References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 January 26.

1957 January The Corvette Super Sport show car is first shown to the public, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The car has three stripes running the length of the car, double quarter-bubble windscreens, narrow whitewall tires, air scoops in rear of side coves, and special interior. [271.199] [542.51] Vented gas tanks are used in new production Corvettes. [111.9] February 7 At Daytona Beach in Florida, the Speed Week Performance Trials are held. Bill Mitchell's 310-hp 336-ci fuel-injected Corvette SR-2 and production Corvettes are entered. In the Standing-start Mile (Production) class, Paul Goldsmith in a 1957 Corvette wins with average speed 91.301-MPH. In second place is Johnny Beauchamp at 89.798-MPH in a Corvette. In third place is Betty Skelton at 87.4-MPH in a Corvette. In the Standing Mile (Modified), Buck Baker in the Corvette SR-2 wins with 93.047-MPH. In the Flying Mile (Production), Paul Goldsmith in a 1957 Corvette wins with 131.941-MPH. Second is Johnny Beauchamp; third is Betty Skelton. In the Flying Mile (Modified), Buck Baker in the Corvette SR-2 is 2nd with 152.866-MPH, behind a Jaguar D-Type car. [90] [260.25] [271.45,201] [337.22] [580.64] [764.49] February 10 At the New Smyrna Beach municipal airport in Florida, car races are held, for professionals and amateurs. Chevrolet enters a 1957 race-prepared Corvette, driven by Paul Goldsmith. Bill Mitchell's Corvette SR-2 is the race's pace car. In the production race, Goldsmith finishes 2nd behind a Mercedes 300 SL. In the main race, Goldsmith finishes 4th. [213.48] [271.201] [580.65] February At a board meeting of the Automobile Manufacturers Association, General Motors President Harlow Curtice proposes a ban of factory-supported racing, to avoid government regulation in the automobile industry. (His opinion is partly influenced by the June 1955 Mercedes-Benz crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, resulting in many spectator deaths.) [362.45] [454.50] [518.43] [579.33] (April [3.44]) At an auto show in Chicago, the Corvette Super Sport show car is shown. [271.199] March 21 The XP-64, now called the Corvette SS, is officially released for management viewing. [5.152] March 22 At the Sebring race track, Juan Fangio test drives the Corvette SS "Mule", beating his own Ferrari record of last year with a lap time of 3:27.2. Stirling Moss test drives a 3:28 lap. [580.80] The Corvette SS is delivered to the Sebring race track. [271.109] March 23 In Sebring, Florida, the Florida International 12 hour Grand Prix for the Amoco Trophy race is held, round 2 of the World Sports Car Championship. Finishing 1st in GT 5000 class, 12th overall, is the John Fitch #4 1957 Corvette, driven by Richard Thompson and Gaston Andrey. Finishing 2nd in GT 5000 class, 15th overall, is the Lindsey Hopkins #3 1957 Corvette, driven by John Kilborn, Jim Jeffords, and Dale Duncan. Finishing 7th in Sports 5000 class, 16th overall, is the Lindsey Hopkins #2 Corvette SR-2, driven by Paul O'Shea and Pete Lovely. John Fitch and Piero Taruffi drive the Lindsey Hopkins #1 Corvette SS in Sports 5000 class. After 23 laps, it is retired due to erratic brakes and faulty rear suspension. [3.28,43] [5.155] [29.78] [42.38] [90] [104.151] [120.62] [133.12,36] [141] [148.14] [178.78] [203.16] [213.45] [260.25,44] [271.79,109,160,214] [337.64] [348] [385.61] [395.68] [423] [452.16] [518.43] [580.65] (Car No. 3 finishes 3rd in class [5.45]) (month unknown) Edward Cole orders the Corvette SS be improved for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and for two more to be built. [42.38] [362.44] (February [518.51]) April 9 A fully-synchronized four-speed Borg-Warner transmission (RPO 685) is first made available on the 1957 model Corvette, as a US$188.30 option. [7] [28.42] [29] [84.8] [104.31] [111.7] [148.28] [271.38,249] [546.84] (May 1 [103.23] [226.46a] [454.43] [565.51] [580.60]) (May [5.45] [213.48] [518.38]) April The Corvette Owners Club of San Diego is founded. [159.2] Work continues at General Motors on the Corvette SS, to prepare it for the Le Mans race in June. [271.149] RPO 479E "Air Box" ram-air induction is introduced for 1957 Corvettes. [213.48] Production of 4-speed 1957 model Corvettes begins. [131.70] April 21 Final