Sitting in this garage is a classic car that could be one of the bargains of the year. C1 Corvette “Fuelies” will always command premium prices, and if they are pristine, these can easily change hands for six-figure sums. This 1957 model isn’t perfect, but it is a rust-free survivor that is ready to be enjoyed by its lucky new owner. Barn Finder rex m spotted this gem for us, so thank you so much for that, rex. It is located in Gilbert, Arizona, and has been listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner has set a sale price of $69,000 for the classic Corvette.
This shot is the only one that the owner supplies that provides an overall view of the Corvette. It is worth noting that potential buyers won’t be scoring a pristine classic for their cash, but the car is of excellent driver quality. The seller admits that a previous owner undertook a repaint in the vehicle’s original combination of Venetian Red with White coves. This still holds a pleasing shine, although it has collected a few marks and nicks over the ensuing years. The same is true of the fiberglass, although there are no flaws that require immediate attention. The car comes with a soft-top, along with a factory hardtop that is in good order. When we delve below the surface, the Corvette’s frame is said to be in good condition, with no evidence of rust or other nasty problems. The trim and chrome are in good order, and I can’t spot any issues with the glass.
Lifting the hood reveals a mixture of old and new with this beauty. The 283ci fuel-injected V8 that we find in residence should pump out a very respectable 283hp. Bolted to this is a 4-speed Muncie manual transmission, which is a later addition. With its original 3-speed in place, this classic would have stormed the ¼ mile in around 15.2 seconds. With the new transmission, the extra ratio means that the car should now better that figure. The owner says that the engine block and cylinder heads are numbers-matching, but the fuel injection system is date-coded for 1958. As he rightly points out, this is not an uncommon occurrence, although the lack of originality will have some impact on the Corvette’s potential value. However, if this ‘Vette is considered purely as a driver quality car, it probably makes little difference. Locating a correct transmission is possible, and I even found a correct and fully refurbished fuel injection system for sale online. At $5,000, this is not a cheap investment. However, if the buyer is intent upon originality, it could be money well spent. I also had no problems locating a date-correct 3-speed manual transmission suitable for rebuild for under $300, so that part of the equation isn’t that bad. Looking beyond that, this fuelie is said to run and drive well, and it’s ready to be enjoyed by its lucky new owner.
One area of the Corvette where the buyer won’t need to spend a lot of money immediately is on this classic’s interior. However, it is worth noting that the Black trim is not original. The Tag will confirm this, but this car would’ve rolled off the line with Beige or Red upholstery. There is no evidence of any wear or tear on any of the upholstered surfaces, while the dash and carpet are impressively clean. The buyer might decide to undertake a retrim in their quest for originality. This will not be a cheap undertaking because, by the time the buyer replaces the seat covers, door trims, and carpet, the bill will top $2,000. That means that it is a move that will have to be considered carefully before the buyer commits to that kind of outlay. The fire extinguisher is another addition, but removing that would be easy for the buyer to tackle.
If this 1957 Corvette Fuelie was a pristine and 100% original classic, there’s no doubt that it would command a market value well into six-figure territory. However, it isn’t, so it won’t. Returning it to a factory-fresh state is possible, but buyers will need to decide how badly they want to achieve this. Addressing the interior and the fuel injection system changes will cost more than $7,000, while the correct transmission hurt the wallet by a further $300 plus the rebuild cost. Adding to the financial burden, the car would require a repaint if the exterior were to present perfectly. Would you undertake all of this work in search of originality, or would you be happy to retain this Fuelie as the tidy driver that it already is?
If your wallet is big enough and want it back to oem condition, go for it. If driver quality is fine then drive it. This is all assuming it’s all in good condition.
Personally I’d love to drive the wheels off it.
Personally I’m with you on driving the wheels off of it,,,,,, just as it sits now. No need to spend any money to create something you’d be afraid of putting a chip in the paint or dirt on the frame by driving it.
Agreed. Worst parts of this are the PRICE and the Transmission. Muncies are strong, but clunky. finding a CORRECT date code T10 would cost a small fortune. The 250hp is so torquey, a close ratio 4 speed makes using all 4 gears around town unnecessary. A modern 5 speed with overdrive 5th migh make sense.
I’d be very comfortable driving with authentic 3 speed. But I’m old school. don’t need no synchro 1st.
These cars were a thrown together pile of off the shelf bits that ultimately became more than the sum of its parts. Certainly Zora’s contribution was massive, but the 1956 Corvette was already being built by the time Zora got here.
Probably built as GM’s answer to the Jaguar XK120.
