Category: C1 Corvettes

With the creative influences of such incredible engineering talents as Edward Cole, Zora Arkus-Duntov, and Bill Mitchell behind it, the C1 Corvette had emerged as an American classic, but one that was ready to undergo a transformation into something completely new and exciting.1962 C1 Corvette Overview

In fact, with the second-generation Corvette now just one model year away, there were few within Chevrolet who did not view the 1962 Corvette as anything other than a transitional model between the classic styling of the C1 roadster and the far more competitive and edgy lines of the next-generation Corvette.

The 1962 model year represents the end of an era for the Chevrolet Corvette.  Over the course of ten years, the Corvette had evolved from Harley Earl’s conceptual two-seat sports car – a car that was initially plagued with design and performance deficiencies – into a vehicle that rivaled sports cars around the world with an unabashed reputation for performance and fun

Pricing :$4038.00

Engine options: 327 ci ohv V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple-horsepower options available

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional)

Top speed:  132mph

Units produced: 14,531

Available colors: Tuxedo Black, Roman Red, Almond Beige, Honduras Maroon, Fawn Beige, Ermine White, Sateen Silver

Highlights of the year:

Despite the fact that the 1962 model is considered one of the greatest of all the C1 Corvettes, the perception that the 1962 Corvette was “transitional” was not completely unwarranted.

For one, the ‘62 Corvette was the first model year to incorporate the 327 cubic-inch V-8 engine in place of the smaller 283 cubic inch engine. Though technically the same engine block as the 283, the smaller engine was bored and stroked to bring its cylinder dimensions to 4.00 x 3.25 inches and it’s displacement up to 327 cubic inches.

While this larger engine would certainly produce more horsepower, there were other changes that would have to be incorporated first to ensure that the engine could receive the air and fuel it would need to run as it was meant to.

Gone forever from the 1962 (and all future models) Corvette was the troublesome twin four-barrel Carter carburetors.  These were replaced by a more powerful, single four-barrel Carter carburetor.

Though the overall appearance of the ‘62 remained faithful to the styling of Harley Earl’s earlier models, this new Corvette was, and remains, one of the most desirable of all the C1 models.

While it’s styling was beginning to look a bit dated as it moved into its second decade of existence, this final variation was stripped of any of the remaining excesses that had plagued it’s earlier counterparts.

The most obvious of these deletions was the removal of the chrome outlines that had framed the bodyside coves since 1956.   Further, the chrome accent spears (that had accentuated the side vents within the coves) were also removed, replaced instead by more conservative aluminum blades that were finished in black.  Another omission which added to the more cohesive look of the car was the deletion of the option to have the coves painted in a different color than the rest of the car.

Despite it’s origins and it’s undeniable ties to the very first Corvette, the 1962 model was faster, handled better, was more physically appealing, and was the most completely realized and most civilized of any Corvette made to date, though it continued to retain much of the pioneering imagination that made Harley Earl’s 1953 concept car such a triumph at its unveiling during the 1953 Motorama.

Sales of the 1962 Corvette jumped by nearly 40 percent from the previous year, with total sales of 14,531 units, pushing the Corvette firmly “into the black” on General Motors’ financial bottom line.

For those early pioneers of the Corvette – Cole, Duntov, and Mitchell – this came as a huge relief.  After all, they (like Harley Earl (before his retirement)), were the ones who fought to keep the Corvette program alive during its darkest days.

Of course, getting to this point was only half the battle.  Now that they had achieved solid financial success with the C1 Corvette platform, it was imperative that they bring Corvette forward into its next iteration and, in so doing, take the car to even greater successes.

Little did any of them realize just how successful Corvette was about to become.

Photos of the 1962 Corvette:

Sources:

https://www.corvsport.com/1962-c1-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1962-c1-corvette-image-gallery/
https://www.wallpaperup.com/1962_Chevrolet_Corvette
https://www.wsupercars.com/wallpapers/Chevrolet/1962-Corvette

By late 1960, the Corvette had demonstrated again that it was a serious contender on the race track, both in mainstream media and in the automotive marketplace. CBS television, in cooperation with General Motors, introduced the series “Route 66”. (While it was common in that era for automotive manufacturing companies to sponsor television programming, this particular series featured a story about two guys who sought adventure in their shiny, new Corvette).

Bill Mitchell had begun the process of developing a prototype for an all-new Corvette that would go on to become known as the “Mako Shark I.”  He had also championed a team of Chevrolet designers in developing both cosmetic and performance upgrades to the existing C1 body styling.

