After the first fourteen or fifteen Chevy Corvette units were built at the Van Slyke Avenue location, production for the 1954 model year began in the renovated St. Louis facility in December 1953. The new factory was capable of building 10,000 Corvettes a year, a watermark that would not be reached until the 1960 model year.
Chevy Corvette production increased from the three hundred units in 1953 to 3,640 in 1954. New colors available in addition to Polo White (3,230) were Pennant Blue (300), Sportsman Red (100), and Black (4), although there are rumored to have been some in Metallic Green and Metallic Bronze. Color production quantities are unable to be verified by Chevrolet records, but are based on surveys and other data, and as such cannot be considered precise. The canvas soft top color and support bows were beige, although there is at least one top reported to have been white. Interiors for all colors were Sportsman Red except for the Pennant Blue Corvettes that came with beige interiors, which were close in hue to the soft tops.
The 1954 Chevy Corvette saw a number of changes, many of them occuring during the year’s production run. The Blue Flame Six engine had a change in the cam that boosted horsepower to 155, but the 150 decal on the painted valve cover remained unchanged. The only way to identify the 155-horsepower cam was by three dots between the fifth and sixth inlet cam lobes. Some of the valve covers were painted as they had been the previous year, but others were chrome. Chrome valve covers lacked the “Blue Flame” and “150” decals found on the painted covers. Early-production 1954 Corvettes had the same twin interior hood release latches as the 1953s, but around the 500th car, the release was changed to a single handle that controlled both latches.
Short exhaust extensions were used on about the first 2,520 Chevy Corvette units, then longer extensions with deflection baffles were utilized. Ignition shielding was comprised of upper and lower parts, either painted or chromed, or sometimes a combination of both. Most examples found now have either one or the other. Very early 1954s had brake and fuel lines routed outside of the frame rails, but relocating the lines inside the frame rails came early in the production year. Also early in production, the floor dimmer switch was moved slightly inboard.
The side window storage bag in 1954 Chevy Corvettes was color matched to the interior, was more rectangular than the previous year, and could be anchored to the forward trunk panel with polished turnbuckles. Whitewall tires switched from tube type to tubeless late in the production year. Tires were U.S. Royal Air Ride, BFGoodrich Silvertown, or Firestone Deluxe Champion, with whitewall stripe width varying between two-and-a-half and three inches. Early AM signal-seeking radios came with 640-kilocycle and 1240-kilocycle Conelrad National Defense Emergency markings.
As with 1953 Chevy Corvette units, the 1954 came with “options,” but every car received the full list. In an effort to make the Corvette more appealing to potential buyers, the base price was dropped from $3,254.10 to $2,774.00. With the mandatory “options” added, the price ballooned back to $3,254.10. The option list had grown from the previous year to include Directional Signal ($16.75), Heater ($91.40), AM Radio, signal seeking ($145.15), Whitewall Tires ($26.90), Powerglide Automatic Transmission ($178.35), Parking Brake Alarm ($5.65), Courtesy Lights ($4.05), and Windshield Washer ($11.85).
Optional or Chevrolet-sponsored factory hardtops were not available for the Chevy Corvette, but some dealers did offer aftermarket hardtops. Among them were some made entirely of Plexiglas, resulting in a toasty ride on sunny days.
Our feature 1954 Chevy Corvette is finished in Sportsman Red over a beige interior with a beige soft top. It is powered by the inline-six cylinder Blue Flame Special engine fed by a trio of Carter side-draft carbs. Power is transmitted to a Powerglide two-speed automatic gearbox. It is equipped with an AM signal-seeking radio, windshield washer, in-dash clock, parking brake alarm, directional signals, parking brake alarm, courtesy lights, painted steel wheels with full wheel covers, and whitewall tires.
This rare Sportsman Red 1954 Chevy Corvette will cross the Mecum Auctions block at its Glendale, Arizona event Thursday, March 20th.
Comments
Obviously not a “real car” for “real Men”. The last couple days have seen this usually polite informative comment section get run roughshod by weak individuals who only drive cars with 3 or more pedals for their two little legs to play with. Nice to know you won’t be bidding on this classic 1954. Save room for the grown ups. Sorry if I hurt your very fragile masculine feelings.
just information about Vintage GM Cars… GMB made 100 years and launched the program Chevrolet Vintage in Brasil where they will reconstruct GMB Chevrolet Opala C10 Chevette and Monza, the first would be a C10 restored with V8 Camaro Engine… because the Camaro left or discontinued to be imported to Brasil, So lets see how the factory in S. Caetano will build those cars. For more in Portuguese text read Autoesporte.