Easy! Or is it? This one's not exactly what it seems. It has a secret that makes it quite different than others of its type.
For 1 point, ID the car, the builder, and the secret.
Be sure to answer all parts of the question, if you'd like the point. Only complete answers will earn a point
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Experts?
Up
electric conversion?
Not that
Built with spare parts?
It did start as a stock Corvette, but has been modified, including parts sourced from other automobiles.
Is this 1960 Chevrolet Corvette - 'Igor' - by Jeff Reade?
Quote from: Oguerrerob on December 22, 2011, 07:52:12 AM
Is this 1960 Chevrolet Corvette - 'Igor' - by Jeff Reade?
No
This car started life as a '58 Corvette, not a '60
Is there a modern car underneath the Corvette shell?
No; its innards are more-or-less contemporary with the body.
Different engine?
Was it built to demonstrate 1958 cars?
Quote from: pnegyesi on January 03, 2012, 05:08:34 AM
Was it built to demonstrate 1958 cars?
No sir. It was a one-off, representing one-man's dream of a feature not offered on the Corvette
Suspension-related?
That was not the focus of the change, though there may have been some tweaks to the suspension.
Was this feature related to mechanical parts?
Was it related to the brakes?
Related to lights?
Transmission?
Does it have an electrically retractable hardtop?
Carnut you're only a tiny step away from getting your point - don't let anyone steal it from you :)
Quote from: Carnut on January 03, 2012, 10:08:50 AM
Does it have an electrically retractable hardtop?
Yes!
Locked for you
Quote from: pnegyesi on January 03, 2012, 11:11:02 AM
Carnut you're only a tiny step away from getting your point - don't let anyone steal it from you :)
They won't!
GM stylist Francis H. Scott, who was working in Bill Mitchell's styling department at the time, was trying to think of ways to make the Corvette a bit more user-friendly and practical.
Using a crashed '58 Corvette as a basis he came up with an extremely simple method of retracting a hardtop into the trunk without the plethora of wires and motors that others like the Ford Skyliner had used.
He actually created the whole thing in his living room at home in Warren, Michigan in 3600 hours for $2600, over a 3 year period.
In early 1962 he displayed the finished car to Bill Mitchell and Bill Lauer, to their amazement. Mitchell walked round it once, muttered "I'll be damned" then walked off without another word.
Lauer suggested the idea be patented, which it was, and was then completely forgotten about by GM and never followed up on!
The car therefore remains totally unique.
That's it - nicely done!
Horrible rear-end, as usual for cars with retractable hardtops!