Final 1953 Corvette Still Looks Great And It’s Going Up For Auction

We’re anxiously awaiting the unveiling of the 2020 Corvette C8, but if your tastes are a little more old school you might want to bid on this 1953 Corvette C1.

Set to be auctioned off by Mecum in August, this is the final Corvette from its first production year. It was hand-built on Christmas Eve in 1953 and is the 300th and final Corvette built that year.

The car has a long history and Mecum says it was originally purchased by a California physician who immediately painted it black.  This was likely done to distinguish it from all the other 1953 Corvettes which featured a Polo White exterior.

The original owner eventually sold the car and its second buyer reportedly put it in storage for several years. They eventually sold the Corvette in 1984 to Ernie Hendry who then had it restored. During Hendry’s ownership of the car, it received numerous awards and was included in GM’s World of Motion display at Disney World’s EPCOT Center. The car traded hands once again in 1998 and was given a second restoration in 2007.

The car looks to be in excellent shape and it features a Polo White exterior, a black soft top and a red leather interior. There’s no word on how mileage is on the car, but the odometer reads an unbelievable 1,475 miles (2,374 km). Regardless, the Corvette has a 3.9-liter six-cylinder engine that is connected to a Powerglide automatic transmission.

Also Read: Rebodied C5 Corvette Z06 Is A Homage To The 1953 Original

There’s no auction estimate, but the model comes with the original owner’s manual, side curtains and jack. The winning bidder will also receive award certificates and judging sheets as well as a “matching No. 300 brick from the original Corvette assembly plant.”

H/T to Hemmings