Corvette Grand Sport imitating the NISMO Z?

BlackZeda · 03-01-2012, 08:12 PM

Hey NISMOids...I noticed there was a Corvette Grand Sport in the parking lot of the store I was visiting so I decided to take a gander. Looking at the wheels they seemed very familiar. Did Chevy copy the designe of the NISMO wheels?

http://www.motordesktop.com/pictures...-1600x1200.jpg

BTW, what is the deal with the fender stripes?

m4a1mustang · 03-01-2012, 08:15 PM

This has been discussed a few times in the past. Not sure who copied who.

As to the stripes, I found this on a Corvette forum:

Quote:

In short..
The Grand Sport stripe is actually called a HASH MARK and it was USED ONE TIME AND ONLY ONE TIME on a racing original Grand Sport. That one time started a legend and history.

The hash mark was NOT on the fender- didn't show up on the fender until the NON RACING 1996 tribute edition.

In 1963 John Mecom took 3 Grand Sports to the Bahamas for Speed Week (rich boys in the early 60's went there to race on street courses, google Bahama Speed Week and the Nassau Tourist Trophy-also understand that GM NEVER raced the Grand Sports, private parties only).

All three Mecom Grand Sports were painted the same color of blue. A single HASH MARK (red, white and black I believe-sorry too tired to go look it up) was placed on the nose of each car--THE NOSE--this allowed the car to be identified as it came down pit lane. This is 1963, no cell phones, no laptop computers, no in-car radios...just a sign board telling a car to come into the pit...can't see the "side' of a car coming at you down pit lane thus the hash mark to id the car.

The HASH Marks were done with TAPE NOT PAINT. The 3 Grand Sports never raced like that again...just that single week frozen in time....thus no more hash marks.....until 1996 and later during the C5R and C6R programs. Also understand the history or racing and 'safety--in 1963 pit lanes were not 40 mph safe zones of today...they were just part of the main straight...you worked on the car while racers blew past 20 ft away at 120mph. You didn't step into pit lane (the damn racetrack) unless you had to and for your car-thus car id was critical.

Hash Marks were again used in the C5R and C6R programs...NOT just fenders but mirrors...look at pictures of the #53 BLUE LeMans C5R from 2003. You will see 3 yellow stripes on the passenger mirror (pit wall side)...again a marker to identify the car to a pit crew. Even today the C6R has a "hash mark" in every race....look at the windshield CORVETTE banner--one car has a black background and the other red..WHY? Instant Identification when viewing the car head on...

Urbanracer · 03-01-2012, 08:53 PM

^------This is correct but they were also used by many other race teams. The old BRE datsons had their own variation of "hash marks" on the side of the vehicle. In BMW's case the three colors of the M logo were the colors of the teams sponsors when the M series came about. But yes, they were used to help pit crews ID the vehicle as it entered the pit.

m4a1mustang · 03-01-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbanracer

^------This is correct but they were also used by many other race teams. The old BRE datsons had their own variation of "hash marks" on the side of the vehicle. In BMW's case the three colors of the M logo were the colors of the teams sponsors when the M series came about. But yes, they were used to help pit crews ID the vehicle as it entered the pit.

Yup. But that's how it originated on the Grand Sport, anyways.

takjak2 · 03-01-2012, 09:32 PM

If anyone asks, we came first. "The 2010 Grand Sport was unveiled at the 12th annunal C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash, held at the National Corvette Museum."

BlackZeda · 03-02-2012, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

This has been discussed a few times in the past. Not sure who copied who.

As to the stripes, I found this on a Corvette forum:

Thanks for the info...If I were for some reason to ever buy a Corvette Grand Sport, I would probably ask them to remove the hash marks. Not aesthetically pleasing to my eye...

03-01-2012, 08:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
BlackZeda A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2011 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 1,109 Drives: 19 Audi TT RS Rep Power: 21	Corvette Grand Sport imitating the NISMO Z? Hey NISMOids...I noticed there was a Corvette Grand Sport in the parking lot of the store I was visiting so I decided to take a gander. Looking at the wheels they seemed very familiar. Did Chevy copy the designe of the NISMO wheels? http://www.motordesktop.com/pictures...-1600x1200.jpg BTW, what is the deal with the fender stripes?

03-01-2012, 08:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Urbanracer Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: The mid-west, USA Posts: 266 Drives: God's Chariot Rep Power: 15	^------This is correct but they were also used by many other race teams. The old BRE datsons had their own variation of "hash marks" on the side of the vehicle. In BMW's case the three colors of the M logo were the colors of the teams sponsors when the M series came about. But yes, they were used to help pit crews ID the vehicle as it entered the pit. __________________ 09 Nismo - HKS \| Berk \| HPS \| K&N \| Zspeed 09 Maxima \| 09 CBR 1000RR \| 02 CBR F4i

03-01-2012, 09:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
takjak2 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sterling, VA Posts: 1,922 Drives: Legit Racecar 370Z Rep Power: 142	If anyone asks, we came first. "The 2010 Grand Sport was unveiled at the 12th annunal C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash, held at the National Corvette Museum." __________________ Mods \| Stuff \| Things \| Seat Time \| Nismo facebook.com/TeamSparrowSpeed

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