 Corvette project, both driven by the capable skills of co-designers Larry Shinoda, Chuck Pohlmann, Tony Lapine, and Gene Garfinkle. Because of the AMA Racing Ban, Brock saw no opportunity to be involved with anything connected to racing, so he left GM on good terms, and went back to California to begin his racing career.
Post GM Brock raced an ex-Le Mans team Cooper and later upgraded to a Lotus II Series 2, coming in runner-up two seasons in a row to veteran racer Frank Monise. Through providence, Brock was Carroll Shelby’s first employee and set up the Carroll Shelby School of High Performance Driving, ran Shelby’s Goodyear Racing Tire operation, helped develop the very first Shelby Cobra. Brock also created the Cobra Daytona Coupe to take on the Ferrari, won an FIA GT World Championship, and World Speed Records at Bonneville.
In 1965 Brock started Brock Racing Enterprises and raced Hinos, Datsuns, and even a NASCAR Mercury until 1972. After Brock decided to end his racing career, he got into hang gliding. In recent years Brock has worked as an automotive photo journalist and authored a book about the Daytona Cobra Coupes, and “Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon. In 2017 Brock was initiated into the National Corvette Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2017. Brock Brock’s single sketch was the beginning of the Sting Ray. – Scott
Here are the links to the previous five parts of the “Corvette’s Founding Fathers” series…
GM designer, Peter Brock submits sketches for a new Corvette design and Chief of Styling, Bill Mitchell, approves and orders Styling to proceed with Brock’s design.
Peter Brock was one of the youngest designers ever hired by GM Styling. Ed Cole was the new general manager at Chevrolet and after the success of his small-block Chevy engine design, he wanted to make a follow-up splash by introducing the entire 1960 Chevrolet line of cars equipped with a transaxle, including an all-new Corvette. A transaxle would improve weight distribution and yield more front seat interior space. Continue reading “
Corvette Timeline Tales: August 22, 1957 – GM designer, Peter Brock submits sketches for a new Corvette design – VIDEO” →
The First Independent Purpose-Built Corvette Race Car
The Corvette Racing Team has proven that the Corvette is more than a match for any sports car on the planet. But in the early days, racing a production Corvette would only get you so far. To get to the next level, “purpose-built” race cars were the order of the day. Tube frames (aka “bird cages”) with a thin fiberglass or aluminum body were super lightweight and the low power-to-weight ratio made for a race car that was a handful.
Dave MacDonald was one of the young lions of Southern California sports car racing. He was a natural and quickly earned the nickname, “Master of the Oversteer.” Dave and his racing partner Jim Simpson started racing in 1960 and in their first year won 3 out of 15 races and never finished lower than 4th. In his second year Dave racked up 15 wins and three 2nd place finishes in 24 races and was on his way to being a dominant force. But like all racers, Dave and Jim wanted to move up into something faster. It was Carroll Shelby who suggested the guys get a Max Balchowsky chassis and build a purpose-built car. (Be sure to check out the video of this car. Click the “Continue reading” link) Continue reading “1961 Chevrolet Corvette Special – Dave MacDonald and Jim Simpson”→
It’s a Friday Night Car Show at Far Out Radio! Our guests are Marty Schorr and Joel Rosen. Marty is the former editor of CARS Magazine, founder of VETTE Magazine, editor and chief of CarGuychronicles.com, and owns PMPR, an automotive public relations business. Joel Rosen is the former owner of Motion Performance and currently owns and runs Motion Models, a world renown scale military model company.
Back in the ‘60s, Marty Schorr was the editor of CARS Magazine and Joel Rosen was the owner of Motion Performance. Schorr and Rosen became friends and Motion Performance was CARS Magazine’s “special projects” shop. The two creative guys came up with a Chevy supercar concept, not unlike Carroll Shelby’s Ford Shelby Mustangs, only at a local level.
