• Chevrolet Corvette C2

The Chevrolet Corvette C2 was presented in the summer of 1962 as the second generation of the Corvette Sting Ray under the name. The term "Sting Ray" referred to in the English language the stingrays. Unlike the successor Corvette C3, the name was still written with spaces. For the first time there was the Corvette convertible out of the well as a coupe. The later legendary "Big-Block" V8 engines appeared first time in 1965; initially with 6.5 liters and from 1966 even 7.0 liters of displacement. These engines showed an enormous torque and were only surpassed by the successor, the Corvette C3.

New were also the turning headlights, which should return as pop-up headlamps regularly in later versions and disappeared with the Corvette C6 again until 2005. The split rear window of the 1963 Coupe C2 gave this the name "Split Window". The C2 was also the first Corvette without a rigid rear axle; behind came the first time an independent suspension used. Air conditioning and leather seats were new to surcharge options.

In March 1964 Corvette C2 in the GT category won the "12 Hours of Sebring Race". Roger Penske continued its winning streak continued in the Bahamas and went in December with Jim Hall’s Grand Sport Corvette Nassau in front of a strong Cobra competition was the first across the finish line.

In February 1966 Roger Penske won 1966er Corvette with a 5.3 liter (327 ci) engine, the "Continental Daytona Endurance Race" in the GT class as well as in March, the 12-hour race at Sebring.

Corvette C2 Sting Ray was built from September 1962 to July 1967. Were produced in total 117 964 pieces, including 45 546 coupe. The Sting Ray was one of Mitchell’s best work. It was surprising, therefore, that this version had only until 1967 inventory. Already in the autumn of 1967 appeared the successor to the Corvette C3.

According to legend, GM’s chief designer Bill Mitchell came deep sea fishing, the idea of ​​transferring the body shape of a shark on a car’s design. The concept car Shark – Mako Shark I later called – is similar to the Predator with his mouth like grill, the gill-like side inlets and the color from blue/gray at the top for silver/white. Took this for the first time in 1961 on the track at Road America in Elkhart Lake/Wisconsin presented show car together with the modified race car Corvette Stingray Racer (1959) many stylistic features of the second Corvette generation anticipated. The term "Mako Shark" refers to a mako shark in English. "Stingray", however, refers to a stingray.

Larry Shinoda (U.S. citizens with Japanese roots) designed under GM design chief Bill Mitchell, the Sting-Ray generation, which was built in 1963-1967. Copies of C2 with the available starting in 1965 "big block" engine can be seen by the eye-catching scoop on the hood. The so-called "L78" engine needed more space and therefore necessitated a bulge in the special hood. First, the displacement of the potent eight-cylinder engine was 6.5 liters, From 1966, there were then 7.0 liters. Coupe and convertible were initially produced in the same number, but the convertible has quickly become the most popular version. Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda designed the body of C2 and re-oriented themselves to an individual piece, the racing car "Stingray" in 1958.

While the rear was taken from the last Corvette C1 (1961-1962) in part, the rest of the body has been redesigned. The "Sting Ray" was not as curvy and curved like its predecessor. The pronounced wedge shape from front and rear end is characteristic of this "Sting-Ray" models so-called (stingray). Pop-up headlights and the distinctive side body crease at the height of the wheel arches emphasize the flat contour in addition.

Although the wheelbase compared to the first generation declined by ten centimeters to 2.49 meters, the C2 model acts elongated than its predecessor. The length was increased by 10 cm and was now 4.45 meters. The width was identical to its predecessor, with 1.77 meters, while the height of the body by 1.26 meters by 50 mm lower than the C1 was.

For the first time in addition to the open version and a closed coupe was available, its tail like a dome spans an arc downwards. Especially popular today is the "split-window" Corvette with split rear window. Only the approximately 10,600 vehicles in the 1963-vintage have this extravagant body detail.

In all the years of production, the "Sting Ray" was only slightly changed. But a year after the introduction in 1964 the "Split Window", the split rear window, replaced by a rear window made of one piece. Thus, the metal bridge between two half-discs in favor of better visibility and easier production was abandoned. Supposedly were also the production costs are too high and too complex for this system, which meant that it already after was just one year discarded. The 1964 version also differs from the 1963 model by the large ventilation slots accounted for on the hood.

In the Coupe GM introduced a 3-stage fans for better ventilation of the interior, which, however, only on the driver’s side had an outlet. Other changes to the interior were redesigned seats, a plastic steering wheel with walnut faux chrome knobs on the interior doors. From 1964 to 1967, the Dow-Smith delivered in Ionia, Michigan, a series of Corvette bodies.

