When you find a classic car like this 1959 Corvette and learn that it has been in the possession of the same owner for 50-years, that can be a reassuring discovery. When you learn that throughout those years it has only managed to accumulate, on average, 240 miles per year, that’s even better. That is the story behind this Corvette, and after half a century, the time has come for it to find its way to a new home. This classic is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has only been fairly moderate on the vehicle, and while it has reached $35,100, the reserve hasn’t been met.
Pulling back the cover exposes 1-of-2,931 Corvettes from 1959 that featured a two-tone paint scheme. In this case, we find Frost Blue with Snowcrest White. Add a White soft-top, and the result is one classy vehicle. The paint isn’t original, and when you look at the shine that it holds, it is hard to believe that the Corvette was refinished in lacquer 45-years-ago. As an added bonus, the owner has a gallon of the Frost Blue paint, and he is including this in the sale. The car has always been garaged and covered, and this has helped it to remain clean and rust-free. In fact, the owner supplies photos of the Corvette’s underside, and it is as clean as you are ever likely to find. The top is almost brand new, while the trim, chrome, and glass all appear to be in great condition. It might not be perfect, but it is certainly eye-catching.
If you were banking on the Corvette being a numbers-matching car, then the news isn’t that great. The original 283ci V8 left the building a long time ago. And I mean a looong time ago. The 283 was swapped for a 327 of unknow specifications by a previous owner more than 50-years ago. Behind the 327 is a 4-speed manual transmission. The Corvette hasn’t had a lot of use over the past five decades. When the owner purchased the car it had 59,000 miles showing on the odometer. It now reads 71,000 miles. That means that the vehicle has managed to accrue 12,000 miles in all of those years. Or, to look at it another way, that equates to 240 miles per year. While the Corvette is in generally good health and drives okay, it does have at least one mechanical issue. The transmission occasionally pops out of 3rd gear, but it will stay there if the shifter is held. The next owner could have the transmission inspected and repaired, but it looks like there might be a spare transmission included in the sale, giving the next owner the choice to either repair or replace.
The interior of the Corvette is generally tidy, although the door trims have been removed for some reason. These are included in the sale, and like the rest of the trim, look to be in good condition. The interior has no urgent needs, and if the next owner simply wants to use the vehicle for weekend jaunts, then it would be fine as it is. You’re not going to find a lot of luxury features in this old classic, but the factory AM radio is a nice inclusion.
So, there it is. This 1959 Corvette looks like a great car, especially for the person who wants a classic that they can just drive and enjoy immediately. It is disappointing that it isn’t a numbers-matching vehicle, and this will have an impact on its ultimate value. In the 1959 model year, Chevrolet managed to shift 9,670 Corvettes, which was still nowhere near the sorts of volumes that they had been hoping to sell. However, it was a long way ahead of the 1955 total of 700 and was ample justification for the Corvette to remain in production. Today, tidy and original examples generally start just north of $50,000, but from there six-figure prices are not uncommon. This one will not achieve those sorts of stratospheric prices due to its mechanical changes, but it would still be worth watching. If someone scores this car for less than $50,000, I reckon that they will have done okay.
I’m a little disappointed to see a 327 under the hood but it could always be a lot worse; someone could’ve dropped in an LS. I would venture a guess that this engine is a typical Impala/Caprice application putting out 275 hp, which will still propel this car to ridiculous velocities. Being that it’s in there I wouldn’t likely change it unless someone showed up with a genuine Vette 283. Just bring it over to my place and I’ll take good care of it. I might even use it to drive down the entire length of Route 66…
Well Geo, I believe you,d have a long line to wait your turn and beat us all too it. Its a great looking car. I remeber years ago.I knew a guy who had a red one like it. Sharp looking car. I would just look at it. I,d drive it. It would be a chick magnet. Of course I,d probably catch hell over it. hahaha I wouldn,t care. She asked me to sale my Fairlane . I wouldn,t . She aske me why. I told her. You can go to car shows and you always hear people talk about they had one like it and WISHED they kept it. I,m not gonna wish–I,m keeping it—to many memorys and testing of the rear of the rear schocks. hahaha Damn that car still makes me smile of all the memorys.
i agree with your wish i had never sold it.
Not original paint=NOT A SURVIVOR
Not original engine=NOT A SURVIVOR
And a 45-year-old can of paint is probably not a survivor.
