1958 Chevrolet Corvette “Fuelie”

In the early 1970’s George and Pam Davis from Pasadena, California purchased this 1958 Corvette from the second owner. Eight years later, Doug Marion, a writer for Popular Hotrodding was putting together an article for the spring Corvette issue, and remembered seeing this car at the Southern California Corvette Council Show in 1978.

The engine had the typical 1970’s upgrade of a mid-sixties 327/365 hp with dual 4-barrels from a 1957. The silver blue paint had been redone in 1976 and won “Best Paint” at the show. A quick look in the engine compartment and a peek on the underside confirmed his suspicions about this rare Corvette. This 1958 was ordered as a purpose-built sports car with only the options needed to perform on Mulholland or the Canyons of southern California. Minimally equipped, this 1958 had the 283/290 hp “fuelie” engine. Anything that wouldn’t make the car quicker was deleted.

Fast forward 35 years and the Corvette has been spectacularly restored and driven only 800 miles over the last 12 years or so. Coveted by a couple of collectors since it underwent complete restoration in the early 2000s, this has to be the rarest 1958 known because of the options and the early documentation from the Popular Hotrodding article. We have extensive photos and receipts from the restoration. The car is equipped with a proper 1958 283/290 hp “Fuelie” engine and all correct details for the discerning Corvette collector. This car is ready and fully sorted for occasional spirited drives.

-Kevin Watts