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Here's the story:
lllustrated Corvette Series No. 55 1974 - Mulsanne Corvette Show Car
"Recycled Again"
Only
Bill Mitchell could get away with this. Bill always managed to have a
hot daily ride. Engineering prototypes that weren't street-legal stayed
behind the fence, but many of the show car Corvettes managed to go home
with Bill. His usual statement on his "design study" cars was, "This
thing runs like a bear!" For the Mulsanne Bill added, "This is the best
Stingray ever."
The Mulsanne actually had three previous lives. Born as a stock 350 '68
Corvette, the car was originally the '69 "Aero Coupe" show car used to
preview the '70-1/2 styling changes. It had a ZL-1 all-aluminum engine
and a prototype four-speed automatic and was, well, a "real bear."
A short time later the Aero Coupe received the slim, Manta Ray-style
side pipe covers, got a new paint job with the front bumper-grille
assembly painted body color, and was renamed the "Scirocco." For the
next four years the car worked as a pace car at Can-Am races. These
were the days of heavy ZL-1 powered McLarren dominance. Mitchell
thought it was cool that his Mulsanne pace car had the same basic
engine as the McLarens. Like all of the Mitchell show cars, the
Mulsanne had a large crowd around it at the '75 New York Automobile
Show. Bill didn't pen every line on the Corvette, but his style was
always present.
Painted bright metallic silver, the Corvette Mulsanne wore '75-style
front and rear bumper covers. The pop-up headlights were replaced with
four rectangular lamps under body-fitting clear plastic covers. The new
hood had a raised center section with recessed, functional scoops on
both sides. The curved
A-pillar, high-mounted racing mirrors, and electric rear window were
all carry-overs from the Scirocco exercise. Since the Mulsanne was made
to be a pace car, Mitchell kept the removable one piece roof panel, but
added a periscope rearview mirror system. The interior was completely
trimmed in leather with fixed seats and adjustable pedals and steering
wheel.
Mitchell couldn't have a "stock" ZL-1, this engine was bored out to 454
cubic-inches and wore an experimental Rochester fuel injection system.
Chaparral lace wheels and flames exiting the fender vents added show
car splash.
Mitchell wanted the speedometer to look like a gunner's site. So a
roller-type speedometer reflected speed numbers on to the windshield.
This was so that the driver could watch the road while "blasting" past
lesser cars. Designer Chuck Jordan said, "The man had flair!"
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