On January 12, 1953….Just four days before the new Corvette’s introduction at the Motorama on Janaury 16th, The General Motor’s management team informed the styling team that the front emblem and the horn button containing the likeness of the America flag had to go.  It just wasn’t proper to have a country’s flag in an automobile emblem not to mention being against the law.

Overnight, new emblems were fabricated and install on the Motorama car.  When the first Corvette was shown to the press at the Motorama in New York City, the front emblem and horn button contained a black and white checkered flag and a red Chevrolet bow-tie and fleur-de-lis.