1958 Corvette and 1959 Corvette

The 1958 Corvette had a big makeover, which included new body panels, a new instrument panel, and new upholstery. The 1958 model featured another first for any car: dual headlights on each fender and a 160mph speedometer. This was also the first year the factory-installed seat belts. Seat belts were available through local dealerships prior to 1958.

The outside appearance of the 1959 Corvette was basically the same as the 1958 model, except for the absence of the simulated hood louvers and the twin chrome trunk spears. The door panels were redesigned for better elbow room. This was done by relocating armsets and moving the door releases forward. The dash instruments were also redesigned for better legibility, and a new tachometer face was used. If you ordered a model with a 4-speed manual transmission, then you received a new design, the "T" shift handle with a reverse lockout, which was another Corvette first.