Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

[Mark E.]

Did it originate as internal GM jargon? Or some magazine?

I'm old enough to remember solid axle, mid-year and shark used as generational labels. So maybe the "C" nomenclature began during the C4 era?

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

Mark,
It came into popular use in the 1990's according to Mike Antonick. (Glossary, Page 3, 2015 Edition of the Black Book), for Corvette generations. Probably when the C5 's came out.

[Gene M.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

I still refer to solid axle, mid years, and late model. No confusion.

All the c stuff has me confused, I guess I lost track of when was what.

[Bill M.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

I will not refer to my cars as anything but a midyears and a 15. can't stand the C reference great idea to forget

[Edward M.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

I believe that C5 was the first designation, and was used in 1996-1997 time frame to refer to the new Corvette. This almost immediately was extended to C4, C3, C2, C1 for the earlier models.

[Tom D.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

Well, I do find the C-stuff is helpful at family parties. Most of my cousins can related to the first three. Almost all had interesting cars in the sixties, and almost all have (only) SUVs today.

[Steve B.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

I'll always refer to the first three generations as "solid axles" "mid years" and "sharks" but that's just me. I believe that the C designation came into play when the 1997 model came out like the others have said.

[Rick A.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

"C" designations were NOT started internally by GM, but rather by car magazines, etc. First came into use with the advent of the 4th generation of the Corvette.

[Reba W.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

I believe that the designation of midyears for 1963-67 came about when they were the middle of three generations. That is no longer accurate. Can we believe that C4s are now the middle years of Corvette production? But somehow it doesn't sound right to call them that. I have learned to use the C designation as it is the easiest way to define body styles.

[Gene M.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

C method seems the easiest to get one's thinking in a specific area of Corvette configuration but there are so many now I have to stop and think which body style is with which c designation. When people ask me about my area of interest I just refer to "chrome bumper cars" . Then everybody knows them. If one was specific to say c5 they would need to say the year range that covers them. As time goes on and body styles keep changing it will get more vague as to what one is referring to if the listener is not well versed in the changeovers.

[Joe C.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

It started with the 4th gen car.
First time I heard "C4" I took cover in case of an explosion.

[Reba W.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

You are correct, Gene. I am not sure just where C4 ends. But like you, I prefer the chrome bumper cars.

[Tracy C.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

I'm sure that whoever it was, they are quite impressed with themselves. It is evident that given the differences between the 55 & 56 and the 57 & 58 that they had little regard or knowledge of the earlier models. Lumping a 53 into the same "category" as a 62 is pretty lame.

[Ken A.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

"They" is GM. The letters were for the platform design and an easy way for engineers to communicate. Other letters included A thru X and covered all cars & trucks.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Who came up with the C1, C2, C3,...C7 nomenclature and when did it start?

Ken,
You may be correct, Doing some research trying to find out when this all started I found two Motor Trend articles that may or may not have started the "C" nomenclature. The first article was"1997 Chevrolet Corvette-1997 Sneak Peak", by Don Sherman. Quote-"Last March, GM began ripping up its Bowling Green,Kentucky assembly plant in preparation for the first all new Corvette in 13 years. The noise and demolition dust barely put a crimp in the plant's output of the current model (known internally as the C4)." Which may or may not backup Ken's previous thread and an earlier poster's thread about GM using it first.
The second Motor Trend article "1997 Chevrolet Corvette: First Photo, First Test" by Randy Lorentzen, February 1,1997." Quote-"This is the first all new Corvette in 13 years, yeah, 13 years. Back when the '84C4 (Corvette fourth generation)debuted. The car biz was substantially different from what it is today." Which may or may not backup what others previously mention about it all started in a magazine.
I believe it may have started with the beginning of the 1997 Vette, and probably why Mike Antonick lists it as starting in the 90's. Perhaps one of these articles started that ball rolling.
Thought I just put this out as one of the many possiblities.