The Corvette: Story of a Sports Car

In 1963 GM was getting ready to release it's refashioned Corvette sports car as something fresh and new -- the Stingray.
To promote this transformation the corporation produced a short film that outlined the history of the Corvette and showed off the new fastback and convertible Sting Ray.
Scenes of its design, manufacturing and testing at the GM Proving Grounds with legendary racer and engineer Zora Arkus Duntov show the car as pure excitement on wheels.
S670
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[@scarbourgeoisie]

'63-'67 Stingray is the most beautiful car ever built. But that's just my opinion.

[@milesgentry850]

I AGREE!👍❤

[@donaldclay9535]

Touche'.

[@ooohhenrybmblm]

I agree. The second-gen ‘Vette was the bar setter for the succeeding generations.

[@RobDSask]

‘63 split window is American design perfection. Mean, sexy, beautiful all rolled into one. One day I would love to own one 🙏👍

[@ryanle1293]

You're wrong, it's a fact

[@rickintexas1584]

The 1963 split window Corvette is a true classic.

[@USCG.Brennan]

And the '63 Roadster isn't?

[@v6mustang551]

Curt Brennan it isn’t at all actually 😂. ‘63 and ‘64 convertibles are worthless in the C2 world

[@ronaldmusacchio3552]

I know! Same owner since 1968. 51 & 1/2 yrs! Still exciting to drive & I never get tired of looking at my Sports Coupe!!

[@markpfeifer1402]

The engineers of the '63 stingray were really bringing their "A" game. That independent rear suspension is unlike anything else. And the body styling....man.

[@ubroberts5541]

New tire technology made the greatest difference.

[@tootsie5052]

I still remember the first time I saw my friends brand new '66 roadster, Cortez Silver, 427 CI, 425 HP, side pipes. He even let me drive it, man, I loved that car!!!!

[@darrellsomers5427]

What a thrill that must have been

[@damxgopak457]

Coolest film ever, can't believe I never seen this,Zora talking to the first drivers seriously!

[@sonny12681]

Just imagine taking the 2020 corvette with you back in time to 1953 and putting that car on the racetrack. What do you thing the reactions of the spectators would be? 💥💥💥💥💥💥

[@ooohhenrybmblm]

Dystopian car arriving from the future 🤯

[@lapranch]

It's always amazed me that a nearly 60 year old car does not look dated at all. The designers definitely got this one right.

[@rogercorlett3336]

I owned both 63 vets -black coupe and a red convertible them got drafted never forget them and do I ever wish I still had them Roger C.

[@SafetyMikeOHS]

So cool to see the old process for building this American Sports Car

[@USCG.Brennan]

I remember when the new '63 Stingrays came out. We kids all went down to the local Chevy dealership to "drool and dream"..... ;-) I later had a '62 and then a '65 Roadster (both 327 4spd cars). I then bought a Red '68 Roadster with 427 4spd. Wow, how I wish I had them today!!

[@garywilloughby6893]

I only had a 61 fuelie but I loved that car.. I had an NCRS restoration body off done back then it only cost 20 grand

[@freebird7284]

you sir have lived most of our dreams.

[@centurygarage]

Change that '65 to a '66 and our story is identical...and the '68 to a silver coupe with gunmetal interior. I did take the '68 on Route 66 August 1974...to live the TV series...

[@USCG.Brennan]

@@centurygarage Wow....that must have been fun and I hope you took alot of photos of your Vette parked here and there along the way. ;-)

[@centurygarage]

@@USCG.Brennan my '62 had 340 HP and softtop delete and hardtop in place.. to go cruising without top was quite a task...but got a technique to remove it myself

[@jmw708]

I wish Velocity or Discovery Channel would play some old videos instead of 20+ episodes in a row or Fast n Loud

[@KingRoseArchives]

Let them know -- we're happy to help them. They are teaming up with TEN (Hot Rod Magazine, Motor Trend, etc.) to launch a joint venture. So they'll be looking for ways to expand their programming.

