1954 Chevrolet Corvette

Description

The Corvette began as a dream — literally. Debuting as a “dream car” at General Motors’ 1953 Motorama show, it quickly captured public imagination. Demand turned fantasy into reality, and Chevrolet produced just 300 Corvettes that year, all in Polo White and reserved for VIPs. These early models featured a 235-cubic-inch “Blue Flame” inline-six engine delivering 150 horsepower, paired with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. 

By January 1954, the Corvette was available to the public at a price of $3,760. New color options — Pennant Blue, Sportsman Red, and Black — joined the original white. A revised camshaft nudged horsepower up to 155. Though the iconic V8 wouldn’t arrive until 1955, the torque-heavy straight-six impressed critics. Road & Track praised its performance, noting it could “give any sports car of comparable power and weight a real race between 20 and 90 mph… Frankly, we liked the Corvette very much.” 

This 1954 Corvette is restored to NCRS standards and represents the beginning of a legacy from dream car to American icon — one that has spanned over 70 years and eight generations.  

Highlights 

• Iconic American sports car with a timeless jet-age design  

• Limited production with 3,640 units built 

• Well restored example finished in popular Polo White over Sportsman Red upholstery  

• 235 cu-in “Blue Flame” six cylinder producing 155 horsepower  

• Two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission 

• The chassis number (E54S003867) decodes as: 

  • E – Corvette model line 

  • 54 – Model year 1954 

  • S – St. Louis, Missouri, final assembly plant 

  • 003867 – Sequential production number beginning with 001001 

Features 

• “Space Age” fiberglass body  

• Beige soft top  

• “Wonderbar” signal-seeking AM radio  

• Chrome mesh cover headlights  

• Covered rear license plate  

• Defroster  

• Cigarette lighter 

Known Imperfections 

• The radio and clock do not work  

• Two small paint imperfections on the hood  

• One small scrape on the driver’s side rear quarter 

Included 

• Side curtains

Ownership History 

The consignor of this 1954 Corvette states, “This car is the 2,867th of 3,640 examples produced for the model year and was frame-off restored in the early 2000s. The restoration was done to compete in NCRS judging, thus everything on the car is correct for the model year, right down to the date-coded windshield and spiral shock absorbers. Unfortunately, the previous owner could not locate the NCRS judging sheets.”