September Corvette History

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Showcasing classic Corvette models to the 2003 Corvette, this Official Heritage Chevrolet Corvette Photograph is from the General Motors Media Collection




  • September 1, 1992:  Corvette chief engineer Dave McLellan formally retires, staying on as a consultant until his replacement is named.


  • September 2, 1994:  The National Corvette Museum opens in Bowling Green, Kentucky. 4000 Corvettes attend. Over the three-day weekend, 118,000 people visit the museum. The gift shop does US$1 million in business.


  • September 3, 1996:  Workers at the Bowling Green, Kentucky, Corvette plant begin assembling the first production 1997 Corvette.


  • September 4, 1998:  The following people were inducted into The Corvette Hall of Fame at the National Corvette Museum:  The Corvette Hall of Fame inducts Ed Cole, General Motors President and Chief Engineer of Chevrolet, Bill Mitchell, head of General Motors Design staff, Joe Pike, Corvette promoter and editor of Corvette News and founder of the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC), Larry Shinoda, designer and member of the 1963 Sting Ray design team, Zora Arkus-Duntov, first Chief Engineer of Corvette.


  • September 8, 1998:  Baseball team St. Louis Cardinals president Mark Lamping presents team member Mark McGwire with a red 1962 Corvette, after McGwire hits his 62 home-run of the season.


  • September 9, 1955:  Zora Arkus-Duntov races a disguised 1956 model Corvette with a V-8 engine at the Pike's Peak Hill climb, setting the stock car record of with a time of 17:24.05.


  • September 13, 1973:  General Motors show a 266 ci two-rotor Wankel engine test Corvette at the 45th German Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany. The car is called Corvette 2-Rotor, (code name XP-897GT) with a steel body.


  • September 24, 1974:  General Motors president Ed Cole announces that the company is postponing the introduction of a Wankel-based rotary engine, due to difficulties in meeting proposed emissions standards.


  • September 29, 1953:  The automotive press get their hands on a Corvette for test and review, as the Corvette is officially released. Eight Corvettes are made available to the press at the Milford Proving Grounds.


  • September, 1997:  9,000 Corvette owners attend a special weekend gathering at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Chevrolet introduces the 1998 convertible Corvette.

Corvette history compiled by Ken Pollson.