'55 Corvette

Chevrolet debuted its small-block, 195 hp V8 in 1955 and the engine found its way into the Corvette. At first 1955 V8 Corvettes continued with the mandatory-option Powerglide automatic transmission (as did the few 6-cylinder models built), but a new three-speed manual transmission came along later in the year for V8 models only. Exterior color choices were expanded to at least five, combined with at least four interior colors. Even soft-tops came in three colors and different materials. Despite all this, only 700 1955 Corvettes were built, making it second only to 1953 in scarcity. Very few six-cylinder 1955 models were built, and all documented examples are equipped with automatic transmissions. The "V" in the Corvette emblem was enlarged and gold colored, signifying the V8 engine under the hood and 12 volt electrical systems, while 6-cylinder models retained the 6-volt systems used in 1953-1954. The tooling for the model was updated in 2018, with the front grille now integrated