Pricing:$3,934.00

Engine options: 283 ci. V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple-horsepower options available

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional)

Top speed:  131mph

Units produced: 10,931

Available colors: Tuxedo Black, Honduras Maroon, Ermine White, Jewel Blue, Fawn Beige, Roman Red, Sateen Silver

Highlights of the year:

With Corvette sales consistently increasing over the previous two model years, General Motors executives decided to review some of Mitchell‘s designs and made the decision to “green light” a restyling of Corvette for the 1961 model year.

The most pronounced of Mitchell’s changes was the introduction of a freshened rear-end design.  The “ducktail” design (as it has become known amongst Corvette enthusiasts) was virtually lifted from the Stingray race car as well as Mitchell’s XP-700 show car

From a practicality standpoint, the redesign of the rear end of the Corvette enabled an increase in available luggage space by twenty percent (20%).  The new rear end also showcased a pair of small, round taillights on each side of the license plate recess. (These re-designed tail lights would become synonymous with Corvette and would be a standard feature (in one form or another) on all future generations of Corvette).

Other improvements were made to the Corvette’s body as well, though some were not physical changes to the actual lines of the Corvette so much as an evolution in the quality of how those body lines were put together.

With improvements in fiberglass manufacturing combined with refined assembly processes improving the car’s fit and finish, the 1961 Corvette was quickly recognized by critics and enthusiasts alike as the best-built Corvette yet.

While the exterior received subtle improvements to it’s overall appearance, the interior of the 1961 Corvette went virtually unchanged from its predecessors.

Mechanically, the 1961 Corvette was much like it’s 1960 predecessor.  However, an aluminum radiator took the place of the previous copper-core unit.   By adding an aluminum radiator, Chevrolet improved the cooling capabilities while further reducing the car’s overall weight.  Side mount coolant-expansion tanks were added as a running change.

The available engines were essentially just carryovers from the 1960 Corvette.  There were five, different versions of Chevy’s respected 283 cubic-inch V-8 engine made available to consumers, of which two were fuel injected.

While Corvette continued to delay the incorporation of an independent rear suspension, this did nothing to hurt the vehicle in sales or in performance.

Automotive testers were enamored with the quality of the 61’s handling ability, and none of them identified any specific deficiencies or lacking in quality of handling due to the absence of an independent rear suspension.

By the standards of that time, the Corvette was now recognized as one of the most roadworthy cars in the world.

Photos of the 1961 Corvette:

Sources:

https://www.corvsport.com/1961-c1-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1961-c1-corvette-image-gallery/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450852612666371935/

It is said that when you find something that works, don’t change it.  For Chevrolet, this sentiment resonated amongst the senior designers of the Corvette.  Despite the conceptual changes that Bill Mitchell had been toying with since 1958, the reality was that the Corvette was going to be around in its current form for a few more years. From a sales standpoint, this seemed to sit just fine with GM executives, who had watched the Corvette’s financial successes gain more ground with each passing year.  Even in 1958, when an economic recession impacted so many manufacturers, the Corvette had succeeded in turning a profit.

Surely, the Corvette still had room to grow – even if that growth meant staying the same, and from 1959 to 1960, stay the same it did.  From a design standpoint at least, the 1960 Corvette is virtually indistinguishable from the 1959 model.  The body lines and chrome trim is nearly identical on both models. The interiors have virtually no distinguishable differences.  In short, the 1960 Corvette was, from all design purposes, a continuation of the 1959 production model.

Pricing :$3,872.00

Engine options: 283 ci. V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple-horsepower options available

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional)

Top speed:  124mph

Units produced: 10, 261

Available colors: Tuxedo Black, Horizon Blue, Roman Red, Sateen Silver, Tasco Turquoise, Honduras Maroon, Ermine White, Cascade Green

Highlights of the year:

However – the engineers behind the power plant that gave the Corvette it’s heart and soul had something new in mind for the 1960 model year.  The top two engines, both fuel injected or “fuelie” engines, received an increase in their overall horsepower.

The addition of solid lifters and a higher, 11.0:1 compression ratio boosted the strongest of the fuelie engines to 315-bhp at 6,200 RPMs.  The second most powerful engine included hydraulic lifters (which made for easier maintenance) and pumped out an impressive 275-bhp at 5,200 RPMs.

