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.
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