Chassis No. E57S104268

Engine No. F306EL

Occasionally, everything comes together in one iconic machine. In 1957, Chevrolet made history by offering the Corvette with Rochester "Ram-Jet" fuel injection for the first time, followed later in the model year by the introduction of a new four-speed Muncie manual transmission-an option so rare just 664 Corvettes were so optioned late in production that year. Designed by Chevrolet engineer John Dolza, GM's mechanical fuel injection system was elegantly simple and performed impressively for such a groundbreaking innovation. Two versions were available, including the notable RPO 579B option, which delivered 13 additional horsepower over the high-performance carbureted versions of the new 283 cu-in V8. It also eliminated fuel flooding and starvation under aggressive driving conditions. The 283-horsepower variant, paired exclusively with a manual transmission, was only the second American production engine to achieve the coveted one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch milestone.

Enamored by both the Rochester fuel-injection and the newly released Muncie four-speed, the original Chevrolet dealer order form details the early history of Corvette chassis number E57S104268. On a warm spring day in early 1957, Andy English visited his local Chevrolet dealer Taylor-Wilson Chevrolet of Paducah, Kentucky, and placed an order for the ages. Along with the $484.20 283 horsepower fuel-injected engine and $188.30 Muncie four-speed that hit the options list that month, English ordered a Positraction rear axle, a heater, whitewall tires, radio delete (a $199 credit), and a removable hard top-nearly $1,100 in options on a $3,600 sticker price. He selected Onyx Black paint and matching side coves along with a white soft top to match the whitewalls. The order was finalized on 15 April 1957, and like many would do in a similar position, requested the car as "soon as possible."

It is unknown how long English enjoyed his specially ordered Fuelie, but by at least the early 1980s the car was under the ownership of George Tjarakis of Salt Lake City, Utah, before joining the Corvette collection of Leonard Nagel in 1984. Nagel's collection was not only world-famous for featuring an example of each Corvette 1953-1967 but for the high-quality of his selections all properly restored and documented. Of course, Nagel's first-year Fuelie is no different, capturing NCRS Top Flight awards in 2002 (98.7) and 2007 (98.4)-the latter also including an NCRS Performance Verification with a grand total of 730.

In 2012, Nagel dispersed his collection and this '57 Fuelie joined a southern California collection that came to feature a number of Nagel's other special Corvettes, all faithfully preserved by the consignor since acquisition. Today, this special Corvette features 178 miles since the completion of its award-winning restoration and a history file with NCRS documentation and judging sheets.