While it’s missing its fuel injection system, this 1960 Corvette is still one heck of a find! It’s been with the same owner for the past 40 years and was parked for 20 of those years. The seller believes that the 71k miles showing on the odometer are accurate and that this car could be used as-is. It’s said to be a CS code engine that is all numbers matching. We will get into what the CS code means shortly, but if you’d love to have this Corvette, you can find it here on eBay in Largo, Florida with a current bid of $39k.
The CS code denotes that this car’s 283 V8 was optioned with fuel injection, high lift cam, solid lifters, and a manual transmission. Chevrolet rated this combo at 315 horsepower, which had to make this one fast machine! The seller claims the car is also optioned with big brakes. They do go into more detail than that, but could they be talking about RPO 687, which included heavy-duty brakes and suspension? The car is also optioned with a 4-speed making it one of a very small number of 1960 Corvettes optioned for all-out performance! Given just how valuable these options could make this car, you will really want to have it inspected by a Corvette expert prior to buying it.
The 315 horsepower RPO 687 cars are the precursor to the Z06, making them important pieces of Corvette history. If this car really is so equipped and the mileage is accurate, it is worth serious money. Of course, it’s going to need a fuel injection system and a ton of documentation to fetch top dollar. Hopefully, the seller can provide more of the car’s numbers so that it can be authenticated. So, what do you think? Could this be one of the 119 or so Corvettes built with these options?
Guess we’ll sea……….
So………..same owner for the past 40 years and he “believes the 71,000 miles are original” ?
I think what he’s trying not to say is the guy he bought it from owned it 40 years, and stored it 20. He does state that he put gas in it and “drove it 7 miles home.” He isn’t even sure what year it is, he also says it’s a 1961.
The 1960 “CS” engine suffix code was for a 283/290 fuelie, not a 315. An aluminum head 315 horse engine was announced for 1960 (suffix code CZ), but it was never actually offered.
Based on the picture posted of the front brakes, I don’t believe this car has the RPO 687 “big brake” option. The heavy duty brakes and suspension package included finned brake drums, and ventilated backing plates, with screens installed in them for brake cooling.
The power top is an interesting option, and fairly rare, with only about 500 takers for it in 1960. In reality, the power top was a waste in early Corvettes, since you still had to manually open the deck lid, power the top up, manually close the deck, and then latch the 2 front and 2 rear latches. The manual top is very easy to raise in these cars, and goes up quicker too. Still, it is a neat option to see in an early Corvette, even if it is somewhat useless.
1960 VIN and engine suffix codes were pretty crudely stamped, and this car’s engine stampings look pretty typical of early 60 stamp pads. Overall, it looks like a pretty decent starting point for a restoration project.
gb, you are correct, the CS code is for the 290 HP, solid lifter, fuelie motor. The 315 was to have aluminum heads but casting problems kept that from happening. The car has/had windshield washers but it does not appear the reservoir is there on the right side. Dual point distributor looks right for tach drive. By big brakes seller must mean metallic brakes, it does not have heavy duty brakes.
All-in-all, it looks like a decent car and, at $44k would be a decent buy.
My absolute favorite Corvette. I think it’s just as well it doesn’t have the F.I. unit, I heard they were troublesome, and many removed them anyway. Just the nicest dash, flat steering wheel, like many of the British sports cars of the period, 4 speed, this was without a doubt, the coolest American car made. On another site, a discussion was held on what we thought of the new Corvette. Naturally I thought it was ridiculous, and can’t ever compare to these. Amazing how different the cars are. Favorite Vette right here and,,it has a trunk!
Over the years ( before internet) I read that the mechanical fuel injection did have cold start issues(if I remember correctly) and apparently only some Chevy mechanics were properly trained to work on them so a lot of the vettes ended up being changed to a four barrel carb by the dealership.
I’m sure our knowledgeable readers will correct me if I’m wrong.
Pretty much the story I heard from a small town GM mechanic. Unless you lived in a city with a qualified mechanic that knew how to work on the FI, if anything went wrong the car was down for who knew how long till it got fixed (assuming they could get it fixed). One car he mentioned the dealership discussed having it flatbedded several hundred miles to a qualified tech (didn’t say who was going to foot that bill) or swap it out for a 4 bbl carb, the owner went with the carb. The FI apparently got shoved on the shelf for parts in case some were needed in the future, which sounded like it never happened.
Now days they’re worth their weight in gold for a working unit.
I read somewhere, the reason there are any F.I. units at all today, are the ones people removed.
My year I 57 with the single headlights which I think looks more menacing ever since I watched “Highway to Hell” and the red Vette with the roll bar ruining chicken. But this one has the right stance and looks wicked.
