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Chevrolet Corvette C1 265cui V8 — 1955

An American sports car icon that was owned and raced by the Portuguese driver Horacio Carvalho de Macedo in the 1950s. This Corvette may be the first exported example and the first to participate in European racing. It is also the 122nd Corvette to be equipped with a V8.

Nisse Brandt
Inspector
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Ida Johansen
Case manager
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"Restored to look better than new."

COUNTDOWN
CURRENT BID
ENDED
850 000SEK
LOT NUMBER
LOCATION
16684
ASPABRUK
RESERVE PRICE
Reached
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Nisse Brandt
Inspector
Send message
Ida Johansen
Case manager
Send message

"Restored to look better than new."

Description

This American icon has an intriguing history, a racing pedigree, and is one of the earliest Corvettes exported to Europe, possibly the earliest. According to Nolan Adam's book "Corvette – American Legend," there's a section about the first exported Corvette, as shown in the image. This car, with chassis number VE55S001122, was manufactured in mid-April 1955. However, the Corvette now up for auction by Bilweb Auctions arrived in Europe earlier than the one mentioned above. Examination of the previous owners' list reveals that the General Motors Overseas Corporation in Lisbon, Portugal, was the first owner, acquiring the Corvette on June 8, 1955, as seen in the images. This Corvette was manufactured earlier, around March 1955, and was given the Portuguese registration number IB- 21-79, with a "Data de Matricula" of April 20, 1955. This car, chassis number VE55S001122, was the 122nd Corvette equipped with a V8. It might be the first Corvette to participate in European racing and one of the first to be raced globally. Its first competition was the "II Rallye do Espinho" on August 1, 1955, driven by the renowned racer Horacio Carvalho de Mecedo, who owned and raced the car in 1955. About 20 participants received a gold plaque, which was given to the current owner's father by Horacio and is now mounted inside the convertible top compartment, as shown in the image. Horacio entered several races with the Corvette in 1955, which can be seen in the list among the pictures. Only 45 cars were produced in the Pennant blue/Shoreline beige color combination.

Fast forward to 1992. The current owner's father, living on the Algarve coast, visited a junkyard where he spotted this very sad Corvette, a total restoration project. He told himself that "someday, a real Corvette enthusiast will restore this car." This prophecy became true as he himself bought it from the junkyard in 1999 and began the restoration. The body was lifted, and the frame was straightened, galvanized, and painted. The frame has the correct cut-out for the fuel pump, standard for the V8 model, as shown in the image. The 6-cylinder model did not have this cut-out. Many other parts were also addressed, such as acquiring the right type of engine, a 265 without casting for an oil filter, and a correct Powerglide transmission in good condition. Other missing parts were sourced over several years. Everything in the brake system is new except for the original brake drums and the master brake cylinder, which were honed and fitted with new internal parts. A new exhaust system was installed, and the car also received new rubber bushings and hoses. In 2008, the car was taken to Sweden, where the restoration was completed. The body was professionally painted in the original colors, Pennant blue and Shoreline beige. A new windshield was installed, and the car received a new interior from Al Knoch, including carpets. Some of the chrome is new, but some parts need to be straightened, polished, or re-chromed to be perfect. Other restored items include the distributor, windshield wiper motor, starter motor, fuel pump, and generator, including the drive to the mechanical tachometer mounted on the rear of the generator. The car's original convertible top frame is included in unrestored condition, and there is a new unmounted canvas soft top in the correct color, as shown in the images. The doors' removable windows are missing, but the mechanism for these is mounted. The Corvette comes with the Portuguese registration plate and extensive documentation, including books, pictures, and more.

Technical data

  • Year
    1955/1955 
  • Registration date
     
  • Mileage
    7 miles 
  • Kw / hp
    143 / 194 
  • Fuel Type
    Petrol 
  • Transmission
    Automatic 
  • Interior finish
    Vinyl 
  • Colour
    Blue 

Condition

  • Mechanical condition:

    The engine and gearbox are in an unrefurbished but repainted condition. The engine sounds as it should but may tick when it has been idle for a longer period, and the gearbox shifts smoothly. The brakes engage smoothly and evenly. For the most part, the majority of the car is in new or refurbished condition. Since the renovation, the Corvette has only driven just under 10 km, which may require calibration of the speedometer, tachometer, and other components.

