Rare Color: 1960 Chevrolet Corvette

The 1960 model year was a landmark one for the Chevrolet Corvette. After a stuttering launch that saw the company go close to axing the Corvette after a mere two years on the market due to appalling sales totals, 1960 was the year when ‘Vette sales managed to climb into five-figure territory for the first time. Our feature car is one of those vehicles, but it is a cut above average. Not only is it a multiple award winner, but it features one of the rarest colors chosen by buyers during that year. The owner treated the Corvette to a meticulous restoration a decade ago but has decided that the time has come for it to find a new home. Located in Wichita, Kansas, you will find this gem listed for sale here on eBay. While healthy bidding has pushed the price to $78,100, it is yet to hit the reserve.

Before we delve too deeply into the nuts-and-bolts of this Corvette, we probably need to consider the owner’s claim about this classic’s rare paint shade. Of the 10,261 Corvettes to roll off the production line in 1960, only 635 wore the Tasco Turquoise that we see gracing this classic’s panels. That represents a take-up rate of 6.2%, and only Cascade Green cars were rarer, with a mere 140 built. These figures gel with the owner’s claim, but it could go slightly deeper than that. If his restoration has been faithful and the car originally featured this color with White coves, that changes the equation significantly. In that case, it would reduce the number from 635 to 383, or 3.7% of total production. It would be worth clarifying that fact with the seller if potential buyers consider relative rarity as one of their selection criteria for pursuing this car. Looking beyond that question and examining this car in finer detail reveals a largely positive story. The paint holds a good shine after a decade, although the owner notes some minor imperfections and bubbling. This has predominantly impacted the optional Hardtop, and the buyer should have no trouble addressing this. The White soft-top looks in good order, while the original glass and chrome sparkle beautifully under the sun. The owner’s restoration work seems to have been pretty thorough. He tackled it as a frame-off project, and the car remains rust-free and structurally sound. The Corvette is more than a pretty face because it has accumulated a few NCRS local and national Top Flight Awards over the past decade, which indicates how faithful this restoration has been.

There will be a sigh of relief from purists when I reveal that this Corvette is a full numbers-matching classic. Its drivetrain includes a 283ci V8, a four-speed manual transmission, and a 4.11 Posi rear end. This V8 isn’t any old 283 because it is a Code 469C powerhouse. That means that Chevrolet built it with a desirable dual-quad induction system that allows it to churn out 270hp. While the range-topping Fuelie version could trump that output figure, its price of $484.20 versus this engine’s $182.95 made it too expensive for many potential buyers. The proof is in the production figures. While 2,364 buyers chose the engine that we find in our feature car, only 759 buyers chose the Fuelie path. Performance figures were more than acceptable in a 1960 context. If the owner pointed the ‘Vette at a ¼ mile, the journey would be over in 15.6 seconds. If they were willing to keep the loud pedal welded to the floor, that glorious V8 would take them to 132mph. The engine bay presents as impressively as the rest of the vehicle, and it seems that this is one area of this classic where the buyer won’t be spending a dime. The owner says that the car runs and drives perfectly, meaning that the open road is beckoning this classic and its lucky new owner.

The interior shots of this Corvette initially concerned me because I thought there were some significant flaws in that beautiful Turquoise upholstery. However, what appears to be color inconsistency and wear at first glance seems to be nothing but a trick of the light. In keeping with the condition of the rest of this car, the interior presentation is pretty spotless. There is no evidence of any wear or physical damage, and even the prone outer edges of the carpet look good. The bright trim pieces are excellent, the dash is spotless, and the only issue that the owner notes is some wrinkling in the Hardtop’s headliner. Otherwise, this interior is unmolested and as it would have looked when this car graced a showroom floor. If the appearance isn’t enough to impress you, the fact that every item, including the notoriously fickle clock and Wonderbar radio, functions perfectly.

This 1960 Corvette ticks many of the right boxes amongst classic car enthusiasts, making it easy to see why the bidding has been intense. Thirty-four bids have been submitted at the time of writing, and there’s plenty of time left for that number to grow further. That begs the question of where the bidding would need to reach before it passes that magic reserve. Even though it has a couple of paint imperfections, this Corvette’s overall condition, its rare color, and its mechanical configuration make me believe that it will probably need to nudge $90,000 before it hits the reserve. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the bidding top $100,000 before the hammer falls. I’ve been wrong with some of my predictions in the past, so I might watch this auction closely. Care to join me?