parts. This testing was done under the
direction of Chevrolet Chief Engineer
Ed Cole. Like any test car this one led a
tough test life. It was rarely seen in the
public as it was being flogged around
various Michigan and Arizona test
tracks by Zora Duntov. However, its use
as a test vehicle helped Corvette evolve
from a six-cylinder cruiser into today’s
sophisticated V-8 bruiser. The current
C7 is a well mannered, comfortable and
fuel efficient performance car. In addi-
tion it turns into a cross-country and
track capable ride any time you push the
start button. EX87 deserves a great deal
of credit for Corvette’s transformation.
To help place where EX87 fits into
Corvette’s development history, let’s
review how it was introduced to the
public. It is a familiar story, but worth
repeating. It started when a GM pro-
totype named “Opel” (EX122) was
secretly built in 1952. GM’s styling
executive Harley Earl approved the Opel
project. He wanted to infuse excitement
into the stodgy Chevrolet brand. Earl
named the finished prototype Chevrolet
“Corvette” after a WW II British war-
ship. It was introduced to the public on
January 17, 1953. The unveiling took
place at the GM Motorama Autoshow
at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the New
York City. If the public response to the
Corvette was positive, Chevrolet was
prepared to begin production in 1954. It
was a public sensation and large crowds
gathered around the stunning white
convertible during the Motorama. One
of these onlookers was a Belgian born
Russian engineer named Zora Duntov.
Zora was an accomplished engineer and
a European sports car enthusiast. He
applied for a job at GM several times
to no avail. However, after seeing the
Corvette prototype he reached out to
Maurice Olley, Director of Research
and Development at GM seeking an
engineering position. After several suc-
cessful interviews Zora joined GM on
May 1, 1953, as an assistant staff engi-
neer for engine development with no
Corvette responsibility. He reported
directly to Maurice Olley and his start-
ing salary was $14,000. Shortly after
Zora was hired, three-time Indianapolis
500 winner and engineer Mauri Rose
was hired by GM. His duties were
to coordinate Chevy’s racing efforts.
Rose was a racing legend in the U.S.
and had many contacts within the rac-
ing community. One of these contacts
was Smokey Yunick who owned The
Best Damm Garage in Daytona Beach,
Florida. This friendship between Rose
and Yunick paid big dividends during
Corvette’s future development.
All the pieces to this puzzle began
coming together when Corvette produc-
tion began in 1953. The new cars were
assembled in the Customer Delivery
Garage on Van Slyke Avenue in Flint,
Michigan. The first car was completed
on June 30, 1953. Three hundred
were built in 1953 and were priced at
$3,734, which included two mandatory
options (heater and AM signal seek-
ing radio). A total of 183 were sold by
the end of 1953. Customers criticized
the lack of rollup windows and the dif-
ficult to erect convertible top. Owners
grumbled about the car’s lack of power.
Undaunted by poor sales and owner
complaints, Chevrolet moved Corvette
production from Flint, Michigan, to
St. Louis, Missouri, in 1954. Sales were
forecast to be 10,000 units, but only3,640 were delivered and many of those
went unsold. Performance continued
to be leisurely, with 0-60 times around
11.5 seconds, which was similar to a
Chevy sedan. Focus on Corvette per-
formance became a big concern when
Ford introduced their two-seat V-8–
powered Thunderbird in late 1954. Sales
of Ford’s two-seat sports car quickly
outpaced Corvette. The V-8–powered
Thunderbird was quicker than the I-
Corvette. This performance deficit
changed when the 1955 Corvette was
fitted with the 265ci/195hp small-block
V-8 engine. It was 41 pounds lighter
that the I-6 engine and produced 40
more horsepower and now performed
better than the Thunderbird.
Mr. Ed Cole was Chevrolet’s Chief
Engineer and in 1955 he initiated an
engineering campaign to transform
the Corvette into a competitive sports
car. One of the primary test vehicles
he used to accomplish this goal was
EX87. The Corvette was assigned to
Chevrolet Engineering on October
28, 1954, from the unsold inventory
of 1954 Corvettes. GM engineeringBecause the passenger compartment was covered for aerodynamics, the door could
only be opened by reaching under the cover in the cabin to pull the door latch.This view shows how the fiberglass
cover secures the small windscreen to
the cowl. It is held in place with screws.The original GM Engineering VIN
#5951 tag can be seen attached to the
engine compartment firewall when
the hood is opened.16 VETTE 19.
[FEATURE]
RARE EX87 CORVETTE