BUYER’S GUIDE

Corvette C1 review

America’s answer to imported European sportscars, once the Corvette C1 got its V8 it was well on its way to earning iconic status…

What Is It?

Keen to develop a home-grown alternative to the wave of affordable European sportscars landing in America, General Motors decided to put its own twist on the same template of sporty bodywork on everyday saloon running gear. Heavily inspired by the Nash-Healey, the Corvette was first shown alongside other concepts in early 1953 with production starting the same year.

The bold choice of a fibreglass body freed the designers to create a distinctive and flowing look, fusing the best of 1950s American and European style, fins and chrome combining with elegant sporting lines. Flaky build quality and a lack of performance nearly killed it early on, the arrival of small-block V8 power in 1955 finally realising the Corvette’s potential with the performance and style — if not sophistication or price — of contemporary European exotica like the Mercedes 300SL and BMW 507.

Corrosive Areas

Underbody ‘birdcage’ structure

Rear suspension mounts

Central chassis X-frame bracing

Checklist

First-gen Corvette widely known by its C1 designation, and went through four main evolutions
Early cars recognisable by slab sides and bullet-shaped rear lights
Original Blue Flame six-cylinder with triple-carb set-up intended to match power of European equivalents, but early cars suffered with a two-speed automatic gearbox
Arrival of 265cu in (4.3-litre) small-block V8 and three-speed manual in 1955 transformed performance, and saved the Corvette’s fortunes
1956 restyle created the definitive C1 look, scalloped sides (often in a contrast colour) and cleaner rear end tidying the shape
1958 facelift added quad headlights and more chrome before the 1961 shift to ‘boat tail’ rear end near to the end of the C1’s production
All C1s are convertibles, power folding and hardtops introduced as options along the way
Bigger 283cu in engine arrived from 1957, along with option of Ramjet-branded fuel-injection and optional upgrade package for ‘one horsepower per cubic inch’ output
While fuel-injected cars are coveted by fans and have curiosity value, carb-fuelled ones are just as powerful and a lot easier to run and maintain
Four-speed manual optional from mid-1957 helps driveability
Various final drive options available, Positraction limited-slip differential another upgrade offered in period
Innovative fibreglass body obviously doesn’t rust, but can suffer weakness over time — check for cracks, repairs or badly-fitting panels
Conventional ladder chassis beneath can rust, as can ‘bird cage’ steel structure for door mounts, windscreen and front and rear bulkheads
Engines and other running gear all tough, simple to work on and proven, though do the usual checks
Ease of tuning and upgrades a blessing and a curse, for fact performance gains can come at the cost of originality

How does it drive?

This will very much depend on the vintage, with early Blue Flame powered six-cylinders hampered by the fact the only gearbox GM had capable of handling the power was a less than sporting two-speed automatic. It was only with the arrival of the small-block V8 in 1955 the Corvette really got into its stride, this and the three-speed manual delivering the performance to match the looks and compete with European imports.

Gutsy, muscular sounding and endlessly tuneable, V8 engines have become a Corvette signature ever since, and while the C1’s suspension, steering and brakes were relatively crude, the lack of weight made it a sprightly performer. Upgrades offered in period or retrofitted along the line, like four-speed manual gearboxes, faster steering racks and Positraction limited-slip differentials all help the cause, and post-1957 cars with the bigger 283cu in engine are rapid even by modern standards. This and the iconic looks combine into a feelgood ‘50s driving experience that’s hard to beat!

What’s good?

The Corvette’s combination of classic ‘50s American styling with performance and handling to keep pace with European sportscars set it apart from many of its contemporaries, and help explain its enduring popularity beyond US shores. Even in stock trim the V8 makes its presence known, the sound as iconic and evocative of America’s post-war optimism as the rock’n’roll it was also exporting to the world at the time! A fine cruiser in standard form, if you want your C1 to handle as well as it goes there are plenty of ways to make it steer, handle and stop better, and a well set up ’vette can hold its own against any equivalent European sportscar in handling as well as grunt.

What’s bad?

Fiberglass bodywork, fuel-injection and an impressively athletic kerbweight sound very progressive for a ‘50s American car but… the Corvette is still a ‘50s American car at heart. While it’s got the grunt to leave contemporary rivals standing, the rest of the driving experience is somewhat crude in comparison, and for all the V8 firepower a Corvette will never quite have the same cachet as the Mercedes SLs, Jaguar XKs or other European sportscars it sold against at the time. Nor are the looks as universally popular, being very much rooted (for better or worse) in the ‘50s American aesthetic, the later ones piling on the chintz as well as the horsepower.

Which model to choose?

Serious collectors covet the early batch of 1953 originals, of which just 300 were made. But if you want a Corvette C1 to drive and enjoy you’re much better off going for a later one, not least for the V8 sound and performance. Post 1956 cars with the iconic two-tone look and sleeker rear lights arguably look the best, 1957 model year versions with the bigger 283 engine and fuel-injection offering a serious uptick in performance and (arguably) much nicer looking than the 1958-onward versions with their quad headlights and bigger grilles.

Our choice? Well, it would be hard to argue with Jay Leno’s pick of a ‘twin quad’ carb-fuelled ’57 with four on the floor, mag wheels and a stripped-back lightweight build for the best mix of show and go.

Specifications – 1957 Corvette C1

Engine

4.6-litre V8, petrol

Power

287PS (211kW) @ 6,200rpm

Torque

393Nm (290lb ft) @ 4,400rpm

Transmission

Two-speed auto/three- or four-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

Kerb weight

1,292kg

0-62mph

c. 6 seconds

Top speed

c. 130mph

Production dates

1953-1962 (all variants)