1954 Corvette Corvair Concept Car Replica Recreates Cool Piece of History

After the original was destroyed long ago, one man recreated the Corvette Corvair concept to utter perfection.

Over the course of history, far too many concept cars have found their way to the scrap heap once their time on the show circuit has ended. That sad fate befell the 1954 Corvette Corvair concept cars as well. The fastback-style Corvette debuted at the 1954 Motorama Show in New York with four seats, a rear-mounted engine, and of course, pretty wild exterior styling. Sadly, it – and the four or so other Corvette Corvair concepts that followed – were later destroyed. But this very cool replica built by Brett Henderson of Blue Flame Restorations recaptures its original magic, and is going up for grabs at Mecum’s upcoming Indianapolis auction to boot.

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Henderson went to great lengths to ensure that this Corvette Corvair replica was as true to the original as possible, and one would be hard-pressed to tell that it isn’t the real thing. This build features its original 1954-spec front suspension and steering components, along with a 1956 Corvette rear end, front disc brakes, and AC Delco shocks underneath.

Power for the Corvette Corvair replica comes from GM’s 265 cubic-inch V8, topped with a four-barrel Holley carburetor and mated to a modern 700R four-speed automatic transmission with an old-fashioned two-speed Powerglide shifter. Inside the cabin, the C1 features a set of custom Al Knoch bucket seats, custom window glass, and 1956 Corvette gauges installed in the factory ’54 dashboard.

On the outside, this replica looks just like the rear thing thanks to that unmistakeable fastback roof, Crystal Red paint, and 15-inch steel wheels wrapped with a period-correct set of Firestone whitewall tires. Following its completion, the Corvette Corvair replica made the rounds on the show circuit, most notably appearing at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and the 2015 Corvette Funfest, where this very car was named as a personal favorite by legendary custom car builder George Barris.

Now, this cool piece of memorabilia is seeking a new home, and we doubt it will have any trouble finding one. After all, nothing like it exists anywhere on the planet, and it’s guaranteed to turn heads everywhere it goes.

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Photos: Mecum Auctions

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