What appearance differences are there between 1959 and 1960 Corvettes except for color choices? I am aware of the very minor blue/red design effect (on 60's but not 59's) in front of the interior grab bar.

Like 70 and 71's C3's, differences are apparently very minor. I nail them by the backup lite design and parking lites.

 

For the hi-po motors, aluminum radiators were offered with top tanks; no more FI cars with automatics.

 

There were some chassis upgrades to the 60 over and above the 59 chassis. This brought about a reduction in the price for the HD suspension option.
The big suspension upgrade for 59 was the rear radius rods (most of us refer to them as factory traction bars).
The 59 still had the 6cyl style notched front sway bar, and with the HD suspension, the front sway bar was a larger diameter, but it was still the notched version. And the HD suspension included stiffer, but shorter front springs and 5 leaf rear springs.
For 60, the front sway bar was the larger diameter and it was straight. The front springs remained the same as the standard springs of 53-59 vintage, regardless of suspension pkg (although some racers chose to buy and install the early stiff front springs and 5 leaf rear springs).
Also for 60, a rear sway bar was added behind the axle housing and the rear leaf springs remained as 4 leafs, same as the std suspension. The reason for no more HD springs in 60 was because Chevy felt that the larger front sway bar and the added rear sway bar would compensate for heavier, stiffer springs, thus the ride remained softer with the HD pkg. For the HD pkg in 60, only HD shocks and the fast steering adapter were added along with the HD finned brakes. Of course, the upholstery design was different for 60. When I see a 59 or 60 parked, the VERY FIRST thing I check is for the presence or absence of the two red/blue rectangles above/below the Corvette in the pkg tray area. Sunvisors were std for 60. All 59s have the VIN plate attached on the door hinge piller. Mid year 60s got the VIN plate spot welded to the steering column under the hood.
If the hood is up, you can take a very quick look at the front sway bar.
These are the differences that immediately come to mind on STOCK 59-60 Vettes. Of course, if the car has been "personalized" by the owner, then there's no telling what may be changed on the car.
Any and all of the 60-62 chassis upgrades/additions can easily be retrofitted to 53-59 cars. For example, a 55 3sp car can relatively quickly be upgraded to a chassis setup of a 62, and still retain its stock appearance. The 265/3sp can be swapped out for a 327 and 4sp and with a 59-62 axle housing swap, any available posi rear can be added. The later HD springs and sway bars are easy to swap out and of course, the wedge shims should be added between the front cross member and frame rails. Suddenly, you have a very competitive 62 in 55 skin-----------and no one's the wiser----------------well, maybe a few!

Tom Parsons

 

The carpet may be different. My '59 is a solid color and the '60 is a multi-color.

 

Besides the changes Tom mentioned, the steel wheel painted color on 59s were black whereas 60s had body color painted steel wheels. Also, the 59 was used in the movie Animal House which makes it way cooler. (ha, ha).

Mark

 

friction hood latches on the '59, as opposed to a capture pin arrangement.
round indentures as opposed to square on door panel metal trim.

 

Sunvisors were a $15 option. They became standard in 61. The VIN tag move was approx. car #1500 (early in the model year).

Other visual differences were the pleats in the seat, 59- side to side, 60 -front to rear.
Fan shroud completely re-designed for 60.

Jim

 

One of the easiest ways to figure out what is a 59 versus a 60 without looking underneath the car is to look at the door end caps. The one with a slight raised lip is a 60.

 

59 tachs only had orange and red. 60's had green/green/orange/red.

 

Had heard that the speaker has a different bezel.

 

Only two things quickly help me identify the difference and without raising the hood or opening the door. They have been mentioned above and are or is the interior {no two years patterns are alike} and lack of or has, the red and blue tiny bars above and below 'CORVETTE' in the trash box in front of the passenger.

The 'Tach only helps me identify the engine OE horsepower, unless aftermarket junk is present. Then only the Lord knows.....

 

A favorite line from arguably the funniest movie of all time (Animal House) was after Delta House has been expelled off campus: Bluto (John Belushi) says:

"Christ, seven years of school down the drain. Might as well have joined the friggen Peace Corp."

Friggen has been substituted for polite company.

 

[QUOTE=Coves4me;1575257275]Besides the changes Tom mentioned, the steel wheel painted color on 59s were black whereas 60s had body color painted steel wheels. Also, the 59 was used in the movie Animal House which makes it way cooler. (ha, ha). :thumbs

Actually, the Red C1 Corvette used in Animal House was a 1961 Corvette

 

No it was not 61. There was a die cast model of it done using Ertl's 61 Corvette, and some erroneous stories on the internet, calling it a 61, but it wasn't. I can't say for sure if it was a 59 or 60, but it did have the round back of the 58-60's, not the squared off back of the 61-62.

 

Simple: the sixty seat seams are sewn straight from front to back.
The 59's are sewn side to side.

 

I learn something every day! Does someone have a pic? I had a '59 years ago but am having trouble visualizing what is meant here. (not disputing it, just can't get it in my head)