When the Corvette Skipped the Convertible: The Gap Years

The article traces why certain Corvette years never offered convertibles: the 1975 model year went coupe-only amid the oil crisis, horsepower cuts, and rollover-safety concerns; the convertible finally returned in 1986 with the C4, but in far lower numbers than the coupe, and Chevrolet kept a coupe-only stance again for 1997 before reintroducing the convertible with the C5 in 1998. Today, open-top ambitions have waned as buyers shift toward other open-air options, like the Jeep Wrangler, leaving some Corvette years without a drop-top.