Chevrolet introduced its sports car, the Corvette, in 1953. But it wouldn’t be until 1955 that a V8 engine was offered. Two years after that, fuel injection was added as an option, enabling horsepower to approach or exceed one per cubic inch. This 1960 Corvette (or what’s left of it) is one of just 859 copies built as a “fuelie” that year, but it was wrecked many moons ago. Only the original fuel-injected engine was saved along with the 4-speed manual and posi-traction rear-end. So, if you choose to rebuild it, you’ll be doing do on a donor chassis. Located in Alton, Illinois, the opening bid of $5,000 here on eBay is untouched much less the reserve.
Chevrolet rolled out the 283 cubic inch V8 in 1957 as a companion to the 265, and that’s the engine that received fuel injection beginning in 1957. All C1 Corvette “fuelies” were 283s except in 1962 when the new 327 came out and got that set-up. In 1960, the Rochester FI was available in two versions, order codes 579 and 579D with the difference being 250 vs. 290 hp. Only 100 buyers went with option 579 while the other 759 sold went all the way.
Not much is left of the original car from 1960 here except the all-important drivetrain. The chassis is from a donor car and maybe the partial rear clip is, too. All the rest of the parts and pieces needed to build a complete C1 Corvette will have to be resourced. And the engine isn’t running as it has no distributor or exhaust manifolds. But is the “fuelie” hardware all complete?
We’re told the VIN tag is present and the rare engine comes with the 1960-only aluminum bellhousing. The Borg Warner 4-speed comes with 4:11 posi-traction out back and all those numbers are said to match. It would seem likely that the buyer will choose to move the fuel-injected parts to another 1960 Corvette rather than try to build a car that is otherwise a chassis with four wheels. But what would you do?
I don’t know what to think here. The only thing you really have is the engine and transmission. It’s kinda like buying 1970 454 engine, plopping it into a Malibu and saying you have an original 454 SS. Literally nothing of the fuelie Vette will still exist except the drivetrain. Sorry but even as rare as a fuelie Vette is, this isn’t one, this is just a pile of parts.
If you plop a ss454 engine into a Malibu, then you do have a great foundation for a clone.
I guess to call it an original ss you would have to transfer the cowl with the VIN that matches the motor, and all the trimmings.
Then you would have a legally rebodied restored ss.
I’ve learned here that the Dynacorn chevelle body isn’t recognized by judges.
So the clones with Good original bodies are worth quite a bit to a guy with a real Ls6 that’s rotted to the gills , I would rather this than Bondo and Chinese parts ect.
As far as the corvette, I’ve seen these cars get hit and it snows fiberglass, it doesn’t take much.
If you have a Good Vin and numbers matching drivetrain, I think the market will most definitely call it a car,
It is past an original paint survivor, But this will get put together, this isn’t difficult at all for the talented people out there.
It may be expensive and time consuming.
But at cars and coffee the first thing the bean counter will ask is” Is it numbers matching born with fuelie engine “ .
I say we have a car here, it’s game on!
I was never so glad to get rid of my 61 red black 283 , but the doors did shut with authority. It was solid.
Money will put this back together.
Years ago there was no observation of numbers matching, we spun bearing on the 400s and plugged in 455 from Granville donors and wagons,
What Mark F said. Just a slew of parts. If you have ever driven a C1, you will want to get out after about 10 miles.
C1 Corvette is a short man’s car. I’ve worked on them, but I don’t fit in them.
This one has lots of leg room
This is a gem. Throw the buffer on it and away you go.
I’m kinda wondering why my comment was deleted. Had over 45 people like it last time I checked, then gone. Didn’t say anything against any of the rules.
WHEEEERES…the beef…I mean the car.
Having owned and partially restored a 1957 Corvette when I was in high school and a few years beyond, this unit has a sort of special meaning to me. My ’57 was wrecked/totaled when I “bought” it (I worked at the wrecking yard where I got it, to pay off the selling price – $500 in 1963 dollars-) and I had to do all the bodywork and find an engine/trans for it. One of the owners of the yard knew how to do fiberglass, and helped me fix up the body. I found a good 283 motor in a ’60 Impala and got it running and driving after nearly 3 years of work, in 1966. This 1960 looks like a real challenge, but if I had the time, I’d take it on. The frame and the motor aren’t a lot to start with, but no one said that restoring old Corvettes was easy.
Never said you couldn’t build a car out of it, just that the car you did end up building wouldn’t be a factory fuelie Corvette, at best it would be a clone. Even the chassis here is from a donor car.
Wasn’t it great as a youngster working in a junkyard. I have a few from my younger years in one. fun times..
Dad had a 60 corvette with fuel injection. But his was 315 hp from factory. He said it was a special operations with competition exhaust.
There were 759 FI 283 Vettes with 315hp built in 1960 and 1462 built in 1961. Replaced with the 327 FI engines in 1962
What car, I don’t see a car.
Use your imagination. It’s needs a good buffing an wax..
One dollar past that asking bid gets the “you’ve got to be kidding” award.
Rather have the John Deere.
Had one like that once. Easy to drop a 30s coupe or pickup body on it and end up with a great street rod. If the price was about $2500. lower I would grab it.
Let’s see…
7320 FI unit without distributor, maybe $3,500.
CS engine block, crank, and heads, ~$1,000.
4.11 posi carrier assembly, ~$500.
Iron case B-W 4-speed with aluminum bellhousing, ~$800.
Steering column with junk wheel, perhaps $200.
Rolling chassis with non-Corvette wheels, ~$1,500.
Fiberglass remains with gas tank, $500?
VIN plate with title, $0 to an honest person.
That totals ~$8,000 for the parts plus the dog, and everything is in mystery condition… including the dog.
Find that FI air cleaner. Like $5k!
This looks like a project for Kindig it Design in Salt Lake City
Unfortunately those kind of places don’t start with worthless stuff like this. They would take a near perfect condition original and cut it up. I love customs but it really rubs me the wrong way when they take a car that legitimately could be a factory original show car and cut it up into a custom when they could start with something less likely to make the car show circuit as an original. The Martin custom 1970 Chevelle comes to mind. A practically rust free factory big block SS and they cut the floor out tub the car pit a custom chassis under it and chop the top. Now all that remains of a rust free body is the quarter panels doors and fenders. They could have started with a rusty floor trashed frame Malibu and made the same exact car.
Lost me with the Fram Oil filter
Ran when CUT IN HALF
I just had to go to the listing just to see what was holding the steering wheel shaft in position.
Now at $7,200 with two days left. I wonder if they want it for parts or they want a 61 Corvette and can’t afford one that is complete. Good luck to them if their plan is to find the missing parts and put it back together. It could be done if you have the skills and wanted it bad enough I guess. It won’t have those magic words “matching numbers” ever again but who cares if you just wanted it to drive and enjoy.
Some assembly required.
$5,000, how about $5.00 or less.
It would be cheaper to buy something else. This will need everything, and then some.
AHAHAHA, I’ll comment as soon as I stop laughing. AHAHAHAHAHA!