Lot 104: Chevrolet Corvette

Chevrolet were the first major manufacturer to produce a fibreglass bodied car as far back as 1953. That car was the Corvette and it was very nearly still born. Despite an inauspicious start, the Corvette actually went on to become the most successful sportscar in the world. The original car was offered with the old Stove Bolt Six under the hood, giving the car the performance of a breathless road runner and causing consternation among the cars designer, one Harley Earl. This ancient engine struggled to produce 150bhp and by 1955, with the Ford Thunderbird mopping up, the Corvette was struggling. It was only after the intervention of Earl and Chevrolet chief engineer, Ed Cole that the Corvette was equipped with the new 265cid V8 from Chevy's own engineers. The 195bhp offered by this engine gave the Corvette a new lease of life. The rest is history. Offered here is very fine example of a fourth generation Corvette of 1977 vintage, which is the year that GM sold a record 49,000 Corvettes. The car is equipped with the 350 cubic inch GM V8 ( which is the most produced engine in the world) and the very rare, 4 speed manual transmission. It is said to have no known faults and is complete with its original "Bill of Sale", service invoices and hand books. Finished in Arctic blue with blue leather interior, the car has the T Bar roof with removable Targa panels + storage bags, air conditioning, extensive history in support of its 58,000 recorded miles and an immobiliser. Imported into the UK in 1991, this superb Corvette has changed hands three times in the intervening 17 years. On each of these occasions, the car sold for between £13,000 and £16,000, which demonstrates the quality of the car and the outstanding value it now represents.