Corvette in 8 generations
After the end of World War II, the American economy boomed. The automotive industry fought hard to make cars the common man's car - and not least the symbol of the American dream. Ford, Cadillac and Chevrolet worked hard to create a new, modern and high-tech image in the minds of consumers.
The cars just couldn’t get big enough. Regular gas guzzlers. Almost vulgar by today's standards. Big wings and lots of chrome. But Chrevrolet took a different approach.
They had created legendary trucks that were a must-have for farmers and urban youth alike. And with their Chevrolet Bel Ai, they had designed one of the best-selling floaters. Now was the time to boost the Chevrolet image.
In January 1953, they introduced what would turn out to be the longest-produced car in history: the Chevrolet Corvette. A smart little two-seater sports car with a 3.9 liter six-cylinder engine that produced 160 HP.
The first generation was born - and just over 300 were produced. The white sports car was equipped with a fiberglass chassis, which was unique in that time.
The interest in paying no less than $3,498 for the car was great - even though it was a price that today is equivalent to about $40,000 or almost 275,000 Danish kroner.
But the big breakthrough came the following year when Chevrolet equipped the Corvette with a regular V8 engine. And from a somewhat weak-chested engine, the development from year to year only went one way: The fast little car was equipped with more and more horsepower - and from the third generation, which was released in 1968, the output was close to 400 HP. Today, the power plant in a Chevrolet Corvette delivers over 500 HP.
Three Corvettes in the garage
Up until today, the Chevrolet Corvette has undergone a fantastic development. Not just under the hood. The design has kept up with the times - although the overall lines and round taillights have been retained. Besides, Chevrolet has come up with a brand new electric version.
While the electric car may be the future, there are still fans who swear by a true American muscle car. One of them is Palle Hoe, who has been hooked on cars from an early age. Today, the former master carpenter is the proud owner of no less than three different Corvettes:
"It's all about hearing the rumble from the big muscles. And while I've had many cars - from Mascot to a rusty Simca to Ford Mondeo and Audis - the Chevrolet Corvette has that one thing that sets it apart from other sports cars. It has the power and the sound. It's completely different from, for example, the Italian thoroughbreds," says Palle Hoe.
The different generations of Corvettes are usually referred to simply as C1, C2 and so on. Palle Hoe himself has the great fortune of owning two C3s and a single C6.
The C3 is the Corvette that was in production for the longest amount of time. To be precise, from 1968 until 1982, when it was replaced by the next generation.
"I bought my one C3 in the US for 10,000 dollars. Or about 110,000 Danish Crowns including the registration tax. It was a bit of a wreck. It could run. But it took a lot of hours in the workshop before I could drive it in traffic," he says and continues:
"In fact, we shipped it back to the US to drive it on the Lincoln Highway across the continent. More than 5,000 km from Times Square in New York to Lincoln Park in San Francisco."
Palle Hoe, who is also the editor of the member magazine for Club Corvette Denmark, believes that the Corvette is of interest to many who dream of a true muscle car. First and foremost, it has been produced in more than 570,000 copies over the past 70 years. So, there are plenty of used cars that enthusiasts can start restoring. These are also cars that can be bought for a reasonable price.
Basically, there are two options: Either you can spend at least £175.000 at a dealership for the latest version. Or you can spend the money on restoring a tired Corvette from the 60s or 70s. Although a newly restored Corvette can easily run up to £60.000-70.000, it's more the time spent on the restoration that takes its toll.
An expensive hobby
"It's a very extensive project to start. The last C3 I bought, I spent around £25,000 on. But it's the labor time that weighs the most. And it's laborious. I got my son and his friend to take the car apart. Piece by piece. Then all the parts and screws were laid on the floor so I could record them. Repair the parts that needed it. And then screw it all back together again."
And yet, getting the V8 engine right - not to mention all the electrics - takes a lot of effort for professional mechanics.
But when you finally end up with a freshly painted and fully restored Chevrolet Corvette - whether it's from the 60s or newer - well, you can race through the countryside in a car that makes people look up and admire the beautiful rear end before it disappears into the horizon of the American dream.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
IS IN MANY WAYS THE EPISODE OF ALL THAT IS AMERICAN. This also applies to his cars. He has a great LOVE for the CHEVROLET CORVETTE, which he first drove in 1978. BY CLAUS VESTERAGER MARTINUS PHOTO: ALAMY
Born in the USA!
Both Bruce Springsteen and the Chevrolet Corvette are about as American as it gets. As American as apple pie. Both born in the USA. Raw and unadulterated. So what was more fitting for the 29-year-old rock singer than to buy a Corvette when he finally had money in hand in 1978?
He had just released his third album – Born to Run (1975) – and a few years later, he could fulfill his dream: An employee at the local ice cream shop had a 1960 edition of the Chevrolet C1 Convertible for sale. At a price of a whopping $6,000.
A car that holds a special place in Springsteen's heart. A black-and-white photo taken by his friend Frank Stefanko, where The Boss sits on the hood of his Corvette C1 on a cold winter day in New Jersey, also graces his autobiographical album Chapter and Verse (2016).
And that was just the first Corvette in his garage. Subsequently, he bought a second-generation Corvette Stingray complete with pop-up headlights. A true muscle car with a V8 engine that delivered a full 360 horsepower.
Even though muscle cars have a special place in his car collection, he eventually had to relent and buy something more practical. But that only happened in 1991 when he married his girlfriend from the E Street Band, Patti Scialfa. Initially, it came in the form of a somewhat undignified minivan. Since then, the couple has sworn by something that's at least as American as the Corvettes: namely, a Jeep Cherokee.
