Vehicle Description
Chassis No. J58S107022
The 1958 model year was one of unbridled opulence within Detroit,
as, for most all makes and models, the decade's extravagances
reached their chrome-slathered zenith. This was especially true at
General Motors, which saw the production of such grandly trimmed
machines as the Buick Limited and the original Chevrolet Impala.
Chevrolet's sports car, the Corvette, was not exempt, and was
dressier than ever this season. It adopted the newly in-vogue quad
headlights, and featured a larger grille, also following an
industry-wide trend. Most distinctive were the designs of the hood
and rear deck, which featured stamped-in faux cooling louvers and a
pair of decorative chrome spears or "tusks," respectively.
Distinctively American in its design but nonetheless remaining a
true, proud sports car, it was a beautiful automobile, and while
the louvers and "tusks" would be one-year-only features, this same
basic design was employed through the final season of "C1"
production in 1962.
Offered here from the Gateway Automobile Museum is an extremely
nicely restored example of this watershed design, finished in
Silver Blue with silver coves and a Blue-Grey interior, one of the
most well-known and beloved color schemes for the model. The
engine, a 283 cu-in mill with a solid-lifter cam and dual
four-barrel carburetors good for 270 horsepower, is mated to a
four-speed manual transmission, and mounted in a nicely detailed
engine bay that is not over-restored but well-finished throughout.
Additional features include a Wonderbar AM radio, clock, driver's
side-view mirror, seatbelts, and both a white pinpoint vinyl soft
top and matching removable hardtop, altogether an excellent
complement of accessories.
The interior is properly finished with Daytona-weave carpets, and
original hubcaps are mounted to the wheels, shod in wide whitewall
tires. That the restoration remains in pristine condition
throughout, showing few signs of age or use, should be no surprise,
as at the time of cataloging the car had recorded just 3 miles
since completion of the work. Needless to say, the car remains in
virtually show-ready condition from stem to stern.
A beautifully finished and impeccably presented 1958 Corvette, this
car is worthy of any aficionado of 1950s American sports cars. It
is a marvelous example of its design, showing the C1 Corvette at
its most stylish, and would be welcomed to any number of shows as
well as to the open road, stretching its legs and showing off its
beauty to all comers.
