Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT

Last updated
Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT
Corvair Monza GT.1.jpg
Corvair Monza GT at General Motors Technical Center in Warren, MI
Overview
Manufacturer Chevrolet (General Motors)
Also calledMonza GT
Production1962
1 built
Designer Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine
Body and chassis
Class Sports car (experimental)
Body style 2-door coupe
Layout RMR layout
Related Chevrolet Corvair
Monza SS Spyder
Powertrain
Engine 2.3 L (145 ci) Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 engine H6
Power output102 hp (76 kW)
Transmission 4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 92 in (2,337 mm)
Length162 in (4,114.8 mm)
Height42 in (1,067 mm)

The Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT (XP-777) was a mid-engined experimental prototype automobile built in 1962 and based on the early model Chevrolet Corvair series. As it was essentially a concept car, the Monza GT did not enter production.

Contents

Design and development

In response to consumer advocate Ralph Nader's Unsafe at Any Speed , Chevrolet began developing a front-engine, front-wheel drive version of the Corvair; GM design chief Bill Mitchell repurposed the project by moving the transaxle to the rear, resulting in a mid-engine Corvair derivative. [1] Under Mitchell's direction, the Corvair Monza GT coupe was designed by Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine in 1962, borrowing from the Bertone designed Testudo concept car. Like the earlier design, the GT doors swung upward and were actually a front hinged canopy that extended into the B section; the rear engine cover also hinged at the rear. The engine was a standard 145 cu in (2,380 cc), 102 hp (76 kW), Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 engine with two carburetors. Unlike the production rear-engined Corvair, the GT engine was mounted ahead of the transaxle, resulting in a mid-engine layout. The chassis, designed by a team led by Frank Winchell, [2] featured a 92 in (2,337 mm) wheelbase, 16 in (406 mm) shorter than the production Corvair. The overall dimensions were similarly reduced with a length of 162 in (4,114.8 mm) and a height of 42 in (1,067 mm). [3]

Besides its streamlined appearance, the Monza GT had innovative features, including magnesium-alloy wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes, 4-wand fixed seats with adjustable pedals. These features would eventually turn up in production cars, years later. [4]

History

Introduced to the public in June 1962 at Elkhart Lake at a Sports Car Club of America race for A- and B-production classes, the Corvair Monza GT was an instant hit with enthusiasts. Reporters called the car "gorgeous." [5]

The Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT coupe toured together in early 1963 with the related Monza SS (Super Spyder, XP-797), styled as a roofless version of the GT, making a further public appearance at the New York International Auto Show. Although both cars were fundamentally based on existing Corvair drivetrain components and resembled each other externally, each represented a separate development of the Corvair design. In the Monza SS, the six-cylinder/six-carburetor engine [6] was left in its stock location behind the transaxle, allowing a shorter 88 in-long (2,235 mm) wheelbase. Like the XP-777/Monza GT, the XP-797/Monza SS chassis was developed by Winchell's team [2] and the body was styled by Mitchell's Studio X team (Shinoda and Lapine). [1]

Both the Monza GT and SS ended up as concepts only, tied partly to the fortunes of the Corvair, which fell after the vehicle had been declared unsafe by pioneering consumer advocate Ralph Nader. [7] Mitchell remarked in 1985 that he "wanted something more exotic, so I built the one where the hatch came up (the Monza GT) and it's still a beautiful car, but it was heavy. Then I built the open job (the Monza SS). GM just couldn't see putting that out, but it went around to shows everywhere." [8] Chevrolet began developing the Monza GT/SS into a production car under XP-782 with a targeted release year of 1966, but the production version never came to fruition. [9]

Today, the Corvair Monza GT concept car is one of more than 700 vehicles found in the GM Heritage Collection of historically significant vehicles.

