When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I accidentally stumbled into an interesting bit of Corvette History today. I was at the car dealer picking up a part for my car, and found this:
This is advertised as Corvette Number 1. The original GM Motorama Show car concept car, before production even began. Known as S.O. 122 (Special Order 122).
Apparently there were a batch of 15 of these Harley Earl designed Motorama show cars and bumped into a related you-tube video when I got home. It has a picture of the car above (SO 122) and another one; SO 129. The video takes you thru the restoration process of show car SO 129. And you thought we had problems with parts availability! LOL Apparently these were literally hand made by GM and all 15 had differences. The one above is currently sitting in the main showroom of Kerbeck Cadillac in Pennsauken, NJ if anyone cares to take a stroll down memory lane. He also has 4 or 5 other classic Corvettes in another Vintage Car showroom.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
EX-122 is also probably the first Corvette to get a V8.
When it's Motorama days were over the 6 was yanked and an experimental V8 installed....the 265.
It would rack up 25,000 miles at GM's proving grounds...
One thing I find interesting are the fake air intakes on top of the fenders. No '53-'55 had these.
But every '56-'57 did...
EX-122 is also probably the first Corvette to get a V8.
When it's Motorama days were over the 6 was yanked and an experimental V8 installed....the 265.
It would rack up 25,000 miles at GM's proving grounds...
One thing I find interesting are the fake air intakes on top of the fenders. No '53-'55 had these.
But every '56-'57 did...
When I was a kid in the 50's, my future BIL owned #14. He yanked out the 6 and put in a V8.
...I was at the car dealer picking up a part for my car, and found this:...This is advertised as Corvette Number 1....
Dealer's name? FWIW: 1953 Corvettes #001 and #002 have never appeared in public; people have searched for them for years. #003 is the earliest '53 known to exist.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by 71 Green 454
When I was a kid in the 50's, my future BIL owned #14. He yanked out the 6 and put in a V8.
There's two '53s here in Omaha that I know of. I've talked with both owners.
One bought his in '59 with his brother! for like $800 bucks. He painted it black around '61 and it's still that way.
The other guy bought his in '68. Cool story...
He was looking for a baby bird and a car lot had one. But when he got there it had been sold.
So the salesman tells him they had another sports car....a '53 Vette. He told me he drove it & liked it.
I think it was $1200....
Dealer's name? FWIW: 1953 Corvettes #001 and #002 have never appeared in public; people have searched for them for years. #003 is the earliest '53 known to exist.
Originally Posted by SEVNT6
Kerbeck. They bought it back in '02 from John Ingle, who bought it in '59!
This was a concept car remember.
Kerbeck is no more. Charlie sold Kerbeck Corvette, and his other dealerships too, to Greg Ciocca and his Ciocco Dealerships. I understand the "Motorama" Corvette is still on display Ciocco Corvette in Atlantic City, but I don't know if Kerbeck still owns it, or if it went along with the sale of the Corvette store.
Kerbeck is no more. Charlie sold Kerbeck Corvette, and his other dealerships too, to Greg Ciocca and his Ciocco Dealerships. I understand the "Motorama" Corvette is still on display Ciocco Corvette in Atlantic City, but I don't know if Kerbeck still owns it, or if it went along with the sale of the Corvette store.
It is now at Kerbec Cadillac in Pennsauken. Because yes he sold the Atlantic City Corvette dealership.
It sat right next to a couple of Aston Martins, and they barely attracted my attention LOL!
Corvette #1?
