1958 Chevrolet Corvette C1

During the early 1950s, Chevrolet began experimenting with building a new series of automobiles for a market dominated mostly by European vehicles. In 1953, at New York's Waldorf - Astoria Hotel, Chevrolet unveiled the Corvette as merely a show car and soon put into production following strong public enthusiasm. The two-seater was clothed in fiberglass and powered by the Blue Flame six-cylinder engine. Although popular and pleasant on the eye, the Corvette fought financially to survive and to improve upon its lackluster performance image. Over the years that followed, its design and engineering evolved, later earning it the title of America's sports car.

The personality of Chevrolet's sports car changed dramatically with Zora Arkus-Duntov's arrival in the mid-1950s. The focus shifted to performance resulting in higher-performance engines and improved handling. With the assistance of the 283 cubic-inch version of Chevrolet's lightweight and durable small-block engine in 1957, the Corvette became a true American sports car.

1958 Chevy Corvette
The 1958 Corvette received quad headlights, a new styling phenomenon applied to only a handful of 1957 models throughout the industry. Thirty-seven of forty-eight states had regulations allowing four headlights for licensed vehicles for the 1957 model year. Among the marques that used quad headlights for 1957 included the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser (optional on the lesser Mercurys), the 1957 Lincolns (Quadra-Lite grille - a combination of headlights and road lights), and the DeSoto Adventurer (optional on a few other Chrysler products). The quad lights on the 1958 Corvette were emphasized by a chrome trim piece that ran the length of the fender, from the headlight housing and stretched back nearly to the windshield. The hood had eighteen non-function louvres that earned it the nickname, the 'Washboard hood.' At the back, the trunk also had a nickname thanks to its two spears, similar to those found on the hood (from the headlight housings). The two on the back were farther located closer to the center and stretched from the front of the trunk to the top of the innermost fender. Only on the 1958 Corvettes these styling features were nicknamed 'suspenders.'

At the front, the grille remained similar to the previous five years, although the number of vertical bars decreased from thirteen to nine vertical bars. Flanking the oval grille were openings that, at quick glance, appeared to be cooling tunnels for the brakes but instead were decorative.

The chassis length was increased to 177.2 inches, and the width to 72.8. The vehicle's weight increased by approximately 100 pounds, even though these are not the modifications that sports-car drivers typically like to see. New radius rods in the back helped correct some of the issues that occurred during hard acceleration.

The car, in a way, became more 'secure' with bumpers being secured to the frame. The nitrocellulose paint was replaced with acrylic lacquer. More chrome was added to the front and back of the vehicle. The interior was revamped. All the instruments on the dash were relocated, with the highlight being the 160 mph speedometer.

Exterior Color
The most popular exterior color was snowcrest white, accounting for approximately 27% (2,477 units). Nearly 22% (2,006) were finished in Silver Blue, nearly 18% (1,631) in Charcoal, and approximately 15% (1,399) in Signet Red. Around 5% (each) were finished in Regal Turquoise (510), Panama Yellow (455), and Tuxedo Black (493). Just 193 examples (about 2%) wore Inca Silver paint.

Engine Specifiation
Four engines were offered, ranging from a 245 bhp unit to the 290 bhp fuel-injected model. The base engine was an overhead valve V8 with a 283 cubic-inch displacement, a 9.5:1 compression ratio, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, Carter or Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and developed 230 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. A dual Carter four-barrel version brought horsepower to 245 while torque remained at 300. The 283 CID V8 with Rochester fuel injection had horsepower that ranged from 250 to 290 horsepower. A three-speed manual all-synchromesh transmission with floor-mounted gear shifter was standard while the two-speed Powerglide automatic was optional. A four-speed manual all-synchromesh was also offered as optional equipment.

The heater was still optional, and a handling package was offered that provided stiffer springs and heavier finned brake drums with metallic brake linings. Seat belts were now standard and had previously been a dealer-installed option in 1956 and 1957. The interior was new with the gauges now spread across the dashboard rather than the previous setup in front of the driver. A passenger assist bar was another new feature, along with the center console.

The base price for the Corvette convertible was $3,600, and 9,168 examples were sold. This was an increase over 1957's figures of 6,339 and 1956's figures of 3,467.

This was the year of Harley Earl's retirement.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2005