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1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1

The first series of Corvettes began to warm the hearts of Americans and would soon earn the title of 'America's Sports Car.' It began as a clandestine project code-named 'Project Opel' with the hand-built EX-122 pre-production prototype being shown to the public at the 1953 General Motors Motorama at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on January 17, 1953. Production commenced six months later, and power was initially sourced from a 235 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder engine with three Carter side-draft carburetors and approximately 150 horsepower. Since no manual transmission options were available to cope with the 150 hp, a two-speed Powerglide automatic was used.

Sales of the lightweight fiberglass-clad Corvette were sluggish, and for some time, GM seriously considered removing it from the lineup. This changed in 1955 when Chevrolet introduced its first V8 engine backed by a three-speed manual transmission, transforming the Corvette into a true sports car. The V8 was a great success for Chevrolet across the board and was implemented in all vehicles. The engine evolved as technology allowed, increasing in power and output, reaching a peak moment in 1957 with the adaptation of fuel injection. It was available in limited quantities on the full-sized Chevrolets but was most effective when ordered on the Corvette. The engine of 1959 was offered in five different variations on the 283 small-block. Now making even more horsepower, dual-quad versions were rated at 245 and 270 horsepower, and the 'fuelie' engines produced either 250 or 290 horsepower.

The advent of the 283 cubic-inch small-block engine, under Zora Arkus- Duntov's guidance, allowed the Corvette to fulfill its promise as a true performer. The engine was joined by a growing list of competition options, and by 1956, the Corvette could be equipped with an optional 'Dual-Quad' intake system and special high-lift solid-tappet camshaft which gained fame as the 'Duntov Cam.' To match the vehicle's velocity, the braking and handling were also upgraded, including wider wheels, posi-traction rear axles in three ratios, a four-speed transmission, and a racing suspension package with high-performance sintered metallic brake linings (RPO 686), developed by GM's Delco-Moraine Division. Priced at just $26,90, RPO 686 option comprised three pairs of lining segments that were riveted to the primary brake shoes and five pairs of slightly thicker segments for the secondary shoes. With this option, drums were finless but were flared at their open ends to enhance cooling. The sintered linings made braking less harsh than the Cerametallic material and needed far less warming up to provide maximum braking effectiveness.

The 1958-1960 Corvette marked the final expression of Harley Earl's era of design leadership at GM design and featured two-tone paint finishes, intricate chrome details, and interior updates.

The Corvette's chassis was modified in 1958, growing in length by 10 inches and in width by two inches. It wore a prominent grille with a one-year-only faux-louvered hood and chrome trunk spears. The new four-headlamp treatment would be used for the next four years, and the interior and instrumentation were updated, including the location of the tachometer being directly in front of the driver. When the 270 and 290 HP engine was installed, an 8,000 RPM tachometer was used, replacing the 6,000 rpm unit used in the lower horsepower engines. For the first time, seat belts were factory-installed instead of dealer-installed as on previous models.

1959 Chevrolet Corvette
The 'busied' 1958 chrome styling was cleaned up considerably for 1959, and the oft-derided faux hood louvers and deck lid chrome bars were nowhere to be found. Otherwise, exterior styling changes were minimal, and the interior alterations were just as minor. The interior gained a shelf added beneath the passenger grab bar for extra small-item stowage space, the armrests and door handles were repositioned, and the reshaped seats now offered token lateral support. Seat pleats on the 1959 models were designed to run horizontally, as opposed to the 1958 and 1960 models, which had vertical pleats. The sun visors were a new item on the options list, and concave instead of flat instrument lenses (to cut down on reflections) were added to the instrument panel. Manual transmissions now came standard with a T-handle lockout feature to prevent a driver from accidentally engaging reverse gear.

Beneath the hood, the engine selection and output remained the same as in 1958. Chevrolet endowed the 1959 Corvette with a minor mechanical alteration that had a major benefit - the addition of rear-trailing radius rods which result in a slightly softer ride and noticeably less rear-end steering on irregular surfaces. It helped counteract rear-axle windup caused to the torquey and powerful engines. The RPO 684 heavy-duty brake/suspension option gained even stiffer springs, improving handling even further.