Because of these performance increases, the Powerglide automatic transmission was no longer an option, as it simply could not handle the torque these new powerhouse engines generated. The carbureted engines that were also included as optional engines for the 1960 model remained the same as they had on earlier models.

The most conservative of these engines was a 230 horsepower engine that included a single, four-barrel carburetor.  Next in succession of horsepower was a 245-bhp, hydraulic lifter version of the same engine that included a dual-quad carburetor.  Topping these was the 270-bhp engine with twin four-barrel carburetors.

Although Chevrolet shied away from advertising the Corvette as a performance car after a ban on racing had been put into place by the Automotive Manufacturers Association ( or “AMA” for short), Chevrolet continued to offer many performance options for the 1960 model year.

Aside from the optional, “beefed up”, 315 horsepower engine which carried an additional cost of $484.20, there was also the option of ordering Positraction for $43.05 and a four-speed gearbox for $188.30. Additionally, the metallic brake linings were again made available as a $26.90 option.

Whereas a few short years ago the Corvette was railed by critics for its lack of performance, the Corvette had come into its own as a genuine sports car both in the United States as well as around the world.

In 1960, Corvette overcame the sales hurdle that had eluded it for so many years – it sold more than 10,000 units that year.  In fact, 10,261 Corvettes were sold in 1960, braking the psychologically important “10K” barrier and making it the most successful Corvette (from both a performance and a sales standpoint) yet. Corvette had proved itself to the General Motors executives and its long term future was most definitely assured.

Photos of the 1960 Corvette:

Sources: 

https://www.corvsport.com/1960-c1-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1960-c1-corvette-image-gallery/
https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0516-243492/1960-chevrolet-corvette-resto-mod/

Pricing: $3875.00

Engine options: 283 ci. V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple-horsepower options available

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional)

Top speed: 128mph

Units produced: 9,670

Available colors: Tuxedo Black, Frost Blue, Roman Red, Inca Silver, Classic Cream, Crown Sapphire, Snowcrest White

Highlights of the year:

The 1959 Corvette featured slight changes from the previous model. The new edition boasted clean, pure styling, due to the loss of unneeded chrome and hood louvers. It was overall, mechanically unchanged from 1958. Several other design changes were introduced including new Magic-Mirror acrylic lacquer finish to keep it looking brilliant for years to come, and a luxurious cockpit that was designed for navigator comfort. A new instrument panel with glare-reducing, concave instruments was introduced. The seats and door panels were redesigned, and the addition of a shelf under the dash was new for 1959. The ’59 offered a variety of power teams engineered for driving fun.

As with the 1958 Corvette before it, the powertrain of the ‘59 Corvette was unchanged from previous years – with one exception: the addition of trailing radius rods. These trailing rods were introduced to help counteract rear-axle windup, while also contributing to a softer overall ride and noticeably less rear-end shifting while driving on uneven or irregular surfaces. In addition to the trailing radius rods, Chevrolet began offering even stiffer springs as part of the heavy-duty brakes/suspension option (RPO 684) that had been originally introduced as an option on the 1957 Corvette.

The addition of both of these new components helped produce consistently better handling and better handling also meant better overall performance, and the 1959 Corvette proved it at the test track.   With quarter-mile times of less than 15 seconds and a 0-60 mph time of less than 8 seconds, the 1959 Corvette was considered to be remarkably fast – and notably fast even by today’s standards.  The top-end “fuelies” (fuel injected) Corvettes were rated at 290 horsepower with a top speed of 128 miles per hour when mated with the 4.11:1 final drive.

Chevrolet sales of the 1959 Chevy Corvette totaled 9,670 units, a number that was just shy of the landmark 10,000 units that General Motors was now anxiously hoping to hit with its two-seater sports car. Although Chevy was not yet making a significant profit from sales of the Corvette, it was no longer costing Chevrolet money either. The modest numbers continued to point in the right direction, and both Corvette designers and engineers believed that they were on the brink of surpassing the 10,000 units/year number.

Still, it was now clear that American car enthusiasts were finally embracing the Corvette as a serious sports car which meant that Chevrolet would continue moving forward with the development of an, as yet unrealized, second-generation Corvette. With prototype designs like the exceedingly expensive “Q-Corvette” and Bill Mitchell’s “XP-700” already envisioned, anticipation amongst General Motors executives, engineers, and designers was on the rise.

