Originally designed by Harley Earl, the 1st generation Corvette was GM’s entry into the two door sports car market. The car’s breathtaking design, which was far ahead of its time, took cues from many of the sports car building trends in Europe. The sleek fiberglass body over frame weighed in at just over 3,000 lbs, and unlike its European couterparts, had V8 power plant nestled under the hood.
For 1959, the Corvette received several refinements on top of a first generation redesign that occurred in 1958. The twin headlights stayed, and would later become a mainstay in Corvette design. The hood louvers and trunk spears, however, were not so lucky, and were removed in favor of a more streamlined body.
This 1959 Corvette was originally built in St. Louis, MO. and sold at Meyer Chevrolet, on North Broadway in downtown St. Louis. Since new, the ’59 Corvette has always remained in the St. Louis area. 15 years ago, the car received a mechanical and cosmetic restoration and has been kept in climate controlled storage since with use reserved for fair weather days. It remains in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition since the restoration.
According to the serial number of the Corvette and information from the GM Heritage Center, the car was assembled between mid October and early November of 1958. The block of the car has a CQ suffix which decodes to a 283/230HP V8 paired with a 4 speed manual transmission. The engine casting number is 3756519, which is correct for this year. The engine was assembled on October 2nd, which precedes the build date range of the car, indicative of an original motor. 1959 is the last year before GM started stamping partial VINs on these motors, so, to call a 1959 Vette engine "matching numbers" is not technically correct, however, the motor in this car is as close as we can verify to being original.
The car features a two stage repaint in factory Red with White trim. The car has been properly color sanded post respray and has also benefitted from a recent buff and polish. Clad in new chrome and restored trim, the ‘Vette has a nice pop in bright lighting and the eye is instantly drawn in towards the timeless styling aspects.
The Corvette runs and drives out wonderfully. It’s a pleasure to cruise both around town and on the highway and would be an ideal classic for longer hauls and cruises. For the collector seeking a restored first generation Corvette that can be shown and driven, look no further.
