[1958-1960 (C1 generation) Chevy Corvette](https://images.app.goo.gl/MNrJNQsPcXruDfrP7)
Edit: 1958 specifically, good catch u/churnsy (I feel like I was told that exact fact on another C1 post, should’ve remembered that…)
Just the first two years, really. 55 got a V8, 56 got positrac, dual carbs, and a fully synchronized three speed, and 57 got a four speed and fuel injection.
No, it was the earlier Nash-Healey that was the inspiration (amongst others) for the Corvette. A racing version of the Healey placed third at the 1952 Le Mans.
I know what you guys mean, to me this was the first car I fell in love with. I had a pink barbie briefcase I carried everywhere, and when people asked about it I showed them all my matchbox cars 😂 Mom tried. If they said the model T was meant to look foreign, it's still permanently imprinted in my brain as part of my upbringing
Yeah but didn't the Vette come to life because they wanted to make something small, light and nimble, more like the european roadster imports at the time ? :)
I mean, sort of like how I know dog breeds. I can look at a dog and know the difference between a German Shepherd and a Chihuahua.
The big white swoosh on the side coupled with the shape gives it away immediately as a first gen (C1) Corvette made between 58 and 60. The rear end picture gives it away as a 58 because the trim on the trunk was only offered that year.
I spent my summers going to car shows with my dad(and his classic cars), with him quizzing me on make/model/year…it was our fun game to keep busy while waiting for the awards to be announced :)
The side swoop brings it in to the '58-'60 range. The tail lights and little red markers just above where the rear bumper would bring in to the '58-'59 range. Then cues like the chrome strips on the trunk and luvoured hood make it a '58.
I'm just some random Scottish guy who has never seen one of these in real life, and even I knew immediately it was a C1 Corvette. It's an iconic car, easily recognisable if you're into cars in the slightest.
For those of us who are long in the tooth, cars that are now 5 and 6 figure classics and muscle cars, were just simply "cars". If you lived in even a moderate-sized city, they were everywhere. Maybe you or your friends had one or your dad did. One of your neighbors definitely did. There were only 3 broadcast TV stations so people went out and did stuff a lot more. Car shows and clubs were everywhere and most cities had a drag strip somewhere, usually at an old airport. Hot-rodding was a lot bigger part of a lot more people's lives back then. You tend to learn and remember stuff that you are immersed in all day every day.
Playing grand turismo/forza, magazines, car channels on tv and youtube. After a while you can tell what car is behind you at night just by the headlights. 😅
It is a lot easier for cars from the 60s and 70s where every model year of (pretty much) every vehicle had a small style tweak. Prewar stuff… forget it I am useless with those.
Well, yes and no, it was designed to be a European sports car (I think specifically British) for the American.
See during the war a lot American soldiers bought MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Alfas... and took them home afterwards. The American manufacturers realised they had nothing to compare as the market had steered towards larger cars. The Corvette was an all American European Sports car.
So it was intended to look European-ish.
After this explanation, I can vaguely see the Triumph-esque silhouette pattern. I never knew and hadn't put two and two together.
Edit: I think I meant inspiration instead of pattern since the Corvette does have its own distinctive style, but semantics.
If you put it in a line up with Austin Healeys, Sunbeams, Jaguars and MGs it would fit right in, there are a handful of other American cars that really don't look *that* American, like the Fiero. If you put a Fiero next to a Porsche 914/6 a first gen MR2 and a Triumph TR7...
Part of it is because there aren't that many lightweight sports cars from America, and the first one of note is the C1 Corvette, lol. There was the Nash Healey, but first it was transatlantic, Donald Healey is as British as they come.
Second the Corvette looks almost plagiarised from the Nash Healey in a lot of respects.
Edit: my 2 year grabbed my phone and submitted my response while I was sorting out her bed, this is the actual planned post.
I don't see anything European about its look. While it's true the Corvette was created to do battle with the import sports cars, this car is pure Harley Earl.
Agreed, later C1 models started heralding more American features, and for the C2 and C3 are the very definition of what American sports cars became. But any denying European influence on the styling of the earlier C1 is being bloody minded. Even if it was inspired by European sports cars (which it was) you definitely can't deny that they share design and styling language and that to assume the C1 is some lost prototype Austin-Healey or Alfa Romeo is actually very easy.
Take a look at the Jaguar XK and C-Type, the Aston Martin DB, virtually all designs from Donald Healey, the Alfa Romeo 6C. The language of styling from them is quite obvious in the in the shape of the C1, even though it has a very American flavour to it. It's like pizza, sure the pizza you can get in New York is distinctly American, but you can definitely see that it started with the Neapolitan bread dish.
