Corvette Model Gallery
Sting Ray Racer
In 1957, a young 20 years old designer named Peter Brock, who would later design the Cobra Daytona Coupe, made the sketch for a car, called the Sting Ray. Bill Mitchell, the GM design chief at the moment, liked it and asked designer Larry Shinoda to elaborate on the concept. Mitchell decided to build the car on the 1957 Corvette SS mule chassis. He did it on his own pockets, to go around the AMA ban on factory sponsored racing. The result was a fuel injected roadster racer that won the 1960 SCCA C Modified championship, driven by Dr. Dick Thompson, the flying dentist. It's first event was in April 18, 1959 at the Marlboro Raceway in Maryland, where it finished 4th due to faded brakes, a problem that always haunted the car. John Fitch drove the car at Elkhart Lake and also finished 4th due to faded brakes. The car was red originally, but it was rebodied for 1960 with a lighter body painted silver. After it finished it's racing duties in 1960, it was fitted with yet another body painted silver. It was used as a show car and as Mitchell's personal car.
The model:
Gary McNutt built this incredible rendition of the original Sting Ray.
1959 Bill Mitchell Sting Ray - Landis/Sposaro resin casting. This model is based upon pictures of the car as it first raced at Marlboro Maryland in April 1959.
This 1981 solid resin casting is based upon the Scuderia Scale slot car body. Lots of changes to the fender blisters and panel lines Scratch built a new interior Added Sting Ray (the fish) emblems and panel latches. Shortened the hood vents. Replaced exhaust pipes with solder Replaced wheels and tires
It arrived in style on a matching red trailer behind a red El Camino.
Comments:
A "WOW" would be an understatement. Gary went all the way to create a masterpiece of an important yet almost forgotten car. Finding this Landis/Sposaro resin piece nowadays is almost impossible, but fortunately, this one landed in the right hands.
If you would like to contact Gary on this model his e-mail address is: nuttwest@aol.com
Page updated 03/29/03