At the same time, other significant advancements were being made within the existing Corvette program. The return of the Corvette Convertible in1986had represented the first re-uniting of the coupe and the convertible (offered in the same model year) in more than a decade. Despite less than stellar sales numbers in its first year, the return of the convertible option was well received by critics and Corvette enthusiasts alike.
ManyCorvettepurists pointed out that the Corvette had began its existence as a convertible, and it seemed only logical thatGeneral Motorsshould continue to offer the convertible option as part of the Corvette’s heritage. In fact, many Corvette enthusiasts had strongly criticized the absence of a convertible option when it had been previously discontinued at the onset of the1976model year.
So, for 1987, both the coupe and the convertible returned, but not without some noteworthy changes to both variants of the vehicle.
Cosmetically, theCorvettewas virtually unchanged from the1986model, save for one, immediately identifiable feature – the wheels. For the1984and1985models, the wheels center cap and radial slots had been painted black. In1986, only the slots featured the black paint.
For the 1987 model year, the black paint was eliminated completely from the wheels, and both the caps and slots were now treated to an argent gray coloring.
In an ongoing effort to reduce engine friction with the intent of improving both engine performance and fuel economy, Chevrolet added rollers to thehydraulic lifters. In doing so, the engine performance of the 1987 Corvette was increased by ten horsepower, taking the engine’s overall horsepower rating to 240hp. The engine torque was also improved by 15lbs/ft., bringing it to a total of 345. In addition to the rollers, they also addedrocker-arm coverswith raised rails to help prevent oil leaks. A thicker-core radiator and a second electric cooling fan were also included to further aid in maintaining cooler engine temperatures.