Award Of Distinction Chevrolet...
Award Of Distinction
Chevrolet honored Pat when his '57 Corvette hit the 600,000-mile threshold. (The plaque-maker got the VIN wrong.)
There's no secret to this Vette's long life: regular maintenance, a devoted owner, and luck in avoiding crashes that would have written it off. Pat says that, if you're looking for a Corvette to own as a daily driver, maybe a C1 might not be the best choice for you as it was for him four and a half decades ago. "It depends on what they're looking for," he says when asked if he has any advice for prospective first-time Corvette owners. "If they're looking for an old one, I don't think they're going to drive it as a daily driver. Almost any Corvette, I think, is in good shape-most people take care of 'em. And, naturally, with the newer ones, you can find a high-mileage or a low-mileage one, and they're still about the same price. The price doesn't change much, from what I see."
And time doesn't diminish a Corvette's beauty, no matter how many times the odometer's been around.
| >>> DATA FILE ::: '57 CHEVROLET CORVETTE |
| Owned by: Pat Garrahan, Fresno, California |
| MILEAGE | 711,015 (at time story was written) |
| >> BODY |
| Production '57 Corvette |
| MODIFICATIONS | Corvette emblem shaved off of front, color change from original |
| PAINT | Original Cascade Green with Shoreline Beige coves color scheme reapplied about five years ago |
| >> CHASSIS |
| Production '57 Corvette |
| BRAKES | Production '57 Corvette drum-and-shoe, front and rear |
| WHEELS | 15x10 Halibrands, front and rear |
| TIRES | 205/60-15 (front), 245/60-15 (rear). New tires to go on as this is written |
| >> ENGINE |
| Overhead-valve V-8, Chevrolet small-block |
| DISPLACEMENT | 283 ci |
| IGNITION | Production '57 Corvette nonelectronic |
| INDUCTION | Rochester mechanical fuel-injection system, taken from a '59 Corvette |
| EXHAUST | OEM exhaust manifolds/dual-exhaust system |
| FUEL DELIVERY | OEM mechanical fuel pump |
| HORSEPOWER | 283 (estimated) |
| >> TRANSMISSION |
| Tremec five-speed manual (replaced OEM three-speed manual), shifted by replica of OEM "skinny stick" shifter |
| >> INTERIOR |
| Restored production '57 Corvette |
| SEATS | Restored (several times!) production Corvette bucket seats |
| CARPETS | Reproduction Corvette loop-pile |
| INSTRUMENTATION | Production gauge cluster (0- to 140-mph speedometer, 0- to 6,000-rpm tachometer; ammeter, fuel level, oil-pressure and coolant-temperature gauges in dash |
| SOUND SYSTEM | Production "Wonderbar" AM radio |
| HVAC | Production '57 Corvette heater/defroster and aftermarket A/C (additional air provided by dropping top and lowering windows) |