Corvette chassis #003 now part of functional cutaway display

Valley Stream, New York - /PRNewswire/ - Corvette Repair, Inc. owned by Kevin McKay, has created the ultimate 1953 Corvette Cutaway. This unique presentation sits on the oldest Corvette production chassis know to exist. It bears serial #E53F001003, which was the third of 300 Corvette Chassis produced in 1953. It has been forensically tested and authenticated as original. Creating a Corvette cutaway to showcase the historic chassis has never been done before.

History

The Chevrolet Corvette was developed in secret under the code name “project Opel" in late 1952 and early 1953. The first three Corvettes rolled off the Flint, Michigan assembly line on Tuesday, June 30, 1953. 1953 Corvette (VIN: E53F001003 a/k/a “003”) was sent to the General Motors Engineering Shop in Warren, Michigan on July 7, 1953 with 67 miles on the odometer.While at the Tech Center, this early Corvette underwent a series of grueling tests. This included a five hour -20 degree shake test at the the Harrison Radiator Division Cold Room in Lockport, New York on July 8-9, 1953. Additionallyit was subjected to a punishing 5,000 mile test over Belgium Blocks. Per Chevrolet Engineering Department Work Order #1903-27, issued August 20, 1953, the engineers at the Tech Center replaced the frame with a new one and set the original frame aside.

In the summer of 1977, Phil Havens, an attorney with the office of the Michigan Attorney General, purchased a 1955 Corvette. That autumn Mr. Havens removed his body from his 1955 Corvette and discovered that the chassis bore the serial E53F001003 in two locations. Havens decided to install a correct 1955 chassis under his Corvette he was restoring. He also restored chassis VIN: E53F001003 into a static display. That static frame was first displayed at the NCRS Cypress Gardens Winter meet in 1982. In 2012 Havens advertised the #003 frame on Ebay and Mackay spotted it.

He discussed his Ebay find with Ed Foss, owner of the Foss Collection in Roanoke, Indiana and Ed decided to purchase the chassis. Ed commissioned Corvette Repair to resurrect the frame and turn it into a unique drivable chassis cutaway 1953 body.It was completed over several years by Mackay and his team. “This cutaway stirs the passion people have for Corvette history; its purpose is to educate enthusiasts about early Corvette engineering and design. This chassis provides a snapshot into these early efforts. What is amazing is everything works and it’s completely drivable” notes Mackay.

Kevin J. Mackay is the principal of Corvette Repair, Inc. a world class Corvette restoration facility headquartered in Valley Stream, New York. Corvettes restored by Corvette Repair, Inc. are regularly displayed and shown to international acclaim and many of the highest grossing Corvettes sold at auction have been restored by Mr. Mackay and his expert team at Corvette Repair,Inc.