The Design of the 1956 Corvette
Besides a few cosmetic alterations, the 1965 Corvette was largely unchanged from the previous model year. Three functional vertical louvers appeared in place of the formerly non-functioning horizontal design -- the hood indentations also disappeared and the rocker panels were freshened up. The biggest changes for the enthusiast were under the skin, however. Four wheel disc brakes brought Corvette a step closer to true world class performance as did the mid year addition of a 425 hp big block V8. Power also came from several versions of the small block 327, including the last fuel injected Corvette engine until 1982, making the 1965 a highly sought after mid-year.

The First Corvette Ever Produced
The first Corvette rolled off production lines in June of 1953. This car was produced by General Motors Inc and designed by Harley Earl. Only 300 Corvettes were produced during the first year and it was offered to special VIP`s, not the general public. In 1955 the car was almost canceled because of very disappointing sales. The car was produced for General Motors, an American company, to get into the sports car market that was dominated by European car companies. The car, nicknamed the C1, was in production from 1953 till 1962. This time the numbering system for Corvettes was introduced. This style of the car was named the C1.

The first Corvette wasn`t exactly a `muscle` car when it debuted, it only cranked 150 horsepower when pushed to the limits. In 1955, Chevrolet introduced a V8 engine for the Corvette. With the new engine, the company failed to sell even 700 models that year. The decision was made to either drop the Corvette from the production line or to redesign it because disappointing sales. The Corvette was redesigned and released in 1956. The new redesigned Corvette was more accepted. The Company dropped the six-cylinder, 150 horsepower engine from the new model and the V8 became the standard engine. The Corvette became America`s favorite sports car because of its pure and raw speed. The car became a standard competitor at local races and drag strips.