In 1955, Mr. Shinoda’s first job assignment was as an illustrator for Douglas Aircraft. By 1956, he started his first automobile industry job at Ford Motor Company. Sadly, after only a short stay with Ford, he soon joined Studebaker/Packard and then was eventually hired by General Motors. Mr. Harley Earl was very impressed with Mr. Shinoda’s Indy car sketches and the two developed a great workmanship.
Mr. Shinoda became part of the Pontiac design team creating the 1960 Pontiac. After his accomplishment, he was reassigned to the Corvette Studio where he worked beside Mr. Bill Mitchell and the legendary Corvette Chief Engineer, Mr. Zora Arkus Duntov. Mr. Shinoda spent over twelve years developing many great products and concept ideas for General Motors.
Mr. Shinoda help design the theme for the popular 1963 Corvette Sting Ray model. He formerly stated, “The 1963 Corvette is a car that I am very proud of and I was deeply involved in its development and worked very closely with Mr. Bill Mitchell”. He also mentioned that the ironing board shape on the top of the hood, right on over the roof, and on through the back of the car was very much a Bill Mitchell trademark. Mr. Mitchell wanted his own individual design look on this vehicle which he personally made a rough sketch of basic body shape, with fender blips, which later was followed by Bob Mclean and his team adding an upside-down air foil to the design.
At GM, Mr. Shinoda also helped designing some of the most dramatic and creative designs. For an example, the original Sting Ray prototype, the Mako Shark I and II, the CERV I and II, the Corvair Super Spyder, the M onza GT, along with the Astro I and mid-engine Astro II, and the popular 1968 Corvette model design.
In 1968, Henry Ford II recruited Mr. Semon E. Bunkie Knudsen to work for Ford Motor Company. During this transition, Mr. Knudson brought Mr. Shinoda along with him to develop a new sports car. At Ford, Mr. Shinoda was very much involved with the Ford Mustang models. For an example, the popular “Boss” Mustang that grew very popular among the young at heart.
In later years, Mr. Shinoda left Ford Motor Company and became President of Shinoda Designs Associates in Livonia, Michigan. His design work ranged from race cars to motor homes to jackets. On November 13, 1997, Mr. Larry Shinoda died of heart failure while working at his design desk. Although Mr. Shinoda is no longer with us, his work will always be a part of automotive history.
A special thanks to Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher, for donating the story to the MotorCities Story of the Week program. Photographs are courtesy of the Robert Tate’s Personal Collection and the National Automotive History Collection. (Bibliography: Zuccker Greg. Editor Corvette News. An interview with Larry Shinoda. December/January 1981. Swaim Bob. Larry Shinoda Boss Originator Super Stylist. Car Craft April 1969. Smith C. David "How Bunkie Lost Ford Battle" Detroit Free Press 6 October 1969 p. 2 Ludvigsen Karl. Corvette America's Star Spangled Sports Car The Complete Story 1972.)
Please do not republish the story and/or photographs without permission of MotorCities National Heritage Area. For further information contact Robert Tate at btate@motorcities.org. If you have a story that you would like to donate to be featured as a MotorCities Story of the Week, email Lisa Ambriez at lambriez@motorcities.org.