That meant more power, a manual transmission, and a more sophisticated, handling-tuned suspension. Duntov found sympathetic ears at Chevrolet. In fact, his chief concern — the Corvette's lack of world-beating horsepower — was already being addressed. Cole's engineering team spent much of developing a new Corvette engine for the model year.
And, in time, Duntov would have ample opportunity to utilize his considerable talents to create ever-better and faster Corvette models. For now, though, the Corvette was being pushed ahead by a force even more compelling than Duntov.
It was called the Ford Thunderbird. Unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the two-seat Thunderbird boasted a V-8 engine, both manual and automatic transmissions, roll-up windows, and a removable hard top. Longer, wider, and more luxurious than the Corvette, the T-Bird lacked the Vette's sports-car "purity. So the battle was officially on. It wouldn't last long: by the model year, under mounting pressure from the increasingly potent Corvette, Ford would drop its two-seat Thunderbird model altogether.
Without benefit of a crystal ball, though, in Chevrolet knew only that it had a tough fight ahead. For the Corvette's development team, the coming years promised to be as demanding as they were fulfilling. For the Corvette's growing legion of fans, the best news was just around the bend.
Chevy's fiberglass dream machine was about to shift into high gear. Specifications Wheelbase: in Length: New Cars. Buyer's Guide. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Historical Vettes. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.
You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Some of the inconveniences of the model were also corrected in The original two-handle exterior hood latch was replaced by a single handle mechanism after the production of the first approximate models. The choke control was moved from the right to the left of the steering column. This eliminated having to reach over or through the steering wheel to operate the choke control with the left hand while simultaneously attempting to turn the ignition key with the right.
Under the hood, some additional changes were also made to the engine and drivetrain. Perhaps the most notable change from the to models was the opportunity to purchase a Corvette with a choice of different color options.
In , General Motors offered the Corvette to consumers with the following color combinations:. A fourth color combination — Black with Red Interior — accounted for as few as six of the production models from that year.
Still, paint bulletins from that period are known to have listed a Metallic Green and a Metallic Bronze as well. However, potential customers were shocked to learn that the only available transmission for the Corvette the 2 speed Powerglide was listed as an option, as were the windshield wipers and the heater.
Most consumers saw through this marketing trickery and sales of the Corvette suffered as a result of it. One of the best selling points of the Corvette was its reliability. As with the Corvette before it, the did have a few quirks: the synchronizing of the triple carburetors for smooth idle and throttle response was tricky to down-right difficult to accomplish.
Also like the , water leaks continued to be a problem, although mostly from the top and the side window curtains. None of these items were considered major issues. Besides, General Motors released service bulletins to cover them, ensuring that any issues that did arise were properly addressed and repaired.
At the same time, one of the biggest on-going issues that faced the Corvette had nothing to do with the mechanical, structural or cosmetic short-comings of the car itself — at least not directly.
The bigger issue was an indirect combination of all these items and the general public perception of the car as a whole. Some considered it a boulevard tourer that lacked the performance and handling of a true, out-and-out roadster. See full Corvette Gallery. See the complete breakdown of technical specifications for the Corvette, including engine, suspension, brakes, body dimensions, and power.
Read more: Corvette Specifications. Read more: Corvette pricing and factory options.
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