Framed 1986 Indy Corvette Profile Print
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"1986 Corvette Indy Concept" Here's the story...
The lead time needed to design a car can be considerable. Many times, designers start the next generation of a design shortly after a new design is released for production. This was the case with the Corvette Indy concept car. With rave reviews coming in for the new C4 Corvette, it was time to think ahead – way ahead.
In the early '80s, Chevrolet engineers worked on a 2.65-liter Indy car engine with twin intercooled turbos. The engine was never seriously raced, but its development stimulated many of the Corvette team designers. Also, computer chips and electronics were making in-roads in production cars. GM's Design Vice President, Chuck Jordan, wanted these new technologies to be integrated into the design of the next-generation Corvette.
Jordan began with a rendering from staff designer Tom Peters. The design hearkened back to the Italian-like shapes from the Bill Mitchell era. Jordan took the Peters rendering and stuffed as much technology as he could into the sleek new shape.
The "Indy" name was used because the new car would have a 5.7-liter, 32-valve street version of the Indy-car racing engine. Corvette prototypes have had a long history of using mid-engine layouts, and the Corvette Indy was no exception. Other proposed "gee-whiz" features included active suspension, drive-by-wire steering, all-wheel drive, ETAK navigation system, and four-wheel steering.
To take the rendering to the next stage, Jordan commissioned Cecomp of Italy to build a full-size clay model of the Chevrolet III studio design. At this point, the high-tech specifications were just ideas on paper. It was the 3-dimensional, full-size model that would take the design to the next level of a running prototype.
The overall shape of the Corvette Indy was bigger than a production Corvette in every way except the height. The Corvette Indy was 7 inches shorter than a stock Corvette, but 10.4 inches longer and 8 inches wider. The wheelbase was 1.7 inches longer, with the front track 4.5 inches wider and rear track 5.4 inches wider that a stock Corvette. When viewed by it's self, the car looks large. However, when looked at next to a production Corvette, it looks very small due to its low height. The mid-engine drivetrain layout mandates a cab-forward shape. Deep air intakes behind the doors and the inverted rear spoiler are similar to many LeMans-type racers of that time. The upper rear spoiler shape would later be used on the '93 Camaro.
Clay prototypes are usually about 25 percent too much and have to be scaled back. The Corvette Indy successfully impressed GM officials, because by the end of '86 the first of two running Corvette Indy cars was delivered, with the second car being completed in '87. The running prototypes then became the starting point for the 1990 CERV III engineering study.
Be sure to check out the NEW Illustrated Corvette Series Portfolio.
This portfolio of Scott Teeters' "Vette Magazine" series, covers every production Corvette from 1953 to 1996. Also included are all of the major Corvette show cars, engineering prototypes, concept cars, and several Corvette racers.
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