Homage To Zora Arkus-Duntov

Over 50 years ago, the Father of the Corvette imagined the Chevy mid-engined Chevy.

We have been covering Chevrolet’s mid-engined Corvette quite relentlessly, as you may have noticed. Today we have another rendering from our friends at MidEngineCorvetteForum.com to share – specifically from forum member Chazcron – but this one is rather special. Although we don’t see much that we didn’t already know from spy shots, the front fascia and hood are updated. We also get another glimpse at the Targa version. It is quite attractive without a roof.

We love this Corvette image because it blends the Corvette’s past and future in one image, 50 years in the making. Friends, this is Zora Arkus – Duntov, also known as the Father Corvette. Even though ‘Vette enthusiasts are well-versed in the details, we feel it is high time to share some of his story with everyone.

He is a well-known name, and most people know that he is a close friend of the Corvette. He wasn’t the one who created the Corvette – that honour goes to Harley Earl, the legendary designer. However, he was a part of the Corvette team since the very beginning. Chevrolet In 1953, he was an engineer. He was the champion of the Corvette’s first V8 for 1955 and rose up the ranks. General Motors He was eventually named Chevrolet’s director for high performance. He also won a few races in professional racing at the 24 Hours of LeMans.

He was the head of high-performance Chevy and continued to develop the Corvette from a two-seater to a sports car throughout the 1960s. A pseudo-racing program was also part of his mission, which led to the creation of five 1963 Grand Sport Corvettes. Arkus-Duntov also had the idea of building a Corvette with an engine behind it, something he was passionate about but didn’t realize beyond the concept phase. This is what we have until now.

Arkus-Duntov left the spotlight in 1975 and died in 1996 at the age of 86. Although he was unable to witness the creation of the C8 Corvette, Arkus-Duntov’s legacy as the father of Corvette and the first advocate for the mid-engined model is still evident today. Chevrolet recently displayed the C8 prototype in New York as proof.