America’s first production sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette, was not a sales success at first. From 1953 to 1955 the car didn’t exactly fly out of showrooms, but that changed when a V8 engine would finally become available. By 1959, Chevy was peddling close to 10,000 Corvettes a year, like this one which is a convertible with a removable hardtop. It looks pretty rough, it’s in a garage in Westfield, Massachusetts, and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $45.000.
This is another one of those cars where the seller provides little to no information and encourages interested parties to make inquiries for more information. So besides looking like a barn find with perhaps 30,000 miles on the odometer, we don’t know much else. It likely has a 283 cubic inch V8, but they all did, and this one looks like a 4-barrel rather than a triple-carb set-up or a Fuelie. The transmission is a manual and nearly half of them came with 4-speeds, so we assume that’s what is going on here.
Chevy made few changes to the Corvette in 1959 with the big news the prior year having been the addition of quad headlights. Today the car wears what is probably Snowcrest White paint, which could very well be original depending on how long the vehicle has been sitting. The blue interior is about as rough as the rest of the car, so a complete restoration is in order.
We assume the Chevy is mostly complete, including the wheel covers photographed separately. The seller does not indicate if this ‘Vette runs, so assume the worst – unless you make that advertised contact with the seller. Our thanks go to barn finder Peter Rettig for this tip!
$45K huh?
I want the story
Would rather spend 40,000.00 on something more worth while, just my opinion
30,000 miles? Geez, talk about being rode hard and put away wet!
Way to much good luck
very lazy seller expecting a very high price.
Yeah right, my vet looks a lot better and was 20 grand ( 65 396 nom )
This car would have been a real stunner when new. And so what if it has “30k” miles or not? That’s the least of its problems or attributes depending on your point of view.
I TOTALLY AGREE that this car would have been GORGEOUS when NEW. As for 30k?? May have been drag raced and that could explain the condition after 1/4 mile passes then tucked away and forgotten?? Why else would anyone do THIS to this very nice (when new) ’59 Two-Tone Vette?? GREAT COLOR COMBO with that Blue interior and Coves, and who CAN’T LOVE those 3-spoke Corvette Steering wheels!! Too much money needed on this one to start at 45k, especially with the condition of this car! TV CAR AUCTIONS HAVE RUINED THE AMERICAN CAR HOBBY imo!! Most of the cars sold these days will one day be Barn finds after the Rich collectors die off and leave a warehouse full of old cars that the family doesn’t want and have to AUCTION OFF! Unfortunately, that’s the America we all live in now! HORD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AFFORD and drive up prices bc a small group own ALL THE GOOD CARS worth having and the rest of us get to see some of the junk people are pulling out of the woodwork (literally in some cases) and asking Auction prices for cars that need to be fully restored! Fortunately though, WE do get some VERY NICE EXAMPLES ON HERE ALSO! Those cars are what keeps me coming back to drool🤤 GLWS, THIS GUY NEEDS IT!
Another sad thing so many of these auction cars go overseas. I agree that the big auction companies have ruined it for most people other than the rich.
Will the madness ever end
Russ, there was no 3 x 2 barrel carb set up on a C-1 Corvette unless it was aftermarket. The 3 x 2 barrel carb set up was only on 348 “W-blocks” in those days. When its’ cousin the 409 “W-block” showed up in the 1962-1965 era it was either one one or two four barrel carburetors.
In 1959 the Corvette 283 had one Carter 4 Bbl, 2 Carter 4 Bbls, or Rochester Fuel injection. My book says that the low HP Rochester FI motor was available with a Power Glide, but I can’t imagine that many people did that.
I’m no expert on Carter carburetors, and my eyesight isn’t what it used to be, but what I can see tells me I’m 99% sure what’s there is not a Carter carb.
Todays common practice of put no effort into selling it and make everybody ask about everything. They think if they don’t tell you anything, they’re not lying and you didn’t ask! Then they say they’re swamped with inquiries. Yeah, because you told us nothing!
Reflection of society in general…
You are correct . It’s a Holley 4-bbl Carb.
If you are trying to decipher what carburetor is on this, it’s a Holley
And if it came with a manual transmission it would have been a 3 speed, unless optioned with a 4 speed
Sure looks like a Holly to me.
That’s what I noticed too. It’s a Holley! Ford used those on their engines and I hated them because they tended to leak out of the float area that hung out from the caburator bowl area. I always thought it was a lousy design.
