Larry grew up in an internment camp for Japanese Americans in California during World War II. he studied at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles but was kicked out. he is the designer the famous Corvette Sting Ray, the Z-28 Camaro, and the BOSS 302 Mustang. he worked for Ford Motor Company in 1955 for one year. in January of 1956, he worked for Packard but did not last long because at that time the company was facing financial problems. when he resign at Packard he went to Indianapolis where he was able to find a job. he worked on the car that won the Indy 500 that year that was driven by Pat Flaherty.

Larry Shinoda went to work for General Motors on September of 1956. he went to work in Mitchell's basement, he refine the design of the clay model into what is now the 1959 Sting Ray sports racer. Dr. Dick Thompson drove the Sting Ray racer. the Sting Ray racer was the foundation for the 1963 Shinoda designed Corvette Sting Ray.

With the collaboration of Mitchell, Duntov and Shinoda, the Corvette Sting Ray 1963 to 1967 is thought to be the best of the Corvettes and the most desirable. Larry's work was to take the Sting Ray racing car, and turn it into a production car which was not an easy task. he worked in the famous "Studio X" that was located underneath the front lobby, it was a small area but with big doors to move cars and clay models in and out.

Though suffering from an illness, Larry Shinoda still takes active part to the end. he designed the handsome "Shinoda Kit" for the CA Corvette and was working on the production of a limited run of Shinoda designed C5 Corvettes. he also worked with Cragar wheels on a 17", 18" and 20" Shinoda Design series. the graphic design for the Mid-American traveling Corvette exhibit was one of his last projects. he died on November 13, 1997 of a heart attack.