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What Does "CORVETTE" Actually Mean??

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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 03:56 PM
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Default What Does "CORVETTE" Actually Mean??

Anybody know??
Definition, or root word/meaning? Anything?
All I know is it used to be some kind of intercepter/battleship back in the days of the World Wars.

Where does the word "Corvette" come from, who came up with it, what does it mean????
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 03:58 PM
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2 entries found for corvette.
cor·vette ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kôr-vt)
n.

1. A fast, lightly armed warship, smaller than a destroyer, often armed for antisubmarine operations.
2. An obsolete sailing warship, smaller than a frigate, usually armed with one tier of guns.
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:01 PM
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It's a term that has been lost in translation. Some believe it means "whales vagina".



You stay classy San Diego!

Sorry had to throw it out there
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:02 PM
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Empty wallet!
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by CoolShoesWalkin
It's a term that has been lost in translation. Some believe it means "whales vagina".



You stay classy San Diego!

Sorry had to throw it out there




It's an old fast ship like the first post said!
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by CUlookin


It's an old fast ship like the first post said!
What about it's origion??

It sounds French? Anybody know?
It had to come from somewhere right?

What about the Corvette emblem, it has a checkered flag on one side and a Chevy symbol with some other little symbol next to it, what's the other thing?
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:10 PM
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Corvette = Mod Fever
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by JoshVette
What about it's origion??

It sounds French? Anybody know?
It had to come from somewhere right?

What about the Corvette emblem, it has a checkered flag on one side and a Chevy symbol with some other little symbol next to it, what's the other thing?
Come visit the Corvette Museum. All the history is there including the history of the crossed flags. Believe originally there was to be an American flag but some copyright laws came into play. And yes, the origin is French and stands for a small, fast fighting vessel.
Guess you don't have to come to the NCM afterall.
Just kidding. Come on down. You'll love it.
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:15 PM
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Originally Posted by EnglandGreen
Corvette = Mod Fever

Amen brother!
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by JoshVette
What about it's origion??

It sounds French? Anybody know?
It had to come from somewhere right?

What about the Corvette emblem, it has a checkered flag on one side and a Chevy symbol with some other little symbol next to it, what's the other thing?

Lots of history on this site:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/history/emblem.html

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/.../10051998.html
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by lvvette777
2 entries found for corvette.
cor·vette ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kôr-vt)
n.

1. A fast, lightly armed warship, smaller than a destroyer, often armed for antisubmarine operations.
2. An obsolete sailing warship, smaller than a frigate, usually armed with one tier of guns.
Chevy used the #1 definition for the Corvette car..
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:22 PM
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Originally Posted by boarddirector
Come visit the Corvette Museum. All the history is there including the history of the crossed flags. Believe originally there was to be an American flag but some copyright laws came into play. And yes, the origin is French and stands for a small, fast fighting vessel.
Guess you don't have to come to the NCM afterall.
Just kidding. Come on down. You'll love it.
All expenses paid??? I'm there.....

So, it's French, and means, SMALL, FAST, FIGHTING VESSEL (fighting with vipers and cobras, and ricerwannabees ).
........it can definately launch like a missle.

Last edited by JoshVette; Apr 19, 2005 at 04:24 PM.
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:28 PM
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Default A Little Corvette History Lesson.

Yes, the word originated in France.

Corvette: A ship being a flush-decked war-vessel having one tier of guns. A corvette is smaller than a frigate, but larger than a brig. Webster, in his work on Villebon, p. 223, sets forth a 1678 description of a corvette "as a long bark, with a mast and a small fore mast, used with sails or oars, which accompanies the fleet for scouting, bearing messages ..." Webster adds that the corvette "was perfected during the 18th century." We learn from the Oxford Companion to Ships & the Sea that while the corvette was originially of French design, it was adopted by the British navy as it was "fast and weatherly".)

Corvettes, were used at the beginning of the 20th century for close in fighting and well as patrolling the coast and inland rivers. The theory at the time, was that bigger was better, hence the Super Battleships came into being and the Corvettes were no longer seen as valuable unitl 1942. Can anyone tell me what the Corvettes were replaced with? Hmm....

June 2, 1952
General Motors executives are formally presented with Harley Earl's proposal for a two-seater sports car. General Motors president Charles Wilson and Chevrolet general manager Thomas Keating approve completing a prototype for the 1953 Motorama. The project is code-named "Opel Sports Car".

September
The Opel project sports car prototype is named Corvette, after a light fast type of World War II warship. The name was suggested by Myron Scott, employee of Campbell-Ewald, Chevrolet's advertising agency. Strong consideration had been given to naming the car "Corvair". Chevrolet executives wanted a "C" word, and rejected 1500 suggestions.

Now you can really fighten your friends and neighbors about how much you know about your, "Corvette."

#001 2001 Z06
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:35 PM
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Can anyone tell me what the Corvettes were replaced with? Hmm....


Well, following that timeframe and being a military brat........I say they were replaced with airplanes.....

Am I right??
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Target Chaser
Empty wallet!

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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by #001 2001 Z06
June 2, 1952
General Motors executives are formally presented with Harley Earl's proposal for a two-seater sports car. General Motors president Charles Wilson and Chevrolet general manager Thomas Keating approve completing a prototype for the 1953 Motorama. The project is code-named "Opel Sports Car".

September
The Opel project sports car prototype is named Corvette,
Is anybody, besides me, glad that we don't drive an "Opel?"

Interesting to speculate on the effect a name like Opel would have had on the car through the years...
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:40 PM
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CORVETTE= the long spelling of FUN.
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:47 PM
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Default I had an Opel when I was 19

The Opel sports car that I had looked like a mini Corvette and I'm glad I have the real thing now. 1.9 Liter engine with manually activated flip-up headlights. You had to get a good pull on the headlight lever or else they would only go half-way around and you had to start over.

Here's a picture of one

http://www.opelclub.com/html/2000_omc_picnic.html
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:55 PM
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Anybody have a pic of an origional "Corvette"....

.....maybe one flying threw the waters, kicking up some big waves, like smoke off the pavement, blasting some cobras....opps, I mean enemy ships with the guns, while defending the queen.
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Old Apr 19, 2005 | 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by EnglandGreen
Corvette = Mod Fever
perma-smile..
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