1967 corvette stingray

The Corvette is widely regarded as America's Sports Car. For more than 50 years, Corvettes have combined very powerful engines and affordability, especially when compared with more prestigious marquees of similar performance. Older generations of the Corvette have been criticized for being crude and lacking in refinement by European sports car standards, and their on-limit handling is a divisive issue garnering both praise and reproach. Recent generations of the Corvette, however, are widely seen as being much improved in these areas.

• Manufacturer - General Motors

• Production - 1953–present

• Class Sports car

• Body style(s) 2-door coupé

Corvettes tend to emphasize simplicity over technical complexity. Where nearly all competing marquees rely on smaller displacement, more complex and faster-revving engines, the Corvette uses a simpler overhead valve (OHV) design coupled with a larger displacement to make up for the lower rev limit pushrods impose. The result is usually cheaper to manufacture and maintain. Another example of this philosophy is the continued use of transverse leaf springs in the suspension. This is judged as a lack of sophistication by some automotive purists, and has fuelled the aforementioned "lack of refinement" argument.


Early history

While the style of a car may be just as important to some as to how well the car runs, automobile manufacturers did not begin to pay attention to car designs until the 1920s. It was not until 1927, when General Motors hired designer Harley Earl, that automotive styling and design became important to American automobile manufacturers. What Henry Ford did for automobile manufacturing principles, Harley Earl did for car design. Most of GM's flamboyant "dream car" designs of the 1950s are directly attributable to Earl, leading one journalist to comment that the designs were "the American psyche made visible." Harley Earl loved sports cars, and GIs returning after serving overseas in the years following World War II were bringing home MGs, Jaguars, Alfa Romeos, and the like.

In 1951, Nash Motors began selling a two-seat sports car, the Nash-Healey, that was made in partnership with the Italian designer Pinin Farina and British auto engineer Donald Healey. Earl convinced GM that they also needed to build a two-seat sports car. Earl and his Special Projects crew began working on the new car later that year, which was code named "Opel." The result was the 1953 Corvette, unveiled to the public at that year's Motorama car show. The original Corvette emblem incorporated an American flag into the design; this was later dropped, since associating the flag with a product was frowned upon.

Taking its name from the corvette, a small, manoeuvrable fighting frigate (the credit for the naming goes to Myron Scott), the first Corvettes were virtually hand built in Flint, Michigan in Chevrolet's Customer Delivery Center, now an academic building at Kettering University. The outer body was made out of a revolutionary new composite material called fibreglass, selected in part because of steel quotas left over from the war. Underneath that radical new body were standard Chevrolet components, including the "Blue Flame" inline six-cylinder truck engine, two-speed Power glide automatic transmission, and drum brakes from Chevrolet's regular car line.

Though the engine's output was increased somewhat, thanks to a triple-carburettor intake exclusive to the Corvette, performance of the car was decidedly lacklustre. Compared to the British and Italian sports cars of the day, the Corvette was underpowered, required a great deal of effort as well as clear roadway to bring to a stop, and even lacked a "proper" manual transmission. Up until that time, the Chevrolet division was GM's entry-level marquee, known for excellent but no-nonsense cars. Nowhere was that more evident than in the Corvette. A Paxton supercharger became available in 1954 as a dealer-installed option, greatly improving the Corvette's straight-line performance, but sales continued to decline.
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1975 Cadillac Eldorado

The first Eldorado was shown to the public at GM's Motorama in 1953 as a limited -production convertible and produced in low numbers. This legacy - the Eldorado - would continue for many decades.

This Eldorado was the personal car of Mitchell and built to his specifications. It includes a distinctive pearlescent lemon yellow exterior with gold pinstriping and custom yellow interior. The odometer reads just 3,643 miles and the engine is a large, 500 cubic-inch V8 offering 190 horse power.



IN 2009, this car was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $20,000 - $30,000 and offered without reserve. The lot was sold for the sum of $35,200 including buyer's premium.

The Eldorado was a word with many meanings. It was chosen as the name to adore an upscale car that was built by Cadillac to celebrate its Golden Anniversary in 1952. Mary-Ann Zukosky, a secretary in the merchandising department, participated in a in-house competition and suggested the name. Eldorado was derived from the Spanish words 'el dorado' meaning 'golden one'.

The name had first been used by the chief of a South American Indian tribe. The story was that his followers and tribe would sprinkle his body with gold dust on ceremonial occasions. He would later cleanse himself by diving into a lake.

Another story states the name represents a legendary but undiscovered city in South America filled with riches. Many European adventurers have long sought for this city including England's Sir Walter Raleigh.



'Palm Spring Life' magazine claimed the name Eldorado was derived from a Californian resort that was frequently visited by General Motors executives. The name of the resort located in Coachella Valley was the Eldorado Country Club.

In respects to the automobile built by General Motors, the Eldorado name was first used in 1953 and given to a limited-edition, low production, convertible and would continue to be used for many years. The original Eldorado was indeed a limited-production vehicle with only 532 examples created. The year prior, GM had shown the 'El Dorado' concept car in celebration of its 50 year anniversary. The Eldorado was the production version of this concept.

