• The Last 1953 Corvette
• No. 300 of 300 produced
• Hand-built in Flint, Michigan on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1953
• Purchased new by a doctor in California
• Mentioned in the VCCA's Blue Flame Special newsletter in 1971 and Corvette News in 1973
• Part of the Dr. Ernie Hendry Collection from 1986-1998
• Restored by Sara Blake and Joe Meyer in 1986
• Part of GM's World of Motion display at Disney World
• Bloomington Gold certified in 1988
• Bloomington Gold Special Collection in 1991
• NCRS Top Flight, Performance Verification and Duntov Mark of Excellence in 1990
• Part of the Jim Fasnacht Collection from 1998-2016
• Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame Inductee in 1999
• Restored again by 1953-1955 NCRS Master Judge Steve Newsome in 2007 with top and interior by specialist John Kennedy
• Invited to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and driven on the Pebble Beach Tour in 2008
• Bloomington Gold Grand Finale Special Collection in 2009
• Extensive mechanical overhaul by Steve Newsome in 2015
• Featured in multiple magazines including the cover of Collectible Automobile in 1998
• 235 CI Blue Flame Six engine
• Powerglide automatic transmission
• Polo White with Red interior
• Flint Assembly Plant Brick #300 of 300, owner's manual, side curtains and jack included

A well-known and highly honored member of the Corvette fraternity, this 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster is the very last of the 300 produced that inaugural year. Like all first-year Corvettes, it was hand built at the dedicated production facility set up on Van Slyke Avenue in Flint, Michigan. Production of the all-new Corvette two-seater began on June 30, 1953, and ended with this car, Serial No. E53F001300, which was completed, appropriately enough, on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1953.

This car's significance to the history of America's Sports Car goes beyond its serial number. As the last of the handmade first-year Corvettes, it incorporates all of the improvements and refinements made to the production process through 1953. Because of the hectic rush to get the car into Chevrolet showrooms, the first completed cars were comparatively crude in nature. Five different methods of laying up the fiberglass body panels, comprising 30 major and 32 minor parts, were initially used, but eventually narrowed to the single best process. As the last hand-built 1953 Corvette, No. 300 incorporates all of the improvements developed in that initial production period, making it the most refined in terms of fit, finish and overall appearance.

No. 300 was purchased new by a California physician, who immediately had it repainted in black, likely to distinguish it from the Polo White paint decorating all 1953 Corvettes. Among the car's earliest magazine appearances were mentions in a 1971 issue of the Vintage Corvette Club of America's "Blue Flame Special" newsletter and "Corvette News" in 1973. After a second owner and several years in storage, the car was purchased in 1984 by Florida dentist Ernie Hendry, who then commissioned noted Corvette specialists Sara Blake and Joe Meyer to perform a comprehensive restoration. During Hendry's ownership, No. 300 received Bloomington Gold Certification in 1988 as well as the NCRS National Top Flight, Performance Verification and Duntov Mark of Excellence awards by 1990, and it was inducted into the Bloomington Gold Special Collection in 1991. For a time it was also part of General Motors' World of Motion display at Disney World's EPCOT Center.

In 1998, Hendry sold the car to the Jim Fasnacht Collection. Following a freshening by the Naber Brothers of Houston, No. 300 was again inducted into the Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame in 1999. Jim Fasnacht commissioned marque expert and NCRS Master Judge Steve Newsome in 2007 to perform a restoration, which Fasnacht described as "fanatical by all accounts." Completed with a top and interior by specialist John Kennedy, the car was then invited to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and driven on the Pebble Beach Tour in 2008 as part of the Monterey Car Week's celebration of General Motors' history. Subsequently inducted into the Bloomington Gold Grand Finale Special Collection in 2009, No. 300 has been prominently featured over the years in many books and magazines, including on the cover of "Collectible Automobile" in 1998 and the February 2004 issue of "Corvette Enthusiast Magazine."

This historically significant Corvette's presentation remains in exquisite condition that once again matches how it left the factory, in a combination of iconic Polo White paint with a red interior and beige soft top. The side curtains, jack, award certificates, judging sheets and a matching No. 300 brick from the original Corvette assembly plant are included. Seldom seen by the public in recent years, as the last hand-built Corvette, it qualifies as a genuine treasure of American automotive history.

Lot #1359 - This is one of the most famous 1953 Corvettes, being Number 300 of 300 built, often referred to as "the last of the hand-built Corvettes." The car was assembled on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1953. It marked the end of an era as Corvette assembly was then moved from Flint, MI, to St. Louis, MO, for more automated production of the 1954 models. This car has a solid history and has been well-known through the years by various Corvette experts. It has all-original no-hit body and trim parts (no reproductions) - as well as all of its original panels, chassis and drivetrain components. It has attained many top awards, including NCRS Duntov Award, NCRS Top Flight, Bloomington Gold and Corvette Hall of Fame Inductee, and has appeared in numerous books and magazines. It was used in GM's World of Motion display in the early 1980s. It has appeared three times in the Bloomington Gold Special Collection over the past 24 years: in 1991, 1998 and 2009, when it was featured as part of the Bloomington Gold "Grand Finale." The car was also featured at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2008 as part of the GM Centennial Celebration. The current owner purchased the car in 1998 from long-time owner and well-known enthusiast Ernie Hendry of Florida. By 2007 the paint on the car was starting to lightly "craze." Bloomington Gold/NCRS Master Judge Steve Newsom of Texas was chosen to refurbish the paint and ended up doing a full frame-off restoration to exacting standards, with top and interior by specialist John Kennedy. Since that time the car has been fastidiously maintained in strict climate-controlled conditions. In December 2015, Newsom completed a thorough servicing of the car, and it remains in impeccable condition. It comes complete with mint original side windows, factory jack, manuals, an assortment of historic records and a new-in-the-box original (never activated) tar-top battery. The car has been shown only three times in the last 17 years, providing a great opportunity for a new owner to get it back out in public, where it can be viewed and more widely appreciated. During the last 30 years it has had just two private owners. One would be hard pressed to find a rarer, better known, historically significant example presented here in immaculate cosmetic and functional condition. Automatic transmission. From the Evelyn and Jim Fasnacht Collection.

"Corvette #300 was delivered to its original owner, a physician in California whose first priority was to paint the entire car black. Years later he sold it to a local individual. After being stored for many years, the car was purchased in 1984 by Florida dentist Ernie Hendry who commissioned Corvette Specialists Sara Blake and Joe Meyer to perform a comprehensive restoration. The current owner purchased the car from Dr. Hendry in 1998 and had the car brought up to fresh standards by the well known Naber Brothers of Houston Texas. Finally in 2006, due to some crazing of the exterior paint, 53-55 Corvette Master Judge Steve Newsome restored the entire car to its current condition. Amazingly, the body has never been hit or damaged, possessing all its original fiberglass.

The car has a well known history and appears in over twenty books and magazines on the marque. it was selected for disply at the Pebble Beach Concours in August of 2008, for the 100 year celebration of GM history. Judging credentials include:  Bloomington Gold Certification, NCRS Top Flight, NCRS Duntov award winner, two prior appearances in the Bloomington Gold Special Collection and Corvette Hall of Fame inductee. Based on its historical significance, GM asked the car to participate in its "World of Motion" exhibit."