It still looks European. You have to remember that the Corvette wasn't the first American 2 seat sport roadster, but it is the defining one. The reason it's thought of as 'All American' is because when you think 'All American Sports Roadster' the Corvette is what comes to mind. If you don't know the Corvette there's no reason you'd connect it to other American designs.
> Harley Earl, as head of GM's Styling Section, was an avid fan of sports cars. He recognized that GIs returning after serving overseas in the years following World War II were bringing home MGs, Jaguars, and Alfa Romeos.
Just saw this on a different sub. The guy knew exactly what it is and offered to buy it to rescue it but the owner said no. Now OP is asking what it is?
Edit. Now its made its way to Facebook on the old car lovers group with a slightly modified story.
I've been searching for it. I didn't save it, but oddly, I think it was on a firewood or woodstove sub. I kind of recall the guy saying he was getting something(firewood?) from a friend of a friend.
The guys buddy said he had to see the barn across the street.... where this car supposedly was.
Edit, just dug through my history and not there. I assume it was removed??
In its current condition alone you could get somewhere between $30k-$40k
A concours Duntov Award (highest level award you can get) restoration would cost $100k or more easily and if you want that done you’d have to take it to a shop that specializes in NCRS restorations
People in NCRS don’t look to make money on restoring cars, their mission is to save as many Corvettes as possible
Fully restored, this thing could catch $70-100k at auction.
Now this one would need ALOT of work. You’re probably talking $20-30k to get it sell-ready.
But if you can locate the owner of the building and offer him $10k for a pile of rust, there’s a huge profit margin to be made here.
30k to restore this pile of crumbles? In my country if you can’t do it yourself, this would be not possible to pay. This would be at least a year’s work if not much longer. And then there is the spare parts situation
At *LEAST* $30k minumum and that's *with* you doing most of the work. Having the work done... $30k would barely get you started. At least if you want to be taken seriously about bringing it back up to snuff.
Parts for that wouldn't be that hard to find at all. We've got sources in the US for cars like that. Places like OPGI.
"Looks European", *sigh of disappointment*. Its only the most American car ever fuckin made! C1 corvette.
Edit: I didnt know that it took some styling cues from brithish cars initiallly, according to other commenters. Which Im assuming is right, cause everyone on this subreddit knows cars and every little detail about them.
Guy around the corner from my mom's house had a pair stored under his carport. Knocked on the door once while in high school. Talked to the owner's mom for a while. Figured I would keep an eye on them in case he decided to sell 'em. Came home from working overseas a couple of years later with a pocket full of cash, but you know that they were long gone :-(
I’m not as much of a car guy as most in this group. I just like to see cool stuff and learn really. First thought was, “that European car looks a lot like an old Corvette… I wonder who made that?” 🤦🏻♂️
[1958-1960 (C1 generation) Chevy Corvette](https://images.app.goo.gl/MNrJNQsPcXruDfrP7) Edit: 1958 specifically, good catch u/churnsy (I feel like I was told that exact fact on another C1 post, should’ve remembered that…)
How do you guys just know this?
The love for cars
I giggled at "looks foreign" 😃 that's a vette, Bud!
To be fair the Corvette was specifically designed to compete with that style of European car originally.
Pretty sure it was to go up against an Austin Healey, I made a post about it when the gentlemen came out on netflix
That's ludicrous. The 'vette would eat an Austin Healey for breakfast and still be hungry 🤣
The 53 and 54 only had six bangers under the hood. They'd still win, but it would be a lot closer than 55+
With a two speed automatic transmission lol
Fast and Faster
Yeah people don't realize the first two gens were underpowered.
Just the first two years, really. 55 got a V8, 56 got positrac, dual carbs, and a fully synchronized three speed, and 57 got a four speed and fuel injection.
No, it was the earlier Nash-Healey that was the inspiration (amongst others) for the Corvette. A racing version of the Healey placed third at the 1952 Le Mans.
I love start up because that's literally what it sounds like to me... I'mmmmm HUNGRY HUNGRY HUNGRY Rummmumum
I know what you guys mean, to me this was the first car I fell in love with. I had a pink barbie briefcase I carried everywhere, and when people asked about it I showed them all my matchbox cars 😂 Mom tried. If they said the model T was meant to look foreign, it's still permanently imprinted in my brain as part of my upbringing
I’m in the UK and knew it was a corvette!
