1960 Chevrolet Corvette

Description

The 1960 Corvette wasn't much changed over the '59, and after looking at this lovely Roman Red roadster, it's easy to understand how GM designers were willing to leave well enough alone. Beautifully proportioned and detailed and powered by a cackling V8, this car embodies all that was great about early Corvettes while delivering enough performance to make it every bit as entertaining today as it was more than fifty years ago.

OK, just admit it: this is one heck of a good-looking car. Perfect color combination, the last year for the rounded rear end, last year for teeth in the grille, and, well, it just screams "Corvette" over every inch of its fiberglass body. In the world of Corvettes, this car commands more attention than almost anything else they've built since. The restoration is a little older, with signs of use, but thanks to great Roman Red paint, this Corvette is still a rock star everywhere it goes. The white side cove is a wonderful addition, adding contrast and sophistication (and cost, since it was optional), and it's framed by bright stainless trim that shines up nicely. It appears that most of the trim is original, so there's some age on it, but the overall impact is still quite impressive because everyone knows what this is. In fact, it's downright gorgeous.

With a red exterior, the only sensible choice is basic black inside, right? Supple black buckets show very little wear save for some wrinkles that only enhances the inviting appeal of the Corvette. Matching carpets and restored door panels give it a factory fresh look and feel. The instrument panels puts all the secondary gauges below the huge dome-shaped speedometer, and the factory tach in the center was a Corvette trademark, as was the 3-spoke wheel that emulates Europe's finest and which is now wrapped in matching black leather. A standard AM head unit lives in the dash and yes, that is a proper cue ball knob atop the 4-speed shifter between the seats. The trunk is finished with a reproduction mat and there's a brand new white vinyl top with a crystal clear rear window that's so fresh it still needs a little time in the sun to stretch out.

The only engine available in 1960 was a 283, but somewhere along the line, this roadster was upgraded to a great-running 327 cubic inch V8. Topped by a single Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and intake manifold, there's plenty of power everywhere on the tach. It has that old-fashioned low-end torque you'd expect and a genuine American V8 soundtrack from the custom-made exhaust system. Detailed with beautiful finned valve covers, and that satin black air cleaner, and a minimum of frills, it isn't correct but it sure looks good. Other desirable details include HEI ignition and a pair of electric cooling fans on the radiator, so this car never gets fussy. The 4-speed rocks through the gears powering the original rear end, which looks like it's been recently serviced. Original-style 6.70-15 wide whites look flashy on the already attention-grabbing Corvette, particularly with spinner hubcaps.

Look, the bottom line is that this car is every bit as gorgeous as it looks in photos and still drives like your favorite V8-powered sports car. And have I mentioned how pretty it is? Call today!