History The 1959 Stingray

I was able to check it out without barriers, up close and personal at last years Detroit Grand Prix. I've seen it many times in the past but this was the first time I heard it run. Very nice!

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Pretty but not a beater like the Ford's would be.......

 

I believe this '59 Stingray spends most of it's time north of Detroit at GM's Heritage Center, or in the Design Building at the Tech Center.

 

Help clear the cobwebs of my memory if possible. I'm aware of this iconic Vette, but was there another similar car? The 1st is always "the one" but I can't find a write up of something similar. It may be in an Automobile Quarterly that I lost in a flood, and my foggy recall was comparing or noting others like the Scarab, early Cobra efforts, the inimitable Aston Martins and Jags. This one was in there, but there was another that was perhaps an advanced effort beyond Mitchell's beauty. I may be confused, but I'm over 60 so it's allowed

 

Could you be thinking of the 61 Mako Shark?

 

I remember thinking that car was perfect when I first saw it as a small child and that feeling hasn't waned as I am now in my early 50s. The mid-year cars are still the best and that car is the king of that heap. And with the King driving it, it just gets that much cooler. And, RIP Mr. Presley.

 

Nice Corvette hot rods...

 

Maybe you're thinking of the Grand Sport Corvette, built by Zora Arkus Duntov?

 

I'm not sure if I'm addressing your question correctly, but there was a Corvette concept that followed the '59 Stingray, that became a different Corvette concept.

The 1961 Mako Shark still exists, and is in the GM Heritage Center. Following that was the 1965 Mako Shark II. GM Design took the Mako Shark II and turned it into the 1969 Manta Ray. Also at the GM Heritage Center.

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-vehicle-collection/1961_Mako_Shark.html
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-vehicle-collection/1969_Manta_Ray.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mako_Shark_(concept_car)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette#Concept_cars

 

I may be thinking of the Grand Sport.

 

Not that it's really any more attainable...i heard they made very few...but Fiberfab made a kit car body I believe you could run on a Corvette frame called the Centurion. Looks very much like the car Ryan posted...

 

I was able to get some closer shots of it last year at the GM employee car show. It's such a beautiful machine!