In the 1950s, many of the world's most popular sports cars came from Europe. A team of engineers from General Motors, led by the legendary Harley Earl, went to work to design fiberglass-bodied cars that had the appeal to compete with the best Europe had to offer. The team penned a low body that stood just under 47 in. tall with a long, sleek hood made possible by moving the 'Blue Flame' six-cylinder engine toward the rear. It is reported that the team spent over $1.5 million on the project, a staggering sum for the early 1950s.

The finished prototype was dubbed EX-122 and made its public debut on 17 January 1953 at the legendary 1953 Motorama display, where it featured alongside other luxury concept cars from GM's family of marques. The public reaction to EX-122 was overwhelming, and GM quickly rushed the car into production beginning in June 1953. By year's end, a total of just 300 Corvettes were completed. This first year of Corvette production marked an important technical milestone, as GM was the first major American car manufacturer to successfully mass-produce a vehicle with an all-fiberglass body and underpan.

The car offered here is the 147th of those 300 Corvettes built for 1953. A full restoration was completed by the late Corvette expert and restorer Jack Kershlis of Amherst, Massachusetts. The superb restoration garnered the coveted Bloomington Gold Certification on 27 June 2004, scoring 7,785 points out of a possible 7,880. Certification forms are included with the sale. The car still presents beautifully throughout, which speaks to the quality of the work performed by Mr. Kershlis.

Presented in the highly desirable color scheme of Polo White over a red interior and equipped with an AM radio and heater, this 1953 Corvette is an ideal addition to any significant sports car collection.