Corvette Guru Gib Hufstader Dies at 94

Zora Arkus-Duntov—the Corvette’s first chief engineer—is the primary legend of Chevrolet lore, but behind that superstar there were unsung individuals working to get the cars designed, built, and prepped. Gibson ‘Gib’ Hufstader, who passed away May 4, was Zora’s favorite right-hand man—the engineer who could always be trusted to get the next experiment ready for an auto show or blast flat-out down the straightaway at the proving grounds.

Hufstader began his General Motors career in 1950 as a Buick-sponsored co-op student. Upon graduation from the GM Institute (later Kettering University) in 1955, he joined the Army and was stationed at the Aberdeen, Maryland, Proving Grounds to test M48 Patton tanks. Two years later, Hufstader rejoined GM’s R+D department to work on experimental air-suspension systems.

In 1964, Hufstader joined the Corvette Group where he remained for the rest of his GM days. This afforded him the opportunity to quietly serve not only Arkus-Duntov but also two subsequent chief engineers in charge of GM’s sports car.

Hufstader was a design-release engineer specializing in advanced chassis components. During his career he earned seven U.S. patents and was the first to develop lightweight magnesium castings for Corvette production.

Throughout his career, Arkus-Duntov had a burning desire to upgrade the Corvette to a mid-engine layout in order to enable a quantum leap in performance. Hufstader served as the problem solver, never intimidated by radical engineering concepts. No less than ten running mid-engine prototypes were constructed and tested between 1960 and 1973. During GM’s misguided Wankel-engine craze, an experimental Corvette was built with two two-rotor engines mounted sideways end-to-end with an output shaft running between them to a rear transaxle. Chairman Ed Cole, the company’s rotary-engine fanatic, and Arkus-Duntov hit 148 mph at the proving grounds in this prototype with its shriek audible two counties away.

The late ’60s and early ‘seventies’70s were rife with spectacular Corvette concepts. XP-882, powered by a transverse V-8 using Oldsmobile Toronado technology, appeared at the 1970 New York Auto Show. Two years later, XP-895 bowed with the aforementioned 4-rotor power. In ’73, GM went all out for the Paris Salon: XP-897 was designed by Henry Haga and Jerry Palmer with folding gull-wing doors, a windshield laid back 72 degrees, and an 0.325 drag coefficient. In 1976, a gorgeous concept called Aerovette rolled forth with more practical 400 cubic inch small-block V-8 power.

By day, Hufstader was in the thick of Corvette concept car construction. His nights and weekends were spent advancing the Corvette’s motorsports cause. In 1967, he served as a core member of the Dick Gulstrand Racing Team at Nassau and LeMans. Two years later, he drove Tony DeLorenzo’s Owens-Corning-sponsored Corvette at the 12 hours of Sebring. During the years GM was banned from direct racing participation, he assisted Roger Penske’s SCCA Trans Am efforts. Hufstader enjoyed saying that there wasn’t enough money to keep him away from motorsports.

After four decades of Corvette work, Hufstader retired from GM in 1995. Known for never throwing away anything he might eventually need, he left behind enormous stacks of manila folders stuffed with arcane engineering documents. That material will hopefully be donated to the National Corvette Museum’s archives. The NCM inducted Hufstader into its Hall of Fame in 2001.

After leaving GM, Hufstader collaborated with George Haddad’s Fabulous Restorations enterprise in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He also maintained a personal fleet of exotic motor vehicles. Hufstader shared ownership of a Cessna 182 aircraft and assembled a Steen Skybolt biplane for aerobatic use. His motorcycle collection included a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow, a 1956 Triumph 650 Trophy, and a 1974 Ducati 750 Super Sport. Gib competed in vintage races driving a ‘67 427-powered ‘Vette he constructed.

I had frequent interactions with Hufstader—he consistently responded to my probe for Corvette secrets over the years with a pleasant smile and closed lips.

Hufstader’s survivors include his wife Sandra and daughter Rebecca. While it took 25 more years after he retired for a mid-engine Corvette to achieve production status, there’s no denying that Hufstader’s contributions were instrumental to the C8 Stingray’s success. Gib will definitely be missed.