1953 Corvette Signed by Zora Arkus-Duntov Heads to Auction
Low miles, a top flight restoration, loads of awards, and a pair of famous signatures. This 1953 Corvette has it all!
As every collector worth their salt already knows, any 1953 Corvette is worth celebrating. Despite famously inconsistent build quality and a lack of power, this was the first Corvette. Ever. The car that spawned America’s most famous sports car. A vehicle that has survived everything that threatened its very existence along the way. But when your 1953 Corvette is autographed (twice) by the man that saved it, that makes your car extra special.
And this incredible ’53, headed to Vicari’s New Orleans Auction on August 23-25, has that and more. Yes, the fact that Zora Arkus-Duntov‘s signature adorns the dash and driver’s side door makes it extra special. It was the 1953 Corvette that drew Arkus-Duntov to the brand at that year’s Motorama in New York City. The rest, of course, is history. Not only is the man responsible for saving the Corvette, he also fought tirelessly to make it the competitive performance machine it is today.
But even if you take away that lineage, this ’53 is a car worth celebrating on its own accord. Number 268 of 300 examples built this year, this incredible ‘Vette shows only 45,763 miles on the odometer. Despite that, it was treated to a full frame-off restoration back in the ’70s. The ’53 then hit the show circuit, racking up a number of prominent awards. Including an AACA National Senior First Prize and NCRS Second Flight and Top Flight awards.
With loads of documentation and plenty of hardware, this 1953 Corvette figures to bring big bucks in NOLA. The owner is surely confident, going at it with no reserve. But we’re guessing they have nothing to worry about. If Arkus Duntov’s magic touch was enough to save the Corvette itself, we’re guessing it’ll add a few bucks to the hammer price of this one, too.
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