- May
- Zora Arkus-Duntov begins designing the R-Car (next letter after Q) with a body to be provided by GM Styling. (This becomes Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV).) [903.65]
- (month unknown)
- A re-design of the Corvette body for 1962 is considered, but the project is abandoned. [90]
- June 20
- SCCA National races are held at the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, over two days. John Fitch races the Sting Ray racer to fourth place. [260.36] [275.95] [362.45] [580.106] [827.30]
- (month unknown)
- SMP releases its first Corvette model kit, of a 1959 Corvette. [161.27]
- The Corvette SR-2 originally owned by Jerry Earl is sold to the Bud Gates Chevrolet car dealer in Indianapolis. [231.32]
- Zora Arkus-Duntov begins work on the chassis, suspension, and drivetrain of a rear-engine research vehicle. (It will become the CERV I (Chevrolet Experimental Racing Vehicle).) [17] [21] [30] [58.53] [579.160]
- At the Bonneville salt flat races, Jim Vedenoft races a Corvette to 156.954-MPH. Brian Chuchua races a Corvette with a GMC 4-17 supercharger to 167.91-MPH. [337.22]
- July 5
- At Meadowdale, Illinois, a USAC professional series race is held.
- Finishing 9th overall is the Corvette driven by John Reimer.
- The Sting Ray is raced but crashes and does not finish.
[362.45] [423] [580.107]
- July 12
- At Bridgehampton, a car race is held.
- Finishing 1st overall is the Corvette driven by Roy Tuerke.
- Finishing 3rd overall is the Corvette driven by Rob Willoughby.
[423]
- July 25
- At Lime Rock, Connecticut, a USAC professional series race is held. Finishing 9th overall is the Sting Ray driven by Richard Thompson. [423] [580.107] (June 25 [362.45])
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
- August 9
- In Montgomery, the SCCA holds a National car race.
- Finishing 1st in B-Production class and 2nd overall is the Corvette driven by Harold Keck.
- Finishing 3rd overall is the Corvette driven by Ben Moore.
- Finishing 3rd in B-Production class and 4th overall is the Corvette driven by Jim Jeffords.
[423] [579.73]
- August 10
- Production of 1959 model Corvettes ends. [148.32] [579.67]
- August 16
- At Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the SCCA 500-mile Wisconsin Grand Prix endurance race is held. The Sting Ray is raced by Dick Thompson and Anatole Lapine but does not finish due to brake failure. [362.45] [518.64] [580.107]
- September 2
- Production of 1960 model Corvettes begins. This Corvette is designated model 0800. [193.86] [453.35] [579.117] (October [148.34])
- September 26
- At Watkins Glen, the SCCA holds a National car race.
Finishing 1st in B-Production class and 1st overall is the #99 Corvette driven by H. Turiskey. Finishing 2nd in B-Production class and 2nd overall is the #119 Corvette driven by Harold Keck. Finishing 3rd in B-Production class and 3rd overall is the #18 Corvette driven by Ben Moore. Finishing 4th in B-Production class and 4th overall is the #7 Corvette driven by L. D. Morrisett. Finishing 5th in B-Production class and 5th overall is the #84 Corvette driven by Ed Myers. Finishing 6th in B-Production class and 7th overall is the #39 Corvette driven by Richard W. Jalbert. Finishing 7th in B-Production class and 8th overall is the #159 Corvette driven by Robert Mouat. Finishing 8th in B-Production class and 15th overall is the #100 Corvette driven by Trevor McKenna. Finishing 9th in B-Production class and 17th overall is the #10 Corvette driven by Laura Dasey. Finishing 10th in B-Production class and 18th overall is the #22 Corvette driven by Robert Ruth. Finishing 11th in B-Production class and 19th overall is the #51 Corvette driven by Tom Kerr. Finishing 12th in B-Production class and 22nd overall is the #201 Corvette driven by Don Yenko.
