The results of his new design was a 1956 Model Corvette that would change the direction of Corvette sales for all time. By Mid-April, having made a number of minor trim changes, Earl approached General Motors management with his model and, upon inspection, the new design was approved on the spot.
1956 FORD ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER LOCATION FULL
On February 1, 1955, just as the Ford Thunderbirds were beginning to make an appearance on the streets in serious numbers, Earl had all but finalized a full scale clay model of a new Corvette body. The 1956 Corvette Unveiled (Image Courtesy of GM Media). Harley Earl, who had been taking the many public criticisms about the Corvette to heart, dove headlong into the process of addressing them. What could Chevrolet do to make the Corvette more appealing? What would it take to make the Corvette superior to the Ford Thunderbird in every aspect? As the Thunderbird had outsold the 1955 Corvette at a ratio of 23-1, this was a challenge that Chevrolet was prepared to commit their best resources to, ensuring that Corvette would never again fall so short of the competition. With a price tag of approximately $3500.00, a Corvette cost nearly twice as much as a typical family sedan.Īs the 1956 model year approached, all of these items were brought into question. In addition, the car was prohibitively expensive. Instead, it had gained a reputation as being an overpriced “image” car, though many questioned what that image was supposed to project. Truth be told, the 1953– 55 Corvette was neither a serious performance sports car nor a small, fun-to-drive roadster that anyone could afford. It was clear that the Corvette, for better or worse, was going to be Chevrolet’s best shot at competing with the Thunderbird, but they also knew that, despite it’s recent mechanical improvements, it required a makeover – both cosmetic and functional – to truly become a world class contender. GM Advertisement for the 1956 Corvette (Image Courtesy of GM Media)
The Ford Thunderbird had met with resounding success, taking a firm foothold in the car market and proving without question that a car manufacturer could succeed by marketing a two seat sports car (although Ford chose to refer to the Thunderbird as a “personal” car, thereby avoiding the criticism that cars like the Corvette received from racing/performance car purists). One of General Motors biggest competitors (and arch enemies) had launched a car campaign that seriously threatened Corvette’s corner on the marketplace.
1956 FORD ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER LOCATION MANUAL
Onyx Black, Cascade Green, Venetian Red, Aztec Copper, Arctic Blue, Polo Whiteģ-speed manual (standard) or 2-speed Powerglide (optional) While some critics of the car were already reporting that the Corvette’s demise was imminent, the reality of the situation was considerably different. Still, Corvette’s sales were far from the expectations that GM required to consider a car successful in the marketplace. After all, they had addressed the issue of performance by introducing the small-block V-8 engine and a 3-speed manual transmission as options for consumers to include in their cars. The end of the 1955 model year left Chevrolet executives questioning the direction in which they should take the Corvette.
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