The Lost Corvette

The Lost Corvette, first broadcasted on History in 2019, is a one-hour special that offers a riveting exploration into an iconic piece of American history, one that slipped through the cracks and left car enthusiasts across the globe in anticipation and speculation for decades: a 1963-64 variant of the Chevrolet Corvette.

At the heart of The Lost Corvette, is the story of the "Chevrolet Corvette," an American dream contoured out of steel, chrome, and raw horsepower. Leading the pack in American sports car manufacturing, each year of production saw a new Corvette model brought to life. However, as any Corvette enthusiast would confirm, there is missing link in the line up. Following sequential order, there should have been a 30th edition for the year 1983. Unfortunately, that is a model that never officially saw the light of day due to various reasons, among them were quality control issues, changes in emission standards, and significant puzzle pieces needed to develop a truly evolved 'Vette.

The documentary endeavors to unpack the factors behind this gap – the circumstances and challenges that led to the Corvette's mysterious disappearance for that year, and its significant impact on the overall legacy of the Corvette brand. The 'lost corvette' for all intents and purposes, became the phantom of the American automotive industry, a ghost car that enthusiasts have dreamed about but never actually seen.

The show's host, Chris Mazzilli, is a renowned Corvette expert and owner of Dream Car Restoration in Hicksville, New York, responsible for some of the most breathtaking car restorations out there. Mazzilli embarks on a journey that combines investigative historical research, daring imagination, and innovative mechanical restoration. Guiding viewers each step of the way, he seeks to solve the mystery of the missing 1983 Corvette by essentially bringing it to life.

Working with GM and the National Corvette Museum, Mazzilli and his team take on the audacious challenge of constructing this 'lost' Corvette from the ground up. The show documents the process and meticulous attention to detail necessary for assembling a car that technically doesn't exist, a vehicle that remains only in the realms of speculation, blueprints and un-materialized plans. The viewer is essentially taken along for an exciting journey behind the scenes into the world of car making, particularly shedding light on the dedication, skill and passion that goes into creating these American legends.

The Lost Corvette serves to offer a unique combination of documentary, mystery, and creative construction. It is a must-watch for car enthusiasts and history buffs alike. Through the episodes, viewers are granted exclusive access into the complex process undertaken by Mazzilli and his team in piecing together the 1983 Corvette based on existing research, knowledge of the Corvette evolution, and keen mechanical mastery.

By the end, viewers will gain a heightened respect for the process of car-making and the effort and ingenuity that goes into crafting masterful mechanics. Car enthusiasts of the world will find themselves drawn into the innately human story of design and production, of ideas lost and tinkered with, and, ultimately, of a ‘ghost' brought to life in all its metallic glory.

The Lost Corvette stands as a testament to the enduring appeal and cultural significance of the Corvette as well as the relentless curiosity and ingenuity of car enthusiasts keen on preserving and filling in the gaps in automotive history. With its enigmatic premise, engaging narrative, and exhaustive detailing of the entire build process – down to the individual bolts and screws of the Corvette – the show ensures you won't look at a car the same way again. This serves as a reminder that even the birth of each car model has a unique tale to tell, imbued with twists, turns, triumphs and trials, as it roars to life from the production line onto the asphalt.

The uncovering of the Corvette mystery and the watch as it is recreated is sure to draw in viewers looking for a slice of American history, a piece of missing automotive folklore brought to life in a way only unified passion, skill, and determination can achieve. At its heart, The Lost Corvette is truly a riveting dive into an unsolved chapter in America's motoring heritage and the audacious attempt to reimagine the unseen.