Correction , the movie was “Hot Rods to hell” I was a corny 50’s movie but very entertaining. The 57 is the movie.
The Corvette in Hot Rods to Hell is a four headlight 58, not a 57, and unlike most of hot rod movies, Hot Rods to Hell came out in the late 60’s.
It’s a fun movie none the less, with an assortment of cool 60’s cars in it.
Below is a link to a still from the movie showing the front of the car, and 58 only “washboard” hood.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061784/mediaviewer/rm1114812416
Growing up, there was a kid about 3 years older than me, a real nerdy type who’s father owned a Chevy dealership. Needless to say, the kid had his pick of cars for date nites and used them to get dates with some of the really hot girls. Unfortunately, he couldn’t drive worth a chit and wrecked several cars trying to impress everyone. He drove one of these in the spring of ’61, but couldn’t keep it on the road over 35 mph. Daddy finally took it away from him. Final straw came when he totaled a 64 Chevelle SS396. Funny part, he was sitting at a red light in the middle of our town of about 1,500 people on a Saturday night. Crowd of HS and college students milling around the one hangout in town. He decided to show off, revved it up, popped the clutch and .. the town was pretty much blacked out for the rest of the night, as they couldn’t get anyone to come out to replace the pole with the transformer until Monday. After that, he was pretty much the laughing stock of the town. Graduated, moved away and never came back. Dealership went to his older brother who ran it into the ground. Today, it is a parking lot.
Entertaining story but that’s a Stupid Dad.
Most fuel injection problems are caused by cracked nozzle blocks. The are made of black bake lite a plastic that is vulnerable to excess heat. You can’t tune it by ear you need a vacuum gauge at the least. When they are right it is instant response for sure.
Original or not it is still a pretty sharp looking Corvette that I wouldn’t mind having if I had the room and the extra cash to throw down. I personally wouldn’t want to be aggravated with the FI system as a driver but it would be nice to have and set on the shelf in the event you wanted to sell the car in the future.
I hate to say this because the purists will hate me but I would probably upgrade the engine to a better performer along with a few other touches to make it more driver friendly. Obviously if it is numbers matching pack up all the original parts removed for proper storage so they stay with the car in the event of a future sale.
I put more than 100,000 miles on a FI 59. Very few problems! You needed to carry a cranking signal valve and a drive cable for the pump with you in case either failed, but otherwise always ran good. You could buy all the FI units you wanted in the Sunday Classifieds for peanuts back then! I had to put it on the shelf when the spider started leaking, and they were not available.
It is a shame the original FI is missing but since the block appears to be matching you could install one of these and fool about 98% of the auto enthusiast out there.
https://azspeed.com/product/superjet-rochester-injection-system/
I like your line of thinking. I understand the line of thinking that absolute purists have but I’m not one of them.
Oh, I’m not a purist by any means. I would probably wind up pulling the engine and putting it on a stand and putting in an LT4. LOL
The engine Code is just that, for the engine. There is nothing to say it is the right or wrong motor for the chassis. Check the dates on the heads for a “match” to the block and you might have a valuable block if someone wants to build a FI motor.
It’s kind of a downer for me my old plain Jane ’58 is now a FI highly optioned car.
Two used FI units currently on e-bay for $6000 each. Both appear to need rebuild but include distributor. Just sayin…
As regards the newly revealed C8, I’d take this one in a heartbeat, but them I’m an old fart (75).
This guy sounds like he could fix anything that could possibly go wrong with an OEM unit.
https://www.jerrybramlett.net/services.html
I thought I was an old fart (67), I’d take one too if someone could see their way to pay for it. lol
the FI unit will need to be present to if he wants to promote the car as matching numbers Fuelly car. and like others have said the big brake option is a big deal when so equipped.
Sold for $44,000.
All in all a nice looking car!!!
Toss the FI. 6 Stromberg 97s will fix that problem. Dont RUIN this car with EFI hic key doodads guys are ruining classics with. ls and late model Hemi swaps. Them burgs will make more power than that ROACHESTER. set up. Seen it done starts right up. Crisp throttle responce just need to get a good vacuim gauge. And take 5 mins to set em. up techie guys dont like it. Too simple. What do i know im only a MOPAR guy
I bought the car but would still like to find a correct FI to put on the shelf. In case anyone has one lying around. 🤣
Get ahold of this guy…
https://www.jerrybramlett.net/parts.html#systems
Congrats on the “new” ride…
I have a 7017320 unit and (19601961) and a distributor(1957) but it worked okay. The unit needs to be rebuilt.
Hello Curtis,
Thank you for your comment. Can you tell me the serial number on the unit? I’m looking for a 7017320 with a serial number between 1215 to 1240.