![]() ![]() The round Corvette emblem that resided on the front nose of the car was replaced with individual block letters that spelled out the car’s name. Likewise, the chrome “teeth” grill was replaced with a fine wire mesh insert that was finished in argent silver. Headlight bezels were no longer available in chrome, but instead were painted to match the rest of the body. ![]() On the front end of the car, Mitchell redesigned the layout of the dual headlamp system, providing Corvette with a more streamlined version of the of the existing four lamp nose. ![]() The rear end of the car now featured a pair of small chrome bumpers that framed a third, small, chrome, “arch” bumper that wrapped around the license plate well. The Re-Imagined Rear End of the 1961 Chevrolet Corvette.Ī simple vertical crease line ran down the middle of the rear deck lid, passing evenly through the traditional, big, round Corvette emblem. (These re-designed tail lights would become synonymous with Corvette and would be a standard feature (in one form or another) on all future generations of Corvette). The new rear end also showcased a pair of small, round taillights on each side of the license plate recess. The “ducktail” design (as it has become known amongst Corvette enthusiasts) was virtually lifted from the Stingray race car as well as Mitchell’s XP-700 show carįrom a practicality standpoint, the redesign of the rear end of the Corvette enabled an increase in available luggage space by twenty percent (20%). The most pronounced of Mitchell’s changes was the introduction of a freshened rear end design. With Corvette sales consistently increasing over the previous two model years, General Motors executives decided to review some of Mitchell‘s designs and made the decision to “green light” a restyling of Corvette for the 1961 model year. V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple-horsepower options availableģ-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional)īill Mitchell with the 1960 Stingray (left) and the 1961 Mako Shark I Concept (right). Tuxedo Black, Honduras Maroon, Ermine White, Jewel Blue, Fawn Beige, Roman Red, Sateen SilverĢ83 ci. (While it was common in that era for automotive manufacturing companies to sponsor television programming, this particular series featured a story about two guys who sought adventure in their shiny, new Corvette).īill Mitchell had begun the process of developing a prototype for an all new Corvette that would go on to become known as the “Mako Shark I.” He had also championed a team of Chevrolet designers in developing both cosmetic and performance upgrades to the existing C1 body styling. ![]() CBS television, in cooperation with General Motors, introduced the series “Route 66”. By late 1960, the Corvette had demonstrated again that it was a serious contender on the race track, both in mainstream media and in the automotive marketplace. ![]()
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