The Corvette, it may surprise some to know, has been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953. After the war, many soldiers were returning home with their foreign built sports cars, the Alfa Romeo and Jaguar just to name a couple. Harley Earl was in charge of design at Chevrolet and he convinced the powers above that they too needed a two-seat sports car. Of this discussion the 1953 Corvette was born.
A shocking fact to many classic car buffs may be that the Corvette was and always has had a fiberglass shell. Originally, it was a matter of limited steel due to the war; however, the strong but light construction became the material of choice for all Corvettes.
In the beginning, the Corvette came standard with an in line six-cylinder engine coupled with a two-speed power glide transmission, it had less than exiting output. By 54 things were a little better with the introduction of the Paxton supercharger, however sales did not improve much. Around this time was a pivotal moment in car history, GM almost stopped making Corvettes altogether, which would have left us with a few unimpressive years of classic Corvette.
Two things came together to halt the cessation of production.
1) In 1955, Chevrolet produced their first V-8 engine since 1919.
2) Zora Arkus-Duntov, a Russian Émigré in the engineering department coupled the 265-cid V-8 engine with a three speed manual transmission.
If not for these two key events, the Corvette would be a forgotten experiment from a bygone age.
Like many GM cars the Corvette falls into generations, of which there are six and they are designated as C-1 – C-6.
C-1 (1953-62)
First generation Corvettes seen a few changes, most notably the addition of the V-8 and optional fuel injection in 1957. This new system would produce 283 hp from a 283 cid engine, the first engine in history to achieve 1hp per inch squared.
C-2 (1963-67)
This generation would see the first year for the Corvette Sting Ray and the split back glass. Independent rear suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and the big block 396 cid would all appear. In ’66, the Corvette would be equipped with the huge 427 cid and become the most collected Corvette ever. In 67 they would again up the ante by placing the L-88 version of this engine that reportedly cranked out 550 hp, only 20 of these engines were placed in the ’67 Corvette and estimates put the value of those cars today at over half a million.
C-3 (1968-82)
This generation saw the addition of larger horsepower engines, however for many years these were hampered by stricter emission laws, the move to unleaded fuel and catalytic converters. The standard output declined until 75 when the base engine had only 165 hp. Styling would gradually change over the generation until 1980 when Corvette underwent an aerodynamic redesign that would reduce drag.
C-4 (1983-96)
Actually there is no 1983 Chevy Corvette, although 44 prototypes were produced they were never released for sale and all save one were destroyed. The only ’83 Chevy Vette is on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green Kentucky.
Many changes would come in this generation; the c-4 was a complete redesign over previous generations. Transmission issues plagued the car as they tried to meet fuel economy recommendations. Some notable firsts are:
• Electronic fuel injection
• Anti lock breaks
• Air bags
• Computer controlled six-speed transmission
Many other firsts and last were to be had in this generation of Corvette, the last use of the cast iron engine block and opposing wipers were a couple of lasts for these cars.
C-5 (1997-2004)
The Corvettes of this generation would be a wild departure from the generation it replaced. A better design and a stronger frame that would last for the next two generations were in its place. These years would also have the third generation small block that packed a hard-hitting 350 hp.
C-6 (2006- current)
This generation gets a complete suspension overhaul, new bodywork and exposed headlights for the first time since the early 60’s. More space is added to the interior while the body becomes shorter and wider, partly for wider European appeal. The latest edition will be out in early 09 and will pack the most horsepower yet with 638hp and 604 foot- pounds of power torque. The Blue Devil will be a sight to see.
The Corvette is indeed an American classic car, whether you are partial to the small two-seat roadster variety or are panting at the sheer power that is about to be released one thing is certain, the Vette will never go out of style.
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