[@petereconomakis149]

Yup, and get that awful Fantom Works show of their channel

[@MrHillbilly49]

You are exactly right. It would be educational to all the young pups and us old farts alike.

[@georgemcgillicuddy3498]

WORSE yet now that it`s " Motor Trend Channel "

[@SteveHall1962]

JMW 708 couldn’t agree more. Their programming has deteriorated to new lows....

[@IamMagPie]

Please note that at 03:34 you need to increase the sound volume alot, as it drops in the video. At 07:35 you again need to increase it (probably to max). And more important: just before 10:05, you need to DEcrease it, as the sound in the video picks up quite alot.

[@rollingtones1]

Thanks for the heads up!

[@vikingmike8139]

The dream of a lifetime would be to own this particular 'hand-built' Stingray Corvette.

[@brianross9861]

The most gorgeous car ever made coupe or convertible!! Sad to think how all these men in the video are all passed away long ago

[@brendas.1374]

Love my 1964 Corvette Coupe.

[@davis7099]

So it's basically hand made. What a thing of beauty.

[@C7vette7]

Thank you for this magnificent documentary

[@brickbuster3282]

Truly a classic

[@ellobo1326]

Great video. Thanks for posting !

[@user-jk7qk7rx6f]

Excellent video.

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

STIRLING MOSS SAID ONE OF THE BEST HANDLING CARS HE EVER DROVE SAYS IT ALL A WONDERFUL CAR VASTLY UNDERRATED

[@bux49]

My first ride in a Corvette was my neighbors brand new 1953. I was 3 years old and I sat between my neighbor and my Dad on the hump. I remember the little white ball there on the hump.

Do they still have it?

[@garneauweld1100]

Developing new sports cars in white, Oxford shirts with button collars. You got to love it! Made in my hometown, baby. My mother drove a black with red interior 327 FI. Went to grade school in a '63 full of kids. There must be low ground clearance, because my mother high-centered it twice while reversing. I loved that car because it was mean-looking as well as being quite stylish.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Loved every minute of it! My favorite corvette and year.😎👍

[@my31and37]

I've wondered how my C2 coupe was built, very cool to find this old footage.

[@USCG.Brennan]

I had one......it was a very nice and tight car. 327 4spd Roadster.

[@MrDjh66]

Love my 66 convertible this video is excellent

[@augustof.camargo6639]

Great footage, tks for posting 👍👍👍

[@ebody70]

This video is great, I cannot get over these guys doing this bare handed

[@MrJoeyd57]

Say what you want but the Corvette is the only sports car in my book.Interesting how things used to be.Everyone had a job to do.The American Sports Car!

[@MrHillbilly49]

This is a spectacular film!!!

[@thetreblerebel]

The C2 boat tail rear end is just beautiful!

[@patmurphy5237]

Great video. Thanks for posting.

[@CovertOperation13]

13:20 Now that's what a small block sounds like !

[@johneddy908]

Actually the name on the C2 was TWO words - "Sting Ray." It was not until the C3 that the name became one word.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

one of my favorite body styles,, even though the front should be lower with a air dam and the back should be a little higher, see them floating all over the track, built for comfort not for speed. what a classic car.

[@davidcamilli170]

what a beauty!

[@MLFranklin]

I must have missed the point around 13:50 where the expert racing drivers fastened their seat belts.

[@classic-kool]

@ 14:20 - Listen to the music that high compression small block V-8 makes! Hell yeah!!!

[@TheJagjr4450]

The two stingrays in the end are both wearing the preproduction /early Z06 two bar knock off's... a set of the wheels and knockoffs would bring 30k or more...

[@agp9844]

I was so fortunate to be able to purchase a factory engineer purchasing special order car from the original AC engineer who ordered it in late 1962 then it was used as a test car before he took possession of it after the engine and suspension were modified by the factory advanced development and reliability engineering teams. I was also though later a part of GM Delco engineering supervision over advanced development and reliability engineering facilities engineering. Mine was a 327 fuel injection engine with the big tank option and advanced handling package

[@sic762]

What is the most interesting thing about this video is that Dave McDonald (less than a year) caused the 1964 crash at Indy that killed him and Eddie Sachs.