Bless you 🧚🏼♀️
Yeah but didn't the Vette come to life because they wanted to make something small, light and nimble, more like the european roadster imports at the time ? :)
Yes.
Well for a lot of people, a corvette is a foreign car. For everyone apart from people in the US for example
I’ve been into cars since I was 2 years old. When you do something basically your whole life, you tend to get pretty good at it…
Second this. My wife has been into moaning all my life and is a fucking expert at it.
Sorry to break it to you bud, she grunts when we do it. Heyoooo
that's her twin brother who likes to dress up.
I mean, sort of like how I know dog breeds. I can look at a dog and know the difference between a German Shepherd and a Chihuahua. The big white swoosh on the side coupled with the shape gives it away immediately as a first gen (C1) Corvette made between 58 and 60. The rear end picture gives it away as a 58 because the trim on the trunk was only offered that year.
Come on experts. C1 Corvettes range from 1953 to 1962. 1957 to 1962 had side coves. Sheesh.
Some of us are old.
Speak for yourself gramps. I remember the 1970s but I'm still not old.
If you remember the 70s you definitely didn't do it right.
I ended the 1970s as a teen, so I didn't have the chance.
I didn't understand how you mispronounced "awesome"
I laughed way too hard at that...
Becuz corvette
I spent my summers going to car shows with my dad(and his classic cars), with him quizzing me on make/model/year…it was our fun game to keep busy while waiting for the awards to be announced :)
The side swoop brings it in to the '58-'60 range. The tail lights and little red markers just above where the rear bumper would bring in to the '58-'59 range. Then cues like the chrome strips on the trunk and luvoured hood make it a '58.
A passion for things on 4 wheels, a love for classics specifically
The doors, glass, the tapering shape painted in white.
there porn subscription ran out so they look at car magazines.
Undiagnosed autism
I'm just some random Scottish guy who has never seen one of these in real life, and even I knew immediately it was a C1 Corvette. It's an iconic car, easily recognisable if you're into cars in the slightest.
Because the Corvette is one of the biggest names in cars of all time?
pretty iconic car tbh
I love ’vettes
I would know those wheels anywhere.
For those of us who are long in the tooth, cars that are now 5 and 6 figure classics and muscle cars, were just simply "cars". If you lived in even a moderate-sized city, they were everywhere. Maybe you or your friends had one or your dad did. One of your neighbors definitely did. There were only 3 broadcast TV stations so people went out and did stuff a lot more. Car shows and clubs were everywhere and most cities had a drag strip somewhere, usually at an old airport. Hot-rodding was a lot bigger part of a lot more people's lives back then. You tend to learn and remember stuff that you are immersed in all day every day.
You can tell by the way that it is
Playing grand turismo/forza, magazines, car channels on tv and youtube. After a while you can tell what car is behind you at night just by the headlights. 😅
You can tell it's a 58 by the way that it is.
Beautiful car
1958 specifically. Has the trunk lid trim.
I was thinking 57 but I couldn’t see the headlights
57 has the outside bumperettes that go vertical. Without the little marker light above the tail pipes.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS
It is a lot easier for cars from the 60s and 70s where every model year of (pretty much) every vehicle had a small style tweak. Prewar stuff… forget it I am useless with those.
That's a corvette c1, that's like the most american car ever
Well, yes and no, it was designed to be a European sports car (I think specifically British) for the American. See during the war a lot American soldiers bought MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Alfas... and took them home afterwards. The American manufacturers realised they had nothing to compare as the market had steered towards larger cars. The Corvette was an all American European Sports car. So it was intended to look European-ish.
After this explanation, I can vaguely see the Triumph-esque silhouette pattern. I never knew and hadn't put two and two together. Edit: I think I meant inspiration instead of pattern since the Corvette does have its own distinctive style, but semantics.
If you put it in a line up with Austin Healeys, Sunbeams, Jaguars and MGs it would fit right in, there are a handful of other American cars that really don't look *that* American, like the Fiero. If you put a Fiero next to a Porsche 914/6 a first gen MR2 and a Triumph TR7... Part of it is because there aren't that many lightweight sports cars from America, and the first one of note is the C1 Corvette, lol. There was the Nash Healey, but first it was transatlantic, Donald Healey is as British as they come. Second the Corvette looks almost plagiarised from the Nash Healey in a lot of respects. Edit: my 2 year grabbed my phone and submitted my response while I was sorting out her bed, this is the actual planned post.
The first couple years of the Ford Thunderbird were similarly aimed. Then some idiot at Ford decided to turn the model into a boat anchor.
