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toekneetv · 5 years ago

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The Chevrolet Corvette's Complete History, From C1 to C8

1953: Humble BeginningsChevrolet rushes the Corvette into production following the model's debut at GM's 1953 Motorama show. The two-seat roadster uses fiberglass body panels and relies on Chevy's tried-and-true Blue Flame inline-six for motivation. While the six-cylinder powerplant produces 115 horses in Chevy's sedan, the bow-tie brand tunes the engine to make 150 ponies in the Corvette. A two-speed automatic is the only transmission offered, and all of the cars are painted Polo White and wear a red interior. Chevrolet produces 300 Corvettes in 1953 and sells just 183 of them. Assign blame to the vehicle being neither civilized enough to be a true grand tourer nor engaging enough to appeal to the sports-car crowd.Car and Driver

1954–1955: Find Me in Saint LouisThe first few Corvettes are produced on a small assembly line in Flint, Michigan. However, by the end of 1953, Chevrolet moves production of its sports car to Saint Louis, Missouri. The 1954 Corvette adds three new paint colors (black, red, and blue) and trades the previous black top for a tan one. A revised camshaft adds five horses to the six-cylinder engine's stable. Despite these improvements, Chevrolet still struggles to sell the Corvette. While the Saint Louis factory is capable of producing 10,000 Corvettes per year, it yields just 3640 units for 1954. Car and Driver

1954–1955: Find Me in Saint LouisNew life comes to the Corvette in 1955, when Chevrolet finally shoves its 4.3-liter (265-cubic-inch) V-8 under the model's hood in a fit of good sense. The 195-hp engine brings with it an available three-speed manual transmission. For the first time, the Corvette offers drivers proper sports-car performance.Car and Driver

1956–1957: Birth of a LegendChevrolet fully transforms the Corvette for the 1956 model year. A revised front end is reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL coupe's, while scalloped sides add a more distinctive look. The V-8 carries over but includes a new camshaft design that allows it to produce 210 horsepower with the standard Carter four-barrel carburetor. A second carb is available and raises output to 225 horses. New creature comforts include external door handles, windows that roll into the door panel (1953 to 1955 Corvettes had removable window curtains), and an available power-operated folding roof. Car and Driver

1956–1957: Birth of a LegendWe (still called Sports Cars Illustrated at the time) take an early 1956 Corvette prototype for a spin and find the stick-shift 225-hp convertible hits 60 mph in 7.5 seconds—a massive improvement over the old six-cylinder car, which took more than 11 seconds to reach the mile-a-minute mark. Things get even better in 1957, when Chevrolet enlarges the V-8's displacement to 4.6 liters (283 cubic inches) and adds an available fuel-injection system to the menu. In its most powerful state, the engine makes an eye-widening 283 horsepower.Chevrolet

1958–1960: Four for the RoadThe Corvette goes under the knife again and emerges sporting a revised front end with a new dual-headlight design for 1958. Other changes include an updated interior that sees the tachometer move from the center of the dashboard to a location in the driver's line of sight, just below the speedometer. Power continues to rise as well, and the most potent Corvette produces a cool 290 horses from its fuel-injected V-8. That figure rises to 315 ponies for 1960.Car and Driver

1961–1962: Last GoodbyeChevrolet prepares to bid adieu to the first-generation Corvette. A redesigned rear end debuts for 1961 and introduces the sports car's now famous quad-taillight design. Chevrolet shovels its new 5.4-liter (327-cubic-inch) V-8 under the Corvette’s hood in 1962, where it makes as much as 360 horsepower in its highest-rated state.Car and Driver

1963: Ray of LightChevrolet releases an all-new Corvette for the 1963 model year. Affectionately known as the Sting Ray, the second-generation Corvette introduces to the model an independent rear suspension and a coupe body style. The form-fitting body is once again made of fiberglass. A split-window design is unique to the first-year coupes. Chevy's 327 V-8 carries over and can be mated to either an automatic transmission or a three- or four-speed manual gearbox. In our test of the then-new Corvette, we chide Chevrolet for offering anything but the four-speed manual in the car. Car and Driver

1963: Z-0-6Knowing the Corvette will appeal to the racing community, Chevrolet offers the model with a race-ready package dubbed Regular Production Order (RPO) Z06. The package adds a vacuum brake booster, a dual master cylinder, power drum brakes with sintered metallic brake linings, larger shock absorbers, and a bigger front anti-roll bar. Limited to Corvettes equipped with the most powerful 360-hp variant of the V-8 engine (250 horses are standard) and a four-speed manual transmission, RPO Z06 is applied to just 199 Corvettes in 1963.Chevrolet

1965: Bigger Is BetterChevrolet responds to critics of the Corvette's drum brakes by equipping the car with standard four-wheel disc brakes for the 1965 model year. (Buyers can still opt for drums at a credit of $64.50.) The brake improvements are a timely upgrade, as Chevrolet also sees fit to plug its big-block V-8 engine under the Corvette's hood. The optional engine displaces 6.5 liters (396 cubic inches) and produces a monstrous 425 gross horsepower—a figure many suspect is underrated. Car and Driver

1966: (Even) Bigger is (Still) BetterFor 1966, Chevrolet increases the engine's bore, subsequently upping displacement to 7.0 liters (427 cubic inches). The bigger big-block belts out a reported 425 horsepower, with power shooting up to 435 horses for 1967. A second 427 V-8 is added to the Corvette lineup for 1967 as well. Dubbed L88, the top-of-the-line bent-eight produces 430 horses on paper. The real number, however, is closer to 560 horsepower. Just 20 buyers check the box for the beefy L88 engine.Chevrolet

1968–1971: SharknadoAfter five model years, the C2 Corvette is replaced for 1968 by the C3. The new car cribs styling details from designer Larry Shinoda's Mako Shark II concept car. The coupe no longer offers a formal rear storage area. However, the body style now includes removable roof panels. Despite the new shape, the third-generation Corvette's underpinnings are nearly identical to its predecessor's. Powertrains are largely carryover, although a new three-speed automatic transmission replaces the prior two-speed unit. Car and Driver

1968–1971: SharknadoChevrolet reinstates the Stingray name in 1969 (now as one word) and enlarges the stroke of the standard V-8, which brings displacement up to 5.7 liters (350 cubic inches). A new V-8, also displacing 5.7 liters, finds its way under the Corvette's hood in 1970. The engine produces 370 horsepower—70 more than the base powerplant. Chevrolet also strokes the heavier big-block V-8 to 7.4 liters from 7.0 liters. That 454-cubic-inch engine makes 390 horses and is dubbed LS5. Chevrolet

1968–1971: SharknadoPower begins to fall in 1971, as octane requirements are reduced in preparation for the upcoming move to unleaded fuel. A new 425-hp big-block V-8 is introduced under the LS6 banner. We test four different powertrain variants of the sports car and find the entry-level 270-hp model with a three-speed automatic scoots to 60 mph in a reasonable enough 7.1 seconds. Meanwhile, the top-dog LS6 requires just 5.3 seconds to do the same deed.Chevrolet

1973–1976: New Bumper, Who Dis?To meet federal safety standards, the 1973 Corvette sports a new mug with a body-color urethane bumper cover. The cover adds 35 pounds to the car's weight and is able to withstand impacts of up to 5 mph without causing damage to the lights or safety features. Power continues to fall, and the entry-level 1973 Corvette spits out just 190 horsepower. Opting for the most powerful big-block engine brings just 275 horses to the stable. Chevy adds a body-color rear bumper to the Corvette in 1974. The big-block engine is pulled from the 1975 Corvette, as is the convertible body style. Catalytic converters are added, and output of the entry-level 5.7-liter V-8 falls to 165 horsepower, although a 205-hp option is available for those in search of more grunt. At this time, we put a 1975 Corvette up against a gullwinged Bricklin SV-1, finding that both front-engined vehicles lack the "essential ingredients of a modern high-performance car." Car and Driver

1973–1976: New Bumper, Who Dis?Model year 1976 introduces a revised intake that raises power to 180 and 210 horses, respectively. The Corvette tops a Dodge Dart Sport, Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, Chevrolet C-10 Silverado, and Ford Mustang II Cobra II in a comparison test and earns its standing as the fastest American car sold in 1976. We also take a Corvette to Alaska and toward the Northwest Passage during the U.S.'s bicentennial year. The drive is grueling, and the car's chunky aftermarket tires proceed to spew mud across the Corvette's body, leaving behind "the scars of its confrontation with a world that nobody had ever designed a Stingray for."Chevrolet

1978–1982: Big BootyChevrolet celebrates the Corvette's 25th anniversary by equipping the 1978 model with a new fastback rear end. Although the large glass area placed on the rear of the Corvette does not open, it does make possible a formal rear luggage area behind the seats. Chevy enlists the 1978 Corvette to pace the Indy 500, which results in the production of 300 replica pace car Corvettes. Car and Driver

1978–1982: Big BootyThe Corvette adds 5 ponies to its stables in 1979, with the most powerful engine producing 225 horsepower. In our testing, the 3480-pound sports car accelerates to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 95 mph. Editor Rich Ceppos calls the car "the most refined ever" and advises Corvette fans to "buy now or forever hold your peace." Despite this advice, the Corvette is anything but perfect, and it falls short of the marks set by the Porsche 924 and Mazda RX-7, which beat it in a six-car comparison test. The Chevy does best an Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce, a Datsun 280ZX, and a Fiat Spider 2000.Chevrolet