Photos of the 1959 Corvette:

Sources:

https://www.corvettemuseum.org/learn/about-corvette/corvette-specs/1959-corvette-specs/
https://www.corvsport.com/1959-c1-corvette/#Corvette-colors
https://www.corvsport.com/1959-c1-corvette-image-gallery/

To mark the fourth birthday of the Corvette, its proud parents, the Chevrolet Motor Division, announced the 1958 model which underwent some extensive but not too important changes on the surface and a few rather interesting ones underneath

Pricing: $3591.00

Engine options: 283 ci. V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple-horsepower options available

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional)

Top speed:  112 mph

Units produced: 9,168

Available colors: Charcoal, Silver Blue, Panama Yellow, Tuxedo Black, Snowcrest White, Regal Turquoise, Signet Red, Inca Silver

Highlights of the year:

Drawing on inspiration from both Earl’s ‘56 Corvette and the Mercedes-Benz, a new concept car emerged that was featured at the 1956 Motorama that nearly became the basis for an all-new Corvette.  This car would go on to become known as the “Oldsmobile Golden Rocket”. His “Golden Rocket” was a unit-body, two-seat coupe that sported futuristic styling that included a slim vertical grille and a protruding snout with quad headlamps – a style that was immensely popular amongst designers in Detroit.

The Oldsmobile’s front fenders swept back the length of the body to a torpedo-like rear end that was topped by small fins.

Gullwing-like sections were cut into the roof assembly to allow greater ease when entering/exiting the car.  Much like the rest of the car, the roofline also tapered back in a “boattail” fashion, with a large rear window that wrapped down and around the roof. In all, the “Oldsmobile Golden Rocket” would become commonly recognized as the inspiration for Bill Mitchell’s Corvette Stingray seven years later.

As early as 1946, General Motors executives had come to a consensus that unit-body construction would be the path forward for cheaper unit cost and higher volume, both of which were items that Corvette needed to begin turning a profit.  Using the Oldsmobile concept car as a model, engineers began laying out a new Corvette based on the Golden Rocket’s styling.

Early models made of clay and fiberglass showed how unit-body construction might help pave the way for a whole new era of Corvettes. Smaller and lighter than the current C1, it also compensated for many of the current design constraints that current Corvette engineers were forced to deal with.

However, this first pass at a new Corvette design never completely got off the ground.  The project, which carried the name Q-Corvette, ended up getting shelved as members of the Concept Corvette development team were pulled away to other projects that demanded the attention of those who could best help in the ever-increasing sales race against Ford.

Early models made of clay and fiberglass showed how unit-body construction might help pave the way for a whole new era of Corvettes. Smaller and lighter than the current C1, it also compensated for many of the current design constraints that current Corvette engineers were forced to deal with.

However, this first pass at a new Corvette design never completely got off the ground.  The project, which carried the name Q-Corvette, ended up getting shelved as members of the Concept Corvette development team were pulled away to other projects that demanded the attention of those who could best help in the ever-increasing sales race against Ford.

Other changes were made to the interior as well.  The interior door panels were remodeled to include reflectors that had been added at arm level for nighttime safety.  Upholstery now featured a new “pebble grain” fabric.  Even seatbelts, which had been practically unheard of before that model, were standard issue – factory installed in the 1958 Corvette.

Despite some of the extreme changes to its body styling, the 1958 Corvette was the first vintage of Corvette to turn a profit for General Motors. In all, Chevrolet sold 9,168 Corvettes in the 1958 model year, which was doubly impressive when considering that the Corvette sales were up (47% over the 1957 Corvette and a staggering 150% over the 1956 Corvette) despite a year in which a financial recession had wrought havoc on the competition, leaving few manufacturers to actually turn a profit that year.

In fact, save for Ford’s new four-seat 1958 Thunderbird (and very few others), Corvette alone proved successful in the domestic automotive market.

