1956-1957 Chevrolet Corvette
When the first in the line of legendary Corvette sports cars appeared in 1953, there was little to suggest future glory. Cleanly if delicately styled, with only an equally delicate six-cylinder engine to motivate it, the 1953 Corvette was more a cruiser than a bruiser; a car in which to relax, not race.
But, thanks to a restyling and the magic of the small-block Chevrolet V-8, the Corvette hit its stride with its second generation in 1956 and 1957. In fact, I think the 1956-1957 Corvettes were the prettiest ones made during the Corvette's first decade of life. They were more artistic and aggressive than their bathtub-sided ancestor, and more pure of line than the similar but chunkier 1958-1962 models, which were laden down with quad headlights, chrome bars, and other filigree.
With its classic lines from the age of true styling individualism, and V-8 power--including optional fuel injection, a feature well ahead of its time--the 1956-1957 Corvette and its racing derivations quickly began to establish Corvettes as real challengers to European sports cars.
Some of the credit for the Corvette's new-found respectability went to Dr. Dick Thompson, who became known as "The Flying Dentist" because of his high-speed successes during the 1950s and 1960s. Thompson started off as an amateur racing a 1956 Corvette and quickly rose to prominence with SCCA class triumphs, a factory Corvette Grand Sport ride, and a class win in the 24 Hours of Daytona. Amusingly--and typically, for the time--he never gave up his dentistry practice.
Unlike most Car Lusts, these cars are actually worth something nowadays. In fact, '57 Corvettes, especially the fuelies, can break six figures if they are in good shape. True show cars can of course go for more than that.
The red Corvette up top is on display at Kerbeck Corvette; and for those who share my peculiar tastes, there's also a particularly nice 1975 Caprice Convertible on that page. The blue 'Vette image came from Serious Wheels.
--Chris H.
Frank Black on February 20, 2008 at 01:06 PM
I agree nearly wholeheartedly with this CL. "Nearly" because I find the '62 to be the most attractive. I never really liked the styling after that. That's a minority view, of course, since everyone seems to think the original Sting Ray is the be-all and end-all of Corvette design. Still, if you put a gun to my head and told me I had to take a Corvette from one year only (Please!) it''d be anything from '56-'62.
Chris Hafner on February 20, 2008 at 01:40 PM
Frank Black: ""Nearly" because I find the '62 to be the most attractive. I never really liked the styling after that."
Ah - wasn't the '62 model the one year when the C2 borrowed the rear end from the upcoming '63 C3?
Of course, the '62 didn't borrow that rear end so much as it foreshadowed it ...
It's a good look, but it always looked a little odd to me, because I'm used to seeing the C2 with a different rear, and that rear married to a different front.
Yet it works.
Frank Black on February 20, 2008 at 02:33 PM
I'm used to seeing the C2 with a different rear, and that rear married to a different front.
It sounds kind of dirty when you put it like that. . . . .
The back end seems a bit cleaner, less bulbous on the '62 to me. A bit more balanced, sleaker, and slightly more aggressive.
Paul on February 20, 2008 at 05:29 PM
Great article.
Mochi Mochi on February 21, 2008 at 01:33 PM
As a heretic in the mix I prefer the 63 or 64 fastback. But the 62 is a lovely piece of work as are all the early 'vettes. The 62's more tapered "stern" created a "slimming effect". If I look at these images with squinted eyes, I see a lot of english roaster styling - but bigger - a lot bigger. The 63+'s have a lighter, tougher, edgier quality about them. The rounded lines of the early designs I guess were in keeping with the somewhat softer side of those cars. We wont talk here about the atrocities of the disco era... though that would be a great followup car lust. Great article as usual.
BTW For a variety of reasons I have been forced to review commentary on a variety of other blogs out there. The thing that strikes me is the general lack of decorum displayed in the blog-o-sphere asa a whole. But Car Lust commentary is so definitively different. Car Lust and its readers set a standard for thoughtful, engaging, and respectful commentary. My thanks to Chris and to all the readers who make this such a great experience.
Frank Black on February 21, 2008 at 03:02 PM
"Car Lust and its readers set a standard for thoughtful, engaging, and respectful commentary."
Indeed.
