As the Chevrolet Corvette celebrates its 60th birthday, we visited the LeMay Museum in Tacoma, Wash., to check out each of the first six generations of the iconic two-seat sports car.
Nearly 1.6 million Corvettes have been built since 1953, and LeMay's "60 Years of Vette" exhibit showcases three of the most important concept cars in the model's history.
On display for the opening weekend were a 1959 Stingray Racer (pictured above), 1961 Mako Shark and 1969 Manta Ray. These one-of-a-kind concepts, on loan from the GM Heritage Center in Detroit, will be featured at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif., through Aug. 18.
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Designed by Bill Mitchell, former vice president of styling at General Motors, and automotive designer Larry Shinoda, the 1959 Stingray Racer was built to test handling and performance. It heavily influenced the design of the 1963 production Corvette. Mitchell and Shinoda also collaborated to create the 1961 Mako Shark, with its blue and gray paint and sharklike appearance. The Mako Shark made a guest appearance on the television show "Route 66," and many of its styling cues made it into production.
The 1969 Manta Ray was an evolution of the Mako Shark and was influenced by Mitchell's affinity for deep-sea fishing. Distinctive new design elements included a new front spoiler, reworked grill, side exhausts and flying buttresses added to the rear.
"The Corvette is Americana; its power, speed and matchless design are ingrained into our culture," said LeMay President and CEO David Madeira. "America's quintessential sports car belongs at America's Car Museum, and thanks to GM and the Northwest Chevy Dealers, we're able to showcase all seven generations of this supreme symbol of performance."
While it wasn't possible to include the highly anticipated seventh-generation 2014 Corvette Stingray as the display opened, LeMay plans to add the newest Corvette as one becomes available. The Corvette display will run through the end of the year.
The museum, which opened in June 2012, recently marked its first anniversary with the debut of "The NASCAR Story" exhibit. Overlooking the Tacoma waterway, LeMay features rotating exhibits designed to show how the automobile has influenced the American experience and society.
Source: MSN
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