For Sale: 1959 Chevrolet Corvette in Ft Worth, Texas

Few cars inspire more romance than an C1 Corvette, the legendary car that started a revolution in American motoring. Imagine sliding into this gorgeous 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Downs Restomod roadster and hitting the road for adventure - the song of the cackling 350 Ram Jet V8 all around you, your best lady by your side, and everyone you pass, enviously wishing that they were you. Vintage motoring doesn't get much better than this, and resto-mods this beautiful and this well-built deserve to be driven and enjoyed regularly.

The body is modern fiberglass by Downs Manufacturing (it's actually a 2007 Legend Motors Worldwide design), 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 coves. Treated to an extensive (and expensive) build, it looks simply spectacular in person, and because it was finished a scant 715 miles ago, it all still looks very fresh as well. 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 paint technology gives it a gloss that was only a fantasy back then. There may be a couple minor defects, and we're talking break-out your spy-glass minor, but nothing that detracts from the curb appeal of this top-quality C1. By 1959 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-ready 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 very light signs of use since it was restored. The low-back buckets are nice and firm, and thanks to subtle side bolsters that keep the original look but add a little bit of support, so they're ideally suited for use in this 'Vette. The black carpets are fresh, and the three-spoke, wood-rimmed Grant steering wheel would look right at home in a vintage racer, although it's a bit more industrial than 1959 specifications would call for (but that's a good thing, as it warms things up inside and changes up the vibe a little) and sits on a tilt steering column. The door panels are beautifully rendered in matching two-tone white-and-blue materials with bright accents and stylish armrests that suggest someone 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 need to be about style over ergonomics? There's an awesome custom center console adonred with more carbon fiber that splits the seats, and it houses controls for the modern R134a A/C system, a Pioneer multi-media stereo, and a Lokar shifter that manages the 4-speed automatic transmission below. There are pull switches for the doors between the seats, power windows, Corvette floor mats, and a set of seatbelts outfitted to match the upholstery. Out back, the trunk is also beautifully finished with more shiny blue paint and fresh carpets that are simple yet very effective. And although this Corvette was built for open-air fun, it does come with a completely finished, matching auxiliary white hard top, but the hardware needed to attach it to the body is still required should you ever want to install that option.

There's a small block under the hood, but nothing in 1959 looked like the fuel injected, GM Performance Parts Ram Jet 350 V8 living there now. That tall chrome intake manifold, gorgeously finned Bowtie valve covers, and plenty of chrome and polished pieces throughout distinguish the high-level Corvette engine from lesser small blocks, and it runs even better than it looks. Modern accessories, including the alternator and A/C compressor, spin on a serpentine belt setup and there's a giant aluminum radiator with dual electric fans up front to keep the block cool. A TCI 4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission with an auxiliary trans cooler makes for effortless high-speed cruising and the entire C4 chassis has been reengineered to handle late-model Corvette suspension pieces and a 9-inch Ford out back. Coilovers, rack-and-pinion steering, custom A-Arms, and big sway bars all help this C1 handle like a dream, and the power 4-wheel disc brakes at the corners mean it can stop on a dime. Long-tube headers feed into a custom stainless dual exhaust that sounds downright erotic, and be sure to bring floor mirrors to the car show, because this baby is just as pretty underneath as it is up top. Staggered 17-inch Boy Coddington wheels and 255/40/17 front and 315/35/17 rear Yokohama rubber offer a clean look that suits the vintage 'Vette perfectly.

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!