VIN VE55S001578

Car Year:	1955
Car's approximate birthday:	September 16, 1955
Owner:	Roger Kuske
City:	San Diego
Purchase date:	06/01/2007
Status:	Current Owner
State:	Restored
Exterior:	Gypsy Red	(25.71%)
Interior:	Light Beige	(25.71%)
Softtop:	White
Wheels:	Red	(78.57%)
Delivery Dealer Zone:	Unknown
Delivery Dealer Code:	Unknown
Options:	RPO	Option	Percentage Sold [%]	Sales Price [$]
	02934-8	Base Corvette Convertible, V8 265ci 195hp (1x4 195hp)	99.00%	2,909.00
	100	Directional Signals	100.00%	16.75
	101	Heater	100.00%	91.40
	102A	AM Radio	100.00%	145.15
	290B	Whitewall Tires 6.70x15	100.00%	26.90
	420A	Parking Brake Alarm	100.00%	5.65
	421A	Courtesy Lights	100.00%	4.05
	422A	Windshield Washers	100.00%	11.85
	Total		5.143381924198249% (37 Cars)	3,210.75
Factory job nr.:	Unknown
Export Car:	Non Export Car
Other details:	This is the real thing! A complete, correct, fully documented, numbers matching 1955 Chevrolet Corvette finished in Gypsy Red with a light tan interior. This is one of just 700 Corvette's produced in 1955. In fact, this is the car (s/n VE55S001578) listed on Pages 66 & 67 of "The Complete Restoration & Technical Guide - Volume 1 1953 through 1962" by Noland Adams as the 1st factory built Corvette with a V-8 engine and a 3-speed manual transmission
Car history:
The story behind the car is brilliant. I found it several years ago in a barn(!) in Southern California parked next to a Copper 1955 Corvette. The owner was an early member of NCRS. He bought the car from a Chevrolet dealer in Downey, CA and cared for it for 20 years. Due to Southern California's real estate boom, he decided to sell his land to a developer for a housing project. Faced with the prospect of losing his barn, he also decided to sell his Corvette collection. I met the owner at his property and bought the car on the spot - along with old parts, period photo's, old registration certificates and a binder full of information. I quickly shipped the car to J&D Corvette where it was sympathetically restored. I have complete photo documentation of the car being pulled out of the barn and loaded onto the tow truck. I also have bills, receipts, invoices and photographs of the car as it went through the restoration process. Since I am a car collector, I asked J&D Corvette to repair and restore just what was necessary and leave as much as possible in its original condition. I have a thick stack of invoices detailing all the work that was done. Here is an overview: 1) Rebuild the brake systems including master cylinder, brake cylinders, drums, brake lines and parking brake. 2) Replace all wheel bearings. 3) Replace shocks, tires and battery with authentic, period correct replacement parts. 4) Replace entire wiring harness and individual electrical wires to every system on the car. 5) Replace all hoses. 6) Rebuild Engine, Transmission, and Rear Differential. 7) Recondition Radiator and Gas Tank. 8) Restore heater core. 9) Restore all gauges and switches including Speedometer, Tachometer, Oil, Battery, Temperature and Fuel Gauges. 10) Restore Steering Wheel, Horn, and Radio. 11) Rechrome all interior trim pieces. 12) Restore interior door panels, kick plates and seats using authentic Al Knoch interior pieces and carpeting. 13) Replace Soft-top using an authentic Al Knoch Convertible Top. 14) Restore and Repaint Original Plasticon Hard Top. 15) Install a correct, date-coded windshield. 16) Color sand entire fiberglass body. 17) Detail engine bay. It was an expensive, time consuming process, but the car turned out beautiful. I've driven it just over 2700 miles since completing the restoration. It goes like the wind, and gets attention wherever it goes! The artist "Zoey" even featured it in his painting "California Dreaming." For you "numbers matching" guys out there, the engine casting number is 3703524, the engine block casting date is G 11 5, and the engine pad number is 003563F55GR. The transmission number is S 5 20. The rear axle number is AH 8 08. If you get out your code books, you'll see everything is in order.
For Sale:	No
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