Chronology of Chevrolet Corvettes

Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to create web links
to this site, not to copy these pages to other web sites.
URL: http://kpolsson.com/vettehis/

vvv advertisement vvv
Subscribe to Vette Vues magazine
^^^ advertisement ^^^

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

Last updated: 2023 December 20.


1974

January
  • At the Detroit Auto Show, Chevrolet shows the Corvette Mulsanne show car. It is painted a bright metallic silver, with headlights under clear covers, 454-ci ZL-1 fuel-injected engine, and speedometer reflected onto the windshield. [542.56] (1975, at New York show [257.78]
  • At the Detroit Auto Show, John Greenwood first introduces the wide-bodied, flat-sided, open-flared Greenwood IMSA #48 Corvette. The press dub it "The Batmobile". [365.14] [533.39]
(month unknown)
  • The Corvette Scirocco show car is restyled and displayed as the Mulsanne. [257.78] (1976 [79.60])
March
  • The National Corvette Restorers Society is founded. [176.7] (June [154.70])
May 4
  • At the Lime Rock Park raceway in Lime Rock, Connecticut, Round 1 of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series is held.
    • Finishing 9th is the E.F. Miller & Co. Corvette, driven by John Orr.
    • Finishing 10th is the Leaseline Corvette, driven by Cam Champion.
    • Finishing 14th is the Oleyar Corvette, driven by Michael Oleyar.
    • In 20th place, but not finishing the race, is the Babe's Garage Corvette, driven by Milton Headley.
    • In 25th place, but not finishing the race, is the Rear Corvette, driven by Bob Bienerth and Blake Rear.
    • In 26th place, but not finishing the race, is the Go-Ten Racing Corvette, driven by Joe Pirrotta.
    • In 31st place, but not finishing the race, is the Nick's Automotive Corvette, driven by Nick Engels.
    [248] [423]
June 15
  • In Le Mans, France, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is held, over two days. Finishing 10th in GT class and 18th overall is the Henri Greder #51 Corvette driven by Henri Greder and Marie-Claude Beaumont. [423]
June 28
  • The Corvette assembly plant closes due to a labor dispute. [148.62]
(month unknown)
  • At the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, Illinois, the Bloomington Corvette Corral show is held. About 4500 people attend. [212.B7]
  • Lars Tidblom founds Club Corvette Sweden. [254.11]
  • AMT releases model kit #T-354 1974 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. [336.21]
  • AMT releases model kit #T-367 1974 Corvette T-Top, in white or pale green plastic. [336.21]
  • David McLellan is named Zora Arkus-Duntov's assistant. [42.105] [104.84]
  • Jerry Palmer is given responsibility for all production Corvette body design starting with the 1976 model. [152.29]
  • MPC releases model kit #1-7406 1974 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. [336.21]
  • MPC releases model kit #1-7405 1974 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [336.21]
  • MPC releases the 1/20-scale model kit #1-7430 1974 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [335.39]

