Corvette Trivia
1. When Harley Earl’s project team began work on the GM sports car and the original design,
what was the code name for the car?
2. Where did the name “Corvette” come from?
3. What were the differences between the original front emblem and horn button (flags)?
4. Name 3 important facts about the first Corvettes to come off the assembly line in 1953:
5. When did the options of power steering, A/C, and leather seats become available on the
Corvette?
6. Name the three (3) cities where the Corvettes have been assembled.
7. What is the one and only year the Corvette had a split rear window?
8. Where is the National Corvette Museum located?
9. On October 7, 1953 Vin #51 was delivered to a Hollywood actor. The car is currently on display
at the National Automobile Museum (formerly the Harrah's Collection) in Reno, Nevada. What
was the name of the actor?
10. How much horsepower did the “L-88” engine have?
11. The “SILVER” anniversary Corvette was the first Vette to pace Indy 500“officially’".
What year was it?
12. How many times has the Corvette been a pace car @ the “Indy 500”?
13. From 1953 until today, was there ever a year when the Corvettes were not offered for sale to
the general public?
ANSWERS
1. The “Opel"
2. Myron Scott, at the time Chevrolet's Chief photographer and creator of the”All-American Soap Box
Derby”, is credited with coming up with the Corvette name, drawing from the small, fast warships of
the "Corvette" class.
3. The original front emblem and horn button was designed to show a checkered flag crossed with an
American flag. The design was changed when it was discovered that using an American flag on a
commercial product is illegal. The American flag was changed to a flag showing the Chevrolet “bow-tie”
emblem and a French fleur-de-lis symbol, reflective of the French etymology of the Chevrolet name.
4. a. The first Corvettes were literally "rolled" off the assembly line. The early production line was not
prepared for grounding to a fiberglass body and there-by the first cars would not start.
b. The first five Corvettes to come off the assembly line did not have an outside rear view mirror.
c. 1953 Corvettes were offered in any color you wanted... as long as it was Polo White with Red interior.
d. A heater and an AM radio were the only Regular Production Options (RPO) offered with the 1953
Corvettes.
5. Luxury amenities such as power steering, air conditioning, and leather seats were first available in the
1963 Corvette.
6. Flint, MI (1953); St. Louis, Mo (1954-1982); and Bowling Green, KY (1983-present).
7. 1963. Duntov, the Corvette's chief engineer, had the split rear window design changed to a full-width
window in 1964.
8. Bowling Green, KY.
9. John Wayne.
10. The 1967-69 L-88, 427 had aluminum heads, 12.5:1 compression, a very hot camshaft, and a small-
diameter flywheel (it was rated at 430 h.p. but was more like 560 h.p.).
11. 1978. Silver = 25 years. 25+53=78.
12. 19 times: **
C-3 1978 (Silver Anniversary); C-4 1986 (Convertible S/N #72); C-4 1995; C-5 1998 (Convertible); C-5 2003
(50th Anniversary); C-5 2004 (Convertible); C-6 2005 (Convertible); C-6 2006 (Z06); C-6 2007
(Convertible); (two cars) C-6 2008 (Convertible) & C-6 2008 (Z06 coupe/E85); C-6 2013 (ZR1); C-7 2014;
C-7 2015 (Z06); C-7 2017 (Grand Sport); C-7 2019 (ZR1, built for the 2018 Indy race); C-7 2019 (Grand
Sport); C-8 (Z51) & C-8 2021 (Convertible).
13. Yes, in 1983.
The initial plan called for introduction of the newly designed 1983 in October 1982. There were 43
pre-production models built but a decision was made to withhold production (for sale) until
January 1983 and to serialize them as 1984 models. The Corvette was named "Car of the Year" by Motor
Trend Magazine in 1984."
So, why were they held off until January?
Before production lines began, California voted to make emission controls more stringent
than ever, and the 1983 model wasn’t prepared to deal with it. All 43 prototypes were ordered to be
destroyed but canny assembly plant personnel hid one vehicle for years. They changing the
paint scheme, and moved it around until they received a commitment from GM that it wouldn’t be
destroyed. You can see it today for yourself at the National Corvette Museum @ Bowling Green, KY.