1978–1982: Big BootyBy the end of 1981, Corvette production is moved exclusively to the company's new Bowling Green, Kentucky, factory, as the old Saint Louis, Missouri, plant is formally brought offline. The sports car's age is beginning to show, though, and the Corvette finishes last in a five-car comparison test that includes a DeLorean, a Datsun 280ZX Turbo, a Porsche 911 SC, and a Ferrari 308GTSi. Chevy marks 1982 as the third-generation Corvette's final year. The model is a far cry from the car it was in 1968, and the 1982 Corvette is sold strictly with a 200-hp 5.7-liter V-8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.Chevrolet

1984–1985: C4 for '84Chevrolet skips model year 1983 and releases the fourth-generation Corvette as a 1984 model. The sports car is redesigned from the ground up and welcomes additional ground clearance but a lower center of gravity. A 205-hp 350-cubic-inch V-8 is the only engine offered and mates to either a four-speed automatic transmission or Chevrolet's four-plus-three manual gearbox, which offers an available overdrive for gears two, three, and four. We find the automatic car is capable of scooting the low-slung coupe to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.1 seconds at 91 mph. In spite of our love for manual transmissions, we call the self-shifting gearbox "quite a capable tool for generating performance statistics." Car and Driver

1984–1985: C4 for ’84Chevrolet makes a handful of tweaks to the Corvette for 1985, and we subsequently name the model to our third annual 10BestCars list, calling it an "American car that will run with the best in the world—at a fraction of their price." The sports car holds a place on our list through the rest of the decade.Chevrolet

1986: Drop the TopThe convertible returns to the Corvette lineup for 1986. In celebration, Chevrolet drafts the droptop Corvette to pace the 1986 Indianapolis 500.Car and Driver

1990: ZR-#1Chevrolet produces 84 Corvette ZR-1s in 1989, none of which are sold to the public. The ZR-1 finally reaches dealerships in 1990 and is sold through model year 1995. The model boasts a dual-overhead-cam 5.7-liter V-8 engine developed by Lotus and built by Mercury Marine. With 375 horsepower on tap and a ZF-built six-speed manual putting that power to the ground, we push a 1990 ZR-1 to 60 mph in a blistering 4.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 175 mph. To fit its massive 11-inch-wide rear wheels, the ZR-1 wears model-specific doors and rear body panels. We put the mightiest Corvette up against a Porsche 911 Turbo in 1991 and award gold to the American sports car, declaring that the "ZR-1 triumphed over the 911 Turbo for one simple reason: it goes fast better."Car and Driver

1991–1992: Redone for '91Chevrolet lightly revises the Corvette's exterior in 1991. New front and rear fascias and revised side louvers give the car a more modern appearance. A new 5.7-liter V-8 appears under the Corvette's clamshell hood in 1992. Dubbed LT1, the engine produces a comfortable 300 horsepower—50 horses more than the prior L98 engine—and 330 lb-ft of torque. Traction control is standard across the Corvette line. In July, the one-millionth Corvette rolls off the Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly line. As an ode to the original Corvette, the millionth model is a white convertible with a red interior.Car and Driver

1996: A Grander CorvetteModel year 1996 sees the introduction of the one-year-only LT4 engine. The optional 5.7-liter V-8 produces 330 horsepower and mates exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. A special Grand Sport model arrives in 1996 as well. The model harks back to the Corvette Grand Sport race cars of the 1960s. Available strictly in Admiral Blue with the more powerful LT4 engine, the Grand Sport is offered as both a coupe and a convertible. The convertible, however, does without the coupe's flared rear fenders.Car and Driver

1997: I Got C5 on ItThe fifth-generation Corvette arrives in 1997. Although it evolves the style of its predecessor, the latest Corvette is a completely new animal. Power comes courtesy of Chevy's new LS1 engine. Like the LT1 and LT4 it replaces, the LS1 displaces 5.7 liters. Power now sits at 345 horses, and that output is routed through a four-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Unlike past Corvettes, the fifth-generation model places its transmission at the rear of the car, up against the rear differential. Car and Driver

1997: I Got C5 on ItWith a nearly eight-inch-longer wheelbase and a 4.4-inch-wider front track and 2.9-inch-wider rear track, the new Corvette is both more spacious and more stable than its predecessor. It's also lighter than the old car by about 80 pounds. A convertible is introduced in 1998, and the entire Corvette model line reclaims its place on our 10Best Cars list after an absence of almost a decade.Chevrolet

1999: Couped UpChevrolet introduces the Corvette fixed-roof coupe in 1999. The body style complements the targa-topped hatchback and convertible Corvette models. The fixed-roof coupe is approximately 12 percent stiffer than its targa sibling and almost 80 pounds lighter. It's also the least expensive Corvette option and helps the car maintain its spot on our 10Best Cars list, where we declare all three forms of the model "refined, practical sports car with performance that simply can't be matched at the price."Car and Driver

2001: Zee-Oh-SixThe Corvette fixed-roof coupe begets the high-performance Corvette Z06. Introduced in 2001 with 385 horses pouring out of its V-8 engine, the Z06 cribs its name from the famed race-ready option package that Chevy first offered on the 1963 Corvette. Alongside its added power, the Z06 trims its weight relative to the standard Corvette, courtesy of thinner front and rear glass and a set of titanium mufflers. At 3126 pounds, the first Corvette Z06 we test weighs 54 pounds less than the last Corvette fixed-roof coupe to come to our office. Car and Driver

2001: Zee-Oh-SixThe Z06's improved power-to-weight ratio allows it to travel to 60 mph in a mere 4.3 seconds, or half a second quicker than any other fifth-generation Corvette we have previously tested. Chevy outdoes itself the following year and bumps the power of the Z06 to a whopping 405 horses. The addition of the Z06 puts the Corvette back on the 10Best Cars map after a two-year hiatus.Chevrolet

2005: Change (in the House of Flies)The sixth-generation Corvette is unveiled at the 2004 Detroit auto show. The model is, for the most part, an evolution of its predecessor. However, Chevy makes the revolutionary decision to ditch the Corvette's several-generations-running hidden headlights, making the 2005 Corvette the first Corvette in more than four decades to sport exposed front lamps. Although the new Vette is 5.1 inches shorter than its predecessor, the car's wheelbase measures 1.2 inches longer. Car and Driver

2005: Change (in the House of Flies)Chevy revitalizes its LS-series engine by boring it out to 6.0 liters. Known as the LS2, the engine also sports a higher compression ratio, a raised redline, and more. The changes allow the big V-8 to push 400 horses to the rear-mounted gearbox. Transmission choices are once again limited to a four-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. We proceed to put the new Corvette to the test by comparing it with its bitter rival, the Porsche 911. We note that the "911 has a tick more sharpness" but ultimately hand gold to the Chevy, which costs nearly $22,000 less than the Porsche. We conclude that "For the money, there isn't a better sports car around ." Chevrolet continues to improve the Corvette over the years and replaces the antiquated four-speed automatic transmission with a new six-speed unit, while the 6.0-liter V-8 sees its displacement rise to 6.2 liters. The changes help the Corvette maintain its status on our 10Best Cars list for the remainder of the decade.Chevrolet

2006: Z06, Part Deux The Corvette Z06 re-emerges in 2006 after a brief hiatus. With the fixed-roof coupe body style killed, the new Z06 is now based on the fastback coupe and sports a lightweight aluminum frame. The model is powered by Chevrolet's latest LS-series engine, the LS7. Displacing 7.0 liters, the V-8 sports titanium connecting rods and produces a mammoth 505 horses. We soon discover all that power helps push the Z06 to 60 mph in a mere 3.4 seconds. While the Chevy bests the Dodge Viper SRT10 in a comparison test, it fails to topple the much pricier Porsche 911 Turbo and Ferrari F430.Car and Driver

2009: Return of the ZR1More than a decade after its demise, the ZR1 returns to the Corvette lineup for the 2009 model year. Unlike the prior twin-cam model, the new ZR1 makes its power courtesy of a big fat supercharger strapped to the top of Chevy's overhead-valve 6.2-liter V-8. The engine makes 638 horsepower and can propel the ZR1 to a top speed of 205 mph. We test the mightiest Corvette against the run-of-the-mill model and the 505-hp Z06 and find the six-figure ZR1 to be "one of those rare cars, such as the Ferrari F430 Scuderia and the BMW M3, that make its driver look more heroic than reality suggests."Car and Driver

2010: Granddaddy SportThe Corvette Grand Sport returns in 2010. The trim level combines the wide-body stance of the Corvette Z06 with the powertrain of the standard Corvette, and it topples a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 in a comparison test between the two American muscle cars.Car and Driver

2013: Give or Take a Cubic InchTo celebrate the Corvette's 60th anniversary, Chevrolet plugs the Z06's 505-hp engine into the Corvette droptop. The model is called the Corvette 427 convertible, and it is capable of scooting to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds. The name is a nod to the 427-cubic-inch V-8 offered in earlier Corvette generations as well as to the 7.0-liter V-8 under its hood that actually displaces 428 cubic inches. Don't worry, Chevy; math isn't our strong suit, either.Car and Driver