What Dusty Stalz said!!
another climate controlled barn found
BIG DEAL! I still like, no matter what the numbers say, it can have a stall in my garage anytime.
i dont have a garage . how about a tarp
A beautiful ‘59 Vette convertible with a V8 and a 4-speed. Don’t care about the numbers not matching; checks all the boxes for me.
Would love to have it!
Survivor? Maybe the body and chassis. Since the original mill is long gone ,tranny jumps out of third,my guess would be ,this ole girl had the living hell ran out of it in its early days,hence the motor being long gone.Glad there aren’t a bunch of screw holes that held old gauges,also good that a lot of the original parts weren’t removed for weight reduction,if this in fact the case,and all that remains is what the car was born with.Beautiful car I must say.😁
I do believe this was my car from the 60’s. I live about ten miles from the present owner, but have never seen the Corvette on the road. I purchased it used in the fall of 1963 when I graduated college. It was owned by a private owned from the Allentown, PA area who had a 64 Corvette on order. We went to the Chevy dealer to transfer the title and the $1,200 I paid was added to his Corvette deposit. It had a borg-warner t-10 trans which always jumped out of 2nd gear not third. If you held it in place, it was OK. The dealer said that it was his wife’s car and she special ordered it with the red interior. Could have been a lie, because after about three months it started burning oil out of one side of the engine. Pulled the motor and found a sleeve in one of the cylinders and the ring cracked. Did not want to rebuild that engine so I purchased a new 360 horse 327 short block from my local Chevy dealer in West Pittston, PA and put it back together using the original heads and intake. Wish I could buy it again, but I am 77 years old and have a 99 Corvette plus several other toys right now.
Maybe it is. Good story. I hope you don,t live far from it and can find out for sure.
The most important option missing appearance wise if not overall is a hardtop. It would be the first thing I would look to buy and would take that in consideration in how high I would go on the car. The difference in looks between a soft top versus a hardtop is huge.
A little TLC and drive it looks nice
“When you find a classic car like this 1959 Corvette and learn that it has been in the possession of the same owner for 50-years, that can be a reassuring discovery. When you learn that throughout those years it has only managed to accumulate, on average, 240 miles per year, that’s even better. That is the story behind this Corvette.”
Ebay, that’s when you say, “That sucks”
“240 miles a year”? Really?
If the car has 71k miles and is 60 years old, it calculates to 1184 miles per year.
Is that just marketing hype…or what am I missing here?
As well, not to be overly cynical, but it needs work. Tires, chrome, radio, door card, etc. Probably needs much more than has been alluded to in the vague ebay listing and the glowing BF text. Me thinks Adam has his “Vette-colored glasses on. Just sayin’…..!
Current owner bought it 50 years ago with 59,000 miles on it, currently has 71,000 miles on it, 50years/12,000 miles=240 miles by current owner as stated in beginning of ad! READ! That’s what ur missing. Looks nice & clean. I got a Borg/warner T10 4spd in my 69 Mustang [out of a 66 Selby, only pops out of 2nd going downhill under load ocasionily] it’s a nice close ratio tranny 4 racing, preferred by Carrol Selby over top loader. Does any one know what reserve is on this Vette?
Sorry, Walt. You’re a victim of marketing hype. Total miles 71k, total time 60 years, average per year = 1184.
I also have a 59 vehicle undergoing a multi-year restoration. It had 90k on the clock when I got it. It’s had no miles during the last 5 years. So using the same logic, can I advertise it as having ‘zero’ miles? Ummm, don’t think so!
While this Vette “looks nice & clean”, if you’ve ever purchased a vehicle using only a seller’s claims and photos you’ll know there’s usually a wide stretch between the hype…and the reality…when it lands in your driveway.
Sorry Walt, YOU are wrong. He’s talking about the years that THIS owner has had the car. Not the total mileage of the car.
“When you find a classic car like this 1959 Corvette and learn that it has been in the possession of the same owner for 50-years, that can be a reassuring discovery. When you learn that throughout those years it has only managed to accumulate, on average, 240 miles per year, that’s even better.”
The current owner has driven it (71,000-59,000) 12,000 miles or, (12,000/50 years) 240 miles per year for those 50 years. Maybe you didn’t understand what or how it was written. If you want to rewrite the article, I’m sure Adam would be glad to talk to you about it.
You guys slay me.
All the mathematical gymnastics in the world won’t erase those first 59k miles.
Every other claim is just….hype!