**Courtesy of CorvSport.com
1. When Harley Earl’s project team began work on the GM sports car and the original design,
what was the code name for the car?
2. Where did the name “Corvette” come from?
3. What were the differences between the original front emblem and horn button (flags)?
4. Name 3 important facts about the first Corvettes to come off the assembly line in 1953:
5. When did the options of power steering, A/C, and leather seats become available on the
Corvette?
6. Name the three (3) cities where the Corvettes have been assembled.
7. What is the one and only year the Corvette had a split rear window?
8. Where is the National Corvette Museum located?
9. On October 7, 1953 Vin #51 was delivered to a Hollywood actor. The car is currently on display
at the National Automobile Museum (formerly the Harrah's Collection) in Reno, Nevada. What
was the name of the actor?
10. How much horsepower did the “L-88” engine have?
11. The “SILVER” anniversary Corvette was the first Vette to pace Indy 500“officially’".
What year was it?
12. How many times has the Corvette been a pace car @ the “Indy 500”?
13. From 1953 until today, was there ever a year when the Corvettes were not offered for sale to
the general public?
ANSWERS
1. The “Opel"
2. Myron Scott, at the time Chevrolet's Chief photographer and creator of the”All-American Soap Box
Derby”, is credited with coming up with the Corvette name, drawing from the small, fast warships of
the "Corvette" class.
3. The original front emblem and horn button was designed to show a checkered flag crossed with an
American flag. The design was changed when it was discovered that using an American flag on a
commercial product is illegal. The American flag was changed to a flag showing the Chevrolet “bow-tie”
emblem and a French fleur-de-lis symbol, reflective of the French etymology of the Chevrolet name.
4. a. The first Corvettes were literally "rolled" off the assembly line. The early production line was not
prepared for grounding to a fiberglass body and there-by the first cars would not start.
b. The first five Corvettes to come off the assembly line did not have an outside rear view mirror.
c. 1953 Corvettes were offered in any color you wanted... as long as it was Polo White with Red interior.
d. A heater and an AM radio were the only Regular Production Options (RPO) offered with the 1953
Corvettes.
5. Luxury amenities such as power steering, air conditioning, and leather seats were first available in the
1963 Corvette.
6. Flint, MI (1953); St. Louis, Mo (1954-1982); and Bowling Green, KY (1983-present).
7. 1963. Duntov, the Corvette's chief engineer, had the split rear window design changed to a full-width
window in 1964.
8. Bowling Green, KY.
9. John Wayne.
10. The 1967-69 L-88, 427 had aluminum heads, 12.5:1 compression, a very hot camshaft, and a small-
diameter flywheel (it was rated at 430 h.p. but was more like 560 h.p.).
11. 1978. Silver = 25 years. 25+53=78.
12. 19 times: **
C-3 1978 (Silver Anniversary); C-4 1986 (Convertible S/N #72); C-4 1995; C-5 1998 (Convertible); C-5 2003
(50th Anniversary); C-5 2004 (Convertible); C-6 2005 (Convertible); C-6 2006 (Z06); C-6 2007
(Convertible); (two cars) C-6 2008 (Convertible) & C-6 2008 (Z06 coupe/E85); C-6 2013 (ZR1); C-7 2014;
C-7 2015 (Z06); C-7 2017 (Grand Sport); C-7 2019 (ZR1, built for the 2018 Indy race); C-7 2019 (Grand
Sport); C-8 (Z51) & C-8 2021 (Convertible).
13. Yes, in 1983.
The initial plan called for introduction of the newly designed 1983 in October 1982. There were 43
pre-production models built but a decision was made to withhold production (for sale) until
January 1983 and to serialize them as 1984 models. The Corvette was named "Car of the Year" by Motor
Trend Magazine in 1984."
So, why were they held off until January?
Before production lines began, California voted to make emission controls more stringent
than ever, and the 1983 model wasn’t prepared to deal with it. All 43 prototypes were ordered to be
destroyed but canny assembly plant personnel hid one vehicle for years. They changing the
paint scheme, and moved it around until they received a commitment from GM that it wouldn’t be
destroyed. You can see it today for yourself at the National Corvette Museum @ Bowling Green, KY.
**Courtesy of CorvSport.com