The Thunderbird’s success continued for quite some time. In 1959, the Thunderbird did not slow down in sales or popularity. It actually gained and by gained and the Thunderbird took flight.
In 1953 GM's Flagship company, Chevrolet, came out with their new Sports Car the Corvette. In direct response to the Corvette, Henry Ford created a prototype of the Thunderbird and revealed it at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954.
The Corvette was finally officially called “The Stingray” in 1969, but remained much the same as the previous year. The 327ci V8 was replaced with a 350ci V8, and two ZL-1s were produced which had in the neighborhood of 585 hp.
The 1968 Corvette sported all-new styling and was based on the Mako Shark II concept car. The design was bold, but it seemed most Americans approved as production was up from the previous year.
The 1966 Corvette now featured an egg-crate front grille and functional engine compartment cooling vents. More important than that, the Corvette was now optional with a 427 big-block offering 390 or 425hp.
Improving upon perfection, the 1964 Corvette included redesigned shock absorbers, changes to the front and rear springs, more body insulation, and revised transmission mounts and shift linkage in an effort to create a more quiet and comfortable ride.