Looking at a 60 and not equipped with soft top or wipers. Wiper holes have chrome plugs and current owner thinks there is no soft top. Buried in garage so haven't removed the hard top to look yet. I know there were options to delete certain items if you didn't want them back then, was this one of them? I'm not that concerned with not having a soft top as we don't drive our old ones on iffy weather days. Hoping to get the deal done on this one by this weekend!

 

To the best of my knowledge, there was never such a thing as wiper delete.

The 56-62 cars came STANDARD FROM THE FACTORY with ONE top, the second top was an option (normally, the hard top was the option).
MOST cars, repeat, MOST cars, including Corvettes, were ordered ------------ AND OPTIONED------------by the dealer. The minority were customer ordered cars. And the cars you see on dealer lots today are were ordered by the dealer--------------NOT customers.
Thus, when a dealer ordered a Corvette back then, it USUALLY was ordered with both tops (more options, more money for the dealer). BUUUUUUUUUUT, if a customer ordered a Corvette, it could be ordered with only one top------------soft or hard--------------------no charge for ONE top. If the car was ORIGINALLY ordered with one top, then the corrosponding latches on the soft top lid WERE NOT INSTALLED (such as the bolts/holes for hard top or latches/holes for the soft top).
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, check the soft top lid to see if it has bolts or latches or both. If it has BOTH bolts and latches, then it was originally a 2 top car.
There actually was not a top delete option----------------------------------------BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, with that said, there have been a tiny handful of "armchair" experts who claim to their death that a Corvette COULD HAVE BEEN (and was) ordered without a top----------------------I've NEVER seen any documentation for a FACTORY top delete!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The base price of a convertible included one top. Either soft or hard. They all had one when it left St Louis. Along with wipers

 

Thanks for the info. This is the first time I'll be owning a Corvette made prior to '70 and my first with a soft top.

So I looked at the pictures that I took and there are latches on the deck so I'm assuming there should be a soft top under the deck once I can get to it. The hardtop is resting on the car so know that is there and included. Hope the soft top is there or at least the bows if I want to add it in the future.

Also in my pictures there is a wiper switch on the dash but there are no wipers on the car. That is going to be interesting to see what is going on there.

First order of business is going to be making is safe to drive. So tires, fluids and basic maintenance. Any input on that would be welcomed. It has the standard rims, 327 replacement engine, 4 speed. Been parked for most of the past 12 years in a dry building.

I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future.

 

Hopefully it doesn't have a rusty frame, especially in the area of the rear wheels. If it did, it wouldn't be deal breaker for me if it was cheap enough, but you probably don't want to have to pay someone to replace your frame if you can't do it.

If it's been sitting for that long, you're likely to have brake problems (among others).

Solid axle Corvettes have cable driven wipers, and they don't work as well as '63-'67 Corvettes. But I don't think I've heard of someone just removing them. You probably don't really need them for an occasional use car, but I wouldn't want to buy the parts to replace them if you feel you have to have wipers, or if you need them for a state inspection.

 

NC 60vette:
There are several options for replacing the cable driven wipers. Here is a forum post that lists a few:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...grade-kit.html
I used a system from Specialty Power.
Are you located in NC?
Charles

 

You have made one serious mistake here-------------------------NO PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! POST SOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks. Once I get it, hoping with great energy, I'll have to sort what is going to be the priority.

I live in Brevard NC.

 

Don't want to jinx the deal. Will do so soon as I get it home.

 

My '60 was a hard top only car when we bought it in 1978...no latches on the deck lid, and no frame behind the seats.
We bought a frame and restored it, and had to cut the holes in the decklid for the latches.
We wanted to have a 2-top car in case it rained.
Looking back now, it would have been a rarity being a hard top only car, no?
Peace
Perk

 

If you are ever in the Lexington, NC area you are welcome to come by and look at my wipers. I have a '62 with the original cable driven setup, and a '59 with the Specialty Power system.
Charles