It was based on the Series 62 and carried no special badging except a golden nameplate 'Eldorado' could be found in the center of the dash.

The convertible tops were available in black or white while the rest of the body could be ordered in one of four colors that included Azure Blue, Artisan Ochre, Alpine White, and Aztec Red. It carried a factory sticker price of $7,750 which was nearly twice as expensive as the vehicle it had been based, the Series 62.

The styling was influenced by the legendary Harley Earl who championed the wraparound windshield design along with other unique and stylish features.

The following year the Eldorado lost much of its unique qualities as it began sharing its body with other standard Cadillac's. This standardization allowed for lower, more cost effective pricing.

For 1955 the Eldorado continued to grow in bold features and radical designs. Tailfins could now be found in the rear giving the impression the car was in motion or pointing forward, even at a stand still. The following year Cadillac introduced the Eldorado Seville, a two-door hardtop coupe version.

One of the most memorable and sought-after designs of the Eldorado appeared in 1957, the Eldorado Brougham. At a price of over $13,000, the Brougham brought ulta-luxury and four doors. Event at this high price, it is estimated that GM lost over $10,000 on each of these hand assembled masterpieces. It cost more than most luxury marque models such as Rolls-Royce. The hardtop roof was stainless steel and it included almost every convenience option offered by General Motors, including dual headlights and air suspension. During its two year production run, only 704 examples were produced.

1957 also saw a new rear-end design on the Eldorado, often referred to as the 'chipmunk cheeks.' Little changed in 1958 and in 1959 Cadillac scaled back on the design. Though it was a couple years older its price remained relatively the same, selling at around $13,075. The assembly was handled by the famous Italian coachbuilder, Pinin Farina. These virtually hand-built machines had large fins, 'rocket-ship' taillights, and a very modern design for its era.

1960 was the last year Cadillac built the Seville version. GM made the Eldorado a trim option on the standard Cadillac convertible which would continue until 1966.

In 1967 the Eldorado was redesigned and now shared an E-Body platform with the Build Riviera and the Oldsmobile Toronado. The styling had been courtesy of GM's styling chief Bill Mitchell. One of the more distinctive features were the hidden lights. It continued to define luxury, prestige, and style. Under the hood lurked a potent 429 cubic-inch V8 which drove the front wheels. Zero-to-sixty took less than 9 seconds. This excellent performance did not translate to all of its mechanical components and its drum brakes were rather inadequate for its size and speed. Disc brakes could be purchased for an additional price.

Strict government regulations, emissions, and safety concerns meant the Eldorado changed slightly in aesthetics and mechanical components for 1968. For 1969 the hidden headlights were no longer part of the Eldorado design. A halo vinyl roof was offered as optional equipment.

A massive 500 cubic-inch V8 engine capable of producing 400 horsepower was offered exclusively on the Eldorado from 1970 through 1975. Thereafter, it was standard on all full size Cadillac's.

GM redesigned their full-size cars in 1971, with the new design lasting until 1975. The Eldorado was again offered as a convertible with fender skirts. The opera window design was all new and would prove to be very popular, indicated by its imitation by almost every domestic manufacturer. The opera window was a fixed rear side window surrounded by a vinyl roof.

Near the close of the 1970's many marques were decreasing the size of their cars. The Eldorado and Toronado continued to remain large and luxurious. In 1979 the Eldorado decreased in size and now sat atop a chassis which it shared with the Buick Riviera and the Toronado. Due to increasing oil prices and stricter government regulations, the engines began to decrease in size as well.

The notchback roofline was perhaps the most distinctive feature on the Eldorado. Its rear window was nearly vertical. An Independent rear suspension could now be found on the Eldorado, offering more rear passenger seating and a larger trunk while retaining a smaller body. The Eldorado Biarritz model was offered with a stainless-steel roof, just like the one that had been used on the first Brougham.

To further comply with evolving government regulations and rising fuel concerns, GM introduced a variable displacement engine in 1981. The idea was to turn off inactive cylinders while not in use. When power was needed, those sleeping cylinders would come alive and provide the power that was need. The idea was genius, but the execution was disastrous. On many occasions, it did not work well or at all which did much to scare the reputation of the Eldorado resulting in poor sales. Within the next few years, the sales rebound and the Eldorado was able to regain its market share.

By 1986, the size of the Eldorado had decreased substantially, now being similar in size to a compact car. The design was mediocre and for the first time in its history it was available with sedan frames around its windows. Many believed that this drastic change was due to fears of skyrocketing fuel prices that would send consumers running to smaller, lighter, and fuel efficient vehicles. Rather, fuel prices remained reasonable and the Eldorado sales plummeted. There were future revisions and aesthetic changes but sales continued to slow for the following years.

In 1992 the Cadillac Eldorado was reborn. Though it did not grow much in size it gained much ground in the styling department. Its design drew from its past and incorporated the frameless window glass that was distinctive to the Eldorado. The Northstar V8 was placed under the hood and provided excellent power and response. The styling and power resulted in increased sales and popularity. Though the four-door Cadillac Seville consistently outsold the two-door Eldorado, it had regained much of its prestige that it had lost.

