Vehicle Description
Full body-off-frame restoration in 2010 with all new paint,
interior, rebuilt drivetrain and driveline!� Coming out of
California originally, this no-hit & rust free example was
protected in a� dry Tacoma, WA garage for 30 years before the
restoration began!� A great investment and driver! In 1951, the
initial seed was planted at GM by the legendary Harley Earl,
creator of the GM Art and Color department which was the
predecessor to automobile styling departments around the world.
Although essentially classified as a Harley Earl design, the first
Corvette was actually sketched up by a young stylist named Bob
McLean for the 1953 Motorama. Over the next several months the
Corvette quickly took shape in the form of a clay model in late
1952 and shortly thereafter, a running prototype finished just in
time for the show. By the end of 1953 the first production
Corvettes rolled off the "line" in Flint, Michigan, essentially
hand built cars, the 1953s are the rarest of all Corvettes with
only 300 units produced. In 1954, production moved to St. Louis,
Missouri to a new facility capable of building hundreds of cars per
month. Although people loved the new Corvette, 1954 sales were slow
and more than 1,100 units still sat on showroom floors at the end
of the model year! Faced with sluggish sales, GM's top brass
panicked and almost ended Corvette before it had a chance to get
started. The introduction of the V-8 in 1955 saved the Corvette and
breathed new life into the model, sales rocketed and the legendary
automotive milestone was assured a bright and prosperous future.
Finished in Sportsman Red with Red interior, this late production
classic 1954 Chevrolet Corvette features a 1954 date-coded 235ci
Blue Flame 150 Tri-carb 6-cylinder, heater, full instrumentation,
parking brake alarm, turn signals, courtesy light, windshield
washer, Power Glide automatic transmission, 6.70-15 whitewall tires
with full wheel covers, front license plate bracket, cowl vent, and
correct Deluxe Electromatic signal seeking radio in the stock
locataion (new Custom AutoSound Secret Audio FM radio hidden under
dash). This Corvette survives remarkably from the west coast where
it spent the better part of its life in California. Our records
start in San Anselmo, CA with owner Hollis Burton in 1973, who
later moved the car to Sunnyvale, CA. He finally sold the car in
1979 to Frank Morris when it was still factory polo white with a
custom black interior. Mr. Morris was based in Tacoma, WA who had
sincere intentions of restoring the car one day. He only got as far
as removing the exterior chrome and trim before electing to sell
the car to local Corvette enthusiast Dave Ferrando in early 2009.
In body-off fashion, Mr. Ferrando spent the next 2 years properly
restoring the car in nut-and-bolt fashion! He took great care is
providing a binder full of pictures of the process, and another
with parts receipts from Corvette Central, Classic Corvette Parts,
and Grossmueller Classic Covettes. It was finished in late 2010
with a PPG base coat/ clear coat finish and all new Al Knoch
interior, all new chrome & bright work, all new wiring, new weather
stripping, rebuilt drivetrain, suspension, and fuel system! It was
enjoyed for several years, then sold back to a Los Angeles, CA
collector in 2015. It continues to show very well today, and start
and drive exceptionally well! Having been correctly restored, this
classic Corvette shows well in person with a very original
appearance! Because these first generation Corvettes were
essentially hand built at the factory, they were known for cosmetic
flaws and body panel alignment imperfections. Today, many of these
cars have been "over-restored" which, according to many, is a
detraction from the collector value and visceral hand built
character that has made these early Vettes so desirable. This one
is no exception featuring a solid no-hit body, and solid rust free
chassis! With only 3,640 produced, and all equipped exactly the
same, this 1954 Corvette is among the rarest and sought after of
American favorites! And for many represent one of the most
collectible and investment worthy cars available to enthusiasts
today. For the extremely savvy collector or investor, there will be
few such opportunities to acquire such an affordable example of
this special car in all the years of appreciation to come! With
prices of fresh restored examples exceeding $100,000, acquiring a
drivable and exceptionally clean original like this is truly a
unique find. This exceptional Corvette is in excellent cosmetic and
mechanical condition and can be driven right off the showroom
floor. Seatbelts have been added for safety. All cars are
advertised locally and nationally. St. Louis Car Museum reserves
the right to end any listing early upon receipt of deposit. Please
do not hesitate to call us with questions or to discuss securing a
vehicle.
