Get Ad-Free Access: Just $39/year
The early C4's had their problems, what with the 1984 Cross-Fire Injection and its unusual 4+3 manual transmission. By the late 1980's, the fourth-generation Corvette had evolved into a more desirable automobile, thanks in part to the arrival of the ZR-1. 
1978 Corvette
The C3 still holds the record for the longest production run of any generation Corvette. It was the generation that saw the Corvette "grow-up" from being a powerful track car and Le Mans racer to an iconic sports car synonymous with the American Dream.