The Chevy Corvette barely survived past 1955, but some new styling and the availability of a V8 engine saved a car that’s still in production today. This 1957 edition was once a racer and all that remains are fiberglass body panels and a rusty rear axle. We’re told that some of these pieces are hard to find, so if you’re trying to restore one, could what’s left here help you along? Located in Englewood, Florida, this ‘Vette is available for $7,500 here on craigslist if you have a trailer to haul it all away. Thanks for another interesting tip, Pat L.!
After selling just 700 Corvettes in 1955, Chevy almost threw in the towel. But they didn’t and sports car fans everywhere are glad they didn’t. Sales perked up to 3,467 units in 1956 and to 6,339 in 1957, the last year before the front headlights went from singles to duals. The big news for ’57 was that fuel injection was available for the first time as well as an optional 4-speed transmission. The former only found 1,040 takers and the latter just 644, but it was progressing.
We know little about how this ’57 come to be. Whatever undercarriage or drivetrain this car once had are long gone, so it’s a parts “car” with not so much car, and no title. But what we see here looks okay except for whatever modifications were made to suit the owner’s racing purposes. Is this collection of fiberglass bits and pieces and some scrap metal worth the asking price?
Reminds me of the plastic model kits I built years ago ( for .99 cents),,”Build 1 of 3 ways”,,,
I don’t see “many hard to find parts”, but the seat frames are worth some money. There’s really not much 57 Corvette left. The nose is a one piece aftermarket piece, the trunk floor is gone, the rear wheel wells have been tubbed, there are two hoods that are both cut up, the firewall’s been filled and smoothed, the door handles have been filled, and so on………..
I just spent the last month in Florida, and was watching Craigslist daily, I don’t know how I missed this one. Last week I was staying just over an hour from Englewood, I even looked at a collection of 7 Corvettes about 20 minutes from there, that the owner is “considering” selling. What’s left of this 57 is pretty rough, but I still would have taken a look at it.
No.
Ran when parked.
LS swap.
The front inner fenderwells and one hood are for a ’58 – ’62 model. One of the differentials looks like a rusty Mopar. The Chevy-like rear lacks a vent, and is probably a pegleg. The steering column appears to stop at the firewall.
Getting $7,500 would be a Grand Slam home run. If I was selling this stuff, I’d yank somebody’s arm off if it held a fraction of that amount.