1954 Chevy Corvette Owned By Jerry Lee Lewis On Display At National Corvette Museum

The latest car to grace the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky is a 1954 Chevy Corvette owned by rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis. It’s one of just 3,640 C1 models produced for its second model year at the GM St. Louis plant before the car’s production moved to Bowling Green, where it’s been since 1981.

The Jerry Lee Lewis Corvette is part of the museum’s “Pop Culture & Corvette: An American Love Affair” expo. A few other models it joins in this display include the 1959 Stingray Racer driven by Elvis in “Clambake,” the 1973 Medium Blue C3 from the “Hawaii Five-0” reboot, concepts from the “Transformers” films, the 1968 C3 owned by astronaut Jim Lovell, a concept version of the C7 from the “Gran Truismo 6” video game, and a couple of electric guitars modeled after Corvettes.

This 1954 Chevy Corvette’s color scheme is the same as the one that came with every 1953 model: Polo White paint with a red interior. Power comes from a 235 ci Blue Flame I6 engine with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. It’s rated at 150 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque. The pre-V8 C1 was a stylish touring coupe more than a proper performance car, so it accelerated from 0-60 mph at a leisurely 11.5 seconds.

Famous for his energetic performances of classic rock songs like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” Jerry Lee Lewis owned multiple Vettes throughout his life, but this one has an interesting history. Lewis ran into some financial troubles and owed substantial back taxes to the IRS. When he failed to pay up, the IRS repossessed this 1954 Corvette and his 1979 C3 in 1980. It disappeared from public view ever since, resurfaced in 2023, and now it’s on display for museum-goers to admire.

Rock ‘n’ roll and the Chevy‘s iconic flagship sports car go hand-in-hand as symbols of American culture. Check out the “Pop Culture & Corvette: An American Love Affair” expo at the NCM while it’s running throughout all of 2025.