I once ventured to some sports-related forum thinking I could have fun conversations about college football. Turned out it was mostly people thinking up clever ways to rename other teams to show their displeasure (e.g., the Florida State Criminoles. Yuk Yuk).
I'll keep posting here unless you ignorant louts start badmouthing my preferred models. =)
Frank Black on February 21, 2008 at 03:02 PM
"Car Lust and its readers set a standard for thoughtful, engaging, and respectful commentary."
Indeed.
I once ventured to some sports-related forum thinking I could have fun conversations about college football. Turned out it was mostly people thinking up clever ways to rename other teams to show their displeasure (e.g., the Florida State Criminoles. Yuk Yuk).
I'll keep posting here unless you ignorant louts start badmouthing my preferred models. =)
Chris Hafner on February 22, 2008 at 09:22 AM
Chris Hafner: "Ah - wasn't the '62 model the one year when the C2 borrowed the rear end from the upcoming '63 C3?"
I'm an idiot. I was thinking about this, extrapolating out the platform codes, and realized I was off. Of course, the C1 spanned from 1953-1962, while I made the mistake of placing the C2 in 1957.
Frank Black: "The back end seems a bit cleaner, less bulbous on the '62 to me. A bit more balanced, sleaker, and slightly more aggressive. "
Yep. It's a more modern look, harder-edged. Since I wasn't alive at the time, I wonder what people thought when the revolutionary '63 String Ray came out, with dramatic styling ... except for the the tail, which was lifted right off the '62. Weirdly, to me, the '62 looks as if its tail was lifted from the '63, though of course that doesn't work chronologically.
Mochi Mochi: "As a heretic in the mix I prefer the 63 or 64 fastback."
Yep, I'm another of the group that thinks the '63-'67 Corvettes were the high-water of the line - though the newest 'Vettes are both beautiful and capable.
Mochi Mochi: "We wont talk here about the atrocities of the disco era..."
Oh, we'll get there at some point, I'm sure.
Mochi Mochi: "Car Lust and its readers set a standard for thoughtful, engaging, and respectful commentary."
Thanks - I think so too. Honestly, this blog is what you guys add to it. I enjoy writing about my favorite cars, but without the interaction, it's a pretty insular process. Hey, another car that I like! Hooray!
Frank Black: "I'll keep posting here unless you ignorant louts start badmouthing my preferred models. =)"
Uh oh. Last week I was chagrined to find I'd already done that!
Fred on March 03, 2008 at 04:33 PM
anyone know approx worth of 1957 corvette magnesium rims in excellent shape? I have a sent of 4 on radials in near mint condition and have someone interested in purchasing them. They have the american racing caps.
thanks,
Also have a black with silver coves 57 Vette i'm considering selling. It looks and runs great. I believe has original fulie. Was as a racer so needs many original parts replaced but WOW! it's great. Probably let it go for around $45k.
e-mail me if interested: ffrisco2@aol.com
kyle on August 12, 2008 at 06:21 PM
you have cool cars you have
ERIC on February 03, 2009 at 05:24 PM
I'm suprised you didn't post a picture of the nomad version
smitty on March 18, 2009 at 04:40 PM
Unlike what evidently were "typical" Corvette owner/restorers, I have some mechanical skills, and ended up helping some of these guys with their cars for a few years. A '54, '57, two '58s, a '61, and some Stingrays were given a variety of repairs and rebuilds by me . . . but never an upgrade, not for these anal-retentive purists. I was first approached by the owner of the '57, asking if I could weld his cracked gas-pedal hinge-bracket. "They always break this way," he said. I looked at it and said, "Sure, and we can put a doubler here to keep it from breaking again." "Oh no," he gasped, "That wouldn't be correct, the judges would find it!!" So right off the bat, I knew that restorers and their obsession with "correctness" put them in a whole different category of "car guys" than the racers and rodders and improvers I hung out with.
The early Corvettes are beautiful, but nothing to shout about otherwise, being ordinary early-Fifties tech with the exception of the drooling Rochester fuel injection on some models. The build quality and body part "fits" are so-so. One owner told me that GM's intention was that a young man would buy a Corvette, sow his wild oats and use up the car in a couple of years, get married and buy a Chevy sedan or wagon. By the time the Stingray got to the planning stage, GM's view of the car had changed, and from '63-on, the cars were far more sophisticated and capable, if not as cute.