1958 Chevrolet XP-700 Corvette Concept
Written by Bill Bowman
The XP-700 was developed as a personal car for Bill Mitchell, head of GM Styling. The car started out as a 1958 stock Corvette. The fiberglass body was extensively redesigned with a "Grand Prix" appearance. The long, low front overhang, large air scoops, and wire wheels with racing hubs were a few of the "Grand Prix" touches. The XP-700 was painted red and was Mitchell’s personal ride for the first year of its life.
By 1959, the XP-700 was modified with a longer and smaller oval grille, extended tail and double bubble plastic canopy, coated with vaporized aluminum to help block the suns rays, complete with periscope type rear view mirror. It was repainted metallic silver and was elevated to show car status.
The sculptured deck rear end treatment found its way to the 1961 Corvette. Other features included Lucas "Flame Thrower" headlamps, Dayton wire wheels, integrated front brake cooling ducts below the headlights, forward slanting vertical louvers at the front of the scoops on the body side coves, twin outlet side exhaust pipes and ribbed mufflers, rear brake cooling ducts and a special hood.
The XP-700 was powered with a Chevrolet 283 CID 230 Horsepower V8 engine with a manual 4-speed transmission
According to Mark Jordan, son of GM designer Charles M. Jordan, the XP-755 (Mako Shark) was built on the XP-700 chassis, explaining its disappearance.
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This show car (XP-700) I believe still exists. In 1981 my brother and I spotted this car in a driveway which had a chain-link fence around the front of the house. We got up the nerve to knock on the door and a middle-aged lady answered. We asked about the car and she told us it belonged to her son. We also asked if we could take a closer look but she felt uncomfortable with our request and rather we not. My brother probably remembers the color of the car (you stated it was silver). I believe it was silver but the most glaring features we both remember was the clear bubble top (I don't remember the aluminum coating) and the long oval snout. I recognized this as an XP-700 show car from my reference book: Consumer Guides Encyclopedia of American Cars 1940-1970. The car was located in Lithia Springs, Georgia at that time on Six Flags Road, just inside the Douglas County line. We haven't seen the car since '82 or '83 and those people probably relocated.
Submitted by: Larry D. Greer, Lithia Springs, GA
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