Spotted: 1956 Chevrolet Corvette convertible in downtown Menlo Park

Update: We were incorrect! Paul Pollock, the Corvette Story Webmaster – http://corvettestory.com – tells us it’s a 1958 Corvette. See his full note in the comments section.

At least we think it’s a 1956 Chevrolet Corvette convertible that was spotted parked on Santa Cruz Avenue this morning in downtown Menlo Park.

A quick Wikipedia search says the ’56 and ’57 models were “near-twins,” so it could be the later year. Maybe a car geek can set us straight.

Either way, it was in beautiful condition, so much so that we’re showing two views.

And here’s what Wikipedia says about the ’56 model: “There was no doubt Chevrolet was in the sports car business with the release of the 1956 model. It featured a new body, a much better convertible top with power assist optional, real glass roll up windows (also with optional power assist) and an optional hardtop. The 3-speed manual transmission was standard. The Powerglide automatic was optional. The six-cylinder engine was gone. The V8 remained at 265 cu in (4.3 L), but power ranged from 210 to 240 hp (157 to 179 kW).”