Vehicle Description
1957 Chevrolet Corvette that I bought from the second owner, Jim
Chamberlain, in Thousand Oaks, California in 1997. I immediately
drove it ~2,100 miles home to Mobile. Jim bought it from a
co-worker in 1958. Originally the body was all black from St.
Louis, but the dealership or first owner had the coves painted
silver. I had them repainted black when I installed NOS side
stainless. THE GOOD: The original factory engine was rebuilt and
balanced about 4,000 miles ago. It runs absolutely great, and has
no leaks. The original 3-speed manual transmission and clutch were
rebuilt as well and work properly. In fact, most of the mechanical
systems have been rebuilt during my ownership: the suspension,
exhaust, cooling, power top, brakes, etc. The chassis and other
metal parts have never been rusty. The fiberglass body is also in
good condition. Only the coves and the passenger door/quarter panel
have been repainted. The current carpet, seat foam/covers, and soft
top fabric are Knoch reproductions, but I do still have the
worn-out factory originals. I also have the original starter,
battery hold-down, jacking equipment, ignition shielding, copper
radiator, old paperwork, California plates, and other stuff I got
with the car in '97. The buyer gets everything I have, including my
old photos and the original 3.70 peg-leg carrier. THE BAD: The
radio, wiper motor, and clock have never worked during my
ownership. The original weatherstripping doesn't come close to
keeping out rainwater. I removed the heater hoses about 20 years
ago as preventative maintenance. The the left rear corner of the
hood won't stay latched while driving on bumpy roads. Having the
power top mechanism rebuilt by professionals, it's still
unreliable. It works when it feels like it. The speedometer is
inaccurate because I didn't change the transmission gear after
switching to the 4.11 rear. I don't have a '57 hard top for this
car.