I had a Jaguar buddy said both could best be described as “racing trucks”.
Very much different from the 356 Porsche of the day.
I’d recommend a guy have one of each…
I prefer my 1986 Ford Escort Pony hatchback. White, 2 door and no radio.
Too bad it is not a 4bbl, much easier and just as nice. Can be fixed by almost anyone anywhere, can you say the same for the mechanical FI? This car is destined to be a trailer queen after some rich guy pays for a full tilt resto. A standard 4bbl, would prob get driven as intended. I am tired of trailer queens, of course, at my age, I am always tired.
Darn those rich people. If any C1 deserves a “trailer queen” restoration it’s a fuelie Corvette. The vast majority of “classic” cars at any show, even generic coffee and cars style events are garage queens racking up most if not all of their miles going to and from shows. The only real difference between the two is the amount of hate given to the guy with the means to do a high level restoration on the more desirable/expensive car.
Steve R
Gary, I own a FI 58. The problem with the FI is that contemporary gas will do bad things to it. Solution; an EdelbrocK manifold and a carter carb. Result; a fun daily driver. FI sits in my office.
I think that one is a 250hp. Nicer driving than the 283hp. I think there are upgrades/klodges to make the FI a bit better. I put 20k miles on one back 50 years ago. I’d avoid ethanol gas, as it is hygroscopic and the HP pump is steel gears in a Cast Iron case. About the size of a big pocket watch.
I am fairly certain there are no trim tags on a 57. It is likely a 250 hp engine based on the price. His asking price is below market for a 57 FI. As mentioned, if an NCRS guy with a blank check gets his hands in this car, it will only be on and off a trailer. Sad. My Corvette is almost 50 years young. Drive it at least twice a week.
There is no “Tag” to check colors on on 57 Corvettes. Trim tags didn’t appear on Corvettes until 1963, but the red dash and door trim indicate that this car likely had a beige interior (red interiors came with a beige dash and door trim). Also, white was not an available cove color in 57. Cars with the optional two-tone finish got either Shoreline Beige or Silver Metallic coves, depending on the primary color. On Venetian Red cars, Shoreline Beige was the optional cove color.
This car may make a nice driver, but as a 57 with the wrong FI unit, wrong trans, wrong interior, missing shielding, incorrect paint and a lot of other little missing/wrong details, in just average condition, the price seems high to me. I’d like to have a 56/57 to park by my 62, these are my favorite years, but for that price I’d want a car a little closer to original.
A restored 57 FI unit for $5000 is a deal. Restored units usually go for twice that amount.
I thought they wrote the body color on a panel in the trunk? I am going way back in my NCRS career with that memory and I mostly judged C3 and C4 while active in the hobby.
Cheers
56-62’s often had the primary paint color written on the bulkhead between the seats and trunk with a green grease pencil. Usually it just said, black, maroon, red, etc, though ivory was sometimes written for white. I don’t know how accurate this was (even trim tags have shown up with mistakes), or if it was something that was automatically done to every car. Of course, after 50-60 years, this has often been painted over.
I know “ST” or “HT” were often written with the paint color on 61-62’s, to indicate if the car had just a soft top, or also had a hardtop. This may have been done on earlier cars too, I just don’t recall right now.
Depending on when the car was built the FI date code may not be a showstopper. Remember that GM was concerned with building cars and selling them as fast as they could, not preparing them for collectors decades in the future. It was not uncommon for cars produced late in a production run to have some parts and pieces from the upcoming model year installed. Most likely not with an FI unit, but stranger things happened during Corvette production. NCRS has made note of overlapping production dates in many of their Judging Manuals.
I had a 57 Vette in high school back in ’70-71. Glad they put a big steering wheel on this sucker because I could never keep enough grease in those kingpins.
We will assume you took Drivers Education and always drove safely. Actually, if you survived to write that post, you just might have driven safely. What say you?
A friend had a 57 dual four barrel, stick shift, in 1964. It was already a junkie with wiring problems. This was in the Mid-West where salt was a huge problem.
At 69K go find one that restored. How much to you think it cost to do a full restoration these days?
$115,000 to buy the Top Flight 1957 283/270HP, three-speed listed in the current edition of the NCRS Driveline magazine.
Same issue has a fully restored and running 1957 FI unit for sale. $8000.00.
I fear the bubble has burst on these cars. Asking $115k does not make it worth that.
This car is not bad, but only worth tens of thousands less. Value as an investment is withering. Internet has thousands of driver quality $50k hot rods for sale for many months.
Buy it to drive because you love it. That was always a good plan.