How the 1955 Le Mans Disaster Nearly Prevented the Corvette L88

NOTE: While all care and attention has been taken to avoid showing any images containing bodies, there are some images in this article that may be distressing to some readers.

In today’s world, we can look back through Chevrolet’s history and appreciate the legendary C2 and C3 L88 Corvettes. We can admire the 427 V8 that was chucking out “435 HP,” although in reality it was pushing from 540 to 580 HP.

We can admire the classic lines of the C2 version, the hood with the functional ram scoops either side of the center ridge. We can admire the huge hood bulge in the C3 version with the “427” badge on it so that there was no denying what was underneath.

Yet, just over a decade before the L88 option was available to consumers, the entirety of the racing program at Chevrolet was put into doubt due to one of the worst motoring accidents that the world has ever seen. It was the accident that caused racing to be banned, in any form, in Switzerland.