History of the Corvette

[Racer 007]

~ THE FIRST GENERATION ~
The Corvette debuted in January of 1953 as a show car in the GM Motorama.
It was a stylish two seat convertible, designed to show the world that GM could create a sports car to compete with European car manufacturers like Jaguar and MG. At the Motorama there was a great response. The production of the 1953 Corvette Roadster began in June in Flint, Michigan. All 1953 Corvettes were Polo White with red interiors; and were hand built. They were powered by the existing Chevrolet 235-cu.-in. 6 cylinder engine that was modified with a three carburetor design and dual exhaust to give it more sports car like performance. The engine generated 150 horsepower, and it was teamed with a2-speed Power glide automatic transmission. However it didn't live up to the performance of expectations of sports car buyers.
Arkus Duntov -an engineer on the Corvette team since 1954 - was the big man behind the Chevrolet Corvette. Chevrolet built 3600 but in that year the only sold 600 of them. In 1955 the sold the rest (although this was very difucult).
In 1955 setting off rumors that Corvette might be a short-lived automotive experiment. Corvette's had a 265-cu.-in. V8 that generated 195 horsepower was offered with a 3 speed manual transmission.
In 1956 Corvette got's it's first styling update. Most important changes were an new body with "scooped out" sides, outside door handles, roll-up windows and an optional removable hardtop. The 283-cu.-in. V8 was modified with fuel injection to produce an unprecedented 283 horsepower, and a new 4 speed manual transmission.
In 1957 Chevrolet sold his "Vette" with a Fuel Injection motor. The 1956 and 1957 were equal.
In 1958 the Corvette body changed a bit. Corvette got dual Head lights and much more chrome at the front and the back. The base model futures a fuel injected 283-cu.-in. V8 was now producing up to 290 horsepower.
Chevrolet removed in 1959 some of the worst chrome elements. They also changed a few little things.
In 1960 for the first time Corvette reached a production of 10,000. In each year between 1960 and 1962, performance and styling enhancements made it more and more appealing to a wide variety of buyers.
In 1961 they changed the tail lights into the famous "duck tail"lights. These "duck tail" lights will stay forever. You can see them also on the 1998 model. Also the grille changed.
In 1962, engine displacement was increased to 327 cu. in. and top horsepower was up to 360. The scoops weren't available in other colors. Chevrolet only option was the same color as the whole body.


~ THE SECOND GENERATION ~
In 1963, Corvette introduced its all new Corvette Coupé and Convertible models called the Sting Rays. This was the very first time Corvette was available as
a hardtop coupe model as well as the traditional convertible. Both cars featured an all new body design that was more stylish than the previous generation. It
was also the first year for concealed Head lights. It also features an all new chassis, that includes an independent rear suspension.
The 1963 Sting Ray Coupe featured a Split rear window design, but it was replaced with a single piece rear window in 1964 because owners complained about visibility. Chevrolet had to build second assembly plant in St. Louis, Missouri to keep up with demand, and dealers reported owners waiting months for their cars to be built. At the end of 1964 Corvette produced more than 20,000 units.
In 1965, The Corvette had a 396-cu.-in. "Big Block" V8 under the hood. It delivered 425 horsepower. New was the four wheel disc brakes that become standard, The body didn't change at all.
In 1967, the limited production L88 Corvette was officially rated at 430 horsepower, although some Corvette historians believe that figure was artificially low. Only 20 of the L88 Corvettes were built.


~ THE THIRD GENERATION ~
In 1968 Corvette was totally different in appearance from any other Corvette. This models where resemblance of the "Mako Shark II" concept vehicle. The Corvette changed a lot in different ways. First it's the totally new bold and aerodynamic body. This basic body design would continued for the next 15 years. It also features hidden windshield wipers, removable T-Tops. There was an option for the luggage reck on Coupé models.
The 1970 were a time of great change for Corvette. First there came the oil embargo and increasing government regulations about the fuel. These two major outside forces were having a lot of impact on Corvette performance. The original high-performance LT1 engine, a 350-cu.-in. "Small Block," was introduced in 1970. It generated 370 horsepower. That year, the "Big Block" displacement was increased to 454 cu. in., and was rated at 390 horsepower in the LS5 version.
In 1971, a special purpose "Big Block" V8 was available that produced 425 horsepower. But 1971 was the last year for "gross" horsepower ratings. The industry changed to a "net" rating system that accounted for the exhaust system, vehicle accessories and other components. It provided a truer measure of an engine's performance and is still used today.
In 1973Chevrolet introduced the "soft nose".
In 1974 the front and back chrome bumpers were removed. And this was the last year that the Corvette had a Big Block motor.
1975 was the last year that Corvette produced a convertible.
In 1977, Corvette produced over 1/2 million Corvettes. When the 500,000th car rolled off the assembly line, Leather seats were standard for the first time. From this type there were build 49,213 units.
In 1978 Corvette celebrated its 25th anniversary and. For this event the Corvette was selected to be the official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500. Two special models were produced for public sale a Pace Car edition and a special Silver Anniversary paint package. The Pace Car had a standard interior the normal Corvettes not. The "round" back window was introduced.
In 1979, Corvette production hit 53,807 units -- a record that still stands today. This year the interior of the Pace Car from last year became a standard interior for all models.
In 1980 the vette got a new styled hood, back and nose.
In 1981 Chevrolet produced a "lighter"version of the Corvette especailly for California. This was because of the tight emission rules. This was also the first year that there was a computer management on the vette.
1982 Chevy introduced a new cross fire engine. The new injection system was standard on all models. There was only one motor that chevy build in the vette. To celebrate the end of the "shark generation" (the 3th generation) the produced a colectors edition with specials colors and a tail window that you can open. There were no 1983 Corvettes produced for public sale.

