Ken
Gone but not forgotten
CLASSIC COLLECTIBLE
LIGHT YEARS In an early publicity shot, General Motors played up the lightweight fiberglass body as one of the Corvette's unique qualities.
America's favorite sports car
By Tara Baukus Mello
columnist@barnstablepatriot.com
Americans have always been passionate about their automobiles, but they haven't always had a love of American-made cars.
In the early 1950s, those who had an interest in fast cars focused their passion overseas to imports, including those made by MG, Jaguar, Triumph and Austin-Healy. The infatuation with European sports car ended quickly, however, when the first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the line in 1953.
Car dealers had been begging the automakers to produce an American sports car that could compete with the popular imports. Well-known styling designer Harley Earl, who was head of GM's first styling department, wanted General Motors to capitalize on the popularity of the European sports car with its own automobile. He and Ed Cole, then chief engineer for the Chevrolet division, built a concept car, which they called Project Opel. It was unveiled as a "Dream Car" at the 1953 Motorama in New York City.
The public immediately fell in love with it and a production line was built for the "Dream Car," which was later named the Corvette. A scant six months later, the first of these new American sports cars rolled off the line. All told, 300 Corvettes were hand-built in 1953, each white with a red interior. The vehicles featured a 235 cubic-inch V-6 engine with a triple carburetor system and dual exhaust, yet it was this powertrain that nearly put an end to the Corvette before it got started.
By 1955, the novelty of the Corvette, which had sold 3,640 units the prior year, had worn off. Just 700 vehicles were sold in 1955 it seemed that American drivers didn't think the Corvette lived up to its promotion as a sports car. They wanted a more powerful automobile.
One of the Corvette's engineers, Zora Arkus-Duntov, a former racer on the Europe road course circuit, had some ideas about how to transform the Corvette into the high-performance car the American public wanted and he went into action. By the end of the 1955 model year, the Corvette had an optional V-8 engine and a three-speed transmission. Arkus-Duntov then piloted a Corvette powered by a prototype V-8 to a record-setting speed of more than 150 miles per hour at the Daytona Flying Mile Speed Trials.
By 1956, the Corvette began another transformation. A new body, with scooped sides, exterior door handles, roll-up windows and a removable hardtop was designed. In 1957, performance was boosted once more. The Corvette became the first car to be fuel-injected, giving it one horsepower for every cubic inch, for a total of 283 horsepower in the new V-8 engine.
By 1960, Corvette production exceeded 10,000 cars and it was well on its way to becoming an American icon. 1963 marked the introduction of an all-new Corvette. The so-called second-generation of the vehicle was produced in coupe and convertible versions, known as the Sting Rays. The body had been slimmed down and, for the first time, the headlights were concealed.
One of the new features, the split rear-window, was unpopular with its owners, who complained of decreased visibility. To solve the concern, General Motors replaced the design with a solid rear window the following year. Today, the 1963 split-window Corvette Coupe is a treasured find among collectors.
The third generation of the Corvette boldly hit the dealer's showroom in 1968 with a new design that was similar to Chevrolet's concept car, the Mako Shark II. This radical new design offered new features including hidden windshield wipers, pop-up headlights and removable T-tops. The design was so popular that the Corvette became the highest-selling two-seat sports car in the world by 1969.
By the 1970s, Corvettes were full of innovative features such as cruise control, catalytic converters, headlight warning buzzers and high-energy ignitions. Although Corvettes were more popular than ever before, the convertible model was dropped from the line. By the time the 1980s rolled around, consumers were longing for a new Corvette, but the design took Chevrolet longer than expected. In 1983, it produced 43 vehicles to test, but did not build any vehicles to sell. For the 1984 model year, it introduced the fourth-generation Corvette to rave reviews. With a complete makeover, the newly designed Corvette featured double-wishbone front suspension and five-link rear independent suspension. The innovations continued with the first center high-mounted stop lamp, computer-aided gear selection and a Selective Ride Control System. The convertible, so popular in the car's early days, returned in 1986 and served as the pace car at the Indianapolis 500.
In the 1990s, designers again went to work, this time creating a new look for the c-o-c-kpit :eyerole that included digital readouts and analog gauges. By 1992, the one-millionth Corvette rolled off the production line at the Bowling Green, Kentucky factory, where Corvettes (now in their sixth generation) are still produced today.
Tara Baukus Mello, a Hyannis native, owes her passion for cars to her father, who gave her an appreciation for all things automotive. Together they built a 1932 Ford pickup street rod, which won a national award in 1992 and launched her career as an automotive journalist. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys driving her '32 year-round.
