- February 13
- Chevrolet issues a price list to dealers for the 1956 Corvette. The dual carburetor option is mandatory, as the single carburetor 210-hp engine is not yet available. [269.72]
- February 18
- In Daytona, Florida, the Daytona Speed Weeks races are held. A 1956 Corvette is the official pace car. Chevrolet enters five Corvettes: modified 1953, modified 1955, 1956 with 307-ci engine and four-speed transmission, and two stock 1956 models. Drivers are Betty Skelton, John Fitch, and Zora Arkus-Duntov.
- In the Flying Mile, John Fitch is 1st in production class with a two-way average speed of 145.543 mph, a new record.
- Betty Skelton is 2nd at 137.773 mph.
- Zora is 1st in Modified class and overall at 147.3 mph. His downwind speed is 156 mph, second best to a Grand Prix Ferrari F1 by 1 mph.
- In the Standing Mile, production class, Ford Thunderbirds win 1st and 2nd; John Fitch in a Corvette is 3rd at 86.782 mph.
- Zora is 1st in Modified class and overall at 89.753 mph.
[3.24] [5.42] [18.57] [23.40] [29] [42.34] [79.67] [90] [113.28] [132.27] [151.35] [161.47] [226.46a] [231.28] [259.196] [260.23] [269.111] [295.128] [512.71] [580.49]
- (month unknown)
- At the GM Styling department, Bob Cumberford, Tony Lapine, and Stan Mott make an unofficial survey of sports car people in the US, asking about the desirability of a 4-passenger sports car. Their proposed name for such a car is Mustang. Chief stylist Harley Earl tells them to stick to design work. [42.25]
- Chevrolet paints the Corvette EX-87/5951 Harvest Gold, and gives it a green interior. The car and a stock 1953 Corvette are donated to NASCAR for a proposed sports car oval circuit. [522.27]
- March 24
- In Sebring, Florida, the Florida International 12-Hour Grand Prix of Endurance race is held, round 2 of the World Sports Car Championship. Raceway Enterprises of Dundee, Illinois, enters four 1956 Corvettes prepared for racing by Chevrolet.
- Finishing 1st (only entrant) in Sports 8000 class, 9th overall, is the Raceway Enterprises #1 Corvette, driven by John Fitch and Walt Hansgen. The car has a 307-ci engine.
- Finishing 6th in Sports 5000 class, 15th overall, is the Raceway Enterprises #6 Corvette, driven by Ray Crawford and Max Goldman. The car has 265-ci engine and 3.70-to-1 final drive.
- Finishing 7th in Sports 5000 class, 23rd overall, is the Carl Beuhler #3 Corvette, driven by Don Davis and Robert Gatz.
- Ernie Erickson and Charles Hassan drive the Raceway Enterprises #7 Corvette in Sports 5000 class. After 22 laps, the engine fails. The car has 265-ci engine, and 4.11-to-1 final drive.
- Dale Duncan drives the Raceway Enterprises #5 Corvette in Sports 5000 class. After 3 laps, the driveshaft breaks. The car has 265-ci engine, high performance Duntov cam, and 4.11-to-1 final drive.
Winner of the team prize is Corvette. [5.43] [19.39] [42.24] [79.67] [84.8] [104.29,151] [111.6] [132.65] [141.52] [161.49] [205.104] [231.28] [259.195] [260.23] [318.14] [337.29] [348] [356.23] [423] [512.73] [518.41] [585.96] (Crawford/Goldman win their class [3.25] [213.45] [269.131])
- (month unknown)
- Corvette engineers are shifted to assist with a new Chevrolet truck line, and the 1958 Chevrolet production car line. Work on a redesigned 1958 Corvette is shelved. [580.86]
- April 6
- Chevrolet issues a bulletin to dealers regarding the 1956 Corvette. The base 210-hp engine with single carburetor is now available, and the 225-hp dual carburetor is now optional. [269.72]
- April 9
- Chevrolet issues a new price list to dealers for the 1956 Corvette. The standard engine is 210-hp, with single carburetor. [269.73]
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- April 11
- Chevrolet sells the EX-122 Corvette to Russell Sanders, assistant Chief Engineer of Chevrolet. [360.9] [547.32] [697.45]
- April
- The following mandatory options are made optional: parking brake alarm, courtesy lights, windshield washer, hydraulic folding top mechanism. [111.5] [148.27]
- April 22
- At the Pebble Beach raceway in Monterey, California, the first race of the SCCA season is held. Chevrolet's advertising agency, Campbell Ewald, enters 1956 Aztec Copper Corvette #46 prepared for racing by Chevrolet. Richard Thompson leads most of the race with the car, but the brakes completely fail with two laps to go. A Mercedes 300SL passes to win; Thompson finishes in second place overall, first in class. [5.43] [84.8] [104.29] [213.48] [235.53] [260.24] [269.167] [337.23] [400.30] [423] [454.35] [580.52]