[@plastic1492]

Love watching these videos, would be great to see these cars being built on the assembly line -- wonder if there're any videos available -- love those coupes -

[@KingRoseArchives]

Not sure about that. Will see if we have some. If so, will post.

[@plastic1492]

Thank you very much for the video

[@dukeman7595]

Family member owned a 63 convertible and sold it for $1250.00 in the early seventies.

[@secpac58chichi]

36 gallon tank - wow

[@tobywright7087]

The split window concept created a bit of controversy between Zora and the chief design engineer. Zora felt it created a very bad blind spot, and he eventually won the argument, and the next year the rear window was redesigned as one piece. Ironically, because of the limited number of Vettes produced that year with split window design, that model is now highly prized by collectors today who willingly shell out a lot of money to own one.

[@starmanskye]

Toby; And to think that many Vette owners wanted the new 'modern' look of '64 and had their car's rears modified to fit a one-piece rear window ...

[@darrellsomers5427]

Bill Mitchell head of the corvette design at that time

[@andyharman3022]

I would have been on Zora's side in the debate over one-piece or split rear window. It's all about function, not appearance.

[@neorev01]

Haven driven one, the split in the window blocks the rear view right where it's needed. It's a cool looking design, but from a functional standpoint, it shouldn't be there

[@daviddevries2078]

I had a 1971 Chevy Vega with a 283 corvette motor chained to the frame,,,and I raced and beat a lot of cheveles with almost the same motor but I was a lot lighter,,,,,

[@lionelvillahermosa653]

Excellent beautiful

[@HORACIO0251]

¡ Muy interesante ver la fabricación de este modelo, tan emblemático, de Ch ...et ! Como simpatizante de FORD, pienso que un Corvette sería el único Ch ... et que tendría

[@aliosmanpinar7472]

K

[@danr1920]

If I could afford one, I take an E type. Sorry. But all I can afford is a 65 Corvair convertible. This was GM was a well managed corporation.

[@jonnysrods]

Take note... at 3:36 you can see the deep rear foot wells for the REAR SEAT passengers. Rear seat never happened, but the first 1000 or so floor pans were Deep Well.

[@pj57taylor1]

This is a great video, but the sound does suck.

[@Erix7810]

Well, it wasn't exactly produced in an age of Dolby Surround.

[@cee128d]

Erix7810. PJ wasn't referring to Dolby or Surround, but the fact that the audio levels vary so much. I've watched a lot of videos from the 30's and 40's that don't have that problem so it has nothing to do with the age of the video. It's the quality (or rather the lack of it) of the transfer.

[@sallamantia2143]

PJ Taylor ,I

[@dariowiter3078]

PJ Taylor The soundtrack to this just fine, you fucked-up idiot! This film has a volume problem, that's all. GET YOUR EARS CHECKED NEXT TIME!!!!! 😬😬😬😬😬

[@RandallFlaggNY]

Wha'????

[@victorialouden1912]

the production never should have left the St Louis area just like the Camaro never should have left Norwood Ohio

[@landychapman3]

V. Louden correct me if I'm wrong. I think they moved 3rd gen Camaro/Firebird to Van Nuys Ca, and when 4th gen Camaro was built in Canada it damn near killed that city. (Also 5th and 6th gen built in Canada).

[@rayperkins4506]

Sounded a little like the chase Sean in Bullet.

[@PA1207]

First year corvette models are not "Right" out of the box, they always have troubles with the new technology's, I've never seen a model like the 1963 SWC that just froze in time as a born classic. Never have I met anyone who didn't just fall in love with a auto like with the 1963 Coupe ! Magnificent 70 years later !

[@Snoopy7666]

Actually, it was the "Sting Ray"... NOT spelled as one word until 1969 - after the design of the '63 was changed completely...

