A young Art Center College of Design student, named Peter Elbert Brock, became the youngest designer ever hired by Bill Mitchell, the Vice President of Design at General Motors. He rewarded Mitchell in November 1957 by making a sketch of what Mitchell chose to be the bases for the next generation of Corvettes, the C2 Sting Ray. Thanks to the engineering efforts of Zora Arkus-Duntov and styling boss Mitchell, the Sting Ray came to fruition.
One of the styling cues Mitchell wanted on the car was a “spine” theme. He was influenced by several cars, including the Bugatti 57SC “Atlantique” coupe, the 1937 Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine, and Harley Earl’s Oldsmobile Golden Rocket concept car, each of which had a “spine” that ran through the car, including through the rear window.
Become a Member & Get Ad-Free Access To This Article (& A Whole Bunch More!)
Access to the full article is limited to paid subscribers only. Our membership removes most ads, lets you enjoy unlimited access to all our premium content, and offers you awesome discounts on partner products. Enjoy our premium content.
Become a member today!
Already a Member?
