HIGH BID - $1,000,000 Rand/Workman is honored to have on display & auction Corvette #003. It is one of the rarest automobiles in the world. It is not just from 1953, its VIN # is E53F001003. Known to Corvette fans as #003, this is the third Corvette to come off the production line. This is the oldest survivor of the first 300 Corvettes made in 1953, the first year of production of one of America’s most beloved cars. Part of the Jubilee Classic Car Collection.

Care was taken that the historical significance of #003 was not lost to over-restoration. Thanks to months of assistance from Chevrolet & General Motors, records and documents for the earliest Corvettes underwent careful analysis, insuring accurate documentation and preservation. Detailed documentation was published in the 1993 issue of the NCRS Corvette Restorer by John Amgwert entitled “The Earliest Corvettes.”

#003 was researched and restored by Howard Kirsch and Lloyd Miller of Southwestern Restorations, as well Lester Bieri. John Amgwert, a Founding member of the National Corvette Restorers Society, along with Art Armstrong of Chevrolet, provided invaluable research. Displaying workmanship and material of the times, #003 is a rare piece of automotive history, providing a tangible and accurate account of early Corvette history.

As the oldest survivor of the early production Corvettes, #003 was meticulously disassembled, inspected, researched and well documented during its two-and-a-half year restoration. Completed in 1990, Corvette #003 toured the country at car shows and parades, earning National recognition and awards, including Bloomington Gold, Corvette Hall of Fame and the NCRS Duntov Awards.

It spent a year on the turntable at the national Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. At GMs request #003 returned to the Tech Center to go on display and circle the test track, inspiring a new generation of Chevrolet engineers and designers.

#003 and Chevrolet celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Corvette in 2003, with numerous appearances including Nashville, TN, Hershey, PA and Corvettes at Carlisle. #003 is part of the Jubilee Classic Car Collection.

This, the world’s oldest Corvette, is hand-built, has all matching numbers and shows a mere 333.8 miles on the odometer since restoration (1990). #003 can be considered one of the most important automobiles in history.

Estimated Value: $2.5 - $5 Million