As we start our second year at Vettes of Atlanta Magazine, you know us by now. You know we don’t need much of an excuse to hit the road searching for a fun Corvette experience.
We eagerly circled two events in red permanent marker on the calendar, with Memorial Day weekend coming up. First, the Vettes4Vets track day at Talladega Superspeedway and the Electric City Classics car show in Anderson, South Carolina.
What is that, you say? You’ve never been to downtown Anderson, SC, for a car show? Well, neither had we, but we’re here to tell you that we probably won’t miss another one.
Yes, it is over two hours away from Atlanta, just over the South Carolina line, but the genuine, engaging camaraderie with local Vette aficionados is worth every mile.
Jan Brings Her ’54
You don’t see a pristine Polo White 1954 Corvette out in the wild much anymore. That’s why our eyes lit up when we spotted Jan’s fiberglass beauty gracing the festivities.
Polo White is the color that most quickly comes to mind when you think of the 1954 model year. While it’s true, 3,200 were Polo White that year, there were also 300 from the new St. Louis factory in Pennant Blue, 100 in Sportsman Red, and 4 in black.
Another bit of trivia is that the actual production of the ’54 year began in December of 1953. Unfortunately, demand for the latest Corvette was lukewarm at best.
Roughly a third of the remaining stock was unsold at the end of 1954.
Among improvements that model year was a mid-year adjustment to the camshaft. The change increased horsepower in the Blue Flame, 235 cubic inch displacement six-cylinder engine to 155.
We sincerely appreciate Jan bringing this iconic example of Corvette history for everyone to admire.
Mid-Year Heaven
Car shows and life are both like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.
Out of the two to four shows we attend every weekend during the season, only one or at most two make it to the magazine.
As soon as we arrived at the Anderson County Farmers Market parking lot, we knew this show would make it to the magazine. There were stunning mid-year Corvettes everywhere!
Yes, most Vette enthusiasts call the 1963 to 1967 model years the second-generation or just C2. For some of us who have been around a while, we just can’t let go of the timeless “mid-year” moniker.
If you were wondering, the “mid-year” term came into vogue just after the 1968 third-generation Sharks came off the assembly line. Back then, there were only first-generation, 1953 to 1962, second-generation 1963 to 1967, and the lastest third-generation starting in 1968.
The C2’s were in the “middle” between the only known generations at the time; thus, “mid-year” was often used to describe this generation.
Whatever term you choose to use, outstanding examples of this era were on display around every corner, it seemed. We had to double-check the brochure to ensure this wasn’t a National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) event.
Definitely Worth The Drive
We have to be honest, during the two-hour drive from Atlanta, we had our doubts about traveling this far to a show we’ve never attended. While some would rightfully question our sanity, we just kept our foot in the gas.
Without a doubt, we were impressed with the quality of the Corvettes and the wonderful people who attended. Yes, the Corvette selection was top-shelf, but there were also great examples of restored treasures there for every enthusiast.
On Memorial Day, the Electric City Classic’s car show provided a quiet, family-friendly venue to honor our Nation’s fallen heroes and support our veterans. We salute their thoughtful efforts for our country’s service members and look for to heading back up to Anderson, SC, again soon.
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