C2 = The widow maker

[Nassau65]

A very unusual nickname has stuck with the C2 for many years, and certain older generations still jokingly refer to them by that name
“ The widow maker” this moniker covered all sting-rays from 1963-67. Why, because from the mid sixties many US serviceman returned from Vietnam flush with money, as they lived very cheaply out there, and bought the latest sting-Ray they could afford. Unfortunately many crashed their new steed and died. Hence the nickname for the Sting Ray “the widow maker.

Poor old Jan Berry of the duo Jan and Dean crashed his new 1966 coupe just after getting his call up ( draft) papers on Whittier road right near deadman’s curve in LA. Ironically Jan and Dean had a big hit with their song deadman’s curve, a race between a sting Ray and a XKE.

He survived the crash so his 66 wasn’t actually a widow maker, but It certainly didn’t look pretty

 

[Roscobbc]

It's interesting if you relate the 'widowmaker' analogy to a fair number of other performance era (predominantly big block/hi-po engined) muscle cars back 'in the day' here in UK in the 70s/80's....for example big block Mustangs here in UK had a high rate of write-offs due to drivers 'loosing-it' under power. Can apply same logic in more recent years with C6Z06's perhaps?

 

[antijam]

I well remember a bum clenching drive in a Porsche 911 Turbo back in the early '80's. With years of concentrated development Porsche have turned the normally less than ideal combination of rear engine rear wheel drive into a remarkably well balanced sports car, however the '70's 911 Turbo pushed balance beyond the limits of predictability.
It quickly gained the unwelcome 'Widowmaker' moniker before being withdrawn from sale in '79.

 

[Nassau65]

I tried to get my ole school English boss to buy a 911 turbo in the late yuppie eighties. He was very British in his cars Rolls, Bentley, Aston Martin, Bristol. Bought a new one every year, didn’t sell the previous one so had a nice stable of cars. A German car ? No way. ( ex para by the way) however I did manage to get him to buy a New for 1984 Ferrari testarossa. He didn’t like it, and I probably did more miles around the city than he did. I remember writing out the cheque for it £62,666.66. A fortune in 1984. I sold it for him in 88 for £150k.

 

[Roscobbc]

Buddie of mine ran a Ferrari 512 for close to 150K miles - serviced it religiously - it was very reliable......he took a 'hit' when selling it with that mileage. He's now at 210K miles on his Shelby GT500, again with great reliability......certainly until just recently.

 

[Nassau65]

Wow, that’s some mileage on a “fragile “ Ferrari engine as a lot of folks call them.
It’s all about the maintenance.
I remember reading something from Tom Falconer, saying somebody he knew was a “top up” only man. Never changed his oil, just topped up as needed. His car had over 200k miles on it, and it ran like a Rolex watch.
His sump must have had some goo in the bottom me thinks

 

[Nassau65]

Mind you, thinking back some of my family ran their VW transporters like that. Never saw a service bay, they only topped up as needed. Most of the time it was either me or dad who dipped the oil, always Low.
But they always kept going.

 

[Mr. Cricket]

At the NEC last year with the L72 on the club stand, a very large gentleman walked up and said in a Southern drawl never thought I'd see a Widow Maker here in the UK. Must have been 6' 7"

It does feel like it want's to kill you

 

[Roscobbc]

At the NEC last year with the L72 on the club stand, a very large gentleman walked up and said in a Southern drawl never thought I'd see a Widow Maker here in the UK. Must have been 6' 7"

It does feel like it want's to kill you

With so many speed restrictions, cameras and anti car measures here in outer London/south west Essex......and the sheer volume of traffic........ its very difficult to properly 'exercise' my '68.........but that term "Widowmaker" (certainly with my cars 'expanded' power output) is so valid. I went to a recently resurrected weekday evening car meet (Dick Turpin, Basidon) this week. The return journey mid evening on a relatively quiet 70 mph dual carriageway road was a pleaseant change. But even at speeds adjacent to our national limit I still get surprised when running in the lower gears even the slightest touch or dew or moisture on the road surface can start the rear end 'waggling' like a duck..........and thats with modern, wide low profile tyres.......and C2's were limited on wheel and tyre sizes........your comment "It does feel like it want's to kill you" is sooooo valid - yes, widowmakers indeed! -

