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Saratoga Auto Museum Opens New Corvette Exhibit

Thought that this was a very well written and interesting article on the history of the Corvette. I'm sure you other 'Vette fanatics out there would enjoy reading it as well.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — From Lake George, where one of America’s most impressive Corvette collections is housed, it’s less than an hour’s drive to the Spa City.

Putting together Saratoga Auto Museum’s newest exhibit, featuring many of those cars, took months of planning, preparation and the cooperation of collector Jack Gillette, who owns the vintage ’Vettes.

Sixteen of his more than 60 vehicles, from 1953 — when Corvettes first rolled off the production line — to 1991, are on display.

“It’s a car that’s purely American,” said Alan Edstrom, museum director of programs and events.

Corvette was the first U.S. sports car to hit the market, revolutionizing America’s long love affair with the automobile. In the years immediately after World War II, car sales were still somewhat slow. As prosperity and the nation’s highway system grew, however, and populations shifted from cities to the suburbs, automobiles took on a whole new place in society.

The first generation of ’Vettes (1953-62) were roadsters and convertibles. Only 300 or so of the inaugural ’53 cars were sold with a sticker price of $3,498. Today, one of these rare jewels is worth more than $300,000.

The most noticeable change in the car’s history took place in 1963, when Chevy introduced the sleek-looking Corvette Sting Ray. Gillette’s collection includes a 1966 beauty. Colored metallic baby blue, it has a white leather interior, a highly polished wood steering wheel and dual side exhaust pipes.

“They were race                                                                                                                  cars,” said Brandon Salls, the museum’s art director/designer. “In the 60s it was buy one off the shelf, race it on the street.”

The next big change came in 1968, when a whole new design was unveiled, featuring a V-shaped nose, “coke-bottle” waist and tight tail.

“There’s a distinct difference between each generation,” Edstrom said. “Each one has its own look and performance.”

Corvette’s quality and popularity fell off during the 1980s. There was no manual transmission for several years and its stylish “shark” body was abandoned in ’82.

“A lot of people start thinking after 1978 that they’re getting bigger and bigger, cheaper and cheaper,” he said.

Fortunes began turning around with the 1991 introduction of the ZR series, and Corvette is now back to enjoying its well-deserved place as one of America’s most beloved supercars. The STS ZR7 can crank out more than 700 horsepower. Best of all, the ’Vette is still a bargain — the ZR1 starts at about $100,000 — compared to high-end foreign cars such as Ferrari that cost more than half a million dollars.

Corvette is now in its sixth generation with a seventh tentatively slated for introduction in 2012. It’s unclear yet what impact, if any, this year’s government takeover of General Motors will have on such plans.

“If GM successfully emerges from bankruptcy long-term and pays off all the outstanding government loans, I think the Corvette will continue to evolve,” said Ken Gross, an internationally renowned automotive journalist and consultant, who figured prominently in the exhibit’s development. “The ZR1 is the best Corvette ever. The ’Vette’s indomitable spirit has been a beacon for GM engineers. It’s the best thing they do.”

Gross, who lives in Washington, D.C., traveled to Lake George to meet with Gillette and select cars for display. Gillette owns Magic Forest theme park in Lake George, which his father created in 1963.

Fortunately, he had no qualms about sharing some of his cars for the public’s enjoyment.

These aren’t sculptures; you drive them,” Edstrom said, quoting Gillette.

About 250 people were on hand for the exhibit’s Nov. 17 opening and large groups of Corvette enthusiasts from throughout the country have already made plans to visit the museum in early 2010.

“It’s definitely an American icon,” Salls said.

Source: The Saratogian