The 1958 Corvette saw another body freshening. This year had the most exterior chrome of the C-1 generation. From its quad headlights and hood louvers to its twin trunk spars and bumper exiting exhaust, it was the flashiest Corvette built. 1959-60 saw little changes except decreasing chrome and increasing HP.
For 1961 a complete redesign to the rear of the car was made, with a preview of a design to come. It was a "boat tail" with four round lights. The four tailight treatment continues to this day. In 1962, the Chevrolet 283 cu. in. (4.6L) small block was enlarged to 327 cu in (5.4 L) and produced a maximum of 340 hp (254 kW) making it the fastest of the C1 generation.
1962 was the last year for: wrap around windshield, solid rear axle and convertible-only body style. The trunk lid and exposed headlights disappeared for decades. The oldest Corvette in existence is believed to be the EX-122.
The EX-122 is a pre-production prototype that was hand built and first shown to the public at the 1953 GM Motorama at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on January 17, 1953.
