I first saw EX-122 at Bryner Chevrolet, Jenkintown, PA in the mid 1970's. It was inside on display and I met the owner Jack Ingle. At that time it was restored to the configuration it was in when it was finally sold by GM about 1955? 1956? Mr. Ingle was very interesting to talk to and he even gave me his business card. I don't remember why. Perhaps I asked him if the car was for sale. It was out of my budget however.

When GM finally sold it, they freshened it up and kept the updated parts. It was Red with a V-8 and was purported to be the actual Motorama car. Subsequent well documented research using original GM papers shows that this was actually a very early production VIN, actually serial #2 in 1953 that was used by engineering as a test development vehicle. It was not the actual Motorama car. Nevertheless it is still historically significant since it was used by GM in the continuing development of the Corvette and was the very first Corvette ever built with a V-8.

When Mr. Ingle initially told me this was the Motorama car, I thought I was in the presence of the Holy Fiberglass Grail. Seconds after he made that claim, I took my left index finger and gently touched the left rear tail lamp. To which Mr. Ingle reached in his back pocket, took out a white handkerchief and wiped that spot free of my index finger print. But, I still was relieved to have touched the First one. And even though that's not true, it's still is a great Corvette. It was the First V-8 Corvette. No doubt, it did the first really good Corvette Burn Out.

This was a frame off beauty, Red with Ivory interior. Although when originally built it was the standard 1953 White with Red interior.