The 1957 Chevy ‘Vette almost didn’t make it to 1957 and all but did a crash and burn a few years earlier. Why did this auto, which has won the hearts of many, come within a hair’s breath of being canceled?
Chevrolet first introduced the two-seat Corvette or ‘Vette’ in 1953. It was the obsession and brainchild of the renowned designer Harley Earl. Mr. Earl had been designing for Chevrolet since the late 1920’s and finally managed to convince Chevy to develop a two seater sports car, to compete with the MGs, Alfas and other European automobiles that were being introduced to the US market by returning GIs.
While the 1953 Chevy Corvette was lauded for its killer good looks and fabulous body, its engine performance was decidedly unexciting, unadventurous and just plain bad. Ford’s Thunderbird further threatened the future of the auto that would eventually go down in the chronicles of American auto history as ‘the only true American sports car’, by outselling the Corvette by 24 to 1. Ouch — that had to hurt!
While the T-bird was looking great on the highways of America, the Chevy Corvette (not yet the 1957 model) was still looking hopefully at possible buyers in the showrooms. It was at this time that GM considered killing it off, or in the words of an enthusiast ‘murdering it’. Things were definitely not looking good for the ‘Vette.
Enter the V8 engine and Zora Arkus-Duntov. Zora, who to a certain extent mistakenly was designated ever after as the father of the Corvette, inspired the V8 design and specifications for the 1957 Corvette. The V8 engine is credited with being the single most significant modification made to the car up to that point.
Enough of the history. Given the new V8 engine the 57 Corvette went from so-so to power in performance and was reborn as a serious sports car, something that any 1957 Chevy collector should have.
While the 1957 Chevy is as synonymous with the American dream as Mom’s home-made apple pie, the Americans do not have a monopoly on cars in imaginings. The Corvette started appearing in the dreams of sleepers the world over and started attracting a global fan base. The unsuspecting public was introduced to the car through the medium of its many guest TV appearances, where it often achieved its own listing in the credits! How is that for a comeback?
The 1957 Corvette is coveted by classic car enthusiasts the world over. The 1957 Corvettes are being bought at car auctions for anywhere from $70,000 upwards, with no shortage of adoring buyers. The automobile world is now holding its breath, waiting for the introduction of the C7 Chevy Corvette expected to arrive sometime in 2010.
