1959 Chevrolet Corvette

350 but original 283 comes with it

Manual

Clear

I'm selling my 1959 Corvette which I have owned for over 20 years. At 70 I'm having some difficulty with my back and as much as I love it I'm having a problem with the seating position. I bought this car about 1990 and drove it for 3 years with the original 270HP engine before I replaced it with something that could put on the miles. I wanted a dependable motor that I could use for extended trips across the country. My goal was to take several trips a year and the most important thing was dependability. The current engine began with a seasoned 350 block, all new internal parts, hydraulic lifters, single 4bbl, mild cam and electronic ignition. Puts out about 300hp with a ton of torque. T-10 4 speed and 308 posi highway gears. You can go from 1st to 4th and it won't miss a beat, pulls very strong. This car wil run all day at 75 mph without breathing hard. Never overheats, oil pressure 40 at idle then pegs as soon as rpm raise. The engine was built by Kiwi Engineering in Old Saybrook, CT noted for their bulletproof race motors. I used to own an original 63 Corvette Grand Sport, # 1, and Kiwi built all my race engines, they never blew up. Engine compartment is dirty, I really don't care I just drive it. Oil and filter every 5,000 miles. probably 25,000 miles on motor. There have been no body modifications to this car, it is straight, it goes down the road straight, it stops straight. I've ridden in old vettes that sould like a bucket of bolts, rattle and wonder all over, not this baby. Take it up to 100 and it goes where you point it. I've been a nut about keeping it in top shape. New wheel cylinders, exhaust, water pump, less then 1,000 miles on Coker Classic Redials. It's had one repaint in the early 80's with original color. Paint looks great at 5 ft, close examination will show light scratches, stone chips, other light inperfections. I can't see any signs of body work looking under the fenders but at 55 years old I don't doube that there may be some. I believe it to have original carpet and seats but I can't be certain. Seats, dash pad are very good with no tears or cracks. Doors are hung right and latch well, front hood and trunk line up well. Hardtop is in very good condition, clear windows. Soft top works fine, clear window, top has small quarter inch hole where it rubbed against a trim screw when down, it does leak from on top of the windshield in a heavy rain. All lights work, head, tail, signal, dash, vanity. Wipers and lighter work. Roll up windows work. Horn works when it wants to. Clock does not work. Radio is Corvette after market with cassette, speaker is upgrade. Original Wonderbar and speaker go with the car. Hurst shifter mated to original period arm. Shifting is very precise not like the standard sloppy long throws. Chrome is 8 out of ten. Polishes well, a few spots of light surface rust. Hupcaps pitted. Original jack. Doesn't leak oil. There is a rub mark on the top deck where the soft top has worn on it. (see photo) Rubber molding around windshield is dried and cracked. This car can sit for 2 months, crank the engine once, pump the gas, crank it again and it will always start. I think seat belts are non original.  Comes with the original engine sitting on a stand just as I took it out of the car 20 years ago. It ran fine at the time. Casting 3756519 suffix CU, head casting 3755550, aluminum intake manifold casting 3739653, dual point distributor, 1110891, exhaust 3749965 (in car) water pump casting 3736493, front carb 3786552, rear 374090, 2614s and 3182s , staggered holes in valve cover, generator 1102043 (in car). Chassis number is J59S102184, built December 1958. I'm not a Corvette nut so verify this stuff yourself. I just did a 400 mile run through Vermont and New Hampshire and it performed beautifully. Take it to California tomorrow. Several years ago I went cross country and back, just changed the oil on the west coast. Clean CT title in hand. If you want a car to drive, this is it. If you're one of those guys that wants to sit around and polish something, look someplace else. I almost don't want to sell it to someone who hasn't seen it or had it inspected because all you Corvette nuts are crazy and I don't have the patients to deal with you. I don't want you to ship the car to the west coast and have you call and say there are the wrong screws on the door panels or something stupid like that. I've described it the best I can but it's a 55 year old car.  I will sell to USA only, not even Canada, will not discuss shipping overseas. $1,000 deposit in 24 hours balance in 7 days from end of auction. CASH OR WIRE TRANSFER ONLY. Bank check OK but car doesnt leave until it clears and money in my account. I have sold many of my classic cars and motorcycles and everyone was happy with what they got except some ass from Russia who bid when the ad said USA only. I wouldn't sell and he left negative feedback.