1962 Chevrolet Corvette (SOLD)

When the GIs returned from WW2, they brought with them a range of sports cars from Europe including Austin Healeys, MGs, Alfa Romeos and Jaguars. General Motors designer Harley Earl, loved sports cars and convinced GM to build a two-seater sports car and with his Special Projects crew began working on the new car in late 1951. The result was the hand-built, EX-122 pre-production Corvette prototype, which was first shown to the public at the 1953 General Motors Motorama at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Following rave reviews, GM built what became their flagship GM sports car, now in its 66th year of production.

First built in 1953, the initial 300 Corvettes were hand built and ran the 235 ci 6 cylinder. For 1955 and 56 the Corvette was powered by the 265 ci V8, from 1956 to 1961 they ran a 283 cui V8 and in 1962 the husky 327. The Corvette had evolved to rival sports cars around the world with an unabashed reputation for performance and fun.

While the jump to a V8 in the 1950’s had proved pivotal to the Corvette’s ultimate success and sustainability, nobody could have imagined the impact that the introduction of the 327 V8 would have on the last of the C1 Corvettes. The larger 327 V8 produced power and torque that was unparalleled with anything seen prior to its emergence as the primary power plant of the 62 Corvette. This new ‘Vette, when equipped with a four speed and fuel injection, could regularly run the quarter mile in under fifteen seconds and achieve speeds in excess of 100 mile per hour while doing so.

Despite it’s origins and it’s undeniable ties to the very first Corvette, the 1962 was faster, handled better, was more physically appealing, and the most civilised of any Corvette made to date, though it continued to retain much of the pioneering imagination that had made Harley Earl’s 1953 concept car such a triumph. In fact the ‘62 remains one of the most desirable of all the C1 models.

Sales of the 1962 Corvette jumped by nearly 40 percent from the previous year, with total sales of 14,531 units. Little did the original designers know just how successful the Corvette was about to become!

Now for sale is this stunning 1962 Chevy Corvette C1. It’s known history begins in 1986 when a gentleman named Michael Sulier purchased the car from the Specialist Motor Co in Ohio for $7200 with 89,339 miles on the clock. He owned the car until 2005 when it changed hands and went to a new owner before it was imported into Australia. Purchased by a Queensland based owner in 2011, the car was ground up rotisserie restored with extensive documentation of the restoration with photos and receipts. The restoration was done keeping the car in totally original condition with the exception of the addition of period power steering and a disc brake front end sourced from Corvette Central in Michigan, USA.

The whole body was stripped and prepared before being repainted in the factory Ermine White with Red vinyl trim. The car has had a full new wiring loom installed, new suspension, new brakes, hub caps restored and new white walls tyres fitted. A new windscreen, new white soft top and a multitude of new parts were installed during the assembly of the car. The car comes with a receipt folder, restoration photos and a coffee table book on the restoration of the car. The car was first registered in 2016 and has been to many shows collecting its fair share of trophies. Currently on VIC historic registration. Viewing by appointment in Melbourne, VIC. (Ref: 5359)