The 1959 Corvette Stingray XP-87 Racer. Photo from wikipedia.org

This week’s top five list features cars that are highly custom, purpose-built or prototypes from the factory. Our top five list continues with one of the most innovative experimental cars that came out of the GM design studio.

The Chevrolet Corvette SS that was discontinued only a few short months after its introduction in 1957 was revived through the Stingray Race XP-87 program. Bill Mitchell, GM Vice President of styling at that time, secretly funded the Stingray racecar. He purchased the chassis of the 1957 Corvette racecar mule for $500, then placed the youngest designer at GM at that time, Pete Brock, in charge of creating a new body for the prototype.

The 1963 Corvette split-window Corvette owes much to the 1959 Stingray prototype car. Photo from www.chevrolet.com

Mitchell arranged to race the car extensively to prove its “handling ease and performance.” With Dr. Dick Thompson behind the wheel, the prototype made its debut at Maryland’s Marlboro Raceway on 18 April, 1959, where it finished in fourth place. The car went on to win an SCCA National Championship in 1960. It was then retired from racing and modified with a passenger seat and a few other things added. The modified vehicle was exhibited as an experimental show car even while Mitchell regularly drove it personally on weekends. After its career as a concept car was finished, it was retained by the GM Design Studio as a historically significant vehicle.

According to Brock, “Once the ‘Racer’ had been seen in public and was well accepted, Mitchell returned to the idea of further refining the ‘Racer’ into what would become the ’63 Stingray “split window” coupe.”

We owe the most iconic Vette of the 60s to this experimental car that was built in secret away from the prying eyes of GM’s upper management.