How The 1956-1957 Chevrolet Corvette Saved The Corvette
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- Опубликовано: 11 июн 2022
- The Chevrolet Corvette has been around since 1953 but it's future wasn't always bright. Sales had badly tumbled for 1955. Watch the video to find out how the 1956-1957 Corvette saved the Corvette.
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I think the 56 and 57 were among the best looking Corvettes ever.
I find the single headlights look better that the twins that followed.
Being 72 years old, I remember when my buddy turned 16 and got a used 57 Corvette with the four-speed. I would always beg him to take me to high school in the mornings, it was the nicest looking car in the parking lot! What really stands out in my memory is how small the interior was. We were both fairly large guys and were literally rubbing shoulders, and his chest was almost right on top of the steering wheel!
Very cool Steve.
fantastic ... corvettes are Hot 1960 24 hour of lemans performer, my fav year vette..
Oh boy can I relate to your story. I'm 75 and anyone in my HS who had a Vette was the Top Gun of the day. There was always the rivalry among us though with other Chevrolet models, mainly the Impala, as to what we'd do to soup them up. Some were done so well that they would beat the Vette, but none were nearly as cool. Save the Wave 🙋♂
@@petercarey6883 👍👍
@@petercarey6883 ha ha nice ::::::
6:03 I've often said we need a biopic of ZAD's life to teach a whole new generation about this American icon. He not only saved the Corvette, he made it a legit sports car and a world beater in performance. Every Corvette fan owes him a huge debt- thank you Zora!
Agreed!!
One of these cars was the very first sports car that I ever saw; it was parked in my neighbor's garage down the shore, where one of the men who lived there, had gone off to the war in Vietnam, and had asked to store his Corvette in my neighbor's garage. Of course, veterans all, he agreed. When the man came back from the army, I met him and asked if he would take me for a ride, and he happily said yes. It was until that moment, the greatest time of my life, as he drove along in the sunshine with the top down. The culmination of a dream.
I have been a Corvette freak since I was a little kid back in the 1960's! Thanks for all of the great info!
If the whole Corvette project had been cancelled I wonder what the Chevrolet corporation would have replaced it with? Perseverance and a gamble paid off and I'm glad it did. Good subject choice for this presentation!!!!!!!
Upper management at GM hindered a lot of other cars in fear of their precious Corvette being out performed. I'm wondering how much better every other car in the various divisions would have been without a Corvette.
@@nucleargrizzly1776 I'm in total agreement with you on all of that my friend!!!
Great question. Something to really think about. Would the Camaro come sooner? Maybe, the Nova? Hmmmmm
The world would have been be a better place without the "precious" Corvette...
I like playing these videos while I go to sleep😉
The 56 black on black cove with red interior was originally here in Rhode Island. A truly beautiful car and NCRS Duntov winner a few years back. It was recently sold and now resides on the West Coast. It was great to see it again!
This series of Vette looks better than the current overworked model.
I appreciate the 50s Corvette.
However, we should accept the Corvette of what Zora had always wanted and not take it for granted
The current Corvettes are indistinguishable from any other "supercar" to me. Generic done to suit schoolboy tastes.
Agree. The C8 is hideous. Looks like a cartoon supercar from the eighties.
@@LuciFeric137 That's stupid to say.
When I was a small kid in the '60s my dad had a '56 Corvette. It took many years but I finally got a '56 of my own a few months ago!
Glad they resolved the performance aspect and saved the car. I really like the evolution of the styling that came in '58 with the four headlights, though. One of the few cars from the year I was born that wasn't overblown. Of course I also like the continued change to the rear-end that came in '61 that foreshadowed the Stingray.
61 & 62 are easily my favorites of the C1's.
It wasn't overblown...the chrome strakes on the trunk, the fake vented hood and all the chrome, other than that🙄
The 61' addressed the 58-60 Corvettes problems, something about 58, 59 and 60 Chevys too, 61' was a tremendous year there as well...REBOUND❗️
I always favored the ‘57 vette for its performance and the single headlights.
Love this, thank you.
Awesome episode! Please do more history of the Corvette going forward! Thank you for sharing!!!
This was very interesting to think it was almost cancelled. That is what you call a turn around in image and status. Think about where it is today with an electric version on the way. Thank you for this video and the effort put into the video.
Don't green my Vette!
@@MisterMikeTexas I know right an electric corvette will kill the corvette
Thank you so much for yet another great video! They are the best of the best!
