The Corvette was aimed squarely at European sports cars when Chevrolet introduced it at the 1953 GM Motorama Show, which was held in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, and there it achieved great acclaim. Its sleek appearance, which was designed and engineered by a team lead by Harley Earl, utilized jet age styling cues to win over the hearts of Americans across the country. Of course, GM intended for the Corvette to be a success, but few would have guessed that it would become America’s most iconic sports car and a legend in its own time.

Production of the Corvette increased tenfold from 1953 to 1954, with Chevrolet producing well over 3,000 of them following a move in production to a renovated factory in St. Louis, Missouri. The second year of production also heralded the introduction of three new exterior colors to the Corvette’s color palate, Pennant Blue, Sportsman Red, and Black, , as well as the addition of an optional beige interior, as opposed to the red. Nevertheless, the Corvette’s original colors of Polo White over a Red leather interior remained the most popular.

This 1954 Corvette, which has spent the majority of its life in central Pennsylvania, was allegedly not purchased new but was won by its first owner through a charity raffle! As such, it led a leisurely life with its first owner and was only driven with care on special occasions. According to the consignor, the car maintains many of its original components, as it has never been fully restored, and the 42,534 miles showing on the odometer are believed to be original. In addition to its original engine, transmission, and differential, this Corvette includes the majority of its original suspension components, its original Fisher guide headlamps, its original Delco-Remy generator, and even its original glass windshield-washer bottle. The car is also accompanied by its very rare and original owner’s manual. The car received one repaint, along with some interior work, about 20 years ago, and it remains in wonderful condition.

Early Corvettes are still just as attractive and eye-catching as they were when they were new, which was over 60 years ago now. They are icons of American design and are valued not only for their looks and driving performance but also for being pieces of American automotive history. A well-preserved example such as this is a must-have in any collection.