Stingray... Sting Ray? Whatever... [PIC]

Bill Mitchell was bound and determined to make the Corvette a world class race car and commissioned his team to design one with the emphasis on low slung European race cars with horizontal lines with humps covering the wheels. He was influenced by the Bertone designed Alfas... even the older Disco Volante. Well Peter Brock make some sketches and Larry Shinoda set to make it happen. Super thin fiberglass with balsa wood supports helped to get the car to 2000 lbs dry with Hallibrand magnesium wheels. The original engine was a fuel injected 283 pushed to 315 HP, although for racing, it was detuned to 280 HP for endurance. The car received many different engines included a 427 but now sits with a 350 small block with period Rochester fuel injection. GM wouldn't allow the carto be called a Corvette, so deep sea fisherman Mitchell called it the "Stingray" and badged it accordingly. Later, with the advent of the C2, GM had the car rebadged identical to the C2 "Sting Ray". Initially, as the car was set up, the aerodynamics of the car caused the front wheels to lift at 140 mph so the rear springs were shimmed to increase the car's rake. Dick Thompson first raced the car at the Marlboro Motor Raceway in Maryland in April 1959 and took first in class and 4th overall and went on to win the SCCA Championship in 1960. Even though the car was a private entry, GM forced Mitchell to retire the car from racing after the AMA ban. Mitchell converted the car for street use with a full width windscreen and a passenger seat and drove it on weekends. GM ultimately took ownership of the car as a historic concept car and it now resides in their museum.