When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Root:
I believe you may be right about the carpet. I have a '61 Jewel Blue and I put in new carpeting last year. I have attached a pic I took during the installation. The '59 carpeting was a different weave than the '61 although the color may be somewhat similar in appearance. I'm sure some other '59 owners can give you a more definitive answer.
Photos on the internet can be deceiving.
IT'S THE OLD ''SALT and PEPPER'' used on Corvette thru 1962.
Hi again. I got to go see my car at my dads house. I want this move over so I can have it back! It's been sitting for almost 2 months and fired right up. That made me happy.
I was was hoping for your help yet again. The car came with new carpet for me to install. It's obviously not frost blue and I don't want to spend the time installing it just to have to change it later. So I decided to sell this carpet and buy the right color. Before I try and sell this carpet in the classified section I want to make sure I know the correct year and color to list it as. My best guess is 1961 Jewel Blue but maybe you guys will know better. Once it's sold I hope to get a decent amount toward getting the right color.
In this second pic you can see it against my frost blue dash pad.
This is the SHORT WEAVE carpet used in 1957-59 years. It is very hard to find. Al Knock makes carpet for these time period today. Auto Custom Carpet and Walt Zoren from Michigan also made carpet in the 70's and 80's. You need to talk to Dan Holstein who ''wrote'' the original 58-60 NCRS Judging manual. He visits the C/F and comments.
IT'S THE OLD ''SALT and PEPPER'' used on Corvette thru 1962.
Originally Posted by jimgessner
This is the SHORT WEAVE carpet used in 1957-59 years. It is very hard to find. Al Knock makes carpet for these time period today. Auto Custom Carpet and Walt Zoren from Michigan also made carpet in the 70's and 80's. You need to talk to Dan Holstein who ''wrote'' the original 58-60 NCRS Judging manual. He visits the C/F and comments.
So it's a 57-59 carpet? Hard to find.... Hmmm... I know the guy that had my car before me wanted everything right so he had been collecting parts for years. This carpet could have been made a long time ago. All the trim I have is NOS, could this carpet be? I'm just trying to figure out what this carpet is so I can be a good seller in the classifieds section and ask a fair price with good description. Once I can sell this carpet I'll get the carpet that's the right color.
Root:
I believe you may be right about the carpet. I have a '61 Jewel Blue and I put in new carpeting last year. I have attached a pic I took during the installation. The '59 carpeting was a different weave than the '61 although the color may be somewhat similar in appearance. I'm sure some other '59 owners can give you a more definitive answer.
Photos on the internet can be deceiving.
thanks abdo, I'll have to bring it over to your house so we can compare carpets side by side. I hope to get up to Cohasset soon.
So it's a 57-59 carpet? Hard to find.... Hmmm... I know the guy that had my car before me wanted everything right so he had been collecting parts for years. This carpet could have been made a long time ago. All the trim I have is NOS, could this carpet be? I'm just trying to figure out what this carpet is so I can be a good seller in the classifieds section and ask a fair price with good description. Once I can sell this carpet I'll get the carpet that's the right color.
I looked up some record history. SHORT WEAVE , ''BLUE'' is the correct carpet for your car. I vote for FROST BLUE paint and BLUE interior, with BLUE CARPET. 1303 were made. 1181 Turquoise, 5129 red, 2063 black.
You may note that the center section on your seats was done by an interior shop, probably on the original seat covers. The side to side pleats are correct for 59. 1958 and 1960 went front to back.
Also as noted above 1024 frost blue paint cars, but only 361 Frost Blue with White cove. The added cove color change was RPO # 440 Two tone exterior paint. It cost a whopping $16.15. 2915 Corvettes were two tone cars of the 9670 total made.
And your convertible top could also be blue. Most were white or black, but 412 were blue and only 217 turquoise were also available.
Hi Root,
I am in Minnesota too.
I can help you with some of the Minneapolis based suppliers, contacts and car clubs.
Send me a PM if you need a hand.
I am looking forward to following your progress ....
Kevin
Thanks Kevin. The guy who owned the car from me was pretty active in one of the corvette clubs in the cities. I am sure once I get this jigsaw puzzle back together I'll need help with vendors. I'll make sure to message you.
I looked up some record history. SHORT WEAVE , ''BLUE'' is the correct carpet for your car. I vote for FROST BLUE paint and BLUE interior, with BLUE CARPET. 1303 were made. 1181 Turquoise, 5129 red, 2063 black.
You may note that the center section on your seats was done by an interior shop, probably on the original seat covers. The side to side pleats are correct for 59. 1958 and 1960 went front to back.
Also as noted above 1024 frost blue paint cars, but only 361 Frost Blue with White cove. The added cove color change was RPO # 440 Two tone exterior paint. It cost a whopping $16.15. 2915 Corvettes were two tone cars of the 9670 total made.
And your convertible top could also be blue. Most were white or black, but 412 were blue and only 217 turquoise were also available.
I know the interior is blue but this carpet if such a different color blue that I am sure its not the right one. In all the pictures I see online the carpet is the same frost blue as the rest of the interior, this one is much darker. As for the seats, the last owner didn't like the vinyl so sometime in the early 70's his wife made those seats using cloth. I kinda like the character those seat covers add. Someday I will do them right but for now it keeps some of the story.