Influence and legacy

The cars used for the World of Tomorrow car ride attraction at Disneyland were based on the styling of the Corvair Monza GT. [5]

The 1963 Corvette GS-II was derived from the mid-engine chassis of the Monza GT, again by Winchell's team. The GS referred to the Zora Arkus-Duntov-led Corvette Grand Sport program of 1962; two examples were built: GS-IIa, which was powered by a 327-cu.in. V8, and GS-IIb, which used a lightweight chassis and reportedly achieved 198 mph (319 km/h) at Jim Hall's Rattlesnake Raceway test track. The GS-II was styled again by Larry Shinoda. [2] [10] Hall's Chaparral 2C race car was in turn derived from the GS-IIb, [11] which remained in Midland, Texas, mostly forgotten until it was subsequently put on display starting from 2018 at the Chaparral wing of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum. [2]

Some of the styling features of the GT, notably the rear end, were the inspiration for the 19651969 Corvair. According to Pontiac Motor Division engineer Bill Collins, the division borrowed heavily from the Corvair Monza GT design when it developed both the coupe and convertible versions of its 1964 Banshee prototype cars. The design would also influence the 1965 Chevrolet Mako Shark II concept car and the 1968–1982 Corvette (C3) that clearly resembled it, three years later.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette</span> American sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors (GM)

The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of American two-door, two-seater luxury sports cars, manufactured and marketed by GM, under the Chevrolet marque, since 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvair</span> Compact automobile

The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet for model years 1960–1969 in two generations. A response to the Volkswagen Beetle, it remains the only American-designed, mass-produced passenger car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine. The Corvair was manufactured and marketed in 4-door sedan, 2-door coupe, convertible, 4-door station wagon, passenger van, commercial van, and pickup truck body styles in its first generation (1960–1964) and as a 2-door coupe, convertible or 4-door hardtop in its second (1965–1969) – with a total production of approximately 1.8 million from 1960 until 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Motors Y platform</span>

The Y platform, or Y body, designation has been used twice by the General Motors Corporation to describe a series of vehicles all built on the same basic body and sharing many parts and characteristics. The first was for a group of entry-level compacts including the conventional front-engine compacts built by GM divisions Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac from 1961 to 1963. The second, and current, incarnation is used for a high-end rear-wheel drive sports-car platform from the 1970s through the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transaxle</span> Combined transmission, axle and differential in one assembly.

A transaxle is a single mechanical device which combines the functions of an automobile's transmission, axle, and differential into one integrated assembly. It can be produced in both manual and automatic versions.

The Z platform or Z-body automobile platform designation was used on three different types of vehicles made by General Motors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 engine</span> Motor vehicle engine

The Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 is a flat-six air-cooled automobile engine developed by General Motors (GM) in the late 1950s for use in the rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair of the 1960s. It was used in the entire Corvair line, as well as a wide variety of other applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Shinoda</span> American automotive designer (1930–1997)

Lawrence Kiyoshi (Larry) Shinoda was a noted American automotive designer who was best known for his work on the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C1)</span> Motor vehicle

The Chevrolet Corvette (C1) is the first generation of the Corvette sports car produced by Chevrolet. It was introduced late in the 1953 model year and produced through 1962. This generation is commonly referred to as the "solid-axle" generation, as the independent rear suspension did not appear until the 1963 Stingray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiberfab Valkyrie</span> Motor vehicle

The Valkyrie is a GT sports car introduced in 1966 by the Fiberfab company. The Valkyrie's styling was inspired by the lines of the Ford GT40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corvette Stingray (concept car)</span> Motor vehicle

The Corvette Stingray Racer is a sports racing car and concept car that debuted in 1959. The car was developed in the styling studios at General Motors (GM) at the behest of Bill Mitchell, GM Vice President of styling. The design was based on a sketch by designer Pete Brock, and was further developed by Larry Shinoda. The car strongly influenced the styling of the second generation (C2) Corvette Sting Ray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Aerovette</span> Motor vehicle

The Chevrolet Aerovette was a concept car created by Chevrolet, beginning life as Experimental Project 882 (XP-882) in the late 1960s. It had a mid-engine configuration using a transverse mounting of its V8 engine. Zora Arkus-Duntov's engineers originally built two XP-882 prototypes during 1969, but John DeLorean, Chevrolet's general manager, canceled the program believing it to be impractical and costly. However, when Ford announced plans to sell the DeTomaso Pantera through Lincoln-Mercury dealers, DeLorean ordered that one XP-882 prototype be cleaned up for display at the 1970 New York Auto Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelmark Engineering</span> Defunct American automotive specialty shop

