The Corvette Stingray: Biography of a Sports Car

[@oldscar6169]

My dad working on the left front suspension He worked at the GM Tech Center Warren ,MI from 1958-1982

[@m.e.g.a.n.l.e.i.g.h]

This is my daughters u-tube site but I’m commenting that I myself owned a 66 427 2 top corvette and a 67 427 coupe. I’m now 70 years old and there hasn’t been a car yet that was as living up to real sports Car handling and looks as the C-2 Corvettes. They are in my heart and soul forever. Corvette live forever!

[@andydigiacomo74]

I'm putting together a 427 vet

[@matrox]

Damn right!😆

[@johnthonig8832]

I have owned a 65 Roadster L79 since 1973 She is a beast 😊

[@brendas.1374]

I ❤️ my 1967 Corvette L79 Coupe!!! It’s a 3-time NCRS top flight car.

[@mura0]

one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

[@manugonzalez468]

@Ronnie Kirkpatrick hellow

[@manugonzalez468]

@Ronnie Kirkpatrick bro Habla in Spanish

[@ShempBob]

No argument from me. Ya think those specific prototypes exist somewhere?

[@davidgrisez]

One of the significant improvements on the second generation Corvette in 1963 was four wheel independent suspension, that was shown in this video. Almost all other rear wheel drive cars of that time had a solid axle in back.

[@tedecker3792]

As much as I liked the 63 corvette, I ended up buying a 63 Jaguar E-type instead. Both were a giant leap forward. The Jaguar took the independent rear suspension one step further with inboard disc brakes.

[@hersonlamolli3317]

I'm 71 years old and my dream car was always the 1963 Sting Ray. Style, Power and Dream.

[@MsShadow70]

Crazy to see them make a quarter panel one at a time by hand. The ultimate craftsmen.

[@saltydog888]

A love of precision and a respect for power. Beautiful words

[@servicarrider]

I love this stuff. Can't get enough of it. I even learned a thing or two. Thanks for posting.

[@michaelwelsch7531]

Thanks 🙏 Mike

[@z512345]

I owned a 1965 convertible and a 1967 427 coupe. They where great cars in their day.

[@stevediduck9963]

My favourite Car, Generation, Year and Colour that Year. I had a 64 and till this day regretted ever selling it. One day I will get another C2.

[@klasseact6663]

Midyear Corvette coupes...GREATEST...CAR...EVER!

[@DocRebuild]

I never get tired of looking at this video - of course I'm prejudiced since my first drive & ownership was in mu 63 FI Coupe. i even tracked down a set of real Kelsey Hayes 2 bar KO's.

[@danielc5205]

Our uncle had a '67 sports coupe. Marlboro Maroon, 4 speed, 327, with a/c.

[@JeffJohnson-1982]

The best corvette there ever was!

[@tdalb8985]

I still think the 63 to 67 Stingray is the best looking car ever.

[@michaelweizer7794]

T Dalib I still have dreams of Corvette Stingrays parked next to Jaguar XKEs that was the vettes rival and of course Carroll Shelby's Cobra.

[@mjmcnult]

I had the good fortune of driving a few mid-sixties corvettes, including a convertible '65, when I was a teenager back in the 70s. A neighbor friend of mine had a series of Corvettes: a two tone '62, a dark green '65 convertible, and my fave, a 'bright orange '63 split window. The '65 was a four-speed beast! It's awesome to see in this video how they were put together.

[@RandyHubbard-p5l]

62s were never two tone, last of those was the 61.

[@ronaldwarren5220]

Amazing to see all three of those Corvette gurus interacting. They sure look young!

[@klasseact6663]

How cool is ZAD in this video! He looks like the proud father he truely is, RIP ZAD.

[@albertvelasquez7089]

I bought a 1966 c2 convertible,mine is in a million parts,a few months ago,amasing there still a lot of used parts out there! hope to be driving mine 12 months.😀

[@trashbandit2449]

Well? How is it?

