1962 Chevrolet Corvette

Since its debut for 1953, Chevrolet's sports car had received a steady series of styling and performance upgrades. The '56 model year saw styling "coves" sculpted in the car's previously smooth flanks, while the headlights were thrust forward pugnaciously. For 1958, the car went to quad headlamps, with separate high beams, following the trend at the time.

1961 saw the biggest styling change, as the rounded rump of the car was replaced by a creased ducktail with four round taillights, which were to become a perennial 'Vette styling trademark. The rear end resembled the tail of Bill Mitchell's Mako Shark show car and in fact was heralding the next generation of the Corvette, the Sting Ray. 

That next gen 'Vette was supposed to go on sale for 1962, but development work required pushing it back a year, so the C1 soldiered on for one more model year.

New under the hood for '62 was the Turbo Fire 327 small block V-8, created by boring and stroking the previous 283 V-8. It was available from the factory in four different states of tune. There was the single four-barrel base motor with a 10.5:1 compression ratio and hydraulic lifters, rated at 250 SAE gross horsepower. Optionally, a larger Carter four-barrel gave a 300hp rating. 

Then came the two fun motors, both of which had solid lifters, Duntov cams, and 11.25:1 compression ratio: a single four barrel motor rated at 340 horsepower motor, or one with Rochester fuel injection making 360 SAE gross bhp. Transmission choices were either the 2-speed Powerglide auto or a 4-speed manual.

The styling on the '62 cars had a lot of the "gingerbread" removed. Gone were the chrome strips surrounding the side coves as well as the option of having the coves painted a contrasting color. The inserts in the fender vents at the front of the coves were now matte alloy rather than bright chrome, and about the only brightwork left on the side of the cars was the ribbed rocker panel molding.

Car and Driver tested a pair of '62 Corvettes: A four-speed fuelie car and one with the base motor and the Powerglide slushbox. The base car made an 8.8 second zero-to-sixty run and put the quarter away in 16.8 seconds. The gnarly injected car, with 3.70 rear gears and no Posi, displayed wheel hop on the way to a quarter in fifteen flat at 95mph.

The Ermine White car with the Red interior was snapped with an Olympus OM-D E-M1X and M. Zuiko Digital 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 zoom lens in October of 2024, while the Honduras Maroon car was photographed with an iPhone 7 Plus in April of 2016.