Home > C3 Corvette 1968-1982
 
C3 Corvette 1968-1982
1968 was a pivotal year for the Chevrolet's sports car. The second-generation C2 was bowing out to make room for the revolutionary styling of the C3 Corvette. Hints of its design came through in the Mako Shark II concept car of 1965, and Hot Wheels came out with a 1968 Corvette before the car actually arrived in dealerships. This new design marked the beginning of a new era for the Corvette.

The C3 Corvette went through many changes in its 15-year production life. At the beginning, it was a hairy, wild beast, with big-block V-8s, honest-to-goodness "Rock Crusher" four-speed manual gearboxes, and interior amenities that provided more function than comfort. Through the 70s, however, new emissions, fuel economy, and crash safety regulations arrived and the C3 Corvette lost some of its sporting nature. The 400+ horsepower big blocks made way for 160-horsepower 350s. 5-mph bumpers made the car heavier and some said that the new plastic bumpers made the car look awkward. The convertible was dropped after 1976 due to rollover concerns. Despite all these changes, the C3 Corvette was adding features that made it a sales success. Electronic ignition and fuel injection were added, making the car more efficient and more powerful. 1979 was the Corvette's best sales year ever, and by 1982, there were hints that the Corvette was aiming for the title of "world class sports car."
 
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