Chronology of Events in the History of Corvettes

1980

(month unknown)

• At the Bonneville Speed Week on the Utah Salt Flats, Duane McKinney's 1968 Corvette takes AA/GT Class with a record 240.728 mph, with a dual-turbocharged 430ci big-block engine. This speed makes it the world's fastest stock-bodied car. [129.101]

1981

June 1

• Production of Corvettes begins at a new plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The first Corvette is a beige 1981 model. [2] [3] [5] [7] [104.91] [139.46] [148.18,76] [150.42]

August 1

• The last Corvette built in the St. Louis plant rolls off the assembly line. [3] [104.91] [148.18,76] [150.42] (July 31 [2] [5] [7])

1982

(month unknown)

• The first Corvettes at Carlisle meet is held. [151.46]

December

• At the Riverside Raceway in California, Chevrolet previews the 1983 model Corvette, where the automotive press tests the car. [148.80] (January 1983 [42.114])

1983

March

• The 1984 Corvette goes on sale in the US, except for California. [5] [76.51] [104.96,148] [148.18,80] [171.71] (February [3] [7]) (April [90])

(month unknown)

• Motor Trend magazine names the 1984 Corvette "Domestic Car of the Year" for 1984. [81.43]

1984

(month unknown)

• The L98 engine with Tuned Port Injection is introduced as a replacement to the Cross-Fire throttle body injection system. [108.6]

1985

June

• Group Lotus in Norfolk, England, proposes building a new engine for Chevrolet, who quickly approves the project. The engine would become the LT5 for the ZR1 Corvette. [99.43] [157.34]

June

• Chevrolet Chief Engineer Don Runkle and Lotus' Tony Rudd discuss creating a new show car to show off their engineering expertise. The project would become the CERV III. [36] [168.40]

August

• Chevrolet calls Reeves Callaway, ultimately resulting in Callaway building the Twin Turbo Corvette as a Chevrolet dealer option. [32.23]

1986

January

• Chevrolet introduces the Corvette Indy prototype car, the CERV III, at the Detroit Automobile Show. It has 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering, and CRT cockpit screens. [3] [36] [37] [104.141] [168.40]

January

• Chevrolet announces that the Corvette has been chosen to be the Official Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500 race. [104.102]

May 25

• The 70th Indianapolis 500 race begins, with a 1986 convertible Corvette as pace car. [26] [61.22]

May

• At the first annual vintage races at Riverside Raceway in California, Bob Paterson races his Grand Sport Corvette #003 to first place, among eight powerful Cobras. [106.82]

1988

May 1

• The first round of the SCCA Corvette Challenge race series is held in Dallas, Texas. Mark Dismore wins the race. [18.43] [139]

(month unknown)

• The National Corvette Museum Foundation is established. [156.63]

October 26

• The Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette reaches a top speed of 254.76 mph at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio. [17] [33.45]

1989

January

• The CERV I is offered for sale at an auction in Monterey, California. Bids reach US$1.2 million, but the owners want US$1.6 million. [11] [131.14]

(month unknown)

• Gene Schiavone of Washington state, USA, buys Grand Sport 001 from Jim Pervis for US$1.2 million. He has it restored to original condition, with some modern updates to make it more drivable. [64.86] [22.12]

March

• Chevrolet introduces the Corvette ZR-1 at the Geneva Auto Show in Switzerland. [94.42] [164.79]

April 8

• The SCCA Corvette Challenge race series begins its second season, at the Dallas Grand Prix, in Texas. [19.95] (April 9 [29.26]) (Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona [29.26])

(month unknown)

• Planning begins on the "C5", the next generation Corvette to follow the 1984+ model. [38.38]

October 16

• A drawing is held by music video station VH-1, giving away 36 Corvettes, one from each model year. Dennis Amodeo is the winner. [23.11] (October 15 [21])

October

• At General Motors' annual executive conference in Traverse City, Michigan, General Motors president announces "The Corvette development program is now on indefinite status". [137.71]

October

• A Corvette Museum Task Force meets for the first time, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. [27.41]

October 28

• The final 1989 SCCA Corvette Challenge race is run, in St. Petersburg, Florida at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix circuit. The Texas American Racing Team, with driver Scott Lagase, wins the race. Overall, Bill Cooper of the Valley Chevrolet team wins the series. [24.104] [29.27] [169.89]