1968 Corvette Illustrated Series No.31

By September 1967, Corvette fans had been teased for 2-1/2 years with the promise of a new Vette. Chevrolet and Bill Mitchell had been showing off the Mako Shark II and everyone was expecting some sort of "shark" Corvette. When the wraps came off, it wasn't quite the Mako Shark, but it was definitely a Corvette, and Chevrolet was taking orders.

Corvettes were always unique, but this was "space-age" in 1967. There was nothing like it on either side of the Atlantic. Some kind of "Italian" was a close as one could get because of all the curves. It looked like a 200-mph sex-goddess in your driveway. But all that grace and style was very hard to nail down, with battles between engineering, styling and marketing. Some wanted the new Corvette to be based on the Corvair while others were concerned that the Z-28 Camaro would eat into the Corvette's sales volume. Mitchell wanted the Mako Shark to be the next Vette while Duntov was pushing for a mid-engine Corvette. The new Corvette was supposed to be a 1967 model, but the pieces just couldn't come together in time.

Even though the new Corvette picked up almost all of its running gear from the 1967 Corvette, much had to be modified and much was new. New external features included vacuum- operated pop-up headlights and a vacuum-operated closet to conceal the windshield wipers. The coupe version had lift-out roof panels for a semi-roadster look and the near vertical rear window was removable for free-flowing air. The 427-optioned Corvettes had a hood bulge with "427" badges on both sides.

The interior was totally new, with its dash raking back and the two main gauges over the steering wheel. Other gauges were located on the console. Aero bucket seats had built-in head rests. The new three- speed Turbo-Hydramatic was optional along with dozens of other goodies.

Fans bought 28,566 new Corvettes in 1968 even though quality wasn't what it should have been for a $5,500 car. But it was new and it ran like nobody's business!