Chevrolet Corvette C1 1959 for sale

The Chevrolet Corvette C1 is the first generation of the Corvette, introduced in 1953. The response was very positive: Chevrolet managed to develop a sports car that could compete conceptually and visually with European models. The design of the Roadster is attributed to Hearly Earl, the inventor of the tail fin. The C1 was the first production car with a fiberglass body. Initially, the C1 had a six-cylinder inline engine with a displacement of 3.8 liters and only 150/155 hp. This power was, especially by American standards, too low and the performance did not even meet the standards of a sports car of the time. Consequently, the C1 was also too expensive: other brands had more attractive offerings. Thus, sales success remained severely limited, despite the great success at the presentation. A successful relaunch of the C1 occurred in 1955 with the new "Small-Block" V8 engine. The responsible engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, also a driver, adapted the Corvette to this engine and took care of the installation of disc brakes, fuel injection, and a more aggressive camshaft. With a displacement of 4.3 liters, the V8 now produced 195 hp and showed adequate performance for a sports car. The most important aesthetic revision occurred in 1956. The hinted rear fins were eliminated, while side scoops were introduced behind the front wheels and the first two-tone paint was introduced. The hardtop was provided as standard. The front headlights, previously integrated into the body, were now exposed and slightly protruded. From 1958, dual headlights became available. In the following years, power was constantly increased in various engines with fuel injection or carburetors. The most powerful version in 1962 had a displacement of 5.3 liters and reached almost 360 hp. Various manual and automatic transmissions were available, with a significant percentage of manual transmissions, which was unusual for the USA. From 1953 to 1962, a total of 69,015 units were produced, and during this period they were aesthetically and technically revised several times. In 1963, the subsequent C2 was introduced, available as a coupe and open roadster.