Log in

View Full Version : Attention Early Vette Guys


hvychev
04-27-2012, 12:41 AM
This is for Tim G. or one of the other Vette guys on this forum. Kind of a neat story, I go to the local YMCA to walk three days per week and then sit and BS with a group of guys that are in their 70s. We talk about a ton of different subjects and I have discussed cars from time to time. These are not your typical car guys so their end of the conversation is minimal.

On Monday one of the guys freaked me out. He brings in a bag and said that he had something to show me. He pulls out pages from a photo album and a couple pieces of paper and goes on to show me two ORIGINAL bills of sale from car dealerships, one of a BRAND NEW 57 T-bird and the other a BRAND NEW 59 Corvette that he bought new at that time. I was pretty shocked to say the least because he never mentioned anything about cars before. He also has pictures from when the cars were new, some of the original 1950s photos were in color. He sure knew how to pick them, both cars were the quintessential colors for their time. The T-bird was a powder blue with the white top and porthole windows and the Vette was red with white coves. He paid $3,270 out the door for the new T-bird and two years later traded it in for a cash difference of $1,136 out the door for the new Vette.

It was interesting to talk to him about cars that he bought new 55 years ago. It was also neat that he kept the pictures and paper for so long. He is 74 years old now and is literally as fit and spry as a guy that is in his 20s. I have NEVER met a man full of so much energy in my entire life. I told him I would see if his old car is still out there. He holds the pics and paper pretty dearly but if the cars are still out there maybe someone can pry them out of his hands. Could someone check with the NCRS or one of the other Vette organizations to see if the car is registered? It might be someones lucky day. The info on the car is as follows:

1959 Corvette. Red, white coves.

Sold new at Fencl-Pierce Chevrolet in Oak Park, IL to owner in Cicero, IL

245 HP engine, I believe he said it was a 3 speed automatic. (bill of sale doesn't list the transmission)

Seriel# J59S101479

Bill Pritchard
04-27-2012, 01:04 AM
Cool story, Frank! FWIW, no 3 speed automatic in a 59 Vette....3 speed manual was standard equipment, with the 2 speed Powerglide automatic and the 4 speed manual optional. Hope someone finds that the car is still out there!

mockingbird812
04-27-2012, 01:12 AM
Cool story Frank. Good luck on your quest!

hvychev
04-27-2012, 01:18 AM
Thanks guys!

Bill, you are probably right. The options are typed on the bill of sale and they include (written exactly as typed):

Dlx. heater
Signal-seeking radio
W/S washers
Parking Brake alarm
Courtesy lite
245 Engine
Positraction real axle
Tutone paint
Whitewall Tires
PAF

The absence of a trans listed leads me to believe that it was the three speed manual?

TimG
04-27-2012, 08:29 PM
Frank, I can send the VIN into NCRS for my bi-monthly add. They allow free adds and I generally don't use mine.
I'll prepare it with my email. If anything comes through, I'll gladly put them in touch with you. I think this is great that he has the paperwork.
I can also post on the NCES website, I don't think they will delete this type of add.

Thank Frank, I was looking at my Nortell Olds emblem last weekend and thought of you.

TimG
04-27-2012, 08:32 PM
It's posted on the NCRS site, Frank.

hvychev
04-28-2012, 05:20 AM
Tim, thanks so much! I just thought about how much one of us would flip if paper and pictures of one of our cars surfaced almost 55 years after it was sold. It's gotta be relatively rare that this happens on a Vette from the 1950s.

Kind of interesting, but I was looking at the paperwork and the Cicero, IL address and phone number on the paper from 1957 were his mothers and remained the same until he JUST sold the house two months ago. The family lived in that Chicago style bungalow since the 1930s. He lives a few doors down and has for almost 40 years. That is becoming more and more rare these days in Chicago and it's vicinity.

Bill Pritchard
04-28-2012, 06:40 AM
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hvychev</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The absence of a trans listed leads me to believe that it was the three speed manual? </div></div>

That's probably a very reasonable assumption, Frank <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

TimG
04-30-2012, 03:59 PM
I just sold my moms home on the north side, in the city. She was there for 50 years. She's living at a retirement center here in Austin now. She misses Chicago so much.

427TJ
04-30-2012, 05:43 PM
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hvychev</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> These are not your typical car guys so their end of the conversation is minimal. </div></div>

No Internet when they were coming up! Love it! They let each other talk rather than interrupt and compete over who the smartest guy is.