[423]
- (month unknown)
- Aluminum cylinder heads are used for the first time in production for the 1960 fuel-injected Corvettes. [31] [142.98]
- Chevrolet decides to design a new Corvette based on the body of Bill Mitchell's Sting Ray racer. [5.157]
- Project XP-720 begins at GM Styling, to design a production Corvette based on Bill Mitchell's Sting Ray racer. [90] [120.60] [159.60] [580.140]
- Malcolm Konner Chevrolet dealership in Paramus, New Jersey, arranges for a group of Corvette buyers to travel to St. Louis, tour the Corvette plant, pick up their 1960 Corvettes, and drive them back to New Jersey. (25 years later, Chevrolet will honor the start of this tradition with 50 1986 Malcolm Konner Special Edition Corvettes.) [323.44]
- October 20
- A clay mock-up of project XP-720 (to become 1963 model) is completed and put on display for General Motors' management viewing. [3.56] [104.52] [332.51] [452.38] [580.147] [823.105]
- October
- Jack Ingle buys the ex-Motorama Corvette EX-122 from the first owner, Russell Sanders, a Chevrolet engineer. [359.19] [360.9] [547.32] [697.45]
- The rear of the XP-700 is revised, lengthened, and exaggerated. Also, a double bubble hardtop is added, made from transparent plastic. A periscopic rear-view mirror is added. [34] [580.114]
- A new body is made for Bill Mitchell's Sting Ray racer, made of thinner fiberglass, reinforced with balsa wood, and painted metallic silver (previous body was red). [362.45] [580.107]
- (month unknown)
- Jim Jeffords is SCCA B Production points champ with his 1959 Corvette dubbed the Purple People Eater Mk III. [5.53] [133.74] [148.14] [394.12]
- November 10
- The Corvette assembly line shuts down die to a shortage of metal parts caused by a steel workers strike. [579.117]
- December 10
- The Corvette assembly line restarts with a renewed supply of metal parts. [579.117]
- December
- In Nassau, Bahamas, the Nassau Trophy Race is held. Dick Thompson races the Sting Ray to 10th overall finish. [362.46] [580.108]
- A full-scale model of the Q-Corvette prototype is completed. [90]
1960
-
- Chevrolet design staff complete a "space buck" coupe of the XP-720 program, showing details of the interior. [159.62]
- February 25
- In Havana, Cuba, the Grand Touring Sprint race is held. Finishing 1st is the #3 Camoradi U.S.A. Corvette driven by Jim Jeffords. [154.88] [579.134]
- February 28
- In Havana, Cuba, the Grand Prix of Havana race is held.
- Finishing 8th overall and 1st in GT class is the #3 Camoradi U.S.A. Corvette driven by Jim Jeffords.
- The Camoradi USA #4 Corvette, driven by Jim Rathmann, was in second place until it encountered electrical problems.
[154.88] [423] [579.134]
- The SCCA National Palm Spring race is held.
- Finishing 1st overall is the Corvette driven by Bob Bondurant.
- Finishing 2nd overall is the Corvette driven by Vince Mayel.
- Finishing 3rd overall is the Corvette driven by Tony Settember.
[423]
- March
- Aluminum cylinder heads are removed as an option from the 1960 model Corvette. [104.41,143]
- March 26
- In Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held, round 1 of the FIA GT Cup, and round 2 of the World Sports Car Championship.
- Finishing 1st in Grand Touring 5000 class, 16th overall, is the RRR Motors #6 Corvette, driven by Bill Fritts and Chuck Hall.
- Finishing 2nd in Grand Touring 5000 class, 26th overall, is the Camoradi USA #3 Corvette, driven by Fred Gamble, Jim Jeffords, and Bill Wuesthoff.
- Finishing 2nd(?) in Grand Touring 5000 class, 32nd overall, is the Camoradi USA #4 Corvette, driven by Jim Jeffords and Fred Gamble.
- Finishing 3rd in Grand Touring 5000 class, 35th overall, is the Johnson Chevrolet #5 Corvette, driven by Delmo Johnson and Dave Morgan.
- Dick Thompson and Fred Windridge race the Jaguar Distributors of New York #2 1960 Corvette in Grand Touring +5000 class. The engine fails after 41 laps (5:12 PM). They place 54th overall.
- Briggs Cunningham and John Fitch race the Jaguar Distributors of New York #1 1960 Corvette in Grand Touring +5000 class. After 27 laps (12:30 PM), rear hub failure and an accident put them out of the race. They place 58th overall.
[104.151] [133.72] [154.89] [263] [337.64] [348] [423] [579.134] [585.98] [888.70] [907.40]
- April 2
- At Riverside, a car race is held.
- Finishing 1st overall is the Harry Mann Chevrolet #222 Corvette driven by Vince Mayell.
- Finishing 2nd overall is the #166 Corvette driven by Bob Dickson.
- Finishing 4th overall is the #41 Corvette driven by Scott Briley.
- Finishing 7th overall is the #11 Corvette driven by Denny O'Neill.
- Finishing 10th overall is the #132 Corvette driven by Bob Hoffland.
- Finishing 11th overall is the #10 Corvette driven by A. D. Edinger.
