Chevrolet Corvette 1961

The 1961 Chevrolet Corvette was restored in 2014. The car is finished in Tuxedo Black with silver piping over red vinyl upholstery, and power comes from a 283-horsepower fuel-injected V8 engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission and a 3.70:1 Posi-traction rear end. Features include a white soft top, factory hard top, heater, electric clock, and Wonderbar radio. An October 2019 overhaul by Corvette Specialties included a transmission, rear end, and steering box rebuild, as well as the installation of a new clutch, tires, spark plugs, and ignition components.

The 1961 Corvette was restyled with updated rear fiberglass bodywork inspired by GM design chief Bill Mitchell’s XP-700 show car. This example is said to have been repainted in its factory Tuxedo Black with silver coves during the 2014 refurbishment. Paint cracks are noted around the antenna .

The black-painted steel wheels feature polished covers with faux knock-off spinners and are mounted with 6.70R15 American Classic bias ply-look radial whitewall tires. A matching spare wheel is mounted under the trunk floor. The Al Knoch white soft top features a plastic rear window and the factory hardtop is included. The steering box was rebuilt in October 2019.

The bucket seats are trimmed in red vinyl that was reportedly sourced from Al Knoch, along with a matching dash pad, door panels, and carpets. Features include a heater, an electric clock, a Wonderbar radio, lap belts, and black Corvette-branded floor mats.

The three-spoke steering wheel frames a 160-mph speedometer situated above a tachometer with a 6,500-rpm redline as well as a quartet of auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 39k miles, 3k of which were added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown.

The 283ci V8 features Rochester mechanical fuel injection and was factory rated at 315 horsepower. New spark plugs, ignition points, a condenser, and a distributor cap were installed in October 2019, and a valve adjustment was performed. The windshield washer reservoir, pump, and lines have been removed. 

 Engine suffix “CS” indicates a 315-horsepower, fuel-injected 283ci V8 with a hi-lift camshaft in conjunction with a manual transmission. 

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission and a 3.70:1 Posi-traction rear end, both of which were rebuilt in October 2019. A new clutch was also installed at that time, and the flywheel was resurfaced.