1956 Chevrolet Corvette New Mexico

BY KARL LUDVIGSEN

Originally published in Sports Cars Illustrated in May 1956.

Chances are that by the time you read this the '56 Corvette will have made a profound impression on the whole sports car world, and after having had one under me for a couple of days I will be the last to be surprised. This very early production model showed a willingness and ability to be driven fast and hard under almost all conditions and demonstrated an even greater potential for competitive use. In my opinion, the Corvette as it stands is fully as much a dual-purpose machine as the stock Jaguar, Triumph, or Austin-Healey. Without qualification, General Motors is now building a sports car.

Unfortunately, at this writing accurate information both on the Corvette itself and on their future plans is not available, and the air is rife with rumor. SCI's test car was chassis #1002, and was obtained from the Chevrolet Motor Division through the combined efforts of Shelly Spindel and Alvin Schwartz Chevrolet of Brooklyn, N.Y. Finished in two-tone turquoise with a matching hard top and a white convertible top, it was a real traffic-stopper, and was specifically destined to make a New York TV appearance. As such, it had the full range of options, including whitewalls, the hard top, power windows, radio, heater and windshield washer. To our joy it had the close-ratio stick shift, but less happily had the higher, 3.27:1 rear end ratio. It was, all in all, a lot of car and I regret that at this time Chevrolet was not ready to discuss prices. There is little question, though, that it is to be competitive with the Thunderbird.

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