Chevrolet Corvette C2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
|---|---|
| Parent company | General Motors |
| Production | 1963–1967 |
| Assembly | St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Predecessor | Chevrolet Corvette C1 |
| Successor | Chevrolet Corvette C3 |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style(s) | 2-door coupé 2-door convertible |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related | Corvette Stingray (Concept car) Corvette Mako Shark (Concept car) |
The Chevrolet Corvette C2 is a sports car produced by Chevrolet between 1963 and 1967 regarded as the second generation of the marque.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
1963 would see the introduction of a new Larry Shinoda designed Sting Ray coupé with a distinctive split rear window and faux hood vents.
Inspiration was drawn from several sources: the contemporary Jaguar E-Type, one of which Shinoda's boss Bill Mitchell owned and enjoyed driving frequently; the radical "Mitchell Stingray" Mitchell designed in 1959 because Chevrolet no longer participated in factory racing; and a mako shark that Mitchell caught while deep-sea fishing.
The split rear window was discontinued in 1964 due to safety concerns, as were the hood vents. Early options available on the C2 included AM-FM radio (mid 1963), air conditioning (1963), leather upholstery (1963), telescopic wheel (1965), head rests (1966).
New to the 1963 Corvette was independent rear suspension. It was powered by a 360 hp (272 kW) V-8, enhanced to 375 hp (280 kW) in 1964.
1965 marked the introduction of the 425 hp Big Block 396 in³ (6.5 L) V8. Ultimately, this spelled the end for the Rochester fuel injection system, as the carburated 396/425 hp option cost $292.70 to the fuel injected 327/375 hp's $538.00. Few buyers could justify $245 more for 50 hp (37 kW) less. When only 771 fuel injected cars were built in 1965, Chevrolet discontinued the option. It would be 18 years until it returned.
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Four-wheel disc brakes were also introduced in 1965, and side exhaust pipes appeared as an option.
In 1966 Chevrolet would up the power ante with the introduction of an even larger 427 in³ (7 L), 430 hp (321 kW V8, creating what would be one of the most collectible Corvettes ever, the L88.
The 1967 model was originally intended to debut the C3 generation Corvette, however due to engineering delays and possibly to avoid internal competition with the new Camaro, the C3 was pushed back a year. The 427 was available with 1282 ft³/min (605 L/s) Holley triple two-barrel carburetor, or Tri-Power. Only twenty L88s were made.
In 2004, Sports Car International named the Sting Ray number five on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.
[edit] Grand Sport
In 1962 Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov initiated a program to produce a lightweight version based on a prototype that mirrored the new 1963 Corvette.[1] Concerned about Ford and what they were doing with the Shelby Cobra, Duntov's program included plans to build 125 Grand Sport Corvettes to make them eligible for international Grand Touring races. After the GM executives learned of the secret project, the program was stopped, and only five cars were built. All five cars have survived and are in private collections. They are among the most coveted and valuable Corvettes ever built, not because of what they accomplished, but because of what might have been.[2]
The cars were driven by famed contemporary race drivers such as Roger Penske, A.J. Foyt, Jim Hall, and Dick Guldstrand among others. The Grand Sports, however, were never fully developed; poor aerodynamics caused high speed handling problems that were alleviated by a number of modifications but never completely solved. Dick Thompson was the first driver to win a race in the Grand Sport 004. He won a 1963 Sports Car Club of America race at Watkins Glen on August 24, 1963. [3]
The Corvette Grand Sports were raced with several different engines, but the most serious factory engine actually used was a 377 cubic inch displacement, all-aluminum, small block with four Weber side-draft carburetors, rated 550 hp (410 kW) at 6400 rpm. Body panels were made of thinner fiberglass to reduce weight and the frame was constructed of amazingly light steel tubes.
[edit] Rondine (1963)
Based on the 1963 Corvette C2 chassis, the Corvette 'Rondine' (Ron-di-nay) concept car was built for the 1963 Paris Auto Show, designed by Tom Tjaarda of Pininfarina.[1][2]
Sold at Barrett-Jackson 2008 for $1,600,000.00
[edit] Gallery
 1964 Corvette roadster |
 1965 single-window coupe |
 1967 L71 "Tri-power" engine |
[edit] Production notes
| Year | Production | Base Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 21,513 | $ 4,037 | New coupé body style introduced (only year for split rear window); convertible more expensive than coupé |
| 1964 | 22,229 | $ 4,037 | Rear window of coupé changed to single pane; hood louvers deleted |
| 1965 | 23,562 | $ 4,106 | 396 in3 Big-Block V8 added; last year of fuel injection until 1982; side-discharge exhaust introduced |
| 1966 | 27,720 | $ 4,084 | 427 in3 Big-Block V8 with unique bulging hood; 327 in3 300-horsepower small block V8 standard |
| 1967 | 22,940 | $ 4,240 | Five-louver fenders are unique; Big-Block hood bulge redesigned as a scoop; parking brake changed from pull-out under dash handle to lever mounted in center console; Tri-power 427 would become most sought-after Corvette ever |
| Total | 117,964 |
[edit] Engines
| Engine | Year | Power |
|---|---|---|
| 327 in³ Small-Block V8 | 1963–1965 | 250 hp (186 kW) |
| 1963–1967 | 300 hp (224 kW) | |
| 1963 | 340 hp (254 kW) | |
| 1965–1967 | 350 hp (254 kW) | |
| 1964–1965 | 365 hp (272 kW) | |
| 327 in³ Small-Block FI V8 | 1963 | 360 hp (268 kW) |
| 1964–1965 | 375 hp (280 kW) | |
| 396 in³ Big-Block V8 | 1965 | 425 hp (317 kW) |
| 427 in³ Big-Block V8 | 1966–1967 | 390 hp (291 kW) |
| 1966 | 425 hp (317 kW) | |
| 427 in³ Big-Block Tri-Power V8 | 1967 | 400 hp (298 kW) |
| 1967 | 435 hp (324 kW) |
[edit] See also
- Chevrolet Corvette CERV
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Corvette Mako Shark (Concept car)
- Corvette Stingray (Concept car)
[edit] References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Friedman, Dave and Paddock, Lowell C. Corvette Grand Sport: Photographic Race Log of the Magnificent Chevrolet Corvette Factory Specials 1962-1967. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Co., 1989. ISBN 0-87938-382-8.
- Mueller, Mike. Corvette Milestones. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Co., 1996. ISBN 0-7603-0095-X.
- Nichols, Richard. Corvette: 1953 to the Present. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-218-1.
[edit] External links
- 1963 Corvette - C2 Corvette history and technical development
- 1963 Corvette Grand Sport - Detailed history and images of the Grand Sport Corvette
| Chevrolet Corvette timeline, 1953–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Type | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Coupe | C2 | C3 | C5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hatchback | Collector Edition | C4 | C5 | C6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Convertible | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performance | Fuel Injection | Big Block | ZR-1 | LT4 | Z06 | Z06 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| L84 | Big Block | LT1 | ZR1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motorsports: Grand Sport • GTP • C5-R • C6.R | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
