Today is the 4th of July, a date that will live in infamy (sorry, Roosevelt #2) for being the beginning of a great experiment. So far, so good, right? As a nod to the birthday of the United States, my AutoHunter Picks include cars that are red, white, or blue.
As it so happens, three of the cars are Corvettes, while the other is a coupe that was produced by America’s oldest car manufacturer at the time—Studebaker. That’s four specialty vehicles from AutoHunter this week, so enjoy the cars and the colors that celebrate.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Among the C1s, the 1957 Corvette hits a sweet spot: nicely updated styling that lacks the heavy look of the 1958-62s with quad headlamps, and fuel-injected horsepower that was within reach of Italian V12s.
Though this particular Venetian Red example features carburetors, it is a pair of quads that contribute to a factory rating of 245 horses. Add the contemporary four-speed manual (a mid-year option, though the original was a three-speed) and you’d have a fine driver that has visual appeal both outside and inside the engine bay.
1954 Chevrolet Corvette
I remember when the Christiana Mall opened around 1979, there were a number of old cars on display. I only recall a 1955-56 Thunderbird and a 1954 Corvette, with the latter being the first time I had ever seen one in person, so for the first time I noticed the pair of nubile fins behind each taillight—neat!
Considering how dumpy Chevrolets looked in this era, the Corvette must have appeared as a revelation, foreshadowing Harley Earl’s greatness that was to come several years later. So, what if this Corvette is saddled with a six and Powerglide? It looks as good as anything from the early 1950s.
1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
For all the ups and downs that Studebaker had starting in 1953, when the “Loewy Coupe” debuted, I feel the 1962-64 GT Hawk settled in a place that belied its age, especially after some of the finned tackiness produced within the previous 10 years.
It’s also interesting to see the car evolve into a personal luxury coupe before it became a crowded segment, so you’ll find an interior with buckets, full gauges, and a roofline that could make a Thunderbird envious. This ’62 features a rebuilt 289 paired to a three-speed automatic.
1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupe
What’s the best C2? The traditional answer would be the ’63 with the “split-window” and introduction of the Z06, but there are adherents to the ’67, which offered a tri-carb 427, the debut of L89 aluminum heads, and the first year for the L88. What about the other years that seem to have been squeezed out?
The 1966 is in the running for its debut of the 427 and styling that was subtly cleaned up. This blue example is slightly modified with a 396 big-block, ’67 “Stinger” hood, sidepipes, and more.