Photos of the 1958 Corvette:

Sources:

https://www.corvsport.com/1958-c1-corvette/
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15144486/1958-chevrolet-corvette-road-test/
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/1958-corvette-by-chevrolet-interior-in-a-color-photograph-34890-m-k-miller.html

In the period of just two short years, Corvette had evolved from a car that was facing the very serious threat of extinction to one that showed real promise for a long and healthy life. While General Motors still recorded only modest sales of the Chevrolet Corvette in 1956, it was apparent to everyone that it was also beginning to be taken seriously as a sports car. Even after the immense structural, physical and mechanical facelift it received in 1956, Corvette saw some major improvements in 1957

Pricing: $3,176.32

Transmission: 3 or 4 Speed Manual or Powerglide Automatic (optional)

Engine options:  283-ci V-8 (fuel injected or carbureted) – multiple horsepower options available

Top speed: 132mph

Units produced: 6,339

Available colours: Onyx Black, Polo White, Venetian Red, Arctic Blue, Aztec Copper, Cascade Green, Inca Silver

Highlights of the year:

Visually the 1957 model was unchanged. The V8 was increased to 283 cu in (4.6 L), fuel-injection became a very expensive option, and a 4-speed manual transmission became available after April 9, 1957. A new, larger 283-cid engine was placed under the hood,   Mechanically, it was really still the existing 265-cid engine, though it had been bored out 1/8-inch (to 3.875 inches).  This modified engine delivered an impressive 220 horsepower when coupled with a four-barrel carburetor.    Dual four-barrels took it to 245 horsepower (and 270bhp.)  Better still, consumers could now also purchase GM‘s newly developed “Ramjet” fuel injection system which yielded 259 horsepower (or 283 bhp). Chevy ads carried the news that the Corvette now produced “one horsepower per cubic inch”. While fuel injection is almost universal today, the very idea of it in 1957 was completely foreign to automotive manufacturers.  While some European manufacturers had already begun experimenting with fuel injection in their production cars, Chevrolet turned to this new technology to bring added performance to its two-year-old V8 engine.

GM had considered using supercharging (as an alternative method to boost performance) but decided against it because of reliability issues.  Fuel injection provided more precise fuel metering than a carburetor allowed, so GM assembled a development team to develop its own fuel injection delivery system.  The team was comprised of Ed Cole, who had been promoted to Chevrolet’s chief in 1955; Harry Barr, who designed the 1949 Cadillac V-8 and went on to become Cole’s successor as Chevy’s Chief Engineer; John Dolza, head of fuel injection development for the GM engineering staff; and Zora Arkus-Duntov. 

Interestingly, it was not engine performance but the four-speed manual gearbox that had the greatest impact on the performance aspect of the Chevrolet Corvette. Available as early as April 9, 1957, and priced at only $188.30, Regular Production Option (RPO) 685 was essentially the existing three-speed Borg-Warner transmission with the reverse gear moved into the tailshaft housing to make room for a fourth forward speed. Gear ratios were closely spaced at 2.20:1 (1st), 1.66 (2nd), 1.31 (3rd), and 1.00 (4th).  Of all the Corvettes produced that year, 667 of them included this option.

“Positraction” (referred to today simply as “Posi” amongst car enthusiasts), was another separate option that was available with several different final-drive rear axle ratios which included 3.70:1, 4.11:1 and 4.56:1.  Chevy’s new limited slip differential was intended to help get the most performance out of the new engines and transmissions regardless of the car’s intended purpose – be it racing or street driving.

In almost any form, the 1957 Corvette delivered uncompromising, and largely unmatched, performance.  The Corvette had effectively become a street-legal sports car.  As taken from an excerpt in the book CORVETTE: Sports Car Superstar: “the ’57 Corvette delivered a certifiably staggering performance

Finally, after several years of struggles ranging from meager sales to lackluster performance to poor customer acceptance, the Corvette’s future was no longer in question.  The car had made incredible progress, both mechanically and socially, and the sales numbers proved it doubling from 1956 to 1957. The 1957 model year ensured the future of the Corvette and now, with the successes the car was showing on a regular, repeating basis, Chevrolet added it indefinitely to its production car line.   Still, with a car that still had room to grow, the Corvette development team had to find ways to improve on a machine that had become, for many, the ideal American Sports Car.

Photos of the 1957 Corvette:

Sources: 

https://www.corvsport.com/1957-c1-corvette/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_(C1)
https://www.corvsport.com/1957-c1-corvette-image-gallery

Pricing: $3120.00

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard) or 2-speed Powerglide (optional)

Engine: 265-cid small-block V-8

Top speed: 129mph

Units produced: 3,467

Available colours: Onyx Black, Cascade Green, Venetian Red, Aztec Copper, Arctic Blue, Polo White

Highlights of the year:

On February 1, 1955, just as the Ford Thunderbirds were beginning to make an appearance on the streets in serious numbers, Earl had all but finalized a full-scale clay model of a new Corvette body.   By Mid-April, having made a number of minor trim changes, Earl approached General Motors management with his model and, upon inspection, the new design was approved on the spot.  The results of his new design was a 1956 Model Corvette that would change the direction of Corvette sales for all time.

