Solved - NEH 3300: Chevrolet Aero Coupé - 1969

[Carnut]

What's this, from when - for 1 point?:

ANYONE FOUND GIVING ANSWERS OBTAINED BY USING GOOGLE SEARCH BY IMAGE MAY BE BANNED FOR AN INDETERMINATE PERIOD!

[Carnut]

Experts?

[fyreline]

This is a great choice for a puzzle car, as it has undergone a few name changes throughout its GM history. It originated as a stock 1968 Corvette coupe, pulled off the line by GM Styling Chief Bill Mitchell and rebuilt as a show car for the 1969 auto show season. It featured an all-aluminum ZL-1 engine and most of the upcoming 1970 body styling cues. In this guise it was known as the Aero-Vette, and that's the version you have pictured here.

After the 1970 Corvettes hit the streets, obviously it had a lot less styling impact. It went back to the GM Styling shops in late 1970 for a freshening which included new metallic orange paint, body-color bumpers and modified side pipe covers. once again it hit the show circuit, this time as the Scirocco.

Finally, in 1974 the car underwent additional styling modifications -including new paint again, this time in silver - and returned to the show circuit as the Corvette Mulsanne. All through its existence, Bill Mitchell would occasionally use it as his personal car, as he did with other selected GM styling cars through the years. All in all, GM sure got a lot of mileage out of this (originally) 1968 Corvette!

So, the correct answer for the car you have pictured is the GM Aero-Vette show car in its original 1969 appearance.

[Carnut]

That's it, although I can only find it referred to as the Aero Coupé (there were at least 2 other Chevies named Aero-Vette, though I think they were actually Aerovette - one word rather than two, and there was another completely different Corvette Aero Coupé, also from 1969!) 

This one seems to be an early example of recycling!

Here's the full story (pretty much like yours actually..!)

QUOTE
The 1969 Aero Coupe started life as a stock 1968 350 Corvette. It was modified by Bill Mitchell to a show car and used to preview the 1970 1/2 styling changes. The changes he made included a taller windshield, a lift-off one-piece roof, large side exhaust; spoilers, front and rear, cast alloy wheels and cross hatch grille and side vents. The car was painted bright red and at certain times, Mitchell used it the Aero Coupe as his personal ride.

A short time later, in 1970, the Aero Coupe was reworked and renamed Scirocco. It received the slim, Manta Ray-style side pipe covers, got a new paint job with the front bumper-grille assembly painted body color, the mirrors were moved up the door pillars and the roof panel was given a rear view periscope. It had a ZL-1 all aluminum 427 C.I.D. engine coupled to a prototype 4-speed automatic transmission. For the next 4 years the car worked as the pace car at the Can-Am races.

In 1974, the car was restyled again and was renamed Mulsanne. Painted bright metallic silver, the Chevrolet Corvette Mulsanne wore 1975 style front and rear bumper covers. The pop-up headlights were replaced with 4 rectangular lamps under body-fitting clear plastic covers. The hood had a raised center section with recessed, functional scoops on both sides. The interior was completely trimmed in leather with fixed seats and adjustable pedals and steering wheel. Chaparral style lace aluminum wheels were used.

The ZL-1 aluminum engine was bored out to 454 C.I.D. and was equipped with an experimental Rochester fuel injection system. Bill Mitchell called the Mulsanne "the greatest Stingray ever
UNQUOTE

Well done.