Tri-Power 350: 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Project
This second-year Chevrolet Corvette appears to be at a reasonably good point in its restoration for the next owner to jump right in and see the project through to completion, but it’s also one of those cars that whoever ends up with is going to have to figure out if they want to continue down the path the C1 is headed or change some courses, such as deciding whether or not that customized hood stays or goes back to stock. Whatever direction the C1 heads down, this one seems like a solid example to work with, and if you’ve already got ideas the Corvette is in Gorham, Maine, and can be found here on eBay, with a buy-it-now price tag of $27,500 attached.
Maybe why the hood got scooped in the first place was to make room for what’s under it. Only a 6-cylinder motor was available from the factory in ’54, which at some point somebody thought just wouldn’t do, as it got axed in favor of a 350 with tri-power on top. No word at all regarding any specifics about the small block, other than it’s running great off the center carb. Nothing wrong with any of this, but even just a little more info such as where the engine came from would have been helpful. Also gone is the Powerglide, and in its place now is a 1957-dated 3-speed.
The seller tells us the rough bodywork has been completed, but not many details here either regarding what all that entailed or how the car appeared before the exterior work was begun. Buyers had a limited choice of colors for their ’54 Corvette and there’s a good possibility this one left the factory wearing Sportsman Red, as I’m seeing remnants of that color in some of the nooks and crannies, along with that tank in the trunk. The owner feels like the panels are ready for a final smoothing and blocking, and once this is completed it’ll have to be up to the next driver to decide if it goes back to red or not.
It’s kind of difficult to see all the gauges from the supplied photos, and while not quite complete the interior doesn’t seem like a monumental task to bring back to life plus we get to view the exposed floor, which appears to be structurally sound, as do the areas we get to see from the bottom, such as this one. A removable hardtop is said to be available for an extra cost, but the seller has also included a make-offer option, so perhaps you could try to get that thrown in if negotiations get that far. What are your thoughts on the present state of this 1954 Chevrolet Corvette?
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Comments
350…w tri-power ? 🤔
Looks like this corvette has crossed the line. I say keep going, finish up with the body & paint. Hopefully all the chrome trim is in a cardboard box somewhere. Interior trim and chrome can run you a few bucks, (as in big bucks) but is available after searching. Instruments on the dash need to be checked out, repaired, cleaned or replaced, dependent on condition. Looking on how the car currently sits, it looks “fair & square”. Need to determine if any suspension work has been done. The extra weight of that engine also needs to be considered as it will impact handling. The tri-power set up is interesting and that intake manifold right along with proper sequential linkage is the trick to running this engine properly. Have about $20,000.00 ready to spend in order to put things in shape as a modified, non numbers matching vette. The owner should throw in the hardtop at no extra cost. Also; is the convertible “top & carriage works” sitting in well behind the seats?
Take a look at Kin-dig’s design Corvette. They have set the bar extremely high for these cars. They are flawless but, also 1/2 million dollars! Maybe buy this one and with a lot of work ,have a nice car for a 1/4 of a million.
I owned one in the late ’60’s, single, money to burn, $600 to a guy who was reporting to the Army in two days, headed for Vietnam, worried about everything, I calmed him down about the BS of basic training, just could not calm him about being killed in combat. Had a dent in the X frame, otherwise in good running condition, did not want to go around corners, very front heavy, plexiglass side curtains leaked rain, exhaust rolled up over the trunk – GM fixed this by routing the exhaust down in front of the back bumper rather than straight through the back fenders, but left the exhaust ports there for
“style”, for 1954 the beefed up PowerGlide 6 was pretty fast, by 1968 it was adequate, would not win any drag races. Was my daily driver, in New England for two years, rented a car when going any long distances or needed capacity for more than two. Inherited my family’s ’56 Chevy, 210, 4 door sedan, much more practical but style (the two sedans) sucked, at least to me. Drove that in the winter, died of rust at age of 14. Sold the Corvette for more than I had paid, it had new snow tires and three leaking Carter side drafts, revealed all to 19 year old buyer and his mother, he had a Fitch Corvair, and that was a great car. I think he was rich, but limited, mentally, in some way. In retrospect, probably autistic.
A 350 and a manual trans? This could be an interesting project and fun to drive, but there’s a lot to do. There’s what appears to be the choke cable and wiring run where the heater used to be. Where does the exhaust exit? And those questions are just from what’s visible in the limited pics provided.
The 235 six is actually close to 200 pounds heavier than a small block plus that 300 pound cast iron powerglide makes those old cars definatly nose heavy.
believe it or not the weight distribution was 53/47 on the first corvette. Since the engine was behind the front wheels, the weight of the engine isn’t as big a factor as you would think.
Was suspension work done? if not, it will still drive like a front heavy truck and with the power that 350 gives it will drive really squirrelly.
That fuel line hookup is scary. Makes me think there’s a lot scarier underneath-
I saw the same thing. That looks like trouble looking for a place to happen. Aeroquip to a fuel log would fix it.
Looks like there are no fuel lines going to the secondary carbs at all.
A few months back I found a 53 obscured in an overgrown fenced yard in a very small town where a friend now rents.
She would not act fast enough (or at all) on connecting me with the caretaker of the property as it is someone she knows. Bugged her a more than a few times. Within 2 months I see the damn car is gone when it had obviously been there for many years. She proceeds to tell me “yeah that sold it, I guess it was the 50th one”. Oh OK thank you. UUUUGGGGGG
Waiting to see it in a magazine or online one of these days……..
This car is missing perhaps $30 – 40,000 worth of stock exterior trim and interior parts. It looks to me like someone put this car together for drag racing using the cheapest available stuff laying around a junkyard.
The end carbs are plumbed to the gas line. Both front wheels have an outrageous offset yet are still beneath the fender wheelwell. Does the car have a straight-axle front end that is too narrow? The shifter is from a ’64 – ’67 Corvette 3-speed, not a ’57. All the gauges are aftermarket. There’s no ignition switch that I can see.
Basically, he’s selling a stripped body with a mystery chassis beneath it. I’d have to see a photo showing the original VIN tag and frame stamping to consider paying anything for it.
Correction: The end carbs AREN’T plumbed to the gas line.
Also, the stock-type generator and tach were removed after the photos were taken. Not cool.