[@KingRoseArchives]

Thanks for catching that.

[@bethbartlett5692]

Charlie Brown I didn't know this and I have been a fan since Barbie got a 1965! lol

[@shsv81661]

Turn Up the volume!!

[@wookychewbacca5184]

OOHH a 63 Split Window, don't we wish . . . . .

[@rsvp9146]

Great video. Im curious about how the production cars differed in assembly. Mainly the fiberglass panels. Were all the emblems sandcast?

[@spactick]

I think they answered my question. The 62 Corvette (to me) is the most beautiful car ever made. But the 57' Chevy ain't bad, or the 56 or 55 or

[@Jfhdhdnfjdjej]

She looks nice to me

[@robertg9001]

The windshield looked pretty low in that first vette I want a mid year..: ( waaaaaaaaa

[@moboutmen]

You can't beat a 63 Split.

[@stevethomas760]

Wonder what HP engine was in these test cars. Certainly sounded good. Thanks for posting the video

[@USCG.Brennan]

I'm sure both were the HP 327 engines. I had a '65 and it had a great running and sounding 327.

[@stevethomas760]

The '63 Corvette came with a 327 cubic inch available in 250, 300, 340, 365 & 360 HP. The 360 HP was fuel injected. Just wondering what GM decided to put in their test cars. Most likely the higher HP engine.

[@CJurasin]

Corvettes usually had the higher output engines, so I'd lean toward the 300 hp and higher. I believe the 250hp were used more in the Biscayne, Bel Air and Impala cars.

[@stevethomas760]

Saw a 250 HP '63 Corvette at a Kissimmee Mecum auction three years ago. First one I'd ever seen. Car had a three speed manual, fairly rare combination. These test cars certainly didn't have a low HP engine..

[@Mark-lq3sb]

There's the man (Zora) that told the GM execs they should never sell Carrol Shelby the Chevy engines. So, Mr. Shelby went to Ford, and the rest is history. The history being that Shelby's Ford powered 289cid engine beat Corvette's (new) 327cid engine on many occasions on the road racing circuit through the early 1960s.

[@studio-flash]

Correct..but GM didint want to be associated with full corporate racing ..Then the Corvette grand sport was hushed through and beat the shelbys easily...then GM banned them.

[@Mark-lq3sb]

studio7, I'm sure you know most of this...…. Pissed-off Zora (understandable) designed and started the Grand Sport concept without GM's blessing. If your a Grand Sport fan then I'm sure you know, 5 Grand Sport prototypes had been built at that point out of a (Zora) proposed 125 production models needed to qualify for European racing rules. GM already had the ban, Zora just got caught by the GM bigwigs and they said no more. GM was the only one of the big three that strictly observed the racing ban participation of 1957. As we all know Zora managed to get 3 of the 5 built to private racing teams. Also, that purpose built 377cid alum. motor didn't last and that was one of the keys to the light weight of the Grand Sport (Gee, did Zora learn something from those light weight Cobras?) Those teams were forced to go to the heavier 427cid motor because GM would not build that 377cid alum. motor (...and so did the '65 Cobras, tit-for-tat I guess.) Do you know how many races were won by Cobras before the Grand Sports appaired? Do you know how many races were won by Cobras after the Grand Sport appaired? Let's not forget the many loses on both party's due to the European race cars.

[@amc401nash6]

True, but the Cobra was basically a hand bulit light weight race car with a street car wiring harness, as opposed to the Corvette being an actual production street car. The weight difference between the two was maybe five hundred pounds or so. The Cobra would suck as a daily driver compared to the Corvette as well as being a poor choice for a long trip, not to mention the spear tire was stored in the trunk so cargo space was nonexistent.

[@jh5881]

@Mark apples and oranges there dip$hit....Vette, a production street sports car and the ford, a light weight race car. Plus Shelby was a prick, like you.

[@freebird7284]

i'd still rather have a bare chevy block buried in a hole than a complete ford on an engine stand

[@fredgrove4220]

The sound on this video goes up and down like a barmaids pants.

