1955 Chevrolet Corvette C1 - today's tempter

By: Guy Allen, Unique Cars magazne

Date: 07.07.2018

Start of the V8 dynasty

1955 Chevrolet Corvette C1

It may look nothing like the slick later generations, but for its time this first-gen Cherolet Corvette was a headturner.

The C1 was originally pulled together in time to be shown at Motorama in 1953, as part of the New York Motor Show.

However the early cars were running straight sixes rather than the V8s the nameplate has since become famous for.

1955 was the first year of the V8, a 265ci (4.4lt) unit that was an option. This was also a year where relatively few new cars were built - some 700 - as Chevrolet was sitting on a backlog of stock.

Generally it has been the next gen, the C2, which has fetched the big prices over the years, however there are signs that interest in the first cars may have grown.

The Healey Factory in Melbourne has this one, which is largely standard although it has been converted to right-hand-drive. It's priced at $135,000.

Corvette C1 review

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