1958 Chevrolet Corvette 4.6L V8 3MT (290 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In 1958, Chevrolet introduced the most significant visual upgrade for the C1 Corvette, and besides these, it also improved the car’s interior and, most importantly, the drivetrain.

After the upgrades made for the 1956 Corvette, sales started to pick up speed and exceeded 6,000 units in 1957. But still, some top brass from GM’s headquarters were not fully convinced by the car’s potential success. Then, Duntov and his team pushed harder to implement other technological upgrades, including a fuel-injection system. But that was not enough, so for the 1958 model year, the C1 received a new update, with an improved design. In addition, the car’s front fascia was completely improved.

The 1958 Corvette looked clearly different from its predecessors thanks to its twin-headlights system. In addition, Chevrolet reduced the number of chromed vertical slats on the grille from thirteen to nine. Furthermore, the hood received two longitudinal bulges, emphasizing the V8 underneath it. Another upgrade was for the bumper, which was thicker and covered a wider area of the car’s front.

On the profile, the automaker added more chromed elements on the front fenders and on the doors’ sculptured areas. Furthermore, customers could enter the Corvette more easily thanks to the new door handles. Out back, on the trunk, Chevrolet added two longitudinal chromed stripes resembling those installed on British sports cars. Like its predecessors, it was available with a retractable rag top or a removable fiberglass hard top.

Inside, the Corvette got the radio as a standard feature, just in time for people to enjoy Chuck Berry’s song “Sweet Little Sixteen,” which dominated the charts in 1958. There were new upholsteries starting with the 1959 model year and an upgraded design for the dashboard, which housed a storage compartment. The vinyl-covered bucket seats started to be shaped with some bolstered areas to match the car’s performance. Fronting the driver was now a tachometer marked up to 8,000 rpm, a feature that those looking for competitive sports cars greatly appreciated. The Corvette’s sales exceeded 9,000 units for the rest of the production years, thanks to all these additions.

But the most significant changes happened under the skin. Duntov knew that the fuel injection should improve the car’s performance. As a result, he installed such a system on the C1’s V8, and the result was stunning. The 4.6-liter powerplant produced up to 290 hp (294 PS). Still, that was offered as an option, and many customers still went for the carbureted version. Duntov also developed a special set of camshafts that raised the engine performance. The standard gearbox was a three-speed manual, while a four-speed manual became available. Another significant option was the Positronic rear differential, which greatly improved the car’s cornering abilities.