changes are made to the specifications of the 1958 Corvette. [580.88] May General Motors management orders the racing department of Chevrolet to cease work on projects associated with racing, including the Corvette SS. [271.149] [337.66] [579.75] [580.85] May 9 The Northern California Corvette Association is incorporated, with 47 members. This is the world's first organized Corvette club. [25] [222.23] [579.10] May RPO 684 is added to the 1957 model options, offering stiffer springs, bigger shocks, fatter front anti-roll bar, faster-ratio steering, bigger brakes, and a limited-slip differential. [104.34] [213.48] May 29 General Motors management orders the Corvette SS restored to show condition. [271.149] June 4 The Automobile Manufacturers Association passes a resolution recommending that member companies (including General Motors) not participate in or sponsor auto racing. [42.39] [104.46] (April [3.38]) (June 6 [362.45]) June 6 The decision of the Automobile Manufacturers Association to ban race involvement is announced. The ban on racing involvement includes not helping others, not supply pace cars, not publicize any results, not advertise any features of passenger cars that suggest speed. [5.48] [6] [25] [42.39] [79.70] [206.51] [271.0,149] [453.209] [518.43] [579.2,160] June Plans to build three Corvette SS cars to race at Le Mans are scrapped. [518.51] At the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Jerry Earl enters his #100 Corvette SR-2 with Curtis Turner driving. He is unable to complete the race. [271.47,70] (month unknown) Zora Arkus-Duntov is named director of high-performance vehicles at Chevrolet. [147.60] [538.31] (1953 [104.26]) (1956 [774.94]) Following the Turin motor show in Italy, where Bill Mitchell was impressed by the Italian Abarth, Mitchell challenges his designers to create their own variation for the Q Corvette. [274.69] At the Pike's Peak Hill Climb, Ak Miller wins sportscar class with time of 15:23, driving a Corvette. [5.49] At the Bonneville salt flat races, George Hanson races a Corvette to a new Sports Car Class record of 144.322-MPH. [337.22] July 9 General Motors' circular emblem with "CHEVROLET" at top, "Corvette" at bottom, and flags in center is registered as a trademark. [146] July 11 Aluminum cowl and door bracing is added to GM's Assembly Instruction Manual. [271.253] July 14 In Marlboro, Maryland, an SCCA race is held for B, C, and D Production cars. Finishing 1st in B Production class and 1st overall is the Jerry Earl's Corvette SR-2 driven by Richard Thompson. Finishing 2nd in B Production class and 2nd overall is the Corvette driven by Bark Henry. Finishing 3rd in B Production class is the Corvette driven by Bob Muat. [271.47] [423] (month unknown) Rochester Ramjet fuel-injection is made available to production Corvettes. [260.25] [262.88] Chevrolet sells Bill Mitchell's Corvette SR-2, and Corvettes #3 and #4 from the Sebring race to private owners. [271.215] Chevrolet begins producing the Corvette News magazine, published quarterly. [8] [18.10] [232.29] [271.264] August Zora Arkus-Duntov is officially put in charge of any changes to Corvette production. [1] [260.29] [580.90] The final 1958 Corvette design is approved and locked in. A 1955 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket experimental car had been proposed by stylists as an all-new Corvette. [357.46] August 22 Peter Brock submits sketches for a new Corvette design to Bill Mitchell. Mitchell orders the research division of Styling to proceed with Brock's design. (The car will emerge as the Sting Ray.) [454.44] (October [275.90]) August 30 The Corvette SS is on show at the Michigan State Fair, over ten days. [271.170] September 6 Production of 1957 model Corvettes ends, with a total of 6339 built. [148.28] [271.9] [579.29] October The first 1/4-scale clay model of the Q Corvette is ready for viewing. [353.46] [563.93] [580.95] October 14 The first 1958 production Corvette rolls off the assembly line. This Corvette style is designated model J800. [148.30] [579.31] (October 31 [453.29]) (month unknown) Richard Thompson wins SCCA B Production class title. [133.12] [148.14] [394.12] J.E. Rose, racing a Corvette, is SCCA B Modified points champion for the year. [133.12,72] [148.14] [337.24] [394.15] November A full-scale clay model of the Q Corvette