Carter with their extra parts and metering rods were the best! GM used them and the Rochesters too. In ’57 for GM, it mattered where they were installed.
The Chevys with powerpacks from the Janesville plant were Carters and the ones from California were Rochesters. I don’t know about the other assembly plants.
you are 100% correct I was just getting ready to say that 348 s where the only time Chevy offered tri power and yes before everyone jumps all over me tri power was a Pontiac name for 3 duces I just like the sound of it
Obviously a Holley double pumper. Likely way too much carb for the little 283. Hard to tell for sure, but it kinda looks like an aluminum aftermarket intake manifold.
Vinyl seat covers worn out with 30k miles? I hope there isn’t one soul that ignorant to believe this. Also many parts replaced under the hood for a low mile car. I hope there are at least a few honest sellers out there.
So his description is just “Contact me for more details about the vehicle.” This dude better love repeating the same info over and over and over and over. A description would save a lot of hassle.
In two months the ad will read, “I know what I have, don’t waste my time, no lowball offers”. You are right, more pictures and a better description will make the sellers life much easier, unfortunately that seems to be beyond the scope of many sellers.
Steve R
I’m guessing more like 130k miles. Way more than I think it’s worth. But being an early Vette I think someone will pay it.
130K on miles. Needs 40K to bring it back from dead. 18K is best price. Yes, don’t waste my time…LMFAO.
Why mention milage? Statements like that cause me to question the seller’s credibility.
mileage
45K might sound steep, but these are the darlings of the 150K restomodders right now. Even if the frame is rotted, they always throw a more updated one under them anyway.
Last week, I think on BaT a 58/59 in excellent driver condition sold at $53K
Yeah, but this one isn’t even driver condition, much less excellent driver condition.
I am guessing more like 230,000 miles .Really rough shape for 30,000 miles.Alot of money to bring this one back.
30k miles 😂😂😂 … What a joke
30K miles … through swampland.
LOL! Or a Boatmobile in Bikini Bottom.
I think the price is to high but I’m also that guy who would get it running and driving and drive it just like that. Because I live in a area with a lot of wealthy people who don’t flaunt their money until summer hits and they pull the Lamborghini’s and Ferrari’s out of the garage, so if I cruised it to hot August nights I could probably sell it for profit.
LMAO! Whose the lucky fool here? Price a restro, then a runner.
Oh No, that’s all I can say.
Not a vette expert my parents owned 3 of these c1 all 3 were a money pit and problems talked to other c1owners they say the same close friends had a 68 427 390h.p. 4sd sold it due to problems 59 was a one only turquoise color may add value it’s not a 2x4s or s fuelie hagerty has this at 58k in good condition if you feel you can do the work yourself it’s still costly if it not done right it will show where I live body shop labor is 150 per hour plus parts ect unless you can
afford and want one stay away some mentioned resto mod I know some who did a 67 camaro l.s.swap 5sp manual was almost 20kif you living pay check to pay check for get it
Last week, I think on BaT a 58/59 in excellent driver condition sold at $53K
Sorry this was posted again by mistake
I had to take 4 breaths, sorry. I agree some enthusiasts don’t realize our hobby is not without upkeep costs, but I doubt they have that much influence on the hobby as a whole.
You can call me kinky, but I like the body on this car. I doubt it’s been hit. The price is absolutely ridiculous, however.
Actually, I believe the seller could get $30,000 for it without having to lie about anything. It’s a shame he’s more interested in landing a sucker.
Again, many of these early Vettes had their engines pulled and replaced with other sb engines. The carb is a 650cfm or 750 cfm Holler double pumper. Either carb was too much for a 283 unbuilt engine. Another tell on these model was the distributor shroud and tach drive dual point distributor were replaced with std type distributors due to problems with difficulty tuning dual points. The odds are fair that this is a 283 from another GM car. I owned a 59 Vette and my engine had a long neck oil filler tube on the front of the engine. I, also, owned a 69 two top with a 4 spd 350/ 370 hp LT1. It brings tears to my eyes to even think about either one of them. So much enjoyment you can’t achieve today. I feel sorry for the car enthusiants today. The sound of a Quadrojet kicking in from the primary jets to secondary cannot be duplicated today.
so true I’ve had many a 1958 348 factory 3 speed my first car with a 4 barrel and being young 16 years old and follish ran many times without a air cleaner just to hear the sound of the carburetor love that sound you have brought back a forgotten memory thanks