Most Corvettes were capable of sprinting from zero-to-sixty mph in less than eight seconds and the quarter-mile in under 15 seconds. During a Road & Track test, a 290 bhp fuel-injected example reached 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds at 96 mph. The top speed was listed at 128 mph with the short 4.11:1 final drive.

Chevrolet produced 9,670 Corvettes for the 1959 model, a slight increase over the previous year, and would continue its steady if modest climb for 1960, exceeding the psychologically important 10,000-unit level by exactly 261 cars.

Specifications
The 1959 Corvette rested on a 102-inch wheelbase and measured 177.2 inches in length. Its front tread was 57 inches, and the rear of 59 inches. The tires were 6.70 x 15. The 238 cubic-inch overhead valve V8 engine had a cast-iron block, a 283 cubic-inch displacement (3.87 x 3.00 bore and stroke), a compression ratio of 9.50:1, five main bearings, and hydraulic valve lifters. With the Carter four-barrel carburetor, it developed 230 horsepower at 4,800 RPM. With dual four-barrel carburetors, output rose to 245 horsepower ($150.65) or 270 hp ($182.95), depending on setup. The 250-horsepower fuel-injected engine and the 290-hp fuel-injected versions were approximately $484. The heavy-duty brakes and suspension boosted the price by $425.05 and the Positive traction rear axle added $48.45. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, and the automatic ($199) and four-speed manual floor shift unit ($188) were optional. This was the only year a turquoise convertible top color could be ordered.

1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 photo
Convertible
Chassis #: J59S100798
View info and history
142 examples of the 1959 Corvette were equipped with RPO 684 heavy-duty brakes and suspension, 333 with metallic brakes, 537 with power windows, and 661 with power convertible top ($139.90). A detachable hardtop listed for $236.75.

The $3,875 base price of the 1959 Corvette was approximately $245 higher than the previous year. Exterior color options included black, white, red, blue, cream, silver, and Crown Sapphire. The cove could be finished in either red or silver. Interior colors were black, red, and turquoise. This was the first year that a black interior was available on the Corvette.

Standard equipment included dual exhaust, an electric clock, a tachometer, and an outside rearview mirror.

Chevrolet Corvette C1
Production of the first generation of the Corvette (the C1) began in June 1953 and continued through July 1962. The 1963 Stingray introduced an independent rear suspension, so the first generation Corvettes are commonly known as the 'solid-axle' generation.


by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2022

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1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Vehicle Profiles

1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 vehicle information
Convertible

Chassis #: J59S108205
Engine #: F518CU

Chassis #: J59S 103671
Engine #: FO524EB

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Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1959 Corvette C1
$3,875-$22,750
1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Base Price : $3,875

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Other 1959 Chevrolet Models

Corvette C1

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
300
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 235.50 CID., 150.00hp
$3,500 - $3,500
3,640
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 235.50 CID., 150.00hp
$3,525 - $3,525
102.00 in.
8 cyl.
700
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 235.50 CID., 155.00hp
8 cyl., 265.00 CID., 195.00hp
$2,800 - $3,000
3,467
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 265.00 CID., 210.00hp
8 cyl., 265.00 CID., 225.00hp
8 cyl., 265.00 CID., 240.00hp
$3,118 - $3,118
6,339
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 220.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 245.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 270.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 283.00hp
$3,460 - $3,460
9,168
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 245.00hp
8 cyl., 348.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 270.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 290.00hp
$3,630 - $3,630
9,670
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 245.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 270.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 290.00hp
$3,875 - $3,875
10,261
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 270.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 275.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 315.00hp
$3,900 - $3,900
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 245.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 270.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 275.00hp
8 cyl., 283.00 CID., 315.00hp
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 340.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 360.00hp
$4,000 - $4,000

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