West Coast Classics is proud to present a great daily driving example of this older restoration but still presentable and completely rust free 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible with a date correct 235cid 'Blue Flame' 6 cylinder engine with head casting # 3835913 and assembly suffix stamp F54YG & triple correct original Carter carbs (#2066SA) with "bullet' air cleaners matched to its factory correct (casting # 3703283 1954) Powerglide automatic transmission and dual exhausts exiting through the rear body panel.
The car is finished in the classic Corvette 'Sportsman Red' with a matching 'Sportsman Red' interior and a 'Tan' convertible soft top. Straight body with fiberglass in good condition with no signs of any major repairs but certainly with some paint imperfections noticeable upon very close inspection.
This is a later 1954 production model, with the single hood release to activate both hood latches, as opposed to the first 500 models which had two interior hood releases. The car has has both side windows in place and the car has fairly new 'Sportsman Red' seat covers, door panels and the metal pad is in overall good condition as is the Daytona carpet.
The car has its original bucket seats, floor mounted factory Powerglide automatic transmission, instrument panel with full factory gauges, Deluxe heater & defroster, removable side windows, lower bodyside chrome trim, dual exhausts and a correct push button AM Signal Seeking radio. It has factory wheels and hubcaps on correct bias ply Whitewall tires. The floor boards, trunk are completely solid and the frame and undercarriage is rust-free and the car has had no signs of any accidents.
The 235CID 'Blue Flame' 6 cylinder engine was rebuilt and is extremely strong and powerful and this particular car drives very well - a truly remarkable daily driver that will give any modern day sports car a run for it's money! The Powerglide transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears and the temperature always remains cool!
This is a rare opportunity to own a great daily driving example of an older restoration and still very presentable very rare and collectible 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, one of only 3,640 built, with way fewer still in existence and in very fine condition throughout! This is a highly desirable and collectible year and generation of one of the outstanding and most iconic GM designs of the fifties.
This is one very desirable car for any Corvette collector or enthusiast to restore fully or simply a wonderful opportunity for any classic American car collector who desires to own a very striking daily drivable example of this legendary car! A sure-fire investment that's sure to appreciate over the years for any classic American car collector!
HISTORY OF THE 1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE:
Blue Flame 150bhp, 235.5 cu. in. inline, overhead valve, six-cylinder engine, two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, coil springs, tube shocks and stabilizer front suspension, leak springs, tube shocks and solid rear axle, four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 102
The first generation Corvette (1953-55) and the first of Chevrolets fiberglass bodied sports cars. Initial popularity for the all new 1953 Corvette carried on into the 1954 season but quickly waned as rumors of a 2 seat sports car coming from Ford. Three new color choices were added for '54; Pennant Blue, Sportsman Red & Black, although the majority of Corvettes would still be painted the original Polo White. By mid year a new camshaft was installed that added 5 more horsepower but disappointing sales nearly killed it after 1954 with reportedly fewer than a dozen of the 6 cylinder models being built in 1955 before the new V8 was introduced, making these early Blue Flame models now all the more collectible and rare! Styling under Harley Earl included the toothy grille, stone guards over the headlamps, "twin pod" rear fenders, & "rocketship" tailights. Powerglide two speed automatic was standard with a 3 speed manual being eventually offered in late 1955. The first generation cars are now considered highly collectible for good reason, High demand and low production numbers ensure strong appreciation potential for future collectors.
From the start, the Corvette Roadster was special in its design and construction. Its first GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) body was molded into a shape that is appreciated today more than ever for its sensuous form. The Corvette was unveiled in the ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria in New York early in 1953. Yet, remarkably, the new American sports car rolled off the assembly line a scant five months after its debut. The legendary Harley Earl, Vice-President (Design) of General Motors was the father of the sensational new Corvette. Other notables involved included Bob McLean, Maurice Olley, Ed Cole and shortly before production began of course Zora Arkus Duntov. Although the Corvette was conceived to be assembled from mostly production parts and eventually have a steel body, it never happened. Even the way Corvettes were assembled was different. Rather than on an assembly line, the new sports cars were assembled by small groups of technicians. For the 1954 Corvette, production was moved from Flint, Michigan to St. Louis, MO.
