Hooniverse Asks- What is History’s Greatest Corvette?

Robert Emslie

/comment

Comments

 

2014 Vette

 

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette made its debut Sunday at Detroit’s incongruously named North American International Auto Show. The ‘Vette may be more at home in Bowling Green Kentucky, but truth be told, its birthplace was (almost) the Motor City- a couple hundred Blue Flame six-powered examples being hand built in 1953 in a converted truck plant over in neighboring Flint.

That was an inauspicious beginning for what would ultimately become the longest running car nameplate – the Suburban is the truck champ – in Chevrolet’s history. Over that 60 year and – as of yesterday – 7-model span, the Corvette has seen models ranging from good to great, as well as from merely meh to must avoid. It’s not those latter ones that we’re interested today however.

What we do want today is your vote for the greatest Corvette of all time – the one ‘Vette to rule them all. Whether it be a street car, race car, or wild pie in the sky show car, which Corvette do you think deserves to be called history’s greatest?

Image: [General Motors Media]

About

Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 64 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

56 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What is History’s Greatest Corvette?”

  1. LTDScott Avatar
    LTDScott

    It may not be the greatest ever, but the one that has held the greatest fascination for me growing up was the C4 ZR-1. Pretty damn exotic for its time, and it's the only Corvette in which you can go motorboatin' without an overly processed bleached blonde woman in the passenger seat.
    <img src="http://image.vetteweb.com/f/26649041/vemp_0006_11_o 1990_chevrolet_corvette_zr1 red_c4_corvette_coupe.jpg" width="650/">

    Reply
    1. Maxichamp Avatar
      Maxichamp

      Plus, Clarence Thomas has one!

      Reply
      1. LTDScott Avatar
        LTDScott

        King of the (Anita) Hill!

        Reply
  2. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    I generally don't like Corvettes, I don't know why, they've just never excited me stylistically, though I'm sure it would be a blast to drive one. But I do like the first generation, a lot. And I like that they had a hopped up inline 6.
    <img src="http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r293/VIEWLINER/0806/CC02.jpg&quot; width=500>

    Reply
    1. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      Actually only the 1953-1955 Corvettes had the Blue Flame Six. The one you show is a '56-57 model.
      <img src="http://www.web-cars.com/images/vette_img/GMInnovation-A9A_a.jpg"width=500&gt;
      I guess both are now considered C1 though.

      Reply
      1. danleym Avatar
        danleym

        Well, you can see just how much I know about them, and also get a good lesson in not trusting the internet.

        Reply
  3. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://www.corvetteblogger.com/images/content/032910_10b.jpg"&gt;
    nonserious

    Reply
    1. I_Borgward Avatar
      I_Borgward

      You know, I was going to say '63 split-window, fuel injected. But this one gets a vote, too. Because I am just that way.

      Reply
  4. $kaycog Avatar
    $kaycog

    Harley Earl's personal 1963 Corvette Stingray. http://blogs.vetteweb.com/6663366/corvette-news/h…
    <img src="http://image.vetteweb.com/f/corvette-news/harley-earl-corvette-hits-the-auction-block-in-indy/27478214/harley-earl-corvette.jpg"width="500"/&gt;

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      Fender exit headers FTW.

      Reply
  5. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    Either the 2001 LeMans Winning C5R
    <img src="http://vette1.net/images/2001C5R1.jpg"width=500&gt;
    Or the Corvette GTP
    <img src="http://www.carlustblog.com/images/2008/06/06/corvette_gtp1.jpg"width=500&gt;

    Reply
    1. longrooffan Avatar
      longrooffan

      got to see the GTP in person a couple years ago….it is sweet….

      Reply
      1. P161911 Avatar
        P161911

        I have a story about the GTP. In about 1995 or so, at the Formual SAE event at the Silverdome, GM brought out one of the Corvette GTP cars and had it in their display tent. In the middle of the night there is suddenly a loud roar, much louder than the 600cc FSAE engines. Apparently one of the other teams, not the one I was on, got a car battery and some racing fuel and managed to get the GTP started. It was quickly shut down. I think a couple of guys were probably asked to leave and the GTP was much better secured soon there after.

        Reply
  6. Vavon Avatar
    Vavon

    The Aerospatiale SN601 Corvette of course, the sky is the limit!
    <img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6171/6189709803_77666f8362_z.jpg&quot; width="600/">

    Reply
    1. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      The Visby Class seems pretty sweet too.
      <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/K32_HMS_Helsingborg_Anchored-of-Gotska-Sandoen_cropped.jpg"width=500&gt;

      Reply
      1. dr zero Avatar
        dr zero

        These helped to win a small war:
        <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/USS_Intensity_%28PG-93%29.jpg&quot; width=500>

        Reply
  7. Number_Six Avatar
    Number_Six

    1968 L88
    170mph in a street car on bias-ply tires in 1968? Hell fucking yes.
    <img src="http://www.sportscardigest.com/wp-content/uploads/4.-S233_1968-L88.jpg&quot; width="500" />

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Popular with Apollo astronauts, if that tells you anything.