[423]
- April 4
- At General Motor's Design Studio, Larry Shinoda completes a second full-size clay model of project XP-720, for the 1963 Corvette. The model is shown to General Motors' management, and compared to a production 1960 model. The new design is approved. [104.52] [138.34] [454.100,102]
- April 9
- At the Le Mans, France, 24-hour race circuit, a day of pre-race testing is held. A Briggs Cunningham #1 Corvette driven by Briggs Cunningham and Dick Thompson qualifies 1st in GT5.0 class, 6th overall. [337.64] [423] [580.100]
- April
- Edward Cole offers Joe Pike the assistant sales promotion job, with responsibility for Corvette merchandising and editing the Corvette News publication. Pike accepts. [175.66] [232.29] [580.121] [777.82]
- April 16
- At the Marlboro raceway in Maryland, the first SCCA National race of the season is held. The Sting Ray racer is raced to 1st in class, 3rd overall. [362.46] [580.108]
- April
- In the Coliseum in New York, the 4th International Automobile Show opens. Chevrolet unveils the XP-700 Corvette show car, with bubble top and periscope rear vision. [107.18] [276] [290.99]
- May 1
- In Danville, Virginia, an SCCA National race for Modified classes is held. Finishing 1st in B-Modified class and 2nd overall is the #11 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Richard Thompson. [362.46] [423] [580.109]
- In Danville, Virginia, an SCCA National race for Production classes is held.
- Finishing 2nd in B-production class and 2nd overall is the #145 Corvette driven by Ray Rairdon.
- Finishing 3rd in B-Production class and 3rd overall is the #119 Corvette driven by Harold Keck.
- Finishing 4th in B-Production class and 4th overall is the #39 Corvette driven by Richard W. Jalbert.
- Finishing 5th in B-Production class and 17th overall is the #121 Corvette driven by Laura Dasey.
[423]
- May
- At Cumberland, Maryland, an SCCA National race is held. Finishing 1st in class, 5th overall, is Richard Thompson in the Sting Ray racer. [5.41] [260.37] [362.46] [580.109]
- May 30
- At Bridgehampton, New York, a car race is held. Finishing 2nd overall is the Sting Ray racer, driven by Richard Thompson. [362.46] [580.109]
- June 18
- At the Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, an SCCA car race is held. Finishing 2nd overall and 1st in C Modified is the #11 Sting Ray racer, driven by Dick Thompson. [579.131] [580.110] (2nd in class [362.46])
- June 24
- In Meadowlake, Illinois, an SCCA National race is held. The Sting Ray racer is raced but does not finish, due to a failed water pump. [362.46]
- June 25
- In Le Mans, France, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is held. Four 1960 Corvettes participate, prepared by Alfred Momo and Chevrolet. Briggs Cunningham enters three white 1960 Corvettes with 283-ci fuel-injected engines, large fuel tanks, Halibrand knock-off wheels, and special oil coolers.
- In the third hour, after the first pit stop, the Briggs Cunningham #1 Corvette driven by William Kimberly spins off the track in the rain, crashes and burns.
- The Briggs Cunningham #2 Corvette driven by Richard Thompson and Fred Windridge slides off course into a sand trap; it limps back to the pit area, but in the 17th hour, its engine fails.
- Finishing 1st in GT 5000 class and 8th overall is the Briggs Cunningham #3 Corvette driven by John Fitch and Bob Grossman. The car reached a top speed of 151 mph, and for part of the race, was in 5th place overall. In the last two hours of the race, the radiator cap is accidentally not replaced, leading to a blown head gasket; the car completes the race with ice repeatedly packed in the engine compartment. The engine fails completely after crossing the finish line at about 4AM.
- Finishing 10th in GT 5000 class and 21st overall (though not completing sufficient distance) is Lloyd Casner's Camoradi USA #4 Corvette driven by Leon Lilley and Fred Gamble.
[1] [3.34] [5.56] [42.99] [79.70] [84.10] [104.151] [107.21] [133.72] [154.88] [205.55] [233.11] [250.28] [260.32] [263] [265.55] [325.58] [337.64] [423] [454.64] [526.58,61] [579.134] [580.101] [907.40]
- June 26
- At Pomona, California, a Cal Club Regional B Production race is held.
- Finishing 1st is the #58 Corvette driven by Tony Settember.
- Finishing 2nd is the #614 Corvette driven by Buford Lane.
- Finishing 3rd is the #222 Corvette driven by Vince Mayell.
