Chevrolet Corvette (1953)

Product Description

Chevrolet Corvette (1953) in White (1:24 scale)
- The classic precision die-cast replica of the first-ever Corvette®! Presented by Franklin Mint Precision Models in association with Chevrolet Motor Division. Handcrafted with 100 separate parts & individually h&-painted to match the original colours. Authentically detailed...from the fully appointed interior to the famous > Blue Flame> engine...to recapture the fiery spirit of the original! This model is ready to take you into the fast lane! Getting the nation revved up was what the first Corvette® was all about. When this experimental > Dream Car> was introduced at the General Motors Motorama in New York City in January 1953, excited spectators went goggle-eyed. The breathtaking piece of machinery flirted with visitors from a slowly revolving turntable set up in front of a mural of the rugged Manhattan skyline. Covetous car buffs were amazed when they learned that the sleek Corvette® body was made from fibreglass. The practical use of this material in the auto industry was an idea that some, in a fit of sour grapes, called mad. But those who appreciated how it looked on the Corvette® called it what it was--revolutionary. Going from the cool gleam of its lustrous Polo White exterior paint, oglers were almost sizzled to a crisp when they peered into the car through the chrome-bound plastic side windows...the Corvette® sports car"s red-hot cockpit boasted body-cradling bucket seats upholstered in red leather-grained vinyl with contrasting white top-stitching. The sporty instrumentation panel & steering wheel were stark white & the plush carpeting & upholstered interior side walls were so red they would have made a chilli pepper burn with envy. The car was oh-so-looong & oh-so-looow...167 air-finned, streamlined inches from front to rear, & 33 inches of cool, coy understatement from the ground to the top of the door panel. Under the large pop-up hood was the 235 cid, 150 horsepower, high-compression 6-cylinder, 3-carburettor engine--appropriately nicknamed the > Blue Flame.> This potent powerhouse could take the car from 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds & streak it along like white lightning at a maximum speed of 107 mph. The br&-new Corvette® put an exquisite itch-to-own in the hearts of so many visitors to the GM Motorama that Chevrolet® decided to produce 300 preliminary units for promotion & VIP sales. The very first official production Corvette® rolled off the Flint, Michigan line on June 30th, 1953. What a day & what a car it was! Late in 1954, motor magazine ads began to tout the Corvette® with such praises as > First of the Dream Cars to come true> & >...a bucket-seat roadster that will hold its own with Europe’s best...> As any motor enthusiast knows, a good sports car has to be more than just a pretty body with a slick gimmick; it has to prove itself, time & again, on the fast track...where it counts. From >way back when> right up through a genealogy that embraces the future, the Corvette® has done just that. It is truly the American sports car!