The Chevrolet Corvette is America's sports car. It has been around since 1953 and has been racing through the hearts of everyone in its presence. It cost only $3,513 when it was new and set the standard for all sports cars that came after it. All 300 Corvettes that were produced in 1953 rolled off the assembly line in Polo White paint with red interior. Every generation had iconic styling, from split windows to dual cockpit architecture, and now, a mid-engine placed under a glass lid.

The 2023 ZO6 Corvette waiting list could be 3-4 years because it is becoming so popular.The Corvette is one the most distinguishable cars of all time, but many of the random facts about it remain an untold story. This will be a true test for any enthusiast who thinks they know everything about the Corvette. Many of these facts may not even be known by Corvette owners themselves. It is time to rev up automotive knowledge and learn obscure facts about the Corvette.

10 No Trunk From 1963 To 1982

www.wallpaperflare.com

When purchasing a new car, what comes to mind? Most consumers will likely look for technology features, reliability and how many groceries could fit in the trunk. The Corvette may not be the most practical car, but what happens when a car does not have a trunk? For twenty years, the Corvette did not have a trunk at all. Luckily, this did not bother buyers. The trunk went away for the second generation and would not make a return until the fourth generation. Every gearhead should own an old Chevy Corvette to understand why the peak of sports cars occurred decades ago.

download (4)
via www.wallpaperflare.com

In modern Corvettes, such as the C7, the largest trunk would be fifteen cubic-feet. The C8 Corvette has a combined space of 12.6 cubic feet of space combined between the front and rear trunk. In comparison, a 2020 Chevrolet Impala has 18.8 cubic feet of trunk space. That doesn't even account for all the extra space that is available in the backseat. Who really needs a trunk anyhow when the car creates excitement everytime the owner is behind the wheel?

9 It Was Named After A War Ship

wallpaperstock.net

There have been some bad car names over the years from General Motors. Remember the Citation? or how about the Nova? The words "no va" in Spanish translates to "it doesn't go". Manufacturers usually spend a lot of time creating names for cars. Taking into account the appearance of the car and its target customer group will play into the creation of a car's name. The Corvette had a bit of a different story with how it was named. Its origin actually comes from a naval war ship.

1953 Chevy Corvette
Via: Silodrome.com

The name "Corvette" dates way back to the 1800s. A Corvette was a three-masted ship with square rigging and carried approximately 20 guns on the top deck. Corvettes were used in the War of 1812 and helped the United States win battles at sea. Fast forward to the early 1950s, "Project Opel" was underway, but thankfully its name would change prior to production. The Corvette is now one of the most recognized names in the automotive industry, both in America and across the world.

Related: Here's What The 1953 Chevy Corvette Costs Today

8 A C7 Corvette Can Reach 53 Mph In Reverse

2019-Chevrolet-Corvette-ZR1
via mecum

How fast does someone need to go in reverse? Has anyone ever raced in reverse? In the C7 Corvette, owners can practically board the freeway in reverse because they can reach 53 mph. This is one of the fastest recorded speeds for a production car and it may not be broken anytime soon. The C8 Corvette has already backed off on its reverse record. The current Corvette can only reach 31 mph in reverse, which is not a slouch by any means. It would still give many cars a hard time in reverse race.

ZR1 corvette side view
Via Mecum Auctions

What makes a car go so fast in reverse anyhow? Understanding gear ratios is a significant part of what makes the magic happen. Circumference of the wheels and the engine's rev limit also play a major role in allowing the car to reach significant speed in reverse. The C7 Corvette just happened to have the right concoction to hit unbelievable speed going backwards. Next time a car pulls up to a light, maybe challenge them in reverse to see who wins.

The original Corvette logo was a bit different than what is seen today. Even finding pictures of it can prove difficult. The checkered portion on the left remained the same, but the right hand side was actually the American flag. Apparently, the use of the American flag for branding purposes is illegal. Just four days before the Corvette's debut in 1953, the design was changed. This was rather unfortunate, it would have been a great representation of America to have the Corvette wear the U.S flag.

Via: gmauthority.com

Not many cars are cool enough to carry their own logo. The Corvette made the cut from day one and has been carrying the same one for nearly 70 years. Think about it, what other cars actually have their own logo? This only occurs when a car has its own brand and maintains its own market aside from the manufacturer. The Corvette has its own cult following and continues to do well today.

6 1982 Only Offered An Automatic Corvette

Via mecum.com

Who would want an automatic Corvette? Nothing sounds worse than driving an American V8 where the car shifts for the owner. Rowing gears is what makes a sports car fun and connects man to machine. General Motors soon realized this was a bad decision and reversed their decision for the new model when it came out in 1984. It goes to show that consumers can truly make an impact if they petition change for what they desire. Having a manual transmission is the only way to really enjoy a Corvette.

silver 1980s corvette c3
Via Mecum Auctions

Readers of this article are probably thinking that consumers are currently in the same predicament with the C8 Corvette. That would be true, but times have sure changed since 1982. Today, people have access to all sorts of technology and they are putting it to use. When going to change.org, there is already a petition created to build a C8 Corvette with a manual transmission. If this doesn't change the minds of the executives at General Motors, there is already talk at EAG USA to offer a transmission swap package for the C8. They are based out of Texas and are well known for offering an A90 Supra manual swap.