Kelmark Engineering was an American automotive specialty shop established in 1969 and based in Okemos, Michigan. It focused on high-performance custom V8 drivetrain swaps, the modification and production of rear and mid-engined cars, and custom-built turn-key automobiles. Until 1986, Kelmark Engineering manufactured kits and complete, finished, turn-key vehicles which were either Volkswagen-based or built on tubular race car-type frames. The outfit gained its name from Russ Keller and Randy Markham, the two co-creators who started the operation. Up until at least 1989, the Kelmark GT was still available as a kit albeit the manufacturer was Kelmark Motors in Holt, Michigan. The cars are all "rare" models, but the Volkswagen-powered Kelmark GT was the most popular.

The XP-819 was a one-off concept car, developed by General Motors in 1965, to test a rear engine configuration for the Chevrolet Corvette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heron Cars</span> New Zealand car maker

Heron Cars were racing cars, sports and kit cars built in New Zealand between 1962 and 1999 by Ross Baker. They also included a one-off electric car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Testudo</span> Motor vehicle

The Chevrolet Testudo is a concept car built by Bertone on a modified Chevrolet Corvair Monza platform. The name comes from the Latin word for "Turtle". The car debuted at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show.

Anatole Carl "Tony" Lapine was an automotive designer and racing driver. Lapine worked for General Motors (GM), Opel, and Porsche. During his time as chief designer at Porsche he oversaw development of the front-engined, water-cooled 928, 924 and 944 that began to appear in the mid to late 1970s, as well as two revisions to the Porsche 911.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette SS</span> Motor vehicle

The Chevrolet Corvette SS is a sports racing car built by Chevrolet in 1957. The car raced once at the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring before Chevrolet withdrew from all racing activities in response to a ban that year by the Automobile Manufacturers Association for all of its member companies, which included GM.

Clare M. "Mac" MacKichan was an automotive designer and executive with General Motors (GM). He is best known for designing or overseeing the design of several significant models for the Chevrolet division in the United States and Opel in Germany.

References

  1. 1 2 Witzenburg, Gary (December 27, 2017). "From the Pontiac Phantom to the Mini-Camaro and Monza GT: The Cars of Studio X". Motor Trend. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Strohl, Daniel (December 12, 2019). "Rarely seen Chevrolet GS-IIb to join mid-engine Corvette class at Amelia Island". Hemmings. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  3. "The 1962 Corvair Monza GT". Chevy Hardcore. 2015-08-19. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  4. "1962 Corvair Monza GT Concept Corvette". Super Chevy. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  5. 1 2 Markus, Frank (March 20, 2007). "Event Coverage: 2007 Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance". Motor Trend. Standing just 42 inches high, with doors that hinged forward from the base of the windshield, it was a wild design. Many a young car nut "learned to drive" in Disneyland's Tomorrowland cars which were styled to resemble the Monza GT.
  6. "1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza SS". GM Heritage Center. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  7. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (July 1972). PB 211-015: Evaluation of the 1960–1963 Corvair Handling and Stability (Report). National Technical Information Service. The handling and stability performance of the 1960-1963 Corvair does not result in an abnormal potential for loss of control or rollover and it is at least as good as the performance of some contemporary vehicles both foreign and domestic.
  8. McEachern, Sam (December 26, 2019). "1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza SS Is A Roofless, Sporty Take On The Corvair". GM Authority. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  9. Ludvigsen, Karl. "Corvair Stories: Gone but by nomeans forgotten". Collier Auto Media. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. "GS IIb breaks cover the in the silver anniversary Amelia Concours mid-engine Corvette class" (Press release). Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. December 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. Larry Shinoda (1995). "Grand Sport II(b)" (Interview). Interviewed by Wayne Ellwood. Corvette Action Center. Retrieved 11 February 2022.