1956 / 1957 Eska 'Kiddie Corvette' Pedal Car (Replacement Windshield)

Description

The Eska Company, Inc.
1956 / 1957 "Kiddie Corvette" Pedal Car
(Replacement Windshield)
As "Kiddie Corvette" owners know, the original windshields on these pedal cars rarely survive and those that do are prone to yellow, crack and deteriorate with time. Constructed of the highest quality materials, these precision-fabricated replacement windshields are made-to-order and pre-drilled to fit perfectly on the body. Makes a dramatic improvement in the appearance of an unrestored or even mint "Kiddie Corvette". Ready to install. Includes chrome surround.
"Kiddie Corvette" History
In early 1956, General Motors commissioned The Eska Company of Dubuque, Iowa to produce 1/3 scale pedal car replicas of their newly redesigned Corvette. Like the full-size Vette, the "Kiddie Corvette" featured a molded "dent proof" plastic body (a first in the pedal car industry) as well as real chrome trim, two-speed transmission and an authentic Corvette color combination of white with red interior. With some help from GM's Styling department, Eska did an amazing job of scaling down the real car's dimensions and the "Kiddie Corvette" was hailed at the time for its accurate proportions. It remains one of the most sought-after '50's era pedal cars in existence.
GM initially used these pedal-powered Vettes for promotional events such as the 1956 Chevrolet Featurama and NASCAR Speed Week Performance Trials in Daytona Beach, Florida where lucky children could participate in races for a chance to win a "Kiddie Corvette" of their own. The winner was also presented with a trophy by the late Corvette Hall of Famer Betty Skelton and NASCAR founder Bill France. The pedal cars received national attention on "The Dinah Shore Show" where they were publicized as part of the "See the USA in Your Chevrolet" contest. Sixty examples were awarded in this national contest with at least another five or six dozen shipped to Chevrolet dealers across the country. During the early spring of '56, the participating dealers held drawings, which were publicized in local newspapers or used the pedal cars as incentives for the purchase of a new Chevrolet.