The 15 year run for the C3 “Shark” generation of the Corvette that stands today is the first model, the 1968 Corvette. The most stubborn of all the Corvette generations is the C3 that ran until 1982. There was selling records in the late 1960’s, large numbers in the 1970’s despite gas shortages and holding until the early 1980’s. The 1968 Corvette started this prolonged existence which brought a new design that would encourage Corvettes that are driven today with the C6 generation of 2005 to present.
The 1968 Corvette actually got its start design in early 1964 by designer Larry Shinoda under the watchful direction of Bill Mitchell. By 1965 the Mako Shark II Concept Car was brought to the public eye by way of car shows and the 1968 Corvette would be an almost identical product by way of looks.
Once the auto shows were done the Shinoda/Mitchell design was sent to Chevrolet styling under David Hollis. The design began to take shape using the existing Sting Ray chassis and the mid-engine design of the Mako Shark II was dropped. The 1968 Corvette was basically the same car from the beltline down just with softer contours. As it began to form there were obvious overtones from the Mako Shark II design.
Some of the new innovations to the 1968 Corvette included:
*Total redesign of the body. *Removable T-Top roof panels and back window on the coupe model. *Redesigned interior. *Optional three-speed Hydra-matic transmission to replace the previous two-speed Powerglide.
With the many new features to the 1968 Corvette, the engine remained the same and was a carryover from the previous year. This is not to say that the new Vette was at any lack of power, in fact quite the contrary. Road & Track conducted several speed tests with the 1968 Corvette and found that the small-block 327 V-8 put out 350-bhp and had a reported top speed of 128 miles per hour. Even beefier, the big-block put out a whopping 400-bhp and could go 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds.
For first time the Sting Ray name was not attached to the Chevrolet muscle machine which was new to the 1968 Corvette. It was advertised using the Sting Ray name. The Sting Ray name would one year later find its way back to the Corvette.
General Motors tried to keep the new design of the 1968 Corvette a secret, however, it was unveiled a few weeks earlier than the official unveiling. Prior to the time the1968 Corvette was revealed to the public the toy maker Mattel released a new Hot Wheels line that shocked the General Motors executives because it was an unauthorized version of the custom Corvette.
Corvette fans loved the new 1968 Corvette, however, the critics gave it a poor review. This did not bother consumers and at the end of the year Chevrolet’s new Corvette had the last laugh with a record sale of 28, 566 cars sold which was an increase from the 5,000 from the last year of the Sting Ray.
For additional info and questions in regards to The The 1968 Corvette please visit the Smokinvette Team at www.smokinvette.com
Tags: 1968 Corvette, Cars, Corvette
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