1953 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

Much like the 1955 Ford T-Bird, the first Corvette could be more properly called a "sporty car" rather than a true sports car. It was little more than a Chevrolet with a shortened wheelbase and fiberglass body. GM built only 315 Corvettes that first year, 300 in Flint, Michigan and 15 in St. Louis. All were white with the "Blue Flame" 6-cylinder GMC truck engine and Powerglide automatic transmission. The evolution of the Corvette's engine and chassis has come a long way since 1953 and most would agree that it must now be ranked among today's elite sports cars.