- May
- Harley Earl acquires a Jaguar D-Type car, and orders Chevrolet to turn it into a Chevrolet racing car. He gambles that Chevrolet will refuse, and propose building their own racer. [3.41]
- May 21
- The 1522nd 1956 Corvette is completed. This car is destined to become the first SR-2, for Harley Earl's son Jerry. [269.187]
- May 22
- The 1532nd 1956 Corvette is completed. This car is destined to become the second SR-2, for Bill Mitchell. [269.187]
- May
- Jerry Earl's stock 1956 Corvette is delivered to Chevrolet's Research and Development Center, to be modified into a racer (Corvette SR-2), with components and modifications developed by John Fitch and others racing at Sebring. [231.30]
- Bill Mitchell orders a second Corvette SR-2 built for his own use. [23.41]
- May 25
- The 1636th 1956 Corvette is completed. This car is destined to become the third SR-2, for Harlow Curtice. [269.187]
- May
- General Motors president Harlow Curtice orders a third Corvette SR-2 for himself. This SR-2 is a stock 1956 Corvette, with the SR-2 nose and a center-mounted fin on the trunk. [23.42]
- A manual top with hydraulic assist is made available as an option on the 1956 Corvette. [133.43]
- June
- At GM Styling Studio Z, a Jaguar D-type race car arrives, borrowed by Harley Earl from its owner, minus the engine. Engineers are instructed to install a Corvette engine, disguise the body, and prepare it for racing. [271.79]
- June 15
- The Chevrolet R&D Center completes the transformation of Jerry Earl's 1956 Corvette into a racer. It is designated "SR-2", for "Sebring Racer". The SCCA racing number 144 is painted on the car. [231.30] [269.189]
- June 24
- At the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, an SCCA race is held for C Production class cars.
- Finishing 1st overall is the Corvette driven by Bark Henry.
- Finishing 2nd overall is the Corvette driven by Fred Windridge.
[269.203] [423]
- At the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, an SCCA race is held for B, C, and D Modified class cars.
- Jerry Earl and Richard Thompson debut Earl's #144 Corvette SR-2 in racing. The initial race performance is disappointing, finishing 16th overall. Thompson considers the car overweight and underpowered.
- Finishing 7th in S5.0 class and 10th overall is the Corvette driven by Max Goldman.
[23.41] [42.36] [205.106] [231.30] [269.189] [423]
- (month unknown)
- The ex-Motorama Corvette EX-122 test car is rebuilt with a 265-ci V-8 engine, painted red, and given white seats. It is used as a courtesy car for 5,000 miles. [360.9]
- GM Styling begins work designing a minor facelift for the Corvette in the Chevrolet Studio. [580.86]
- In reaction to the Jaguar D-type conversion project, Zora Arkus-Duntov writes to management, proposing they design and build a special racing Corvette. [3.41] [271.79]
- Jerry Earl takes his Corvette SR-2 back to the Chevrolet R&D Center, asking for modifications recommended by Richard Thompson, and to incorporate the specifications of the second SR-2 under construction. Changes include removing the fin from the middle of the trunk lid, adding an off-center high tail from the Corvette used at the Daytona speed trials, with an integrated headrest and rollbar. [42.36] [231.32] [325.36]
- Chevrolet sells the EX87 Corvette, but with a 1956 body, automatic transmission, and stock engine. [259.198]
- Zora Arkus-Duntov is named special design and development engineer at Chevrolet. [113.28]
- At the Bonnevile salt flats races, George Hanson races a 1956 Corvette to 145.86-mph. [337.22]
- The 39-millionth Chevrolet car is produced, a Corvette. [488.67]
- July 7
- At Beverly, Massachusetts, a 65-mile car race is held. Finishing 1st is the #111 Corvette driven by Richard Thompson. [269.203] [423]
- July
- Edward Cole replaces Thomas Keating as general manager of Chevrolet. Cole is also named vice president of General Motors. Harry Barr becomes new chief engineer of Chevrolet. [3.25] [5.44] [6] [213.48] [229.54] [289.80]
- In New Hampshire, the Mount Washington hill climb race is held. A Corvette finishes third. [269.203]
- In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the Giant's Despair hill climb race is held. A Corvette finishes fifth. [269.203]
- At the Chevrolet Studio of GM Styling, work begins on a Corvette sports/racer for next year's race in Sebring. (This is the start of project XP-64, becoming the Corvette SS.) [25] [7] [110.79] [114.9] [579.73] [580.71] (XP-46 [3.41])
