Beschreibung:

Having made a big splash at GM's 1953 Motorama, the Chevrolet Corvette was rushed to production by June 30th of that year. Based on a Chevy passenger car chassis, complete with Blue Flame six-cylinder engine and two-speed Powerglide transmission, the white roadster had three side-draft carburetors, a hot cam, high compression head and dual exhausts. There were no side windows, the only weather protection being side curtains and a manual canvas top. Because tooling for a steel body would have been time consuming and expensive, fiberglass was chosen instead. Still, production was slow and by the end of the year just 300 had been built, all of them white with red interiors. The price of $3,498 was $1,200 more than the most expensive '53 Chevy, and $500 more than Ford would ask for a Thunderbird a year later. The 1954 models differed mostly in availability of additional colors. Production increased tenfold, reaching 3,640. In 1955, Chevrolet's new small block V8 engine became available, and with it a manual transmission, though few were equipped that way. Only 700 Corvettes were built in 1955, however, partly because 1954 ended with more than 1,000 unsold cars on hand. The iconic Corvette arrived with the 1956 model. Restyled with a more flowing body, the car was given concave side coves finished in contrasting color. Roll-up side windows provided all-weather comfort and required exterior door handles. Engines were all V8s, the 265 cubic inch unit from passenger cars making 210 bhp in standard trim and 240 with dual carburetors. Development of the Corvette continued under engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov. The 283 cubic inch V8 was adopted in 1957, making 283 bhp with optional fuel injection, and a four-speed transmission was made available. By 1959 there were power options up to 290 bhp and sales topped 10,000. This 1959 Corvette joined the Oldenburg Family collection in 2006. It was at that time fresh from a body off, ground up restoration which had included stripping the bodywork back to the glass-fiber, and respray in Roman red with Snowcrest White side panels. Its mechanicals were quoted as being rebuilt in their entirety and restored cosmetically also. The presentation was completed with renewed chrome, and new trim with a full new interior and the electrics rebuilt or renewed as required. In short it was a comprehensive rebuild and had zero miles on it when purchased. In the current ownership the new restoration has been de-bugged to provide a usable and mint example of the model. With a refined direction of the collection the car no longer fits its mission and is now presented for sale having only covered 130 miles over the last four years, offering its next custodian a fine opportunity. Without reserve