Frequently early C1 Corvettes are found in either perfectly restored, trailer-queen condition or in a disintegrating pile where the fiberglass ruins would seem more appropriate for making recycled fishing poles. Not so with this 1956 example, it’s nicely optioned, appears to be in solid shape but still needs some attention to finish it out. It is located in Staten Island, New York, and is available here on eBay for a current bid of $30,300, reserve not yet met. Thanks to Ikey Heyman for this tip!

By 1956, the Corvette was on its way to being the performance sports car that had been originally envisioned. While there was still no four-speed manual transmission available, the “Blue-Flame” six-cylinder was consigned to history as far as the ‘Vette was concerned. Power was on the rise in this sophomore year of V8 motivation and the future was looking bright. Corvette production reached 3,467 units in ’56, higher than the previous year’s production but trailing 1954 slightly.

The seller lists some of the options that grace this Corvette and it’s a pretty extensive list.  Of the 3,467 units produced in ’56, we find the following option count that matches this example: Dual Quad 225 HP Engine: 3,070; Powerglide Automatic Transmission: not recorded; Power Windows: 547; Power Folding Top: 2,682; Auxillary Hardtop: 2,076; AM Radio:2,717; Windshield Washers: 2,815; Parking Brake Warning Light: 2,685. The engine count is the surprising one. I researched two different sites, corvsport.com and c1registry.com, and both listed the 3,070 figure as the correct number for RPO469 which is the dual-quad equipped version. The seller is not positive that the dual-quad motor graced this ‘Vette originally but believes it to be the case due to the fuel line location and the three-bolt exhaust manifolds. Unfortunately, this example has been converted to a single carburetor in the form of what appears to be a Holley 600 CFM. The seller states, “The car runs and drives but is NOT roadworthy tires need to be replaced brake lights don’t work but come on when you pull the headlight switch, headlights don’t work and turning signals don’t work front is missing the harness…” Makes one wonder what happens when you try the power window switch… So some wiring/rewiring needs to be facilitated. There’s no reference as to how the Powerglide automatic transmission operates.

The seller is not big on the exterior appearance of his Corvette. He says, “the car needs a restoration, in my opinion, it looks much better in pics the black paint is not that nice in person…” He gets points for honesty, that’s for sure.  Looks can be subjective so this is one of those instances where a thorough, in-person inspection, is probably warranted. Admittedly, this Chevy probably would look better in its original Cascade Green hue (1 of 290) but the images in black present pretty well. The finish has a notable reflection and the body panels appear to be well aligned. The trim seems to be mostly in place though the stainless that is supposed to outline the coves is nowhere to be found. There is no mention of the integrity of the underside, another area worthy of investigation.

Inside is where this ‘Vette really shines. The upholstery has been recovered in buckskin material of either leather or vinyl and there is a new tan carpet in place too. The same for the door panels and dash, redone to match. No word regarding the operability of the gauges but considering the noted wiring problems it wouldn’t be surprising if some were non-functioning. The Tachometer does have the generator drive/cable in place so perhaps it will be immune to any wiring snafus. The biggest issue with a buckskin shade is how easily it shows dirt – note the steering wheel.

This Corvette is definitely a project, it has many solid attributes but it clearly needs work. There are currently twenty-eight bids chasing it and I would imagine that sometime in the next week it will find a new home, assuming, of course, that the reserve is not too outrageous. It’s a great find, as stated earlier, early C1’s in an in-betweeny state don’t surface that often. If you were the new owner what would you do, finish it out as is, correcting the wiring issues, or go for a full restore back to original status?