Thanks for all those other numbers. I had no idea so few of the blue cars came with white coves. It does have a white top right now. I know there is no way to know forsure but with so few cars with that color combo it makes me wonder how many of those were 230hp,4 speed, posi cars.
Info update. I'm excited so I had to log on to post that my title issue is resolved. I now own my car with no question marks. It just took the MN DMV a few months to get to researching it. They called me and said its an obvious mistake and a new title is on the way. Very good news.
My car is still in storage while I am between homes but I got to spend some time with it the other day. Turns out it's not a numbers matching engine. The seller was unsure since the car was his dad's and everything looked correct so I paid NOM price and didn't care if it was original or not. I decided I wanted to know so I looked and although the Intake and carb are numbers matching for a 230hp car the block came back to a 1967 Chevelle or similar 283. I'm not going to worry about it now because I'm broke and still homeless but someday I'll find a correct block.
And the fact that MN DMV had the common sense to recognize it was an obvious mistake.
Unfortunately, here in California, you're taking a gamble with whomever you deal with at DMV.
I've had some real good, common sense people I've dealt with (here in CA), but unfortunately, I've had some that left a lot to be desired.
I can tell you that in the small town of Placerville CA, I've had nothing but good experiences at the local DMV office. Every time I'm in there, those individuals are constantly working and they're working quickly and efficiently.
Root:
The Minnesota DMV is very slow in processing year of manufacture plates. Last year I waited for over 3 months until I got impatient and emailed them about the delay. They finally processed it.
I would not worry too much about the NOM engine block. Unless you are going to have it judged at a NCRS meet, it is not a big deal. Remember, these cars are over 50 years old. My '57 (avatar) has a NOM block but it is identical to the 283 block that was originally in it.
My '61 has the original engine but at one time the block was decked and the numbers are very hard to read, but they are visible.
Info update. I'm excited so I had to log on to post that my title issue is resolved. I now own my car with no question marks. It just took the MN DMV a few months to get to researching it. They called me and said its an obvious mistake and a new title is on the way. Very good news.
My car is still in storage while I am between homes but I got to spend some time with it the other day. Turns out it's not a numbers matching engine. The seller was unsure since the car was his dad's and everything looked correct so I paid NOM price and didn't care if it was original or not. I decided I wanted to know so I looked and although the Intake and carb are numbers matching for a 230hp car the block came back to a 1967 Chevelle or similar 283. I'm not going to worry about it now because I'm broke and still homeless but someday I'll find a correct block.
Root,
A NOM is actually a good thing at this point. As you can spend time on other things now. Like getting it safe to drive.
When you decide to shop for a correct 283, be sure to research it first (either here or at NCRS) to make sure you get the right date codes on the block. There is a different dating convention used on 283 blocks based on where they were forged.
But it is pretty easy to find a date code correct 283, as they were used in Impalas too. And guys with Imaplas just love to pull their 283's and replace them with 409's....
Another benefit of having a NOM now is that you can find a correct block and built it up at your leisure.
Keep the updates coming. It is winter in MN and we need something to read.
Hi Root,
I am in Minnesota too.
I can help you with some of the Minneapolis based suppliers, contacts and car clubs.
Send me a PM if you need a hand.
I am looking forward to following your progress ....
Kevin
It was nice meeting you today. I appreciated all the advice. I was surprised you knew me and my car so quickly when I started talking. Oh and thanks for letting me get a few detail pictures.
I am in the process of relocating to Duluth, Minnesota. I was lucky to find this car before I finished packing to move there.
One questions that I can't figure out. All the 59's I see, including the red one in the picture have a crossed flags in the cove. This car doesn't have them. Should it?
I finally got the car out this year. I drove it 10 scary miles to my dad's shop to get it in and fix a lot of stuff.
First thing was that I didn't put the car together so I went through everything. The car now has brakes that work! I greased the whole front end, changed the oil, topped off all other fluids, tightened some exhaust clamps, and gave it some brand new tires.
When the car was painted the over spray was ridiculous. I got some chassis black and painted the leafs, shackles, and some other stuff black and now the car looks way better.
Then lastly I got some new seat belts put in and did a few other odds and ends. Of course I have no top and it was raining so I have to wait till tomorrow to drive it again.
Afterwards we still had some day left so we started painting my dads 67 GTO convertible. That should be all painted tomorrow. That project is a long way from the road.
I'll be there. I won't be bringing the car down with me because we don't all fit but I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's cars.
Originally Posted by Todd H.
Looks great, Root! We should probably have a Minnesota CF Corvette gathering this summer...
That would be a fun idea.
Originally Posted by Revfan
Thanks for the update!
Thanks for following along with my slow progress. I finally got a house and am mostly moved in so I should hopefully get more done on the car soon.
To add to my last post: I really wanted the wide white diamond back tires but they cost 4 times what I paid for these thin white walls. I have a lot of other parts I'll need that money for so cheaper tires now and white walls next time. My dad sells tires so I got these at cost and they are a good tire. I took Frankie's advice and got the oil with the zinc additive and used that. Someone had told me to make sure everything was greased and I took my time to find all the grease fittings but one didn't want to take grease. I'll try it again later after I use the car a bit.
Also, after I posted we finished paint on the GTO. I figured I would share a photo with you guys too. Just remember this car was crashed and had a fire before sitting for more than 35 years so it's never going to be a numbers matching show winner. We are just building a really nice driver for my dad to enjoy.
01-12-2017, 03:01 PM
