Red 1959 Chevy Corvette Fuelie Headed To Monterey Auction
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The Chevy Corvette for 1959 was a cleaner design than the previous year, as the chrome trunk spears and the hood washboard were eliminated. Inside the car, the door panels were redesigned, morphing into a single piece affair with the armrests relocated for better comfort and the door releases moved further forward. On the dash, instruments were revised for better legibility. Lenses were concave in an effort to reflect less light. Beneath the passenger grab bar, a new parcel tray was added. Additional padding wrapped the grab bar. The anodized metal trim about the parcel tray wore white CORVETTE lettering early in the production run, but changed to black lettering later in production. Vinyl seat covers were smoother in 1959, with a faux leather grain replacing the “pebbled” texture of the 1958 model. Seat pleats ran horizontally, as opposed to the vertical pattern of the previous year.
Five different engines were available for the 1959 Chevy Corvette, all displacing 283 cubic inches. These included the base 283 cubic-inch, 230-horsepower engine fed by a single four-barrel carb, 245- or 270-horsepower, dual four-barrel carb variants, or fuel-injected versions with either 250 or 290 horsepower. Available transmissions were the base three-speed manual, optional four-speed manual, or Powerglide automatic. Adding Positraction required a manual transmission. All tachometers had a 7,000 rpm redline with 1,000 rpm increments. Pale green indicated the upper end of the safe rev range, with orange and red indicating caution and danger zones respectively. A new manual shift handle was introduced with a T-handle reverse lockout.
Production numbers continued to grow for the 1959 Chevy Corvette, with total production reaching 9,670. This would be the last year fewer than 10,000 Corvettes would be built until 1997. The $3,875 base price included the base engine, three-speed manual transmission, and vinyl soft top. An auxiliary hardtop could be substituted for the top at no additional cost, and 1,695 cars were so equipped.
Our feature 1959 Chevy Corvette has been the subject of a superlative rotisserie restoration resulting in an NCRS Top Flight Award. Finished in handsome Roman Red over a red vinyl interior, it is powered by a fuel-injected 283 cubic inch Small Block producing 290 horsepower. A Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission and a 4.10 Positraction rear differential back the fuelie, while spent gasses are exhaled through factory Off Road Exhaust. The Corvette is a rare radio and heater delete car, and as such lacks the ignition shielding found in radio-equipped Corvettes. Included in the sale are the sales brochure, owner’s manual, and NCRS Top Flight certificate.
This stunning 1959 Chevy Corvette Fuelie will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their Monterey, California event taking place August 15th through the 17th.
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Despite all the money and work spent on the restoration, they didn’t do the research. All 59s came with black wheels, all 58s had silver wheels, and all 60s came with body-color wheels, just like this 59. So, does Top Flight allow the wrong color wheels? I don’t think so.
Brett, 1959 diff ratio was 4.11 not 4.10
Love the wheel covers but I believe were limited to 1962.
The wheel covers are correct. 1959 was the first year for the open slots through 62 for brake cooling, which was part of the Dontov race car issues for 1958.
1997 had a production count of 9752 units so your info is wrong. 2020 had a production count of 20368 units.
You’re right! I stand corrected.