The History of the Corvette
- HowStuffWorks®
- Apr 4, 2008
The History of the Corvette
Buoyed by a wildly enthusiastic introduction as a concept car at GM's New York 1953 Motorama debut in January, company executives put production of the Corvette on a fast track to capitalize on the favorable public and media opinion. After months of frantic activity, production on the 1953 Corvette got underway, with the initial target set at just 50 cars a month -- a maximum of 300 units for the balance of the calendar year.
Actually, much of the 1953 model-year's run of 300 cars would be hand-built, as more-efficient production processes for assembling the vehicle's fiberglass body were still being perfected. All cars would be built the same way so workers could concentrate on putting the bodies together properly without being rushed and without the distraction of trim and equipment variations. As a result, all '53 Corvettes were painted Polo White and had Sportsman Red interiors, black tops, 6.70 X 15 four-ply whitewall tires, Delco signal-seeking radios, and recirculating hot-water heaters. Also standard was a complete set of analog instruments, including a 5000-rpm tachometer and a counter for total engine revolutions (a feature that would continue through 1959).
The first Corvette to come off the assembly line was driven by Tony Kleiber, a Chevrolet body assembler, on June 30, 1953 -- just six months after its public unveiling as a Motorama dream car. Amazingly, the first production Corvette was changed little from its concept display model
Each
1953 Corvette required considerable hand labor on the makeshift Flint, Michigan, assembly line, which was housed in the same factory that turned
out Chevy passenger cars. Due to variances in the supplied fiberglass components, body fit-and-finish were inconsistent, especially during the first model year.
The first 1953 Corvette came off the Flint line on June 30, 1953,
just months after the car's public debut.
Performance-wise, however, the Corvette was quite a good sports car. Even with Powerglide and the six-cylinder engine, a well-tuned example could do 0-60 mph in 11 seconds and reach 105 mph flat out, which was commendable at the time. Furthermore, road testers from contemporary enthusiast magazines judged the ride/handling balance to be excellent.
Unfortunately, for all the demand the Motorama car had generated, neither consumers nor dealers could as yet obtain one. Early production models went to project engineers for testing and engineering purposes (production cars 001001 and 001002 are believed to have been destroyed), and the balance went to GM managers and other visible people. Word was released that the year's entire contemplated production had already been spoken for. That was a nice way of saying that Chevy didn't really intend to sell Corvettes to the general public, at least not just yet. Indeed, a dealer notice issued by the division's Central Office on July 10 cautioned that, "No dealer is in a position to accept firm orders for delivery of a Corvette in 1953." In fact, Chevrolet couldn't begin addressing customers' orders until a new plant would subsequently be geared up for '54 production.
The 1956 Corvette was not only fresh looking but was a vast improvement over the first generation in virtually every respect. While its changes were more evolutionary than revolutionary, all the former version's inferior elements were removed and the superior ones were now emphasized. At $3,120, the price had jumped by only a nominal amount -- around $200 -- over the previous year's (V-8-equipped) model.
The rakish 1956 Corvette was a big draw at auto shows
and Chevy showrooms.
This one beautified the lobby of the GM building in downtown Detroit.
A definite
"face" was regarded as the most appealing element of the
first-generation design, and the next generation's visage looked even more
attractive. Wire screens had made the "eyes" seem veiled on the
1953-55 models -- hardly appropriate, it was thought, for a "man's"
car -- so the headlamps were uncovered and moved forward out of their recesses.
Complementing this was a larger version of the round Corvette nose emblem, with the racy crossed-flags motif that survives to this day. The original front grille, which formed the "mouth" and its magnificent chrome "teeth," were unchanged from the 1955 model.
Rear-end styling revisions to the 1956 were just as tastefully executed. The '53-'55's finny fenders and jet-pod taillamps were trimmed down to artful French curves contoured to match rear deck curvature, and new taillights were neatly "frenched" above a vertical bumperette on each fender. The trunklid "shadow box" was discarded and the license plate moved to below the trunk opening, where it was flanked by horizontal bumperettes with little inboard bullets. The result was a smooth, gently curved tail, with the fenders protruding just slightly.