2014: Lucky Number C7Resting on a new aluminum frame, the seventh-generation Corvette arrives in 2014 and marks the model's biggest change in more than a decade. Power comes courtesy of the new LT1 V-8, which displaces 6.2 liters and pushes 455 horses (460 with an optional exhaust) to the ground by way of a six-speed automatic or seven-speed manual transmission. An eight-speed automatic replaces the six-speed unit in 2015. Every Corvette benefits from a carbon-fiber hood, and the model is once again christened Stingray. The Corvette finds its way back onto our 10Best Cars list in 2014 and 2015 but falls off the list in 2016. We test a Corvette Stingray for 40,000 miles and conclude the car is "an amazing performance bargain." Despite our infatuation with our long-term Corvette, we're left kicking dirt when the engine detonates itself at the 6000-mile mark.Car and Driver

2015: King of the HillThe Z06 reappears in 2015 and boasts a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 650 horsepower. The mean machine is available as both a coupe and convertible and with either a seven-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic, the latter of which pulls the car to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds. Meanwhile, a set of sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires allow the mighty Corvette to stick to our 300-foot skidpad at a hair-raising 1.19 g. Car and Driver

2017: Return to InnocenceThe wide-body Corvette Grand Sport returns for 2017 and provides the Corvette with the necessary push to find a place once again on our annual 10Best Cars list. We promptly order one for a long-term 40,000-mile test.Chris Doane Automotive - Car and Driver

2019: Big Wing BluesChevrolet reintroduces the ZR1 for 2019. The top-dog model makes 755 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine but still manages to earn an EPA-rated 20 mpg highway fuel-economy figure when equipped with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission. A seven-speed manual is standard. We take the big-winged Corvette to the infamous Texas Mile and manage to hit 183.3 miles after traveling a mere 5280 feet.Anton Watts - Car and Driver

2020: The Corvette Finally Goes for the MiddleThe eighth-generation Corvette, dubbed C8, is the first ever from the factory to situate its engine behind the passenger compartment and ahead of the rear axle. This transition has been decades in the making, and the production car appears impressive—especially given its sub-$60,000 starting price. Chevrolet installs a 6.2-liter "LT2" V-8 in the base Stingray model, pairing it with an all-new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; no manual transmission is offered. With the Performance exhaust option, the LT2 engine produces 495 horsepower and redlines at 6600 rpm. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver

2020: The Corvette Finally Goes for the MiddleThe C8 Corvette's design is busy, to say the least, but it clearly conveys that America's sports car no longer houses its engine in its nose. Inside, Chevrolet massively stepped up the Corvette's game, with a wholly unique and quality cabin design unlike anything else in the bow-tie lineup.Greg Pajo - Car and Driver

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perksofwifi · 5 years ago

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Second Chances: 10 Vehicles Where the Sequel Topped the Original

In the movie business, it’s rare that a sequel outawesomes the original, but that doesn’t stop studios from trying (and trying and trying). Although retreads have become big business in the world of entertainment, few would argue there’s anything other than diminishing returns to be found at the end of reboot road. The automotive world, though, turns this particular wisdom on its ear, as cars are redesigned and replaced all the time. And given that, there are more than a few examples of cars that didn’t get it right the first time finding their footing in their second generation—or vehicles that made the leap from “good” to “great” as they built on a strong foundation. Here are 10 of our favorite cars for which the second time was the charm:

BMW 3 Series

When the original E21-generation 3 Series went on sale in the mid-1970s, it was a significant leap forward for BMW compared to the smaller 2002 sedan. In many ways, it provided the perfect template for European automakers seeking to crack the international market and it also gave BMW the starting point for the vehicle that would be its passport to global recognition. When its E30 replacement arrived on the scene just under a decade later, it vastly expanded the entry-level car’s engine range, provided more advanced technology, and delivered a luxurious experience that was a step above its predecessor. The E30 3 Series would become BMW’s calling card and firmly cement its status among the nouveau riche yuppies of the go-go ’80s, while simultaneously highlighting its motorsports achievements thanks to the now iconic M3.

Chevrolet Corvette

The first-generation Chevrolet Corvette was initially a bit of a disappointment, what with its Blue Flame Six engine unable to deliver the thrills that its hot roadster bodywork promised. A hurried V-8 transplant would rectify that initial error, but it wasn’t until the C2 Corvette appeared in 1963 that car would find itself on the road to becoming a legend. The second edition of the Corvette dramatically improved performance across the board, whether buyers stuck with its entry-level 327-cubic-inch V-8 or ponied up for a 427-cube big-block. It also introduced drop-dead gorgeous Sting Ray styling, with the split-window coupe and heart-stopping roadster cementing the Corvette in American pop culture forever.

Dodge Viper

The original Dodge Viper was rushed from concept to production in 1992 with barely enough time to breathe, let alone include expected amenities like side glass (a hanging plastic curtain did its best to keep the rain out) or door handles (you had to lean in and open the car from the inside). It was a brutal, raw beast of a machine aching for at least a little domestication in order to help it find a wider audience.

The Viper’s 1996 redux would answer all of the above issues by creating a car that wasn’t just capable of protecting its occupants from the elements (and burglary), but also adding a big boost in horsepower and improved handing thanks to a revised V-10 engine and a tweaked chassis. It also introduced a hardtop coupe to sit alongside the roadster, meaningfully expanding its range of potential buyers, and it smoothed out the rougher edges of the first car’s concept-heavy styling. The Gen 2 remains the most popular version of the Viper to this day.

Toyota Supra

When the Supra debuted on American shores in 1979, Toyota wasn’t quite sure what it wanted its flagship coupe to be. As a result, the A50 Supra was a puzzling mix of long-hood sports-car styling riding on a stretched version of the lesser Celica platform, straddling the worlds of premium performance (of which it had little) and milquetoast personal luxury.

The 1982 A60 Supra was an entirely different story. Although still wearing its Celica roots on its sleeve (and badge), this version of the car introduced an independent rear suspension, striking wedgelike looks, and a better power-to-plush ratio thanks to its lively straight-six engine and laudable grand-touring driving dynamics. This was the formula that would come to define the Supra.

Dodge Ram

The second Dodge on our list also featured a V-10 engine, although its impact to the company’s bottom line extended far beyond its position in the horsepower wars. Despite Mopar’s best efforts, the Ram pickup had been an also-ran for its decades-long existence, trailing the General Motors and Ford entries in the full-size sweepstakes.

That all changed in the blink of an eye when the 1994 Dodge Ram burst onto the stage at the 1993 Detroit auto show. This is the truck that would introduce the big-rig styling that would go on to inform pickup design for the next 25 years, with its enormous grille and muscled bodywork standing in stark contrast to the more conservative Ford, Chevrolet, and GMC models of the time. Throw in the availability of a steel-block, Viper-family V-10 in the heavy-duty edition (alongside a Cummins diesel engine), and Dodge completely changed the game with its second-generation Ram.

Cadillac CTS-V

Cadillac had never built anything like the first-generation CTS-V, and it caught European automakers flat-footed when it was introduced as a 2004 model. Here was a Caddy sedan with a 400-hp V-8, a six-speed manual transmission, and a chassis that had been tuned at the Nürburgring, helping shatter preconceptions about the brand and raising its profile with an entirely new audience.

As good as the original car was, it was significantly rawer than what most luxury buyers were used to. Enter the 2009 CTS-V, a vehicle that not only had a much more premium cabin and feature set, but also offered another 156 horsepower (thanks to a larger V-8 and a supercharger), the availability of an automatic transmission, and two additional body styles (coupe and wagon). It was a major statement from Cadillac that brought the V badge to the mainstream.

Toyota Prius

The first-generation Toyota Prius was little more than a proof-of-concept, a car that was built to gauge the reaction from buyers to the idea of a fuel-sipping hybrid. As a result it was plain in design, limited in features, and when it eventually made it to America in the year 2000, not nearly as popular as it would later become.

The model that changed the Prius’ fortunes state-side was the 2003 redesign. Here was a hatchback that, if not attractive, was certainly distinct, and its longer wheelbase delivered a welcome boost in passenger room. It also provided a more highway-friendly driving experience to go with its startling fuel efficiency figures, and it wasn’t long before the cult of the Prius began to coalesce.

Dodge Charger

There’s really nothing ‘wrong’ with the original Dodge Charger. It was quick, offered big-block V8 power as an option (including a 426 Hemi), and presented as classier than the smaller and not-quite-as-quick Ford Mustang that had appeared a couple of years before its 1966 debut.

Dodge would be quick to push the Charger to the next level, however, with the 1968 model. This is the car that launched a thousand Bullitts – or is that Duke boys? – and became the media face of badass muscle machines for the next 50 years. Nearly 100,000 examples were sold in the first year alone, and it would go one to dominate NASCAR as the winged Daytona in 1969.

Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon

The DSM trio had gathered quite a following during their 1990–1994 production run, as tuners the world over flocked to the 1G’s turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive combo. Sold as the Mitsubishi Eclipse, the Eagle Talon, and the Plymouth Laser, these cars would deliver cheap speed in a slick package, provided you could stomach occasionally questionable reliability.

When the platform was redesigned for 1995, Plymouth was jettisoned to make room for a much sleeker and more modern take on what a compact performance car would look like. In addition to introducing a convertible (Mitsubishi only), the mightier Eclipse and the Talon would double down on their turbo reign of terror and eventual earning a starring role in the Fast and Furious film franchise.

