1954 was very early in the days of the Chevrolet Corvette, and many that date back this far have been with numerous owners, including some that have lost track of how many different garages they’ve called home. Although this one doesn’t have a traceable history from the beginning, the seller says it was under the same ownership for 50 years, so it’s been passed around fewer times than most surviving C1 examples and driven a lot less as well. This 1954 Corvette here on eBay has reportedly covered just 32,000 miles, with documentation on file, and it’s also currently running and driving. Located in Miami, Florida, the no-reserve auction has already reached $36,950 with 21 bids, suggesting there is quite a bit of interest here.
The seller says the previous owner was in his eighties, but it’s possible he stopped driving at a considerably younger age, given that this one has so few miles. There’s no mention of what sort of documentation is provided to back up the 32k claim, and not a whole lot of specific information period, such as how the driver’s quarter ended up looking like it does now. The seller describes this one as a good candidate for restoration, noting that the bones are strong, but also mentions the idea of just driving it around with its present patina. I’m leaning toward the former here, as the so-called patina areas aren’t very pleasing to the eye.
To grasp how far back this one is in the Corvette lineup, it was produced before a V8 was even available, with that option not showing up until the third-year of production in 1955. The sole engine available in ’54 was the 235 CI inline-6, lovingly known as the Blue Flame, with 3 Carter carburetors sitting off to the side. The seller states all three were recently rebuilt but still need adjusting, and also says the gas tank was replaced, so perhaps with a bit of skilled fine-tuning, this one will be mechanically ready for some trouble-free cruising.
There’s no word on whether the interior is original or has been reworked, but it could probably get by with very little attention, as the only obvious defect is a torn seam on the passenger seat. More good news comes from below, as several shots of the undercarriage appear to show a very solid frame. With some fiberglass-smoothing and fresh paint, I’m feeling this would be a first-class second-year Corvette, and wouldn’t be surprised to see the price keep climbing here. What are your thoughts on this one?
Gas overflow is not very good for paint.