Baldwin Chevrolet was a local Mom & Pop Chevy dealership on Long Island. Schorr and Rosen pitched the concept of offering supercar versions of new Chevy muscle cars purchased through Baldwin Chevrolet. Rosen designed a near-bullet-proof parts package and took care of the assembly. The team created the Baldwin Motion “look” and Schorr took care of the branding, advertising, catalogs, and PR.
Rosen spun the wrenches and Schorr spun the spin.The cars had drop-dead, in-your-face aggressive good looks to go with their ground-pounding performance – all with a 100% Chevy warrantee!
The guys created a legend that still being talked about 45 years later! Survivor Baldwin Motion Supercars are today VERY valuable.
Being hired by Shelby made the MacDonald’s life almost as fast as the cars he drove. In the 17 months between the beginning of ‘63 through to the ‘64 Indy race, MacDonald raced in 44 events. The ‘64 Indy crash was the first time the 500 had ever been stopped because of an accident. The media at the time, would regularly make big headlines over any auto racing mishap, and were all over the crash. While Indy officials quickly concluded that there was no driver error, the race was hotly debated for decades.
“After Indy, I was hurting so, I needed to change my life, so I moved a few miles away, but stayed close to my in-laws. From Indy on, I didn’t follow racing. My interest in racing was basically ONE RACE DRIVER.” It wouldn’t be until the early ‘90s when Corvette fans started recovering and restoring old Corvette race cars that MacDonald’s all too short racing career began to get attention. “It is so gratifying and nice to meet people that raced with Dave and hear how much they admired him, not only for his skill as a driver, but for being a really nice guy.” Today Sherry MacDonald is retired and as busy as ever with volunteer projects and her large family. Continue reading “Corvette Legends: The Great, Dave MacDonald, Part 2”→
Watch “The Master of Oversteer” Enjoying a Day’s Work!
MacDonald driving his 1,700-pound MacDonald/Simpson 1961 Corvette Special. Photo by Dave Friedman.
It’s been a pleasure to get to know the family of Corvette racer Dave MacDonald. The April 2012 issue of VETTE Magazine has part 1 of my story about the career of MacDonald and the May 2012 has part 2, the conclusion. While pictures and words are great, video just adds some dimension. So, I thought some vintage MacDonald videos were in order.
MacDonald’s racing career path was similar to John Greenwood’s, in that like Greenwood, MacDonald started out in drag racing. But like many guys that like to drive Corvettes in, shall we say, a “spirited” way, it didn’t take MacDonald long to get used to not only thundering down the straight-aways, but sliding the back end around the corners. MacDonald was known as “the master of the oversteer” and his tail-out driving style was very popular with the spectators.
Dateline: 7.23.11 Dave MacDonald – “The Master of Oversteer”
“I think Dave had more raw talent probably than any race driver I ever saw.” – Carroll Shelby
The original Grand Sport Corvette is considered by many to be the ultimate “could have been” Corvette. Well, when it comes to drivers that raced and loved Corvettes, El Monte, California race car driver, Dave MacDonald is arguably the greatest “could have been” Corvette race car driver. That’s not just my opinion – that’s what I learned from researching Dave MacDonald’s racing career, from his contemporaries. Many drivers and team owners from Dave’s day are on record stating that had Dave’s life not been cut short at the ‘64 Indy 500, he would have likely been one of the greats. MacDonald’s shining star was about to go super nova!
Here’s the signature-style MacDonald rear-wheel-drift.
While I was familiar with Dave MacDonald from books in my Corvette library, it wasn’t until I started researching Dave’s background while working on a story for VETTE Magazine that I learned what a terrific guy he was. If you look in your Corvette books that have chapters covering the early ‘60s road racing scene, look for the “00” Corvette with the tail hanging out. That’s Dave “The Master of Oversteer” MacDonald. Continue reading “Corvette Timeline Tales: July 23, 1936 – Happy Birthday to Corvette Racer, Dave MacDonald”→
The Corvette Racing Team has proven that the Corvette is more than a match for any sports car on the planet.
