he enduring success of Chevrolet’s Corvette really boils down to one factor: the small-block Chevrolet V-8. Not only did the engine help keep the Corvette from getting axed in its infancy, it also provided many a racing victory for the fiberglass bowtie over the years. With such a legacy, it’s no surprise that the very first V-8 Corvette, the car known commonly as “Duntov’s Mule,” will take its place alongside the 50 most significant cars in Corvette history among the 2014 Bloomington Great Hall inductees.
As 1954 came to a close, Chevrolet was growing concerned that its Corvette sports car was a sales dud. Despite lowering the retail price from $3,498 in 1953 to $2,774 in 1954, consumers still largely ignored the six-cylinder-powered two-seat roadster, and GM executives, anticipating future losses, began to consider killing off the Corvette. Two things converged to prevent the car’s demise, however: Ford launched its own two-seater, the Thunderbird, while GM readied a compact V-8 engine that would give the Corvette a much-needed infusion of power.
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