C1 Corvette Overview: The Making of America’s Sports Car

C1 Corvette Overview: The Making of America’s Sports Car

How The C1 Corvette Was Made: See The Car's Evolution We are looking at the C1 Corvette's history in our overview of the first-generation Vettes. Although the C1 Chevrolet Corvette ran from 1953 through 1962, its legacy lives on in cars from more recent generations. Let's explore the significance of the Chevrolet Corvette C1's impact on America's car culture by going back and understanding the details of its history. Chevrolet created the C1 Corvette and called it the solid-axle Corvette due to the independent rear suspension that was absent until the 1963 Stingray model. Throughout its lifetime, the car had many changes, but the most important one for the C1 was when in 1955 the fuel-injected V8 engine was put in place of the straight-6 engine. The C1 Corvette has…
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14Apr 2020 by vettevues
1954 Corvette Magazine Ads and Brochures for the New C1 Sports Car

1954 Corvette Magazine Ads and Brochures for the New C1 Sports Car

1954 Corvette Information, C1 Corvette Information, Corvette News and Archives Category, Vintage Corvette Advertisements
Here are some 1954 Corvette Magazine ads and a few brochures that we used to promote the new C1 Corvette. As you look at the 1954 Corvette magazine ads, some will look as if they are duplicates, but there is a slight variation on them. We have also included some brochures and even some postcards. Also, we have included some other Chevrolet Magazine Ads you might enjoy seeing. There were 3,640 Corvettes produced in 1954 which was the second year for the Chevrolet Corvette roadster. While that first group, the 1953 Corvette only produced 300 units, it was offered in only one color combination of Polo White with Sportsman Red interior. The instant commercial success of the Corvette led to demand for a more diverse color palette in which to…
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26Oct 2019 by vettevues
Rare 1954 Corvette Bubble Top

Rare 1954 Corvette Bubble Top

1954 Corvette Information, C1 Corvette Information
Today we are looking back at a rare 1954 Corvette Bubble Top. GM styling chief Harley Earl commissioned approximately 20 plastic bubble canopy tops for the 1954 Corvette, most of which went to special customers and dealers.  The C1 Corvettes (first-generation)did not have a factory hardtop configuration. The base Corvette cost $2774.00. There were bubble tops for the early Corvettes produced by a handful of aftermarket companies including Model Builders of Chicago, Plasticon, and Scottop of California. The bubble tops were crafted from plexiglass and provided taller drivers a tad more headroom in the cockpit. These ran around $500. 1955 Corvette Bubble Top Vintage Magazine Ads 1955 Corvette Bubble Top Vintage Magazine Ads 1954 Corvette History Chevrolet began production of the 1954 Corvettes from its freshly refurbished St. Louis plant…
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30Apr 2019 by vettevues
C1 Corvette – THE HISTORY OF BODY KITS & DRESS-UP PARTS

C1 Corvette – THE HISTORY OF BODY KITS & DRESS-UP PARTS

1953 Corvette Information, 1954 Corvette Information, 1955 Corvette Information, 1956 Corvette Information, 1957 Corvette Information, 1958 Corvette Information, 1959 Corvette Information, 1960 Corvette Information, 1961 Corvette Information, 1962 Corvette Information, C1 Corvette Information, Corvette Features, Corvette History
C1 Corvette History of Body Kits and Dress-up This is the first re-post of six-part series that looks back at the various custom modifications that could be installed by an owner, contracted to a shop, or purchased as turn-key vehicles. This re-post presents additional photos to those who were selected for print in VETTE VUES. At the end of the article are links to the rest of the series or Corvette Body Kits by generations. In this series, VETTE VUES presents a photographic summary of the major trends in customization, as it has evolved through the various year groups. The treatment for each year group follows a set format. Examples of kits (or parts) that were offered in that actual time period will be presented first, followed by various retro-themed…
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21Jul 2016 by vettevues
1954 General Motors Motorama Video Footage

1954 General Motors Motorama Video Footage

1954 Corvette Information, C1 Corvette Information, Corvette Videos
Presenting the 1954 General Motors Motorama Video 1954 General Motors Motorama Video footage at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Among the products and exhibits shown are the Corvette-based Chevrolet Nomad, Pontiac's Bonneville Special, the Oldsmobile Cutlass, the Buick Wildcat II, the Cadillac El Camino, Firebird I, and Frigidaire's Kitchen of Tomorrow. The General Motors Motorama was an auto show staged by GM from 1949 to 1961. It was originally called the Transportation Unlimited Autorama and officially became known as Motorama when it began to travel around the country in 1953. The event had an orchestra, singers, and dancers as they showcased prototypes, concept vehicles, and other special or halo models. https://youtu.be/9aSLbt7kcQk Footage of the General Motors Motorama for 1954 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Among the products…
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01Jan 1954 by vettevues
1954 Corvette Brochure: This Is A Collectors Item

1954 Corvette Brochure: This Is A Collectors Item

1954 Corvette Information, C1 Corvette Information, Vintage Corvette Brochures Category
A Glance at the 1954 Corvette Brochure: The First All American Sports Car We are looking at the 1954 Corvette brochure. This was a sales brochure for the C1 Corvette for 1954. The cover says The First All-American Sports Car. This was also said on the first promotional booklet a year earlier for the 1953 Corvette. The printing came in orange, green, and red-lettered versions. The 1954 Corvette is a C1 and was the second model year in the first generation. The first-generation Corvette was introduced with the 1953 C1 Corvette. The C1 had many upgrades along the way.  We created an overview so you could learn more about the C1 Corvette.  If you’re interested in learning more about this gem, check out our C1 Corvette overview here. Let’s get acquainted…
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