Corvette Market Summer 2009

8 135 Corvettes Priced, Analyzed, and Rated By Our Experts Corvette Market MULSANNE MONSTER Keith Martin's The Insider's Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values, and Trends '68 L88 Makes $572k in Monterey Summer 2009 www.vettemarket.com Complete Bloomington Coverage 15,600-mile '65 427/425 Coupe, $143k Will the New ZR1 be Collectible in 20 Years?

Corvette Market Keith Martin's Volume 2 . Issue 8 . Summer 2009 22 The $572k C3 18 Big-Brake C1 20 15,600-mile C2 Profiles C1 1961 283/315 Big-Brake Fuelie— 18 by John L. Stein C2 1966 427/425 Coupe—Sold at $143,000 20 by Michael Pierce “Although it was touted as ‘one of the finest unrestored Corvettes in existence,' once a car has been taken apart and put back together, it's no longer original.” C3 1968 Scuderia Filipinetti L88 Race Car— 22 by Thomas Glatch On the Cover: 1968 Chevrolet Scuderia Filipinetti Corvette L88 Coupe Photo: Darin Schnabel 4 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Not Sold at $130,000 “Being part of a collection owned by a famous person does not necessarily increase the value of a car, unless that person was defined by it—and it by them.” C4 1988 Corvette Challenge Race Car— 24 by John L. Stein C5 2003 Z06 Hard Top—Not Sold at $19,000 26 by B. Mitchell Carlson Sold at $572,000 “The French operation avoided the massive expense and logistical nightmare the American teams faced in getting their cars, supplies, and crews across the Atlantic.” C6 Mini Profiles of C6 Coupes 28 by Geoff Archer ”The C5 Z06 was only available in the hard top, which proved to be unpopular. It had the fewest sales in the years that all three body styles were offered.” “Though rough around the edges and finished like a theft recovery, this blown beast represented a ton of bang for the buck. Sold at $42,200 “Technically, the Challenge cars weren't all that special, but they carried an all-important Chevrolet motorsports connection, and of course their VINs were tracked.”

Market Reports 32 Mecum Auctions, St. Charles, IL 117 Corvettes total $5.9m at Bloomington Gold B. Mitchell Carlson, Dan Grunwald, and Mark Rudnick 60 Global Roundup 45 Corvettes from nine auctions bring $508k by CM Market Analysts Feature 16 Bloomington Gold: Complete list of Benchmark, Gold, and Survivor certificates awarded this year 32 On the grass at Bloomington Departments 6 Publisher's Note 8 Insider's View: Will the new ZR1 be collectible? 10 Q&A: Engine noises, complex dashes, ZR-1 reliability 12 Events: Things to do and places to be with your Corvette 14 Auction Calendar 30 Market Overview 70 By The Numbers: Top 231 Corvettes sold since June 76 Trick Stuff: Best goodies and gizmos from Bloomington Gold 78 In Miniature: Last of the C3 convertibles 78 Speaking Volumes: How to Rebuild Corvette Rolling Chassis 80 Resource Directory 82 Vette-o-bilia: Rare brochures and “vintage” cookies www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 5

