Chevrolet xp 895. 1974 chevrolet corvette xp 895 experimental z ora arkus duntov has been nicknamed father of the corvette and sometimes erroneously identified as the inventor of the corvette but that honor belongs to harley early. Mitchells staff under henry haga at duntovs urging designed an all new body for the four rotor car. The chevrolet xp 895 was a concpt car built in 1972 and unveiled in 1973.
Because the aluminum chassis was an exact copy of the steel version everything went. Because the aluminum chassis was an exact copy of the steel version everything went. By june 21 1972 the completed aluminum xp 895 was delivered to chevrolet engineering for final assembly.
The idea was to try and convince gm to make a production corvette with an aluminum body. This car was the first of these three corvettes all of which featured a mid engine design. It was designed by gm and built by an outside supplier for reynolds aluminum.
The car was designed by charles m. The xp 895 was first shown in late 1973. Shortly after xp 882 the second mid engined protype was finished the xp 895 areovette.
Above and facing page mazda 13b engine in place of the gm rce either leaves a lot of boot space behind. Another corvette concept xp 897gt also appeared in 1973 which used a 2 rotor engine. By june of 1972 the completed aluminum xp 895 was delivered to chevrolets engineering team for final assembly.
Arkus duntov joined general motors in 1953 where he transformed the underwhelming corvette into a proper sports car. Jordan and william l. Despite having helped to shut down several of arkus duntovs previous mid engine projects mitchell pulled the then three year old xp 895 mid engine prototype out of storage.
Two of the two rotor wankels were glommed together into a four rotor 420 bhp engine and this was installed in the first xp 895 by gib hufstader. Jordan and william l. Even the original radio still plays longwave and note the wankel logo in the centre of the wheel.
Chevrolet xp 895 reynolds the 1972 xp 895 was built on an extra xp 882 chassis. The xp 895 was designed by charles m. Two rotor is remarkably original throughout.