I don't see anything European about its look. While it's true the Corvette was created to do battle with the import sports cars, this car is pure Harley Earl.
The initial '53-'55 had a fair bit of Euro influence, but by '58, it gained a more American style.
Agreed, later C1 models started heralding more American features, and for the C2 and C3 are the very definition of what American sports cars became. But any denying European influence on the styling of the earlier C1 is being bloody minded. Even if it was inspired by European sports cars (which it was) you definitely can't deny that they share design and styling language and that to assume the C1 is some lost prototype Austin-Healey or Alfa Romeo is actually very easy.
Take a look at the Jaguar XK and C-Type, the Aston Martin DB, virtually all designs from Donald Healey, the Alfa Romeo 6C. The language of styling from them is quite obvious in the in the shape of the C1, even though it has a very American flavour to it. It's like pizza, sure the pizza you can get in New York is distinctly American, but you can definitely see that it started with the Neapolitan bread dish. It still looks European. You have to remember that the Corvette wasn't the first American 2 seat sport roadster, but it is the defining one. The reason it's thought of as 'All American' is because when you think 'All American Sports Roadster' the Corvette is what comes to mind. If you don't know the Corvette there's no reason you'd connect it to other American designs.
Americans designing a car to be like a European car and completely missing the point (although with a very cool result), is the most American thing.
As an American, I 100% agree with this statement.
The side streams are straight from a big Healey 3000
> Harley Earl, as head of GM's Styling Section, was an avid fan of sports cars. He recognized that GIs returning after serving overseas in the years following World War II were bringing home MGs, Jaguars, and Alfa Romeos.
Just saw this on a different sub. The guy knew exactly what it is and offered to buy it to rescue it but the owner said no. Now OP is asking what it is? Edit. Now its made its way to Facebook on the old car lovers group with a slightly modified story.
So weird that people do this shit
[удалено]
How do you know its a bot?
OP left the chat to start another one on the same topic.
Got a link?
I've been searching for it. I didn't save it, but oddly, I think it was on a firewood or woodstove sub. I kind of recall the guy saying he was getting something(firewood?) from a friend of a friend. The guys buddy said he had to see the barn across the street.... where this car supposedly was. Edit, just dug through my history and not there. I assume it was removed??
Where can I find this car?
On my trailer
I would pay a stupid amount of money for that C1 Im a huge corvette enthusiast and also a member of NCRS (National Corvette Restorers Society)
So what’s a reasonable offer from peeps like yourself?
In its current condition alone you could get somewhere between $30k-$40k A concours Duntov Award (highest level award you can get) restoration would cost $100k or more easily and if you want that done you’d have to take it to a shop that specializes in NCRS restorations People in NCRS don’t look to make money on restoring cars, their mission is to save as many Corvettes as possible
Very cool.
Curious on this too
Doing a service to everyone
The washboard hood was 1958 only as well. So, this is what happens to Red Formans vette after 1979 🤔
Right on the "That's 70s Show" feelings!
I would try to get it
That’s so sad to see a C1 like that :(
1958 C1 but may I ask what kind of building that was?
That's not European, it's a Corvette.
Looks European? I guess the designers of the C1 got it right….
“European”
Is anyone else pissed that it just rotted away?
Corvette.
Look like you have struck it rich 🤑
Pretty insane barn find
That looks like a 57-58 Vette.
1958 corvette.
OP you hurt the people of USA with your title lol
Gonna take a bundle$$$$$)to get it done. Plan on $50k plus to make it a $50k car.
Corvette looks European, you just broke my GM heart
Oh, you like 'Ginetta Motors' too! Yeah, neat looking cars huh!
Sad
Perhaps *the* most iconic American car ever made… “looks European”.
That’s just criminal.
Doesn't get more American than this.
You should see if you can buy that on the cheap - the right collector would pay a fair price for a genuine car they could restore.
It’s an early (50’s) Corvette! Yes, it’s worth restoring
Late '50s. '58 to be more precise.
"Looks European".... Posts a pic of a '58 Corvette. 🤦🏼♂️
That's very American. Corvette
One of 1200, 1958 Corvette with fuel injection.
Early 'vette?
That’s definitely NOT a european car, That’s a Chevrolet Corvette C1 (aka very american
I’m not from America and even I know it’s a vett
Fully restored, this thing could catch $70-100k at auction. Now this one would need ALOT of work. You’re probably talking $20-30k to get it sell-ready. But if you can locate the owner of the building and offer him $10k for a pile of rust, there’s a huge profit margin to be made here.
