Same Owner 51 Years: 1959 Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet built nearly 10,000 Corvettes for the first time in 1959 and more than half of them came with both soft and hard top covers. The Corvette was little changed, but it was still powered by several variations of the 283 cubic inch V8. The headlights had expanded from single to dual units the previous year. We’re told this ’59 ‘Vette has been owned by the same party since 1973 and has been off the road for 37 years. Located in Astoria, New York, the Chevy is complete but needs restoring and is available here on eBay for $39,500.
This Corvette is one of 5,481 out of 9,670 Corvettes to have been ordered with both tops in 1959. Not much is shared about the car other than ownership history and it’s being presented by a dealer. The blue paint has run its course, though the body seems to be straight. We’re told the interior is Ivory and it, too, will need a refresh. We assume this Chevy has the standard 283 V8 that produced 230 hp with a single 4-barrel carburetor (though dual 4-barrels and fuel injection were still on the options list).
The seller says this Corvette doesn’t run and we assume that’s due to it having been sitting since 1987. Working in the car’s favor is that everything seems to be all there and it’s an original car with no known modifications. This should be a solid candidate for a restoration project that Hagerty suggests could be worth $56,000 in “good condition”. You’ll be north of there when done, but its value would be higher as well.
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Comments
Just me, but if I’m selling this thing I would scrub it outside, inside, underneath, engine compartment, pull the trailer hitch off and show pictures of EVERYTHING. Depending on what the underneath looks like it could be a decent buy.
I’m still trying to figure out what the two extra studs are sticking out of the valve cover…
It appears Gullwing in Astoria, NY has a different business approach compared to what you suggest. What you see is SOP for them, and they have been in business for a long time. I don’t get it, but it truly is what it is.
Gullwing reminds me of the Beverly Hills Car Club. I haven’t seen their ads for some time, are they still in business? They also sell what is, as is, where is.
For the most part Gullwing sells cars as is where is. They do find left for dead cars and sell them for dead too.
I spent some time on the Gullwing webpage. I can only say again, their business model is “unique” and apparently profitable. More power to them.
If the seller showed more pictures it would be horrifying, if the picture of the interior is any indication. That’s a hole in the top of the dashboard. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before.
Radio speaker hole.
I’m with you re: those weird little studs on the rocker covers. Strange indeed. As far as the car its self goes, I am a Corvette sort of a fellow thru and thru, but I simply can’t see 40K here. This unit needs absolutely everything. If somebody wants to build it as personal ride and money is not a factor, then have at it. It would be more than cool to have it in your garage, but if you don’t want to throw money down a black hole, I wouldn’t recommend this car. Just my opinion.
I’m with you re: those weird little studs on the rocker covers. Strange indeed. As far as the car its self goes, I am a Corvette sort of a fellow thru and thru, but I simply can’t see 40K here. This unit needs absolutely everything. If somebody wants to build it as personal ride and money is not a factor, then have at it. It would be more than cool to have it in your garage, but if you don’t want to throw money down a black hole, I wouldn’t recommend this car. Just my opinion.
I have put studs in rocker covers to hold spark plug wires away from headers etc. What I did do was seal them so they wouldn’t dump oil all over everything.
I’m with you re: those weird little studs on the rocker covers. Strange indeed. As far as the car its self goes, I am a Corvette sort of a fellow thru and thru, but I simply can’t see 40K here. This unit needs absolutely everything. If somebody wants to build it as personal ride and money is not a factor, then have at it. It would be more than cool to have it in your garage, but if you don’t want to throw money down a black hole, I wouldn’t recommend this car. Just my opinion.
Wow, I don’t know what happened there.
How can ANYONE own a car this special for 51 years and not take care of it? This is appalling!
I think that tachometer qualifies as a ‘known modification’.
Mine had a tach
I would buy anything from Gullwing over the garbage that is sold by the Miami shyster seller of the ’69 Corvette also featured by BF today.
Ok just economically speaking, the ask is $39,500. Hagerty says one in “Good Condition” is worth $56,000. Throwing $16,000. at this car will not even get you started. Easy to see you will be upside down in this car fast.
Hagerty publishes inflated prices so they can reap higher insurance costs, a big disservice to the hobby. I would never use them just for this reason.
100% agree. 16K will probably get one through body and paint. It’s just sad that some people have figured out that they can sell cars that are darn near junkers for top dollar.
As i have written often, i would prefer to buy , drive and pay monthly than to pay monthly and monthly and monthly and drive nothing but have to hear excuses and bs while nothing moves …
With $16 k , you couldn’t get very far towards a working /driving car ,i would gladly pay $56k
YOLO