This “second-generation” styling was based on three concept cars that appeared at the 1955 Motorama:  The Chevrolet Biscayne and a pair of showstoppers dubbed “LaSalle II”.

The LaSalle II was a similar-styled hardtop sedan and sporty roadster combo; both versions had prominent vertical-bar grilles as well but sported a styling touch the 1956 Corvette would inherit; an elliptical concave section at the rear of the lower bodysides that was swept back from the front wheel wells.  These areas would come to be known as “coves” and would eventually be recognized as signature trademarks of the Corvette

The bodyside “coves” gave the 1956 Corvette a truly unique styling personality.  While the body stylings of the 1953–1955 Corvette had led the car to become mockingly called “the plastic bathtub”, this new look helped to correct the long, blocky look of the original ‘Vettes and gave the new design an aggressive look and flow that was clean and attractive.  To further accentuate the overall styling of the car, the coves were outlined in chrome and were often painted a different color than the rest of the car. The car’s standard convertible top was improved upon, now providing a tighter fit that virtually eliminated leaks.  It was also offered for the first time in beige and white in addition to the standard-issue black cloth top.

A power-operated convertible top was offered for the first time as an option (at a cost of $170.60).  While the top was technically only partially automatic – it required the operator to first unlatch and partially collapse the top before activating the fold button – it was still a remarkable improvement over the original convertible tops of the earlier models. A new spring-stroke steering wheel was included in the interior re-design as well a new waffle-pattern upholstery and revised door panels to go with the wind-up windows. The car’s heater was changed from a recirculating variety to a new “fresh air” version after the first 145 production cars were built.

The Corvette had begun to emerge with growing acceptance from both consumers and critics alike. The consensus was that Chevrolet had finally presented a Corvette that was no longer “half-finished” but rather offered genuine sports car performance with smart new styling and a full complement of options and amenities. Interestingly, in order to make the Corvette more commercially viable, members of the Corvette engineering and design teams began looking at other ways that they could utilize this car. After all, having a sports car was of little value if you couldn’t truly use it for sport. By September of 1956, commercial advertisements were exclaiming that “The 1956 Corvette is proving – in open competition – that it is America’s only genuine production sports car.”

Finally, there was no doubt that the true American sports car had come of age   While productions numbers were still down from where GM would have hoped they would be, a total of 3,467 Corvettes rolled off the line that year, re-affirming to those within the General Motors family who doubted that the Corvette could ever be made commercially viable that this car was finally on its way – and prepared to do battle for the business that was currently being given to the Ford Thunderbird line

Photos of the 1956 Corvette:

Sources:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15142874/1956-chevrolet-corvette-road-test-review/
https://www.corvsport.com/1956-c1-corvette/#Corvette-engine
https://barnfinds.com/lying-eyes-1956-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1956-c1-corvette-image-gallery/

The Corvette engineering corps wanted more power. Corvette advertisers wanted more power. Corvette aficionados wanted more power. The Ford Thunderbird team…well, they probably would have preferred that the Corvette stick to its Blue Flame Six engine for another few years at least. But more power is exactly what the Corvette got. For the 1955 model year, Chevrolet’s two-seater finally gained the muscle to fulfill the promise of its catch-me-if-you-can exterior. V-8 power had arrived. And the Corvette would never be without it again

Pricing: $2774.00

Transmission: 2 Speed Powerglide Automatic or 3 Speed Manual

Engine options: “Blue Flame” Inline-6 or 265-cid small-block V-8

Top speed: 120mph

Units produced: 700

Available colours: Polo White, Harvest Gold, Gypsy Red, Corvette Copper, Pennant Blue (replaced by Harvest Gold in 1955)

Highlights of the year:

Edward N. Cole, Chief Engineer for GM’s Chevrolet Division, led the process to develop a new power plant that was ready for production which would, ultimately, play a pivotal part in the re-birth of Corvette into American culture: the amazing new 265-cid small-block V-8.

This engine, which he had been developing for Chevy’s totally redesigned passenger cars, would become the “heart and soul” of the 1955 Corvette

The original intent of the 265-cid V-8 was to have a capacity of 231 cubic inches, which made it physically smaller than the “Blue Flame” six-cylinder of the 1953 and 1954 Corvette.  It was Edward Cole that had the engine’s capacity increased to 265 cubic inches.  Cole also reworked the cylinder heads, concentrating on efficient gas flow and better combustion.

