The FIRST V8 Corvette? MUST READ!!

[VintageBlueOval]

Hey guys,

First of all, please forgive me for my Ford affiliations, I grew up with Corvettes, and have a HUGE respect and appreciation. That being said, read on... this is prety interesting. I came across something really interesting yesterday. I was helping my girlfriend move and she had some things stored at a friends garage. Inside this garage with her stuff were several pristine first-generation Corvettes. The owners son (I never met the owner) showed me around. The first was a beautiful 57. He claimed it was unrestored with the exception of tires and seat upholstery. It was white convertible with red interior. I am no professional, but everything genuinely appeared original. Truly a fine example of an excellently preserved 57. Next he showed me a 64 convertible, equally beautiful in unrestored condition, also white with red interior. Both amazing cars. Finally he pulled the cover off an unbelieveable 55, also unrestored, 19,000 original miles. It was also a convertible, and you guessed it, white with red interior. Heres the fun part. He claimed this car was vin #14, and that it was arguably the first Corvette off the line with a V8. Do any of you guys have info on this, because my BS meter went off big time. Even if it isn't the first V8 car, It's probably close, and it really has 19,000 original miles and is AMAZING in all respects. Unfortunately I'm pretty ignorant about first-generation Corvettes but I'm really curious about this, I lost sleep last night thinking what a terrible injustice it is to the automotive would in general and Corvettes in particular that such a signifigant car in sitting in some crappy garage, surrounded by my girlfriends junk. Please tell me it isn't so.

Thanks!!

 

[*89x2*]

welcome to the

55 was the first year for the V8... That car needs sunlight

 

[67HEAVEN]

Welcome to CAC.

Click below.
http://laruetx.com/autos/vette/ncm/ncm6.html

 

[lew]

I see where you are going with this. The blue flame six was the base engine in 1955, the V8 was an option. If you assume that the first few cars were produced with the base engine, then the V8 became available, it is possible that you have seen the very first V8 Corvette ever made. I doubt it would be possible to ever know for sure. According to what I have read, the 55 Corvette has the least documentation available of any model year. One thing is sure, if the car really is serial #14 then it is at the very least one of the first 14 V8 Corvettes, and that in itself seems to me to make this a *very* special car.

Can you get the actual serial number off the car? The first 55 Corvette was serial number (V)E55S001001. The V is in parenthesis because it was added to the front of the serial numbers of V8 equiped cars.

Lew

 

[67HEAVEN]

I see where you are going with this. The blue flame six was the base engine in 1955, the V8 was an option. If you assume that the first few cars were produced with the base engine, then the V8 became available, it is possible that you have seen the very first V8 Corvette ever made. I doubt it would be possible to ever know for sure. According to what I have read, the 55 Corvette has the least documentation available of any model year. One thing is sure, if the car really is serial #14 then it is at the very least one of the first 14 V8 Corvettes, and that in itself seems to me to make this a *very* special car.

Can you get the actual serial number off the car? The first 55 Corvette was serial number (V)E55S001001. The V is in parenthesis because it was added to the front of the serial numbers of V8 equiped cars.

Lew

Check the link to the Corvette Museum just above your post.

 

[lew]

67Heaven,

Your note posted while I was typing mine. I guess that just about clinches that question.

Lew

 

[67HEAVEN]

67Heaven,

Your note posted while I was typing mine. I guess that just about clinches that question.

Lew

Okay, how long did it take to get an answer to his question?

17 minutes.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Interesting story. It would be nice to know if this car originally came with the V8 or was converted later in it's life, as many of them were.

Have you contacted Roy Sinor at NCRS to see if there's a judging history on this car? Maybe Noland Adams would recognize this car also.

 

[74bigblock]

Okay, how long did it take to get an answer to his question?

17 minutes.

That's ____ing cool.

 

[Tom Bryant]

VintageBlueOval

Welcome to the CAC. Even if it isn't the first V8 it is one of the first and very early at that if it is actually 1955 #14. There are really very few documented '55s with sixes in them so there is little reason to doubt that it was an origional V8. I would be nice to know it's history though.

Tom