1960 Chevrolet Corvette 283/270 Convertible

1960 Chevrolet Corvette 283/270 Convertible
Sold for $132,000 Including Commission
RM Auction, Amelia Island, Florida 2014
Chassis no. 00867S100061
Engine no. F089CU
Engine Casting No. 3756519
270 hp, 283 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine with “Dual-Quad” carburetors, four-speed manual T-10 transmission, independent front suspension with upper and lower A-arms, unequal length wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar, and tubular shocks, live rear axle suspension with semi-elliptic leaf springs and tubular shock absorbers, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 102 in.

•Equipped with the desirable 270/283 “Dual-Quad” V-8 and four-speed
•Correct date-coded engine, which is believed to be original
•Recently completed nut-and-bolt restoration to NCRS standards
•One of just 280 in this color scheme
•Both factory hardtop and soft-top included


Corvette fever was at a high pitch in 1960 with certain thanks to the ABC television program Route 66. The show, starring Martin Milner as Tod Stiles and George Maharis as Buz Murdock, featured the two free spirits traveling Route 66 in a 1960 Corvette that belonged to Buz. While the show lasted only four seasons, the Corvette has lasted 51 seasons, and it is still with us today. In 1960, Corvette deliveries broke the 10,000 mark for the first time with 10,261 units.

Equally notable, American Briggs Cunningham entered three Corvettes in the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans. There, the car, driven by John Fitch and Bob Grossman, finished 8th overall, which is a considerable achievement for a privately entered team without factory support. Appropriately, Corvette ads stated, “For ten seconds try to image what owning a Corvette would be like…you’re close but it’s better than that!”

Little changed with Corvette for 1960 compared to the previous year. Engineer Zora Arkus Duntov improved both ride and handling, and with that included a larger diameter front anti-roll bar and a revised rear suspension that featured an anti-roll bar for the first time. The clutch housing was fabricated from aluminum, cutting the car’s weight by 18 pounds. Somewhat humorously, Corvette’s base price was $3,872, down $3.00 from 1959.

This example, born on September 3, 1959, is one of only two hundred eighty originally painted in the very desirable combination of Sateen Silver with White coves over a contrasting red interior. A matching factory hardtop with a red headliner and a beautiful white soft-top are also included. This early-production car was the 61st Corvette produced for 1960, and it spent most of its life in Ocean City, Maryland. It was found in the rear of a small shop, where it rested for nearly 30 years prior to being purchased and sent to a professional Corvette specialist. Four-and-a-half years later, it emerged from a nut-and-bolt restoration to factory specifications. The car is highlighted by incredible attention to detail, and the consigner proudly boasts that “it is one of the finest examples of a straight-axle Corvette available.”

The paint is described by the owner as “flawless,” while the chrome is triple-plated, the body fit is excellent, and the interior is beautifully detailed. It has the rare radio delete, along with optional sun shades, interior courtesy lighting, deluxe floor mats, a temperature-controlled fan, and a spare tire. Performance is exemplary, as it comes from the 270-horsepower 283 V-8, which is fitted with dual Carter four-barrel carburetors and a Borg Warner T-10 four-speed manual gearbox.

As it has only been driven little more than 20 miles since restoration, the new owner will be the first to campaign this magnificent first-generation Corvette to high acclaim within the collector car hobby.

Robert Myrick Photography