[454.60]
- (month unknown)
- Chevrolet begins stamping the engine block with the same six digits of the vehicle's identification number. [325.53]
- At the Bonneville salt flat races, Brian Chuchua races a Corvette with a GMC 4-17 supercharger to 171.746-MPH. [337.22]
- The National Council of Corvette Clubs is organized, in Michigan. [154.72]
- Bud Gates sells a Corvette SR-2 (originally owned by Jerry Earl) to Vernon Kispert. [231.32]
- Zora Arkus-Duntov and others begin engineering work on an all-new front-engine Corvette. [104.48]
- While deep-sea fishing in the Bahamas, Bill Mitchell lands a shark and thinks of the idea for the body shape of what will become the Corvette Shark. [6]
- August 31
- Production of 1960 model Corvettes ends. [148.34] [579.117]
- September
- Production of 1961 model Corvettes begins. [148.36]
- At Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, an SCCA 500-mile endurance race is held. Finishing 2nd in class, 23rd overall, is the Sting Ray racer. [362.46] [580.110]
- September 24
- At the Watkins Glen raceway in Watkins Glen, New York, an SCCA National race for B and C Production classes is held.
- Finishing 1st in B-Production class and 1st overall is the #72 Corvette driven by Bob Johnson.
- Finishing 3rd in B-Production class and 3rd overall is the #64 Corvette driven by John Caley.
- Finishing 4th in B-Production class and 4th overall is the #269 Corvette driven by Frank Dominianni.
- Finishing 5th in B-Production class and 7th overall is the #63 Corvette driven by Harvey Hockensmith.
- Finishing 6th in B-Production class and 8th overall is the #185 Corvette driven by Dick Lang.
- Finishing 7th in B-Production class and 9th overall is the #94 Corvette driven by Ed Myers.
- Finishing 8th in B-Production class and 10th overall is the #219 Corvette driven by Harold Keck.
- Finishing 9th in B-Production class and 11th overall is the #100 Corvette driven by Trevor McKenna.
- Finishing 10th in B-Production class and 12th overall is the #123 Corvette driven by Smith.
- Finishing 11th in B-Production class and 13th overall is the #234 Corvette driven by Robert Ruth.
- Finishing 12th in B-Production class and 17th overall is the #276 Corvette driven by Cam Smith.
[423]
- At the Watkins Glen raceway in Watkins Glen, New York, the Grand Prix of Watkins Glen is held. Richard Thompson races the #11 Sting Ray in C-Modified class but does not finish due to a failed differential on the second lap. [362.46] [423] [580.111]
- September
- Zora Arkus-Duntov and a crew take the CERV to Pike's Peak for testing. Initial test results appear disappointing, and Firestone withdraws sponsorship for the final race. (Later it is realized that the times were faster than records for each stretch of road tested.) [314.46] [343.102] [454.84] [579.163]
- (month unknown)
- A new crossflow aluminum radiator is incorporated into production Corvettes. [148.36]
- October
- Filming of the television show Route 66 begins. [33.46] [265.9] (1961 [8])
- October 7
- The CBS television network debuts the Route 66 show on Fridays from 8:30 to 9:30. The show features two young men driving a Horizon Blue 1960 Corvette around the US in search of adventure. [50.725] [51.554] [274.48] [281.553] [343.64] [614.20]
- October 16
- At Riverside, California, the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix race is held. Finishing 11th overall is the Bill Mitchell #111 Sting Ray racer driven by Richard Thompson. [362.46] [423] [454.58] [580.111]
- October 23
- At the Laguna Seca raceway in California, an SCCA professional series race is held. The Sting Ray racer has a collision and does not finish. (This is the last race of the Sting Ray before it is turned into a Corvette show car.) [275.97] [362.46] [423] [580.111]
- (month unknown)
- Bob Johnson, racing a Corvette, is points champ in SCCA B Production class. [133.12] [148.14] [337.24] [394.12]
- Richard Thompson, racing the Sting Ray racer, is points champion in SCCA C Modified class with 48 points. The second place finisher has only 18 points. [133.72] [152.25] [362.46] [394.15] [580.110] (A-Modified class [5.157])
- Bill Mitchell returns the Sting Ray to General Motors. Emblems are added saying "Corvette" and "Fuel Injection". [3.48]
- November
- Management approves the interior design for the new Corvette model (1963). [454.102]
- November 20
- At the Riverside International Raceway in California, the United States Grand Prix race is held. The CERV (which now means Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) is first shown in public, driven by Zora Arkus-Duntov. It is a mid-engine, open wheel, single-seat prototype racing car, with independent rear suspension. The car weighs about 1700 pounds. The 283-ci V8 has an aluminum block and aluminum cylinder heads. [3.38] [58.53] [314.44] [343.99] [454.85] [579.163] [580.131] [824.93] [905.8] (1959 [113.30])
- December
- A red convertible and a silver coupe of the proposed 1963 model are mocked up and put out for official General Motors review. [3.59]
|
