Chevrolet’s great Corvette experiment stumbled early, and the company came perilously close to pulling the pin due to disappointing sales. However, it persisted, and it would be hard to imagine the automotive landscape without the American sports classic that has graced showrooms for seven decades. This 1954 model is a survivor that spent most of its life in California. It recently emerged from hiding and is set to find a new home. The seller listed the Corvette here on eBay in Clermont, Florida. Bidding has raced to $28,669 in a No Reserve auction.
The 1954 model year was the first full year of Corvette production, and the company expanded the color choice from the previous year’s single shade of Polo White. The least popular color was Black, which only graced the panels of four cars. The next most popular was Sportsman Red, and this is 1-of-100 ordered in that shade. The car is claimed to be an original and unrestored survivor that has never suffered any accident damage. The seller claims the car’s presentation was considerably better, but after spending a few weeks outdoors under a cover, the paint reacted strangely to produce the significant cracks you see in the supplied photos. Fiberglass damage is limited to a small area above the passenger side front wheel arch, with the remaining panels appearing rock-solid. The winning bidder should have no trouble performing a light cosmetic refresh, although they may choose to repair the cracked fiberglass and follow the preservation path. The car would undoubtedly turn heads in both forms. This Corvette has spent most of its life in California, with the result being that its frame is rust-free and structurally sound. The chrome and trim look good for a survivor-grade car, and the hubcaps are undamaged. There is no soft-top, and the windshield shows some slight marks. Some companies can successfully polish the glass to preserve the car’s originality, but it appears the buyer must source a top and frame to make this an all-weather classic.
The Corvette’s interior is original, and its presentation is pretty impressive for a car with nearly seven decades behind it. The carpet has faded, and the dash pad shows similar deterioration. However, the upholstered surfaces are free from significant wear and physical damage. The gauge surrounds have bubbled, as has the bright trim on the AM radio. Parts to address the shortcomings are readily available, but the winning bidder might leave everything untouched in pursuit of total originality. The seller supplies this YouTube video that shows the car in action and provides a good walkaround. It reveals that some gauges don’t function, the most notable being the tachometer.
This Corvette is a numbers-matching classic with a 235ci “Blue Flame” six inhaling through triple Carter side-draft carburetors. Shifting duties fall to a two-speed Powerglide transmission, and it is that item that proved the stumbling block for many potential buyers. They expected a genuine two-seat sports car to feature a stick shift, and the Powerglide didn’t meet their expectations. Chevrolet got the message loud and clear, introducing a three-speed manual option in late 1955 that could cope with the car’s power and torque. The six produces 150hp and 223 ft/lbs of torque, allowing the Corvette to perform respectable but not astonishingly. The seller indicates this ‘Vette recently emerged after five years in hibernation. They performed the work required to return it to a roadworthy state. It runs and drives well, but my observations from the previously mentioned video identified some potential faults requiring attention. The steering wheel appears to have a slight shimmy. This might be due to an out-of-balance wheel, or if the car still wears the same tires from its time in storage, they may be flat-spotted. The brakes appeared to have a relatively long pedal, but rectifying that potential fault shouldn’t be difficult or expensive.
Chevrolet sold 3,640 Corvettes in 1954, which was a respectable total for the first full production year. The total plummeted to 700 in 1955, although the figures rose consistently in subsequent years. The company came close to axing the program after the 1955 sales disaster, and the move to persist was vindicated. The Corvette has survived for seventy years and is one of only a few badges to achieve that feat. It is impossible to imagine the automotive landscape without it, but the future is unknown due to the steady rise of hybrid and zero-emission vehicles. Ferrari and Porsche have proved that hybrid sports cars are possible, but will Chevrolet eventually pursue that path? The future may be unknown, but the Corvette’s history is writ large in vehicles like this 1954 model. Would you preserve or restore this survivor? More importantly, are you tempted to submit a bid? I wish you luck if you do.
Nice car. Fix the paint, clean up what ever needs doing on the interior, and do the windshield repair as needed. No sense having a good looking car like this with grunge areas all over it. There’s original and then there’s lack of proper maintenance.
Well, I belive there are E-Rays prowling our roads now, most impressive hybrids from chevy
Oh, as far as this ’54, I def would restore as perfectly accurate as I could, and drive it 2 to 3000 mi a yr to shows
The long brake pedal might just need the brakes adjusted, there was no such thing as self adjusting brakes in 1954. Fix the paint and drive it.
1) Fix the paint on the quarters and repair that tear up front. Thorough but gentle cleaning.
2) Have fun. Drive it. Show it. Drive it.
3) Have more fun working on it doing the maintenance and fixing stuff.
Looks like a great hobby car.
I’d also have to do something with the carpeting.
I’ve always considered the early Corvette styling to be the most beautiful of any car ever created. It’s just my opinion. Roll-up windows would not have ruined the look.
Love this car. I would love it even more under $35k, but it would be a great car to have in the garage. Easy to work on and fun to drive around the neighborhood. If only my garage wasn’t full.
I would much rather have this, then that 63 puzzle in a box project, and at a fraction of the price lol! The split windows are about as common as 57 Chevys but you hardly see any 54 vets on the roads or shows!
Many ’54 Chevy Corvettes over the years on Barn Finds. I haven’t seen any ’55 Corvettes with the V-8
Only seven hundred ’55’s were built so quite bit rarer than the ’54 model year. or any other year Vette for that matter except the first year ’53’s
Looks like a nice original that can be enjoyed while being restored.
But, the seller’s description of this being the first time it’s for sale, then followed with the statement that they bought it to restore has me scratching my head.
And what’s up with the photos that make the car look wider and longer?
Adjustable wide angle lens on the camera. Got one on my camera and keep forgetting to adjust it. Makes for some interesting car pictures.
Sure, the ’55 may be more rare & more ’54s seen on here than 55s, however, it’s much rarer to see a ’54 as the ’55 style goes to ’62. And not many driving ’53s obviously. The ’54 is a 2 yr body style of which one year, the first,are put away out of sight. But the ’55, has 8 yrs of virtually interchangeable parts, minus grill & cove trim.
55 body is the same as 53 and 54. Please do a bit more research.
That paint damage is a great example of what happens to older paint [especially lacquer] when covered with a plastic tarp. Combining the high humidity under the tarp with the daily sun shining on it, creates almost an oven broiler situation that causes microscopic cracks in the paint surface. These cracks allow moisture to settle into the paint cracks during the lower temps at night. Then during the day, that moisture expands and can easily flake the paint off the surface.
Never use a tarp. It cannot breathe. Use only cloth car covers. For rainy outside storage situations, buy a cover that when wet is self sealing and sheds water, and when dry, allows airflow under the cover.
That $30 tarp instead of a quality fitted cover for about $250, resulted in paint damage that can cost much, much more to remedy.
SOLD for $45,100.