    vvv advertisement vvv

    ^^^ advertisement ^^^
July 13
  • At the Watkins Glen GP Course, in Watkins Glen, New York, Round 2 of the SCCA Trans-American Series is held, as well as the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen World Championship of Makes.
    • Finishing 9th in Trans-Am and 11th overall is the Pierce Racing Corvette, driven by Roger Pierce and Doug Mills.
    • Finishing 10th in Trans-Am and 12th overall is the FeinStein Racing Corvette, driven by Michael Oleyar and Sam Feinstein.
    • Finishing 15th in Trans-Am is the Rynone Industries Corvette, driven by Neil Wiernicki, Michael Wiernicki, and Tom Rynone.
    • Finishing 23rd in Trans-Am is the Davidson Racing Corvette, driven by Alex Davidson and Gary Witzenburg.
    [248] [423]
July 27
  • At the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the third and final round of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series is held.
    • Finishing 10th is the Van Arnem Abex Corvette, driven by Jerry Thompson.
    • Finishing 15th is the Pace Racing Corvette, driven by Gary Sullivan.
    • Finishing 17th is the Rear Corvette, driven by Bob Bienerth and Blake Rear.
    • Finishing 20th is the Tarbell's Tinker Corvette, driven by Roger Pierce.
    • Finishing 22nd is the Corvette's Unlimited Corvette, driven by Don Hager.
    • In 27th place, but not finishing the race, is the Greenwood Racing Corvette, driven by John Greenwood. Greenwood set a new qualifying lap record, and lead the race for 14 laps before suffering an engine failure.
    • In 29th place, but not finishing the race, is the Performance Unlimited Corvette, driven by James Moyer.
    • In 32nd place, but not finishing the race, is the Texas Instruments Corvette, driven by Alex Davidson.
    • In 33rd place, but not finishing the race, is the Midwest Motorsports Corvette, driven by Tim Startup.
    • In 34th place, but not finishing the race, is the Go-Ten Racing Corvette, driven by Joe Pirrotta.
    [248] [423]
August 10
  • In Talladega, Alabama, a 200-mile IMSA race is held.
    • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 1st overall is the John Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette driven by Milt Minter.
    • Finishing 8th in GTO class and 8th overall is the Leldon Blackwell Racing #94 Corvette driven by Tony DeLorenzo.
    • Finishing 10th in GTO class and 11th overall is the Larry Liebert #82 Corvette driven by Larry Liebert and Larry Voit.
    • Finishing 12th in GTO class and 14th overall is the Garcia Racing #75 Corvette driven by Javier Garcia and George Garcia.
    • Finishing 15th in GTO class and 19th overall is the Rick Hay #68 Corvette driven by Rick Hay.
    • Finishing 18th in GTO class and 22nd overall is the Currin Racing #99 Corvette driven by Phil Currin.
    • Finishing 23rd in GTO class and 28th overall is the #71 Corvette driven by Jim Ansley.
    • Finishing 24th in GTO class and 29th overall is the #9 Corvette driven by Tony Ansley.
    [104.151] [423]
August 14
  • Tom Rynone of Waverly, New York, sells his 1967 Corvette L88 to Dave Dempsey of Long Island, New York. [155] [237.53] [563.104]
September 3
  • The Corvette assembly plant re-opens following a labor strike. [148.62]
September 24
  • General Motors president Edward Cole announces that the company is postponing the introduction of a Wankel-based rotary engine, due to difficulties in meeting proposed emissions standards. [52.53] [65.53] [454.157] [774.102]
September
  • At the first Carlisle car swap meet, Chip Miller and Ken Heckert buy a 1959 Corvette in rough shape for $800. (In 10-12 years they will discover that it is Jim Jeffords' old Purple People Eater Mk III, raced in 1959.) [133.78] [827.32]
(month unknown)
  • At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held.
    • Finishing 1st in A Production class is Marshall Robbins, driving a Corvette.
    • Finishing 2nd in A Production class is Lou D'Amico, driving the #88 1969 Corvette L88 convertible.
    • Finishing 1st in B Production class is Bill Jobe, driving a Corvette. Jobe also receives the Outstanding Performance Award, presented by the Road Racing Driver's Club.
    • Steve Eberman is Solo II B-Stock champion.
    [3.125] [42.100] [326.43] [329.46] [335.54] [357.74] [394.4,7,12,13]
  • The first Monterey Historic Automobile races for vintage race cars are held, in California. [277.11] [897.48]
  • Bob McDorman Chevrolet dealer holds a Corvette concours and swap meet. About 2000 people attend. Winner of the concours receives a 1958 Corvette. [202.33] [316]
October
  • Production of 1974 model Corvettes ends. [148.62]
  • Production of 1975 model Corvettes begins. [148.64]
December 1
  • At the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, the 250-mile IMSA GT finale race is held.
    • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 1st overall is the John Greenwood Racing #75 Corvette driven by John Greenwood.
    • Finishing 3rd in GTO class and 3rd overall is the Race Ent. & Devel. Corp. #57 Corvette driven by Dave Heinz and Jerry Thompson.
    • Finishing 12th in GTO class and 13th overall is the Lamar Mann #11 Corvette driven by Lamar Mann and Richard Bostyan.
    • Finishing 16th in GTO class and 23rd overall is the #10 Corvette driven by Roger Pierce.
    • Finishing 18th in GTO class and 26th overall is the #91 Corvette driven by Ron Connelly.
    • Finishing 20th in GTO class and 29th overall is the #98 Corvette driven by James Alspaugh and Gene Persinger.
    • Finishing 21st in GTO class and 30th overall is the #71 Corvette driven by Bill Arnold.
    • Finishing 23rd in GTO class and 32nd overall is the #61 Corvette driven by Scott Chapman.
    • Placing 25th in GTO class and 35th overall is the #72 Corvette driven by Jim Ausley and Johnny Mitchell.
    • Finishing 29th in GTO class and 40th overall is the Rick Hay #68 Corvette driven by Rick Hay and Bob Nagel.
    • Placing 32nd in GTO class and 43rd overall is the Leldon Blackwell Racing #94 Corvette driven by Tony DeLorenzo.
    • Finishing 36th in GTO class and 49th overall is the Garcia Racing #15 Corvette driven by Javier Garcia and George Garcia.
    • Finishing 37th in GTO class and 50th overall is the #37 Corvette driven by Garrett Waddell and Tom Wedel.
    • Placing 39th in GTO class and 52nd overall is the S.T. Smith? #12 Corvette driven by Ford Smith and Clay Young.
    • Placing 41st in GTO class and 54th overall is the #49 Corvette driven by Darrell Carter.
    • Placing 42nd in GTO class and 55th overall is the #83 Corvette driven by Larry Ross.
    • Placing 45th in GTO class and 59th overall is the Currin Racing #99 Corvette driven by Phil Currin.
    [104.151] [423]
December 31
  • Zora Arkus-Duntov officially resigns from Chevrolet. [6] [48.39] [104.81,84] [208.14] (January 1975 [3.80] [191.77] [299.62] [454.146] [580.243] [774.94])