  • Interior condition:

    The interior, including door panels and carpets, is new and comes from Al Knoch Interiors in the USA. The color of the interior is beige, perfectly matching the car's blue exterior. The trunk space is neat and tidy. The engine compartment is also in a clean and orderly condition.

  • Exterior condition:

    The paintwork is in a superb and professionally executed condition, with the car's color being Pennant blue. The new windshield has a slight lamination separation at the upper left side, as seen in the image. The rubber seal on the lower inside of the windshield is wrinkled. The moldings and chrome are in an acceptable condition. The car features a mix of rechromed and original chrome parts. The trim on the right door, the right rear bumper horn, and the grille could benefit from an inspection and possible rechroming. A convertible top frame is included with the car in unrestored condition, and there is also a new canvas soft top in beige color, as shown in the pictures. The hubcap emblem on the right rear wheel is a bit worn, with a new one included. The left rear wheel is slightly scuffed, as seen in the image. The tires are new and in good condition. The fit of the doors and hatches is likely better than when the car left the factory.

  • General condition:

    The Corvette is in a very good and well-restored condition. It was a long-term project that involved extensive searching for missing parts, resulting in the car not being in a 100% original state. However, this does not diminish its appeal. Therefore, there is some potential for further improvement for those who wish to pursue it.

MOT (tech. insp.)

Fordonsstatus: Avst 2023-10-16 (Förreg)
Ursprungsbesiktning: 2023-10-16 (regbes)
Datum i trafik första gången: (550101)
Senast godkända besiktning: 2023-10-16
Besiktigad tom: 1958-01-31
Skattebefriad: Ja
Körförbud: Ja
Antal ägare: -

Facts about the model

In 1955, Chevrolet debuted its small-block V8 engine with a 4.3 L capacity, delivering 195 hp, which became available in the Corvette. Early versions of the 1955 model with the V8 engine continued to be paired with the mandatory Powerglide transmission. Even the few 6-cylinder models produced were equipped with this transmission. A new three-speed manual gearbox became available later that year for V8 models. Exterior color choices expanded to five, combined with four interior colors. Convertible tops were offered in white, dark green, or beige and came in various materials. Only 700 cars were produced in 1955, with the only year having fewer productions being 1953. The "V" in the Corvette emblem was enlarged and colored gold to indicate the car was equipped with a V8 engine and a 12-volt electrical system, while the 6-cylinder model retained the 6-volt system used from 1953–54.

Zora Arkus-Duntov, although not originally part of the Corvette project, was responsible for the introduction of the V8 engine and the three-speed manual gearbox. Duntov enhanced the marketing and image of the Corvette, helping it to compete with the Ford Thunderbird, Studebaker Speedster, and the larger Chrysler C-300. In 1956, he became the head of vehicle design and development at Chevrolet.

Location and viewing Information

Location: Aspabruk

For viewing the vehicle, contact the inspector/case manager:

Nisse Brandt
+46 707 50 89 99
nisse@bilwebauctions.se

Pick up

Collection must take place before: 2024-02-08.

NOTE! Payment (deposit to our account) must be made within 5 days and before collection.

Auction information

General information about the condition of the vehicles .
  • At this auction, many vehicles have been included in car collections and have been stored (mothballed) for a long time. For this reason, they are described from a collector's perspective and may need technical reviews and maintenance service - oil, battery replacement, new tires, brake review, etc. - before they can be used. .
  • During the auction days information about a vehicle may be updated up to the day before the auction ends. When you bid at the end of the auction period - and also if you have made an earlier bid - we therefore ask you to read the descriptions carefully, in case something has been changed due to new information.
Important to know before placing your bids!
  • Once you have called in an item and the reservation price is reached we want you to deposit the entire purchase amount into our client funds account before retrieval can take place.
  • When you need to retrieve a called in object we want you to examine it carefully. If you consider that the item does not match our description you do not need to complete the purchase. In this case the deposited purchase sum and the entry fee are refunded.
  • If you do not examine the item on the spot the call charge will be debited, but you do not have to complete the deal.
  • If you make the entire purchase exclusively at a distance you have 14 days to cancel, but must return the item at your own expense.
  • Your shipping costs and other costs are not reimbursed when the right of withdrawal is exercised. Swedish court applies.
  • For items that have not been collected within 14 days storage costs may be charged.

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