Ford SVT Lightning

Ford’s mid-’90s Lightning pickup was created in response to models like the Chevrolet 454 SS. Both took their respective manufacturer’s largest available engine and stuffed it under the hood of a full-sized pickup that had been given light suspension tweaks, a bit of a body kit, and a sticker package.

The Lightning was fun, but not earthshaking—at least not until 1999, when round two emerged as the Ford SVT Lightning. Still based on the F-150 platform, this truck dropped its ride height, swapped in a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8, and went over-the-top with its stepside styling to present muscle-car fans with a legitimate quarter-mile threat to the established Mustang/Camaro leaders. A few years later it would gain even more power (peaking at around 380 horses and 450 lb-ft of torque), making it the most powerful pickup ever built until it was eclipsed by yet another Viper-powered Ram—the SRT-10—in 2004.

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thecardaddy · 5 years ago

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette stingray - $53,995.00

1963 Corvette Sting Ray split window coupe rolling body with doors and dash frame. Originally Silver Blue with Black interior. original GM vin and trim tags. clear title. Early body with deep tool storage floors. Was originally a power window car. Bird cage metal is in excellent condition. A and B pillars, rocker channels, windshield frame and roof rails are all in fantastic condition. Excellent fire wall, front floors, seat pans and rear tub are very solid but have had some previous repairs. Doors are rust free and in excellent condition. Pictures show some previous repairs to the right rear side. New press molded fiberglass rear quarters and tail light panel. New 26 piece press molded fiberglass front clip with brand new correct 63 only radiator support. Currently sitting on a 65 rolling frame. Some sloppy rust repair to the side rail ends. Nice fiber glass dash frame is included. 15' wheels with original 63 hub caps. No additional parts. Please Note The Following **Vehicle Location is at our clients home and Not In Cadillac, Michigan. **We do have a showroom with about 25 cars that is by appointment only **Please Call First and talk to one of our reps at 231-468-2809 EXT 1 ** FREE Consignment Visit Our Site Today Easy To List Your Vehicle and Get it Sold in Record Time. from Cardaddy.com https://www.cardaddy.com/vehicles/vehicle/1963-chevrolet-corvette-stingray-cadillac-michigan-19006096

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itsworn · 6 years ago

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Origins of the iconic 1963 Corvette Sting Ray split-window design

In 2015, hemmings.com posted a story about an obscure car called a 1938 Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine. Maybe 10 were built, the exact numbers are not known; and four or five raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937, 1938 and 1939. One of the cars took a 1,500cc Class win. Today, only three are known to exist. The styling is late 1930’s German aero: rounded front; wraparound windshield and a long, tapered tail. This is a quirky-looking car … until you get to the back of the roof. Wow! It’s a Sting Ray with a split rear window and two round taillights on each side!

The Sting Ray story is that in 1957, young GM designer Peter Brock sketched the basic design, as per Bill Mitchell’s loose direction for the next Corvette: “Mitchell’s” Corvette! Around the same time, Chevrolet general manager Ed Cole wanted all 1960 Chevrolets (Corvette included) to use a transaxle for better weight distribution and improved interior space. Brock’s design was used for the body of the Q-Corvette and included a fastback; but not what we know today as the Sting Ray. A fullsize clay model was created, but due to cost, the overall project fell apart and only the Corvair got a transaxle. Brock left the company shortly afterward.

When Mitchell acquired the mule chassis from Duntov’s Corvette SS racer, he had Larry Shinoda take Brock’s Q-Corvette shape and make a roadster body to fit the chassis. This became the Stingray Racer. When it was decided that the Stingray Racer shape would be the styling direction for the next Corvette, Mitchell gave the assignment to Shinoda. But the Stingray Racer was a roadster, and Mitchell wanted a convertible and a fixed roof coupe for the new Corvette. So how did Shinoda come up with the now-iconic Sting Ray roof? Everyone just assumed that Shinoda or Mitchell designed it, and no one ever asked.

In July 2015, I wrote a post about the Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine on my corvettereport.com blog site, as part of my “Corvette Odd-Ball” section. In September 2018, I got an email from a man in Florida named James McLynas telling me that he found my story and that back in the late 1980s he owned a 1938 Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine. I got his phone number and we had a very interesting conversation.

The 1963-’67 Corvette Sting Ray coupe roof is one of the all-time great automotive styling elements. Photo: GM Archives

McLynas explained that he’s always liked unusual cars. One day in the late 1970s, in Michigan, he saw the back end of an unusual-looking car parked in an old man’s side yard shed. Thinking it was a Corvette Sting Ray, McLynas knocked on the door of the house and met the eccentric owner, Rubin Halprin. When McLynas asked about the old Sting Ray, Halprin went off on him. “Ha! That was Hitler’s car! That’s not a Sting Ray! That’s a 1938 Adler Trumpf! It was raced at Le Mans and won its class! Those bastards at Chevrolet photographed my car, stole my design (Halprin did not “design” the car) and made it into the Sting Ray!” Halprin was a serious hoarder and a real crank.

Halprin went on to explain that he bought the car for $2,000 or $3,000 from a retired Air Force officer that brought the car back from Germany in the mid-1950s. The paint was bad so Halprin gave the car a $19.95 Earl Scheib blue paintjob and used the car for years as his daily driver. One day in July 1959, Halprin took a bunch of local kids to the State Fair. While at the fair, GM Styling executive David Holls and a co-worker approached Halprin and asked if he would bring his unique car to the GM Tech Center. Thinking that GM was going to buy the car and he’d make a nice profit, Halprin had a friend follow him to the Tech Center so that he’d have a ride home.

Holls met Halprin at the tech center with a photographer to document the car. After the pictures were taken, Holls thanked Halprin and that was that. Well, Halprin is royally pissed. He cussed them out, left all steamed up, and was surly about it the rest of his life. A few years later the car was stolen then recovered with the car’s nose banged up. Eventually, the car wouldn’t run anymore so Halprin pushed it into his shed.

In 1985, McLynas happened to be in Michigan and thought he’d look for the old Adler Trumpf. Halprin still had the car, only by then the shed had fallen down and the car’s condition was even worse. McLynas has affection for unusual cars, so he worked a deal with Halprin and bought the car.

The shape of the Sting Ray’s roof and sharp creases fit perfectly with the shapes of the fender humps. The only other car to use this unique design was the 1971-’73 Buick Riviera. Illustration: K. Scott Teeters

McLynas didn’t do much with the car and eventually sold it in 1990 to the Black Hawk Collection. The new owners gave the car a total restoration with the help of a prison work program that taught auto restoration skills to inmates wanting to learn a trade. Years later, the 1938 Adler Trumpf won a class at Pebble Beach, was purchased by a private collector, taken to Austria and never seen again.

After McLynas sold the car, he heard that retired GM Design Director David Holls was to be one of the judges at a concours car show. McLynas went to the show to specifically ask Holls if the Adler Trumpf that he bought from Halprin, had been photographed at the GM Tech Center. Holls explained that he couldn’t talk then because he was judging the show, but offered to have him over to his house. Holls said, “I think I know what you want to know.”

The following week, McLynas visited Holls in his studio. After they had lunch, McLynas asked, “Did GM take the roof design from the Adler Trumpf and use it for the 1963 Sting Ray?” Holls then took out a binder and showed McLynas the photos of Halprin’s 1938 Adler Trumpf. McLynas was looking at his car; the day eccentric old Rubin Halprin took to car to the tech center thinking he was going to get a lot of money. Instead, all he got was a “thank you.”

Holls then said, “Let me answer your question.” (All the while nodding his head up and down) “This car had nothing to do with the Sting Ray.” Holls also had snap shots taken the day he saw the car at the State Fair.

What happened was this; the GM designer photographed an unusual-looking car, one of maybe 10 ever built before World War II that survived the war, eventually becoming a G.I.’s “spoil of war.” Bill Mitchell was GM’s Sr. VP of Design and racing his Stingray Racer on his own dime. But what he was really doing, besides having fun, was testing the public’s reaction to the Stingray’s unique shape. Mitchell saw the photos of the Adler Trumpf’s roof, handed the photos to Shinoda, and instructed him, “This is want I want.” Everything comes from something. The fact that the Sting Ray’s roof shape came from the Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine in no way detracts from the iconic Corvette. Mitchell had a keen eye for design and intuitively knew his Corvette had to have the Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine’s roof. Vette

The Adler Trumpf Company produced automobiles in Germany from 1932 to 1938. When this car was built in 1936-’37, it was considered advanced aerodynamic design. After World War II and by the 1950s, it was just a quirky-looking European car. Coincidently, the car’s wheelbase is 98 inches, the same as the C2 Sting Ray. Photo: www.dieselpunks.org.com

The Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine (racing sedan) was styled by airship designer, aerodynamicist Paul Jaray. The car’s basic profile shape was half of a lighter-than-air airship; rounded in the front and tapering back into flat wings on each side. The roof featured a curved windshield that wrapped around and tapered back to form a teardrop shape. This was very advanced for 1937. Photo: RM Sotheby’s

After attending the 1957 Turin Auto Show, Sr. VP of Design Bill Mitchell came home with a packet of photos of the Abarth 750 and Abarth Alfa 1000 Speed Record cars. He instructed his designers to produce sketches based on the Speed Record cars. This was one of 19-year-old Peter Brock’s sketches. Mitchell commanded, “This is what I want!” Photo: GM Archives

Working from a space buck designed by Duntov for Ed Cole’s Q-Chevrolet transaxle program, Brock and his stylist co-workers created a fullsize clay model. The final clay model had two rear window configurations, but the overall look was not yet what we know as the “Sting Ray.” Photo: GM Archives

The view from the back is amazing: teardrop coupe roof, split-window and two pairs of dual taillights. Photo: RM Sotheby’s, Illustration: K. Scott Teeters

Here’s the Adler Trumpf at the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine looks like a space ship surrounded by jalopies. By the time the 24 Hours of Le Mans started again in 1949 after World War II, streamlined coupes and open roadsters were becoming common.

