1955 Chevrolet Corvette
First generation · C1 1953–1962
The original Corvette — launched mid-1953 as a hand-built fiberglass-bodied roadster. Six-cylinder at first; the 265 small-block V8 arrived for 1955, setting the V8 sports-car template.
Photo: Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1955 model year
Overview
For 1955 Chevrolet made the new 265-cubic-inch small-block V8 available in the Corvette, transforming the car's character from a six-cylinder cruiser into a genuine performer. The V8 became the engine the Corvette has been built around ever since.
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 265 cu in small-block V8 195 hp
- Body styles
- Convertible
Year over year
What changed
- The 265 cu in small-block V8 became available, the first V8 Corvette.
- A V8 badge (the enlarged 'V' in the Chevrolet script) marked the cars.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Early small-block V8 cars; originality and matching numbers drive value on survivors.
Worth knowing
Notable
- First V8 Corvette — the start of the small-block sports-car formula.
Sources
Other First generation years
Explore the C1 generation → All First generation · C1 years →