[@sharonhoang]

’s new 1966’sLearned to drive a stick shift on my cousin’s silver 1966 Stingray. Greatest car ever

[@Dani65ful]

in the Tv series they used only 3 Corvette 60,61, and 1963 all three were convertibles.. though I think since the series was done in black white.. they used light colored Vette.. from light blue to fawn beige.. beautiful cars but love the series and the Cars .. great 63 Jay, I love it

[@robertlay4310]

I still have my 1963 Z06 that I purchased in 1972, the only thing not original are the tires, battery, wiper blades and belts!✌😊

[@wydopnthrtl]

WOW... maybe one day I make a similar claim about my 04 Z06

[@selectooldave]

The GM building in Warren MI, where they were doing the prototype build, still looks the same today. Pretty cool.

[@ralfa.7632]

Bought a 1963 C2 Convertible a few weeks ago in Ohio. Car got shipped 3 days ago, 12th of Feb., arriving to Germany around 7th of March. Can hardly wait!

[@Yankeededandy62]

Klassischer geht es nicht, willkommen in der Corvette Welt

[@ralfa.7632]

@@Yankeededandy62 , Vielen Dank! Fahrzeug soll morgen (01.04.) geliefert werden...wahrscheinlich stehe ich morgen ab 04:00 Uhr früh auf´m Hof....

[@johnthonig8832]

@@ralfa.7632 Ja, Geil 😊

[@kmsupercars]

Love the old reel!

[@johnmilner7603]

I need a ‘63 Coupe. The 63-67 Stingray Coupes are my favorite body design.

[@johnthonig8832]

Sting Ray

[@robertdean6222]

Glad to see the research and technology that went into these cars. I owned my 1965 Corvette for 25 years now. At 6 foot tall it’s very comfortable to drive but I will admit the steering wheel has always felt a little large for what reason I do not know. Without power steering though I assume it helps in maneuverability. Why so many of these cars came off the assembly line without power steering and power brakes is unknown to me.

[@huntersmith2921]

Lots of money and complexity that many prospective owners did not desire, I'd imagine

[@jimcharles9705]

Both power steering & power brakes (as well as air-conditioning) siphon off power from the engine. A lot of Corvettes in the 60s were bought by people who wanted all the horsepower possible to go to the wheels. Also, at that time, power steering & power brakes were still kind of a luxury. Put all that together, it's no wonder why many Corvette buyers wanted their Vette to be bare bones on the options. Today, I'd LOVE a C2 Vette! But I gotta have AC, automatic transmission, power brakes & power steering. Because I'm spoiled with more modern rides.

[@camerontrickey6057]

This 60s American Stingray reminds me of the 90s Japanese Mazda RX-7. Sleek streamline with airflow curves. Sporty & beautiful..

[@johnconnor6725]

"The best corvette there ever was!" I very much also think and feel this is true ! And the speedometer that goes up to 180 MPH ! THE most beautiful car ever made !

[@johnconnor6725]

@Joe Freeman I'm pretty sure it goes to 180. Next time I see the owner I'll ask him and try to get a picture

[@terryduncan5718]

Only went to 160....l had a 67 coupe..

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

It would overheat way before that I know Opel in germany tried to use 327 in their car and had to use marine heads cause it was blowing gaskets when they gunned it on the autobahn.

[@johnthonig8832]

@@terryduncan5718 Yep, my 65 Roadster is 160 as well

[@SteveHall1962]

Anyone note that everyone involved in the build wore grey pants, white shirt and sported a brush cut? Must have been the standard GM uniform.....

[@louieb.1564]

the part where they take the fiberglass back pannel of the car out of the mold and you can see the shape for the first time is so neat to watch

[@eternalme6077]

Uh WHAT.......was so Looking forward to them putting in that 427 hp. Powerhouse! Anyways what a BEAUTY, the Only year for the Split window.....GORGEOUS! Thank you for Posting this Baby 🎸💚

[@bbb462cid]

Not in '63 they weren't, That wasn't until '66

[@wagonmaster1974]

When the crew carried the body to the frame, I couldn't help but think of pallbearers...

[@craigpennington1251]

Of the Corvette Coupes are the 65, 66, 67 (C2) & the 78 & 79 (C3) & the 2019 Z06, all in manual transmission. Had a 1978 L82 Coupe but had to get rid of it because certain neighbors would not leave it alone. The neighbors are gone (passed). Jealousy I guess. That L82 was a nice Vette.