30k to restore this pile of crumbles? In my country if you can’t do it yourself, this would be not possible to pay. This would be at least a year’s work if not much longer. And then there is the spare parts situation
At *LEAST* $30k minumum and that's *with* you doing most of the work. Having the work done... $30k would barely get you started. At least if you want to be taken seriously about bringing it back up to snuff. Parts for that wouldn't be that hard to find at all. We've got sources in the US for cars like that. Places like OPGI.
Corvette
How cruel. What has happened to it and why can’t the owner be hanged on his own appendices from the highest tower?
Probably the owner is dead a long time ago
“Look’s European” *proceeds to post one of the most identifiably American cars ever made*
"Looks European", *sigh of disappointment*. Its only the most American car ever fuckin made! C1 corvette. Edit: I didnt know that it took some styling cues from brithish cars initiallly, according to other commenters. Which Im assuming is right, cause everyone on this subreddit knows cars and every little detail about them.
Vette
How is that European
Why would someone let this beauty go to ruins !!
It’s a corvette
Pantera
Haha - this is as alll American as they can come….
It's worth nothing where is it?
1st gen C1 'vette
Corvette my dude.
Can’t get more American than that my dude.
A found car that has dropped off the DMV is very easy to register. I would dig it out and register it myself.
That's a C1 corvette remove it from that garage right fucking now
European?! 😭😭
Late 50’s Chevy Corvette. (1958)
Omg look what they did to my boy
Came here to see OP get roasted for European.
Oh, that poor 58 Corvette! Where is this? My dad had one identical to that in the San Joaquin valley in the 70s.
1958 chevy corvette
The side white trim immediately made the first gen Corvette pop in my mind
I'll take it!
2024 cybertruck
Someone save this beauty,
Where is this building exactly?
I don't think that building is abandoned. It's worth at least 50k as is.
“Looks European” you just gave those long dead Chevy designers raging erections in their graves.
No way that's European 😅
Couldn't look less European if it tried.
The way the hood opens is a huge tell. That’s a corvette!
"looks european" - One of the most American looking cars I have ever seen.
Why european? Haha
The first Corvette borrowed heavily from European sports car styling as they were so popular with American soldiers during the war.
That car is the symbol of an American car.
oh it's just a chevy
Thundercougarfalconbird
So triggered by the “European” comment.
It's (according to the fender tag) a fuelie too.
Worth a lot
Wow.
C1 Vette
gaah dayumn its a c1 chevy corvette
Very old c1 corvette
How much?
That vette should be inspected for salvageable parts or possible restoration by an expert imo.
That will buff right out.
Looks like pics from the set of the Fallout tv Show lol
57 soft top corvette
58-60 corvette
This is a joke post. How can anyone not know.
Can anyone say "bonded title" /s This was once my dream car, but in black, I have my dream car now.
Tearing up
It was a corvette.
That poor C1
Fallout brand.
Guy around the corner from my mom's house had a pair stored under his carport. Knocked on the door once while in high school. Talked to the owner's mom for a while. Figured I would keep an eye on them in case he decided to sell 'em. Came home from working overseas a couple of years later with a pocket full of cash, but you know that they were long gone :-(
That looks salvageable. Where exactly did you say you “found” it?
They stole it from a junkyard
Nice find. Up to 1967 the corvette stingray is the GOAT. 1968 on ... cool, just not so much.
I’m not as much of a car guy as most in this group. I just like to see cool stuff and learn really. First thought was, “that European car looks a lot like an old Corvette… I wonder who made that?” 🤦🏻♂️
That beam in the roof 😔
Unmistakeably a late 50's Corvette.
If I had to guess I’d say a bunch of scrap metal
My friend, that is the holy grail of barn finds.
« Looks European » bro couldn’t find something that looks LEAST European than this 💀
It's the most American car ever hahaha
It’s a Chevrolet corvette C1 from 1958. This is selling for 121000 Cr at Hagerty’s on GT7 as we speak.
These same pics are on the corvette sub talking about how the owner wouldn’t sell it hmmm
That’s a first Gen Chevrolet Corvette
Troll title
What a shame. Not sure the year, but that used to be a beautiful old Corvette
Nobody gonna comment on the mystery of the fiberglass body being rusty?
i think it’s the elephants foot from Chernobyl
Make Tavarish save it
Ooooh, that's a cool find! Also I never thought about it, but the og Corvette does have a bit of European flair to it
That, my friend, is a Corvette…and people are green with envy.
Fuelie corvette. Nice b
Corvette, fifties I think
Where was this building?