Vehicle Description
1954 was the first full year of production for the Corvette. While
it is nearly identical in appearance to the extremely rare, hand
built, '53s, it improved on the first-year cars in many ways. A
dedicated production facility improved build quality and enabled GM
to offer more choices than in the original run. But make no
mistake, this is still a very rare car with only 3640 examples
produced that year.
If you are a Corvette aficionado, you may know how many of those
few thousand produced are known to have survived, and of the
survivors, how many have stayed as true to the original appearance
and options as this one has. Let's just say not many. This car is
presented with no upgrades. It has been expertly repainted in
Sportsman Red, one of the improved choices for '54, and the
attention to detail is evident everywhere you look. Mesh headlight
covers and a toothy grill start the chrome treatment up front with
the bumper carrying the line around the corner and down the side.
The rear fenders have fantastic chrome tips dressing the back with
a simple bumper and dual exhaust tips exiting the rear panel
between them. The light really catches the curves of the car which
were possible because of the freedom the designers had by working
in fiberglass. The white wall tires bring it all together for the
correct look.
The Corvette was GMs answer to the sportscars of the day from
Europe. The influence of the Jags, Alfa Romeos and MGs can be seen
in the red interior so popular in those cars at the time, but it is
executed with a distinctly American flair. The seats and door
panels of the Vette look like the best work from old world
craftsman. The dash heads in a different direction though. It is a
dual cowl design that matured and became a Corvette hallmark. The
key and five gauges are located in the center of the dash with the
ventilation controls and correct AM radio just above them. The
steering wheel is a work of art. White with a red center and a horn
ring that matches up with the speedo in the driver's side cowl when
driving straight down road. The body flows from the trunk, up and
over the manual convertible top so that when it's down, so you
don't even know it's there.
Open the hood and notice how correct, neat, and original everything
appears. The polished coolant tank for the in line six-cylinder,
uniquely, sits parallel to the valve cover emblazoned with "Blue
Flame 150". It was the only engine offered that year and looks so
European, and so right, with the Tri-power Carter carbs with dual
air filters. The transmission is a 2-speed automatic, which is
listed as an option for the car that year, but was the only option
available, so all 54's came that way. It sends the power back to a
live axle on semi-elliptic springs and shocks. The front suspension
has independent upper and lower control arms, coil springs, and a
sway bar. Drum brakes all around work through 6.70/15 white wall
tires on steel wheels with hub caps. The mechanicals are near
perfect on this car.
Everything is near perfect on this car. Come on down. Check it out.
See what you think.