10 most valuable Corvettes

• Value: $113,000

The big news for 1955 was the introduction of a V8 engine. It was an option, at first, but it wasn't long before the straight-6 was no longer offered.

By this time, General Motors was just about ready to give up on the Corvette. The V8, which finally generated some real performance excitement, was one of the things that saved it. The other, ironically, was the Ford Thunderbird. Ford's competing car outsold the Corvette but showed that there really was a market for a fun American two-seater. Before long, Ford added back seats to the Thunderbird, leaving the two-seat sports car market to the 'Vette.

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