The Chevrolet Corvette is the quintessential American sports car. For nearly 70 years, the Corvette has been a staple of our streets and tracks alike, continuing to serve as an attainable dream for your average gearhead. Over the last seven decades, there have been a few examples of the sporty Chevrolet that have helped define the nameplate, including the one-of-one 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Super Sport. Thanks to the folks at Mecum Auctions, you now have a chance to make this roadster the centerpiece of your collection.
The story of the incredible Corvette Super Sport begins with an average 1956 model, complete with Venetian red paint and a hydraulic soft top. Under the hood sat a 265 cubic-inch V-8 engine mated to a three-speed manual gearbox. The car left the assembly line affixed with VIN #E56S001589 and is said to have served as a display vehicle at the former General Motors building in Detroit. That is until shop order SO-90181 came down from the big brass in March of 1956. The order stated that a show car was to be built for the 1957 season highlighting GM’s new Rochester Ramjet fuel injection system. The base of that project would be the little red convertible sitting down in the lobby.
Modifications began with a unique VIN number, as GM wanted the show car to represent the 1957 model year without taking a production VIN out of circulation. From there, the red paint was replaced by a pearlescent white hue, accented by a dark blue stripe just like the Corvette race cars at Sebring that year. The racing-derived components don’t end with the stripe, as several tweaks on the Super Sport mirror those of the SR-2 racers. The aircraft-style windscreens were inspired by the SR-2, mirroring the same front cowl set-up as a result. The large side-covers were also a cheeky nod to the racers, though the Super Sport features larger covers than any other production C1. Unlike the standard cars, these covers were constructed of chromed brass panels instead of stainless steel. The large air vents behind the coves were meant to make the Super Sport look racier, though they are purely aesthetic. GM even went as far as to massage the rear taillights a bit, adding a unique trim divider not seen on other examples.
This isn’t just a visual build. GM stuffed a fuel-injected 283 cubic-inch V-8 engine under the hood, which has done just 4,372 miles since new. The engine itself was hopped up a bit for the show circuit, featuring a hotter camshaft, an off-road exhaust system, finned aluminum valve covers finished in chrome, and an ultra-rare one-piece louvered chrome air cleaner. For the collectors out there, the Super Sport’s engine retains its original first design fuel injector, complete with double spider fuel distribution lines, as well as the original distributor with identifying tags. The engine bay was further dressed up with a blue-painted generator, steering column, and wiper motor. The horn relay and generator regulator covers have been chromed to boot. The engine is mated to a close-ratio three-speed manual.
Inside the Super Sport you’ll find some utterly awesome bits of Corvette history. For example, this is the first Corvette to feature a center console, which every subsequent model has had as a result. Atop that center console, you’ll even find two magnetic cups, which help to keep your beverages secure while trashing about your favorite roads. There's also a unique steering wheel which looks ready for a run around Le Mans. The interior surfaces are adorned in a slick blue leather, which helps tie in the blue accent of the exterior. The whole package comes together to build something that looks fast sitting still, which is never a bad thing.
Unfortunately, the Corvette Super Sport has done a lot of sitting still over the years. After making its debut at the Coliseum in New York in January 1957, the car made a few more appearances before being sold off to a private owner. At some point during the 1960s, the car found itself face first in a telephone pole, leading to several more years of forced inactivity, according to Mecum. That said, the current owner acquired the car back in 1997, and has put the car through a complete restoration. Collectors fear not, as nearly every item installed by GM during the original build process was able to be saved and utilized again. Since the completion of the restoration, the Corvette Super Sport even won the Presentation of Significant Cars award at the 2017 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
The Corvette Super Sport will be available as part of Mecum’s Kissimmee 2022 auction, which will take place from January 6 through 16. The auction house estimates that the car will bring as much as $2 million, which isn’t really that surprising. This is after all the first Chevrolet product to wear the Super Sport nomenclature. Combine that with this car’s beauty and historical significance, and you’ve got a C1 Corvette that could define any American car collection.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
