Steve Magnante's 1001 Corvette Facts. Steve Magnante

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СКАЧАТЬ the hot solid-lifter engines displayed higher RPM ceilings. Generally speaking, the dual-quad and fuelie tachs had an 8,000-rpm ceiling, while lesser mills went to 6,000 rpm. For comparison, the earlier 6-cylinder tachs of 1953–1955 (seven built) only went to 5,000 rpm. The 1955 V-8 tachometer read to 6,000 rpm.

      163 One exterior item that quietly appeared in 1956 was a pair of chrome door handles. It’s often forgotten that 1953–1955 Corvette bodies lacked them.

      164 Despite the juggled lengths of the tailpipe tips, 1953–1955 Corvettes suffered from exhaust staining on the body. Arkus-Duntov affixed tufts of wool to the area and discovered that repositioning the exhaust tips to the ends of the fenders eliminated the staining. The body stylists further developed the idea by designing the rear bumpers to surround each exhaust tip.

      165 Although the relocation of the exhaust outlets spared the paint from staining, the noxious fumes were known to attack the chromed bumper surrounds used on 1956–1960 models. Win some, lose some. The 1961 Corvette’s exhaust outlets were the first not to be accentuated by chrome tips or to be incorporated into the bumpers. In fact, a close look at any unrestored 1961 car (or correctly executed restoration) reveals that the terminus of each pipe was subtly flared to hide behind the silhouette of the lower body panel, an odd change of theme in those days when dual exhaust outlets were a major status symbol.

      166 The hide-away tailpipe configuration was continued for 1962. Interestingly, even though the 1961–1962 duck-tail quarter panel and taillamp panel treatment provided a glimpse of the 1963 Sting Ray’s styling, the actual Sting Ray returned to the loud-and-proud exposed-tailpipe format.

      167 Reflecting a strong commitment to Corvette’s future after some very iffy years, Chevrolet totally redesigned the 1958 instrument panel and dashboard with a more intimate, cockpit-like style. A central “waterfall” divided the space under the dash and moved the radio and heater controls away from the dash face. Passengers now had something to hang onto in the form of a padded grab bar.

       Previewed on the 1956 Pontiac Club de Mer Motorama show car, the deep, crescent-shaped driver and passenger cutouts rolled out in 1958.

      168 The 1958 interior restyle brought a functional touch that arrived just in time for the high-revving solid-lifter engines made available: a properly positioned tachometer. Mounted directly in the driver’s line of sight, its large numerals were easy to read and react to. The previous tachometer location in the center of the instrument panel was pleasingly symmetrical but a functional disaster. One wonders how many 1956 and 1957 Corvette engines were scattered by drivers unable to see when redline was near.

      169 1957 Corvettes equipped with the RPO 579E option provided an exception to the goofy tachometer placement of pre-1958. This option was an all-out competition package featuring the Rochester fuel-injected 283 and a mechanically driven tachometer strapped atop the steering column directly in front of the driver. This tach’s 8,000-rpm face hinted at the potent 283’s true capability. The standard (and useless) tachometer was deleted. Filling the empty hole was the same circular Corvette nose and deck-lid emblem used on 1957 Vettes. Only 43 legitimate RPO 579E Corvettes were built (the option cost $726.30), most of which were sadly raced into the ground.

      170 Although the external details are seemingly identical, 1957 Corvette bodies differed significantly from 1956 bodies due to stamped-metal reinforcement panels and braces added inside the doors, beneath the cowl, and atop the rocker panels. Given equal treatment, storage, and use, a 1956 body exhibited more stress cracks than a 1957-or-later body due to its lack of these bonded reinforcements.

      171 Something new appeared on the shift handle of 4-speed Corvettes in 1959: a chromed reverse-lockout T-handle located between the boot and the ball. Spring loaded, it prevented accidental engagement of Reverse gear unless the driver deliberately lifted the T with his fingers. Of the 9,670 Corvettes built in 1959, 4,175 were 4-speeds. Interestingly, 1959 marked the first year that 4-speed transmissions were available in Chevy full-sized passenger cars, but their spindly swizzle-stick shift handles lacked a reverse-lockout function until 1964.

      172 Arkus-Duntov always considered safety a priority, having seen his share of tragic racing accidents. In 1955, Arkus-Duntov was racing a Porsche 550 Spyder at Le Mans (see Fact 148) when Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes-Benz 300SLR crashed into the grandstands, killing him, 80 spectators, and the Mercedes-Benz factory race program for many years.. In 1958, Corvettes arrived from the factory with seat belts as standard equipment, almost a decade before federal mandates forced their inclusion on other Chevrolets and the entire auto industry.

      173 Body-color-painted headlamp trim rings easily identify early 1956 Corvettes. Intended to stretch the appearance of the front fenders, the applied paint was highly prone to chipping. Within a month of startup, General Motors reverted to the bright, chrome-plated rings used through the 1957 model run.

      174 In January 1957, a vented gas tank was added to the Corvette to prevent vapor slosh and surge on hot days. To accommodate the rubber fume-exhaust tube, a small exit hole and rubber grommet was added next to the fuel filler and gas cap. It was all positioned beneath the hinged fuel flap adjacent to the driver-side door. As was the case in 1953–1955, the 1956–1962 fuel-flap door was made of metal, not fiberglass.

      175 In 1957, Corvettes painted Inca Silver previewed a new paint formulation that all GM divisions would adopt beginning in 1958. To support the metallic content of Inca Silver (and the growing overall trend toward metallic paint), nitrocellulose lacquer replaced GM’s age-old nitrocellulose paint. The rest of the 1957 Corvette color palette relied on nitrocellulose for that final year. Only 65 of the 6,339 Corvettes built in 1957 wore Inca Silver paint. Enamel paint was used universally on virtually all GM wheels (Corvette included) because of its durable nature.

ENGINE AND DRIVELINE

      176 Although maligned today and during the supercar 1960s, 3-speed manual transmissions were a treat when they finally appeared in 1956. Of the 3,467 cars built that year, more than half had clutch pedals. The remainder carried the cast-iron Powerglide 2-speed automatic, a $188.50 option.

       Chevy finally put some sport in its sports car with the mass availability of 3-speed manual transmissions in 1956. Chevrolet put the shift quadrant on the trim plate instead of the shift ball.

      177 It’s impossible to do an oil-and-filter service on a 1955 V-8 Corvette. Oil, yes; filter, no. That’s because all 1955 V-8 engine blocks lacked provisions for an oil filter. For passenger cars, the AC company offered an add-on filter unit, but because it mounted tall, atop the intake manifold, it didn’t fit under the Corvette’s low-profile hood. For 1956-on, the block was redesigned with a circular pad at the rear of the driver-side oil-pan rail to accept a canister-style filter unit. Thus, filters became standardized on V-8s of every displacement for 1956-on.

      178 The V-8 returned with a bigger splash in 1956. An optional dual-quad induction system was offered instead of the already-impressive single 4-barrel carburetor fitted to the 1955 Corvette. Incredibly, the vast majority of 1956 Vettes (3,080 out of 3,467 cars, about 85 percent) received the RPO 469 and its sexy dual Carter WCFB 4-throat carbs, despite the $172.20 upcharge.

      179 The 1956 RPO 469 dual-quad 265 V-8 marked Corvette’s first СКАЧАТЬ