In the Garage: 1957 Corvette
This 1957 Corvette became Tony Pedro's in 2008 shortly after a hit-and-run accident, when he stumbled upon an ad for the car.. Credit: David Fluhrer
THE CAR AND ITS OWNER
1957 Chevrolet Corvette owned by Tony Pedro
WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING
When the Corvette was introduced in 1953 with a rather tepid six-cylinder power train, few thought it would survive very long. But by 1957, with V-8s boasting as much as 283 horsepower, the Corvette had become a full-fledged American sports car. Some enthusiasts prefer their ‘57s in stock form and others, such as Pedro, have gone the modified route. His ride has a 434-cubic-inch V-8 with a Keisler Engineering five-speed transmission, a nine-inch rear end, Wilwood high-performance disc brakes and a Jim Meyer racing front end. “In other words, it’s fast and drives like a dream. And drive it I do,” he says.
HOW LONG HE’S OWNED IT
Since 2008
WHERE HE FOUND IT
It was advertised on a website for racers. “I was a victim of a hit-and-run accident on my motorcycle in May 2008,” Pedro says. “While recovering in rehab, I stumbled on the ad for this car.”
CONDITION
"It needed a complete restoration and that was a big part of my recovery,” he says.
TIPS FOR OWNERS
“Having a classic has many rewards,” Pedro advises. “It can actually bring a family closer together. These car shows are family events, as well as a group of guys sharing knowledge and just becoming friends.”
VALUE
Pedro deems his Corvette “priceless.” Hagerty, the classic car insurer, puts an average value of just under $56,000 on a basic, unmodified ’57.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“Finding this car the way I did is quite a story in itself,” he says. “Since I was a kid, I wanted a ‘57 ‘Vette. The way I found this car under the condition I was in -- with all of my broken bones and coming close to death -- it’s heaven-sent. I’ve been offered good money for it, but it will never be sold.”
