The First Sting Ray: Inside the 1959 Stingray Racer
Bill Mitchell’s one-of-a-kind 1959 Stingray Racer laid down the visual Corvette template that remains impressive, 66 years later.
To download the PDF version of the Classic Cars magazine October 1977 article, “The First Sting Ray”, CLICK HERE.
Greetings,
The October 1977 issue of Car Classics magazine was chock full of fascinating Corvette material that I have been sharing these last few weeks. This article is an overview of how the Stingray Racer was designed and developed.
The entire running gear of the car was from the 1957 Corvette SS “mule” car, which was butt-ugly. But the mule ran better at the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring than the finished race car. The Corvette SS dropped out early in the race and nearly “cooked” driver John Fitch. The finished Corvette SS had a very lightweight magnesium body, but conducted the engine’s heat, turning the car’s interior into an oven!
The 1957 12 Hours of Sebring race was a disaster for Chevrolet
Within weeks, the corporate hammer came down due to GM’s adherence to the 1957 AMA Ban on Corporate Racing.
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Bill Mitchell took the Peter Brock “Q-Corvette” design and had Larry Shinoda design a full-size roadster version sized to fit on the Corvette SS mule chassis. Named “The Stingray Racer”, the car served two functions.
First, Mitchell wanted to go racing. And second, Mitchell learned from Harley Earl that at some point in the design process, a full-size version of a design must be made.
An essential lesson from the Great, Harley Earl
Earl explained that the problem with renderings and scale models is that your eyeballs aren’t in the same scale as a model. Details and proportions can only be finalized with a full-size version.
Furthermore, when Mitchell raced the car, no badges identified the car as anything from Chevrolet. Regardless, those who saw the Stingray Racer at racing events loved the shape. The shape of the next Corvette! – Scott
To download the PDF version of the Classic Cars magazine October 1977 article, “The First Sting Ray”, CLICK HERE.
Related stories…
The Stingray Racer once starred in an Elvis movie! CLICK HERE.
Inside Bill Mitchell’s SECRET GARAGE! CLICK HERE.
Corvette Generational History
Our 1953–1962 C1 Corvette Review: Engineering, Styling, Sales, and Legacy Story is now available.
The 1962–1967 C2 Corvette Review: Engineering, Styling, Sales, and Legacy Story is now available.
Also, 1968–1982 C3 Corvette Review: Engineering, Styling, Sales, and Legacy Story is now available.
Click for Corvette Model Cars, C1 to C8 Generations
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