Originally Posted by TexasDreams

This one ALMOST became the Corvette for Oldsmobile. The idea of production was scrapped at the very last minute because Chevy was having such a hard time actually selling Vettes.

October 15, 1954

Zora Arkus-Duntov writes a memo to Ed Cole and Maurice Olley, noting that the Corvette appeared to be a failure. He suggests that to drop the Corvette would be an admission of failure. He urges General Motors not to cancel the car, but to create a separate department within Chevrolet to oversee Corvette development.

December 1954

Production of the 1954 model Corvette ends, with 3265 made, and 1076 unsold.

Funny how time changes things.