Greatest Generation: The Evolution of America's Sports Car

Location Heritage Center - Main Gallery
Exhibit Dates April 2021 - March 2023
# of Vehicles 24

The evolution of America's sports car.

The Corvette was born as a prototype “dream car,” named for a class of fast naval warship, and unveiled at General Motors’ Motorama auto show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in January 1953. Due to a very enthusiastic public response, GM fast tracked the car into production in a record 6 months, and the first production Corvette rolled off the assembly line at a Flint, Michigan plant, before the end of June 1953. The Greatest Generation exhibit was curated with help from Corvette expert Werner Meier, owner of Masterworks Automotive Services (Madison Heights, MI), and widely regarded as one of the best restorers in the world. Several of Meier’s own award-winning Corvettes are on display in the exhibit, along with nearly two dozen of the rarest and most significant Corvettes in existence from all over the United States.

“The Corvette has an amazing legacy, and an incredibly passionate group of owners and admirers.”
Josh Russell, Executive Director

Take a Peek Inside

A Taste of What You'll See

1958 Corvette C1 Convertible Hardtop

This Corvette was ordered new by the legendary stunt and race car driver Joie Chitwood for use in his 1958 shows. The car “performed” for just one season, where it flew through the air during ramp to ramp jumps. Being remarkably well-persevered the car had been retained in completely original “Thrill Show” condition when it underwent a full restoration. Today the car boasts less than 19,000 original miles.

2020 Corvette C8 Stingray Convertible

When the 8th Generation debuted for the 2020 model year, the Corvette had been reinvented. Looking more aggressive than ever, it moved to a mid-engine platform for the first time, taking its high-performance capabilities even higher.

After testing the C-8 extensively, Car and Driver magazine declared, “Chevrolet has built a supercar for the masses,” and called it, “Spectacular, amazing and supremely capable. Maybe even revolutionary.”

1954 Motorama "Dream Car" Corvette Nomad

Based off the public response to the Corvette at the 1953 Motorama GM included two Corvette based “Dream Cars” at the 1954 Motorama—The Nomad and Corvair.

From the brochure, "Here for the first time is an experimental model combining the sleek styling of a sports car with the versatility and utility of a station wagon. The glass fiber reinforced plastic body affords unusual visibility with seating space for six passengers."