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David R. McLellan, Corvette Chief
Engineer
Reprinted with permission from Rob Loszewski
Corvette Action
Center
Birth/Education
 | Born: Munising, Michigan and grew up in Detroit.
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| In 1959, earned a Mechanical Engineering degree at
Wayne State University in
Detroit, MI.
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| In 1973, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Sloan School of
Management and later earned
a Master of Science degree. |
Career Highlights
| Upon receiving his Mechanical Engineering degree at
Wayne State University in 1959, he immediately began
working as a noise-and-vibration engineer at GM's
Milford Proving Grounds.
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| In 1968, he moved into GM's vehicle dynamics testing
program where he learned much of his knowledge on
automotive handling and suspension technology.
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| In 1969, he joined Chevrolet and worked for a short
time on the 1970-1/2 Camaro and then moved on to the
ill-fated Nova/Camaro/Corvette program originally
started by John Delorean. During this time, he also
worked as a chassis engineer on the Nova/Camaro
platform. |
| After earning his master of science degree, he began
working as a staff engineer under Zora Arkus Duntov,
Corvette's first chief engineer. He held this position
for approximately 6 months until he took over after Zora
retired. |
| On January 1, 1975, he became Corvette's second
Chief Engineer after Zora and retired in 1992. |
| After 17 years at Corvette's chief engineer, he
continues to act as an automotive consultant and served
as a board member at Porsche Engineering Services (Troy,
MI).
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| Consultant to the Tank Automotive Command (TACOM),
Stewart and Stevenson, and Pinnacle Associates. |
Technical
Achievements
Dave McLellan was responsible for keeping the Corvette on
the cutting edge of technology as seen by the following
achievements:
| Introduced tuned-port injection on the 1985
Corvette.
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| Added anti-lock brakes before the Corvette's top
competitors did.
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| Introduced the 1986 Corvette convertible. The last
Corvette convertible built
prior to 1986 was the 1975
model year.
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| Responsible for the 1990-1995 ZR-1 and heavily
promoted and supported the
project at Chevrolet from
concept to production.
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| Introduced the ZF 6-speed manual transmission on the
1989 model year. |
| In 1990, he achieved the prestigious Edward N. Cole
Award for Automotive Engineering Innovation by the
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The award was
presented to him for his adaptation of technology to the
Corvette platform. |
| In 1992, he introduced the 300 hp LT1 engine and
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) commonly referred to as
"traction control".
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| Author a paper for the Society of Automotive
Engineers entitled: "Increasing the Safe Driving
Envelope -ABS, Traction Control and Beyond".
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| He is responsible for much of the design and
engineering that was seen in the C5 platform introduced
in 1997.
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| He has published a book entitled "Corvette From the
Inside: The 50 Year Development History as told by Dave
McLellan, Corvette's Chief Engineer 1975-1992",
published by Bentley Publishers in June, 2002. |
As written by automotive journalist, Michael Lamm in the
January, 1993 issue of Corvette Fever magazine:
"McLellan nearly always used science in planning
where the Corvette ought to be headed. He made his
judgments and decisions based on careful reasoning and
calculation and rarely, if ever, did emotion enter.
Under his direction, the Corvette definitely took on
McLellan's personality. Just as Zora put his stamp on
the earlier cars, So Dave's comes through on the current
generation....McLellan and his team have managed to
place the Corvette into the first rank of international
sports cars, a remarkable record considering the
Corvette's price versus that of its leading performance
competitors."
Since his retirement in 1992, Dave and his wife, Glenda,
enjoy attending Corvette events around the world where many
enthusiasts come to acquire his autograph on anything and
everything Corvette related.
Although a stout engineer to the core, he is
extremely personable and one of the most devoted
Corvette enthusiasts I have had the chance to meet. I
will never forget the first time I met Dave at a
Corvette event.
It was at the Museum of Transportation in Boston, MA
during the 1993 40th Anniversary Corvette celebration
sponsored by the museum and Chevrolet. He definitely
enjoys meeting and talking with Corvette owners and
enthusiasts and is extremely generous with his time as
seen in the numerous hours he donates to signing
autographs for everyone. - Rob Loszewski
Quotes
| "It's Corvette, only more so." - Regarding
the 1990-1995 ZR-1 Corvette |
References: Corvette Fever magazine, January,
1993.
Today Dave owns and drives a 1995 Polo Green ZR-1.
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