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. 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 that were close in hue to the soft tops.
The 1954 Chevy Corvette saw a number of changes, many of them 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 1954 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 Corvettes, the 1954 came with “options,” but every car received the full list. With the mandatory “options” added, the price was $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).
Our feature 1953 Chevy Corvette was refinished in Polo White in 2010. It has a red vinyl interior with a beige soft top. It is equipped with directional signals, a heater, AM signal-seeking radio, whitewall tires, Powerglide automatic transmission, parking brake alarm, courtesy lights, and windshield washer. Included in the sale are the original side windows with carrying case.
Comments
Nice car.
There is a certain “old world” charm about these early C1’s (’53-’54-’55 6 cylinder version) that until you get to drive one or even go for delighful Spring Day Sunday Drive, you then realize what a sweet “sports car” (sic) these early C1’s really were. If nothing else, the sound of that “Blue Flame 6” going through the gears (uh, gear?) closing in on it’s low but effective engine red line on the tach really is somewhat magical, and I can’t help but feel sad that Chevy couldn’t at least add a three speed manual “floor shift” or perhaps maybe the 4 speed auto maybe from an Olds of Caddy V8 engine. So many real fun combinations could have been possible if the Chevy engineers were allowed a little bit of freedom to go just a little bit further while still retaining that old “Stove Bolt” 6 cylinder engine’s charm in it’s day.
But…they still managed to put together what is today, an Old World Charm, All American Sports Car that slowly but surely lit the afterburners on the American public to at least retain a smile when you get up close and personal with one of these “old timers” from the 1950’s.
Okay then, ’nuff said…were I to pick another Corvette to sit in my garage next to my current 2001 C5 (24 years and 70K miles later, still one hell of fun ride!) I just might choose this 1954 C1 Corvette to just “hang out with” and show up at various Cars and Coffee events through out Southern California on a Sunday morning or maybe even at a Cruise Night establishment like Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake on a Friday Night…so many places that’ll enjoy having this very sweet 1954 Corvette showing up and…showing off! Wish I had the cash to buy this baby, maybe I can convince my wife that it would a great little investment for us both! I better keep wishing, I know my wife and to her, one Corvette in a garage at a time is “just right”. Sigh.
Rick,
I agree with you about purity of the 53 and 54 C-1 Corvettes, but the 55 C-1 Corvette offered the 265 cubic inch small block V8.
Hey Marcus, of course the ’55 Corvette had that amazing 265 V8 engine, and it totally changed the course of history for the C1’s but there were a few 6 cylinders also produced in early 1955, and that’s why I included naming the ’55 ‘Vette, solely out of respect for the old “Blue Flame” 6 cylinder’s last days of usage. Does anyone know if any Corvette’s made in 1955 were of the 3 speed manual variety, especially any with the very few 6 cylinder engines or were they all made with the 2 speed cast iron Powerglide automatic transmission until the newer bodied 1956 came onto the scene? Just curious…you could get a regular 6 cylinder full body Chevy with a 3 speed stick in 1953-1954, but not in the Corvette, these were auto transmission only. Too bad, I think it would have made the early C1’s a lot more fun to drive even with a “floor mounted” 3 speed manual transmission. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.