Vehicle Description
Few cars inspire more romance than an early Corvette. Imagine
peeling back the top on this gorgeous 1959 roadster and hitting the
road for adventure, the song of the cackling fuel-injected V8
behind you, your best lady by your side, and everyone you pass
wishing they were you. Motoring doesn't get much better than this,
and resto-mods this good deserve to be driven and enjoyed
regularly.
OK, so the body is fresh fiberglass by Downs, but the look is
classic early Corvette, perfect in detailing and proportion, and
elegantly styled by the best in the business during the '50s. The
menu was extensive in 1959, and while the light blue finish isn't
quite authentic, you have to admit that it looks awesome,
especially with the white side cove. Subject to an extensive (and
expensive) build, it is simply spectacular in person. Subtle and
sophisticated, the light captures the essence of Corvette without
being brash about it. Fiberglass work is show-quality, with
surfaces that are far straighter and flatter than the factory was
doing in 1959 and modern technology gives it a gloss that was only
a fantasy back then. The chrome trunk "straps" were gone, but
there's still plenty of brightwork to give this Corvette real
flash, and all of it has been professionally restored to show
standards, including the toothy front grille and intricate rear
bumpers with exhaust outlets in their centers. If you didn't see
those big wheels, you probably wouldn't even know this one was so
extensively modified, which is how the best customs always end
up.
The matching blue and white leather interior is almost as nice as
the bodywork, with only light signs of use since it was restored.
The buckets are firm, and thanks to subtle side bolsters that keep
the original look but add a little bit of support, they're ideally
suited for use in this 'Vette. The carpets are fresh, and the
three-spoke steering wheel would look right at home in a vintage
racer, although it's a bit fatter than 1959 specifications and sits
on a tilt steering column. The door panels are beautifully rendered
in two-tone blue vinyl with bright engine-turned inserts and
stylish armrests that suggest someone at GM worked overtime to make
them look so good. Modern Auto Meter gauges are comprehensive, with
a cool carbon-fiber insert that fits in the original domed
speedometer's spot and puts everything in the driver's line of
sight. Who says the '50s were about style over ergonomics? The
radio is carbon-fiber panel with a Pioneer entertainment system,
A/C vents, and the controls for the Vintage Air system. The trunk
is also beautifully finished with more shiny blue paint and fresh
carpets that are simple yet effective.
There's a small block under the hood, but nothing in 1959 looked
like the Ram Jet 350 living there now. That tall intake manifold,
gorgeous chrome valve covers, and plenty of chrome distinguish the
high-level Corvette engine from lesser small blocks, and it runs
even better than it looks. Modern accessories, including the
generator and A/C compressor, spin on a serpentine belt setup and
there's a giant aluminum radiator up front. A 700R4 4-speed
automatic transmission makes for effortless high-speed cruising and
the entire chassis has been reengineered to handle late-model
Corvette suspension pieces and a 9-inch Ford out back. The exhaust
burbles, the 4-wheel disc brakes are effective, and detailing is
exceptional. The staggered 17-inch billet wheels and Yokohama
rubber offer a clean look that suits the vintage 'Vette just
fine.
So don't worry, purists, no real Corvettes had to die to build this
incredible roadster. We won't tell, however, so when the new owner
takes it out, nobody will be the wiser. The car is titled as a 2008
Assembled Vehicle here in the state of Texas much like all the
newer built kit cars. Call today!