[@craigpennington1251]

P.S. Would love to see a full 500 mile Old Indy Roadster race in person. Those cars are the coolest on wheels.

[@paladin0654]

The back end of the split window Sting Ray is the sexiest car ever built.

[@enedenedubedene4811]

Irre Hinterradaufhängung, die Antriebswellen sind die oberen Querlenker, genial!!! Hatte dies die letzte Corvair nicht auch?👆👆👆😄😄😄😄😄 Viele Grüße aus Germany

[@michaelmazzei9037]

I wish that the drivers would have commented on braking. The 63 had drum brakes on all four wheels and Chevy went to disc brakes mid-way through the 65 model year. The switch to discs had to be an improvement on the track. I have a 64 and was scared to death of the drum brakes and installed aftermarket disc brakes not long after getting the car.

[@matrox]

Everyone is a regular little worker bee, each doing their part to make a whole.😁👍

[@michaelwelsch7531]

Great American Sports Car amazing Grace time to go get your new 70 th Anniversary Corvette ZO6 3LT?🇺🇸🙏🇺🇸

[@1PotatoeMasher1]

Is there anyway you can fix the audio post upload?

[@dimebagvinnie644]

I work for Sr3 motorsports in New lenox Illinois restoring these Gems , very cool to see this !!!!

[@atpg5]

13:24 Search David George MacDonald (July 23, 1936 - May 30, 1964). Unfortunately, Mr. MacDonald died driving in the 1964 Indianapolis 500.

[@genewaldeck603]

Very interesting story of the csr.

[@MrDjh66]

Great I love it 81 shovel here to ridged kick only

[@manugonzalez468]

Que Hermosos estos Clásicos Comerciales

[@carguy0000]

Great video, does anyone know what happened to the Maroon 63 coupe and white or silver 63 convertible ?

[@billyfoster3223]

Great video! Great cars!😄😁

[@joeblow1942]

Too bad the audio is messed up.

[@Santiagodelpieroshakespeare08]

Este Documental es Hermoso

[@rollingstopp]

The 53 vette needed the ZL-1 power plant .. would have really updated motoring .. lol

[@sparkytdg]

There is a guy in Cincinnati doing something similar to his right now. Interesting project.

[@rollingstopp]

sparkytdg im from ohio

[@matrox]

A friend of my mothers had a 66'. He let me drive it after a restore was done. It had a 350 eng. in it with an Auto trans. It looked good but I was not that impressed with the feel and performance. I'm thinking it was not an Ace#1 restore. This was in the late 70s. Pretty sure it was still using bias ply tires too. I remember it riding hard and hitting the bumps hard and feeling the bang from the bumps. I didn't step into it hard because it was't my car. But I also feel that 350 was built for a grocery getter and not a corvette. I understand the guy still has the Vette today. The guy didn't strike me as a performance car guy. I think he just dug the looks more than the performance. I was a you kid then and had a 69' RoadRunner. He showed no interest in my car, thats Why I don't think he was a real car guy.

[@bbb462cid]

Well, the 350 did not exist as a Corvette engine choice in 1966. It was probably a quick swap, cheap and simple, to repalce the original 327. I was buying second hand iron block V8s in the 90s for 300 bucks- the entire car icnluded, too. Imagine how cheap you're getting an engine from a junkyard in 1979. There were lots of cheap, available, unwanted, and low performing, low compression, low HP smog V8s around in the '70s. So yeah, it was not an ace number 1 restoration. From your description, it was "fixed up" rather than "restored". As you say- a cosmetic job, not much else.

[@matrox]

@@bbb462cid Yeh...its why I say it was a Grocery getter engine. Probably came out of a base model Malibu.

[@dmatthews3583]

And the automatic sucked the life out of them. Four speed is the way to go.

[@MrDjh66]

Love my 66 convertible all my problems disappear when I’m cruising

[@larrytornetta9764]

Like quid pro Joe

[@pattygq]

What's up with the audio?