Related: Slammed Corvette C3 Exists In The Digital Realm, Still Offends Purists

5 Mid-Engine Concepts Date Back To The 1960s

2021 Chevrolet Corvette C8
Via: YouTube

The idea of a mid-engine Corvette has been around for over half of a century. Zora Arkus-Duntov, who was known as the "father of the Corvette," was convinced that the only way to improve the Corvette was to make it a mid-engine sportscar. He proposed creating a mid-engine Corvette in 1964 to debut in 1967. Several concept cars were created and the Astro II concept was born. Unfortunately, this Corvette concept would never make it to production, but it would not be the end of the mid-engine idea.

automobilemag.com

Luckily, General Motors would finally put a mid-engine Corvette into production for its eigth generation. The C8 Corvette can go from 0-60 in just 2.9 seconds, and now that the Z06 version is coming close to production, consumers have yet another new Corvette to become excited about. The C8 Z06, is estimated to have a 0-60 time of just 2.5 seconds. Who needs anything faster? The car will feel like a rocket as it leaves the line. Some businesses have already made the base C8 faster. FuelTech USA has created an 8-second quarter mile running C8 Corvette with their aftermarket components.

Related: Chevrolet Teases 8600 RPM Redline For New Corvette Z06

4 Mako Shark Inspiration

https://www.youtube.com/

Over the years, car designs have been influenced by many different things. During a time of when the space race was known for being the influence of the 1950s and 1960s, Larry Shinoda was going in a different direction with the new XP-755 concept car. The space race was responsible for a lot of the large fins, chrome trim, and protruding tail lights. The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado was known for wearing it best and having one of the most unique designs from the factory.

Larry Shinoda was the designer of the XP-755 "Mako Shark" Corvette. He put together the design in 1961, using the body style of the C2 Corvette that had not yet been released. It was designed to mimic the shortfin mako shark of the seas. The car debuted at the 1962 International Automobile show at the New York Coliseum. The largest changes were the exposed side pipes coming out of the fenders, front fascia and triple circular tail lights instead of the normal two.

Related: Looking Back At The Maco Shark Corvette Concept

3 1963 Split-Window

1963 Chevrolet Corvette LS3 rear end
Mecum

Perhaps the most sought-after Corvette is the 1963 split-window. The design only lasted one year, which continues to captivate the hearts of enthusiasts to this very day. Bill Mitchell, who was Chevrolet's chief designer was the one who made this epic style possible. Marine life played yet another significant role for the split-window. The design was created to resemble a spine-like feature on the back, which split the window into two. It might be an iconic design now, but how did the public react to it back then?

When the second generation Corvette debuted in 1963, Everyone loved the overall design and performance of the car, but ironically, they did not care for the split-window feature. Apparently, the center pillar blocked outward visibility and became a safety concern amongst owners. It even came to a point where people who bought them would remove the windows and cut out the center pillar to make room for a large single window. Unfortunately, due to these instances occurring, it would mark the end of the split-window.

2 1983 Was The Year Without A Corvette

1980s Chevrolet Corvette (C4)
Via: Mecum

Since the Corvette debuted in 1953, the world has only had to go one year without a Corvette. General Motors had big plans for the fourth generation Corvette and wanted to create something entirely new for when it would be released. Unfortunately, these plans would take longer than expected and actually lead to a year without Corvette production. There is a full story of the one and only 1983 Corvette. There were 43 prototypes and pilot line cars created for development but only one car remains today. It is under VIN 1G1AY0783D5110023 and can be seen on display at the National Corvette Museum.

1984-Chevrolet-Corvette-C4

The National Corvette Museum is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky and should be on the top of anyone's bucket list who loves cars. It has been open since 1994 and boasts a 115,000 square foot facility located on a 55 acre campus. Visitors can view Corvettes from all generations and learn about special Corvettes they never even knew existed. Sadly, in 2014, a portion of the museum collapsed into a sinkhole. They were quick to rebuild and put the museum back together. Some of the cars were able to be fixed while others were not.

1 Pioneering The Wrap-Around Windshield

silodrome.com

Upon pioneering many iconic designs, the Corvette was also the first and the last car to have a true wrap-around windshield. While other cars may have had similar shaped windshields during the 1950s era, the Corvette was known to hold the torch for taking it to a new level. The wrap-around windshield looked phenomenal aesthetically, but it caused issues for the drivers. The window had such a dramatic bend that it created distortion and eventually became a safety concern.

1953 Chevrolet Corvette Interior
Via: Silodrome

Amongst other reasons, a weaker roof structure was also caused by the wrap-around windshield. Since the windshield was curved, there were not any supporting pillars. If the car were to ever flip over, chances are the roof would cave inwards quite easily. Some of the best designs may have not been the safest structurally, but they will always be remembered as some of the most iconic and fascinating to come from the automotive industry. Of the eight generations of Corvette, all are special in their own way.