Car of the Week: This Immaculately Restored 1955 Corvette Roadster is Now Up for Grabs

The early example of 'America's Sports Car' will be offered by Worldwide Auctioneers on September 2.

By Robert Ross on Aug 22, 2023

Yet it wasn't always that way, because from 1955 until 2019, every Corvette was distinguished by its front-mounted V-8 engine, stuffed into an often-extreme fiberglass body with room enough inside for two people and little else. The early 1950s saw some fierce competition among America's "Big Three," and in the turf wars for market share, a sports car afforded an opportunity to shine a spotlight on any brand that could deliver something really special: one that nipped at the heels of European finery from the likes of Jaguar, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.

On offer through Worldwide Auctioneers, this 1955 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster is one of 180 examples painted in Gypsy Red.
Photo: Bobbie Baer, courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers.

With the specter of Ford's 1955 Thunderbird looming, General Motors beat its peers to the punch with the Chevrolet Corvette, debuted at the Waldorf-Astoria in January of 1953 to an avalanche of praise from press and public alike. Its groundbreaking shape, by GM's head of Styling, Harley Earl, was a sensation, although a mere 300 examples were made that year. But like some dogs, the first 'Vette's bark was more formidable than its bite, powered as it was by an inline-six-cylinder engine that was rather enthusiastically called "the Blue Flame." The flame ignited by Chevy's 235 ci inline-six mill amounted to 150 hp, further humbled by a lethargic two-speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission—the only choice. With a V-8-powered Thunderbird about to take to the tarmac, Chevy had to make some quick decisions.

The 1955 'Vette had an MSRP of $2,909 when new.
Photo: Bobbie Baer, courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers.

GM engineer Ed Cole and his team developed the 265 ci small-block engine that GM's marketing mavens called the "Turbo-Fire" V-8, which made 195 hp—45 hp more than the "Flame." Though leisurely today, its 8.5-second zero-to-60 mph time shaved two seconds off its six-cylinder predecessor. While Euro-exotica boasted of 120 mph, 130 mph, and even 150 mph top speeds (often only in their dreams), the Corvette hit a legitimate 120 mph.

The car is from the first model year that the Corvette features a V-8 engine, in this case a 265 ci small-block mill that makes 195 hp.
Photo: Bobbie Baer, courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers.

With an MSRP of $2,909, the 1955 Corvette came in Polo White, Pennant Blue, Corvette Copper, Gypsy Red, or Harvest Gold. A variety of colors for the interior and vinyl top—replacing the canvas—were on the menu, and in the 1955 production run, a three-speed manual transmission was made available. Despite the headlines, residual blowback from the lackluster "Blue Flame" thwarted sales for 1955, which reached just 700 units. But the die was cast, and with the engineering and competition acumen of engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, Corvette started on a roll.

A multiyear, body-off restoration has kept this car true to its original color scheme, inside and out.
Photo: Bobbie Baer, courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers.

Chevy's 1955 entry in the Pikes Peak race set a record, as did an entry into the Daytona Flying Mile. By 1956, the "Father of the Corvette," as Arkus-Duntov became known, was in charge of high-performance vehicle design and development for Chevrolet. Production in 1956 rose to 3,467 units, and the C1 series continued until 1962. By that time, Corvette had earned the moniker "America’s Sports Car."

Since Chevrolet debuted the Corvette at the Waldorf-Astoria in January of 1953, the model has progressed through eight iterations.
Photo: Bobbie Baer, courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers.

The 1955 Corvette Roadster being presented by Worldwide Auctioneers is one of 180 examples produced that year in Gypsy Red, and has benefitted from an extensive multiyear, body-off restoration by Russ Corvette Restoration, LLC in Mount Holly, N.J. This little red Corvette will be offered through the auction house in Auburn, Ind., on September 2.