Very interesting and well researched. Thanks so much for your time.
1957 & 1967 will always be my favorite Corvettes ever. & thank you for your outstanding videos as always.
I'd love to have the '55 Corvette with a 283 V-8 dual four barrel.
In 55 it was a 265 cid. The 283 came out in late 57.
@@ncm-jl3nu ,
I know. It's an item on my bucket list to refurbish a '55 with a 283.
If that's okay with you.
@Keef Dichards ,
I'm going to custom rebuild a '55 and install a 283 engine in it.
Got it?
@Keef Dichards ,
Because I'm smarter than you.
I love your channel, Sir. Greetings from Argentina.
This is my favorite channel on RUclips, I know you have your own life, but I wish the videos were longer and there were more of them. I've watched all them about 3 or 4 times over the years lol.
More proof that GM would never do that today.
Thanks for your share.
Great content.
Fantastic video. I super Love Corvettes!
I always watch this channel at 1.75 speed,normal speed puts me to sleep.Great content though.
You’re watching it wrong. You watch these videos as your last video right before bed.
Man the ‘56-‘57 is such a gorgeous machine. They positively ruined it in 1958. The ‘58 looks like a scaled down Cadillac, not a sleek sports car.
Great video !
Always liked the 57 model! Very cool!
When I was born, my Dad had a 56 black Corvette with RED coves. He also swears it had a 283 with dual quads.
Thank you Mr. Zora!!! 👍
Great video! Personally, I liked the '58 Corvette.
Another great video
Buddy had a 1956, had a 283 two cast iron four barrels, 4 spd. He didn’t respect it at all and abused the heck out of it.
It was one of the prettiest cars I’ve ever seen. People from eight to eighty would would come up to it and drool over it, and complement buddy, at every stop.
That’s my corvette story!
Oh ya, he sold it for $18k can. probably around 1990
Great video, my first car was a 65 Byscane 2 door with 57 Corvette 283 3 speed paid $75. for it
With a low geared rear end for the six cylinder it came with it was a fast street light drag racer.
I have been the proud owner of a 57 Corvette for 49 years. Something most people do not know about the 57 Corvette is the front bumpers are bolted to the fiberglass with no other structure behind them. Resting your foot on the bumper could damage the glass.
Very cool really enjoyed! 👍👍
Right after the Hemi in the’56 300B, the hot cam version. 354 cu-in/5.8l, 355 hp!
First time I saw this body style was pretty much the last until now but I was a big fan then even with 50 something other cherry Corvettes parked around in the underground parking garage my boss rented that he finally trusted me enough to show me. This was 1998, my senior year in highschool when I worked at a VW restoration/high performance shop after school and on Saturdays. Holy mother of God I could not believe what I was seeing especially since I thought he was a Porsche nut and to make it even crazier most of his Corvettes were bought in Germany where he was stationed and had shipped back one by one. I kept my word too as this is the first time I've ever mentioned it as almost 35 years have gone by, the garage is long gone and I never said doxxing information. I know of a collection of C-3 Corvettes that were modified shortly after buying new with some being four doors, two door wagons, limos and even a ute style like an El Camino.
Ramble over. Peace our
Nice Looking 1956 and 1957 Chevrolet Corvettes-Barbie Drove One in the Barbie Movie(1956 Chevy Corvette)
The 56 and the 63 Corvettes are arguably the best sexiest car designs the US has ever produced. That's something coming from a Mustang guy.
The 57 although looking similar to the 56 raised the bar with available 283 FI and 4 speed. Fine machine. The 56 only came with 3 speed stick or 2 speed auto. Still a cool car.
The Blue Flame six was gone in 1955 when the Vette was first offered with the 265c.I. V-8.
The 1957 Corvette is my favorite. My 2nd choice the 1970 Corvette Stingray. I'm so glad that Chevrolet put the right man on the job. Too bad that can't be said these days.
I prefer the 71 because you could get the 425 hp 454 while the 1970 top engine was the 454 390 hp. The 69 with the L88 even better.
@@rjkubr An old friend had both small block and big block C3's. The small blocks drove much better, didn't overheat, and were easier to work on. Corvettes weren't really designed to have a big block, although they are now worth big $$$.
s
I'm a 1970 model, my engine, well it's got miss, it backfires at times, belches. At 40, my check engine light would come on from time, to time. Now, it just stays on. After 30 years of marrage, serious body damage. I need a full, frame off restoration😂
It looked like a Karmann-Ghia with a grilll~
The 57 with the 61/62 rear would look good!
