“America’s Sports Car,” the Chevrolet Corvette, debuted in 1953. The first year saw only 300 copies produced, largely by hand assembly. Once the car reached its final home, production increased to 3,640 units in 1954. The seller’s car is one of them and has had its engine rebuilt and a manual transmission installed. After 57 years in the same family, this Corvette needs some TLC to be a player again. Located near Rockford, Illinois, this early C1 ‘Vette is available here on craigslist for $54,500. An attaboy goes to “T.J.” for the tip.
In 1953, if you bought a new Corvette, you could have it in any color you wanted as long as it was white. They expanded the color palette in 1954, but white was still the overwhelming choice. The car still only came with a “Blue Flame” inline-6 for power, paired with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. The latter may have inhibited sales since sports cars are supposed to have manual trannies, right? The seller’s vehicle had the transmission swapped some time ago, and we assume it’s a 3-speed.
Though the odometer reads 56,000 miles, the six-cylinder has been rebuilt, but that was two years ago and it wasn’t run-in. The Powerglide was saved and will come with the car should you want to go back to period-correct. We’re told the suspension has been rebuilt, too, and a bunch of spare parts will come with the sale, including some OEM. It has both the hard and soft tops, though the latter will need a new canvas.
The fiberglass body and paint look really good, but we’re unsure of the interior due to the types of photos. The car lives in a dry, enclosed trailer, and it was gel-coated, perhaps why the vehicle has held up nicely. The chrome bits were redone about a decade ago. Since the seller has a trailer, he/she can facilitate delivery within 50 miles. We’re told this car is #1488 out of the 1954 total, suggesting it was assembled in late 1953.
A friend of mine had a 53 vete. A no thrill car for the time. a cly, white only and no working windows. they were, I believe plastic and removed by hand, no cranks. Still an eye catcher.
and today all that adds up to one of the most expensive production Corvettes.
Wow! A walk in the past for me. Stirring up lots of emotions. Dad bought a very rough ’55 Vette and we restored it. (I was about 13 at the time) It was white with red interior, automatic transmission and a Wonderbar radio. They weren’t very popular/valuable back in 1966. But we made enough to buy a lightly crashed ’58 Corvette and pay for it’s restoration. Dad then used that as his daily driver.
I do believe that those are not the original seats to the car. As they should be red.
My comment may irritate some but I’ve never understood the infatuation with these early cars. I have rebuilt the front end on a couple of them and the car sits on basically what is a 53 Chevy chassis including a trunion set up and a six banger. A tri five T-Bird should out handle them.
Having spent a lot of time in C1 Vettes. I can testify that they are not a car you want to drive across country in. (Martin Milner did it one week at a time! lol) I guess the cool comes from different and some of the first really cool ones. Cool factor started in late ’55 with the V8, then in 1957 with fuel injection, etc, etc. They are fun to blast around in. But not for any length of time. ( but many vehicles are like that)
The two that come to my mind that I have spent too much time in, in one sitting/driving (Sorry for the puns) is the Viper & the Pantera. Very cool cars, but not for any long drives. And for what it was at the time, a lower slung, lighter weight convertible. It was intriguing. The only model that I can think of that GM stuck with after they got it right! Many of model they got right only to abandon it. (Corvair and Fiero comes to mind first)
Am I looking at three carburetors with no air cleaners?
Yep, not there.
@Wayne, funny, I had a1996 C5 (with manual) and even though I was in my 30s at the time I was sick of trying to climb in and out of it after a few weeks. Decent car once I was in there, but not a great DD. I took a fairly long trip in a C6 and it wasn’t bad, but I didn’t have to climb in and out very often, lol!