      Reply
      1. OA5599 Avatar
        OA5599

        I don't think any of the Apollo cars had the L88 option. 427 Engines, definitely (454 on missions after the 427 was superseded), but in a more streetable package allowing for creature comforts like a radio and heater.

        Reply
        1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
          Peter Tanshanomi

          <img src="http://www.corvetteblogger.com/images/content/2013/010913_1.jpg&quot; width="512">
          Gus Grissom owned this '67 L88. The only reason why I know that is it's scheduled to be sold at auction this coming Saturday:
          russoandsteele.com

          Reply
          1. OA5599 Avatar
            OA5599

            That supports what I was saying above. It is a 427, but isn't an L88 version. It's an L71. It doesn't say so in the listing, but the Tri-Power in the picture is the giveaway. This prior listing of the same car also gives the part numbers for various driveline components, and the part numbers for the heads are for cast iron, NOT the L88 aluminum ones.
            http://www.russoandsteele.com/past-collector-car/…

          2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            Ah. It was listed on another Corvette blog as an L88. I know diddly about Corvettes.

  8. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    At the risk of being too specific, I would say Alan Shepard's. He was one of the first astronauts to drive the Chevy halo and started a trend that continues today. It helped that GM was giving them away to astronauts through at least the early '70s.
    <img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2482/3907826615_014552ebd7.jpg&quot; width="500" height="375" alt="Alan Shepard's 1968 Corvette">

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      The '68 Corvette you posted is obviously not the one he got after Freedom 7.
      <img src="http://www.chevroletinthenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Alan-B.-Shepard-Chevy-Corvette-image-e1309190305439.jpg"&gt;
      He also had a '57 he owned before going into space, and owned many more during his lifetime.

      Reply
      1. engineerd Avatar
        engineerd

        No, it was one he got during Apollo. It's in the Saturn V Center at KSC (which is where I snapped that awesome photo).

        Reply
        1. dukeisduke Avatar
          dukeisduke

          One of his former cars was featured on the Hemmings blog not too long ago. It was about to undergo a restoration. And the one being handed over there in front of the Tech Center in Warren by Ed Cole and Bill Mitchell is a '62, one of my favorites.

          Reply
  9. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    I was tempted to pick one of the Grand Sports.
    <img src="http://www.corvettelegends.com/5GSs.jpg"&gt;
    Ultimately, though, I decided on the Stars and Stripes. 210+MPH on radials, when the competition was racing on slicks.
    <img src="http://www.extravaganzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/1969-Chevrolet-BFG-Stars-Strips-Factory-L88-ZL-1-Greenwood-3.jpg&quot; width="500">

    Reply
    1. topdeadcentre Avatar
      topdeadcentre

      Wow.. the paint on the Stars & Stripes… it's almost… AMC-like!

      Reply
  10. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    I don't know what the best is, but I know this one really sucks:
    <img src="http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/poc/111031/724r1/2588ihj_27.jpeg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Dean Bigglesworth Avatar
      Dean Bigglesworth

      <img src="http://blogs.ubc.ca/henrysuryajaya/files/2011/09/9f4c3cefa172aa40a2c749ce57b219df.jpg&quot; width="500" img>

      Reply
  11. POLAЯ Avatar
    POLAЯ

    I can't pick just one, but my daughters think this one is pretty sweet.
    <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DYY4IWOUFOM/TVMUnThd8TI/AAAAAAAAAHU/rPllibNPcOg/s1600/barbie+corvette.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. vroomsocko Avatar
      vroomsocko

      Gizmo approves.
      <img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_3F3eCypuko/0.jpg&quot; width="500">

      Reply
      1. POLAЯ Avatar
        POLAЯ

        Thank God it wasn't a Mustang or Ford would have had a special Mogwai Edition. You wouldn't be able to wash it though.

        Reply
        1. P161911 Avatar
          P161911

          If you wash it, then this:<img src="http://www.rockriverblock.com/uploads/image/2011-Mustang-5.jpg"width=500&gt;
          Becomes this: <img src="http://www.ericgarland.co/wp-content/uploads/pix/2012/07/amc-gremlin-04.jpg"width=500&gt;
          Or is that if you gas it up after midnight?

          Reply
  12. DemonXanth Avatar
    DemonXanth

    <img src="http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c399/cpheil/ListerCorvette.jpg&quot; width=400>
    How about the Lister Corvette?

    Reply
  13. POLAЯ Avatar
    POLAЯ

    I liked the Boba Vette.
    <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rzdB5a4kLAo/SuCZeTXVbRI/AAAAAAAARHI/dvADwpNwNyo/s400/BobaVette.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  14. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    Wow, I expected this to be first out of the box…#1 with a bullet*.
    [EDIT: I see that OA5599 did indeed mention it. I missed it because Tripod squashed his hotlink.]
    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/1963_Corvette_Grand_Sport.JPG/640px-1963_Corvette_Grand_Sport.JPG&quot; width="512">
    *For you younger kiddos, "#1 with a bullet" is an increasingly outdated reference to Billboard magazine's record charts, which would put a small bullet icon next to rapidly rising songs/albums

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      Thanks for noticing. I swapped pictures now.

