Langworth, 1987, p. 20). They started from the back of the car and not the front witch was the normal practice. So they could use the rear axle as there reference point and put the passenger seat and engine compartment closer. So they could try to get a 50/50 weight distribution so it can have optimal handling. They ended up achieving a 53/47-weight distribution. Then they took the wheelbase from the jaguar XK-120 “witch was one of Harley Earls favorites” they set it at 102 inches for better quick turning and smooth handling (Langworth, 1987, p.20). And for the first time in Chevrolet’s history instead of putting a torque tube drive on the car they put in a Hotchkiss Drive shaft. Witch that means the drive shaft is open instead of enclosed, the Hotchkiss drive is similar to the drive shafts we use today in rear wheel cars and trucks. Unlike most Chevy cars they put their leaf springs on the outboard of the frame to give it added satiability with an 18inch clearance off the ground from the body. That was later used more often around 1955 in most of the Chevy passenger …show more content…
He led them around the car and explained that this car is not only going to be a profitable sports car, but “it’s going to be a much needed sparkle to the Chevrolet industry” (Langworth, 1987, p.23). It obviously didn’t take much convincing. It was agreed that they would show the car at the next Motorama of 1953. The new spots car was a big hit at the Motorama. Very few Motorama show car go into full production, the corvette was one of the few.
On June 30th of 1953 the sport car went into full production at the GM facility in Flint Michigan, 300 where built by hand and where on the market for a whopping 3,513 dollars a car. Tony Kleibler was a worker on the assembly line and he was given the privilege to drive the first production corvette off the line. Myron Scott credits the name of the corvette, for he was a major contributor, a general manager for Chevrolet and a vice president for General motors. Myron named the corvette because it went into production post war and there was a small maneuverable warship called the