Hiding in this garage is a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Fuelie Gasser. It had occupied the same spot since its racing days ended in 1985. However, the seller recently revived it, returning the car to a roadworthy state while preserving most of its racing heritage. It needs nothing but a new home, with the seller listing the ‘Vette here on eBay in Manchester, Maryland. Intense bidding has pushed the price beyond the reserve to $85,000.

Locating a classic like this Corvette often poses a dilemma for the owner. This car was a prime candidate for a faithful restoration to its factory state, although preserving as much of its history as possible via a sympathetic revival is often irresistible. The seller chose the second path, with the car retaining the stunning Green and Gold metal-flake paint from its racing days. It isn’t perfect because a close inspection reveals defects in the paint and fiberglass. However, since matching the aging paint would be almost impossible, the seller chose to leave well enough alone. That doesn’t mean they took shortcuts because they stripped the car to the last nut and bolt before restoring everything under the skin. The powdercoated frame is spotless, with the Crvette’s underside in as-new condition. There is no evidence of rust or other problems. The panels and paint are untouched, and the same is true of the original chrome and glass. The exterior is rounded out by new vintage-style Cragar wheels that reflect the car’s racing history.

The previous owner selected a Fuelie Corvette for their racing exploits, and this classic retains a fuel-injected V8 under the hood. However, it is a 350ci powerplant with Bill Thomas fuel injection tuned by Larry Webb. The engine features a range of internal upgrades, with the spent gases exiting via Jet Hot coated vintage Headman headers and a dual exhaust with electric cut-outs. We can speculate on the small-block’s power output, but it should be comfortably north of 300hp. The power feeds to a 1957 Oldsmobile 4.10 Posi rear end via a four-speed Borg Warner “test” T-10 bolted to an Ansen “NHRA Approved” bellhousing. The work didn’t stop there, with the seller replacing the brakes and rebuilding the suspension with an Eelco front lift kit. This Corvette may have spent years tearing up the tarmac at the local strips, but the changes have transformed it into a potent and fully roadworthy classic that will happily prowl the streets.

Racing machinery typically features “bare-bones” interiors, although the previous owner continued the metalflake on this car’s painted interior surfaces. The seller’s goal of returning the Corvette to a roadworthy state included a complete retrim. They added Al Knoch seats, new carpet, and a headliner and rebuilt the original gauges. A rather cool touch is the rare AC tachometer. There are no creature comforts like a radio, but who needs one when you can listen to the tune sung by the small-block under the hood?

This 1957 Corvette Fuelie Gasser has attracted twenty-two bids, and it is easy to see why. It is a stunning classic that reflects the country’s racing history, and returning it to a roadworthy state so that it can be enjoyed for longer than the time it takes to blast down the ¼-mile increases its appeal. Many classics are described by their owners as unique, although that isn’t always true. However, that is undoubtedly the case with this beauty. I believe the bid total will climb significantly before the hammer falls, but are you tempted to join that party?