One-Off Corvette

black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
edited September 26, 2014 in Other Cool Shots
I'm pretty sure you've never seen this one. This is a 1963 Corvette Rondine. Commissioned by Chevrolet, this car was crafted by the famous Italian design/coach-builder house of Pininfarina. It was specifically created for the 1963 Paris Show.

As opposed to stock Corvettes with their fiberglass body, this car has a steel skin. All the running gear is standard Corvette stuff....327 C.I. motor, 365 H.P., and 4-speed manual transmission. The interior was pretty much left stock, except the seat covering and carpeting were upgraded to the finest Italian offering.

This car was featured in the Pininfarina company museum for over 40 years until it was sold to a private collector in 2008.

Amelia%202013%20285-X3.jpg



Amelia%202013%20289-X3.jpg
I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.

Comments

  • rwellsrwells Registered Users Posts: 6,084 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    No question, it has that Italian look about it.

    Thanks for the rare look Tom!
    Randy
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited September 26, 2014
    It's a beautiful car! Very Italian.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited September 26, 2014
    Seen one? I used to own one! Ok, not really. Another amazing piece of auto history well captured, Tom. Nice to see you incorporating models in your auto photography now. :D
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    rwells wrote: »
    No question, it has that Italian look about it.

    Thanks for the rare look Tom!

    That thing was pretty striking, Randy. Italian looks, American mechanicals....hard to beat.

    See you, Pard,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    ian408 wrote: »
    It's a beautiful car! Very Italian.

    What a joy, Ian, to see a Corvette of this era with an interior that's not an embarrassment. Thankfully, the new Corvette Stingrays have finally got interior appointments commensurate with the greatness of the rest of the car.

    Take care,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    kdog wrote: »
    Seen one? I used to own one! Ok, not really. Another amazing piece of auto history well captured, Tom. Nice to see you incorporating models in your auto photography now. :D

    I tell you, Joel, that " model " didn't want to get more than 2 or 3 feet from the car. I thought I was going to have to bribe her to get an unobstructed shot.
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • StumblebumStumblebum Registered Users Posts: 8,480 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    Sweet! Slender! Nice Built! Some mileage, but still rocking! Love the vibrant blue on her! Does appear Italian!
    Car is okay also! :D
    Cheers Tom!
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    Stumblebum wrote: »
    Sweet! Slender! Nice Built! Some mileage, but still rocking! Love the vibrant blue on her! Does appear Italian!
    Car is okay also! :D
    Cheers Tom!

    rolleyes1.gifroflFor some reason, Taz, I would have hardly expected any other response. Would you like her number? :D

    See you,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • SeefutlungSeefutlung Registered Users Posts: 2,781 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    That's something you don't see everyday. I'll take a red one.

    Gary

    PS- Good job on the second image getting the brightly reflecting trunk, the shadowed side and the people all looking exposed.
    G
    My snaps can be found here:
    Unsharp at any Speed
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    Seefutlung wrote: »
    That's something you don't see everyday. I'll take a red one.

    Gary

    PS- Good job on the second image getting the brightly reflecting trunk, the shadowed side and the people all looking exposed.
    G

    Thanks, Gary, for your comment.

    I'm a far cry from being a Corvette expert. But I have owned one and been around scads of the things over the years. I didn't know this car even existed. Man, every time I dive into a show of this caliber, I realize how little I really know.

    I know one thing for sure, though, the more I study the subtleties of this car's design, the more I become enamored with its beauty.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited September 26, 2014
    What a joy, Ian, to see a Corvette of this era with an interior that's not an embarrassment. Thankfully, the new Corvette Stingrays have finally got interior appointments commensurate with the greatness of the rest of the car.

    Take care,

    Tom

    I saw a red Stingray last week. It was a bit of a surprise. Nice looking car but since we were driving, no idea what the interior looked like. The exterior was nice but it seemed like they couldn't decide about the rear end of it. I'll have to have a closer look at the car on the lot or elsewhere before forming an opinion on how "complete" it is.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • SeefutlungSeefutlung Registered Users Posts: 2,781 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    Thanks, Gary, for your comment.

    I'm a far cry from being a Corvette expert. But I have owned one and been around scads of the things over the years. I didn't know this car even existed. Man, every time I dive into a show of this caliber, I realize how little I really know.

    I know one thing for sure, though, the more I study the subtleties of this car's design, the more I become enamored with its beauty.

    Tom

    While the tail lights work well with the design ... they still shout Fiat to me. Chevy made another very rare Corvette in 1964 named the Cobra Killer. I believe Chevy felt it was way to dangerous/unsafe for mass production.

    Gary
    My snaps can be found here:
    Unsharp at any Speed
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,319 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2014
    ian408 wrote: »
    I saw a red Stingray last week. It was a bit of a surprise. Nice looking car but since we were driving, no idea what the interior looked like. The exterior was nice but it seemed like they couldn't decide about the rear end of it. I'll have to have a closer look at the car on the lot or elsewhere before forming an opinion on how "complete" it is.

    Most of the pundit's negative reactions to the style of the Stingray have to do with the styling at the rear of the car. A lot of them hated to see the circular tail lights go away after all these years. I'm not saying it a totally satisfying design, but, overall, I like it a lot. I was ready to see a change in tail lights.

    The interior appointments, while also not perfect, are way above what the buyer of Corvettes used to get.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
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