      Reply
  15. CABEZAGRANDE Avatar
    CABEZAGRANDE

    I've always had a thing for the West Corvette (a tuning company from J apan) C4. A beautiful car, and a very different tuning philosophy than all of the other C4s I've ever seen.
    <img src="http://www.jdm-option.com/photo/images/showdown2008_093.jpg&quot; width="600">
    And the original 1963 Z06 racecar was always a favorite, since the C2 is far and away my favorite generation of Vette.
    <img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4edd128cecad04f228000062-590/duntov-also-started-the-grand-sport-program-which-brought-the-original-corvette-z06-and-grand-sport-to-the-track.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  16. SSurfer321 Avatar
    SSurfer321

    <img src="http://www.boattraderuae.com/boat/news/19.jpg"&gt;
    IMG from BoatTraderUAE.com

    Reply
  17. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    And, for the incredibly nerdy answer for the day:
    <img src="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070106183240/starwars/images/b/b0/Corvette-CHRON.jpg&quot; width=500>

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      [youtube t_KXgFpguE0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KXgFpguE0 youtube]

      Reply
    2. vroomsocko Avatar
      vroomsocko

      Beat me to it! The Corellian Engineering Corporation CR-90 Corvette is an excellent choice for interstellar hoonage. Watch out for Imperial speed traps.

      Reply
  18. XRSevin Avatar
    XRSevin

    My heart belongs to Zora:
    <img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5143/5607279657_d5b12a97ec.jpg&quot; width="600">
    <img src="http://www.southerncarparts.com/gallery2/d/9228-3/1957-Chevrolet-Corvette-Zora-Arkus-Duntov-top-1280×960.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  19. wheeeeeee12 Avatar
    wheeeeeee12

    <img src="http://www.mad4wheels.com/webpics/hires/00008869%20-%201959%20Chevrolet%20Corvette%20Stingray%20racer%20concept/1959_Chevrolet_Corvette_Stingray_racer_concept_001_5349.jpg"&gt;
    1959 Sting Ray Racer. At least the most outrageous looking factory Vette, if not necessarily history's greatest.

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      <img src="http://www.mad4wheels.com/webpics/hires/00008869%20-%201959%20Chevrolet%20Corvette%20Stingray%20racer%20concept/1959_Chevrolet_Corvette_Stingray_racer_concept_001_5349.jpg&quot; width=500>
      Add "width=500" (without the quotes) after the image location and it makes it much easier to see.

      Reply
  20. KrusH Avatar
    KrusH

    danleym85p, I thank you for answering my internal question of " Has someone posted a correlian corvette yet?" Thank you from all nerds!

    Reply
  21. MVEilenstein Avatar
    MVEilenstein

    The only correct answer is DP.
    <img src="http://www.grand-am.com/DesktopModules/DigArticle/MediaHandler.ashx?portalid=0&moduleid=398&mediaid=6143&width=630&height=354"&gt;

    Reply
  22. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    My pick is the Magnesium bodied 57 "SS" Racecar;
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/kzMmp.jpg&quot; width="600">
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/2fRz2.jpg&quot; width="600">
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/SAvmn.jpg&quot; width="600">
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/OrD9e.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  23. pj134 Avatar
    pj134

    The quad-rotor mid-engined one that should have been.
    <img src="http://image.motortrend.com/f/classic/8571048+w799+h499+cr1+ar0/c12_0511_21z_corvettes_1977_aero_vette_rear_driver_side.jpg&quot; width="500/">

    Reply
    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      I like the Two Rotor as well.

      Reply
  24. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    254.7MPH!
    <img src="http://www.autogush.com/images/chevrolet-corvette-sledgehammer-01.jpg"width=500&gt;

    Reply
  25. Alcology Avatar
    Alcology

    Let's go for something wildly different. The VLP Destino! A Fisker Karma with a ZR-1 engine in it.

    Reply
  26. wisc47 Avatar
    wisc47

    I always liked the Callaway C12 Corvette, probably because of my weird love of obscure cars from Gran Turismo 4.
    <img src="http://cars-database.com/data_images/models/callaway-c12/callaway-c12-01.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  27. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're all wrong. The correct answers are:
    The Rondine
    <img src="http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/large/1964_Pininfarina_Chevrolet_Corvette_Rondine_Coupe_(II)_07.jpg"&gt;
    The Shelby Scaglietti
    <img src="http://www.allcarcentral.com/Corvette/Corvette_Scaglietti_1959_CHC0055_Hillsborough_CA_2009.jpg"&gt;
    AND

    Reply
  28. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    Racing 'Vettes
    <img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4021/4622447422_b464f2ba8e_z.jpg&quot; width="640" height="485" alt="64 sebring 12 hrs roger penske jim hall chevrolet corvette grand sport">
    <img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6182/6042839508_c76fc6fe47_z.jpg&quot; width="640" height="336" alt="57 sebring 12hrs john fitch chevrolet corvette ss">
    <img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6232/6221148099_d4fc2daefd_z.jpg&quot; width="640" height="460" alt="59 usac meadowdale dr dick thompson corvette stingray ss">

    Reply