[Racer 007]

~ THE FOURTH GENERATION ~
Chevrolet introduced in 1984 the first all new Corvette since 1968. They produced 510,000 Corvettes. It featured an all new body design. This was a totally different body design. It also features a double wishbone front suspension and five link independent rear suspension teamed with Goodyear Gator back unidirectional tires. The suspension was very strong. This 84-er drive very stiff. Inside, the cockpit surrounded the driver and featured advanced electronic instrumentation.
For 1986 Chevy build a Tuned Port Injection in the motor.
For 1987 , the Corvette Convertible was back! To celebrate the convertible's return, Corvette again paced the Indy 500 and all convertibles were designated Pace Car replicas. The evolution of Corvette as a world class performance car also continued with the addition of new standard 4 wheel ABS, an increase in maximum horsepower to 230 from its 5.7 Liter V8 and continued suspension fine-tuning.
The PASS-Key theft deterrent system was also added as standard equipment. Because of the rules that all cars must have an 3rd tail light it became a standard for the vette too.
In 1988 Corvette celebrated his 35th anniversary. It produced a all white Corvette with better handling. And it made great strides with the Performance Handling Package along with new 17 inch wheels and tires. This pack was not standard. The normal model 16" wheels. had The Selective Ride Control adjustable suspension system was also introduced; allowing drivers to choose between three different operating modes: "Touring," "Sport" and "Performance." A new 6 speed manual transmission was also offered, giving drivers added ability to maximize the Corvette power range.
ZR-1 roared to life in 1990 with an all new 375 horsepower LT5 engine under its hood. Designed in a cooperative effort between General Motors and Lotus, the LT5's dual overhead cam, 32 valve design made Corvette the talk of the automotive world. To help distinguish the appearance of the ZR-1 from standard Corvette Coupes, it was given an all new convex rear fascia and quad rectangular tail lights. All Corvettes received a new cockpit design that included digital readouts and analog gauges as well as a driver air bag. The maximum horsepower of the standard L98 engine
was increased to 250.
Corvette received styling refinements for 1991 that included wrap-around front parking/corning lamps, new side panel louvers and a ZR-1 style convex rear fascia on all models. To help differentiate the look of the ZR-1, its center high mounted stop lamp remained on the roof, while it was integrated into the rear fascia on both Coupe and Convertible.
Corvette performance continued to grow in 1992 with the introduction of the second generation LT1 -- putting a 300 horsepower engine back in the standard Corvette. The engine was designated LT1 because it was the first Chevy "Small Block" to surpass the horsepower of the original LT1 in 1970. The Acceleration Slip Regulation (ASR) system and Goodyear GS-C asymmetrical tires were also introduced as standard equipment. ZR-1received a ZR-1 badge on the sides of its clam shell hood. The one millionth Corvette was built on July 2, 1992 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
For 1993, LT5 output was boosted to 405 horsepower, and a special 40th Anniversary package was available on all models. Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) was also added as standard equipment.
The cockpit of Corvette was transformed for 1994 with a new single piece instrument panel, a front passenger air bag, and new door panels. Both the standard and Sport seats were also re styled, and leather seats became standard equipment.
The most noticeable change on the 1995 Corvette was the revised gill panel design. This also marked the last year for the ZR-1. Corvette served as the Official 1995 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.
Two distinctive Corvettes are part of the 1996 lineup: the Grand Sport and Collector Edition. Both celebrate the rich heritage of the Corvette, and mark the end of the current style. The new optional LT4 engine is introduced (required on Grand Sport).


~ THE FIFTH GENERATION ~
The new 1997 is totally different from the fourth generation. A start-from-scratch aluminum push rod V-8. it's lighter, more powerful, more fuel efficient than theV-8 it replaces (1996). The V-8 delivers 344 horsepower.
A sophisticated process called hydroformingcreates frame rails from a continuous steel tube. It makes the '97 sturdier and stiffer. The interior is roomier and the cockpit is handier. The frame takes up less room so it's easier to get in and out.

[BAdAzZV8]

In 94, all the interior yellow illuminations became white.

In 94 there were 3 O2 sensors, in preparation for OBDII.

In 94 a new starter was also used.

In 94 an OBDII interface was used, but still had the OBDI computer.

There's more little things but I'm lazy.