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1953.

The polio vaccine was released.

TV Guide began publication.

RCA started selling color televisions.

And Chevrolet started producing the Corvette—America’s first sports car.

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For those of us not around in 1953, it’s hard to imagine a time in which the vast majority of Americans showed virtually no interest in a performance automobile.

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But that’s the way it was. Families were growing, and two-seaters didn’t make much sense in an era where there was typically just one family car per household.

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It took a few years and some competition success, but by 1956 the Corvette started to get noticed for what it was—a true high-performance car right off the production line. And most importantly, it was ours.

Corvettes at Carlisle, 2013
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Dollar for dollar, what car has given more to performance enthusiasts than the classic Corvette?

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That was rhetorical, Ford and Mopar Guy.

Happy birthday, Corvette.

Corvette Grand Sport
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I’m going to have one of you someday. Maybe even two. Until then, keep on keepin’ on.

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Keywords
Chevy Corvette, Z06, ZR-1
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Author: Matt Griswold

After a 10-year newspaper journalism career, Matt Griswold spent another decade writing about the automotive aftermarket and motorsports. He was part of the original OnAllCylinders editorial team when it launched in 2012.