1959 Chevrolet Corvette Scaglietti Coupe

Three Texas racers named Gary Laughlin, Jim Hall, and Carroll Shelby were inspired by the design, elegance, and lightweight construction of the Ferrari 250 GTO and the inexpensive performance of the Chevy Corvette. So why not combine the two? It seemed simple enough - hire Enzo Ferrari's coachbuilder to create a Ferrari alternative stuffed with American horsepower that could compete against the 250 GTO and 250 SWB Berlinetta at a fraction of the cost.

Laughlin was an American sports car racer who owned a Ferrari Monza. When his crankshaft broke, he asked his close acquaintance, fellow Texans Carroll Shelby and Jim Hall, for assistance and alternatives as the repair was not going to be simple or cheap. Many racers had switched to building specials of their own design, which often defeated the mighty European conglomerate. The idea for an Italian-American hybrid would combine the solid mechanicals, reliability, and performance of the Chevy Corvette with the style of a Ferrari. The high-performance, dual-purpose GT would have the leg and headroom to accommodate the needs, taste, and expectations of the American market.

All three of these individuals had ties to the automotive industry and possessed the necessary contacts to get this job done. Laughlin owned a few Chevrolet dealerships and Jim Hall, with his Chaparral team, worked closely with many key individuals at Chevrolet, including Frank Winch who was head of Research and Development. Winchell and Chaparral's relationship allowed for reciprocal use of groundbreaking engineering and design work going on at both companies.

Peter Coltrin was an automotive journalist and a close friend to Laughlin, who put him in touch with Sergio Scaglietti. With assistance from Chevrolet General Manager Ed Cole, three 1959 Corvette chassis were clandestinely removed from the St. Louis Corvette plant sans bodies. One was a 'fuelie' with a four-speed, while the other two had twin four-barrel carburetor engines and automatic gearboxes. Scaglietti agreed to build a small run of bodies for the Corvette chassis.

At the time, Scaglietti was very busy building bodies for Ferrari, and taking on this project was both risky and lucrative. On the 'risky' side of the fence, it was a classic 'don't bite the hand that feeds out,' as the trio was basically building a cheaper (and perhaps better performing) Ferrari alternative. On the 'lucrative' side, the Corvette was a mass-produced platform and G.M. was a high-volume producer, building far more vehicles than Ferrari.

The lines, silhouette, and design cues of the Scaglietti-designed Corvette clearly followed those of the Tour de France Ferrari. In the front, the GM heritage could be seen by way of the Corvette grille. The interior was a combination of both American and European influences. There was a Corvette shift knob, Stewart Warner gauges, and T-handle parking brake. The European motif could be seen in the dashboard, deeply bolstered leather seats, and door hardware.

Progress on the three cars went very slowly, taking 18 months to complete car number 1, which arrived in the United States in the fall of 1960. Cars #2 and #3 were completed in the USA. The project had been long and tedious, taking nearly three years from concept to completion. Along with the delays, Laughlin was unhappy with the fit, finish, and quality. The project came to an official end when Shelby, who was living in Italy at the time, received a phone call from Ed Cole. Cole had been instructed to cancel the project due to pressure GM was facing to reduce sports car performance and enact a ban on racing.

The two remaining cars were sent to the United States, with one going to Hall and the other to Shelby. Shelby declined the car, and it was sold, focusing his attention on another hybrid project - the Shelby/AC/Ford Cobra.

All three cars have similar silhouettes, with the Corvette grille, covered headlights, and hood scoop. Two of the cars have three side louvers in front of the door and behind the front wheel. In the back is a lip just below the boot, flanked on either side by dual round taillights.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2020