Publisher's Note Corvette Market Keith Martin's Volume 2 . Issue 8 . Summer 2009 Publisher Keith Martin Art Director Kirsten Hegg Executive Editor Paul Duchene Managing Editor Stefan Lombard Auction Editor Jim Pickering Auction Analysts B. Mitchell Carlson Linda Clark Tom Glatch Daniel Grunwald John Clucas Chip Lamb Norm Mort Dale Novak Contributors Carl Bomstead Marshall Buck Colin Comer John Draneas Michael Pierce John L. Stein Senior Web Developer Jerret Kinsman Information Technology/ Internet Bryan Wolfe Over 100 Corvettes and a panel of CM experts Join us at Barrett-Jackson The Corvette Market Insider's Seminar, in just two short years, has become recognized as the place for Corvette collectors to gather and exchange opinions and information about the market. Our expert panelists last year included: David Burroughs, CEO of Bloomington Gold; Jim Jordan, President of County Corvette; Kevin Mackay, President of Corvette Repair; Michael Pierce, NCRS Judge; and Roy Sinor, NCRS Senior Judging Chairman. The free-ranging discussions touched on topics including: “Has the C1 market peaked?” “What's the best buy in a C2?” “Will C3s continue to appreciate?” “Have C4s finally bottomed out?” and more. Participants also got to vote on what cars they would put into a million-dollar Corvette collection. This year, the seminar will be held as a part of the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction in Scottsdale, from 9 am to 11 am on Thursday, January 21, 2010. Admission will be complimentary for Corvette Market subscribers, and also for registered bidders and consignors at Barrett-Jackson. More information will be available in the next issue of CM, and also will be included in the Corvette Market Insider's Newsletter (it's free, sign up at www.corvettemarket.com) and posted on the CM web site. You can also email Mary Artz at mary.artz@corvettemarket.com, or call her at 503.261.0555 x 204. I look forward to seeing you there. Inside CM #8 The Corvette market continues to be a moving target. In this issue, we discuss some hits and misses. The sale by RM of the 1968 Scuderia Filipinetti L88 for $572,000 proves that serious collectors are not afraid to raise their paddles. At the same time, the general decline in auction sales percentages and overall revenues demonstrates that buyers are just being more careful. It takes a great car to bring a good price; two years ago, if your Corvette was shiny and had sidepipes, you could generally get a good price for it. This issue features complete coverage of Dana Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale, along with 45 Corvettes from other auctions around the world. A regular feature—and one exclusive to CM—is the top Corvette sales of the summer, in this case 231 of them. The combination of the detailed auction reports and the listing of the top sales lets you build your own personal database of the kinds of Corvettes you are interested in. And the data in CM gives you more accurate, timely information than any printed price guide could ever hope to. We've also included a sneak preview in this issue of Monterey, by profiling the results of some of the key Corvettes that sold there. In the next issue, we'll have the complete blow-byblow report. Thank you again for being a part of the Corvette Market gang of collectors. You continue to be some of the most thoughtful, informed, and action-oriented collectors I have had a chance to get acquainted with, and I look forward to seeing you at the next CM event. ■ 6 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Intern Bloor Redding III Financial Manager Nikki Nalum Operations Manager Jennifer Davis-Shockley Print Media Buyer Wendie Martin Director CM Television Roger Williams ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Executives Ted Alfano ted.alfano@corvettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 211 Cody Wilson cody.wilson@corvettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 213 SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions Coordinator Mary Artz Subscriptions 877.219.2605 x 204 9 am to 5 pm, M-F service@corvettemarket.com 503.253.2234 fax CORRESPONDENCE Phone 503.261.0555 Fax 503.253.2234 General P.O. Box 4797 Portland, Oregon 97208 FedEx/DHL/UPS 401 NE 19th Street, Suite 100 Portland, Oregon 97232 Web www.corvettemarket.com Corvette Market magazine (ISSN# 1939-6481) is published quarterly by Automotive Investor Media Group, 401 NE 19th Street, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Corvette Market, PO Box 4797, Portland, OR 97208. The information in Corvette Market magazine is compiled from a variety of reliable sources. However, we disclaim and deny any responsibility or liability for the timeliness, use, interpretation, accuracy, and completeness of the information presented. All material, data, formats, and intellectual concepts in this issue © 2008 by Keith Martin's Corvette Market, LLC, Automotive Investor Media Group, and Automotive Investor in this format and any other used by Corvette Market magazine. Copyright registered with the United States copyright office. PRINTED IN USA