57 fuel has to be the ultimate Corvette
A beautiful car
57 my favorite Vette
Imagine that. Once they finally put some power in them they were desired.
New sub ! Liked 👍🚀😀
I assumed that "special presentation" meant that it would contain more than stock photos and a dry recitation of production stats that sounds like it was recorded on a laptop microphone. Silly me.
A volumetric efficiency of 105% to 110% is always better than 65% to 75%.
Even under the ugly specter of electric cars, internal combustion engine technology has finally reached its mature peak.
Do you have anything to say about Cadillac Eldorado for 1977-78? is there something special about them?
I believe Jay Leno has one of these Corvettes. However, I doubt if Jay would let me take it out for a spin.
The mid-year coupe is the greatest car ever but these 56-57's are a close 2nd💯
The 2 4bbl engine was very fast in its day, the FI was unsurpassed by any stock car at the time.🚘
Actually the Rambler Rebel 327 Fi was faster but Nash couldn't produce them reliably.
@@hunkydorian I thought the Rebel line came out in the mid 60s.
Red Forman bought a vintage Corvette from right under Bob Pincioti's nose! 😆
As far as I am concerned, the 1967 Vette was the last real Vette.
uhhh ? what about the c3s man there the best looking corvette body style by far
is this the one used in LESS THAN ZERO?
💕👏
56-57 Best years
The 55 Thunderbird saved the Corvette. Chevy didn't want to lose face by scrapping the Corvette just when Ford's competition arrived. The Thunderbird was a much better two seat luxury car than the Corvette but had no sports car potential. This may have driven Chevrolet to take the Corvette more in a sports car direction than the original 53. Ford sold over 15,000 55 T-birds, more than all Corvettes sold from 1953 through 1957.
The 57 E and F code Thunderbirds def went head to head with the Vette. I hate that Ford turned one of its greatest cars into a luxury barge
I just could never get into gen 1, but I do love 63 on up to about 2010 or so.
I would love to have a reproduction of the first or second generation Corvette. An original would be okay, but I would rather have one that I could drive
Will GM ever name a Corvette after Zora?
😁👍✌👌🖖😎
When the most beautiful cars were produced, any Lincoln was way better than any Rolls Royce and costed 1/3.
Nothing says American than the Corvette. When things were different.
Almost looked orange!
Spent 64, and 65 cruising in my friends 57, up and down Main Street. His thing was never going over 20 mph. Two fours, 3 speed, cooler than any body. And, they were not real popular. I think he paid $900 for the thing. Shudda parked it in a sealed garage, ….
Great information....but would sure benefit from an improved narration
I still think the 53 to 55 is my favorite body Corvette ever made
To each their own.i prefer the stingray corvette.
I'd trade my plastic 2006 Ford 500 even?
Everybody likes a success story!
Ford Thunderbird waay better name than Mustang
The Ford was a copy later on they change history all the time the Ford company
1st
the 57 was faster than 3/4 of the corvettes from 53 - 82
Now the corvette is awful
Did corvette ever make a TRUCK??
There was a station wagon.
@@hunkydorian I did see the station wagon but someone once told me that in 55 they did make the truck it looks similar to The Cameo but I'm not sure if it's true
Sure wish GM/Chevy would have done half as much for the Corvair vs churning out the ugly Chevy II. The Corvair could have been such a money maker, but was trashed due, IMHO, to a lack of public education concerning their new creation and the quirks of rear-engine mounted performance charactristics - specifically, the tire air pressure differential (10PSI lower in the front tires) that the Corvair needed for its particular handling. It didn't have the same understeer that every other American front-engine cars had and that lead to many accidents. Had GM done a little homework/research they would have seen the sizeable following of the Corvair, not as a grocery getter, but as a track car. Four-wheel independent suspension had the Corvair way ahead of the foreign imports in handling, w/ decent economy. Oh, to be close enough to the powers that were, to convince them they needed to continue the Corvair and its small(er) car market that was just around the corner.
GM was correct in getting the Chevy II to market in quickly because its purpose was to be an affordable compact to compete with the Ford Falcon which the Corvair wasn't. What GM should have done with the Corvair was to bring out the 66 redesign earlier with the stability issues resolved and made it just a 2 door Monza sport model. The second generation Corvair would have been a better competitor to the German sports cars especially if it would have stayed around longer it would have held its own on performance against BMW and Porsche. Ralph Nader's book and the Camaro finished the Corvair off and GM has a tendency to give up on a car once they get it right.