For the following years, there were minor enhancements to the design and the interior.

In 2003, Cadillac celebrated the 50th model year of this nameplate. An ETC version was offered that produced an astonishing 300 horsepower. A limited number of red and white colored cars, the same as the 1953 convertible, were produced as a tribute to the legacy of the Eldorado.

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1951 Hudson Hornet Club Coupe

Can a cartoon excuse us, animated feature film influence the collector car scene?

Will Cars stoke interest in old iron the way Toy Story fueled a surge of nostalgia for little green plastic army men? If there’s a collector car to watch as a barometer of any such Cars effect, we nominate the 1951 Hudson Hornet Club Coupe, model for the character voiced by Paul Newman, “Doc Hudson.”


Jack Miller, proprietor of “The Last Hudson Dealership” in Ypsilanti, Michigan, has sold the example in this photo a couple of times over now, most recently for $23,450 through RM Auctions at its February sale in Boca Raton, Florida.

Sold new in New Jersey in 1951, this Club Coupe somehow made its way to Dexter, Michigan, before being acquired by Miller Motors Hudson in the early 1990s.


“I sold it here in the Detroit area, and it was refurbished by that owner in ’95 and ’96, with a new Naugahyde interior to a high standard—it wasn’t a restoration to stock, but the owner liked it,” Miller says.

“He had the same attitude toward paint; it’s the same color as they used as reference for the movie, it’s called Pacific Blue, but he put some [non-stock] metallic in it.”

The inspiration for Cars' town mechanic and judge brings 50 some years of experience to the job, and numerous stock car wins to boot: Real Hudson Hornets dominated stock car racing throughout the early 1950s.

The inspiration for Cars' town mechanic and judge brings 50 some years of experience to the job, and numerous stock car wins to boot: Real Hudson Hornets dominated stock car racing throughout the early 1950s.

Miller bought the car back from that owner’s estate last November, put a rebuilt Hydramatic transmission in it (an option over the standard three-speed manual), replaced all the brakes and lines, replaced the exhaust and detailed everything under the hood. It was a good driver, in other words, in show condition but in some ways less “authentic” than the cartoon car over which John Lasseter and company sweated so many details. It showed up in the classified ads in the May issue of Hemmings Motor News at an asking price just under $30,000.

Stout cars, these old Hornets. The famed “stepdown” chassis that made them handle so well that they dominated NASCAR racing from 1951 to 1954 was overbuilt—essentially a unit body with a vestigial perimeter frame for added stiffness, plus subframes for major assemblies. All the mass sat down low where racers like Mar-shall Teague and Herb Thomas could make best use of it in cornering.

The big 308-cid inline six-cylinder used chromium in its iron-alloy block. The head—though of the old-fashioned L-head or flathead valve layout—was cast of aluminum alloy. Detroit-built Hudsons were generally engineered and built to a high standard and meant to compete with Buick for upscale customers.

Teague got a Hornet straight off the dealer’s lot at Milford Motors in Jacksonville, Florida, and used it to win the 1951 Daytona 500 on the beach (he repeated in 1952), setting off a string of Hornet Grand National wins, including 13 races that first year, 27 in 1952, 22 in 1953 and 17 in 1954. Had Hudson invested in a V8 instead of the ill-fated 1953 Jet economy car, the string might have kept going, but the overhead-valve V8s from Olds, Chrysler and Chevy were too much for the flathead-six to overcome.

The factory helped by adding “severe usage” parts to its catalog, engineered under the direction of Vince Piggins, who rose to later fame doing similar magic for the small-block Chevy. These parts included high-compression heads, dual exhaust and heavy-duty suspension components. The ultimate 7X “police package” squeezed up to 220 hp out of the 5.0-liter flathead-six, rated at 145 hp stock and 160 hp with the optional Twin-H dual-carb setup.


The severe usage parts inspired many to build their own Hornet racers; Miller holds up an old black-and-white photo of six such cars, drifting side by side on some fairgrounds’ dirt track, and says, “This is why Club Coupes are getting so hard to find now.” These lighter two-doors comprised only 7 percent of the 131,628 Hornets built from 1951 to 1954 (there were also sedans, convertibles and the pillarless Hollywood hardtop).

Hudson merged with Nash in 1954 to form American Motors (which makes it part of the DaimlerChrysler heritage today, and gives Dodge the right to use the Hornet name on its upcoming small car). The Detroit factory was closed with the merger, and 1955-57 Hudsons were really just rebadged Nashes built in Kenosha, Wisconsin—what collectors call a “Hash,” and not the same thing.

As late as 1959 old Hornet race cars were still sought after, and one served young immigrant twins in Pennsylvania named Mario and Aldo Andretti, who campaigned their old Hudson on dirt tracks near their Nazareth home. Mario, of course, later came to drive for a CART team called Newman-Haas. This pretty much brings it full circle to that cartoon car with Paul Newman’s voice. If nothing else, a batch of prepubescent moviegoers is about to learn a Hudson was a special kind of car, and perhaps find motivation to preserve the remain- ing examples for another generation. Read aLL...