End of 1974. Next: 1975.

vvv advertisement vvv

^^^ advertisement ^^^

1951-1953 1954-1955 1956 1957-1958 1959-1960 1961-1962 1963 1964-1965 1966-1968 1969-1970
1971-1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
1982 1983 1984 1985-1986 1987-1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
1994-1996 1997-1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007-2009
2010-2019 2020-end


A list of references to all source material is available.


Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/vettehis/
Link to Ken P's home page.

vvv advertisement vvv

^^^ advertisement ^^^
History Timelines Postage Stamps Today in History
PCs Video Games Timeline Today
Amiga World Silly This Day
Apple Space Coins Sports
Commodore 64 Impacts Corvettes Disney
Processors Sports Cruise Ships USA
Corvettes Gambling Disney Music
World War II Weather Errors PC and Game
Sweden Earthquakes Novelties TV and Movies
A&W USA Births Finder Anniversaries
A&W Canada Deaths
Postage Stamps Dow Jones Coins Chevrolet Corvettes
Walt Disney Co. Television Timeline: Canada Timeline
Disneyland Cruise Ships Timeline: USA Racing Success
Walt Disney World Oak Island Timeline: World On Stamps
Disney Cruise Line Killing JFK Novelties Pop Culture
Canada coins On Stamps
USA coins Other
World coins Mug Shots(A&W)
Stuff For Sale

Privacy Policy

kpolsson.com does not collect or share personal information. I have better things to do. There are links to advertiser sites that are beyond my control, from which I may receive a placement fee or a sale commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.