I don’t mean the general design of the ’63 Corvette’s fastback; as early as 1957, the very advanced but still-born Q Corvette prototype already sported a fastback, as well as other later previews of Sting Ray styling. But that fine crease down the middle, and the controversial decision to split the rear window (for one year only? I don’t remember any Corvette or other GM prototypes sporting that. Where exactly did that come from? And then it popped in my head: Bill Mitchell made regular trips to Europe, to scout for ideas, among other things. He must have run into one of these somewhere in his travels:
No
It does look like the glass interchanges left to right on the Tatra. Anybody know?
Very likely, and good noticing. I’m sure it saved on tooling, especially since these weren’t exactly made in large quantities.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm well maybe he was enamored with split front windsheilds but realized the only place he could get away with it was the rear?
Maybe indigestion. I do crazy things when I have it.
I am skeptical that he was trying for an effect. I think he was trying to save a buck by using smaller pieces of glass.
I’d say they could have been having trouble making the glass in one piece, and did the split window as a stop-gap measure
GM and others had wildly shaped windscreens for years I doubt the size and shape was an issue
Taking into consideration that Mitchell was the only one that really wanted the Split, I’d say the odds are good on the Tatra theory.
Mitchell was quoted as saying “engineering never sold a —damn thing” in an argument with Duntov over the rear window.
I had heard that a major inspiration for the Sting Ray coupe was the Bugatti 57S Atlantic. I don’t recall if Mitchell himself ever said so — I’d have to go digging — but it seems probable. The Atlantic was created around the time Mitchell started at GM, and seems like something to which he would have responded strongly.
Could be the Bugatti, your theory has the ring of truth. The Tatra’s windows are amazingly similar, but Bill Mitchell quoting a Tatra? Hard to imagine. The Tatra could have been influenced by the Bugatti as well.
Anyway Paul, the Tatra next to the Sting Ray is uncanny….and you have Tatras on the brain!
Mitchell may well have been thinking the Atlantic, but the Tatra didn’t copy the Atlantic for sure; it was the other way around. The highly influential Tatra T77 with its dorsal fin beat it by a good two years.
But the T77 had no external rear windows at all, just louvers. (Thanks to your Tatra AH.)
The post-war Tatraplan T600 has a striking resemblance to the Bugatti.
I love that year of vette. the only one I would consider owning.
I once owned a split-window Sting Ray myself. Sure wish I had it today. Fond memories.
Two comments. That Tatra hails from PA. It has the older style PA antique plates. I wonder if its home is anywhere near Pittsburgh. The other item is the Corvette ad. The mid 50’s – 60 ish guy in a Homburg, overcoat and silk scarf. I doubt he was a typical Corvette owner, even in 1963. GM only wished those kind of guys bought Corvettes. An uncomfortable car for an old guy.
The old guy who drove a Corvette would have died his hair, shed his banker attire for something more flashy, possibly a loud madras jacket. That may have gotten him a floozie or two. However, with no Flomax or Cialis, he still would have been an unhappy camper.
Or that guy could have just bought a Buick, and kept his banker attire.
Probably my fav car of all time!