Corvette Guide

A year-to-year list of highlights in the Corvette’s history. See our history section for an in-depth look at the Corvette’s evolution.

C1 — Classics

1953 The Corvette was introduced with a 235 cid six-cylinder engine (150 hp) and a two-speed automatic transmission. All 300 first edition Vettes were Polo White roadsters with red interiors. Corvette plant located in St. Louis, Missouri.

1954 New exterior paint choices added.

1955 The 265 cid OHV V8 engine and a manual transmission was introduced. The last year for the six-cylinder engine. The new V8 produced 195 hp with a four barrel carburetor, while the standard version output 155 hp.

1956 A new bodystyle with roll-up windows and an optional removable hard-top introduced. The 265 cid engine was boosted to 225 hp.

1957 Fuel injection appeared as an option, and the V8 engine was enlarged to 283 cid. An optional four-speed manual transmission became available.

1958 Dual headlight units introduced. This is the yearrmodel with the most chrome parts.

1959 Only few crome parts cleaner than ’58, the chrome lists on top of the trunk were gone and hood lost it’s louvers.

1960 New tail, the beginning of traditional four tail light Corvette rearend.

1961 A prototype called XP-755 Mako Shark was built for Bill Mitchell. XP-755 had a lot of similarities to second generation Corvette.

1962 The small block engine was enlarged to 327 cid.

C2 — Mid-Years

1963 The only year for the Split Window Corvette. Sting Ray era begins. Five Grand Sport Corvettes were produced for racing purposes only; all five have survived and are today in collectors’ hands!

1964 Non functional air vents in hood lost the chrome molding, also the air vents in B-pillars were a bit different if compared to ’63 model.

1965 The last year for the Fuelie option, and the first year of the big block engine. The first BB had a displacement of 396 cid and produced 425 hp. Four-wheel disc brakes became standard. Behind the scenes, work for a new Vette generation begun.

1966 The big block engine was enlarged to 427 cid.

1967 The big block was available with three Holley two-barrel carburetors and it produced 435 hp. King of the hill was the L88 Vette, it had a 427 cid BB which produced around 550 horses, although GM said that it only held 430 horses. GM also maintained that this was a racing engine not intended for public roads.

C3 — Shark Body

1968 New sexy “Coca-Cola” bottle shape. The 435 hp L71 was still offered. In total, 80 L88 Vettes were produced.

1969 The Stingray name was introduced. The Corvette’s base engine option was enlarged to 350 cid. In total 116 L88 Vettes produced, and two all aluminium 427cid ZL-1 Sting Ray Coupes were unleashed, Again, Chevy claimed that this engine only produced 430 horses, while in real life it produced over 500 hp.

1970 The big block reached its largest form as the 454 cid version. Its engine code was LS-5 and it produced 390 horses. An 370 hp small block was also offered; its code name was LT-1. The ZR-1 Vette appeared, having an LT-1 engine with a 4-speed Muncie transmission; only 25 were produced this year.

1971 Power of the LT-1 engine dropped to 330 hp. Only 8 ZR-1 vettes were produced.

1972 Horsepower ratings dropped again, now LT-1 produced only 255 hp. This was also the last year for the LT-1 option, seeing a total 1741 LT-1s built. Additionally this was the last year for the ZR-1 option, with only 20 ZR-1 Vettes being produced. The 454 cid BB managed to produce only a measly 270 hp this year.

1973 The front chrome bumber was gone, but a chrome bumper still remained in the back, making this one of the easier model years to recognize.

1974 The last big block year. The chrome bumber was gone from the rear, too; the rear bumber was now made from two pieces, with a seam in the middle of the bumber.

1975 The rear bumber became one piece and the seam was gone. ‘75 was also the last year for Corvette convertibles, until they reappeared over a decade later in 1986.

1976 Only small deviations from ’75, the steering wheel was same as used in Chevy Vega, after public reactions it was changed back to 3-spoke design in ’77 .

1977 Center console was updated with the steering column. 77’s without tilt-tele option (RPO N37) had the same Vega steering wheel as ’76, but only about 3000 were manufactured without tilt-tele option.

