1953 Corvette #003 Sells For $1,000,000 at Barrett-Jackson Auction

[Rob]

<a href="/specs/c1/1953/53_003.html"><img src="/images/design/front/003a_front.jpg" width="200" height="120" border="2" hspace="5" vspace="5" alt="1953 Corvette, #003" align="right" /></a>This past weekend, 1953 Corvette, #003 sold at auction for $1,000,000. It is the oldest survivor of the 1953 model production run (300 cars). The world's oldest production Corvette was hand-built, has all matching numbers and shows a mere 333 miles since restoration in 1990.

For full details and pictures please see: <a href="/specs/c1/1953/53_003.html">1953 Corvette #003</a>

 

[RedRagTop]

Please tell me it wasn't sold to an OPEC country...

 

[6 Shooter]

A009 - 1953 Chevrolet Corvette. GM: A Century of Innovation. Production Vehicles

http://gm.wieck.com/forms/gm/GMCenturyofInnovation-A9.jpg?download=001951

 

[ajla]

Unlike some of the prices I saw at that auction, I actually thought the 003 Corvette was a bit undervalued when the hammer fell.

 

[Lucky 3]

Corvette # 003 was bought by a friend of mine who is a Chevrolet Dealer. He has several very nice cars in his collection including the matched pair of serial # 243, 1953 and 2003. He has all of the pace cars, anniv cars and also has the 1996 Grand Sport serial # 004 which was used in the 1996 brochure.

 

[mikeman]

I can't understand this are #001 and #002 destroyed or are they in a collection?

 

[82ColEd]

Mikeman,
if i remember correctly, 001 & 002 were test mules/design studies and destroyed.. (Someone correct me if i am wrong).

Which makes 003 the oldest one.. It's a beaut.. I had the chance to see it in Carlisle on the 53 lineup. Your friend, Lucky 3, is a lucky man..


-Stefan

 

[CharlieLT4]

S/N 03 is not the oldest Corvette...

Check :http://www.kerbeck.com/kerbeck/kerbeck.nsf/Worlds_Oldest_Corvette

 

[6 Shooter]

This past weekend, 1953 Corvette, #003 sold at auction for $1,000,000. It is the oldest survivor of the 1953 model production run (300 cars). The world's oldest production Corvette was hand-built, has all matching numbers and shows a mere 333 miles since restoration in 1990.

I think production is the key word!

 

[CharlieLT4]

I agree it is a play on words. S/N 3 was listed as ... the oldest production Corvette was hand-built...much like people confuse rare and desirable.

Pacers, Gremlins, Yugos, & Callaways are rare...Mustangs, Camaros, and Corvettes are not rare, but desirable...for 1 million is was both!

 

[B/STOCK]

Not to get off topic but on Sunday a matching #s 62 Impala SS, 409-409HP, 4 speed, with a complete rotisseirerse restore went for 55K. I almost fainted. What a beautiful car. What a buy.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Part of the Kerbeck car is EX122 but not all of it. So I guess you could say it is the oldest Corvette, sort of, but not a production car. Ex122 was rebodied in 1955 by GM and sold with a V8 in it as a 1955 Corvette. It was red at the time also. The original hand made show car body was junk and destroyed at the time. The car was found and restored to the condition it left GM and displayed in Flint at the NCRS convention in the middle 70s. I saw it and photographed it there. It was a knockout car. In my opinion this is the way the car should look today as this was the way GM finally configured the car when it left their hands.

Kerbecks recreated the EX122 show car look on this car when they bought it but as far as I know it still has the V8 in it. It also has the 1955 body so it is EX122 in basic frame components only. They restored this car to a configuration that this actual car never appeared as at any time in history. In my opinion an accurate discription of this car would be a recreation of the EX122 Motorama show car using some original parts. It does give the public an opportunity to see what the original concept car looked like, which is a good thing. They just shouldn't claim it to be the original EX122.

Am I being too picky?



Tom

 

[B17Crew]

Is this the highest amount a ’53 has ever sold at and will you ever be able to view this car at a show? I saw it in Kebecks showroom a few years ago but didn’t have my camera on me.

B17Crew

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Absolutely awesome to say the least. . . . . . . I love Corvettes but I still think I would rather have the million!!!!!

Bill

 

[ROCKETBLOCK]

Absolutely awesome to say the least. . . . . . . I love Corvettes but I still think I would rather have the million!!!!!

Bill

I gotta agree with ya Bill! With a cool $million I could buy new Z06 Corvettes with the interest every year.
Got your 6. Rod

 

[hoosierdaddy]

My feelings exactly ROCKETBLOCK, then I could have my choice of color. The 53 is way nice but I got to drive them and drivng this would be dumber than a sack of claw hammers!!!

Got your 6 also my man!
Bill