C5 Corvete 1997-2004

Corvette fans had been waiting a long while for an all-new model. When it arrived during 1996, the fifth-generation rear-drive sports car delighted some enthusiasts but dissatisfied others. Arriving on the market in January 1997, the latest Corvette was practically a different breed of sports car. Again fiberglass-bodied, the 2-seater was 1.2 inches longer than its predecessor, on a wheelbase that gained a whopping 8.3 inches. The transmission moved from behind the engine to the rear axle. That change was intended to create a more even front/rear balance, and also to improve interior packaging. A removable roof panel was standard on the new hatchback coupe. Analog gauges replaced the prior mix of digital and analog instruments. No spare tire was included, due mainly to lack of space. That wasn't exactly a drawback, since the standard tires could run for up to 200 miles with no air pressure at all. A 5.7-liter LS1 aluminum V8 engine produced 345 horsepower. A 4-speed automatic transmission was standard, with 6-speed manual shift the optional choice. Traction control was standard. Corvettes were in short supply for a while. At first, only high-volume Corvette dealers got cars at all.

The C5 Corvette is my favorite model of Vette. Not only could it accelerate and perform as expected, it was a very livable car that I kept until it no longer made sense with the family

Year-to-Year Changes

1998 Chevrolet Corvette: Big news for Corvette fans was the arrival of a convertible to join the initial fifth-generation coupe. Chevrolet's designers had engineered the latest Corvette to accommodate a convertible body with no additional structural bracing. Convertibles were expected to account for about 45 percent of sales. They were equipped with a manual folding top, containing a glass rear window and defroster. Not since 1962 had a convertible Corvette been sold with a traditional trunk. Magnesium wheels joined the option list, and the engine was revised to quiet the fuel pump. This year's Corvette also got a provision for the automatic transmission to start in second gear, for cleaner getaways on slippery surfaces.

1999 Chevrolet Corvette: A new hardtop body style joined the removable-roof coupe and the convertible. Not available with some of the new options, the hardtop weighed about 90 pounds less than its mates and shared the convertible's trunk. Hardtops came only with 6-speed manual shift and the sport-tuned Z51 suspension. Other models could have the standard suspension or an optional driver-adjustable setup with soft, medium, and firm settings. Among the options unavailable on the hardtop were a head-up display that projected instrument-panel readouts into the windshield, and a power-telescoping steering wheel. All models could have an optional Active Handling chassis control, which used the brakes to keep the car on line during severe cornering maneuvers.

2000 Chevrolet Corvette: The base-model fixed-roof hardtop gained some standard equipment for 2000, including visor mirrors and a remote trunk release. Hardtops could now be equipped with the optional head-up instrument display, as well as dual-zone climate control, fog lamps, and magnesium wheels.

2001 Chevrolet Corvette: Corvette gained an extreme-performance variant for 2001, and all models got standard antiskid control. The coupe was renamed Z06 and given special performance tuning including additional horsepower, upgraded suspension, and larger brakes.

2002 Chevrolet Corvette: The Z06 model got 405 horsepower for 2002--up 20 hp from '01. It now came with the head-up instrument display that was optional on other 'Vettes, plus revisions to its unique chassis tuning. Other models were no longer available with magnesium wheels, and a CD player replaced the cassette deck as standard equipment.

2003 Chevrolet Corvette: All '03 Corvettes wear 50th anniversary insignia. The convertible and hatchback offered a 50th Anniversary Special Edition Package (1SC) with red paint, champagne-colored wheels, and unique trim and badging. Available for the convertible and hatchback and included in the Anniversary package was new Magnetic Selective Ride Control.

2004 Chevrolet Corvette: Trim packages commemorating racing Corvette's are the main additions to the '04 Corvette.

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C3 Corvette 1963 -1982

When you consider the challenges of the automotive industry during the '70s, it's amazing that the Corvette even survived. Chevrolet proved that with the right combination of performance, image, and racing heritage, that an expensive, limited-use sports car could be successful.

The C3 Corvette lasted 15 production years, an amazing number today. 1968 to 1982 saw some of the most radical changes ever seen in automotive history. Performance cars peaked then quickly became a dirty word. Safety concerns, exhaust emissions, and gas mileage suddenly became more important that styling changes. Although the Corvette was a very different car by the end of the C3 run in '82, it was still America's only true sports car.

The contrasts of the C3 Corvettes are extreme. The list price for a base Corvette in '68 was $4,663. By '82 the base price was $18,290.
In '68 there were six different engines to choose from, two small-blocks and four big-blocks. By '82 there was only one engine available. In '68 there were four transmission choices, by '82 there was one, the new four-speed automatic.

Aside from the Corvette's stunning looks, power was a key feature. C3 Corvettes saw a wide range of power figures. In '71, to help tone down the heat from anti-performance groups, Detroit began using "net" power figures, instead of "gross" power figures. Published power figures had always reflected an engine with no power-robbing accessories: such as a fan, exhaust pipes, alternator, and warm air. The new "net" figures looked terrible on paper, but were closer to reality. Compounding the problem was the reduction in compression so that engines could begin using unleaded gas.

The strongest "official" engine of the C3 years was the '69 427 L71 big-block with 435 hp. The weakest C3 engine was the '80 California 305 with 180 hp. The '70-1/2 LS7 454 almost won the big dog prize with its 460 hp rating, but the engine was never available. Duntov was a Corvette racer's best friend and always made sure that good racing parts were available. The two racing legends of the C3 Corvettes were the 427 L88 (underrated at 430 hp, but closer to 550 hp) and the all-aluminum 427 ZL-1.

Car magazines have been bashing the Corvette's weight for years. The C3 Corvette had a 465-pound difference from the lightest to the heaviest. The '69 model had the lightest curb weight at 3,260 pounds. Just three years later, the '73 model weighed in at 3,725 pounds!

High performance is great, but it really all comes down to sales. Considering the nature of GM, the low-volume Corvette shouldn't be. From '68 to '82 Chevrolet produced 529,600 Corvettes. The lowest sales year was 1970, due to labor strikes that delayed production. For 70-1/2, 17,316 Corvettes were made. List price for a '70-1/2 model was $4,849 for a convertible and $5,192 for a coupe. The highest sales year was '79, with 53,807 Corvettes made at a list price of $10,220. In '68, convertibles outsold coupes almost 2-to-1, and had the best year with 18,630 convertibles built. 1975 was the last year for convertibles and had the lowest sales, with 4,629 units built.

By the end of '82 Chevrolet had built 716,579 Corvettes since '53. The C3 Corvette went from a rip-snort'n pavement pounder to a boulevard cruiser. But vastly better times were just ahead.

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