1969 Corvette

The 1969 Corvette was inspired by a Mako shark that was netted by Bill Mitchell, the GM designer and stylist during the Golden era of the Corvettes. Originally, 1968 was to see the unveiling of the C3 series. This was delayed due to some production snags. It is not surprising then that in 1969, Corvette enthusiasts were really expecting something "big". The Stingrays were all much loved and well received. But, considering the beating that the Stingrays were customarily taking at the hand of the dreaded Cobras, people expected a mid-engine monster that would simply annihilate the Cobra. But this was not to be.

GM tried very hard to keep the 1969 Corvette a big surprise till its first day in the sun. But Mattel's famous Hot-Wheels line of die cast toy cars came out just weeks before Corvette's unveiling. This gave the general public an inkling of the "Custom Corvette" that GM was trying to hide. Contrary to expectations, what was finally unveiled was a facelift on the existing hardware. A Chevrolet show car named Mako Shark II held in 1965 had showcased the new look that was seen in the 1969 Corvette. The exaggerated lines and cuts of the show car were tamed down in the C3 Corvettes, but the similarities were evident for all to see.