1967 Corvette C2 Sting Ray Style

Nobody will argue that the mid years Corvettes is one of the most successful automotive designs of all time. Adding to the legend is that nothing - before or since - looks quite like the 1963 thru 1967 Corvette. But there was a downside.

That awesome horizontal crease which ran the circumference of the car and the four fender blips restricted the wheel size. This became a problem for racers such as the '63 Grand Sport (below). Wider tires, necessary for increased cornering forces in competition, could only be accommodated with fender flares that significantly altered the Corvettes' look.

There was another issue. Big block engines debuted in 1965 and the increased horsepower caused traction problems with mid year Corvettes, which were restricted to a maximum 15 inch x 6 inch wheel. The obvious solution was more rubber on the road but there was no way a larger wheel could be used and still retain the classic look. The C3 'vette solved the problem nicely with a fender flare that could be increased and still be faithful to the original design.

Below: C3 race car shows how wider tires were possible without changing the styling look.

Left: Print ad showed GMs conviction that the Corvette was a true autocross contender. It helps to overlook the bad "Second Hand Car" pun.

Right: 1967 Corvette Coupe in Goodwood Green, the most popular Corvette color for 1967 and for good reason. 4,293 (18.71% of the total production) were sold.

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1967 Corvette Stingray: Official GM Photo.

The front fender ducting changed to a "gill" arrangement exclusively for 1967.

For 1967 the optional aluminum wheels lost their knock-off style and became bolt-on affairs (RPO N89, $263.30, quantity 720 (3.14%)). Federal safety regulations were to blame which caused numerous "updates" on Corvettes and all other cars.

Headrests (RPO A82; $42.15) were first available on 1966 Corvettes. They were installed on 1,762 (7.68%) 1967 Corvettes so it wasn't a rare option. By 1969 they were on all Corvettes due to Federal safety regulations.

The prevailing wisdom was that the coupe (left) had an advantage as a racer due to superior aerodynamics. But a number of racers proved that the lower center of gravity in the convertibles (right) was an overlooked factor.