In my opinion the original Chevy II was quite pretty.
@@hunkydorian As compared to a shoe box? Even the early model Corvair had nicer lines than the Chevy II. smh
@@hunkydorian I liked the grill on the 62 better than the 63 thru 65. My father had one of the first 62 Chevy IIs a 300 4 door with the 194 I6 and Powerglide in Roman Red with matching red interior. Drove that Chevy II in high school and as a Freshman in college.
I like most of the cars you showcase, but I really don't like corvettes. Everyone I've ever known who had a corvette was in love with themselves.
Not sure I would say that but a$$ whole , spelling on purpose, may be better description.
@@ncm-jl3nu yes, definitely! I never wanted a corvette. They were a$$ wholes.
@Keith Thomas • Unfortunate for you... My first Corvette experience was my cousin's new '63 convertible (409 w/blower & B&M Hydrastick) and have loved them ever since. Use'ta love standing among the big blocks in the mid'70s on the False Grid at Watkins when the "start your engines!" order was given. Those owner/drivers weren't a$$holes, they were just fast car lovers.
Over the years, there have been two types of Corvette owners. Guys who wanted to race, and guys who were self indulgent pricks (which can be said about most other performance cars as well). Unfortunately, the self indulgent pricks drove up the prices of Corvettes to the point where the average guy who wants to race can't afford them anymore, so now they're only owned by the self indulgent pricks.
Absolutely untrue statement! Haters gonna hate as they say
What always angered me about 1950's (and 60's) Corvettes is that they had so much going for them, yet they handled about as well as a Hudson Hornet. Some of them were fast, but they were never sports cars, more like sporty-looking muscle cars. It wasn't until 1984 that Chevy finally got it right.
They never handled as well as the European cars they were meant to compete with, but they were still the best handling American cars at the time. With independent rear suspension in '63 and 4 wheel disc brakes in '65, they improved quite a bit, but still relied heavily on that American V8 torque to pass the European cars on straight aways... only to lose ground again having to slow down early for the next turn!
Yeah, they finally spent the money they needed to for R&D to make the '84s handle like real sports cars, but they sacrificed looks entirely in my opinion. There hasn't been a good looking Corvette since then as far as I'm concerned.
Chevy used the same original '52 Chevy front end on the first Corvettes.
"Super fast"
0-60 in 7.5 seconds, and quarter mile in 15.9.
I had a '92 VW Corrado with the VR6 engine and it would reach 60 in 6.0 seconds and did the quarter in 14.96@93.25 mph. This was a FWD hatchback car.....30 years ago!
Corvette shmorevette. These are fun to drive but you get what you pay for and these are just a bunch of plastic and Chever-Lay parts-
You're comparing your Corrado to a car that was already 35 years old when yours was built. Its not so much getting what you paid for in the Corvette's case more like what do you expect when the gap is over 3 decades.
@@willgeary6086 Valid points, but the end result....? My FWD VW hatchback could easily leave the vaunted Corvette behind. I thought that the real reason people bought Corvettes was because of the low price but high performance? I guess I was wrong...
What's so great about a FWD Corrado?!🤔
My wife’s loser cruiser minivan will keep up with you no problem as it beats the vette.
You are comparing apples to oranges. There’s quite a few trucks that would run you down right off the showroom floor today.
None of it matters. You have to compare yesterdays cars to yesterdays cars, and todays stuff with todays stuff.
All you’ve proven is you don’t understand much about performance cars.
Yeah, and a '57 VW Beetle did 0 to 60 in about half an hour with a 1/4 mile time of just under one week, while a 1990 Corvette can do 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds and the 1/4 mile in under 12 seconds at well over 100mph... so yeah, newer cars are faster... duh. He said, "super fast" at that time, not super fast by 1990s standards.
Sadly soon all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-(
In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime (Bundesabgasbespassungsverbotsverordnung).!!!!!!!
I'll take a 60s Ford Cobra over any old Vette, thanks.
It might be a faster car, but you ain't got no class.
@@hunkydorian LOL
This is cool, but save our ears and quit saying "19XX!" '55. '56 , etc. Is sufficient!
computer generated
@@phukfone8428 no actually it's not. He has an old video on here that shows himself speaking.