[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Alvin

One more of the same...

[Keith Seymore]

Taken during the GM Tech Center car show (July 25):

K

[John V.]

By the time it appeared in the Presley movie, Bill Mitchell had added the passenger seat and passenger side windscreen with outside mirror set-up.

When it was originally raced, it had a red interior and driver side headrest. There was no passenger seat or passenger side windscreen, just a tonneau cover over that area. Although the pic of the No. 11 racer shows it without the tonneau cover, isn't clear to me if it has the passenger seat in place but I'm guessing not, just in the interest of weight saving.

As he funded it (I'm sure never worked on it while on the clock!), it became Bill Mitchell's personal car after the race days were over circa 1960. Changed to black interior with two seats when seen in the movie but still red exterior. Also the hood scoop was added (maybe just for the movie) and then apparently removed at some point. The functional hood vents were also shorter when originally raced, became longer at some point.

Not sure when it was changed to the silver exterior with silver interior as it now appears for the Tech Center iteration. It remains in the two seat configuration rather than the original "as raced" version.

The race effort was privately funded by Mitchell because of the GM racing ban in effect at the time.

Is it my imagination, or is the side pipe disconnected at the fender in the shot with Presley standing against the passenger side?

Footage of it racing at Elkhart Lake's Road America circa 1959 or 1960. It can be seen starting at the 2:33 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsaP_LzUl3Q

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by John V.

By the time it appeared in the Presley movie, Bill Mitchell had added the passenger seat and passenger side windscreen with outside mirror set-up.

When it was originally raced, it had a red interior and driver side headrest. There was no passenger seat or passenger side windscreen, just a tonneau cover over that area. Although the pic of the No. 11 racer shows it without the tonneau cover, isn't clear to me if it has the passenger seat in place but I'm guessing not, just in the interest of weight saving.

As he funded it (I'm sure never worked on it while on the clock!), it became Bill Mitchell's personal car after the race days were over circa 1960. Changed to black interior with two seats when seen in the movie but still red exterior. Also the hood scoop was added (maybe just for the movie) and then apparently removed at some point. The functional hood vents were also shorter when originally raced, became longer at some point.

Not sure when it was changed to the silver exterior with silver interior as it now appears for the Tech Center iteration. It remains in the two seat configuration rather than the original "as raced" version.

The race effort was privately funded by Mitchell because of the GM racing ban in effect at the time.

Is it my imagination, or is the side pipe disconnected at the fender in the shot with Presley standing against the passenger side?

Footage of it racing at Elkhart Lake's Road America circa 1959 or 1960. It can be seen starting at the 2:33 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsaP_LzUl3Q

Thx for the info and the video clip w heads up to FFWD to 2:33 mark.

[Tenney]

http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...oncept_1-3.pdf

[Alanjnc]

I got my drivers license on a Wednesday and lost that Friday because someone thought it would be a good idea to turn a 16yo loose in my brother's Judge. LOL
This was taken a few months later (1982??) after the very tired RAIII gave up the ghost.
He sold it after we put another 400 in it. I've looked everywhere for that car. Would pay a lot to have it back in the family!!

[Alanjnc]

Originally Posted by Alanjnc

I got my drivers license on a Wednesday and lost that Friday because someone thought it would be a good idea to turn a 16yo loose in my brother's Judge. LOL
This was taken a few months later (1982??) after the very tired RAIII gave up the ghost.
He sold it after we put another 400 in it. I've looked everywhere for that car. Would pay a lot to have it back in the family!!

And next to my other brother's super bee.

[Alanjnc]

Pre OSHA
Love this photo!

[Alanjnc]

Nicest wrecker in town, no doubt....

[GT182]

Try this one......

Stingray Racer 1959 at Elkhart Lake:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGq2b_tOr4

[Alanjnc]

Driver is either drunk, drew the short straw, or has Ti nards....
.

[Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by GT182

Try this one......
Stingray Racer 1959 at Elkhart Lake:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGq2b_tOr4

I did a double take @ 9:36.
Wow, I never knew a factory sunroof was available on any Corvair, let alone 1960.
Nice to see the other brand new 1960 models in the background as well.

[Tenney]

Originally Posted by GT182

Try this one......

Stingray Racer 1959 at Elkhart Lake:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGq2b_tOr4

Cool clip!!

[John V.]

Lightfoot, according to what I read from the Corvair Museum, that Corvair was a 1960 factory experimental "Super Monza" done up by Bill Mitchell.

GT182, great clip from Elkhart Lakes!

The silver paint job threw me until I found this chronology:

http://kpolsson.com/vettehis/vett1959.htm

Says in October 1959, the Bill Mitchell Sting Ray racer got a new body, "made for Bill Mitchell's Sting Ray racer, made of thinner fiberglass, reinforced with balsa wood, and painted metallic silver (previous body was red)."

So now we know it started as Red, redone in Silver, Red again in the "Clambake" movie, now back to Silver.

Interesting factoids in the chronology, Dick Thompson suspended for aggressive driving after racing the Sting Ray in its April '59 debut, John Fitch racing the Sting Ray at Elkhart Lake in June '59, etc.

[MikeNoun]

Old Chevrolet engine plant photo....anyone know what year this would be?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Old Chevrolet engine plant photo....anyone know what year this would be?

That would be the motor line of a vehicle final assembly plant rather than the engine plant (because the transmissions are already installed).

My guess would be 1959 since it looks like part of the Life magazine coverage of the Framingham plant done in that year.

K

[John V.]

Keith, you got it "mostly" right.

Mike's two photos originally ran in the Life Story, but the Assembly Plant was at Tarrytown, NY.

For us guys that are fascinated by how youse guys built them back in the day, my only regret is that Life didn't feature Pontiacs from the Pontiac Plant in that story!

The photos give a pretty extensive look at how a car was assembled, starting in the Fisher Body side thru to completion.

For anybody that hasn't seen all the photos from the Life article, they can be found on the net.

Here is a 4 min. youtube video that gives a "Reader's Digest" condensed look at the photos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZhXSJkOo6E

[Lightfoot]

I'm thinking that's a cast iron Turboglide bolted to the SBC in the top photo.
Interesting that they apparently used an extra 'adapter' between that trans and the engine.
Not sure why the oil filler tube is not affixed to the front of the manifold, and I don't see a road draft tube anywhere either.

[John V.]

The Turboglide looks way more distinctive and had an aluminum case.

Pretty sure that is the cast iron Powerglide.

Both were offered in the '59 Chevy, the Turboglide was more expensive.

My eyes aren't good enough to check for the Road Draft Tube but if it isn't there yet, along with the Oil Filler Tube you mentioned, they would have been added later in the Engine Dress sequence.

[MikeNoun]

The 1959 Buicks were the only vehicle that screamed "road rage" while you were sitting still in a parking lot.