1965, two horizontally superposed ventilation openings in the front fenders were replaced with three vertical slots. The horizontal front grille was painted black, the outer enclosure was chromed. The interior of the C2 was, the seats and the door panels (integrated armrests) revised in the range of the instruments.

The 1966 Corvette was the last year almost identical. Only some marginal changes in the equipment as the Corvette lettering on the hood, a new grill for the first time headrests were offered. As units of the 300-hp 327-ci engine shipped with 5.3 liters of displacement and a manual 3-speed transmission as standard equipment. The over the hood extending central bridge was widened and in the latest version (1967) with a Vent adds. The number of three vents on the front fenders was expanded to five.

The second major change was the introduction of the independent rear suspension, which replaced the old rigid axle. Thus, a tradition was established, which continues to this day. Rivals such as the Jaguar E-Type had indeed already begun on the American market with disc brakes, the Corvette but was still delayed by large drums, although sintered metal coatings were available as brake assist.

With the rear wheel suspension with transverse leaf springs, the biggest technical innovation hidden under the floor pan. "The independent rear suspension was with the mounted on the frame differential gear, the basic requirement in order to realize the excellent handling characteristics and excellent handling", the 1955 Corvette chief engineer carried Zora Arkus-Duntov wrote in January of 1963 to the "Association of Automobilingenieure (SAE).

The 8-cylinder engine was initially taken from the C1. This was around the 5.3 liters – the so-called "small-block" engine. This had an output of 250hp to 360hp, later to 375hp. Mid-year 1965, the now legendary "Big Block" – a 425-hp 396-ci V8 engine – introduced. For the first time in a Corvette that was "big-block" then be ordered with 6.5 liters of displacement. From the year 1966, the "big block" was drilled and now even offering 7.0 liters with an output of 450 SAEhp and a torque of 544 Nm at 4000 rpm.

By 1967, the Corvette C2 L88 engine in the "24-hour race" in Le Mans debut. This L88 also had a displacement of 7.0 liters. The performance is specified as from 430-550hp SAE. This engine displacement "Monster" was the strongest ever available engine for the "Sting Ray". Since the U.S. earlier the engine power was, however, measured differently than in Europe, are PS Information considerably higher and thus such high performance data with caution to enjoy.

From 0 to 96km/h (0-60mph) acceleration, the 425-hp model with 6.5-liter "big block" V8 engine within 4.8 seconds. With a top speed of 276km/h, second Corvette generation achieved in 1967 set a speed record at Le Mans. The model was driven there is driven from the system introduced from 1966 7.0 liter "big block".

The sporty version of the Corvette C2, called the Grand Sport ("GS"), developed in 1963 by Zora Arkus-Duntov and realized in an edition of only five copies. A total of 125 pieces to Homologationszwecke should be built, what was then, however, be permitted by the GM line. Thus only about five C2 Corvette Grand Sport to be built.

The Corvette "Grand Sport" posted on August 24, 1963 their first victory at the Watkins Glen International. On December 6, Roger Penske was able to continue the success story of the "Grand Sport" in the prototype class with a victory of the "112-mile-Governor’s Trophy" at the "International Bahamas Speed ​​Week" races in Nassau. Two other Corvettes won at the same event, the "252-Mile-Nassau Race" also.

A replica of the 1963 Zora Arkus developed by the engineer-Duntov and realized in an edition of 5 copies Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport is manufactured since 2009 in both the U.S. and in South Africa again as a replica in small series production. This model is used in the "Duntov Motor Company" in Farmers Branch, Texas, as well as in South Africa Port Elizabeth by Hi-Tech Automotive & Superformance under the name Superformance Corvette Grand Sport produced. For use gasoline engines of the type GM ZZ4 come with an output of 257 kW (350hp).

These licensed replicas have nothing to do with the original "Grand Sport", were built of which only five pieces. Such original copies (if any) traded for about 5 million U.S. dollars.

Another rare georderte option was RPO (Regular option code) with the name "Z06". This version, which was only 1963 and 1964 to choose from, drove the then purchase price by 50% upwards, which is why only 199 buyers opted for this model. The C2 Z06, which externally could not be distinguished from the regular models had, among other things, the 5.3 liter (327 ci) – "small-block" V8 engine with 360hp SAE, a sportier Chassis and a larger fuel tank. The option name "Z06" returned only with the later models Corvette C5 and C6 Corvette again.

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