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Corvette by Scaglietti - the GM Cobra was almost born this way

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Created on August 3, 2011

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Martyn Goddard / Paul Russel and Company

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Martyn Goddard / Paul Russel and Company

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - The shape is reminiscent of the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Elegant and timeless shape

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Gary Laughlin's Scaglietti Corvette had no cooling vents on the hood and flank

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1961) - the Corvette dressed by Scaglietti looks very similar to the Ferrari coupés of the time

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1961) - the Corvette bodied by Scaglietti shows the typical Corvette grille from the front

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1961) - Engine with Ramjet injection

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Covered headlights and Corvette radiator grille on the Laughlin vehicle

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Interior of the first of the three Scaglietti Corvettes built

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Steering wheel and fittings

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Spare wheel - Borrani wheels all round

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Engine with 315 hp and fuel injection

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959)

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Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti (1959) - Details

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Summary

In 1959, three men - Carroll Shelby, Gary Laughlin and Jim Hall - had a shared vision: a lightweight version of the Corvette was to cause a sensation on the racetrack and on the road. The Italian company Scaglietti, which also built the Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta, was entrusted with the bodywork, so similarities were to be expected. Although the beautiful Scaglietti Corvette weighed 180 kg less than the production vehicle, the idea was abandoned after three one-offs. All three vehicles still exist! The report summarizes the history and shows the first vehicle built in detail.

This article contains the following chapters

Carroll Shelby, Gary Laughlin and Jim Hall
The most powerful Corvette as the basis
Design and bodywork by Scaglietti
Unloved and unsuccessful
Today collector's treasures
From racing car to work of art
Chassis numbers and special features
Technical specifications
Note in the Automobil Revue 7/1961

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

There are several versions of this story, all of which appear credible, and a combination as presented here probably corresponds to the truth. Three men shaped the creation of the Scaglietti Corvette: Carroll Shelby, Gary Laughlin and Jim Hall. Carroll Shelby had long been looking for the basis for successful racing, and the Corvette was on the way, only it was a bit heavy for the job. A lightweight aluminum body and a conservative tuning seemed to be the way to go. Gary Laughlin was a successful entrepreneur, oil millionaire and racing driver. When the crankshaft positions on his almost new Ferrari Testarossa sports car started to cause problems and Ferrari not only took a long time to deliver the spare parts but also demanded a lot of money for them, he was fed up. The Ferrari look with American mass-produced technology seemed to him to be a sensible alternative, and he also wanted to go racing with the "hybrid". Like Laughlin, Jim Hall was also a Chevrolet dealer and always interested in new products. So it was these three who each ordered a model of the Scaglietti Corvette.

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