- Edward Cole and other GM management first see a plaster model for the Sebring racer. [322.63] [329.36] [580.72]
- August 7
- Zora Arkus-Duntov's proposed racing Corvette is approved, and assigned project number XP-64. [271.79,199] [337.65]
- August 11
- In Bremerton, Washington, the Seattle Seafair Class C/Production race is held. Finishing 1st overall is the #106 1956 Corvette driven by Richard Thompson. [79.69] [104.151] [269.173] (August 12 [423])
- August 13
- Pilot line production of 1957 Corvettes begins. [271.180]
- August 31
- Harley Earl outlines the program for the XP-64. He directs that three identical vehicles be delivered by December 15. [271.79]
- September 4
- The second Corvette SR-2, for Bill Mitchell, is completed. It has a large headrest/fin, and twin small wind screens. [269.190] [271.45]
- September 10
- Chevrolet and Styling management review the XP-64 clay model. They decide to show the car at the New York Automobile Show in December. [271.79] [580.72]
- At Chevrolet, the Car Design Advisory Committee meets, over two days. They decide that project XP-64 would be a competitive racing car with special frame, suspension, engine, drivetrain, and body. [271.76]
- September 11
- Edward Cole informs Bill Mitchell that the XP-64 would not be shown at the New York Automobile Show, but three race versions should be completed by early January for testing prior to the Sebring race. [271.81]
- September 12
- Authorization is given to complete a non-running seating buck for project XP-64. This will be used to determine location of pedals, instruments, etc. [271.81]
- September 17
- The XP-64 seating buck is shown to management. [271.81]
- September 20
- Production of 1956 model Corvettes ends, with a total of 3467 built. This is the first year that automobile manufacturers end production early, to have next year's models in dealer showrooms before the end of the year. [269.203]
- September 21
- Production of 1957 Corvettes begins. [271.9] (October 19 [453.28] [871.19])
- October 1
- Edward Cole assigns engineering staff to Zora Arkus-Duntov to construct four sports/racer test cars, the XP-64. [5.152] [269.220] [271.101] [329.37]
- The first 1957 production Corvette rolls off the assembly line. [111.9] [148.28] [271.182]
- October
- General Motors first announces Ramjet Fuel Injection to the public. [454.43]
- Chevrolet issues work order 17792 for two Corvettes for competing in sports car races. [764.48]
- October 22
- Rochester Products Plant completes the first production fuel injection unit, destined for a Corvette. [271.182] [565.52]
- November 3
- At the Palm Springs raceway, the last SCCA race of the season is held. Finishing 1st is the #106 1956 Corvette driven by Richard Thompson. The second place car was behind by only one second. [269.175] [454.38]
- November
- Richard Thompson, racing a Corvette, is SCCA C Production class points champion for the year, the first national title for the Corvette. [5.43] [133.12] [148.14] [337.24] [394.13]
- November 16
- Due to supplier difficulties in supplying sheet magnesium for the XP-64 body, it is concluded that only one XP-64 could be made for the Sebring race. [271.100]
- November
- Chevrolet builds two 1957 hardtop Corvettes for racing, with special and prototype parts. They feature fuel injected 283-ci 283-hp engines, and 4-speed manual transmissions. [213.48]
- Chevrolet tests two Corvettes with fuel injection at the Sebring race track. [337.24] [580.61]
- December
- The XP-64 mule is completed, ready for testing. [271.199]
- December 7
- Two 1957 Corvettes race-prepared by Chevrolet are entered in the Governor's Trophy race in the Bahamas. Finishing 10th overall is the Corvette driven by William Mitchell. Warren Flickinger races the #3 Corvette. [213.48] [271.214] [423] [580.61]
- December 9
- The Nassau Trophy race is held in the Bahamas.
- Finishing 1st in S8.0 class is the Corvette driven by Ray Crawford.
- Finishing 1st in class is the #15 1957 Corvette driven by Richard Thompson.
- Jim Jeffords races the #36 Corvette, but does not finish.
- Dick Thompson and Fred Windridge race two other Corvettes.
[423] [764.48]
- December
- A Corvette Super Sport is built from a 1956 model, as a show car (not like the other Corvette SS). [271.199]
- (month unknown)
- Zora Arkus-Duntov begins testing the XP-64 race car. The 283-ci engine has aluminum heads and fuel-injection, giving it 307-hp. [42.38] [79.69]
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