America's favorite sports car
By Tara Baukus Mello
columnist@barnstablepatriot.com
Americans have always been passionate about their automobiles, but they haven't always had a love of American-made cars.
In the early 1950s, those who had an interest in fast cars focused their passion overseas to imports, including those made by MG, Jaguar, Triumph and Austin-Healy. The infatuation with European sports car ended quickly, however, when the first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the line in 1953.
Car dealers had been begging the automakers to produce an American sports car that could compete with the popular imports. Well-known styling designer Harley Earl, who was head of GM's first styling department, wanted General Motors to capitalize on the popularity of the European sports car with its own automobile. He and Ed Cole, then chief engineer for the Chevrolet division, built a concept car, which they called Project Opel. It was unveiled as a "Dream Car" at the 1953 Motorama in New York City.
The public immediately fell in love with it and a production line was built for the "Dream Car," which was later named the Corvette. A scant six months later, the first of these new American sports cars rolled off the line. All told, 300 Corvettes were hand-built in 1953, each white with a red interior. The vehicles featured a 235 cubic-inch V-6 engine with a triple carburetor system and dual exhaust, yet it was this powertrain that nearly put an end to the Corvette before it got started.
By 1955, the novelty of the Corvette, which had sold 3,640 units the prior year, had worn off. Just 700 vehicles were sold in 1955 it seemed that American drivers didn't think the Corvette lived up to its promotion as a sports car. They wanted a more powerful automobile.
One of the Corvette's engineers, Zora Arkus-Duntov, a former racer on the Europe road course circuit, had some ideas about how to transform the Corvette into the high-performance car the American public wanted and he went into action. By the end of the 1955 model year, the Corvette had an optional V-8 engine and a three-speed transmission. Arkus-Duntov then piloted a Corvette powered by a prototype V-8 to a record-setting speed of more than 150 miles per hour at the Daytona Flying Mile Speed Trials.
By 1956, the Corvette began another transformation. A new body, with scooped sides, exterior door handles, roll-up windows and a removable hardtop was designed. In 1957, performance was boosted once more. The Corvette became the first car to be fuel-injected, giving it one horsepower for every cubic inch, for a total of 283 horsepower in the new V-8 engine.
By 1960, Corvette production exceeded 10,000 cars and it was well on its way to becoming an American icon. 1963 marked the introduction of an all-new Corvette. The so-called second-generation of the vehicle was produced in coupe and convertible versions, known as the Sting Rays. The body had been slimmed down and, for the first time, the headlights were concealed.
One of the new features, the split rear-window, was unpopular with its owners, who complained of decreased visibility. To solve the concern, General Motors replaced the design with a solid rear window the following year. Today, the 1963 split-window Corvette Coupe is a treasured find among collectors.
The third generation of the Corvette boldly hit the dealer's showroom in 1968 with a new design that was similar to Chevrolet's concept car, the Mako Shark II. This radical new design offered new features including hidden windshield wipers, pop-up headlights and removable T-tops. The design was so popular that the Corvette became the highest-selling two-seat sports car in the world by 1969.
By the 1970s, Corvettes were full of innovative features such as cruise control, catalytic converters, headlight warning buzzers and high-energy ignitions. Although Corvettes were more popular than ever before, the convertible model was dropped from the line. By the time the 1980s rolled around, consumers were longing for a new Corvette, but the design took Chevrolet longer than expected. In 1983, it produced 43 vehicles to test, but did not build any vehicles to sell. For the 1984 model year, it introduced the fourth-generation Corvette to rave reviews. With a complete makeover, the newly designed Corvette featured double-wishbone front suspension and five-link rear independent suspension. The innovations continued with the first center high-mounted stop lamp, computer-aided gear selection and a Selective Ride Control System. The convertible, so popular in the car's early days, returned in 1986 and served as the pace car at the Indianapolis 500.
In the 1990s, designers again went to work, this time creating a new look for the c-o-c-kpit :eyerole that included digital readouts and analog gauges. By 1992, the one-millionth Corvette rolled off the production line at the Bowling Green, Kentucky factory, where Corvettes (now in their sixth generation) are still produced today.
Tara Baukus Mello, a Hyannis native, owes her passion for cars to her father, who gave her an appreciation for all things automotive. Together they built a 1932 Ford pickup street rod, which won a national award in 1992 and launched her career as an automotive journalist. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys driving her '32 year-round.