Three Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine cars raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans event in 1937. Every Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine was handmade and slightly different. Note that cars No. 33 and No. 34 have the bug-eye headlights. Car No. 35, in the back, has faired in headlights and is the car that Halprin owned and was photographed at the GM Tech Center in July 1959.

Here are the drivers of the Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine in the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans: Fritz “Huschke” von Hanstein (aka, “The Racing Barron”) and Anne-Cecile Rose-Itier. Anne was the ninth woman to drive in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and competed in 1934, 1935, 1937 and 1939. Fritz and Anne were black-flagged for an improper fuel stop and were a DNF. The car had a crude four-wheel independent suspension, a four-cylinder engine with 56 horsepower that was cooled by a gravity-fed oil system and front-wheel-drive.

Above: Adler Trumpf car No. 33 raced at the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans. This is the car that was photographed at the GM Tech Center. Bottom: This car raced at the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans. Every Adler Trumpf car was handmade and slightly different. This version had a more streamlined roof and no rear quarter-windows.

This is another Adler Trumpf on display in Berlin. The roofline just screams “Sting Ray” and fit perfectly on Peter Brock’s design that Larry Shinoda was working on for the 1963 Sting Ray. Photo: www.flicker.com

After World War II, the surviving Adler Trumpf cars were used as daily drivers. One car was exported to America and eventually became part of Jimmy Brucker’s “Movie World Cars of the Stars and Planes of Fame” museum in Buena Park, California. Photo: www.justacarguy.com

When James McLynas visited retired GM Director of Design Dave Holls, he took photos of Holls’ photo album. The young woman in the photos is Anne-Cecile Rose-Itier at Le Mans in 1937. Photo: James McLynas Collection

GM Design Director Dave Holls took this photo of Halprin’s Adler Trumpf at the 1959 Michigan State Fair. Holls asked Halprin to bring his car to the GM Tech Center where it was photographed. The images were no doubt shown to Mitchell and Shinoda. Months later a full-size clay study of the XP-720 with the Adler Trumpf roof was shown to GM’s management and the project for the next Corvette was approved.

These three photographs are part of the GM Heritage Center Archives and are irrefutable proof of Rubin Halprin’s story. The photos are dated 7-27-59. Photo: GM Heritage Center

Bill Mitchell charged Larry Shinoda to take the styling of his Stingray Racer and make it into a car that could be manufactured as a convertible and a coupe. On October 20, 1959, the full-size clay Project XP-720 was on display for GM management viewing, with the Adler Trumpf “Sting Ray” roof. Photo: GM Archives

By the time James McLynas bought the Adler Trumpf in 1985, Rubin Halprin’s car had become a derelict. Photo: James McLynas Collection

Note how different the roofline of Halprin’s car is from the car the raced at Le Mans in 1939. This roofline is similar to the 1963 four-seater Corvette study. Photo: James McLynas Collection

There’s a strange kind of beauty with barn find, junkyard and side yard find cars. Photo: James McLynas Collection

Meet eccentric Rubin Halprin. Had he not bought his Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine from a G.I. in Michigan, we probably never would have had the iconic look of the 1963-’67 Sting Ray. Photo: James McLynas Collection

Here’s James McLynas helping to load up his Le Mans-winning Adler Trumpf. I’m certain that Halprin’s neighbors were very happy to see the car gone. Photo: James McLynas Collection

It’s hard to believe this is Rubin Halprin and James McLynas’s Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine. At least this unique car had a happy ending. Photo: www.wallpapermania.com

The post Origins of the iconic 1963 Corvette Sting Ray split-window design appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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sanfranbaycraigslistfraudblog · 6 years ago

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Fuel Injected Split Window Coupe (los gatos) $169997

This fresh, professional custom, frame off build was recently finished by a team of renowned builders including Vintage Steel and LA Speed. This 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Split Window Pro-Touring Resto-Mod Coupe is absolutely gorgeous & s ... from Craigslist https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/1963-chevrolet-corvette-fuel/6735995497.html Fraud Bloggs made possible by: http://circuitgenie.wix.com/techsupport

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robertkstone · 6 years ago

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Celebrity Drive: Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell

Quick Stats: Jerry Cantrell, Alice in Chains’ founder/lead guitarist/singer-songwriter, co-lead vocalist Daily Driver: 2016 Range Rover (Jerry’s rating: 10 on a scale of 1 to 10) Other cars: See below Favorite road trip: Tacoma to Alaska Car he learned to drive in: 1976 Volkswagen Super Beetle First car bought: Early 1990s Ford Explorer

After the dust settled from touring with Alice in Chains to promote its hit first album, Facelift, a grungy-looking Jerry Cantrell was excited to buy his first car. But with checkbook in hand, his enthusiasm was squashed in a real-life Pretty Woman moment with an uninterested salesman. But Cantrell played out the movie scene in the way only a rocker could.

“I remember having cash in the bank to write a check, not put it on a plan, but actually to buy it, and that’s what I wanted to do. … That was a sense of pride that I had earned the money to do that and that I could. So that was special, and it’s funny because the first car lot that I walked on, the guy wouldn’t even let me get in the car because of how I looked,” he says.

Photo by Scott Dachroeden

Cantrell laughs, recalling how they dressed back then—combat boots, long johns under cut-off jeans, leather jackets, and long hair.

“I’m like, ‘Dude, are you serious? I’ve got cash to buy a car, a brand-new car. I don’t have to have somebody to cosign it. I need to buy a car,’” Cantrell recalls.

He was determined to buy that car at that moment. “So I looked across the street—it was an auto row area—and I’m like, ‘You just lost a sale, dude. I’m going to walk across that street, I’m going to buy a car. I’m going to come back over here and I’m going to show it to you.’ And I did. I walked across the street, bought a f–kin’ Ford Explorer, and when I got the paperwork done, I came back by the window and probably flipped him off and then drove off,” he says with a chuckle.

Cantrell got an SUV since he lived in the Northwest. “It’s pretty much all SUVs, it’s rainy all the time. Sometimes it’s snowy and icy,” he says. “That’s just the practical ride for everybody in that zone.”

He would later flip the SUV in the early morning hours, returning from a Jane’s Addiction concert when he hit black ice, he said.

2016 Range Rover

Rating: 10

Today, Cantrell’s SUV of choice is his Range Rover. He still likes having an SUV to haul his guitar and amps. “It’s a solid car, it looks great, it’s a good ride, it’s well built. It’s my first Rover,” he says.

The vehicle is good for trips like driving around the mountains as well as out to the desert in L.A. “I was a big Escalade fan for a number of years,” Cantrell says. “My friends Dime and Vinnie Paul from Pantera, my good brothers, drove those and they turned me on to driving those. My drummer has always been a Rover fan, and I finally decided to give one a try, and I now I think I’ll probably never go back.”

1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray

Rating: 10

Red Corvette photos by Kremer/Johnson

After he bought his Ford Explorer, Cantrell bought this eye-catching convertible with a removable hardtop, which was the most “extravagant purchase” he made for himself. He paid about $60,000 back in 1994.

“I’m not too much of a gear head, but it’s red with a black hood scoop, it’s got side pipes. I think it’s all matching numbers. There might be a couple of things I’ve added to it, but I kept the original parts,” Cantrell says. “It came with a 427 Tri-Power, which I took out not to further damage and put a 454 in, so I can drive it around like a regular car. It’s just cool, it’s loud as f–k, it rumbles when you drive it, it smells of leather, oil, and gas. … I don’t drive it that often, but I’ve maintained it throughout the years.”

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray

Rating: 10

1963 Corvette photos by Scott Dachroeden

Cantrell loved Corvettes so much that, a year after he bought his 1967 Corvette, he bought this Sting Ray, which is a split-window coupe. “I grew up in the era of the astronauts, and a lot of those guys drove Corvettes. I was a big Speed Racer fan kid too, and that was a car that reminded me of the Mach Five,” he says.

To Cantrell, this is just a classy-looking car. “The ’67 is like a sexy pig,” he quips. “It just rumbles and it’s so throaty, but it looks so good and it really just drips power, as well as looking amazing. But the ’63, I call it a little bit more refined, a little sleeker, doesn’t have the side pipes. It’s got a leather interior. The ’67 has a red, red on red. The ’63 is Ermine White on the outside with a saddle interior.”

When I mentioned that Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir was a former Celeb Drive who also had a 1963 Sting Ray, Cantrell recalled meeting Rush’s Neil Peart a few years ago at what was the old A&M Studios. “He’s a big ’Vette fan too, and we talked ’Vettes for a little bit. He’s got a ’67 and a ’63, as well. He likes the silver, chromy-gray-looking car. All his cars are within that range. So I met another ’Vette brother in one of my heroes. It’s pretty cool.”