The bodyside "coves," as they came to be called, gave the 1956 Corvette a truly unique styling personality. They also helped correct the slab-sided look that had led some to mock the first-generation's design as a "plastic bathtub." Even with the coves' narrow chrome outlines -- one of the few last-minute trim changes made to the production prototype -- the flanks were clean and attractive.
For the 1959 Corvette, the
busied '58 chrome styling was cleaned up considerably. The oft-derided faux
hood louvers and decklid chrome bars were now nowhere to be found. Otherwise,
there were few changes from the previous model year.
The 1959 Corvette changed little from the '58 model.
Interior alterations were just as minor and just as effective. There were repositioned armrests and door handles, a shelf added beneath the passenger grab bar for extra small-item stowage space, and reshaped seats that at least now offered token lateral support. Sunvisors were a newly added option, and concave instead of flat instrument lenses (to cut down on reflections) were added to the instrument panel; a T-handle lockout for the manual transmission was included to prevent a driver from accidentally engaging reverse gear.
Powertrain choices were again unchanged, but the 1959 featured a minor mechanical alteration of major benefit: the addition of rear-trailing radius rods that helped contribute to a slightly softer ride and noticeably less rear-end steering on irregular surfaces. The rods also helped counteract rear-axle windup, which was an unfortunate byproduct of a problem with the explosive torque produced by the most powerful engines, and the RPO 684 heavy-duty brakes/suspension option was given even stiffer springs -- all of which made for better handling.
Most Corvettes could shoot through the quarter-mile in under 15 seconds, and 0-60 mph times of less than eight seconds were typical. Road & Track clocked a 290-bhp fuelie engine from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and on to the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds at 96 mph. Top speed was listed at 128 mph with the short 4.11:1 final drive.
If the 1961 Corvette was
good, the 1962 Corvette was even better. With still more power and even cleaner
looks, it ranks as perhaps the most desirable Corvette between 1957 and 1963.
The car's base price broke the $4,000 barrier for the first time, at $4,038. A
heater was finally made standard for 1962, more than negating the price increase
over the previous year's model, but it could be deleted if so desired, which
was intended for racing purposes.
The 1962 Corvette's look featured a blacked-out grille, simple vents instead of chrome windsplits in the "coves," ribbed rocker-panel trim, and a monochromatic color scheme.
Though the basic styling of the C1 generation was beginning to look a bit dated, the last of its worst excesses disappeared on this final variation. The most obvious deletion was the chrome outline around the bodyside coves, which also shed their triple chrome accent spears in favor of more conservative ribbed aluminum appliques, which were finished in black for subtlety. Omitting the coves' optional two-tone treatment only enhanced this more cohesive look. Other elements were similarly refined. The previous silver mesh grille and its flanking cutouts were now finished in black, as was the background of the trunklid medallion. Narrow-band whitewalls were in vogue that year and looked great on the Corvette. The only place where any form of decoration was added was to the rocker panels, which were newly adorned with ribbed anodized-aluminum moldings.
Under the hood, the 283 engine was bored and stroked to bring its cylinder dimensions to 4.00 × 3.25 inches and displacement up to 327 cid. The small-block V-8 would continue in this form as the Corvette's main muscle through 1965. And muscular it was. Even the base 327 pumped out 250 bhp, and in top form could generate an explosive 360 bhp. The deeper-breathing 327 block necessitated a small but important change in the Rochester fuel-injection system, and heavier-duty bearings, larger ports, and a longer duration camshaft were fitted to all but the base 250-bhp engine. The solid-lifter Duntov cam was now specified for the most potent of the three carbureted engines, now up to 340 bhp (as well as continuing in the top fuelie). Both of these ran tight 11.25:1 compression, versus 10.5:1 for the base and step-up 300-bhp engines. The latter two were perhaps the best choices for all-around use, offering more than enough power plus the simplicity and easy maintenance of hydraulic tappets and a single four-barrel carburetor.
