Lot 212

The John Staluppi Collection

1957 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster

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$77,000 USD | Sold

United States | North Palm Beach, Florida

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Chassis No.
E57S104257

220 bhp, 283.0 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine, three-speed manual transmission, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 102.0 in.

With aggressive competition coming from Ford's Thunderbird in 1957, the small production Corvette was built only as a convertible “Roadster.” The body styling remained unchanged, but it would mark the last year for single headlights. The Corvette would, however, receive further engineering enhancements, which most notably included a new 283-cubic inch powerplant offered in a variety of versions, including a dual four-barrel carbureted setup good for 270 horsepower.

Only 14 feet in length, the Corvette was constructed of a pressed steel infrastructure surrounded by a fiberglass body. With an intimidating front-end chrome grille that resembled a shark's mouth, the Roadster ate up the competition. In fact, it was promoted as one of the fastest production cars of its time. Keeping up with its stunning good looks, the Corvette continued to supply a list of available amenities, including a radio, a parking brake alarm, courtesy lights, and beautiful 15-inch whitewall tires.

Offered here is a classic example of the watershed year Corvette finished in white with silver coves, red wheels, and a red vinyl interior and black top. The car shows just under 71,000 miles on the odometer and has benefitted from a previous body-off restoration that was done to very correct and thorough standards. It is reported to be a numbers-matching example that was previously displayed at the National Corvette Museum while in the care of a former owner, prior to joining the Cars of Dreams Museum. The paintwork, interior, brightwork, 283-cubic inch engine, underbody, and trunk area all remain clean and tidy and display only minor signs of road wear. The panel and body fitment are excellent throughout and affirm the overall high quality of this sporting Corvette.