2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
$69K
Chevrolet Corvette C1
1953 to 1962 · Convertible · 69,015 built
Free to follow · no card needed · Also on iPhone
Shifty Estimate
$64,700
Low confidence · $49K to $81K
- Median · 12 mo
- $75,078
- Sales · 12 mo
- 3
- Original MSRP
- $3,498Up 1750% since new
Collectible
Sold$64,685 · Car & Classic · Oct 2026
The market
Every recorded 1953 Chevrolet Corvette C1 sale, by date and price
Oct 2026 · Car & Classic
$64,685 · 4,296 mi · white
● Sold● Bid to, not sold
5 sales · 1 unsoldmedian $75kupdated Oct 2026
Community
Every C1
Sold prices, all years · Oct 12, 2026
| C11953 to 1962 | Fuel Injection1957 to 1962 | |
|---|---|---|
| Shifty Estimate | $64,700Low confidence | $3,600Low confidence |
| Sold median | $67,7326 sales | Too few sales to call1 sale |
| 12-month move | Too few sales to call | Too few sales to call |
| For sale | None | None |
Specifications
- Engine
- Naturally Aspirated I6, 3.9L
- Power
- 150 hp
- 0 to 60
- 11 s
- Top speed
- 105 mph
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Drivetrain
- RWD
- Curb weight
- 2,900 lb
- Production
- 69,015 built
- Original MSRP
- $3,498
- Designer
- Harley Earl
Common questions
How much does a Chevrolet Corvette C1 cost?
A 1953 Chevrolet Corvette C1 cost $3,498 new. Over the past 12 months, 3 have sold publicly at a median of $75,078. The Shifty Estimate for a well-kept example is $64,700. Cars have changed hands anywhere from $48,525 to $80,875, depending on mileage, color, and history.
What is a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette C1 worth today?
The Shifty Estimate is $64,700. We rate confidence low: 3 public sales in a year is not enough to be firm, and the honest range is wide. Treat it as a starting point, not a valuation.
Is a Chevrolet Corvette C1 a good investment?
It has appreciated 1750% against its $3,498 list price. Only 69,015 were built. The caution is spread, not direction: across the sales we have on file, prices ran from $55,000 to $183,824, and mileage explains most of that.
How many Chevrolet Corvette C1 have sold?
Shifty has 6 public sales of the Chevrolet Corvette C1 on file. The earliest was on Apr 11, 2023.
What is the most expensive Chevrolet Corvette C1 sold?
The highest public sale on file is $183,824, on Mar 19, 2026, with 88,479 mi.
What has a Chevrolet Corvette C1 sold for at auction?
The 3 most recent public sales we have on file:
- $64,685Oct 3, 2026white · 4,296 mi
- $183,824Mar 19, 2026black · 88,479 mi
- $75,078Dec 12, 2025orange · 86,870 mi
About the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette C1
The original C1 launched America's sports car legend, transforming from Harley Earl's fiberglass show car concept into a production reality that would define Chevrolet for decades. Those first 300 hand-built 1953 Polo White convertibles with red interiors are automotive royalty, but the entire C1 generation deserves respect for establishing Corvette's DNA. The Blue Flame six-cylinder and Powerglide automatic seemed almost apologetic compared to European competition, but the C1's stunning fiberglass bodywork and affordable pricing created an instant American icon. The transition to V8 power in 1955 transformed the car's character completely, while fuel injection arrived in 1957 to provide genuine performance credibility. Despite producing nearly 70,000 units, survivor C1s are increasingly rare due to fiberglass deterioration and decades of modifications. Restored examples represent the foundation of American sports car collecting.
More Chevrolet in the market
Sales and listings
Showing 8 of 8 on file
1959 · red · 24,233 mi
Car & Classic
Bid to $69,322
Oct 12, 2026
1959 · white · 4,296 mi
Car & Classic
$64,685
£49,000
Oct 3, 2026
1958 · black · 88,479 mi
Car & Classic
$183,824
€160,000
Mar 19, 2026
1957 · orange · 86,870 mi
Car & Classic
$75,078
€64,000
Dec 12, 2025
1954 · red · 80,220 mi
Car & Classic
$70,779
€65,000
Mar 16, 2025
1954 · Polo White · 24,342 mi
PCARMARKET
$55,000
Apr 11, 2023
1954 · Polo white · 30,000 mi
Hemmings
$64,000
Undated
1954 · Polo White · 37,143 mi
Collecting Cars
Bid to $50,438
Undated
Free: the 2027 Collector Car Outlook.