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The Chevrolet Corvette convertible's history in the 1960s includes the introduction of the second-generation Corvette, the Sting Ray, in 1963. The Sting Ray was available in both convertible and fastback styles, and featured an independent rear suspension, air conditioning, and leather. It was also the only year for the hard top's split rear window The Corvette's history with convertibles began with the C1 model, which was originally a concept car for the 1953 New York Auto Show. The concept generated so much interest that GM decided to build a production version, and every C1 Corvette was a convertible. Coupes weren't added to the Corvette until 1963. Every generation of the Corvette since then has offered a convertible variant.
Here are some other notable events in the Corvette's history in the 1960s:
1960
The Corvette's popularity and racing successes continued to grow in 1960, and Chevrolet sold more than 10,000 Corvettes for the first time. The show Route 66 also helped popularize the Corvette, as Martin Milner and George Maharis drove a 1960 Corvette across the country on the show. Route 66, also known as U.S. Highway 66 or the "Mother Road", is a famous 2,448-mile highway that runs from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. It crosses eight states and three time zones, connecting the past and present, and the East and the West.
Route 66 has a rich history and holds an elevated place in American consciousness. It was officially established in 1926 as the nation's first Federal highway system, and was promoted as "the shortest, best and most scenic route" from Chicago to Los Angeles. The highway linked remote areas with two important cities, and enabled farmers to transport their produce. During the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, it also served as a refuge for many displaced people. By the 1930s, the trucking industry was using the route, taking advantage of the easier driving conditions and milder climates. John Steinbeck further popularized the route in his 1939 book The Grapes of Wrath, when he called it the "Mother Road".
Although the original road no longer exists in its entirety, about 85% of it is still drivable under different names and numbers, and sometimes marked with a "Historic Route 66" sign. The route takes travelers through small-town America and past some of the country's most obscure attractions, including:
Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas
The Painted Desert in Indian Wells, Arizona
The Milk Bottle Grocery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
St. Louis and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri
Route 66 Hall of Fame Museum in Pontiac, Illinois
