Could we possible get a V8 engine this year? Well, originally, GM did not intend to offer the much tested V8 in the 1955 Corvette. Some early '55s were manufactured with the same underpowered, heavy Blue Flame Six. Luckily, history wouldn't accept this and rewrote itself. In 1955, Ford launched the Thunderbird equipped with a powerful V-8 engine. This we have to thank them for, because without the Thunderbird, the GM brass may have never come around. GM took this competition seriously and finally ended its long testing phase of the V-8 engine. Another savior for the Corvette was the 3-speed manual transmission. This combined with the V-8 gave the Corvette potential as a race car. Duntov got the Corvette racing bug started in September by setting a stock car record at the Pike's Peak Hill climb in a disguised '56 Corvette. In Dec, he would take a prototype Corvette to Daytona Beach to attempt a 150 mph run.

The 265 CI, 195 HP V8 engine finally gave the Corvette the respect it needed. People finally considered the Corvette as a true sports car. This V8 engine even achieved the basic premise of all engine redesigns. It made more horsepower with less weight, 30 pounds less than the 235 CI Blue Flame Six. The dealer tags listed the V8 as an option, but to customers it would become the standard engine. At some time during the year, GM instructed dealers not to accept orders for the I-6 Corvette and this wasn't a problem to comply with. Everybody wanted a V8.

A note on the birth of the V8 engine. The small block V8 is considered to most significant post-war advancement in automotive engine design. It has won more races than any other engine and was winning races in its first year on the track. The Corvette was the first American production car to reach 150 mph at Daytona.

The 1955 Corvette was the lightest Corvette ever produced at 2,805 lbs with the V8. The "Corvette" script on the front fenders in '54 was changed to a large "V" in honor of the V8. It is not known whether the few I-6 '55s had this "V". GM did not want to simply match the Thunderbird's V8, so they finally made the manual transmission standard, with the Automatic Powerglide as a $178 option. One of the most unusual Corvettes in history is a 1955 Corvette with the I-6 and the standard 3 speed manual transmission. Only 10-20 I-6 '55s were produced and this is the only year that both a 6 and 8 cylinder engine was offered for a Corvette. However, it was the combination of the new, powerful V8 and the 3 speed manual transmission that began to attract people to the sports car market. The 700 Corvettes produced in 1955 was the lowest production total until 1983.

DID YOU KNOW?:The $12 windshield washer option was operated by a foot pedal.