1960 Chevrolet Corvette

by Michael Satterfield
Twitter @thegentracer

This 1960 Chevrolet Corvette was sold at RM Auctions Monaco last Saturday for nearly $185,000 USD.

Official Listing information:

The 270 bhp, 283 cu. in. overhead-valve V-8 engine with dual four-barrel Carter carburettors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with unequal length A-arms, coil springs, and sway bar, live rear axle with semi-elliptic springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,590 mm

Desirable dual-carburettor engine; matching numbers

NCRS Top Flight Award winner

Beautifully restored to the highest of authenticity standards

An ideal Monaco car

By 1960, the Corvette had evolved from the wheezy six-cylinder grand tourer of 1953 into a true sports car of which the entire world could be proud. Whilst the styling was pure 1950s American, with large chrome bumpers, a two-tone paint treatment divided by body-side “coves”, quad headlamps, and a toothy grille, the chassis underneath adopted the best European racing practices. The car also had sway bars and an aluminium clutch, and amongst the ranks of the strong V-8 engines available was a 283-cubic inch mill, which, when equipped with dual Carter carburettors, produced 270 horsepower.

This was a car that could finally compete with the best that the Continent had to offer, on both road and track. Accordingly, the Corvette of this generation is one of the few American sports cars to enjoy a wide following in Europe.

The car offered here boasts the 270-brake horsepower V-8 with the most desirable transmission option, the four-speed gearbox, as well as a removable hardtop and Wonderbar radio, for year-round touring pleasure. Unlike many Corvettes of this era, which were finished in jazzy colours, this car is presented in refreshing Horizon Blue with white coves and a soft turquoise interior. Under the bonnet, the engine block is stamped as 105903, in keeping with the practice, which begun in 1960, of numbering Chevrolet engines to match the last six digits of the car’s serial number.

The Corvette was restored in previous American ownership to the highest of U.S. judging standards. As such, it has earned a Top Flight Award, which was presented by the National Corvette Restorers Club (NCRS). The NCRS is renowned as the first word in Corvette authenticity, and their judges are known for their rigorous attention to detail. The Top Flight Award recognises the highest level of achievement, with a score of at least 94% of 4,500 available points appointed during a thorough check of not only the car’s finishes but also its operational condition.

In its present European ownership, the Corvette has been fitted with whitewall radial tyres and an electronic ignition, to improve its reliability and drivability, as the owner enjoys driving it at his country house near Madrid. He reports that “the engine runs very well and has a nice V-8 rumble!”

This is a wonderful example of a car often referred to as “America’s Sports Car”. Its appeal, however, is absolutely universal, and it would make a fantastic sight and sound on the Corniche.

Source: RM Auctions