[@brentroscoe9922]

I am sorry to say this but if you do not find this car just oozing in gorgeousness then you have no soul and you're a Heathen

[@albertpendergraff5149]

I have a threed generation of Corvette and I love all Chevrolets because I am related to Louie Chevrolet and the Corvette was and is Americas sports car ever made and yes some had problems and some are worth more then outher but in the end it's still a Corvette

[@atpg5]

13:24 Search Dr. Richard K. Thompson, “The original “Flying Dentist” a good read.

[@umangu]

I had no idea Corvettes had independent rear suspension back in 63!!

[@thud9797]

And they kept that same basic IRS all the way through 1982. 😀

[@andrewbecker3700]

Imagine if GM would have let Duntov and the engineers put the aluminum 427cid engine in the chassis where the gen 8 car has it, like they wanted to? The Pantera was the only production car with a mid engine built in the states.

[@robertsuter760]

what happened to the sound ???????

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

There are other uploads of this film on YT with good audio, but poor quality video. Whoever (GM?) has access to the original film should convert it to HD video. This film is an important part of automotive history.🙂

[@MicheluceRizzuto]

It looks like the convertible got a little sideways @15:49

[@saulacostajr.1108]

8:15 LMAO..... Fuck on the face shield!? Someone probably planted that LoL....

[@edewing8035]

Buck probably painted it.

[@joebrown1382]

That engine sound track sounded like the engine in the Bullit chase.

[@fanghicheck]

good call

[@Roadhouse1997]

Except this would be 5 years before then

[@TimeToBeKind]

I got one, getting painted as we speak. Probably won’t be driving it until it gets cool out, maybe in November. I restored my truck and now my car, and you would think I was smart enough to get it on video, or at least take pictures. Nope, neither.

[@gojoe2833]

The music is the same as 1959 film "The Corvair In Action"

[@stevenhall9009]

It'd be awesome if this 100% hand-built prototype was sold buy GM and is still around today.

[@rlu1956]

Passing another car in the neighborhood street? LOL. So fast that early Vet...LOL.

[@Santiagodelpieroshakespeare08]

Aunque este Documental Sobre Los Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Es hermoso , Hubiera deseado Nacer en esa época , Debí nacer en esa época y Ser Gringo xD

[@matrox]

You gotsa to be an artist to build a car. Gotsa be a sketcher and a scupltor. Sketch, and sculpt what you sketch in both wood and clay. It takes so much to build a car.😫

[@burtbenz9964]

Beautiful cars of course sport

[@lovetherockies6080]

The sound dies out half way through.

[@jeffs6809]

14 downvotes are Yugo drivers...

[@larrytornetta9764]

C8 “ respect the power”

[@wallacegrommet3479]

A sports car with drum brakes after disk brakes available, smart

[@johnthonig8832]

My 65 has disc and power steering from factory

[@thud9797]

Not many cars had 4-wheel disc brakes before Corvette.

[@fanghicheck]

thumbs up too thumbs down VERY GOOD

[@russelljdj]

As bad as the performance and quality control, AKA Fit & Finish got from 75 -82, the C3 was to me the best looking and most original American car ever. Best of all with some simple tweaks they can be brought up to the standard for which the 66- 71 set. Corvette died after 82. Now they are just Euro copy cats.

[@andy-man3405]

When the Big 3 enjoyed the benefits of an isolated economy....

[@sevyxuoir6714]

one thing is sure...the sound quality of the video not good as the car lol

[@K-Effect]

Just go ahead and drop the fastback off at my house when you're done

[@RandyHubbard-p5l]

Sting Ray two words not one!

[@rollingstopp]

. K.R.A RULES * * * * *

[@paulhammersley4562]

model T rear suspension, lol,

[@terryduncan5718]

And your point is ??

[@franciscojuliangranadaescu5762]

Zora Arkus Duntov.

[@richardthayer5907]

A time when white men could be left alone to do what they do best invent and build awesomeness.

[@Chico-kt7id]

assess assessed

[@johnq.customer8027]

AUDIO SUCKS!

[@johnadams9044]

Drives like a dream car? Ha! With the same front end as a Chevy Impala, the Vette drives like a lumbering sedan.

[@1PotatoeMasher1]

You’ve obviously never driven one. Yeah its a 1960s car but it doesn’t drive like a lumbering sedan.

[@thud9797]

Was gonna say, spoken like someone who has never set foot in one.