Larry Shinoda - The racing driver with the pencil

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Larry Shinoda - The racing driver with the pencil

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Created on April 4, 2024

Text:

Karl Ludvigsen (Übersetzung: Paul Krüger)

Photos:

Ludvigsen Partners

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Karl Ludvigsen

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Theodore W. Pieper / RM Sotheby's

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Ford Motor Company

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Archiv

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Chevrolet XP-777 (1962) - here still called Corvair 2900, later became the Corvair Monza GT, next to designer Larry Shinoda

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Ford Model A Roadster "Chopsticks Special" (1929) - racing car with Oldsmobile Rocket engine, later Corvette designer Larry Shinoda at the rear left

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Ford Model A Roadster "Chopsticks Special IV" (1929) - the further development of the "Chopsticks Special"

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Ford Model A Roadster "Chopsticks Special IV" (1929) - Larry Shinoda proudly presents his trophies

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Watson John Zink Special (1956) - Indy racing car with bodywork by Larry Shinoda (right)

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Watson John Zink Special (1957) - Troy Ruttman and his team at the 1957 Indianapolis 500 miles

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Chevrolet CERV-1 (1960) - drawing by Larry Shinoda, dated August 1960

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Chevrolet CERV-1 (1960) - Drawing by Larry Shinoda

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Chevrolet CERV I (1961) - the first variant of Shinoda's bodywork

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Chevrolet XP-720 (1960) - design drawing by Larry Shinoda for the Corvette Sting Ray

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - Design drawing by Larry Shinoda for the XP-720, dated February 1960

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - Design drawing by Larry Shinoda for the XP-720, dated February 1960

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - different variants of tail lights, bumper and exhaust, dated March 1960

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - Concept drawings for a rear-view mirror on the roof

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - Design drawing by Larry Shinoda for the XP-720, dated March 1960

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - artistic drawing by Larry Shinoda, dated March 10, 1960

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - Design drawing by Larry Shinoda for the XP-720, dated April 1960

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - peacefully united - Coupé and Convertible of the 1963 vintage

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Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1963) - the 63 Corvette as a spot coupé somewhere in the rough west of the USA

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Chevrolet XP-777 (1962) - next to the two designers Larry Shinoda and Anatole Lapine

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Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT (1962) - with a detachable cabin instead of ordinary doors

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Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport II (1964) - Shinoda design somewhere between Chaparral and Porsche Carrera GTS

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Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport III (1964) - now as an open-top racing car in Can-Am style

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Chevrolet X-15 (1968) - designs by Larry Shinoda

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Chevrolet X-15 (1968) - concept car based on the unsuccessful Scarab F1 from 1960

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Larry Shinoda (center) and two colleagues building a clay model in the Research & Development Department

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Chevrolet Mako Shark II (1965) - style study for the third Corvette generation

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Chevrolet Corvette (1968) - the production model as a moderate version of the Mako Shark II

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Ford Mustang Boss 302 (1969) - with matt black hood

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Ford Mustang Boss 429 (1969) - blood orange metallic with orange-yellow decor, a design by Larry Shinoda for Bob Tasca

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Ford Mach 2 (1967) - prototype of a Corvette competitor with mid-engine

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Ford Mach 2 (1967) - prototype of a Corvette competitor with mid-engine

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Ford Mach 2 (1967) - Corvette opponent, designed by Corvette designer Larry Shinoda

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Rectrans Discoverer 25 (1971) - Shinoda design for a luxury motorhome

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Jeep Concept 1 (1989) - the last car design by Larry Shinoda

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Larry Shinoda visualizes a design with the spray gun

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Ron Hill (left) and Larry Shinoda next to the design for a Chevrolet Corvair Roadster

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Larry Shinoda in wind tunnel tests with toy cars

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Larry Shinoda designed the details of the Mustang Boss, such as the front spoiler

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Mercury Colony Park (1959) - The '59 Mercury inherits the pie-shaped tail lights from the Turnpike Cruiser study, an idea from later Corvette designer Larry Shinoda

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Mercury (1957) - with V-shaped rear lights - Geneva Motor Show 1957

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Summary

For almost 20 years and two generations, the Chevrolet Corvette bore his signature. But the portfolio of the American designer with Japanese roots encompassed much more: Larry Shinoda designed everything from racing cars and concept vehicles to construction machinery. This portrait takes an in-depth look at his life's work.

This article contains the following chapters

Under the sign of the ray
The experimental phase
Between internment camp and race track
To General Motors and on to Ford
The final battle

Estimated reading time: 16min

Preview (beginning of the article)

I just missed Larry Shinoda back then. I left the General Motors styling department in September 1956, just before he joined. When I returned to GM in 1961 in my new role as PR man, however, I soon made the acquaintance of the young Japanese-born designer. Under the guidance of GM styling chief Bill Mitchell, Larry and his colleagues worked in the "Hammer Room" in the basement below the lobby, where they designed radical new cars in complete secrecy. Shinoda had a round face and spoke in a low voice, delivering his words with a haste that gave the impression that he was divulging important secrets. At the same time, he was known for his frankness, which did not bother him, as he once said: "I have always said what I thought. If a design is no good, I say so. I'm also not known for being very flexible. I once had a sign above my workspace that said: 'If you don't like it, you obviously have bad taste'. Little things like that add to your reputation." Despite - or perhaps because of - his unruly nature, leading figures across the world of car design were willing to entrust Shinoda with their design needs.

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