As part of General Motors 100th Anniversary, this year’s Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance featured vehicles from the GM Heritage Center.

A very private collection

While Ford Motor Company has the Henry Ford Museum and Chrysler LLC. has the Walter P. Chrysler Museum, the largest U.S. manufacturer has nothing of the kind. Instead, a plain-looking building near the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan houses, on a rotating basis, about 200 of the 800 vehicles that comprise the GM Heritage Center - the single largest collection of GM vehicles in the world. While it’s opened up to GM employees and their families several times during the year, most of the general public will never get an invite. As a result, when these vehicles do see the light of day, it’s always a special treat to see them – especially for car buffs.

The Bill Mitchell Years Part I

The central theme around the vehicles from the Heritage Center was GM designer Bill Mitchell. Mitchell became part of GM’s Art and Color Section (what Design was called back then) in 1935 and became Chief Designer of the Cadillac Studio in 1937. He remained at GM for 42 years, retiring as Vice President of the Design Staff in 1977. Among his notable designs are the Buick Riviera, Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, Cadillac Seville and the Corvette.

Among his designs that were brought to the Concours:

1959 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept

1959 Corvette Stingray Concept

Although banned from the 24 hours of LeMans by the Automobile Manufacturers Association (it was a test mule for a possible factory campaign) in a move to eliminate manufacturer-sponsored racing in the late 50’s, the Stingray went on to win an SCCA National Championship in 1960. After being retired from racing, Mitchell modified it by adding a passenger seat and regularly drove it on weekends, even as it was being exhibited as a show car.

1959 Stingray Concept

1961 Corvette Mako Shark

1961 Mako Shark

While deep-sea fishing off Bimini, Mitchell caught a Mako and had it mounted for his office then challenged Corvette chief designer Larry Shinoda to design a shark-inspired Corvette concept to match the Mako’s dark-to-light color scheme. The first 2 attempts failed to satisfy Mitchell. The third time (according to legend) the shark was secretly removed from the wall and painted to match the car.

1961 Mako Shark

1962 Corvair Monza GT Coupe & Monza SS

Monza Coupe

Monza GT Coupe

Following the introduction of the rear-engine, air-cooled Chevrolet Corvair in 1960, Mitchell became excited about the design possibilities of this unique engine and drivetrain layout. The result was a pair of Monza concept cars. The tall, curving fender design cues eventually found their way to the 1968 Corvette.

Monza SS

Monza SS

1967 Astro I & 1968 Astro II

Astro I

Astro I

The shapes for both vehicles were extensively tested in the wind tunnel. The Astro II is especially significant, since it is close to a production model and represents a collaboration between Mitchell and Zora Arkus-Duntov on a mid-engine Corvette.

Astro II

Astro II

1969 Corvette Manta Ray

1969 Manta Ray

A re-design of the 1965 Mako Shark II, the Manta Ray continued the Mako’s unique paint scheme. Among its more interesting features are twin rear-deck-mounted doors that pop up during hard braking to become reflective auxiliary brake lights. The Manta Ray was one of Mitchell’s favorites for his own personal transportation.

1969 Manta Ray