Asthe1950sdawned,GeneralMotorsfocuseditsindustrialmightonproducingrevolutionaryratherthanevolutionarycarswiththeultimategoaltobecometheclearmarketleaderintheautomotiveindustry.Toaccomplishthisgoal,thecompanydesigned,developed,andconsistentlyreleasedinnovativeautomotivetechnology.Duringthedecade,Chevroletintroducedthesmall-blockV-8,automatictransmission,air-conditioning,powersteering,andmanyotherinnovationsthatmadethecarsfaster,morecomfortable,andsafer.Allofthepieceshadfallenintoplace.GeneralMotorshadastuteleadership,abrilliantengineeringteam,forward-thinkingstylists,amassivemanufacturinginfrastructure,andthecapabilitytoproducecutting-edgetechnology.WithunbridledoptimismandexuberancetomeetthedemandsoftheboomingU.S.economyofthe1950s,thecompanydesigned,developed,anddeliveredanunprecedentednumberofbreakthroughtechnologies,andestablishedtheblueprintforthemodernautomobile.
AutomotivehistorianandveteranauthorDavidTemplegoesbehindthescenestorevealhowthesetechnologiesweredesigned,manufactured,andinstalledonChevrolet'sfineportfolioofcars:theCorvette,1955-1957BelAir,Nomad,Impala,andmanymore.InsideGeneralMotors,manydedicatedandtalentedleaderswhoweredeterminedtomakeChevroletcarsthebestonthemarket.VicePresidentofStylingHarleyEarlandhisteamdesignedthe1952CorvetteconceptcarfortheMotoramashow.Afterreceivingnumerousaccolades,itwasrushedintoproduction.DesignchiefBillMitchellusedhisdesignacumenandcreativevisionasheledhisteamtostylethe1955-1957Bel-Air.ZoraArkus-DuntovworkedtirelesslyandtransformedtheCorvettefromatouringcarintoagenuinesportscar.EdColeandhisengineersovercamemanychallengestodevelopthecompact,efficient,andpowerfulChevysmall-blockV-8,whichcontinuedinproductionfordecades.
Chevroletsofthe1950sretracesthedesign,development,andproductionofthesecars,butitalsocoversinnovativevitalcomponentsthatwereinstalledinthem.IfyouhavebeenlookingfortheinsidestoryonGM'sarguablygreatestdecade,themodels,andthetechnologyitproduced,youhavefoundit.