Period pictures of C1 and C2 Vettes from Back in the Day
For all Corvette enthusiasts, the first two generations were the foundation behind the legendary brand. Here are some photographs that will make you proud to own a Corvette while cruising down memory lane.
1. 1953 C1 Corvette Debut
As an experiment by General Motors, Chevrolet produced 300 Corvettes in 1953 and the rest, was, as they say, history. The Corvette was introduced in Polo white with red interiors, and all 300 of them came with the Blue Flame V-6 engine. The Corvette quickly became an American symbol, and since then, the Corvette hasn't stopped evolving and growing in popularity.
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2. 1960 C1 Corvette
The first generation of Corvette, also known as C1, lasted until 1962, and it is considered to be one of the most valuable generations of Corvettes today. The curves on the body along with the extremely innovative engineering made the Corvette an instant legend. By the time 1960 hit, the Corvette had engines that can deliver anything from 270-horsepower to 290-horsepower. Even in 1978, when they were just obsolete used cars, the 1960 Corvette had enough cachet to attract a recently successful young singer songwriter with something to prove.
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3. 1966 C2 Corvette
The C2 Corvette is the second generation for the legendary brand, which started in 1963 and lasted until 1967. This generation is also considered to be extremely valuable, and it features a completely different body than the C1 generation. In this photograph, a 1966 Corvette was being used to transport Miss Miles City 1965, a beautiful car displaying a beautiful woman.
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4. 1960 C1 Corvette
1960 didn't offer dramatic changes to the C1 Corvette, except for features like the aluminum radiator. This year marked the last Corvette with the taillights built-in the rear fenders, which was one of the Corvette's most notable marks. However, the year after marked the very first year with the two-taillights on each side of the rear, a feature that became Corvette's trademark and one of the most recognizable marks on the legendary American automobile.
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5. C2 Corvette
A nice photograph that will take you down memory lane, this Corvette appears to be a 1963 C2 Corvette. This is the very first model for the second generation, which was also known as the Stingray. The extremely desirable body influenced the legendary brand for many years after, thanks to the long, sleek lines on the body. This Corvette was much lighter than the previous C1 generation, which allowed it to perform much better. Only 21,513 Corvettes were produced for this year, which were all equipped with the 327 cubic-inch engine that delivered 250-horsepower. However, there were other performance options that would bump the power to 360-horsepower.
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6. 1960 C1 Corvette Le Mans
In this photograph, a racing team gathers around their 1960 Corvette that was a part of the 24 Hour of Le Mans. The legendary race is known to be one of the most enduring car races in the world, lasting for 24 hours straight. This was a proof that the Corvette was a worthy race car that can compete with the best in the world, under the toughest of driving conditions.
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7. 1964 C2 Corvette
The 1964 Corvette was a better version of 1963, and it marked the second year for the second generation. For this year, Chevrolet took the 1964 Corvette's suspension to new heights, with variable-rate coil springs allowing the car to handle much better around corners. This year marked a new record for the brand, as 22,229 Corvette Stingrays were sold. Many Corvette enthusiasts consider this year to be one of the best years for the American-legend, but you can't really argue that every Corvette is pretty damn good.
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