In 1953 the Corvette debuted in the Motorama display at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Conceived by the legendary Harley J. Earl, it was a two-seat convertible built by General Motors aimed at capturing the small car market from manufacturers such as Jaguar and MG. With its trim lines, folding top and side curtains, the Corvette had the features of a true sports car. This represented the first attempt by an American automobile manufacturer to produce cars with a fiberglass body instead of steel components and panels. The development work behind the car would assure the Corvette would eventually become America’s premier sports car.

All 1953 Corvettes were convertibles with black canvas tops, Polo White with red interiors and built by hand. During the 1953 production year, 300 Corvettes were produced making the initial model the rarest Corvette; 255 are thought to still be in existence. This lot is the 64th Corvette built and properly finished in the original factory colors. The black cloth top is original. Only 157 miles have been driven since a frame-off restoration was completed recently. Listed as options, but fitted to all 1953 Corvettes were the heater and AM radio, as seen on this example. Side curtains come with the car, which is riding on Firestone Deluxe Champion whitewall tires. All Corvette power for 1953 was derived from a 235-cid, 150-hp six-cylinder engine coupled to a Powerglide automatic transmission.

The VIN on this rare and desirable Corvette is E53F001064.