1954 Chevrolet Corvette

LMC is very proud to offer for sale this 1954 Chevrolet Corvette

After the first year’s production of 300 cars was completed at the plant in Flint, Michigan, the operation was moved to the freshly repurposed St. Louis facility in December 1953, where it was expected that 10,000 Corvettes would be built on an annual basis. In the meantime, future Chief Corvette Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov had been running the Corvette through a series of grueling tests. In an interview he stated, “We had a car in which the two ends were fighting each other. I made some changes, limiting the rear spring travel and putting a larger stabilizer bar in front. Before long I produced a car which I could put into a drift and have it respond as the car should.” Distinguishing 1954 models from their 1953 predecessors was not easy in early production cars but, a running change to longer tailpipes exiting from the rear bumper to minimized exhaust staining was an obvious giveaway. Another revision was the switch from three bullet-type air cleaners to a pair of flat chrome-topped units to reduce noise at full throttle.

Presented in the definitive Corvette colors of Polo White with a red interior, this second-year example has been previously benefited from a frame-off restoration being gently used and enjoyed since. Under the hood is the 235 CI Blue Flame Six inline 6-cylinder engine fed by three Carter side-draft carburetors. The Powerglide automatic transmission sends power to the red-painted steel wheels with bias-ply wide whitewall tires and spinner hubcaps, and the swoopy fiberglass car moves effortlessly along.

The early Corvettes generated enough excitement to convince Chevrolet brass that America’s Sports Car would have a future against European competitors and the legend would only grow from there.