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1954 CORVETTE
"THE FIRST OF THE DREAM CARS TO COME TRUE"
- Chevrolet Ad, 1953
The 1954 Corvette was first unleashed at the 1953 Motorama show in New York. The '53 Motorama show was the first show post-war, designed to remind people of the lavish life. With the economy at its best since the 1929 crash, America was getting back the desire for luxury, vacations, dreaming, and fun. Which is why it's no surprise that the 1954 Corvette was a hit. Marketed as the car for fun and freedom, tt would become the iconic first of the kind, which is why it was coined "the first dream car." The legacy would continue on even to today.
- Chevrolet Ad, 1954
'54 Corvette Commercial
- 1954 Chevrolet Ad, Esquire
Since the 1954 Corvette was just a concept car, it was a surprise to everyone - including Chevrolet - when the public was demanding the exact same style be put in the market.
So on January 17th, 1954, history was made. What was once handmade out of fiber glass in Detroit, the very first Corvette went into mass production. Building only 3,640 of the cars, the '54 Corvette would have a short lived shelf life, but make waves for decades to come.
- 1979 King Edward Cigar Ad, featuring a 1954 Corvette
- The original '54 Corvette Operations Manual, of which the Motte Museum is in possession of - Check the trunk!
-" Corvette...Fun on Wheels" ads, 1954
Sportsman Red '54 Corvette Test Drive
Fun Fact!
Out of the 3,640 1954 Corvettes made, only 100 were painted Sportsman Red. One of those cars being the Motte Museum Corvette!
- During 1954, it wasn't uncommon for companies to use the '54 Corvette to draw people in. The car was sometimes used in raffles or showcases in smaller cities who were jumping at the chance to see such a car. It was once noted to be "something of a spaceship" to viewers.
- In addition to the look, the Corvette had what most cars at the time didn't - an automatic radio. The Delco Auto Radio was specialized for GM vehicles alone. The radio eliminated the pesky sifting through stations that came up mostly static until you landed on something clear. This same radio formatting is still used in cars today.
In Film
Kiss Me Deadly, 1955
Kiss Me Deadly, directed by Robert Aldrich, stars Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer - a brawling, tough-talking investigator from Mickey Spillane's novels. The film sees Hammer driving the signature Black 1954 Corvette. This would be the first time Corvette's were seen on the Silver screen of Hollywood, kick-starting a long and still thriving career of Corvette's being popularly used as movie stars. The Black '54 Corvette was only 1 of 4 ever made.
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