This page contains information on the first generation in the Corvette marquee. This generation spans from 1953 to 1962. Most information used on this page comes from the “Corvette Black Book”, a book published every model year.
1953, In the Beginning...
The Corvette was first unveiled to the world in January 1953 at the Motorama display in New York City. By June of that year, Corvettes were in production at a temporary factory in Flint, Michigan. In all actuality, this was no factory at all, but a temporary facility on the back of an old delivery garage. All Corvettes from this year are white roadsters with red interiors. Each had a Powerglide automatic Transmission coupled with a 150 horsepower six-cylinder engine. Much of each Corvette had to be handmade due to the fiberglass body construction. At a scant 300 total cars produced, this is the rarest of all model years.
1954
Production of the 1954 model began in December of 1953. The production line was moved from the temporary facility to a renovated factory in St. Louis, Missouri. During production, the design of the camshaft changed, permitting and extra five horsepower to be drawn from the engine. This boosted the horsepower rating to 155. New colors were added to the production list including: Pennant Blue, Sportman Red, and Black. Beige tops surfaced for the first time, as well as an optional beige interior. Unconfirmed reports suggest that other colors may also have been available. 3640 Roadsters were produced this year, but nearly one-third went unsold.
1955
The big news for 1955 was the V8 engine incorporated into most of the Corvettes. However, a small production of six-cylinder cars also were produced in 1955. The V8 model can be distinguished by a V at the beginning of the VIN number, and the double Vv on the car’s trim line. Production was limited to 700 roadsters this years due in large part to poor sales the year before. Though up to some dispute, colors possibly included Polo White, Pennant Blue, Corvette Copper, Gypsy Red, and Harvest Gold. Expanding interior and top combinations were also offered.
1956
Save for the instrument panel, the 1956 Corvette was aesthetically different from its predecessors. The 1956 Corvette sported glass roll-up windows as well as an optional auxiliary hardtop. Available for the first time, seatbelts were an option that could be purchased as a kit and installed by the dealer. Sculpted side coves allowed for the first tu-tone paint scheme. A total of 3467 Convertibles (technically NOT a roadster, due to glass side windows) were produced this year. Exterior colors included: Onyx Black, Aztec Copper, Cascade Green, Arctic Blue, Venetian Red, and Polo White. Interior colors were red and beige, while soft tops included black and white. Wheel colors also matched exterior colors.
1957
Though the look of the Corvette carried over from 1956, optional fuel injection and four-speed manual transmission marked a first for the Corvette marquee. All colors carried over, and Inca Silver was added to the list of exterior choices. Interior color choices included beige and red, while soft top options were black, beige, and white. Production for 1957 was 6339 Convertibles.
1958
Redesigns for the 1958 model year included new body panels, updated instrument panel, new upholstery. Factory installed seat belts were also a Corvette first. A large 160-mph speedometer stared at the driver. The tachometer was relocated nearer the speedometer, and a grab bar (aka, the OH S*** handle ;-) was incorporated to the passenger side. Exterior color options were Charcoal, Snowcrest White, Silver Blue, Regal Turquoise, Panama Yellow, Signet Red, Black, and Silver. Interior choices were beige, charcoal, and red, while soft top options were black, beige, and white. All wheels for the 1958 production were silver. 9168 Convertibles were produced this year.
1959
The 1959 model bared many similarities to the previous year, save for the absence of hood louvers and dual chrome trunk spears. Gear faces received a face-lift during this year for better legibility. Seat upholstery was smoother than previous years, and black was available for the first time as an interior option. Tuxedo Black, Classic Cream, Frost Blue, Crown Sapphire, Roman Red, Snowcrest White, and Inca Silver round out the list of exterior color choices. Turquoise, black, blue, and red were the interior selections, while soft top colors included black, white, blue, and turquoise. All wheels for 1959 were black, and 9670 Convertibles rolled off of the assembly lines.
1960
This model year continued the sleek tradition of the years preceding it. Manual transmissions were required for all fuel injected engines. The model also included windshield washing reservoirs. Exterior colors included Tuxedo Black, Tasco Turquoise, Horizon Blue, Honduras Maroon, Roman Red, Ermine White, Sateen Silver, and Cascade Green. Blue, black, red, and turquoise were interior colors, and soft top choices blue, black, and white. Wheel colors returned to previous years with color coded wheels. The Corvette broke the 10,000 mark for a single production year for the first time with 10,261 Convertibles produced in 1960.
1961
The exterior of the 1962 Corvette was updated from previous years. The big “teeth” in the front grill were downsized, and the rearend was redesigned to accommodate the new four taillight set-up, which is now a marquee trademark. On the inside, the Corvette became more spacious thanks to a 20 percent transmission tunnel width reduction. The exhaust was also different, exiting from beneath the car as opposed to out the rearend. Jewel Blue and Fawn Beige were added to the exterior color lineup, while Tasco Turquoise, Horizon Blue, and Cascade Green were discontinued. Soft top choices came in the form of black or white, and interior possibilities were blue, black, fawn, white, and red. The wheel color schemes carried over from the year before. 10,939 Convertibles were produced this year.
1962
The last of the first generation of Corvettes, the 1962 Corvette strongly resembled the previous year. The side coves, however, were not accented with the chrome trim, and no tu-tone options were available because of this. The last external trunk until the hatch on the 1982 Collector’s Edition appeared this year. This year also marked the last year for exposed headlights, the last year for an optional power top, and the last year for a solid rear axle. Engine displacement jumped from 283 CI to 327 CI. Almond Beige replaced Jewel Blue in the exterior color pallet, and wheels could be black or color coded to match the car’s color. Black, fawn, and red were offered as interior options, and soft top color choices remained black or white. Production climbed to 14,531 Convertibles in 1962.
