1957 Corvette C1 Fuel Injection

Chevrolet pulled something amazing out of the hat for 1957: Fuel Injection. First run in 1956 at the Sebring race, the Rochester Ramjet injection was an answer to Mercedes-Benz which featured fuel injection in the 1954 300SL. The innovation solved a fuel starvation problem caused by fuel sloshing while cornering with carbureted engines under race conditions. The fuel injection system is displayed in a cutaway drawing to the left.

To keep this development in perspective, consider this. Almost all of the high priced supposedly advanced competition -- including Jaguar, Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini -- did not go with fuel injection until the 1970s or later.

The new system was complex and costly however. At $484.20, the one option added over 15% of the price of an entire Corvette. Buyers found it irresistible however, with 1,040 checking the box on the order form. The complexity also resulted in a high maintenance reputation.

Not up for debate is the way the market treats fuel injected Corvettes of the era. Corvette enthusiasts went for it in a big way in 1957 and more so 50 years later as a collectable; the price premium for a "Fuelie" as they are often called is significantly higher than their more mundane carbureted cousins.

Some people will disagree with the high maintenance moniker applied to the fuelie Corvette. The problem they say is that people who are unfamiliar with how the systems work try and think of them as carburetors as that is what they are used to. When properly set up, they are trouble free for many years.

Classic David Kimble cutaway illustration of the Corvette fuel injected motor. It was available in 250 hp and 283 hp configurations. The 283 horsepower version represented a breakthrough; for the first time the 283 cubic inch displacement matched the 283 horsepower rating of the engine.

Above left: Fuel Injection as installed in an early Corvette; Right: Later Fuel Injection system on display.

1957 and subsequent Corvettes proudly wore their new technological identities on the front fenders (above) and trunk lids (below).

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There was more good go-fast news for Corvette buyers in 1957. Just south of the clutch, a new four speed manual transmission became available as of April 9, 1957. 664 1957 Corvettes were so equipped at an extra cost of $188.30. Special four speeds had been installed in some race cars, so apparently the "More is Better" philosophy applied.

The importance of this development cannot be overstated. A four speed was the ticket to sports car street cred; as of the introduction of the four speed the Corvette started to be take seriously by the high performance sports car community.

Above and below: A very special fuel injected 1957 Corvette with an airbox intake. It is RPO 579E and only 43 were made. As a racing option, it cost a whopping $726.30 or $242.10 more than the standard fuel injection system.

Right: Special steering column mounted competition mechanical tachometer was part of the package.

Also available in 1957: RPO 684, a racing suspension intended for serious racers. It included suspension and brake upgrades along with a positraction differential. The cost was $780.10 and was installed on only 51 Corvettes in 1957.

Notice the small wheel covers in this 1957 fuelie? It's RPO 276 and was a 15" x 5.5" wheel; stock wheels were 5.0" wide.

"Really Old Boy, You Aren't Supposed To Build That Sort Of Thing In America; Y'Know"

The marketing people had started to become aggressive with the competition. This was the start of a series of ads that continued for many years, pointing out that the imports did not entirely own the sports car world.