The 1953 Corvette® - White
Price: $120.00
or 3 easy monthly payments of $40.00
Full Description
The classic precision die-cast replica of the first-ever Corvette®! Presented by Franklin Mint Precision Models in association with Chevrolet Motor Division. Handcrafted with 100 separate parts and individually hand-painted to match the original colors. Authentically detailed...from the fully appointed interior to the famous "Blue Flame" engine...to recapture the fiery spirit of the original! This model is ready to take you into the fast lane!
Getting the nation revved up was what the first Corvette® was all about. When this experimental "Dream Car" was introduced at the General Motors Motorama in New York City in January 1953, excited spectators went goggle-eyed.
The breathtaking piece of machinery flirted with visitors from a slowly revolving turntable set up in front of a mural of the rugged Manhattan skyline. Covetous car buffs were amazed when they learned that the sleek Corvette® body was made of fiberglass. The practical use of this material in the auto industry was an idea that some, in a fit of sour grapes, called mad. But those who appreciated how it looked on the Corvette® called it what it was--revolutionary.
Going from the cool gleam of its lustrous Polo White exterior paint, oglers were almost sizzled to a crisp when they peered into the car through the chrome-bound plastic side windows...the Corvette® sports car's red-hot cockpit boasted body-cradling bucket seats upholstered in red leather-grained vinyl with contrasting white top-stitching. The sporty instrumentation panel and steering wheel were stark white and the plush carpeting and upholstered interior side walls were so red they would have made a chili pepper burn with envy.
The car was oh-so-looong and oh-so-looow...167 air-finned, streamlined inches from front to rear, and 33 inches of cool, coy understatement from the ground to the top of the door panel. Under the large pop-up hood was the 235 cid, 150 horsepower, high-compression 6-cylinder, 3-carburetor engine--appropriately nicknamed the "Blue Flame." This potent powerhouse could take the car from 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds and streak it along like white lightning at a maximum speed of 107 mph.
The brand-new Corvette® put an exquisite itch-to-own in the hearts of so many visitors to the GM Motorama that Chevrolet® decided to produce 300 preliminary units for promotion and VIP sales. The very first official production Corvette® rolled off the Flint, Michigan line on June 30th, 1953. What a day and what a car it was! Late in 1954, motor magazine ads began to tout the Corvette® with such praises as "First of the Dream Cars to come true" and "...a bucket-seat roadster that will hold its own with Europe’s best..." As any motor enthusiast knows, a good sports car has to be more than just a pretty body with a slick gimmick; it has to prove itself, time and again, on the fast track...where it counts.
From "way back when" right up through a genealogy that embraces the future, the Corvette® has done just that. It is truly the American sports car!
The classic precision die-cast replica of the first-ever Corvette®! Presented by Franklin Mint Precision Models in association with Chevrolet Motor Division. Handcrafted with 100 separate parts and individually hand-painted to match the original colors. Authentically detailed...from the fully appointed interior to the famous "Blue Flame" engine...to recapture the fiery spirit of the original! This model is ready to take you into the fast lane!
Getting the nation revved up was what the first Corvette® was all about. When this experimental "Dream Car" was introduced at the General Motors Motorama in New York City in January 1953, excited spectators went goggle-eyed.
The breathtaking piece of machinery flirted with visitors from a slowly revolving turntable set up in front of a mural of the rugged Manhattan skyline. Covetous car buffs were amazed when they learned that the sleek Corvette® body was made of fiberglass. The practical use of this material in the auto industry was an idea that some, in a fit of sour grapes, called mad. But those who appreciated how it looked on the Corvette® called it what it was--revolutionary.
Going from the cool gleam of its lustrous Polo White exterior paint, oglers were almost sizzled to a crisp when they peered into the car through the chrome-bound plastic side windows...the Corvette® sports car's red-hot cockpit boasted body-cradling bucket seats upholstered in red leather-grained vinyl with contrasting white top-stitching. The sporty instrumentation panel and steering wheel were stark white and the plush carpeting and upholstered interior side walls were so red they would have made a chili pepper burn with envy.
The car was oh-so-looong and oh-so-looow...167 air-finned, streamlined inches from front to rear, and 33 inches of cool, coy understatement from the ground to the top of the door panel. Under the large pop-up hood was the 235 cid, 150 horsepower, high-compression 6-cylinder, 3-carburetor engine--appropriately nicknamed the "Blue Flame." This potent powerhouse could take the car from 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds and streak it along like white lightning at a maximum speed of 107 mph.
The brand-new Corvette® put an exquisite itch-to-own in the hearts of so many visitors to the GM Motorama that Chevrolet® decided to produce 300 preliminary units for promotion and VIP sales. The very first official production Corvette® rolled off the Flint, Michigan line on June 30th, 1953. What a day and what a car it was! Late in 1954, motor magazine ads began to tout the Corvette® with such praises as "First of the Dream Cars to come true" and "...a bucket-seat roadster that will hold its own with Europe’s best..." As any motor enthusiast knows, a good sports car has to be more than just a pretty body with a slick gimmick; it has to prove itself, time and again, on the fast track...where it counts.
From "way back when" right up through a genealogy that embraces the future, the Corvette® has done just that. It is truly the American sports car!
Additional Details
Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications
- Engine: In-Line 6, OHV - "Blue Flame"
- Displacement: 235.5 Cubic Inches
- Horsepower: 150 HP at 4,200 RPM
- Torque: 212 LB.-FT. @ 2,600 RPM
- Compression Ratio: 8.0:1
- Bore & Stroke: 3.56 x 3.93 Inches
- Induction System: 3 Carter-Type Carburetors, YH One Barrel, Side Draft
- Transmission: Powerglide Automatic, Two-Speed
- Steering: The front wheels can be positioned for display.
- Doors: Your model's doors are hinged at the front.
- Hood: Your model's hood is hinged and opens to reveal the engine detail.
- Trunk: The trunk can be opened to an approximately 45-degree angle.
Official Chevrolet Licensed Product. CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET emblem, CORVETTE, VETTE, CORVETTE emblems and body designs are General Motors Corporation Trademarks used under license by The Franklin Mint.
© 2009 THE FRANKLIN MINT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED