Ultra-Rare 1953 Corvette Confirmed for the Spring Carlisle Collector Car Auction

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Who Will Go Home With #100, an Amazing 70-Year-Old Piece of Automotive History?

Carlisle, PA – 300! That’s how many 1953 Corvettes were produced when what’s now known as the C1 was originally produced. Fast forward to late April in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and one of those original 300 (serial #100 to be exact), will cross the auction block on Friday, April 21. That’s right, a 1953 Corvette, one of the first 40 or so actually sold some 70 years ago, will be up for grabs as part of Carlisle Auctions’ two-day classic and collector car auction at the Carlisle Expo Center, April 20-21, 2023. Think about it.  In 70 years, nearly 2 million Corvettes have been built and sold.  This is the 100th ever created; talk about rarified air!

The auction starts at 12 p.m. each day and the fact that a 1953 Corvette is even crossing the block is nothing short of a big deal. TheNational Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS), the premier authority on all things Corvette has judged only 60 ‘53s all time and rarer yet, over the last five years, only 16 ‘53s are known to have sold. Most have sold through “as seen on TV” auction houses. Currently, there’s only one other known active sale for a ’53 and its part of a non-auction/boutique dealership sale.

With this ’53, it’s the first time such an iconic and rare ride will be made available by Carlisle Auctions.  Built in October of 1953, this ’53 was delivered by Tom Hoskins of Hoskins Chevrolet in Chicago to a prominent man of the time, Cyrus Rowlett (C.R.) Smith. Mr. Smith was thefounder and CEO of American Airlines from 1934-1968 and again from 1973-74. Smith also served his country, both as a Major Generaland as the wartime deputy commander of the Air Transport Command during World War II. He also served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the United States Secretary of Commerce. Mr. Smith is regarded as one of the titans of U.S. airline history and when he passed in 1990, was laid to rest within the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

In addition, Mr. Smith was very close with the Roosevelt family, specifically first-lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her son Elliott. Smith aided Mrs. Roosevelt frequently with travel plans and even introduced Elliott to his second wife, serving as best man at their wedding.

While the car has changed hands multiple times since Mr. Smith’s ownership, there is meticulous documentation of its ownership record. Its engine number is 535454 and there are many original elements to the car too, including valve cover (one of 305 produced), 3836066 special Corvette cylinder head, body, and specially engineered open drive shaft two-speed power glide automatic transmission, which was all-new for the Corvette only. The ’53 also retains its original vacuum bag molded fiberglass body made by Lunn Laminates of Huntington, New York which is currently adorned by a 2019 repaint in acrylic lacquer formulated in the Delaware factory of E. I. du Pont de Nemours.

Under the trunk bulkhead is the #100, further solidifying its place in the production line. This is not a restoration piece, though it has been re-painted. It’s also won numerous awards, including as recently as 2021 when it was tapped as the NCRS’ Top Flight Award winner.