is completed, ready for executive viewing. [353.46] [563.93] [579.90] [580.95] December 1 The Nassau Tourist Trophy race is held in the Bahamas. Finishing 1st in S8.0 class and 8th overall is the Bill France #92 Corvette SR-2 driven by Curtis Turner. [423] (1956 [231.32]) The Nassau Governor's Trophy race is held in the Bahamas. Finishing 1st overall is the Bill France #92 Corvette SR-2 driven by Curtis Turner. [423] (1956 [231.32]) December 8 The Nassau Trophy race is held in the Bahamas. Curtis Turner races the Bill France #92 Corvette SR-2, but does not finish. [423] (November [271.47]) December Jerry Earl sells his Corvette SR-2 to Jim Jeffords, with the Nicky Chevrolet racing team in Chicago. [18.57] [23.41] [42.37] [271.47] [325.36] The Q-Corvette project passes inspection at an Engineering Policy Group show. [454.60] 1958 (month unknown) The Q-Car and Q-Corvette projects are halted, due to a recession in the automobile industry. [563.93] [580.96] March 22 In Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held, round 2 of World Sports Car Championship. Finishing 1st in Grand Touring 5000 class, 12th overall, is the Richard Doane #1 Corvette, driven by Jim Rathmann and Richard Doane. Finishing 2nd in Grand Touring 5000 class, 33rd overall, is the Richard Thompson #2 Corvette, driven by John Kilborn, Fred Windridge, and Dick Thompson. Jim Jeffords drives his #3 Corvette SR-2 in Grand Touring 5000 class. After 27 laps, the rear axle breaks. He places 59th overall. [5.48] [104.151] [133.72] [263] [337.64] [348] [423] June 11 The 39 millionth Chevrolet car is built, a 1958 Corvette. [579.42] (month unknown) A Corvette finishes first in sports car class at the Pike's Peak Hill Climb. [3.124] [104.151] At the Bonneville salt flat races, Glen Minder races a 1957 Corvette to 153.327-MPH. [337.22] NASCAR abandons the idea of building a sports car oval circuit, and sells the EX-87/5951 Corvette to Duane Church of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. [522.27] General Motors management cancels the Q sedan project, including the Q Corvette. [274.69] [353.47] The Joie Chitwood Thrill Show in Reading, Pennsylvania, includes a Snowcrest White 1958 convertible in its show, jumping ramps. [723.15] July 7 A federal law is passed, requiring automobile manufacturers to attach a label to the window of new cars displaying options and prices, transport and freight charges, and manufacturer's suggested retail price. The law will come into effect September 1. [523.74] July Bill Mitchell assembles the XP-700, a highly modified 1958 Corvette with a long oval nose, twin-bubble clear plastic roof, and periscope rear mirror. (The rear design is later adopted for the 1961 model.) [3.36] [30] [34] [104.136] [314.44] August 20 Production of the 1958 model ends. Sales of the model reach 9168, enough to turn a profit for the Corvette for the first time. [3.31] [84.9] [148.30] [579.31] [580.99] September 1 As of this date, all cars produced in the United States must have a manufacturer's label attached to a window displaying options and prices, transport and freight charges, and manufacturer's suggested retail price. [523.74] September 2 Production of 1959 model Corvettes begins. [148.32] [579.67] (month unknown) Jim Jeffords in his Corvette SR-2 Purple People Eater wins SCCA B Production championship. [5.48] [18.57] [148.14] [231.32] [394.12] (1958 Corvette [133.74]) (Purple People Eater Mk II [133.74]) December 1 Harley Earl retires from General Motors Styling department. [3.8] [6] [7] [34] [49.119] [53.74] (1959 [42.30]) Bill Mitchell becomes General Motors' chief stylist. He changes the name of the department from Styling to Design. [3.28] [6] [7] [32] [34] [42.30] [49.119] [53.74] [104.46] [454.57] [539.45] December Bill Mitchell buys the XP-87 Corvette SS "White Mule" chassis from Chevrolet for US$1, to use it as a test car for a styling study. This is not the actual Corvette SS, but a second test car used for testing the chassis. (It becomes the Sting Ray racer.) [3.44] [5.156] [29.80] [42] [203.16] [353.47] [580.102] ($500 [579.75]) Larry Shinoda joins Bill Mitchell's Studio X, to finish design work on the Sting Ray racer. [242.26] Zora Arkus-Duntov, in the Corvette SS, hits 183 MPH on the General Motors Proving Grounds in Phoenix, Arizona. [12] [25] [271.151] [580.85]