1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE for sale
Exotic Classics is pleased to present this very special 1957 Chevrolet Corvette featured in Aztec Copper with Cream interior. This unique Fuel Injected Corvette is fitted with a factory Air Box and numerous other upgrades done in period with documented history.
Chevrolet shows 43 1957 Corvettes documented as RPO 579D cars, powered by Chevy's 283hp, fuel-injected small-block and equipped with a system that directs cold air from the grill opening to the Rochester fuel injections air meter. But Ken Kayser, who wrote the book on the '57 Corvette race cars (The History of GM's Ramjet Fuel Injection on the Chevrolet V-8 and its Corvette Racing Pedigree), states that Chevrolet built a total of 50 of these famous airboxes. 43 were fitted to the known airbox cars, and a further four boxes were installed incorrectly at the factory on base engine carbureted cars. Kayser reports that the 48th airbox was delivered by Zora Arkus- Duntov, himself, to Rosenthal Chevrolet in Arlington, Virginia, to go on the dealership's RPO 684 big-brake '57. In Kens book, there is a photo of a low-horse fuelie with a box. Zora is seen showing the car to some visiting VIP, and they don't know where that car is. That's reported to be airbox #49. And according to Ken, this car received airbox #50.
This 50th-airbox-equipped '57 has some other rarities on it, including the steering-column-mounted tach, the RPO 440 Aztec Copper/Beige two-tone color scheme that was shared with only 261 other '57s, and the Borg Warner T-10 four-speed gearbox, which didn't appear on a factory '57 until early April.
This car was sold new at Bill Greene Chevrolet in Stuart, Florida. The restorer researched the car and its history, and ultimately spoke with Michael Greene, who ran the dealership for his father. The restorer said, I'm asking about an Aztec Copper 1957 Corvette and said Michael interrupted him, saying, I remember the car well! Airbox, steering-mounted tach, I remember firing some kid over that car, because he washed it and got the carpeting wet.
The restorer kept the mesh grille that was on the car, rather than "re-tooth" it with a production '57 Corvette one. He reports having a letter from the original owner stating that's the way the car was originally delivered. And, he says he has a letter from Michael Greene, stating that's the way it was delivered to the dealership. And he also has a photo of the car from 1959, which shows it with fog lights and a mesh screen.
Was this Corvette prepared to race, but sold before it ever turned a lap on a track? It is possible because there was a lot of racing going on around there back then, and Greenes dealership is not far from Sebring. It may well be that the original owner told the dealer what he wanted in a '57 Vette, and the dealer showed him the car he was planning to race, but would sell if buyer would take it as it was.
This meticulously restored 57 has been featured in magazines and is among the finest examples we have seen.
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