June 2021
CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY BRANCH of the VINTAGE CAR CLUB of NZ (Inc) Lamb Country Branch Email: centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz
POSTAL ADDRESS
CHB Branch of the Vintage Car Club (Inc) c/-18 Wilder Street, Waipukurau. 4200
Club Nights—7.30pm 3rd Wednesday of every Month
The 1959 XP-87 Corvette Sting Ray Racer—By Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher The Corvette Stingray Racer XP-87 with a 283V8 engine is a sports racing car and concept car that debuted in 1959. The car was developed in the styling studios at General Motors (GM) at the behest of Bill Mitchell, GM Vice President of styling. The design was based on a sketch by designer Pete Brock, and was further developed by Larry Shinoda and Chuck Pohlmann. The history of the Chevrolet Corvette with its rakish good looks and great power has always excited automotive enthusiasts. With the Corvette, General Motors created its own American sports car tradition. One of the most popular Corvettes of all time was the Corvette Sting Ray Racer introduced in Author Peter Brock with his Book (Corvette Sting Ray, Genesis 1959. This model continues to have a great folof an American Icon) lowing, and this story is a follow up by popular demand to a Story of the Week I wrote in September 25, 2019 about the Corvette Sting Ray Racer. When automotive enthusiasts speak about the 1959 Corvette Sting Ray Racer, the first names mentioned are usually designer Bill Mitchell and engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, rightfully known as “Mr. Corvette.” For me, the 1959 Corvette Sting Ray racer model is on my list of the greatest looking designs that GM developed during the 1950s.
1959 Corvette XP 87 Stingray on display at the Peterson Automobile Museum
From the 1950s to 1970s, Bill Mitchell was one of the most powerful and influential designers in the motor world. He was truly a Corvette person and devoted to high-performance and great styling. Developed in Studio X, the Sting Ray racer design was developed in 1957. By February of 1958, the side exhausts became a part of the design theme for the vehicle’s appearance. Arkus-Duntov created an all-new lightweight tubular space frame for the model to help the vehicle’s suspension. After its introduction by the GM design staff, the model was painted red then later repainted in silver for the 1960 campaign.