Mecum’s Kissimmee event is underway, and one of the more interesting auction lots today is a 1954 Chevrolet C1 Corvette. The gorgeous-looking classic wears its original metalwork atop a custom chassis and C05 Z06 tech, so we wouldn’t be surprised if we saw it venture far into the six-digit USD territory.
Starting with the exterior, it has been carefully refurbished and preserved with only a fresh coat of paint and chrome where necessary. Schott two-piece aftermarket wheels made it into the arches, and the suspension was dropped for purely fashion-related reasons. The original soft top hadn’t survived the test of time, but the modern one seen here should be better at repelling bad weather, if anything.
Power for the rear wheels comes from a naturally aspirated LS6 V8 engine sourced from the fifth-gen Corvette mentioned above. It commands 5.7 liters of displacement volume and sends 411 PS (405 hp / 303 kW) to the rear end using a Tremec six-speed manual transmission.
Impressively, the cabin is every bit as well-appointed as the rest of the build. Clad in bright red leather from top to bottom, it retains the original analog gauges of the C1 and looks almost like a time capsule. The steering wheel is slightly squared-off from below and looks pleasant to touch. Last but not least, there is a Vintage Air climate control system on board, but you will be forgiven for not noticing – the integration is seamless.
