1954 motorama hardtop corvette

[Bruce I.]

new info and pictures have been loaded to the web site as well as a new look. come see what you think . check out the pictures of the hardtop and the color of the original paint . never a white car. www.1954motoramacorvette.com enjoy

[Bert L.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

Thanks for the update Bruce, very interesting findings.
Your project is bound to stimulate a considerable amount of attention and controversy.

Bert

[Bruce I.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

is there any information about any 1953 corvettes that left the factory without paint . i heard a rumor or story that poss. the motorama corvette was the one that left the assembly line without paint. if so i can verify that with my car. thanks for the response bert. theres lots more info coming. i have over fifty years of documentation and stories coming up soon ,but i only have so many hours in the day and every one of those hours pull me off the restoration. keep watching thanks motorama bruce. www.1954motoramacorvette.com

[Kent K.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

is there any information about any 1953 corvettes that left the factory without paint . i heard a rumor or story that poss. the motorama corvette was the one that left the assembly line without paint. if so i can verify that with my car.

There was no Corvette assembly line when the 1953 Motorama Corvette(s) were built. It (they) were experimental show cars built for one purpose, the Motorama shows only. Maybe 1954 cars were assembled on the line(?). Paint was something that had to be PERFECT for Motorama shows and, therefore, was probably applied under special circumstances, not on the assembly line.

Note: most of this is derived from common sense in speaking to those who were there at the time.

Regards, Kent

[Loren S.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

Bruce - great website and I was very excited to find out the car survived, especially the hardtop and rollup window doors. If only they had painted the car Lemans Blue instead of light yellow for the Motorama.

[Eric J.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

In 2003 I was at Flint for the SACC annual meeting and 50th celebration. At the awards dinner I sat with a "sander" (For the life of me I can not recall his name) He started working 2nd shift on #150 and stayed to the end #300. They made 4 bodies a day. He gave a very detailed explanation on 2nd Shift (the body line, 1st was Assembly) How they sanded the body then the bubbles would be filled and the body would be rebaked over and over unitl the body was done. They would then pass it off to the paint line (also 2nd shift)

I asked him if he recalled anything unusual. He then stated that everyday they made 4 Corvette bodies and during that entire time he only saw one completed car. They came in at the beginning of their shift and there at the end of the line was a complete 53 Corvette. It was the only one they had seen so they spent a few minutes looking it over. Until 2003 this Sander had never seen another completed 53.

The reason I bring this up during this thread is he never mentioned a "special" body or unpainted Corvette. I guess that doesn't mean it didn't happen, but he never mentioned it. He was very detailed.

[Bruce I.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

Eric thanks for the info. I wish i could remember who at ncrs told me that storey because apparently it was well documented. Maybe it was Noland Adams . I cant remember . Hopfully someone out there will. Thanks NCRS members, you people are a great help! hope you all enjoy the website. thanks motorama bruce

[Loren L.]

Re: 1954 motorama hardtop corvette

Bruce:
Apparently the designers of the Board have decided that I should NOT be able to contact you through any sort of "private message", etc.
I am currently trying to assist another early Corvette owner whose car was probably an Engineering test vehicle, etc. I realize that if your car was sold through GM Canada, a whole different set of rules might apply.
In any case, IF you have the record of the disposal sale, I' appreciate the opportunity to talk with you or ??? E-mail loren.lundberg@cox.net; FAX 602-547-2253, phone 602-938-5042. Thanks.