THE HISTORY OF THE CORVETTE
The Corvette was introduced in 1953 by Chevrolet as a marketing experiment. At that stage they were all hand made, so only 300 were produced. The 53 Corvette was produced only in white with a black convertible top and red interior. It was powered by a 235cu. in 6 cylinder which produced about 150 hp is was coupled to a two speed automatic transmission. Sales figures climbed to 3,640 for 1954, but the following year saw just 700 sold, despite the introduction of the 195hp 265V8. Late in 1955 the 3 speed transmission became optional, but also in 1955 there was speculation that the Corvette would be a very short-lived experiment. In 1956 Corvette although struggling gave the Corvette it's first major styling update. Changes included a new body design with scooped sides. The car also received a performance boost alongside it's new styling. The 283 cu.in. V8 was modified with fuel injection to produce 283 horsepower and coupled up to a 4 speed manual transmission as an option, this achievement made Corvette one of the first cars in the world to bolt a fuel injected engine to a 4 speed manual gearbox. The engine was further modified in 1958 to produce 290 horsepower, and a four headlight front was added to the new body design. In 1960, Corvette production topped the 10,000 mark for the first time. The following year 1961 saw more changes to the body with the introduction of the now trademark quad tail lights. In 1962 the engine department saw a change with the displacement being increased to 327cu.in and horsepower was boosted to 360. This was the final year of the first generation Corvette, which was known as the "Straight Axle" style. By the end of the first generation Corvette had been established as part of the American Muscle Car breed. In 1963 a completely new design was introduced the "Sting Ray". It was an immediate success. This model also boasted an all new independent rear suspension as well as the option of coupe and convertible. The front body section also received concealed head lights. 1963 would also be the only year of production for the split window coupe. Powertrain options included 300, 340 and 360hp, 327 engines and four speed manual or automatic transmission. Production once again exceeded 10,000. In 1965 the Corvette was given four wheel disk brakes as standard equipment. The big block L78, 396 engine was introduced as an option with up to 425hp. That year saw the sales figures climb to an all time best. 1967 was the last year of the second generation Corvette the "Sting Ray" style. In 1968 the Corvette was to receive a dramatically different appearance from all it's predecessors. The car's body was modeled after the Mako Shark. Side exhausts became optional, the 327 was now given up for the more powerful 350. Increasing government regulations however, were having a big impact on the Corvettes performance. With 1970 came the introduction of the High performance LT1 engine. Big block displacement was increased to 454 cu.in. and the 350cu.in could pump out 370hp. In 1971, a big block was available that produced 425hp, this would also be the last year of the big block horsepower engines. At the end of 1975 the convertible model was dropped. The next convertible would not be produced until 1986. 1977 saw Corvette sales reach 500,000. Corvette celebrated in 1978 with it's 25th Anniversary. model. The public was offered two special models, one was and INDY pace car edition, and the other was a Silver Anniversary. edition. If that wasn't enough 1979 was a record sales year with the Corvette selling 53,807 cars. Corvette sales remained strong in the early 80's, The Corvette had clearly become part of the American lifestyle. The third generation Corvette closed in 1982 with the release of the collectors edition featuring special silver paint pack and a rear hatchback. In 1983 due to production problems no Corvettes were produced. It would 1984 before the long awaited redesign of the fourth generation corvette actually appeared. The new car featured a one piece removable roof panel, a four speed manual transmission with overdrive in the top three gears. In 1985 the engine power from a 205hp cross fire injection motor to a 230hp tuned port injection motor. 1986 saw the return of the convertible, and new cars were given as standard equipment 4 wheel ABS disk brakes and fine-tuned suspension. 1988 saw the Corvette's 35th Anniversary. Todays Corvettes in fact are the most changed since 1953. Everything is new, from the aluminum Gen III V8 to the rear mounted 4 speed auto transaxle. This Corvette is four times stiffer than it's predecessors. A super rigid but lightweight aluminum block combined with hydraulic engine mounts that offer improved engine isolation. The result an ultra smooth V8 performance. A robust structure allows the four wheel independent suspension to be tuned strictly for wheel control from road inputs. Traction control is standard on the Corvette. It works in conjunction with ABS and electronic throttle control to provide enhanced drive ability by limiting tyre slip on many surfaces. Top speed for this Vette is listed at 274km/h and 0-100 in 5.6 seconds. Not bad at all I would say.
|
