The 1956 Corvette not only Looked Better, it Worked Better too
The 1956 Corvette would represent the first time that the Corvette line received sweeping changes. Though these changes may not have been ground-breaking they were certainly evolutionary and helped to begin to shape the legend of the Corvette.
For the first time in the Corvette’s history, the 1956 Corvette was not offered with a six cylinder engine. However the V-8s for the 1956 model did pump out even more horsepower that the 1955 Corvette and saw an output of either 210 or 225 horsepower for more added speed.
While there was little doubt that the power under the hood was a marked improvement yet again, there were absolutely no doubts that the outside of the 1956 Corvette was improved upon and improved upon big time. Some of the many changes to the outside of the 1956 Corvette included:
- Changed Face: While the earlier year Vettes had eyes that seemed to be almost veiled this was not really considered appropriate for a ‘man’s’ car. Therefore the 1956 Corvette saw its headlights moved up and out of their recesses and they were no longer to be covered. To compliment this new look the front end of the 1956 Corvette got a bigger emblem with the crossed flags that are still hanging out to this day.
- Changed Rear: For the 1956 Corvette Chevy decided to do away with the fin type fenders and gave the car a more French curved contour and this was complimented with the new taillights that were ‘frenched’ on each fender just above the bumperette. The license plate was moved from its previous location to just below the trunk opening and the old shadowbox was done away with. This resulted in a smoother and more curved tail that saw the fenders sticking out ever so slightly.
- Body Siding: The 1956 Corvette brought the birth of what would be known as the ‘bodyside coves.’ This gave the Vette a distinct look and did away with the ‘bathtub’ look of the previous years.
- New Top: Taken directly from the prototype that was displayed at the Motorama in New York just few years prior in early 1953, the 1956 Corvette not only came with a rag top but it could also be purchased with a removable hard top as well.
The 1956 Corvette was a success in many ways. While it definitely looked better than its predecessor it also worked better as well. It was a much more functional version of the Corvette and saw away with such nuisances as the side curtains and made way for actual roll up windows that could even be powered at an additional cost. Also added were outside handles which was one of the chief complaints of the previous versions as they were lacking them.
It seemed that finally the engineers at Chevy got what they wanted with the 1956 Corvette and the public agreed. The sales for the 1956 jumped up to an amazing 3,467 which crushed the 1955 Corvette’s dismal numbers. The new look of the Corvette was here and as time went on, it would only get better.
Tags: 1956 Corvette, Corvette, Vette