Car he learned to drive in

Cantrell first learned to drive when he was very young, sitting on his dad’s lap steering a pickup truck. Later, he learned officially on his mom’s manual-transmission 1976 Volkswagen Super Beetle in Washington.

“That’s probably the car I learned to drive as a teenager and moving into being a young adult. But my dad had me driving—I’d go visit him in the summertime, in Oklahoma. He’d … take you out in the fields or on the dirt roads and put you in the truck and let you roll,” he says.

Cantrell recalls a story that highlights his dad’s liberal nature when it came to letting his young son drive without a license.

“He had a Z28, and it was killer looking. He and his buddies were hanging out, and he wanted something from the store and I wasn’t old enough to drive,” he laughs. “He’s like, ‘Go get me such and such at the store.’ I jumped in that, in eighth grade. I’d cruise around town in that, hit the store, stop by a spot where some of my friends can see me driving the car. I could barely see over the steering wheel.”

Photo by Scott Dachroeden

When it came to taking his driver’s test and learning how to operate a manual transmission, it was all with the help of his mom and her VW. “That little tiny, whiny motor. It’s funny, Volkswagens always have the same smell. All of those Beetles, when you get in them they smell exactly the same. It’s a similar thing to the ’Vette, they have a very unique odor. … If I get in one blindfolded I could tell I was in a f–kin’ VW Beetle,” he says. “Same thing as a ’Vette, as well.”

Although he passed his driver’s test, Cantrell’s mom needed the car, so he mostly took the bus. “That car was her lifeline to work, so she couldn’t afford me [damaging the VW],” he says. “So other than getting some driving tips and practicing on some back roads with her to get a license, I didn’t get to really drive it too much. I didn’t have a car again until I bought that Ford Explorer. I inherited my grandmother’s Toyota, but I needed to get it licensed and I never did, and it sat outside the place we were living until it kind of rotted away, when we were living at the Music Bank in Seattle.”

Favorite road trip

Cantrell has been on many road trips, and he says most of his life is about driving. “From the time I was a kid and my dad was in the service, he didn’t fly, so we drove everywhere,” he says. “We drove to Alaska, we drove back. We drove from Washington to Oklahoma, from Mineral Wells, Texas, to Pennsylvania, we drove everywhere. He didn’t like to fly, he liked to drive, and my job is constantly travelling.”

When Cantrell was a kid, he traveled with his family on the Alcan Highway in Alaska, where his dad was stationed to serve for a year in the army. “That was pretty amazing. It took a while to get up there, and most of it at that point was still dirt roads in the early ’70s,” he says.

Although they drove everywhere his dad was stationed, this road trip from Tacoma to Alaska was memorable for many reasons, especially the scenery. “The majesty of it … it was so f–king wild to be driving through these forests and mountains,” he says. “Pretty amazing.”

New album Rainier Fog and worldwide tour

Alice in Chains just released its first new record in five years, which hit number one on Billboard and iTunes’ rock charts.

Photo by Pamela Littky

“We worked really hard on it, and I think that we hit the quality level that we always try to shoot for,” Cantrell says. “It’s unlike any record that we’ve ever done, and we’re a band that is known for that,” he says.

Cantrell says the band really doesn’t make one album that sounds like another. “At the same time, we keep our musical identity. [The album is] strong from top to bottom, and it’s named after where we come from,” he says. “Mount Rainier is the big mountain that dominates the skyline in Seattle, and we recorded the bulk of the basic tracks in Seattle at Studio X where we also recorded the self-titled record years ago, so we went home to make this record.”

Recording at the original studio was a full-circle moment for Cantrell. “We made the third full-length record in that studio, which may not exist [for much longer]. It may get torn down for a f–king high-rise. I hope not.”

Alice in Chains is supporting this new album on the current leg of the band’s worldwide tour, which stops in Texas today and tomorrow. The album dropped when the band played its hometown of Seattle.

“We’ll play a handful of tunes from this record, but we’ll play a handful of tunes from all our records. We try to represent all eras,” Cantrell says. For more information, please visit AliceinChains.com.

Photo by Scott Dachroeden

READ MORE CELEBRITY DRIVES HERE:

The Cars’ Drummer David Robinson

Dave “Heavy D” Sparks of Discovery’s ‘Diesel Brothers’

Grammy-Winning Singer-Songwriter Darius Rucker

‘Lucky Dog’ Host Brandon McMillan

Pedro Martinez, Baseball Hall of Famer and MLB Network Analyst

The post Celebrity Drive: Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell appeared first on Motor Trend.

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danielschmittandco-blog · 7 years ago

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4 Classic Vintage Cars to Invest in and Enjoy

This video features some of the nicest classic and vintage cars we have in Daniel Schmitt & Co.'s inventory today!

Have a look at our 1936 Bentley 3 1/2 Sedanca Coupe by Windovers. The vehicles’ custom, one off body work mimics the look of a traditional Drophead coupe, however only the roof that covers the front seats rolls away to turn the gorgeous coupe into a well appointed Sedanca.

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Feeling the need for more power? This 1995 Ferrari Testarossa 512M finished in stunning and classic Rosso Corsa Red is highly collectible. Its 4.9L Flat-12 engine is sure to deliver over 430 hp.

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Next up we show you this stunning 1976 Porsche 930 Turbo Carrera, arguably the most iconic sports car marque out there. Porsche... there is no substitute.

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The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Split Window Coupe is one the most sought-after model by both collectors and enthusiasts. Being one of the most desired Corvette model years, restored examples regularly come up on the market, however, un-restored survivor 1963 Sting Rays are few and far between.

Read more about this one for sale here: https://schmitt.com/inventory/1963-chevrolet-corvette-sting-ray-split-window-coupe/

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Have you ever laid eyes on Elvis Presley's 24-karat gold Dream Cadillac? Have you ever seen Jean Harlow’s 1931 Green Cadillac Roadster? Daniel J. Schmitt’s eBook Cars of Stars – A Collection of Celebrity & Movie Cars is now available on Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SNX9JK?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

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itsworn · 6 years ago

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The C2 1963-1967 Sting Ray Coupe Almost Had a Hatchback

We recently shared with you the origin of the now-iconic 1963-’67 Corvette Sting Ray coupe roof. Time is not always kind to designs. The 1938 Adler Trumpf was an interesting but quirky-looking car. It was definitely very advanced for its day, but overall looks extremely dated. The 1963-’67 Corvette Sting Ray Coupe is still stunning from every angle and is today, truly an iconic automotive design.

The Adler Trumpf roof almost looks out of place on the rest of the car. But the roof was the perfect coupe roof for Bill Mitchell’s Stingray Racer. The Adler Trumpf was photographed at the GM Tech Center in July 1959. By October 1959, the roof design was graphed onto a fullsize clay model of the XP-720 and approved as the basic design for the next Corvette. It took Larry Shinoda and his team, with guidance from Bill Mitchell, a year to work out the finished shape. As you can see from the GM Archives documentation photographs acquired from the GM Heritage Center, by the end of December 1960, the final shape of the Sting Ray was completed and the team was working on surface details.

Sometime in 2015, I happened upon the color photograph of the silver ’63 split-window coupe, 1963 convertible and blue-lit 1959 Stingray Racer. I had seen this very photograph in various Corvette books for decades, but did not know when the photograph was taken. The photo clearly shows that the designers were working out surface details. Note that there are no vents on the front fender, but rather are integrated into the rear portion of the doors and the front portion of the rear fenders. There are gills above and below the rear bumpers, and the convertible shows the fuel filler cap on the driver’s side rear fender.

For years, that’s all I ever noticed, that is until one day in 2015 I happened upon a large version of the photograph on the Internet. That’s when I had a “son-of-a-gun!” moment. What was never obvious in the small versions of the photo used in many Corvette books and magazines is the seam line on the rear deck, just inboard of the rear fender humps. The line starts at the rear leading edge of the rear deck, runs forward, then turns up over the B-pillar, across the top, down, and then runs to the other side of the rear leading edge.

This photo has been published for decades in numerous Corvette books and magazines. Typically, the printed image is small. This photo was taken in March 9, 1961. The GM Heritage Center did not have any paper documentation referring to the Sting Ray as having a trunk/hatchback feature.

As I’ll point out in the black & white GM Archives photos, this is not a “tape” line, but a scribe line. The “Occam’s razor” concept is, “All things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.” The concept slices away a host of competing conclusions, leaving the simplest and most likely conclusion in place; thus, it is a “razor.”

What we are looking at is that the designers and engineers that were working on the 1963 Sting Ray Coupe were considering a hatchback, although at the time, my guess is that they simply thought of it as a trunk, as Corvettes from 1953 to that time all had a formal trunk. Today, we call it a hatchback.

As explained in Karl Ludvigsen’s book, Corvette: America’s Star Spangled Sports Car, Mitchell saw the Sting Ray first as a coupe. After the coupe was designed, they worked out the convertible, and then the hardtop. The open space behind the front seats created a sensation of expansiveness in what is otherwise a small car that fits like a glove. Getting things in and out of the coupe’s rear storage space could be challenging, but it made a limited-use sports car more usable. The 1963-’67 Sting Ray coupe has 10.5 cubic-feet of storage space, and 8.4 cubic-feet in the convertible.