Upon completion, this V-8 engine was 300lbs lighter than the ‘Stovebolt Six” and was a remarkably compact unit.  The inclusion of a short-stroke crankshaft allowed the engine to rev to 6,000rpmAt about the same time, a new member had allied himself with the Corvette engineering team.

The new 1955 “Turbo-Fire” V-8 did wondrous things for the Corvette’s performance. Developing 195 horsepower, a 40-hp improvement over the Blue Flame Six, the V-8 helped the Vette sprint from 0 to 60 mph in roughly 8.5 seconds — more than two seconds quicker than the six-cylinder car. (A new three-speed manual transmission, unveiled in late ’55, helped improve acceleration even more.) Top speed climbed from 107 mph to 120. Remarkably, even the fuel economy improved. The Corvette was fast becoming a true no-excuses sports machine.

Of course, the refinement of the car was not limited solely to the engine, although the addition of the V-8 certainly encouraged other accommodations to be made to the car.  For the first time since the original 1953 Motorama Corvette, an automatic choke was included as well as a modern 12 volt electrical system, though the older 6-volt system was retained for the few six-cylinder Corvettes that were built that year.  Electric wipers replaced vacuum-operated units and foot-operated windshield washers were included.

Tires changed from tube type to the tubeless variety and were available in both white wall and black wall versions. Although the Powerglide two-speed automatic remained for most of 1955, about 75 cars were built with Corvette’s first manual gearbox.  This was a new close-ratio three-speed manual transmission which was shifted via a stubby chrome shifter rod capped by a small, white ball and surrounded by a boot that was clamped to the floor by a bright metal ring showing the shift pattern.

As a whole, 1955 marked a pivotal year for the engineering behind the Corvette, despite the fact that sales continued to be an overwhelming failure.  In 1955, only 700 were produced by GM for the model year, and of these, only 674 were actually sold.  It appeared that GM had learned from their previous model years over-production mistakes.

Photos of the 1955 Corvette

Sources:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143945/1955-chevrolet-corvette-road-test/
https://www.corvsport.com/1955-c1-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1955-c1-corvette-image-gallery/

The 1954 Corvette began production in December 1953.  Although the first fourteen or fifteen ‘54 Corvettes were built in Flint, Michigan (like all of the 1953 Corvettes) GM shifted Corvette’s production to a newly renovated assembly plant in St Louis, Missouri.  This plant was designed to produce more than 10,000 Corvettes a year. There were very few initial design changes between the 1953 and 1954 model Corvettes, although refinements would be made throughout the 1954 production year.

Pricing: $3254.10

Units produced: 3,640

Engine: “Blue Flame” Inline-6

Top speed: 108mph

Transmission: 2 Speed Powerglide Automatic

Available colors: Polo White with Sportsman Red Interior, Pennant Blue with Tan Interior, Sportsman Red with Red Interior and Black with Red Interior

Highlights of the year:

This was a year for bringing life to the Corvette—in preparing for 1954, Chevrolet had focused on the production line rather than on engineering breakthroughs. As a result, changes to the ’54 model were generally minor. A mid-year camshaft modification raised the output of the Blue Flame Six by five horsepower, to 155 (the two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission remained standard). The stainless-steel exhaust tips were lengthened (on the ’53 model, the shorter exhausts had shown a tendency to stain the paint on the close-fitting bodywork). Paint choices increased to four, with Polo White being joined by black, Sportsman Red, and, toward the end of the year, Pennant Blue. Convertible tops were now tan instead of black. Door handles were redesigned for easier operation.

Perhaps the most notable change from the 1953 to 1954 models was the opportunity to purchase a Corvette with a choice of different color options. In 1954, only 3,640 units of this model were built and nearly a third were unsold at year’s end. New colors were available, but the six-cylinder engine and Powerglide automatic, the only engine and transmission available, were not what sports car enthusiasts expected. In the October 1954 issue of Popular Mechanics there was an extensive survey of Corvette owners in America. The principal complaint of the surveyed owners was the tendency of the body to leak extensively during rainstorms

Photos of the 1954 corvette:

Sources:

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/1954-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1954-c1-corvette/#1953-C1-Corvette-Specs
https://velocepicturecars.com/american-classics-1/1954-chevrolet-corvette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_(C1)#1954