Only 3 Ever Built: The Rare Italian-Bodied Corvette
Italian Fusion - It should be acknowledged that, thanks to the abundant experience of several Italian manufacturers who had been tested in producing exotic, fast cars since the early development of the world’s automotive industry, it is not surprising that brands such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Ferrari succeeded in establishing themselves as dominant forces in the world of racing for years.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 1) is built by Scaglietti in a such way to combine a beautiful Italian design with a monstrous burst of American-made engine power. (Picture from: CorvetteBlogger)
This has also led to fierce rivalry with other manufacturers, especially American auto companies, which also had the ability to produce similarly great cars. Despite such a competitive atmosphere, many have dreamed—even speculated—about a car built in a way that merges beautiful Italian design with the monstrous power of an American-made engine.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 1) retained its Corvette grille, while inside the interior had Stewart Warner gauges and Corvette knobs. (Picture from: CollierAutomedia)
This time, we would like to discuss an example of such a car, made by an Italian coachbuilding company, based on an American muscle car, and dubbed the Corvette Italia. It could be said that this vehicle, the result of a harmonious blend between two poles of the automotive world, always manages to deliver an extraordinary sensation, bringing its own excitement among automotive lovers.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 1) along with its 2 other siblings have resemblance shapes as the Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France. (Picture from: CollierAutomedia)
As quoted from Collier Automedia, the story begins with Gary Laughlin of Fort Worth, Texas, an oil well drilling contractor and Chevy dealership owner who always raced behind the wheel of Ferraris. One day, one of his Ferrari Monzas suffered a crankshaft failure, rendering its engine useless and forcing him into a long and ever-costlier wait for a replacement.
This immediately sparked Laughlin's curiosity—what if an Italian bodywork was built upon a Corvette chassis? At that time, back in 1959, the Chevrolet Corvette (one of the iconic American muscle cars) was making continuous progress under the direction of Zora Arkus-Duntov, especially in terms of engine performance.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 2) has a European visage. (Picture from: CollierAutomedia)
Eager to explore the possibilities, Laughlin soon shared his idea with two of his Texan friends, Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby, both equally passionate about the automotive world. It seemed that Laughlin’s deep pockets, combined with Hall and Shelby’s engineering expertise, were enough to bring this idea to life. Eventually, the three of them agreed that each would get his own Corvette Italia and began devising a plan.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 2) has reliable Chevy V-8 power under its sleek Italian skin. (Picture from: CollierAutomedia)
First, they contacted Chevrolet’s General Manager at the time, Ed Cole, to arrange for three Corvette chassis to be taken off the production line and sold without bodies. Before long, they successfully acquired these three rolling Corvette chassis. Carroll Shelby then reached out to his American acquaintance in Italy, Pete Coltrin(a Road & Track correspondent), to find a coachbuilding company willing to take on the project. Coltrin later arranged for the shipment of the chassis to Italy.
Perhaps the most impressive angle of the 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 2). (Picture from: CollierAutomedia)
As quoted from Autoevolution, the Italian coachbuilder willing to develop this project was Carrozzeria Scaglietti, located just across the road from Ferrari’s headquarters. Scaglietti was also the place where iconic sports cars like the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa received their lightweight and elegantly crafted bodies.
Once the three rolling chassis arrived in Italy, Sergio Scaglietti immediately got to work and initially promised to complete them within a few months. At the time, Scaglietti was already working on the body of the Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France, and Laughlin struck a deal with him to build a coupe-style body for the three Corvette chassis.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 3) is featured with custom grilles as well as reshaped rear ends. (Picture from: Autoevolution)
Additionally, Scaglietti accommodated specific requests from each of the future owners. For instance, Laughlin requested that his car retain the Corvette grille, while the interior featured Stewart Warner gauges and Corvette knobs. Meanwhile, the other two cars had custom grilles and reshaped rear ends.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 3) is currently part of the Petersen Automotive Museum collection. (Picture from: Autoevolution)
Beyond just the aesthetics, the powertrain configurations under the hood were also distinct. Shelby’s car was powered by a 315-hp Ramjet fuel-injected version of the 283-ci (4.3-liter) small-block V8, paired with a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission. The other two initially came with four-barrel-carbureted variants linked to Powerglide automatic transmissions.
For handling and performance, all three bespoke cars—dubbed Corvette Italia—were equipped with drum brakes on all four wheels, independent front suspensions, and a solid rear axle supported by leaf springs.
The Simplicity reigns on the dash of the 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 3). (Picture from: Autoevolution)
Although Scaglietti initially promised to complete the project in a few months, it actually took almost two years before the cars were finally shipped back to the U.S. This delay was understandable, as the entire project had to be kept secret from the public eye. Additionally, Scaglietti had to ensure that the work remained hidden from Enzo Ferrari’s attention.
The 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 3) is powered by a 315-hp Ramjet fuel-injected version of the 283-ci (4.3-liter) small-block mated to a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual. (Picture from: Autoevolution)
Despite Shelby and Hall’s best efforts, the cars never quite lived up to expectations in terms of outperforming the Ferraris of the era. Even though they were about 400 pounds (181 kg) lighter than any production C1 Corvette, the chassis setup made them feel heavy and imprecise.
Unfortunately the 1959 Scaglietti Corvette (in pictured is the car no. 3) never lived up to the expectations of outperforming the era’s Ferraris. (Picture from: Autoevolution)
As quoted from Autoevolution, things got even more complicated when GM pressured the Texans to halt any further development of the clandestine exotics. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, an enraged Enzo Ferrari threatened to cut ties with Sergio Scaglietti if he continued collaborating with the Americans. In the years that followed, the two carbureted small-block cars were upgraded with the same powertrain setups as Shelby’s variant, along with the addition of a series of scoops.
All three cars have survived, passing through multiple owners over the years. The one originally intended for the Le Mans-winning driver and engineer (Shelby) has become the most coveted—despite the fact that he never actually owned it. Shortly after it was shipped back from Italy, Shelby deemed it too expensive for what it could do and withdrew from the deal. Today, car No. 3 is part of the Petersen Automotive Museum collection. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOEVOLUTION | COLLIERAUTOMEDIA | SUPERCARS.NET | CORVETTEBLOGGER ]
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Only 3 Ever Built: The Rare Italian-Bodied Corvette