[@MrRobster1234]

Dave McDonald was killed in the same accident as Eddie Sachs at Indianapolis.

[@TylerSmith-qx5kq]

16:55 when the guy walks up and hits the rims with a hammer

[@jh5881]

tightening the knock off spinners....or making sure they were tight....special hammer too

[@thetreblerebel]

I really love the gen 1 Vette, I know it wasn't a true sports car but it had the body and shape, just lacked the manual transmission and sporty engine. They didn't start getting good till what 57, 56? And then the C3 got heavy, then the C4 started the second coming of the sports car

[@heavenstomurgatroyd7033]

How did anyone even communicate with Duntov?

[@josecarloscampelo7501]

Na minha opinião o mais bonito é o Sting Ray 64.

[@skipwilson4792]

13:34 Dave MacDonald RIP

[@orgami100]

David George MacDonald was an American road racing champion noted for his successes driving Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the early 1960s. At the age of 27 he was killed in the 1964 Indianapolis 500. In his four-year racing career, MacDonald competed in 118 races with 52 victories and 75 top-three finishes.

[@larsulrich3356]

Why does the volume keep going down?!

[@polygamous1]

If you look at how expensive is for all maintenance/repairs on a high performance European sports car (exception Lotus) i much prefer the Idea of a big American V8 any day far cheaper to build n maintain n it must also be more reliable 2 the cost of spares on a car like a Porsche it will make u cry when you have to buy them n am sure ferraris cost the same or more American has long strait roads so they never needed a car to handle well on twisting country roads as Europeans did but now they start paying attention to handling is great news as fast sports cars will be within reach of many more people than B4 a V8 over a high revving small engine is always my choice

[@polygamous1]

the rear side lights on a DB 4 where from a ford Zodiac 15 shillings from Ford's, and £5 in a brand new Aston Martin box bought a Jaguar MK1 a 1959 model early 60s £325 i must admit was Brilliant driving in the dry n on strait road was in a different class to the fords But in the wet on corners it was Deadly fuel consumption was a joke n the indicator switch was £12.50 yet on a cortina is was £2.50 But it included washer wipers n headlight flasher its then i made up my mind never to buy a car with horrendously expensive parts since then i always had Vauxhall fords one golf MK1 a 205 n the rest Japanese cars now i got a Ford diesel Fusion 1.4 Peugeot D. engine possibly the most reliable Ford i ever had as good in reliability as most Japanese cars £30 a year tax 50 plus MPG n on the open road it gets to over 65MPG keeping my speed between 55 n 65 Even my mates RR had a Buick V8 engine with a RR rocker covers he was quoted £118 for each Hydraulic lifter 16 of them? he went to a dealer in Florida got a 35000 miles SH engine Buick engine for $350 or maybe 400 don't remember exacly But the build quality on a RR is unbelievable the coach Build Must be he Best on earth ever a 60s car in the late 90s yet the doors close Perfectly with the same gap all over everything In top notch

[@polygamous1]

you could well be right but i Just don't remember cause them days my dream cars where the Lotus's n the Astons they still are to be honest, even them days we had more choices in Britain than any country on earth few cars stood up head n shoulders above the rest, who can forget the Austin Heally 3000? a real country G/Man's sport car the Alvis TD 21 drop head coupe a convertible fit for a king the Best sports saloon car on earth in its day the Rover 2000 TC (twin carb not twin cam) really the golden days of British motor Industry, mate No car on earth was better for handling than the Elan plus 2 S130 was a delivery driver had a 1200 MK1 Cortina but when i got into a Lotus to deliver it i was honestly stung was not possible for my brain to believe ANY car on earth could handle that good forget about the 356 Porsche the lotus would leave it for dead on twisting country Lanes in the dry in the wet the Porsche was at least 3 divisions Down

[@robertfranklin7040]

Seriously - I may spontaneously LACTATE.

[@germanirish2]

Larry Shinoda...

