Photo: Hemmings Classifieds
Now in its eighth generation, the Chevrolet Corvette is one of America's most iconic nameplates. However, the Vette had a rather rough start in the 1950s. Almost canceled in 1954 due to quality issues, an underpowered inline-six engine, and slow sales, the Corvette was eventually saved when Zora Arkus-Duntov stepped in to add a V8 to the lineup. Unloved at first, these early Corvettes are now prized collectibles.
Produced in just 300 units, the 1953 Corvette is arguably the rarest of them all. But the 1954 version is also rather scarce compared to other vehicles from the era. Chevrolet built only 3,640 and some of them got lost on the way. The example you see here is a very special survivor that spent more than 50 years in storage.
We don't know if it's a one-owner car, but we do know that it's been with the same owner since it was parked back in 1968. Yes, this Corvette spent a whopping 53 years under a tarp and it just came out of storage in search of a new home. Is it in great condition? Not really. Does it still run? Nope. But is it a really cool piece of automotive history? Hell yeah!
Granted, time hasn't been very kind with this Corvette. Sure, the fiberglass body will probably look much better after proper cleaning, but the Polo White paint is obviously past its prime. We don't know if the frame is rusty or not, but it looks like the garage it sat in provided somewhat decent storage conditions.
The tires and wheels need to be replaced, but other than that, this Corvette is a good candidate for a Concours-type restoration as far as the exterior goes. The seller didn't publish photos of the interior, but the ad doesn't mention any issues in that department.
The really good news is that the car is still all-original, down to the 235-cubic-inch (3.9-liter) "Blue Flame" engine. The Corvette's very first unit, the inline-six was introduced in 1953 and remained in production until 1955. When this Corvette was built, it was rated at 150 horsepower and came with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission.
Not the best combo out there for a classic Corvette, but hey, it's one of the rare, early models. Even though it was parked rather early, the Corvette saw a lot of action on the road. The odometer shows 85,000 miles (136,794 km), significantly more than most cars "forgotten" in storage.
If you fancy getting your hands dirty to clean and restore this beauty, the Vette is located in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and sold via Hemmings classifieds. It's a bit pricey though, with the owner asking $48,000 for it. It's negotiable, but the sticker is still notably higher than the market value of a 1954 Corvette in fair condition, set at around $36,000 these days.
We don't know if it's a one-owner car, but we do know that it's been with the same owner since it was parked back in 1968. Yes, this Corvette spent a whopping 53 years under a tarp and it just came out of storage in search of a new home. Is it in great condition? Not really. Does it still run? Nope. But is it a really cool piece of automotive history? Hell yeah!
Granted, time hasn't been very kind with this Corvette. Sure, the fiberglass body will probably look much better after proper cleaning, but the Polo White paint is obviously past its prime. We don't know if the frame is rusty or not, but it looks like the garage it sat in provided somewhat decent storage conditions.
The tires and wheels need to be replaced, but other than that, this Corvette is a good candidate for a Concours-type restoration as far as the exterior goes. The seller didn't publish photos of the interior, but the ad doesn't mention any issues in that department.
The really good news is that the car is still all-original, down to the 235-cubic-inch (3.9-liter) "Blue Flame" engine. The Corvette's very first unit, the inline-six was introduced in 1953 and remained in production until 1955. When this Corvette was built, it was rated at 150 horsepower and came with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission.
Not the best combo out there for a classic Corvette, but hey, it's one of the rare, early models. Even though it was parked rather early, the Corvette saw a lot of action on the road. The odometer shows 85,000 miles (136,794 km), significantly more than most cars "forgotten" in storage.
If you fancy getting your hands dirty to clean and restore this beauty, the Vette is located in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and sold via Hemmings classifieds. It's a bit pricey though, with the owner asking $48,000 for it. It's negotiable, but the sticker is still notably higher than the market value of a 1954 Corvette in fair condition, set at around $36,000 these days.
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