Chassis No. E54S004273

With just over 3,000 documented miles on the odometer, and a lifetime of expert care – this 1954 Corvette is as new, and over the years only the spark plugs have been replaced for the occasional exercise any thoroughbred requires. The original Pennant Blue paint is as pristine as when it left the factory, a minor miracle since the Dupont "Duco" nitrocellulose paint of the era tends to yellow and craze with time and exposure. The chrome on the engine, the interior upholstery, and all else is equally as new.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the car is a near perfect example of a late Pennant Blue 1954 Corvette." That was the opinion of Sam Folz, one of the founders of the National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS), and their first National Judging Champion. He was also a recognized expert on early Corvettes and was 1953-55 Judging Team Leader. E54S004273 is so original that in 2012 it was the benchmark for updating the NCRS Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide for 1953-1955 Corvettes. It was featured in the 1996 Bloomington Gold Special Collection, an invitation-only event for landmark Corvettes, and has been decorated as a Bloomington Gold Survivor and Benchmark Award winner, along with the NCRS Three-Star Bowtie & Duntov awards.

Built about 2 July 1954, this Corvette has since been in the safe keeping of just five caretakers over the past seven decades. The original owner sold it to Bill McDonald, proprietor of McDonald Chevrolet in Nashville, Indiana. It was during McDonald's stewardship that it was inspected by Mr. Folz. It was then sold in 1993, and again in 1995 to Mike Yager, founder of Mid America Motorworks in Effingham, Illinois, a prominent supplier of Corvette parts and accessories. From 1995 to 2016 it was on display in Yager's public MY Garage Museum, and in a building filled with historic Corvettes, this amazing '54 was one of the highlights. As with the previous owners, E54S004273 received impeccable care from the MY Garage staff. It was then sold in 2016 to the consignor and entered one of the more remarkable automobile collections in the United States as the definitive example of a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette.