Weekly adverts crop up in the local classifieds for buyers hunting down classics. They read usually read something like: 'Wanted Ford Fairmoint, cash buyer, will pay top money'.

The Peranas also make the list and so do Jaguars, Ferrari, Alfa and even the humble Cortina Bakkie. Sadly these aren't enthusiasts looking for long dreamed of classics for their collection, rather they are merchants looking to make a quick buck.

South African cars are desirable because of the dry climate and also because they are relatively cheap to overseas clients. A few years ago a reasonable Fairmont GT would sell for R20 000. Now, if you can find one, they are moving for R150 000. In Australia they are rebadged and sold for even more. The net result is our Fairmont stock has been seriously depleted.

Enter the pictured 1959 Corvette. No it is not on the next ship to Michigan. This example has done the opposite and crossed the pond, ending up in sunny South Africa. The task wasn't easy, in fact the red tape involved in bringing in a left-hooker is larger than most of us could handle, but if an owner wants to live a dream, it is possible.

The Corvette owner originally owned a Chevy Bel Air. He sold it and then, as we all do, regretted it. Buying another local car was plausible but the costs were still high so the idea of importing one arose. The Barrett-Jackson auction seemed like an obvious starting point, so in 2005 finances were organised and a ticket was purchased.

A suitable Bel Air came up on the Friday lot. Wisely the bidder set a final bid amount and then didn't overstep it. Luckily for SA classic fans he lost the bid. I say lucky because he still had some dollars burning a hole in his pocket and this Corvette fell under the hammer on the Saturday. His bid made the cut.

The lot description describes the car pretty well - ?A body-off chassis restoration to the highest standard.? The gents at Honest Joe Barrett-Jackson don?t lie to make a sale as their name is on the line. A glance on the underside reveals a standard chassis, complete with solid rear axle and the brand new exhaust, routed correctly.

Masterpiece

The period grey-on-white two-tone paint is exceptional and the fit and finish of the Corvette-characterising fibreglass bodywork is unreal. Unlike many more modern composite bodies, the only way the laymen will know the shell isn't steel is by knocking on the body. Fibreglass was revolutionary at the time and supposedly used because of a post-war steel shortage.

The interior too is a masterpiece, showing off all its Americana without a tear or scratch while at the same time managing to use upholstery materials that appear true to period.

The engine bay is much the same, very tidy but not over-restored and shiny. Having seen the likes of the Pebble Beach Concours programs on the US scene I was worried that every bolt on item would be highly polished. I needn't have worried as it was clean but carried that factory patina.

Scuttle shake is minimal

With fully refurbished underpinnings and running gear the ride is good and unlike many British cars, scuttle shake is minimal. The curved windscreen makes the cockpit a wind-free cocoon. Bumps are soaked up by a cushioned ride but this did remove a sports car feel I was anticipating. With the lazy 283 small block under the hood the ?59 car appears more cruiser than hard-edged heel-and-toe racer, despite being fitted with the optional four on the floor manual gearbox. This is not to say the Corvette wasn't a racing success. Many SCCA events at USA road racing circuits like Torey Pines and Watkins Glen feature Vettes in the results.

Perhaps the biggest weapon in this model Corvette arsenal is the appearance. It is iconic, even being penned as "the American psyche made visible." The man responsible for General Motors designs at the time, and probably the biggest factor in the flamboyant '50s American vehicle look, was Harley Earl.

Coming home with soldiers

Soldiers returning from World War II were bringing European sports cars like MGs, Jaguars and Alfas to the USA. Earl, a huge fan of the two-seater, took note of this and convinced GM that such a vehicle would be a good move. The go-ahead was given and a concept was launched in 1953. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car Corvette after small fighting ships.

Standard Chevrolet production line components like the two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, drum brakes and surprisingly a straight-six truck lump were used. The power was down and, even with Corvette specific triple carbs, the early cars couldn't touch the European standard of performance or stopping. In '54 an optional Paxton supercharger helped up the power but sales were battling, almost leading to the project being canned.

The saving grace for the Corvette was the introduction the 1955 V8. By simply bolting in the lump and a three-speed 'box, the car was transformed. A key not to be looked over when understanding why GM didn't give up on the Corvette was the introduction of the Ford T-Bird, as the eternal rivalry between the American giants meant that GM couldn't be seen to back down.

Lots of chrome

This particular car is known as the C1 Corvette. Production of the C1 ran from 1953 to 1962 but there were subtle changes along the way. Only 300 '53 cars were made but other than colour options nothing changed on the '54 specification sheet. 1955 saw the six-pot make way for the V8 and if the power difference wasn't enough to show that you'd moved up the ranks, GM enlarged and gold plated the 'V' in the Corvette badge. A slight change in body design, optional electric windows and roof happened in '56 and then in 1957 the car got serious with optional fuel injection.

This gave the car 283hp (211kW) from 283 cubic inches (4.6 litres) and earned the ad slogan of "one hp per cubic inch." To handle this, better brakes and a four-speed box made the option list.

Thanks to lots of chrome, on everything from the four headlights, hood louvers and twin bumper exiting exhaust, the 1958 Corvette became the heaviest of the C1s.

From '59 through to '60, the look continued but the chrome gradually minimised and the power increased. 1961 saw the rear end revised as the Corvette gained a 'boat tail' and four taillights.

Performance took over as the major player in '62. Almost all the chrome add-ons were removed and the small block was enlarged to 327 cubic inches (5.4 litres). It was also the last year for the Curved windshield and solid rear axle.

The Stingray then took over and with even more sporting prowess continued the theme of America's only real sports car. Preservation of this theme continues today with the Corvette C6 a leading light in the current Le Mans GT2 category.