1957 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Roadster

This 1957 Chevy Corvette is the first of the 43 legendary RPO 579D 'Air Box' Corvettes offered in the spring of 1957 as the first factory-built race cars available to the public for serious competition. With RPO 684 racing suspension (heavy-duty springs and shocks, a quick-steering adaptor, larger wheels, and special finned-drum brakes), the performance of the RPO 579D cars was further enhanced by the addition of a cold air box that captured cooler, higher-density outside air for the Ramjet fuel injection and rear brakes.

This example, chassis number E857104007, was inducted into the Bloomington Gold Great Hall in 2010 as one of the 50 most historically significant Corvettes.

This is a very unusual car. It was made for racing, and it is the earliest known of the 43 legendary RPO 579D 'air box' factory-built production line race cars. Race modifications to the car consisted of heavy-duty springs, heavy-duty shocks and brakes, larger wheels, finned aluminum brake drums, vented backing plates, ceramic brake pads, quick ratio steering, and the air box induction system that captured higher density outside air for the Ramjet Fuel Injection.

This car was picked up on Friday by Bill Howe, the factory driver, then driven across the country to Cumberland and driven in the Sunday race, where it finished third.