Image via National Corvette Museum
One of the fathers of rock ‘n roll, Jerry Lee Lewis, used to drive around town in this beautiful 1954 Chevy Corvette. And thanks to the National Corvette Museum, visitors can see the famous American sports car in person along with other celebrity owned ‘Vettes.
The Jet Corvette is one wild ride.
Part of the new Pop Culture & Corvette exhibit at the museum, Lewis’ old ride is every bit as electrifying as the musician’s high-energy performances. After all, a mere 3,640 C1 Corvettes were produced for its first model year, 1954. That alone makes the convertible quite the thing to behold.
Like most ’54 Corvettes, Lewis’ wears the iconic Polo White paired with a flashy red interior. The combination is striking, simple, and effective. One might even call the pairing bold, like when Lewis belted out Great Balls of Fire.
To thrill the driver, GM dropped its famous Blue Flame Six engine into all ’54 Corvettes. While what we have today in the C8 is far more powerful, back then it was considered a powerful mill, exciting gearheads from coast to coast. It’s paired with a Powerglide automatic transmission, a true luxury back in the day.
Apparently Jerry Lee Lewis was big on Corvettes throughout his life, but this one is perhaps the most famous of the bunch. After all, back in 1980 it was the subject of a notorious story when the IRS seized it from the musician.
Since then, the C1 Corvette has stayed hidden from public view until last year when it suddenly appeared back on the car scene. Most readers have likely never seen this car or knew Lewis owned it.
The Popu Culture & Corvette: An American Love Affair exhibit at the National Corvette Museum contains over a dozen sports cars which have significance in modern pop culture. Some were owned by celebrities, others featured in movies or TV shows. It’s the kind of exhibit you don’t need to be a gearhead to appreciate.
Image via National Corvette Museum