When the Mako Shark-inspired C3 came in 1968, many were surprised the car did not have the Mako Shark-II’s Sting Ray-like coupe roof, but instead the roof had side-sails and only had 6.7 cubic-feet of storage space behind the seats. Corvette coupes and convertibles had very limited storage space from 1968-’77. If the convertible top was down, there was no storage space, unless you want to tote around a few issues of Vette magazine.

It wasn’t until I found a large version online that I noticed the line on the rear deck that wraps around the B-pillar and roof. In this enlargement, note the glint highlight of the trunk/deck line on the driver’s side. This was not a “tape” line; it was at least a scribe line or possibly the seam of the actual trunk/hatchback.

The convertible Corvette went away after 1975, and in 1978, designers gave the car a mid-cycle refresh with a beautiful wraparound glass fastback that looked perfect with the front and rear soft bumper covers, but the glass was fixed. The new glass fastback opened up the storage space to 8.4 cubic-feet. Then in 1979, the Cars & Concepts Company offered a hatchback kit for 1978 and 1979 Corvettes that allowed the glass roof to be lifted up. The kit got the attention of Corvette designers because the 1981 Turbo Vette 3 show car that had a hatchback rear glass, plus an all-aluminum 350 engine and an AIReasearch turbocharger.

The following year, the 1982 Collector Edition Corvette, a $3,617 option on top of the $18,290 base price, was chock full of beautiful trim features, unique graphics, interior upgrades, dedicated 1967 knock-off-bolt-on-inspired wheels and a hatchback. As you can see from the Cars & Concepts ad, the mechanism is the same as that used on the Collector Edition. No doubt, Chevrolet bought the design from Cars & Concepts.

It took 22 years for the Corvette coupe to finally get a hatchback roof. The 1982 Collector Edition was a beautiful sendoff for the C3 Corvette and accounted for 36.4 percent of all 1982 Corvettes. When the 1984 Corvette made its press debut in December 1982, the all-new Corvette had a hatchback as standard equipment. Like the 1982 hatchback, only the glass lifted up and provided customers with 12.6 cubic-feet of storage. That was the most amount of storage space ever offered in a Corvette. The 1962 Corvette had 12 cubic-feet of storage. 1986-’96 Corvette convertibles only had 6.6 cubic-feet of storage and nearly zero with the top down.

The hatchback feature has been on all Corvette coupes ever since, except for the C5 hardtop and C5 Z06. The C5 Corvette was arguably the most radical Corvette when it made its debut. One of the subtle design features of the C5 was that the car has twin fuel tanks mounted low on each side of the transaxle, whereas all previous Corvettes had their gas tanks sitting on top of the rear framerails. Not only did the low-mounted fuel tanks help lower the C5’s center of gravity, the design allowed the rear storage area to extend farther back, providing whopping 24.8 cubic-feet of storage. And to provide even better access to the rear storage area, the rear glass and rear deck are part of the hatchback. Because of the extra space in the back, the C5 convertibles had 13.9 cubic-feet of storage, more than the C4 coupe!

This is the B&W version of the color image that has been in print over the decades. Note the date in the lower left corner: 3-9-61. The production 1963 Sting Ray caught heat for all of its fake vents and split-window. It’s good that they dialed it back from this presentation.

Some have called the C6 Corvette, “C5 2.0” because the basic design is so similar to the C5; however, it is vastly improved. C6 and C7 Corvette designs are empirical, meaning one design was built upon the previous design, but was made much better. The hatch design is likewise similar in that the glass and rear deck are part of the hatchback. The C6 coupe has 22.4 cubic-feet of storage and the convertible has 11 cubic-feet of storage. The C7 coupe has 16.4 cubic-feet of storage space and the convertible has 10 cubic-feet of storage. Corvette designers were mainly interested in making the C6 and C7 a smaller, tighter car with less mass.

The Corvette is so steeped in performance and racing glory it is easy to overlook the design feature of the hatchback. It is what can make a modern Corvette a daily driver, a performance car that can carve canyons with best, take a weekend trip, and even go grocery shopping. When you consider that the hatchback was conceived in 1960, it shows us that designers of the early Corvettes were truly advanced thinkers. Vette

Note the date in the lower left corner: 12-30-60. This photo shows that the 1963 Sting Ray split-window coupe was basically completed; size, shape, proportion, bumper and taillight configuration. We can clearly see the trunk/hatchback line on the driver’s side rear deck that wraps down and then across the rear valance. This photo also tells us that by the summer or fall of 1960, the overall design was most likely completed.

This 5-31-61 wind tunnel test photo shows the driver’s side of the Sting Ray with tufts of yarn and the passenger side with streaked ink dots. This was state-of-the-art wind tunnel testing in 1961 and really didn’t do much besides show the direction of airflow on the surface. Note that the trunk/hatchback is still there.

In this 5-31-61 photo showing the rear side-view, we can clearly see the trunk/hatchback line on the rear deck, B-pillar and roof. This kind of wind tunnel testing looked interesting, but more important was the tests with scale models to measure front and rear lift; which from the beginning was not good.

Of the four C1 Corvette configurations (1953-’55, 1956-’57, 1958-’60 and 1961-’62) the 1961-’62 models had the largest trunks. For the Route 66 TV series guys, Tod Stiles and Buz Murdock, 12 cubic-feet was plenty of storage space for two vagabond young men.

Ask any 1963-’67 Sting Ray coupe owner if a hatchback would have been nice to have. Sting Ray coupes had 10.5 cubic-feet of space behind the seats, but getting luggage in and out was a challenge. C2 convertibles only had 8.4 cubic-feet of space and nearly zero if the convertible top was down.

C3 Corvettes from 1968-’77 have very limited storage space behind the seats, just 6.7 cubic-feet. Bill Mitchell chose the side-sails design for the C3 roof instead of the C2 Sting Ray-style roof that was part of the Mako Shark-II show car.

The 1968-’75 convertible had a slight advantage over the coupe; in that if the owner unlatched the back of the convertible top, and lifted it forward; the rear deck convertible hatch could be opened to allow easy access to the 6.7 cubic-feet of storage space. But then you couldn’t put the top down.

The 1978 wraparound fastback glass roof was a beautiful mid-cycle refresh for the C3 Corvette, but the glass was fixed. In 1979, the Cars & Concepts Company sold a hatchback kit for 1978-’79 Corvettes.

Storage space for the 1978-’82 Corvette only went from 6.7 cubic-feet to 8.4 cubic-feet, but the visual effect was spectacular. The functioning hatch should have been part of the design beginning in 1978.

To celebrate the end of the C3 generation, the Collector Edition was a fitting sendoff. The hatchback feature was only available with the Collector Edition option. Chevrolet sold 6,759 Collector Edition Corvettes; that’s 26.5 percent of all 1982 Corvettes. There are a lot of tired 1982 Collector Edition cars begging for a refresh and a crate engine.

This exploded-view illustration from the fold-out poster that was part of the 1984 Corvette brochure shows off the C4’s clamshell hood, the one-piece lift-off roof panel and the lift hatchback. Storage space increased to 12.6 cubic-feet, the most ever offered in a Corvette to that date.

The mechanism of the C4 hatchback was the same as the 1982 Collector Edition hatchback. Directly behind the storage area was the 20-gallon fuel tank.

For the first time ever, Corvette owners could easily get two bags of golf clubs, suitcases for a weekend trip, or a week’s worth of grocery bags. Sports cars are not terribly useful cars, but this feature made owning a Corvette more user-friendly.

The C5 was a total game-changer thanks to the all-new hydroformed frame and backbone structure. Engineers designed a dual fuel tank system that allowed the tanks to be tucked down on each side of the transaxle, allowing the storage space to extend back to the rear bumper.

This is what 24.8 cubic-feet of storage space looks like. C5 Corvette coupes have the largest amount of storage space of any Corvette ever made. There are also three wells at the back of the storage areas. Unlike the C4 hatchback, the C5’s rear glass and deck are part of the hatchback.

Chevrolet was selling the largest Corvette storage area ever in the 1998 sales brochure. The message was obvious; “Guys, when you own a 1998 Corvette, there’s plenty of room for a weekend getaway with your lady.”

The C6 and C7 Corvettes are evolutionary designs based on the C5. An objective for C6 Corvette engineers was for it to have less mass than the C5. It’s length was reduced 5.1 inches to 174.6 inches, while the wheelbase was increased 1.2 inches to 105.7 inches.

The C6 coupe’s storage space was reduced 2.4 cubic-feet; to 22.4. That’s still a lot of cargo space for a world-class sports car. C6 convertibles and Z06 models have 11 cubic-feet of storage; slightly less than the C4 coupe.

Tadge Juechter and his team of engineers took the C7 Corvette deeper into the performance envelope by increasing the wheelbase 1.2 inches to 106.7 inches. The overall length was increased 1.3 inches to 176.9 inches. But the width on the base model was increased 1.3 to 73.9 inches and 77.1 inches for the Z06, Grand Sport and ZR1. The longer wheelbase and wider stance makes the C7 a much-improved Corvette.

The reviews are consistent; the C7 is so good that no one has complained that the storage area is less than the C6’s. There’s still plenty of room to make ownership a delight.

