Steve McQueen and his Corvette

[Loren L.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

His search for a cure in the last years only indicates his refusal to give in....at his best, and with good direction/script, he was lightning in a bottle....
and I believe that I have only watched the boothill scene of The Magnificent Seven 14,500 times....and if it's on tonight, 14,501, just to see Brynner say "No, but I got nominated pretty good.".....

[Michael J.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

Horrible early years, and even worse drug-addled last 15 years, sandwiched around movie star fame, fortune, fast cars and women.
He was one mixed up dude who created some great super cool screen characters. Hard to believe Bullitt came out nearly 50 years ago,
and he has been gone almost 40 years.

+1, well said, he was my hero growing up, like James Dean was my older brother's. I can't tell you how many times I have watched Bullitt, and in later years wondered why GM didn't step up and put a Corvette in that role against the evil Dodge Charger. Can you imagine how iconic that would have been?

[Keith W.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

Steve McQueen is Impressed by the '66


In 1966, Sports Illustrated magazine asked film star and former sports car racer Steve McQueen to test drive eight of that era's greatest Grand Touring cars including the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. In the August 1966 issue, McQueen wrote about his experience with these cars. The star of Bullitt and The Great Escape had this to say about the big-block Sting Ray that he drove at Riverside:


"I was very impressed by the Corvette. Other than the Ferrari, it was the best car I drove at Riverside. And let's face it, it went out the door at $5,500 instead of $14,000. It had the big 427-inch turbocharged engine, four-speed gearbox. the stiffer suspension, short steering, and they were running low-silhouette racing tires on it. No question, it's a brute, a terribly quick car. It must one one of the fastest production cars you can buy for that kind of money."


McQueen goes on to compliment the Corvette's braking and also comments on the improvements GM has made to the car's ability to handle. Nothing less than the highest of praise for America's sport car from the Cincinatti Kid!

[Keith W.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

[Michael J.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

Steve McQueen is Impressed by the '66


In 1966, Sports Illustrated magazine asked film star and former sports car racer Steve McQueen to test drive eight of that era's greatest Grand Touring cars including the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. In the August 1966 issue, McQueen wrote about his experience with these cars. The star of Bullitt and The Great Escape had this to say about the big-block Sting Ray that he drove at Riverside:


"I was very impressed by the Corvette. Other than the Ferrari, it was the best car I drove at Riverside. And let's face it, it went out the door at $5,500 instead of $14,000. It had the big 427-inch turbocharged engine, four-speed gearbox. the stiffer suspension, short steering, and they were running low-silhouette racing tires on it. No question, it's a brute, a terribly quick car. It must one one of the fastest production cars you can buy for that kind of money."


McQueen goes on to compliment the Corvette's braking and also comments on the improvements GM has made to the car's ability to handle. Nothing less than the highest of praise for America's sport car from the Cincinatti Kid!

If his had a "427-inch turbocharged engine" it certainly was no where near a production car, but highly modified and no wonder it was quick.

[Keith W.]

[Keith W.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette



Different view of Vette

[Don H.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

If his had a "427-inch turbocharged engine" it certainly was no where near a production car, but highly modified and no wonder it was quick.

he must have been reading the Turbo-jet side emblem sign literally. You know it feels like it is turbo-charged when that torque slams you back in the seat.

[Mark D.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

And dig that original windshield. Check out the tint band...groovy!

[Mark H.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

If anybody's interested, the full article is in the August 8,1996 issue of Sports Illustrated. It has a picture of rookie linebacker Frank Emanuel of the Miami Dolphins, the AFL's new expansion team on the cover.

[Michael J.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

he must have been reading the Turbo-jet side emblem sign literally. You know it feels like it is turbo-charged when that torque slams you back in the seat.

In other words, nobody who knew anything about cars wrote it.

[Don H.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

it is an article in Sports Illustrated after all.

[Michael J.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

True, I missed that.

[Jack M.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

The full 1966 Sports Illustrated article (Steve McQueen test drives 8 of the best) can be found online: CLICK HERE

And from Motor Trend, this old photo and caption:


Chevrolet Corvette

[Bob W.]

Re: Steve McQueen and his Corvette

Jack thanks for posting the article.

Bob