 

[Fast Plastic]

I have to agree with you about the lack of grip those beasts struggled with. The '66 pictured on the left was absolutely terrifying on its factory fitted tyres. I bought it new at the end of '66 for $4800. (Blew every penny of an inheritance) A 427 big block, the factory window sticker claimed 450hp, 4:11 positraction diff, etc. If I floored it in 4th gear on the freeway it would go sideways! Almost a brown trouser event the first time it happened. Being a car crazy 19-year old at the time I managed to spend the remainder of the inheritance on a few mods. Side pipes were added, man were they loud. I used to carry a set of earplugs for longer journeys. Front wheels were changed for chromed 1967 ones with standard caps and a pair of 81/2" American Racing 5 spoke mags on the rear. Since I was emigrating to UK I got a set of Firestone Indy 'wet' racing tyres thinking they would help with the grip. They made no difference on a wet or damp surface at all but in the dry, they did give decent grip once they got really hot. The rear tyres just didn't fit because of the width. They rubbed on the inside so I machined up a pair of 3/8" spacers which worked fine but then they rubbed at the outside. A trip to J&D Corvette in Bellflower, California provided a custom restyled back end that replaced everything from the doors to the back. That provided a fully round wheel opening with a very slight lip at the top, a small ducktail spoiler, and smoothed over the tail light area to lose the bumper mountings and original exhaust outlets. I was delighted with the new look but sadly, it was the totally wrong thing to do. It would be worth a whole bundle more today if I had left it original. I spotted a poor photo of it taken at the Chelsea Cruise in London several years ago. I do apologise to the current owner for messing with it.

 

[Mr. Cricket]

I have to agree with you about the lack of grip those beasts struggled with. The '66 pictured on the left was absolutely terrifying on its factory fitted tyres. I bought it new at the end of '66 for $4800. (Blew every penny of an inheritance) A 427 big block, the factory window sticker claimed 450hp, 4:11 positraction diff, etc. If I floored it in 4th gear on the freeway it would go sideways! Almost a brown trouser event the first time it happened. Being a car crazy 19-year old at the time I managed to spend the remainder of the inheritance on a few mods. Side pipes were added, man were they loud. I used to carry a set of earplugs for longer journeys. Front wheels were changed for chromed 1967 ones with standard caps and a pair of 81/2" American Racing 5 spoke mags on the rear. Since I was emigrating to UK I got a set of Firestone Indy 'wet' racing tyres thinking they would help with the grip. They made no difference on a wet or damp surface at all but in the dry, they did give decent grip once they got really hot. The rear tyres just didn't fit because of the width. They rubbed on the inside so I machined up a pair of 3/8" spacers which worked fine but then they rubbed at the outside. A trip to J&D Corvette in Bellflower, California provided a custom restyled back end that replaced everything from the doors to the back. That provided a fully round wheel opening with a very slight lip at the top, a small ducktail spoiler, and smoothed over the tail light area to lose the bumper mountings and original exhaust outlets. I was delighted with the new look but sadly, it was the totally wrong thing to do. It would be worth a whole bundle more today if I had left it original. I spotted a poor photo of it taken at the Chelsea Cruise in London several years ago. I do apologise to the current owner for messing with it.

That would be an early L72 and very rare. The insurance companies stepped in and said no one needs 450hp reduce it. So they did they changed the air cleaner decal to 425hp. They've been since proven to be more like 500hp Still have mine but ignition problems have kept it off the road 12 months now. I have 4 mates at mine tomorrow to re do the entire ignition system