Corvette was born of the post-war sports-car boom, an optimistic time when nearly anything seemed possible, including the world's largest automaker building a two-seat "image" car. But despite the Corvette's initial impact as a sensational show car, the first production model was dismissed as more poseur than performer, and the so-called "plastic bathtub" was nearly axed from the Chevrolet lineup. Fortunately, the venerable Corvette developed a raw sporting nature during the formative years of rock-and-roll, and got its kicks on Route 66.

Corvette came into its own, both on the road and at the racetrack, during the go-go space-age Sixties. It flexed its muscle during the subsequently turbulent years of civil unrest, antiwar protests, and political scandals. It survived an onslaught of adversity throughout the Seventies. And while it welcomed the button-down Eighties with its portfolio secure, the car's fortunes plummeted over the course of the ensuing decade.

Six generations of the Corvette referred to as C1 through C6 have been produced to date, each generation with differing features such as the current C6 generation with the most powerful engine used in a production Corvette to date. Over the years, the Corvette has won awards from Motor Trend, Car and Driver and the Society of Automotive Engineers. It has been used as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 on occasion since 1978.

While sold under the Chevrolet name in the United States and other locations, it is sold under its own Corvette marquee in Europe and Japan. While the Corvette is built in coupe and convertible versions, a sedan version has been considered by GM executives.

The 1966 Corvette

The engine of the 1966 Corvette came in two forms of the big-block V-8: the 390 and 427 HP. The 390 developed its power on a 10.25:1 compression. Via 11:1 compression, larger intake valves, a bigger Holley four-barrel carburetor on an aluminum manifold, mechanical lifters, and four- instead of two-hole main bearing caps the 427 packed a lot more torque than the previous high-compression 396, though no more horsepower. Of course, engine outputs were sometimes deliberately understated in the Sixties so as not to arouse the ire (and, subsequently the rates) of insurance companies. It is thought that these engines developed respectively 420 and 450 HP.

Ordering a 427 Corvette meant you had to take it with Positraction and the close-ratio Muncie four-speed; there was no other choice. You also got an upgraded suspension, basically the same as the 396 package, as well as stouter, shot-peened halfshafts and U-joints and a higher-capacity radiator and sump.

Regardless of which axle ratio it turned, the 427 Sting Ray was an astonishing executor. With the short 4.11:1 gearing, 0-60 mph times were recorded in a nearly unbelievable 4.8 seconds, and 0-100 mph in 11.2 seconds, with a blistering top speed of 140 mph. The modest 3.36:1 ratio made things only a bit less sensational: Car and Driver reported 0-60 in 5.4 seconds and a standing quarter of 12.8 seconds at 112 mph.

With big-block V-8s being the order of the day, there was less demand for the 327, so small-block offerings were cut from five to two for 1966, and only the basic 300 and 350HP versions were retained. Arguably, these were still the best all-around engines. Both required premium fuel on compression ratios well over 10.0:1, and they didn't have the rocket-like thrust of the 427s, but their performance was impressive all the same. As before, both could be teamed with the Powerglide automatic, the standard three-speed manual, or either four-speed option.

Engine choices aside, the 1966 model year dawned quietly for the Sting Ray. Its frontal appearance was mildly altered with an egg-crate grille insert to replace the previous horizontal bars, and the coupe lost its roof-mounted extractor vents, which had proven inefficient. This relative lack of change reflected plans to bring out an all-new Corvette for 1967. It certainly did not reflect a fall-off in the car's popularity, however. In fact, 1966 would prove another record-breaking year, with volume rising to 27,720 units, up some 4200 over 1965's 23,562 sales.