| In 1953 Chevrolet shocked the world with what would | | | | behind it. The half shafts were meant to function in the |
| ultimately prove to be a powerhouse in sports cars | | | | same fashion as control arms do with the vertical |
| when they came out with the Corvette. As basic as | | | | motion being dealt with by the lower ‘arms' and the |
| the Corvette stared out as it has evolved into one of | | | | fore motion being handled by the trailing rods. |
| the top performing sports cars in the world bar none. | | | | When coupled with improved shocks for the time |
| One of the most significant developments for the | | | | period what was eventually found with the new |
| Corvette came in the first year of the C2 generation | | | | independent rear suspension was the best handling |
| of the Vette when in 1963 the all new Corvette Sting | | | | Corvette to date and something for the engineering |
| Ray featured an independent rear suspension for the | | | | minds at GM to wrap their brains around and continue |
| first time in Vette history. Now the standard, it seems | | | | to develop. Because the handling improved so much |
| odd to think of a Corvette without the best of the best | | | | with the new suspension the engineers at GM were |
| in handling and performance parts. | | | | able to do what they seem to do best with the |
| The independent rear suspension that was created for | | | | Corvette and explore different ways to make the |
| the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was designed by | | | | Vette more powerful. |
| Corvette legend Zora Arkus-Duntov. Duntov's design | | | | Just the fact that the new suspension was lighter than |
| was both effective and simple and basically was a | | | | the previous generation's meant that the new |
| differential that was frame mounted with half shafts | | | | Corvette would be able to move in a more nimble |
| that were u-jointed and were all tied together by a leaf | | | | fashion and also be able to brake easier as it didn't |
| spring that was transverse. This unique design was | | | | weigh so much. This was important as the four wheel |
| inspired from the CERV I concept and was brought to | | | | disc braking system that the Corvette would |
| life brilliantly. | | | | eventually adopt as standard didn't appear on the |
| The struts were rubber cushioned and carried the | | | | Corvette until the 1965 model year. |
| differential, which allowed the all new Sting Ray to | | | | Today's Corvettes have suspensions that are taken |
| improve tire contact and reduce the harshness of the | | | | almost directly from the race track, but it all started as |
| ride. This worked especially well on rougher roads. The | | | | a work in progress and an evolutionary procedure |
| transverse leaf spring found its home on the | | | | beginning with the independent rear suspension. As the |
| differential case as it was there that it was bolted on. | | | | Vette's of today handle like they are on rails, the |
| From there a control arm was slightly extended | | | | Corvette Nation has the great minds of GM's past |
| forward and laterally from both sides of the case and | | | | such as Duntov to thank for the modern marvel of |
| connected to a hub carrier that had a radius rod trailing | | | | handing that is known today. |