1963-1967 Pictures
With a brilliant new chassis and futuristic styling, the second generation of Corvettes, starting with the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, turned up the heat. Improved each year through 1967, the Sting Ray is considered by many the most desirable Corvette of all. Take a look at the highlights of the C2 below.
Born of the Sting Ray in 1968 and plagued by teething troubles, the shark-inspired third-generation Corvette faced hazards unknown to its predecessors. But it soldiered on through a remarkable 15 years of tightening federal regulations and frustrating gas shortages. Along the way, Corvette matured into a well-balanced speed machine. Here are some of the highlights of the C3.
Delayed
a year by development problems, the new 1968 Corvette topped its
predecessor's chassis with a swoopy new
body that stretched seven inches longer.
1984-1996 Pictures
Unveiled as a 1984 model, the sleek fourth-generation Corvette proved to be another survivor, enduring 13 years of unprecedented competition. It hosted the return of the Corvette convertible and the birth of a new legend -- the mighty "King of the Hill" ZR-1. Take a look at the highlights of the C4 below.
1997-2004 Pictures
A small-block Chevrolet V-8, two-seat cabin, and luscious fiberglass body secured the fifth-generation Corvette's role in the tradition of America's sports car. But the Corvette introduced in 1997 was in reality so fresh it contained more new components than the original 1953 model. Its advanced chassis design and world-class powertrain rocketed the legend into the twenty-first century. Its ultimate expression was the fire-breathing, 405-horsepower Z06. Here are the highlights of the C5.
2005-2007 Pictures
The C6 Z06 Corvette was unveiled in January 2005 at Detroit's North American International Auto Show, but it didn't hit the streets until that fall as an '06 model.
Introduced as a 2005 model,
the sixth-generation Corvette was more an evolution of the C5 than an all-new
car. Still, it upped the Corvette's already high performance bar and maintained
the Corvette's rightful place among the world's best sports car values. The
2006 Z06 followed and took Corvette performance to stratospheric heights. Take
a look at some C6 models below.
News
Despite General Motors' many troubles, the long-rumored
high-performance Corvette has been spied in prototype testing for a reported
2009-model debut. Names being whispered include "Blue Devil" (the
original project title), Stingray/Sting Ray, Z07, and simply SS. Whatever it's
called, the most potent production 'Vette ever allegedly packs some 650 hp from
a supercharged 6.2-liter version of the base 6.0 V8. Informants hint at a 0-60
time of just 3.5 sec, abetted by paring pounds from the current top-dog Z06 via
more extensive use of carbon fiber and first-time application of polycarbonate
material. Some outer body panels are sure to be unique, if only to help justify
a projected price of around $100,000. Word is the engine will be handbuilt at
the GM Performance Center in yearly batches of 1500-2000, making this a fairly
rare road rocket. More news as it comes in, so keep checking back with us.
Of more immediate interest is the addition of two limited-edition Corvettes for
2007. This Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Z06 owned by Dan Schlotters, celebrates driver Ron Fellows and
his success with racing C6R Corvettes in the GT1 class of the American LeMans
Series. Production will be limited to 300 for the U.S. market and 99 for the rest of
the world. They wear Arctic White paint and Monterey Red Metallic front-fender
stripes with Machine Silver borders. A Ron Fellows insignia with callouts of
his ALMS championship years nestle within a driver-side stripe done in Victory
Red. Other unique touches include a full-width rear spoiler, windshield banner,
and interior trim. The Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06 will be
available this spring. Base price is $77,500, including destination. GM OnStar
assistance and a navigation system, the only options, push the tab to $79,945.
A specially trimmed Corvette convertible is this Official Pace Car for this
year's Indianapolis
500 race, and Chevy will follow tradition by offering 500 replicas for retail
sale. Specific features include Atomic Orange paint, Indy 500 exterior graphics
and fender badges, a Z06 rear spoiler, and new "split-spoke" aluminum
wheels. All pace-car replicas come only with the base V8. The Z51 performance
package is standard, however, so are a 6-speed manual transmission, OnStar and
navigation. The 6-speed paddle-shift automatic is the only option. The replica
ragtop lists for $66,995 base including destination, $68,245 with the
automatic.
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