Chevrolet Corvette C1
Sold prices, market value and cars for sale
As of October 20, 2026, Shifty has recorded 436 public sales of the Chevrolet Corvette C1. The records run from January 2016 to October 2026. In the past 12 months, 187 sold at a median of $73,000. The Shifty Estimate for the C1 is $64,700.
Versions
About the Chevrolet Corvette C1
- Built
- 1953 to 1963
- Versions
- 2
- Body styles
- Convertible
- Engine
- Naturally Aspirated I6, 3.9L
- Power
- 150 to 283 hp
- 0 to 60
- 5.7 to 11 s
- Top speed
- 105 to 132 mph
- Designer
- Harley Earl
The Chevrolet Corvette C1 was built from 1953 to 1963.
The Corvette, the most traded version: The first-generation Corvette represents America's bold entry into the sports car arena, launched when Detroit was still focused on chrome-laden cruisers. Starting with just 300 hand-built fiberglass roadsters in 1953, the C1 evolved from a underpowered show car with the 'Blue Flame' inline-six and Powerglide automatic into a legitimate performance machine. The game-changer came in 1955 with the optional 265 small-block V8, followed by fuel injection in 1957—making it one of the first production cars to offer this technology. The iconic design, penned by Harley Earl's team, established the Corvette's visual DNA with its long hood, wraparound windshield, and distinctive side coves introduced in 1956. Early C1s, particularly the rare 1953 models and fuel-injected 'fuelie' variants, command serious collector premiums today, representing the birth of an American icon.
The market
Recent sales
Common questions
How much does a Chevrolet Corvette C1 cost?
In the past 12 months, 187 sold at a median of $73,000. Half of the 20 most recent sales landed between $55,000 and $80,000. The Shifty Estimate is $64,700.
What is a Chevrolet Corvette C1 worth today?
The Shifty Estimate for the C1 is $64,700. It describes a well-kept example.
What is the most expensive Chevrolet Corvette C1 ever sold?
The highest sale on file is $7,705,000, for a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette at RM Sotheby's. It sold on Feb 28, 2025.
How many Chevrolet Corvette C1 examples have sold?
Shifty has recorded 436 public sales since January 2016. 187 came in the past 12 months. The most recent sold for $49,000 on Oct 14, 2026.
Where do Chevrolet Corvette C1 examples sell?
Of the last 20 sales with a known venue, 11 were at Bring a Trailer. The rest: Hagerty Marketplace (5), Barrett-Jackson (2), Broad Arrow (1) and Car & Classic (1).
How many miles do Chevrolet Corvette C1 examples have when they sell?
Across the last 18 sales with a recorded odometer, the median was 24,250 miles. The lowest showed 500 miles and the highest 78,000 miles.
Where do Shifty's Chevrolet Corvette C1 prices come from?
Every figure here comes from recorded public sales and live listings of the Chevrolet Corvette C1. Each sale is filed by version and year. Shifty leaves out cars without a clean title, mismatched cars and implausible prices. The Shifty Estimate weights the most recent sales most heavily. These figures were read on October 20, 2026.