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Motorama Corvettet
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Motorama Corvettes
From the overwhelming response that the EX-52 Corvette received from the public at the 1953 GM Motorama, Chevrolet decided not only to put the "Dream Car" into regular production but also to gauge public reaction to some variations on the theme. In addition to a regular production version, which was still a showstopper in its own right, Chevrolet unveiled three more Corvette prototypes that would more than hint at future product offerings.
As one might expect, the "Corvette Quartet" had a definite familial resemblance, though each had its own specific personality. All four cars featured the same front end design, with its toothy grille, mesh-grilled headlamps and pontoon-like front fenders. Likewise, the rear quarter contours were the same, right down to the single round taillamps and the chrome streak-like bumpers.
Additionally, all four variations were powered by the production Corvette 235-cu.in. straight-six with three side-draft carburetors. It was rated at 150hp and was backed by Chevy's familiar Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission.
The first such vehicle was the famous Corvette "Waldorf" Nomad, a striking two-door station wagon that bore the indelible print of GM Styling vice president Harley Earl. It gave showgoers a preview of the upcoming production Nomad, which shared the roofline with the Motorama Corvette but featured full-sized Chevy sheetmetal and powertrains. At the time, the public wasn't yet aware that a production Nomad was in the works, so to them, it had a "one-of-a-kind" look but wasn't so wild that it couldn't be produced as is.
It isn't a common occurrence for the words "sleek" and "sexy" to be used in the same sentence as "station wagon," but the Corvette Nomad was just that-and more. Its look was elegant and stylish, more upscale than the typical Chevy.
According to surviving factory records, the Waldorf Nomad was actually built from the original 1953 Corvette Motorama car, EX-52. The original body was removed and burn-tested and the chassis was lengthened back to that of a production full-sized Chevrolet.
Though the silver-blue and white Corvette Nomad used a front end with the same styling cues as its roadster sibling, the roofline was like nothing else before it. A wraparound windshield was used and was flanked by vertical wing windows on the doors. The B and C-pillars gracefully slanted forward, giving an impression of motion even when at rest.
While the Nomad's application chrome trim was not at all austere, it was still tasteful, featuring just enough brightwork to say "Dream Car" without being obnoxious. In addition to the trim common to all of the Corvettes, the Nomad featured thin chrome bands on the roof, positioned parallel to one another and running from side to side.
Additionally, the Nomad also featured vertical chrome strips on its tailgate, which extended to a rolled pan that wrapped below and also housed a license plate recess. The rear quarters were set off with chrome exhaust ports, which added a racy flair to the wagon.
Inside, the Nomad predicted many features that came to fruition in the production 1955 model, including the fold-down rear seat and ribbed headliner trim. Blue and white leather upholstery added a luxurious note to the beautifully executed machine.
The second Chevrolet Dream Car for 1954 was the Corvette Hardtop. As one would guess, its unique feature was its removable hardtop that was nearly identical to the unit that was used on production 1956 Corvettes. Actually, the new top also came with a new wraparound windshield design that gave occupants a bit more headroom and improved visibility. Roll-up windows also appeared in this car and replaced the side windows used on production models.
This revised greenhouse design was also implemented nearly line for line on the 1956 Corvettes. Previously, the hardtops that were available for the Corvette came from aftermarket accessory manufacturers and looked quite different, owing to the original Corvette's windshield contour.
The Corvette Hardtop's interior was similar to the production 1956 Corvette with a nearly identical upholstery pattern. The main difference was that it was dyed yellow to match the exterior. Other custom touches included the door panels, which used roll-up window cranks.
The last of the Corvette Dream Cars was the Corvair, a two-door fastback that was shown in both a light seafoam green and burgundy red. Though it is possible that there was actually more than one car built, no paperwork has surfaced that can verify this for sure, though there is precedent.
Multiples of some Motorama cars, such as the 1953 Cadillac Le Mans, 1954 Olds F-88 and 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special, were built for regional show use and for other purposes.
The Corvair was a sight to behold, with an elegant but not ostentatious look, as much at home at the country club as it would have been in the pits at Watkins Glen. Like its siblings, the Corvair used the same front design, though it also sported ribbed air intakes on the hood that routed fresh air to the interior and fender vents that allowed heat to escape the engine compartment.
In typical Corvette fashion, the Corvair also had a wraparound windshield, with nearly vertical A-pillars like the Nomad, but without the wing windows. The roof was aircraft-inspired, sweeping back and tapering gracefully, eventually ending at the chrome-trimmed license plate housing, which resembled a jet-fighter exhaust port.
The roof was also interesting in a couple of other ways. First, it gave a glimpse of the quarter window and C-pillar treatment of the 1958 Chevrolet line, much like the Biscayne did a year later. Secondly, the addition of a fastback roof did not alter the Corvair's interior layout. One would have expected that it would have had a finished-off cargo area, perhaps even equipped with fitted luggage, as was a common practice with sports cars at the time.
Instead, the body appeared to have the roof grafted right on to a production Corvette, as there is no storage area behind the seats. The stock trunk area is used with a decklid contoured to the new roofline. The seats had the production fiberglass divider between them, just like a stock Corvette roadster. The area is even body-colored, which actually makes for a very attractive, albeit unusual interior layout for a closed coupe. The remainder of the interior is largely stock, with custom white seat covers and chromed interior C-pillar trim pieces.
Unfortunately for this particular machine, it was the only one of the three that did not reach production in some form. With Corvette sales becoming sluggish during the 1954 model year, it was seen by product planners as too high a gamble. The time for a Corvette fastback eventually did come, though nearly a decade later and on a new-generation machine.
So whatever happened to these Corvette Dream Cars? Are they still in existence or were they unceremoniously converted to jagged shards of fiberglass by an unsympathetic Corporation that no longer had any use for them? At least one of the cars, the Corvette Hardtop, appears to have survived. It was reportedly built from a late 1953 Corvette, serial number 260. It survives in the hands of a Canadian collector who is restoring it. Factory records suggest that more than one Hardtop was built, though this has not yet been proved.
The Corvair is rumored to have survived, though it hasn't surfaced. It was reportedly seen in the legendary Warhoops salvage yard in Sterling Heights, Michigan, sometime during the 1970s. No trace of it has shown up since then, though rumor has it that it may have changed hands recently. The Waldorf Nomad is also purported to have survived and is supposedly safely in storage in a warehouse on the West Coast. Further details are scarce and have been for decades. Though a GM worker stated that he personally crushed the car under orders from GM management, the Nomad was on display at a Chevy dealership weeks after he said he destroyed it. It is possible that there was more than one car built, which would explain the apparent discrepancy. Still, the car hasn't appeared, so we are forced to make our own decisions on its fate.
Whatever happened to the Corvair and the Nomad, we know that the three 1954 Motorama Corvettes were very influential machines still prized by enthusiasts and sought after by collectors. Best of all, the Corvette Hardtop is alive and being restored. Its day back on the turntables is coming.
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Tollainen Corvair olisi kyllä hieno!  |
26.07.2007, 10:58
