• It was another landmark year for Corvette in that the 1997 C5 model was the first all-new Corvette in 13 years and only the fifth or sixth (depending upon your viewpoint) major change in the car's 44-year history.
• The "fifth-generation" Corvette was offered only as a coupe in its debut year.
• Among the equipment fea­tured for the C5 was a new, more compact 5.7-liter LS1 V-8 that produced 350 hp and 345 lbs.-ft. of torque.
• Although the engine was rated as 5.7-liter, the actual dimension was 5.669 liters as opposed to last years model of 5.733 liters
• A rear-mounted transaxle opened up more interior space and helped maintain a near 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution.
• An Electronic Throttle Control system allowed engineers a limitless range of throttle progression.
• The 1997 Corvette's underbody structure was the stiffest in the car's his­tory and consisted of two full-length, hydro-formed perimeter frame rails coupled to a backbone tunnel.
• The rails consisted of a single piece of tubular steel, replacing the 14 parts used previously.
• The cockpit of the all-new Corvette featured a twin-pod design rem­iniscent of the original 1953 Corvette.
• The instrument panel contained traditional backlit analog gauges and a digital Driver Information Center that comprised a display of 12 individual readouts in four languages.
• The new-design blunt tail section allowed for smoother airflow and resulting 0.29 coefficient of drag.
• The C5 Corvette was offered with a 4L60-E electronic four-speed overdrive automatic as the base transmission and an optional six-speed manual transmission.
• Corvettes came in Arctic White; Sebring Silver Metallic; Nassau Blue; Black; Light Carmine Red Metallic; Torch Red; and Fairway Green Metallic.
• Interiors came in Black; Light Gray; and Firethorn Red.
• Standard features included a removable body-color roof panel.
• Leather seats were standard equipment.

I.D. NUMBERS

• The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
• The serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY22G*V5100001 to 1G1YY22G*V5109093

  Position	Character	Description
  1	1	US built
  2	G	General Motors product
  3	1	Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
  4&5	YY	Corvette
  6	2 or 3	Body style number 2 = Two door hatchback style 07, 08, 77, or 87
  7	2 or 4	2=Active manual belts with driver and passenger inflatable restraint system 4=Active manual belts with frontal and side-impact driver and front passenger inflatable restraint system
  8	G	LS1 5.7-liter (346 cu. in) Sequential multiport-fuel-injection (SFI) V8
  9	?	A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate
  10	V	The model year where 1997
  11	5	Bowling Green, KY
  12-17	100001 and up	production sequence for coupes

• Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
• Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
  • The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
  • The one or two numbers shows the month
  • The last digit shows the year
• Engine suffixes:

  Code	Engine	Horsepower	Compression	Transmission	Fuel Supply	Extra features
  ZYD	LS1 350-cid	345-hp V-8	10.1:1	automatic	multi-port injection
  ZYC	LS1 350-cid	345-hp V-8	10.1:1	manual	multi-port injection

• The 1997 Corvette exterior colors were:
  • 10 = Arctic White
  • 13 = Sebring Silver Metallic
  • 23 = Nassau Blue Metallic
  • 41 = Black
  • 53 = Light Carmine Red Metallic
  • 70 = Torch Red
  • 87 = Fairway Green Metallic.
• Upholstery Codes

  Color	Leather Upholstery
  Black	193
  Light Gray	923
  Red	943

Model	Model No.	Body/Style No.	Body Type	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
Coupe	1Y	Y07	2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger	$37,495	3229	9,092

TRANSMISSION

• Four Speed Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission (TMH 700-R4) with floor-mounted gear shifter
• Six-speed Manual with overdrive and floor-mounted gear shifter

• RPO CJ2 Dual-zone air conditioning $365
• RPO AQ9 Adjustable leather bucket seats, requires six-way power passenger seat $625
• RPO G92 Performance axle ratio, not avail­able with six-speed manual transmission $100
• RPO CYF California emission system $170
• RPO JL4 Active-handling System $500
• RPO Z51 Performance handling Package with Bllstein adjustable Ride-Control system $350
• RPO F45 Continuously Variable Real Time Damping, not avail­able with RPO Z51 Pkg $1,695
• RPO AAB Memory package to recall settings for outside rearview mir­rors, radio, power seats, and heating-ventilation and air-conditioning controls $150
• RPO UlS Remote CD changer $600
• RPO UNO Delco/Bose music system $100
• RPO V49 Front license plate frame $15
• RPO T96 Fog lamps $65
• RPO D42 Luggage shade and cargo net $50
• RPO B34 Front floor mats $25
• RPO B84 Body side moldings $75
• RPO C2L Dual body color-keyed roof panel and blue transparent roof panel $950
• RPO CC3 Roof panel with blue tint $650
• RPO AG2 Power six-way passenger seat $305

• The all-new C5 Corvette was designed under the direction of John Cafaro.
• American Woman Motorscene magazine named the 1997 Corvette its "Most likely to be immortalized" car.
• The C5 Corvette could do five second 0-to-60-mph runs and cover the quarter mile in 13.28 seconds at 107.6 mph according to Vette magazine

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