1959 Chevrolet Corvette

*1959 Chevrolet Corvette Fuelie*It is indisputable that the Chevrolet Corvette is one of the great icons of American motoring and in their 70 years of production, the C1 built between 1956 and 1962 may be the most significant. During this era, the Corvette began its evolution from a grand touring Thunderbird competitor to a legitimate world-class sports car. Gone was the standard Blue Flame inline-6, and in its place, increasingly powerful V8s, bigger brakes, and numerous options aimed at increasing both performance and driving enjoyment. In 1959, Chevrolet built just 9,670 Corvettes, and of those, less than 1,000 were ordered with the innovative Rochester fuel injection system making it one of the most sought after variants of the facelifted C1 generation.This 1959 Chevrolet Corvette is finished in Inca Silver -which just 957 were painted- with color-matched side coves and is believed to have been under the care of just 3 owners from new. The 1959 retained the classic quad-headlight front end design, but was built at a time when Chevrolet was beginning to offer more technology in its halo sports car. This example is fitted with a black soft top, as well as full chrome wheel covers and wide whites. Benefiting from a frame-off restoration in the 1990s, the car shows incredibly well and has obviously been well stewarded since.For the first time in Corvette history, you could order an all black interior in 1959, which this car was optioned with. The instantly recognizable bodywork is complemented wonderfully in Inca Silver with matching coves and features an early iteration of the dual cockpit design with a large gauge binnacle in front of the driver and a grab handle for the passenger. Additionally, 1959 was the first year for the T-Handle reverse lock out on the shifter - an item that became a Corvette signature, lasting until the end of the C3 generation in 1982.Under the hood is what separates this car from a more run of the mill C2 - the Rochester mechanical fuel injection system. At the time, this was pretty cutting edge technology, derived from the aero industry and making for the most powerful Corvette available at the time. The 283ci V8 was capable of producing 290 horsepower with this injection system, and was good for nearly 130 mph. The engine block is a correct CS suffix and the fuel injection unit is stamped 7017300, both correct for this car. When compared to the other engine options available in the Corvette at the time, the fuelie produced 20 more horsepower, making it one of the first engines from General Motors to be putting out more than 1 horsepower per cubic inch.Everybody knows the C1 Corvette and even a surprising number of non-car enthusiasts know what a fuelie is. This is without a doubt one of the most significant Corvettes of the era, and one of the best to drive as well. Presented in a remarkably clean color combination, this is a great opportunity to experience the pinnacle of late-1950s American performan