C1: The First Generation

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04d00640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <B>Buckeye Corvettes Inc. - Canton, Ohio</B></div> <div> H<A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Buckeye Corvettes Inc. Canton, Ohio"><U>ome</U></A><B>  |  </B><B>C1: The First Generation</B>   |   <A HREF="id90.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C2: The Second Generation"><U>C2: The Second Generation</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id91.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C3: The Third Generation"><U>C3: The Third Generation</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id92.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C4: The Fourth Generation"><U>C4: The Fourth Generation</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C5: The Fifth Generation"><U>C5: The Fifth Generation</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C6: The Sixth Generation"><U>C6: The Sixth Generation</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1baa79f0.jpg" border=0 width="167" height="159" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>C1: The First Generation</I></div> <div> <I><B>~ THE FIRST GENERATION ~</B></I></div> <div> The Corvette debuted in January of <I><B>1953</B></I> 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 <I><B>1954</B></I> - 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 difficult). In <I><B>1955</B></I> 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 <I><B>1956</B></I> Corvette got 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 <I><B>1957</B></I> Chevrolet sold his "Vette" with a Fuel Injection motor. The 1956 and 1957 were equal. In <I><B>1958</B></I> 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 <I><B>1959</B></I> some of the worst chrome elements. They also changed a few little things. In <I><B>1960</B></I> 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 <I><B>1961</B></I> 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 <I><B>1962</B></I>, 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. Gary Hathaway's 1957 Convertible has style that will always be "in-style".</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Keep Checking Back: Pictures and Technical Information Coming Soon</B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>