The Motorama Corvettes

67HEAVEN

Well-known user
General Motors took its travelling roadshow across America each year in the '50s and early '60s to display their wares (and future concepts) to the buying public. The Motorama was all the rage. Here were four stars of the show in 1954...the Corvettes.

1954Chevrolet-concepts-Motorama-colour.jpg

1954Chevrolet-concepts-Motorama.jpg
In the above photo (front to rear), the 1954 Chevrolet Corvette, the 1954 Chevrolet Corvette with hardtop (concept), the 1954 Chevrolet Corvair (concept), and the 1954 Chevrolet Nomad (concept).

All of these reached production, in one form or another. For example, the optional/removable hardtop arrived two years later on the 1956 Corvette. However, the Corvair and the Nomad didn't make it to production without some major alterations.

For example, the 1954 Corvair (concept), which was based on a Corvette, was released to the public in 1960 as the rear air-cooled-engined Chevrolet Corvair, decidedly NOT a fastback, and sure NOT a Corvette.
1960 public sales (rear engine and notch-back roof)
1960ChevroletCorvairMonza.jpg

1954 concept (front engine and true fastback)
1954ChevroletCorvair-fastback-concept-Motorama.jpg

And, the 1954 Chevrolet Nomad (actually built on a full-size Chevrolet car chassis, while using a modified Corvette front end) became the full-size 1955 Chevrolet BelAir Nomad station wagon.
1954ChevroletNomad-concept-Motorama.jpg

1955 Chevrolet BelAir Nomad station wagon for public sale.
1955ChevroletBelAirNomad-ad.jpg
At least they kept the ribbed roof, the swoopy B-pillar, and the chrome laden tailgate. The Corvette front end was gone.

1955ChevroletBelAirNomad-rear-ad.jpg

1955ChevroletBelAirNomad-pass-rear.jpg

According to most North Americans, the 1955-57 Chevrolet BelAir Nomad 2-door was the sexiest station wagon ever built. Following in close second place was the 1955-57 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Safari 2-door, Pontiac's version of the Nomad.
1955PontiacStarChiefCustomSafari-ad.jpg

Maybe it's just as well that a Corvette station wagon never made it to production, although there have been some god-awful add-on kits sold over the years. LOL.
 

67HEAVEN

Well-known user
Due to the overwhelming response to this thread, I'll add this story from the November 1980 issue of Corvette Fever Magazine...

TheCorvetteThatNeverWas-p1.jpg

TheCorvetteThatNeverWas-p2.jpg
 
Top