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itsworn · 6 years ago

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It’d Been A Sin To Restomod This 1963 Corvette Split-Window

In search of a 1963 Corvette split-window, Steve Mitchell’s plan was to find a decent project car and from there have his longtime buddy Kyle Gambrell help him restore and restomod it with an LS engine and Morrison chassis. Constructing a restomod-style ’63 Vette for Kyle would have been a natural thing to do since Kyle owns Laid Back Recreations, a customizing shop in McLoud, Oklahoma, but it wasn’t in the cards.

Steve scoured all the right places and found a pretty good example of what he was looking for on eBay in Ohio. The tattered ’63 coupe was in the hands of a used car dealer whose only intention was to flip the car and turn a profit. The dealer told Steve there were a handful of so-called split-window aficionados interested in the car, but they were all chiselers throwing out lowball offers. Steve liked what he saw and loaded up the ’63—along with a few big, heavy wood crates included in the deal—and headed back to Oklahoma.

Once home, Steve started evaluating the car and discovered it was more original than he realized when he bought it. The unexpected change in build direction occurred when he opened the two wood crates and discovered the remains of the car’s original engine. In one crate there was a bare block with a cracked cylinder wall that was missing one main cap. In the other crate he found a pair of heads and intake manifold for a 340-horse 327. The numbers all jived and Steve was starting to think he might restore the ’63 back pretty close to how it was when new.

With the Corvette at the shop in McLoud, Steve explained to Kyle he’d like to over-restore the split-window and upgrade its original build quality. Included in this edition of Vette we’ve reprinted Motor Trend’s Corvette coupe road test found in the May 1963 issue in which it is stated that it’s not hard to over-restore a 1963 Corvette.

White paint hides a multitude of sins. There’s a reason the factory painted a lot of mid-year Corvettes white. In a mass production environment where Sting Ray fiberglass bodies had to be cranked out ASAP, the fit and finish was OK for something that had to drive off the end of an assembly line. During the disassembly process Kyle made an amazing discovery that sealed the fate of where the restoration of Steve’s ’63 would end up. Inside the driver-side door panel, the ‘63’s fourth owner, John Backus of Cincinnati, Ohio, wrote some vital information with a black felt pen.

Lt. William B. Adams Jr. bought the Corvette new on July 5, 1963, from Tony Falcon, a salesman at Bobb Chevrolet in Columbus, Ohio, and then sold the Corvette to Norman Potts. Norman sold it to Charles Easton and then Charles sold it to John Backus in March 1985.

On Backus’ door panel notes he listed in 1982 the ’63 was repainted, got new brakes and the transmission and rearend were overhauled. Steve learned when Laid Back Recreations had the coupe completely disassembled and the body stripped-bare for paint the only fiberglass damage discovered were slight fractures in the valance beneath the grille. Amazingly, the car had never been in an accident beyond pulling into a driveway too fast. After paying intense attention to adjusting the door and hood gaps, along with many hours of block sanding, Laid Back sprayed a custom PPG mix of a brighter version of Ermine White with a blue cast instead of beige.

Hedges Corvettes in Lowell, Arkansas, handled the interior work, but don’t judge the freshness of the driver-side door panel, Steve had Hedges clean up and dye the original card John Backus wrote his notes on and put back in place. In fresh paint, the ’63 left Oklahoma and rolled into Hedges Corvettes where the interior was gutted and restored to mint. The underlayment came from Ssnake-oyl in bulk and then Hedges custom fit Al Knoch Interiors’ carpet and upholstery kit. Steve’s ’63 spent three weeks at Hedges Corvettes and then was returned to Laid Back Recreations.

Additional ’63 details: black plastic doorknobs with a white plastic shift ball, early 1963 four-speed Corvettes still had a Borg-Warner Super T10, but by April when Steve’s ’63 was built it came equipped with a Muncie M20 four-speed. The rearend in the first year IRS (independent rear suspension) is equipped with RPO G81 Positraction and optioned with the taller than usual 3.38 differential gears.

The story of restoring the 340-horse 327 Steve’s ’63 left St. Louis with is interesting in itself. The car came to Steve with an unstamped blank pad, over-the-counter replacement 327 with a two-years-later date code. Other than a replacement engine, everything under the hood was original right down to the stainless steel ignition shield still over the Delco distributor.

Once Steve learned the bare block he had was the right one needed for an authentic restoration, rebuilding the 340-horse 327 started at R&P Machine in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, with the number one cylinder sleeve to repair due to a deep crack. Luckily, the bore was standard, and only required honing and stuffing 11.25:1 pistons back in place. Additionally, the block was line-bored to accept a replacement crankshaft and missing main bearing cap. Gambrell reassembled the engine leaving the 4-quart oil pan in place needed to accommodate factory power steering that’d been retrofitted. Steve opted to keep the faster ratio 250/300-horse power steering over refitting a 340/360-horse 5-quart oil pan that will not accommodate power steering.

Restoring cars back to stock instead of customizing might become a curse of sorts for Steve. His latest project, a 1956 Chevy Nomad wagon with 17,000 original miles, ended up completely original except for adding power disc brakes to help the car survive amid 21st century traffic. Vette

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itsworn · 7 years ago

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A 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Modernized into a Road-Going Version of the Lightweight

It’s not something that happens very often, but every once in a while there’s a Corvette owner that does not want their car in a magazine and, in particular, on the Internet with their name associated with it. And that’s the story we got when we called Heartland Customs to talk about the ’63 Corvette Sting Ray featured in the Griffin Radiators 2017 SEMA Show booth.

The owner, who we’ll call John Doe, wanted Heartland to take his tired and totally thrashed ’63 split-window coupe and transform it into a fire-breathing, road-going modern interpretation of the Corvette Grand Sport, known as the lightweight. In Doe’s account of the split-window he wrote, “The 1963 had been sold in Memphis at Union Chevrolet, a dealership that I believe no longer exists. I bought it from a used car dealer with a 283-inch truck motor and had aspirations to restore it back to its original fuel-injected 327 specifications, but the closer I inspected it the rougher the ’63 looked. It wasn’t a good candidate for a nut and bolt correct restoration. In front there were provisions for a tow bar hacked into the nose as well as other indications it had spent time on a road course or at a dragstrip.” Doe’s final straw was when a plume of hickory smoke billowing from underneath turned out to be from a block of wood used as an anti-rattle device jammed into the exhaust system. In short, Doe decided to nix an NCRS level restoration and have Heartland restomod the ’63 into a modern-day Grand Sport.

The stock ’63 frame was pitched in favor of a Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis complete with Penske shock absorbers and 14-inch Baer disc brakes at all corners. The front and rear 18-inch wheels—detailed with gunmetal gray centers and polished outers—are Forgeline VX3C shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/40R18 in the front and 285/35R18 in the rear. The 3.50-geared rearend with positraction is a 9-inch Strange.

The front of the body was in rough shape. Heartland sourced a Grand Sport front clip from Duntov Motor Company and grafted it to the firewall. Interestingly, the Grand Sport body shell is on a slightly shrunken scale in comparison to a standard production ’63 body, and sans front turn signal pods. It took an immense amount of man-hours to produce the final look incorporating turn signal pods and reconfiguring the Grand Sport mouth to accept an N.O.S. ’63 Sting Ray grille. The side grilles were made with a 3D printer. In place of the minimally detailed original equipment Grand Sport headlight covers, a custom set of headlight covers were crafted. A lot of attention was paid to ensure a maximum amount of cooling air entered the engine bay with CNC machined vents.

Under the custom hood, 540 horsepower comes from a Lingenfelter LSX 376 with an extremely radical cam and topped with Borla 8-Stack fuel injection. To handle the heat retention of the cast-iron block and 120-degree desert drives the owner says he has plans for there’s a heavy-duty Griffin aluminum radiator. Chevrolet Orange is the engine color.

The exhaust system starts with BBK Performance stainless steel headers feeding into very trick Heartland-fabricated side pipes that are electronically controlled to raise or lower the volume from quiet to loud. Burned legs while entering or exiting are eliminated, Heartland said, thanks to custom heat shields they fabricated with a layer of insulation that’s good up to 2,500 degrees. The transmission is a TREMEC Magnum six-speed mounted to the LSX 376 with a Quick Time bellhousing and custom driveshaft by Blumenthal Companies.

Inside is where the Grand Sport 6 takes on the feel of a modernized road-going automobile. At the top of the luxury list is Vintage Air Gen IV air conditioning enabled with a Vintage Air Front Runner serpentine belt system spinning a 140-amp alternator and Sanden SD 508 compressor. The sound system is a RetroSound Long Beach head unit with two RetroSound 6×9 speakers in front and two Pioneer 6.5-inch speakers in back. A leather-covered custom steering wheel faces an instrument cluster packed with Dakota Digital VHX gauges.

Heartland Customs handled almost every phase of the ‘63’s construction in house except the interior, which was upholstered by Kutting Edge Interiors of O’Fallon, Missouri. For seating, a pair of C5 bucket seats covered in black leather and blue stitching matches the rest of the upholstery. The carpet is black Daytona weave with a carpeted trap door hidden inside for total access to the electrical components. Auto City Glass was the source for replacement windows and windshield. The two-stage PPG color Heartland Customs sprayed after numerous hours of fiberglass and bodywork is called Supersonic Blue, and it’s interesting to note the split was not eliminated as on the original Grand Sport coupes. Vette

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