[@gj4093]

this is good but loses sound

[@irocwrench6619]

I wonder if either of those 2 cars still exist

[@KingRoseArchives]

Good question.

[@neorev01]

You should see the other true American sports cars that the Corvette copied. Cars like Victress S1A and C3, the SR1 and SR100 Meteor, Devin, and many more. These were all about 1000 lbs lighter than the Corvette and often had equal or more powerful engines.

[@thetreblerebel]

Wish I could test drive a 69 Vette

[@andyharman3022]

The '63 Corvette is where it came a true sports car because that is when it got independent rear suspension. But the C2 design has always bugged me because the hood line basically goes straight out past the wheels, and the bumpers and grille are below it. Seems to me that the high nose would cause aerodynamic lift. I've always wondered how it would handle and what it would look like if the nose drooped past the front wheels.

[@craigthescott5074]

My 64 Vette starts to get airborn at 140mph and my car is lower than stock.

[@andyharman3022]

@@craigthescott5074 Does the front end start to hunt side to side? Is it lowered equally all around, or is the front lowered more?

[@timblackwood1531]

Now 2 robots are enough to build 10,000 cars ........the good old days are gone !

[@TheBuba1212]

53 the drivers head is above the windshield

[@studio-flash]

The Corvette was way ahead with fibre glass construction.

[@ChrisMartinScruffy]

Narrated by the same guy as "How Charlie got herpes"

[@Sunfried1]

This isn't the story of the Corvette. It's an assembly video.

[@spactick]

So the Corvettes were hand-made? or is this just a pro-type?

[@willythewave]

@13:33 Dr. Dick. lol

[@oilhammer04]

Sound dropped after about 8 minutes.

[@KingRoseArchives]

I know. That's how we received this old film. I'm looking for a better copy. Sorry.

[@SquillyMon]

Pretty Cool... But who goes around being introduced by their First, Middle and Last name? Zora Arkus Duntov aparrently...silly, no?

[@KingRoseArchives]

He was unique.

[@SquillyMon]

True, I cant argue that point, but my original statement still holds... "Hello, my name is First, Middle and Last, nice to meet you.... Whoa, whoa, buddy, too much information...the names Carl"

[@andyharman3022]

Arkus wasn't his middle name. He had a hyphenated last name: Arkus-Duntov.

[@TDBash]

YES SOUND SUCKS - KEEPS GETTING HARDER TO HEAR THRU OUT THE VID !

[@scottrayhons2537]

GM turned to making junk now. My 1980 chevy pickup had inspection holes everywhere from rust outs.

[@3011maciek]

European car that could race with the Chevy Corvette seen on KZbin : Peugeot 207 swap v10 first ride Peugeot 207/Lambo

[@briandonmore-he2dy]

Poor sound

[@slit4659]

Why are they Showing a 63 When the Vette started in 53......🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔. FUCKED UP SOUND.....

[@brucefisher4025]

The audio SUCKS!!!!

[@freebird7284]

watch the other copy of this video with perfect sound. Oh yea there isn't one!

[@christopherbywater8005]

The privileged people who formed a legend at a time when the US of A had an automobile industry. Look at GM today: I would not be seen dead in the crappy junk that carries the once iconic badges of Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. Oldsmobile and Pontiac? Deceased as loosers. Corvette? No more than a poor man‘s Ferrari with loads of cheap plastic trimming and digital gimmicks. Jucks!

[@lostsoul3154]

GM has sold a lot of junk. . . this one no exception.

[@cashmein14]

Patrick Joseph keep driving your Prius!

[@slpss2002]

Bet my 67' junk is worth more than your mom's house that you live in.

[@tomsmith2331]

Patrick Joseph clearly uses a high protein mouth wash

[@freebird7284]

yea, with a 5,000% increase in value

[@michaellorenson2997]

Wrong.

[@adrianlopez9194]

of course you'd want suspension on all four wheels. why put it on just one tire, two tires or even three tires?! 🤦🏻 humans are so smart.