Sixty-eight years ago today, the first Corvette rolled off a temporary assembly line in Flint, Michigan and an American Legend was born!
In the early 1950’s, Harley Earl, GM’s head of styling, envisioned a low-cost American sports car that could compete with Europe’s Jaguar, MG, and Ferrari. Codenamed “Opel”, designers shrugged off a traditional steel body in favor of using a new technology consisting of molded fiberglass for rapid prototyping and the very first example made its debut in January 1953 at the GM Motorama show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
The car was a hit and Corvette production was originally slated to start in 1954 in St. Louis. However, company officials decided to fast track the Corvette into production based on the great reviews and public acclaim, and so 300 Corvettes were scheduled to be built in the second half of 1953.
The first Corvettes to come off that temporary line took several days to complete as workers bonded the various body panels together. The uniform design of the 1953 helped greatly with all cars being Polo White with the Sportsman red interior and a Black canvas top. Each new Corvette came with a 2-speed automatic transmission mounted on the floor, a Delco signal-seeking radio, a 5,000 RPM tachometer, and a counter for total engine revolutions.
The Corvette’s original base price was set at $3,498.00. However, the general public was hard-pressed to get one as most of the production was doled out to project engineers, GM executives, and other high profile customers including Hollywood movie stars like John Wayne. In fact, a dealer notice issued in July ’53 from the Central Office proclaimed: “No dealer is in a position to accept firm orders for delivery of a Corvette in 1953.”
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Today’s Corvette is completely different than the first model, yet they are connected with the same sportscar DNA that started with Harley Earl’s project “Opel” and progressed with Zora’s belief that the car could (and should) dominate the world. The tradition of building a world-beating yet affordable sports car continues on today through Tadge Juechter and the 8th generation Corvette, and it all started 68 years ago today.
Source:
How Stuff Works and History.com
Related:
You Can Buy The Original Seats From GM’s 1953 Motorama Corvette
What If the Original Corvette Had Its Engine Mounted in the Middle All Along
[PICS] Owner’s 2020 Corvette Stingray No. 239 is VIN-Matched to His 1953 Corvette
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You had to ruin it by mentioning Tadge.
Happy Birthday Corvette anyway
Happy birthday to the Corvette! America’s sports car! Many have come and gone over the last sixty plus years, but the Corvette is still here and doing better than ever! GM created a timeless automobile when it created the Corvette in 1953. Hopefully it will continue well into the future in one form or another. Most importantly I would like to thank all the designers, engineers, and workers who made this all possible! As well as the consumers who continue to embrace and support the Corvette loyally for nearly seventy years!
CELEBRATE with a C8!!!!
ZORA, really? Now that’s original.
Zora may have been first, but Tadge made the Corvette a true supercar. We’ll forever be indebted to both.
The cutest VETTE of all time. Congratulation 68 years.
Zora??!?!?
Come on, know your Corvette history right: it was a brainchild of Harley Earl and Zora saw a prototype at the NYC Motorama. Harley Earl is THE father of the Corvette and Zora is the godfather.
Andrew, I’m well aware of Corvette history. Unfortunately I cannot include everyone and everything associated with the Corvette because that would take too long.
George, unfortunately Tadge has become a corporate sellout! I lost much respect for him and others at GM. Especially with how they treat potential Corvette buyers these days.
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