Corvette Generations:
C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
Corvette: Year by Year
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 19631964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
How it All Started
I have been creating the content for WebCars! since 1994. The articles have been about enthusiast cars that I find to be interesting. You can get an idea as to which I find most interesting by looking at the features listed on the home page.
I call a number of models my favorite and one of them is the Corvette.
My car ownership has almost always included a two seater. I say almost as there was a year or so when, although I wanted a two seater, the family insurance man thought it to be a bad idea and would not cover that arrangement. Probably a wise move for all.
Since then the resume lists a 1970 Datsun 240Z, a 1972 Saab Sonnet, numerous Triumph and MGB roadsters, a Porsche Speedster replica, a Porsche 914, some homebuilt kit cars, a 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo and still in my garage, a 1990 Mazda Miata. I've left out some forgettable automobiles. And some that I remember but would like to forget.
All this time, a Corvette was at the top of my "someday" list. The first one I drove, when I was 19 years old, was my uncles 1971 Ontario Orange convertible. It was a four speed and when I drove it I felt like I owned the world. Since then I never turned down the opportunity to drive a Corvette and I was lucky to have had the experience many times in all the generations and configurations. Sometimes it was when I or a friend was considering a purchase, other times when owner / friends would generously hand over the keys.
In 1988 I learned that Mazda would be unleashing the Miata upon the world, and a decision was made. Since it looked and felt like my beloved MGBs, only with modern technology and non of the, shall we say "quirkiness" of the MGBs, its purchase became a priority. Newly married, my wife and I bought a red 1990 base Miata. We've held onto it and as of 2011, it has 330,000 miles on the clock.
Around the year 2000 I started work on the web project that became "The Corvette Story". I took as many Corvette photos as I could. Digital cameras had become affordable and their ability to take any quantity of photographs at almost zero cost was something even I was smart enough to take advantage of. I also purchased (or scanned in if it could only be borrowed) every Corvette press release or brochure I could find. As this is being written, my images folder contains over 25,000 items.
"The Corvette Story" first appeared in June, 2005. All years of Corvettes were covered along with special focus on the ZR-1, terminology, wallpaper, performance and links pages, etc. Since I've always considered "The Corvette Story" to be a work in progress, other features have been added, a process that will continue.
There is a saying: "If you ever want to become really knowledgeable about a given subject, teach it". I learned a lot about Corvettes in the course of producing "The Corvette Story". I soon began to refer to myself as "The smartest man in the world about Corvettes who never owned one". There is no way to back up such a lame claim, but since I never met anyone that could refute it, I stuck with it.
There was a problem with the statement. Although I was happy about the "smart" aspect, I did not like the "never owned" part. Around that time, with viewership at almost 200,000 monthly page views, advertising revenue was adding up. It occurred to me that a good use for these $$$ would be a Corvette purchase even if it meant that my "smartest but never owned" claim would have to be forfeited.
Next: The Search Begins
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Comments (3)
Just wanted to add to my comments. I never thought of the C3 body style as "coke bottle" rather I referred to it as "Mako Shark" type.
Great information thank you for all your work putting this together. I had a 1968 convertible 327/350 hp, LeMans Blue/ white top, 4spd.I bought it in 1970 and it still had the firestone redline tires on it. Two weeks later the right rear axle bearing basicly melted, what a learning experience that was. 10 years later I was the Corvette,heavy duty truck,and motorhome mechanic at lyman Slack Chevrolet in Portland Oregon.A couple of things I noticed as per differences between early and late 68's was the late's had a brace between the fender and the wheel well at the hood hinge area to help keep the Fiberglas from cracking in that area.Also the trim piece that runs under the front fender back to the rear wheel well was black on the early's but silver on the later models (as I remember it ) so I painted mine silver. My steering wheel looked to be wood and I never had a left hand clearance problem with it.
I Love Corvette Stingrays. Always have‼ i used to work at a Corvette shop in Westport plaza in Maryland Heights Mo. from 1977 to 1982. I've owned a 67 a 73 and a 79. Always something to learn. Great hobby❗