The 57 Chevy ‘Vette almost didn’t make it to 1957 and all but did a crash and burn a few years prior. Why did this auto, which has won the hearts of many, come close to being canceled?
Chevy first presented the two-seater Corvette or ‘Vette’ in 1953. It was the obsession and brainchild of the celebrated designer Harley Earl. Earl had been designing for Chevy since the late 1920′s and at long last managed to convince Chevrolet to build a two seater sports car, rather like the MGs, Alfas and other European autos that were being brought over to the US market by GIs returning from the war.
While the 53 Chevrolet Corvette was hailed for its killer looks and remarkable body, its engine performance was unquestionably unexciting, unadventurous and just plain bad. Ford’s Thunderbird further threatened the future life of the car that would in due course go down in the annals of American automotive history as ‘the only true American sports car’, by outselling the Corvette by 24 to 1. Ouch — that must have hurt!
While the Thunderbird was looking great on the roads of America, the Chevy Corvette (not yet the 57 model) was still looking hopefully at prospective buyers in the automotive showrooms. It was during this time that General Motors considered killing the ‘Vette, or in the words of an devotee ‘murdering it’. Things were not looking good for the ‘Vette.
Enter the powerful V8 engine and Zora Arkus-Duntov. Zora, who rather mistakenly became known forever after as the father of the Corvette, inspired the V8 design and specifications for the 1957 Corvette. The V8 engine is recognized with being the single most important alteration made to the Corvette to date.
Enough of the auto history. Granted the new V8 engine the 57 ‘Vette went from so-so to muscle in performance and was reborn as a true sports car.
While the 57 Chevy is as synonymous with the American dream as Mom’s home-made apple pie, the Americans do not have the monopoly on autos in thoughts. The Chevy Corvette started appearing in the dreams of car-lovers all over the world and began attracting a global fan base. The unsuspecting public was introduced to the 1957 Corvette through the medium of its plentiful guest TV appearances, where it often got its own listing in the credits! How is that for a comeback story?
The 1957 Corvette is coveted and collected by classic car enthusiasts from Asia to Antarctica. The 1957 Corvettes are selling at car auctions for anywhere from $70,000 on up, with apparently no lack of adoring collectors. The automobile world is now anxiously awaiting for the unveiling of the C7 Chevrolet Corvette projected to come sometime during 2010.
Find Out More About the 57 Chevys! FREE Info!
Want to know more about these classic dream cars? For free information (and photos), click to see some 1957 Chevy Corvettes. Cars for sale, too, at http://www.1957chevyforsale.com
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