The Story of the Cutaway Corvette Lost, then Found

  In early 1965, GM engineers intercepted a just built Corvette as it rolled off the assembly line, then proceeded to drive the Nassau blue coupe to a garage where the car was meticulously sliced and diced into a, cutaway, showpiece for the 1965 Motorama auto show. Designed to show off the inner workings of Chevy's Corvette technology, the display featured a raised body to reveal a brightly painted chassis, suspension, exhaust system, and drivetrain, which included a 375 horsepower fuel injected 327. A hidden electric motor cranked over the engine and rotated the drivetrain, with clear plexiglas valve covers and,  windows showing what was going on inside. No doubt, the Cutaway Corvette created quite a spectacle at the Motorama.

   From there, the history of the Cutaway Corvette becomes quite muddy. Apparently, with its Motorama duty done, the display was stored for a period of time, then donated to a college in Africa for use at its engineering school. At some point, the car was again placed in storage, where it languished for some 30 years until the school rediscovered the one of a kind coupe and put it up for sale. Initially purchased and returned to the United States by Johnnie Van Niekerk, the cutaway Corvette was later obtained by collector Al Wiseman, owner of Classic Corvettes and Collectibles in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

  Wiseman was kind enough to transport the Cutaway Corvette to the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show, where the vintage exhibit was one of the highlights of the event. Although the original electric motor had to be replaced just prior to Bloomington, Wiseman's crew was able to get the display in working order for the show, where it was difficult to even get a photo of the car because of all the people crowded around it at all times. The Cutaway Corvette has jackscrews to raise and lower the body over the chassis. The various components are painted different colors to highlight related assemblies, with signage pointing out, new, technology like the, low friction ball race steering, and, versatile 4 speed synchro mesh transmission. Rollers rotate the tires, which are mounted on the optional knock off wheels, when the electric motor is turned on.

  Al Wiseman is the consummate collector, with Corvettes as a specialty, so it's not surprising that he ended up with the Cutaway Corvette exhibit. But that's a good thing. Wiseman is not one to bury his cars away where no one can see them. As evidenced by his museum in downtown Tarpon Springs, Wiseman enjoys displaying his vehicles. For that reason, you'll be able to observe the Cutaway Corvette in action at selected Corvette shows. The Cutaway Corvette was quite a spectacle in 1965. Thanks to its well preserved condition after being, lost, for three decades, it's even more amazing today.