Some people will argue the C1 (first generation) Corvette is the best-looking Corvette ever produced. According to The Corvette Museum, “In 1953, the first 300 were built by hand in Flint, Michigan, just after General Motors unveiled the Corvette as a “dream car” in the Motorama show in New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel. The following year, production moved to St. Louis.” This car is from the second year of production and can be found here on eBay with a current bid of $46,600 and the reserve hasn’t been met yet. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, it has been repainted and appears like a nice driver. Check it out.
The current engine in the car is a 327 cubic inch V8 backed by a 4-speed transmission. The sale does include a rebuilt 235 cubic inch Blue Flame straight-six with “all original components” including carburetors, starter, and generator. It also includes a 1954 Powerglide transmission. I don’t know if the Blue Flame engine is the original engine from the car or just a period replacement.
The seller says the car has new Polo White paint along with a tan soft top. The interior features new carpet and door panels with removable curtain windows. The symmetrical design of the dash is a very handsome feature of this generation of Corvettes.
The taillight design along with the minimalist bumpers are evident of the jet-age design that so many cars of the 1950s featured. The taillights look like rockets and the exhaust exiting through the rear of the body is another awesome design feature. I don’t know if this is the best-looking Corvette of them all, but it is certainly a great design. What do you think is the best generation of Corvette.
Love these cars and love them upgraded. Good looking ride here.
C2 hands down .
Get rid of those cheapo chome valve covers and air filter,put on painted O-E or vintage/repo finned aluminum, just my opinion.
And after the air cleaner and valve covers, get a set of black plug wires and a black distributor cap. Other than those very minor issues I love it!
Love these and the 56-57’s. I’ll bet this one runs well. I drove a blue/ beige interior 55? that a old boss restored, it was a beautiful 100 point car, as a 20 year old I was not impressed with the performance and could see why Vettes almost got cancelled. I drove a mildly customized 57 (no bumpers, dk blue with black interior) another beautiful car, with a hot 283 4speed and that one was a blast to drive. Bought a C3 4speed because that was what I could afford and would like to find another good one.
So for almost $50,000.00 you can have a almost original 54 piece of fiberglass. It’s already been modified. Already been painted, interior been redone, different engine. If says he got everything to put it back, Never should have been changed.
I can buy a slightly used Hellcat for that kind of money.
I rebuilt a barn-find ’57 former racer. It looked great, but was somewhat cramped inside for me. I enjoyed the build, but it wasn’t nearly as nice to drive as my C2s.
The thing that scares me about C1s is the solid steel spear that is the steering column pointed directly at my chest. That bothered me every time I drove it.
I sold it last summer. It was one of my many “bucket list” cars that was more fun to build, and look at than it was to drive. BTW, we have a rule at our house that if a car is driven less than 3 times in a season, it will be sold. Rule #2 is I can’t buy another one later.
BF’s obsession with the ’54 Vette continues on. 18 posts last year. 4 this year so far.
One of our club members had a 54 Vette that was updated to a 350 CI engine and automatic, painted black. It had a replacement frame so everything did fit well. Owner did tell me that he had to open the hood a lot due to overheating.
Like this one, it was an attractive car but it would have been worth more IMO had it been left original, he traded it for a C7.
Owned one. Interior red, and steering wheel, do not look right. But could just be the resolution of the photo. Was a pure toy, even back in 1967 when I was trying to use it as a daily driver in New England in the winter. Even with big snow tires it would not go around a corner, nor would it want to go up a hill on the snow, so front heavy with the 6. Exhaust flowed out of the tailpipes over the rear deck and into the passenger compartment. Top of windshield so low that unless shorter than 5′ 8″ you could not sit up straight and see well. Three Carter side draft carbs leaked, lucky I never had a fire. BUT it always started and ran “flawlessly” and got me to work every day, a little fumed. (Chevy eventually made those through the bumper exhaust tips purely decorative, the exhaust dumped downward in front of the rear bumper assembly.)
Wow, different times and thanks for sharing that memory here…
Beautiful car. Although I can’t stand red interiors, it looks like a lot of fun otherwise!
Built the same year I was, built in the same town I was, worth more than I am- go figure. Must be in better shape.
1959 ( mine ) Vette is hands down my favorite . The styling is every inch awesome . Mine is done in a flint metal flake grey / silver with black interior . Put Torque – thrust D wheels on it ( grey centers ) on it . Look great against the car color.
Agree with R W – lose the cheap looking chrome valve covers – replace with finned aluminum . Otherwise , nice car.