Was Chevrolet trying to copy the GT40 back in 1968

[HHGT]

http://wiki.gmnext.com/wiki/index.php/Astro_II_Concept

Lead engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov and GM styling chief Bill Mitchell were hoping Astro II would be the concept for the next generation Corvette, but the GM management figured the public was not ready for a mid-engine car. Boy where they wrong!!!

 

[Empty Pockets]

I remember this car. It's what started a SLEW of car mag articles predicting that the 1970 Corvette would be a mid engine car. And Corvette fans have been "waiting" for one ever since. I was one of them. And when the FGT was released it was obvious to me IT was the car Corvette should have been long ago AND the car G.M. would never build - so I "jumped camps" in a New York nanosecond. 'Couldn't have been happier with that decision if I'd been triplets.

 

[Chris A.]

Very cool....imagine how this might have evolved over the years.....kinda looks like a GT, Vette and a Muira had an orgy and this was the result

 

[skyrex]

Do you ever worry about how ridiculous our clothes will look 35 years from now? :lol I shudder every time I see a pic from when I was a kid and my parents had me in plaid pants. :ack

Other than the clothes....Great Pics!

 

[RALPHIE]

I think my Levi 501's will look the same....

 

[B O N Y]

Ass-X-actly -

 

[gtjoey]

That car had alot of 'dino' F. IN THAT DESIGN..when people were aloud to dream, before federal regulation crash testing etc. gtjoey1314/0004/and all the rest:thumbsup

 

[Waxer]

Wow, the Corvette would have been a much superior vehicle for how many years then it was????

Boy talk about missing the boat! :ack

 

[Fubar]

Don't forget that Chevrolet owned the rights to the Lola design first. They just failed to execute... their loss.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Wow, the Corvette would have been a much superior vehicle for how many years then it was????

Boy talk about missing the boat! :ack

They just didn't listen to their customers - much like today. God knows there were many of us who sent letters (those are words written on paper, placed in a envelope, and sent thru the postal system...for those too young to remember that mode of communication) urging GM to build the car. And, as I mentioned, all the car mags were enthusiastically BUZZING with anticipation saying that the car would/should be built, etc. But........................

That experience is one of the reason's I was completely FLOORED when Ford announced it was actually going to BUILD the FGT. I just couldn't believe it.

 

[MotorTribe]

Very cool....imagine how this might have evolved over the years.....kinda looks like a GT, Vette and a Muira had an orgy and this was the result

Is that lady talking on a 1960's cell phone?

 

[FB GT40]

Chev?

Don't forget that Chevrolet owned the rights to the Lola design first. They just failed to execute... their loss.

Fubar - please explain. I've not heard this before...

 

[Empty Pockets]

Is that lady talking on a 1960's cell phone?

If you blow up the photo and look real close, it looks like there's a std (for the day) black desk phone sitting inside a kinda "futuristic" phone box (of sorts). And if you look at the right side of the GUY'S left leg you'll see what looks like a totally STRAIGHT line running up to the "box"(?) that the phone's sitting in. That's pbly a pipe or length of square tubing that supports the whole shebang.

As I recall, there were no mobile phones in brief cases until the LATE seventies (not to mention cell phones...I think they came in [around here] in the early 80's!). Until then, mobile phones were only solid mounted to a car's dash or console with the electronics mounted in the trunk. At least that was the case up in this neck of the woods. In fact, up here in my area all mobile phones were on the SAME VHF "party" line! 'Can't tell ya what a JOY that was at times... :willy

 

[HHGT]

Fubar - please explain. I've not heard this before...

Actually from what I recall, the first Lola to receive a V8 had a Chevy in it.

 

[B O N Y]

The USA test market for cell phones was Chicago, I had one in 1978, it had two antennas mounted on top of the trunk, and a box inside the trunk the size of a small suitcase. Every call over a minute was dropped three times or more.

 

[dr914]

http://autoatlanta.com/carsales/904/main/images/DSCN5457.jpg


Chevrolet I am sure tore apart this 1964 model before they built theirs and I am sure that Ford did as well for the gt 40!

 

[Fubar]

Fubar - please explain. I've not heard this before...

I'll have to go back though my Ford GT books. One of them told the story about Ford buying the design for Lola Cars in England. It said that Ford actually bought the design from Chevrolet as they had purchased it first but did not want it.

I may have that mixed up, I will look for the details tonight and get you the facts... it was a good read.

 

[tpraceman]

Very cool....imagine how this might have evolved over the years.....kinda looks like a GT, Vette and a Muira had an orgy and this was the result

Cool but I am glad they didn't build it the side and front lower body panels would create enough lift it would need wings over 120:biggrin