1953 Corvette Italia Berlinetta

This is a recently discovered 1953 Corvette that still has its original paint, patina and modifications from the era. Apparently it was originally shipped over for the 1954 Turin Auto Show in Italy but was damaged during shipment. GM wrote it off and it ended up eventually with a manufacturing industrialist who hired the Gruppo Bertone in Turin and had their “Stile Bertone” department repair the bodywork damage and replace the convertible canvas top with a Berlinetta enclosed and aerodynamic roofline. Other modifications one can identify are changes to the fin lofting, bumpers, nose shape and added lower engine bay cooling vent.

[Note — the above never actually happened but it sounds like a fun story! Remember that Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell both made numerous visits of the Turin Auto show in Italy in the 1950’s and they did take some inspiration from the Italian designers and integrated it into concept as well as production cars over the following two decades.]