How do you tell the C1's apart ?

[IH2LOSE]

Now Ill tell you what I do know and correct me if I am wrong,and please add the easey spotting differences.

1962 is the last of the trunked cars has a rear section like a C2 and has painted light bezels and no way to put cove moldings on it

1961.Is the same as the 62 except it has chrome cove moldings

1960 same hood latches as a 61/62 vin is now on the column

1959 vin is on the door jamb,

1958 is the first year for the dual headlamps,has spears on the trunk lid and a wash board hood

 

[Ken]

The best way to learn about Corvettes is to get a copy of Michael Antonick's Corvette Black Book. It contains everything you'd want to know about the Corvette.

You can also take a look at our very own Model Center.

 

[John Mcgraw]

Larry,

The 62 cars were the only cars to not have cove trim. they had rocker mouldings and special mouldings in the fender cove as well, that no other year used. Of course, both 61 and 62 cars used a different deck lid that had a windsplit down the middle, so they also used a different hardtop and softtop.
60 and 59 cars are almost identical except for very few little details. The hood latches on 60 cars are like 61-62 cars, upholstery is slightly different, wheels are painted body color on 60, while wheels are black on all 59 cars. There are a few other differences like the hood structure is slightly different, but the cars are very hard to tell apart from the outside.
58 cars are real unique with the washboard hood and trunk irons. The gauges are also different and the interiors used a pebble grain Vinyl.
I think the 58-60 body was the most beautiful Corvette ever built!

Regards, John McGraw

 

[IH2LOSE]

Thanks every one I just re read my black book and did not find any good information for spotting there, I was just looking for an easey spotters guide ,So if the hood is open and I see the same style latches that are on mine I know its a 60.

Now in re reading the black book and looking at production numbers.What happened in 1955 that dropped production down to only 700 cars, Talk about skating on thin ice

 

[Ken]

If you don't find what you are looking for in the Black Book, it can definitely be found in his Other Corvette Books:

Corvette Collectors Library: This book was previously titled Illustrated Corvette Buyer’s Guide. other than the title and cover, the books are the same. Written by the author of the Corvette Black Book and published by MBI, this fourth edition includes all models from 1953 through 1997. This is the standard reference work for anyone interested in purchasing a Corvette. Each model’s heritage, its good and bad points, and its driving characteristics are described. There’s a five-star rating system for best buys, typical mechanical bugs, even cautions for avoiding the dreaded “bogus” Corvette. Best of all, the “numbers match” terminology one sees in every Corvette ad is fully explained.
This book is an obvious must for anyone intending to purchase a Corvette, but even the most astute enthusiast will learn from the well-chronicled five-decade tour through the evolution of a modern marvel.

Soft cover, 176 pages, 230+ photos, 7.5x9.25”, $18.95.

 

[iron cross]

Now Ill tell you what I do know and correct me if I am wrong,and please add the easey spotting differences.

1962 is the last of the trunked cars has a rear section like a C2 and has painted light bezels and no way to put cove moldings on it

1961.Is the same as the 62 except it has chrome bezels and chrome cove moldings

1960?

1959?

1958 is the first year for the dual headlamps,has spears on the trunk lid and a wash board hood

Both 61 and 62`s have painted headlight bezels and all have minor or different interior trim patterns. 56-59 has a unique special Daytona carpeting. 59 and 60 are probably the toughest to tell apart. The 60 does have the three painted bars in the passenger dash aluminum cove where the 59 doesn`t.

 

[Mac]

I know what Larry's talking about... If I meet a C1 going the opposite way on the street (we both wave ) how can I quickly and accurately tell the years apart so if someone asks me "What year was it?" I don't have to guess.

Imagine how it'll be for the generations coming up, Larry, when they have to spot the differences between years of C4s and C5s.

-Mac

 

[61 Silver]

C-1 Identification 1958 - 1962

1958- Trunk spears or irons, hood louvers and first year for the four front headlights.



1959-1960- I always look at the seats. The pleats are horizontal on 1959 and vertical on the 1960. Very hard to separate 59-60 if you are going in a different direction ant 60MPH.



1961-1962- The grill has a different finish, front nose emblem, the front fenders and I believe doors are slightly different. 1961 &1962 have painted light bezels and 1962 has different cove treatment: no spears, stainless and has a one-year only cove insert and the optional cove paint were no longer available. 1962 was the first year for the rocker treatment. The interior is also different on the 1962.

 

[studiog]

One more distinction, 61 front grille is metallic and 62 is black. Grille teeth end in 60

 

[John Mcgraw]

Also, all but the earliest 60 cars had the VIN tag on the column for the first time. 59 and earlier cars had the Vin on the door jamb.

Regards, John McGraw

 

[Tom Bryant]

'59 was the first year for the radius rods on the rear axle and '60 had the rear sway bar.

Also '59s can set without paint for over 30 years without any body deterioration as long as they're inside. Maybe other years can too but I haven't had the chance to test them.

Tom

 

[wallyknoch]

Yep, cosmedically all of the above. or below

 

[JohnZ]

Now in re reading the black book and looking at production numbers.What happened in 1955 that dropped production down to only 700 cars, Talk about skating on thin ice

Because at 1955 start of production, over 40% of the 1954's were still sitting unsold on dealer lots all over the country; the only thing that kept the '55 alive through the model year was the new V-8 engine, and the new '56 body literally saved the Corvette from fading away into history.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Because at 1955 start of production, over 40% of the 1954's were still sitting unsold on dealer lots all over the country; the only thing that kept the '55 alive through the model year was the new V-8 engine, and the new '56 body literally saved the Corvette from fading away into history.

I was starting to think maybee the buyers in 1955 were afraid of the switch to a V8,whitch really did not make much sence.