While the Chevrolet Corvette may have gotten noticed when it was introduced in 1953, only 300 buyers came forward. That improved to 3,640 in 1954, as some automation of the assembly process was added, helping bring the price down. The seller has a ’54 edition, which we’re guessing is part of an estate sale due to minimal details. It has a V8 where an inline-6 once lived and looks to be mostly complete. Located in a carport in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this once-noble machine is available here on eBay. The reserve is unmet at the current bid of $10,100.
One reason the Chevy Corvette got off to a slow start was that a 2-speed automatic transmission was the only choice in 1953 and 1954. And the “Blue Flame” 235 cubic inch I-6 was the only engine. But 1955 brought the car’s first V8 (265 CI) and the 3-speed manual transmission. Now it was a real sports car, especially considering nobody else had a V8. This ’54 Corvette has the earmarks of a grandpa project that outlived its owner, but not before he replaced the engine (and maybe tranny).
The seller’s listing won’t help in terms of understanding why this car is the way it is today. It has a “gas mileage of 56,342,” which should mean the odometer reads that many miles. But how many of those include the V8 (what displacement?), and was it rebuilt before installation? Or does it run, but only needs finishing? The rest of the car looks original, and some efforts to restore it may have begun (i.e., grey primer here and there).
In 1954, the Corvette’s exterior color palette was expanded from one to four, but this car wears traditional white paint and probably a red interior that appears to be original. This has the earmarks of being a great project to finish – as long as the reserve isn’t in the stratosphere. And does the addition of a V8 help or hurt the car’s eventual resale value (i.e., not numbers matching, although the V8 is an improvement)?
I read once that there were quite a few left over ’54 Vettes when the 55’s came out with the V-8. Some dealers even did engine swaps, put V-8’s in the 54’s to move them off the lot. You have to wonder where all of those rare 54 parts went after the swap.
My first venture into sports cars was a 54 corvette which was the year I was born. My father got it for me with me being required to do the work. In the process of bringing her back to life we found it came off the assembly line the day I was born. It had a v-8 which I promptly blew up. A week later I found myself in a bar telling a stranger how I needed a motor for my 54 vette, he goes straight 6 with three carberators. He had the motor and everything I needed right down to the heat shields and split exhaust manifold all for seventy-five dollars. My father said I was the luckiest person he had ever seen. Fifty sports cars later and my luck is still holding.
Love that story! Thanks for sharing.