Sep 2, 2010 Toby Welch
1953 Corvette - Stephen FoskettIt has been almost 60 years since the first Chevrolet Corvette hit the streets. The 1953 Corvette changed the way we see sports car forever.
In the past almost six decades, interest in the Corvette has been unequalled. Subscriptions of Corvette magazines exceed the number of ‘Vettes ever built. There are Corvette clubs on every continent except Antarctica. The Corvette is considered by many to be America’s only true sports car. Our love affair with the Corvette started in 1953.
The 1953 Corvette
Chevrolet sold 1,342,480 cars in 1953 but only 183 of those were Corvettes. Originally named the Corvair, the first Corvette rolled off the assembly line on June 30, 1953, to mixed reviews. Up until that point, no major American automaker had built a sports car although the public was clamouring for one. Many doubted Chevrolet’s ability to make a sporty two-seater despite the public’s enthusiasm for the Corvette prototype at the January 1953 Motorama.
Some people loved the sporty new car. With a height of 33 inches at the door top, the car seemed to hug the road. Its streamlined body appealed to many. It was 167 inches long with a 102-inch wheelbase. The dual exhausts and triple carburetors were horizontally mounted to allow for a lower hood. The wrap-around windshield was considered extraordinary
Read more at Suite101: The Origin of the Corvette http://www.suite101.com/content/the-origin-of-the-corvette-a280773#ixzz1D1Gmvfdm