1978 A new fastback rear window. Two-tone 25th Anniversary model (RPO B2Z), 15,283 silver anniversary Vettes were produced. The Indianapolis Pace Car was another special model for ‘78, having a two-tone paint job (Black/Silver with Silver interior) and special front and rear spoilers, 6,502 were sold. The optional L-82 350 cid engine produced 220 hp. All ‘78 cars had special 25th Anniversary badges.

1979 ’78 Pace Car spoilers became RPO option (RPO D80). Also the high back seats from Pace Car became standard in regular Corvette.

1980 Facelift with new integrated front and rear spoilers.

1981 A new Corvette plant started production in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in July this year. Corvettes were build simultaneusly in Bowling Green and in old assembly plant at St. Louis.

1982 Cross Fire injection became standard and the Collector’s Edition was released. The production of these Collector’s Edition cars was 6,759.

C4

1983 There was no ‘83 model Vette; though 40 were built, none were sold. Only one ‘83 Vette has survived to the present day. Though the production of ’84 Corvette begun already in March ’83.

1984 The first year of the C4 Corvette. The engine was 350 cid (5.7 liters), called L-83, and produced 205 hp.

1985 Cross Fire injection changed to Tuned Port Injection and engine code changed to L89.

1986 The first convertible since ‘75. An Indy 500 replica was released; it was a Yellow convertible.

1987 The Callaway Twin Turbo was offered as an option (RPO B2K). The Twin Turbo produced 345 hp and stayed on the option list till the year 1991.

1988 A 35th Anniversary model was released: it was White with a White interior; even the wheels were White. A total of 2,050 of these Anniversary models were sold.

1989 New ZF-6speed transmission became optional. Also the wheels with ’88 Z51 and Z52 suspension packages became standard.

1990 ZR-1 revealed, at first year ZR-1 had 375hp 350cid LT-4 engine. 3,049 ZR-1 vettes wre sold this year. . Interior was totally redone with new fighter style cockpit.

1991 Little facelift, which included plump ZR1 style rear end and smoother nose. Last year for Callaway Twin Turbo option, Callaway also offered Twin Turbo Speedster this year. Speedster was powered by 450hp Twin Turbo small block.

1992 Millionth Corvette rolled out from the plant on July 2. It is Arctic White with red interior. Now this Millionth Vette is in the Corvette Museum. Second generation LT-1 was introduced with 300hp. 2,044 ZR-1 vettes produced this year.

1993 Ruby red 40th anniversary model. Rarest 40th Anniversary model Was ZR-1 only 245 were sold. Alltogether 448 ZR-1 vettes were sold. Total number of 40th Anniversary models were 6,749.

1994 448 ZR-1 vettes were sold.

1995 Last ZR-1 with production of 448 pieces. INDY Pace Car, 3rd time that vette was INDY Pace Car.

1996 Silver Collectors Edition and blue Grand Sport with white stripes from front to rear. Optional LT-4 engine offered. LT-4 produced 330hp, LT-4 was offered only with 6-speed manual gearbox. LT-4 was base engine for Grand Sport option.

C5 — Fifth Generation

1997 All new Corvette was introduced. Only Coupe was offered.

1998 Convertible came into markets

1999 Hard Top came alongside the coupe and convertible.

2000 New wheels and color: Millenium Yellow.

2001 Z06 power version introduced to markets. Z06 available only as Hardtop, base Corvette was not available as hardtop anymore. Z06 had LS6 engine with 385hp and had a 6-speed manual transmission.

2002 Z06 power increased to 405hp with small changes.

2003 50th Anniversary for Corvette! Special 50th Anniversaru model with special dark red metallic colour, champagne colour wheels, special 50th Anniversary emblems and special two tone brown interior were included to package.

2004 Commemmorative edition was announced to celebrate the last year of 5th generation Corvette. It had a special blue paint with silver and red stripes.

C6 — Sixth Generation

2005 The new sixth-generation Corvette included controversial fixed headlights. Both coupe and convertible bodystyles came out at the same year.

2006 Z06 Power version of C6 was introduced already in 2005, but it came available as 2006 model. New Z06 has a 500hp LS7 427cid (7.0litre) small block, the biggest and the most powerful small block ever available from GM!