I just finished a book about the creation of the Edsel. Seems Ford could not come up with a name. Elenor Ford, Edsels wife did not want her late husbands name used. After hiring a agency and going through many thousands of names, Ernest Breech, then Ford' s V.P.at the final board meeting to pick a name for Fords new car, resubmitted the Edsel name that was orignally rejected . With Henry 2 out of town the board folded to Breeches pick and Fords Biggest failure came be known as the Edsel. This got me to thinking about the Corvette. WHo thought of the name ?. My research say's it was a Newspaper photographer named Myron Scott. How all that fits I dont know. Is there any truth to this man naming the oldest model named car to ever exist ?
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Re: Corvette Name
Myron Scott is correct, and he started his career as a photographer and later went into advertising. I think he was with Chevrolet's ad agency, Campbell Ewald (sp) in New York when he came up with the name.
The name corvette, of French origin, dates to the age of sail for a small, fast warship - smaller than a frigate, but larger than a sloop-of-war. The US Navy never used the designation, but several European navies still use it in reference to small littoral warships configured primarily for anti-submarine warfare.
The name faded with the age of steam, but during WW II a large number of "Flower-class" (most if not all named for flowers) convoy escort ships were built in the UK and Canada that were referred to as corvettes, and one story is that Churckhill was actually responsible for resurrecting the classification. The design was based on an existing whaler hull that had proven good seakeeping properties in the rough North Atlantic waters for a small ship of about 200 feet length and 1000 tons. With a top speed of only about 16 knots, a U-boat could actually outrun them on the surface, but Flower class corvettes could be built quickly and inexpensively, and they helped turn the tide in The Battle of the Atlantic.
Another story is that the Corvette emblem initially included a checkered flag and American flag, but the lawyers pointed out that it's illegal to use the American flag to promote a commercial product. So the Fleur-Di-Lis was substituded.
One reason why Corvettes have always been crowd favorites over the years at LeMans is that not only is the marque name French, so is the model name, and it carries the flag of the French kings!
Corvette is the longest continuously produced passenger car model name in the US, but the Suburban trumps it. Though technically a truck, the Suburban has been in continuous production other than the War years since 1933.
Duke -
Re: Corvette Name
Myron Scott was born in Camden ,Ohio about 15 miles from whare I live.
Below is some info on his interesting life:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Myron E. Scott (September 16, 1907-October 4, 1998) was the creator of the All-American Soap Box Derby.[1] He is also credited with naming Chevrolet's sports car, the Corvette.[2]
Scott was born in Camden, Ohio. After school hours, he worked for the Dayton Daily News and learned photography, and had pictures published in Life Magazine and other publications.
In 1933, as chief photographer for the Dayton Daily News, he came across a few boys racing one another down a hill in vehicles made of orange crates and soap boxes. With the intention of getting a good photo story and local race with prizes, he persuaded the boys to return with more racers and soapbox cars.
Scott was so enthusiastic with the whole concept that he acquired its copyright; the national-scale Soap Box Derby grew out of this idea. In 1934, Scott managed to persuade 50 cities across the United States to hold soap box car races and send a champion each to Dayton for a major race, a proposal that Chevrolet subsequently sponsored in 1935. The race was later held at Talmadge Hill in Akron, Ohio.
Scott later went on to work for Chevrolet, where he named the Corvette. Chevrolet wanted a non-animal name starting with "C" for the sports car in 1953, and Scott chose the name of a fast ship, the corvette.[1][2]Comment
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Re: Corvette Name
Mr. Scott appears to quite a guy. Sounds to me like his achievements would make great material for a History Channel documentary - emphasis on soap box derby along with a "by the way" he also came up with the name for the most desirable American car ever made - the Corvette! I haven't visited the Corvette museum (yet). Is there anything about him in the museum - is he credited with naming the Corvette in the museum?EdComment
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Re: Corvette Name
Thanks to all of you for a very interesting threadComment
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Re: Corvette Name
The NCM has a permanent exhibit that involves the naming of the Corvette and it has all to the above information in different formats some photographic. That display has been there since the museum opening in 1994 along with the original Motorama emblem with the American flag as Duke mentioned.TerryComment
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Re: Corvette Name
He also created (and patented) a C1 Corvette with a folding/disappearing hardtop.Comment
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Re: Corvette Name
I have Myrons name badge done in micro printing so I have added an enlarged picture so you can read it. I have included a picture with his 40 year service pin for size perspective.Comment
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Re: Corvette Name
Second attempt at the enlarged photo.Comment
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Re: Corvette Name
Zoom image 0002.jpgZoom image 0001.jpg
Hello;
Above are two images from the First 1953 at its first Motorama. These pictures are from Chevrolet files located by Wayne Oakley.
The emblems were changed before the Motorama opened to the public, after discovering it was illegal to use the American flag image.
RayAnd when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
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