1953-55 Corvettes aren’t the usual type of car one finds in a barn. Sure, there’s the occasional incident where one is bricked up and left, but that’s not the norm. But that’s exactly what we have here, complete with in-the-barn pictures and the classic meager, teasing description. Why, oh why can’t sellers fill us in better? This Corvette is for auction here on eBay in Groton, Massachusetts, where it’s mistakenly touted as a 1959 model.

Starting from the front end, this car will certainly require some substantial work. The fiberglass quality on these early cars wasn’t the best in the first place, and after this much time a total body strip down is probably in order. It looks like someone may have started that in the front, possibly to repair some damage. Looking closely at the hood there are numerous cracks in the finish, and we know the bumpers and other trim components are not included in the sale.

Okay, yes, it’s really a boathouse, not a barn. But it looks the part! We can see that the rear bumpers have been removed as well, although the vulnerable taillights are in place. A California plate dating from somewhere between 1969 and 1982 has me hoping that the car spent most of its life there rather than the northeast; despite the bodies being fiberglass, the frames and suspension components are steel and just as prone to rusting as any other car.

I’ve always thought of these as cruisers rather than true sports cars, especially the very early ones that were only available with the Blue Flame 6-cylinder and a Powerglide 2-speed automatic. 1953 cars only came in Polo White with red interiors, which is the scheme of this car. I wish the seller had included a serial number so we knew what year it is!

As there’s no engine or transmission included with the sale, those will be left up to the future owner to find. If it isn’t a really early car, I’d opt for a period 283 and sneak a 4 or 5 speed in for drivability. I wonder if those are Corvette parts in the box beside the car?

I wondered about the decal on the windshield, and found out Hays is a manufacturer of high-performance clutches, and is still in business today. The hardtop is also interesting, as early Corvettes were not offered with a hardtop from the factory. Based on the curve of the side windows and overhang of the windshield, this looks like a Plasticon hardtop as pictured below.

These hardtops alone sell for over $1,000 in restorable condition, and with 1953 Corvette values ranging from $170,000 up, if this is a 1953 there’s a lot of financial upside to this project. However, values for a 1954 and 1955 are much lower, making it a more daunting undertaking. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.