Insider's View The current state of the Corvette market The ZR-1 was an engineering benchmark in 1990, but values have gone nowhere in almost 20 years. Will the new ZR1 be collectible when the year 2029 rolls around? What will be different this time? Drew Alcazar President, Russo and Steele Scottsdale, AZ Remembering how painful it was to sell my 1990 ZR-1 for $28,000 six short years after purchasing it new, one might think me a bit “bearish” on the new ZR1. Not so, and here's why. Although the 1990 version had highly advanced engineering for its time, service was problematic and potential secondary buyers shied away from visions of expensive repairs and the quandary of your local Chevy dealer vs. Mercury Marine. Most notably, however, the performance war had just begun, and continued advancements in horsepower came at a rapid rate, with much less perceived maintenance hassle. Fast forward to today's ZR1 and you find many of the same elements at play. A wonderfully advanced, technically superior, ultimate-horsepower car sets a high-water mark for performance and luxury once again. What has changed? I believe we may be in the twilight years of these performance machines. How much power is enough—638 horsepower? How much more can be rationally put into the hands of street drivers before insurance issues and federal regulations once again darken the doorstep? Should my sad prediction be correct, the new ZR1 may be the ultimate example of late 20th century technology and bravado. Maybe one day Grandpa will show up with a few gallons of outlaw high-octane juice to take the kids for a hair-raising ride around the block? As the famous line from “The Road Warrior” says: “Last of the V8 Interceptors. What a beaut!” 8 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Craig Jackson Chairman and CEO, Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, AZ It's true that for many years, the ZR-1 did not catch the eye of collectors. But they've begun to increase in value, as demonstrated by several ZR-1s that have commanded strong prices at Barrett-Jackson auctions over the past two years. In fact, some of the active-suspension chassis and one-off concepts were in high demand this year from the GM Collection. The same reasons behind the rise in 1990- era cars will also influence the values of the current ZR1 long term. The ZR1 is one of the most advanced and highest performance cars of its time.While maybe not as flashy as a Ferrari or Aston Martin, the car incorporates brilliant innovation and engineering, like an aluminum V8 that makes over 100 horsepower per liter, carbon-ceramic brakes, magnetic control suspension, and carbon fiber body panels. And unlike many of the foreign exotics, it is reasonable to service and repair. In addition to being a showcase for technology, the ZR1 will be hand-built in small volumes, with each car well documented. Given the federal government's control of GM and the administration's focus on environmentally “friendly” cars, it's highly unlikely we'll see anything like the ZR1 again for many years, once production stops. This means the current generation ZR1 represents a golden era for American performance cars, especially ones from GM, that may be long gone by 2029. Jim Jordan President, County Corvette West Chester, PA Predicting the 2029 collector car market is a task that can only be done by measurement of past and current markets, thus estimating future trends. Having survived five and a half decades already, the trend is set for the Corvette to survive another 20. In 2029, a 39-year-old Corvette will have three predictable conditions: parts car, restored car, and survivor car. The difficulty with the ZR-1 has been and will continue to be availability of parts, expense of repair, and outdated performance. The ZR-1 will always have the label as “King of the Hill” of its era and because of that will find its way into collections. Short of those amassing generational collections, though, the ZR-1 is unlikely to be the envy of the neighborhood. The best overall investing philosophy is “Keep it Simple.” Simplicity gets you the best results, and one thing that can be assured is that the already-difficult-to-maintain ZR-1 will be anything but simple to own and maintain in the long run. The very best of the best, however, may be so rare that those looking to complete a collection will pay staggering prices that will make you say “If only I had kept that 300-mile 1990 ZR-1 I had!”

Dana Mecum President, Mecum High Performance Auctions, Marengo, IL First of all, the original ZR-1 was not a 1990 model, but was built in 1970–72. The option became available once again in 1990. The 1990–95 series of ZR-1s were very desirable. If you were a Chevy dealer, you had to have special equipment to handle them, and some sold for up to three times sticker price. The key detail was that the motor was designed by Chevrolet and Lotus and built at Mercury Marine in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Somehow, if a car sells for a premium when it's brand new, its collectibility seems to be tainted. The 1970–72 ZR1s were actually the last years of high performance for Corvette. There was a period between the early 1970s and 1989 when GM just didn't offer any highhorsepower cars, so when the 1990 ZR-1 came out, it reinvented the Corvette as king of the hill. Throughout the 1990s, the same thing happened to the ZR-1 that happened to the Corvette tuners (the companies that added extra horsepower to 'Vettes on an aftermarket basis): The factory started producing high-horsepower cars and the new product was so advanced, the ZR-1s lost their desirability. ZR-1s will always be somewhat collectible because they're limited-production models that were famous when they were new. What also helps is that the motors are complex—as time goes on, it will be harder to locate parts and when that happens, the car becomes more expensive. I'd call the 1990s ZR-1 a mid-range col- lectible. It will never be high-end because so many people who bought them new put them into storage. There are plenty of low-mileage ZR-1s out there. Roy Sinor NCRS Judging Chairman, 1996 to present Tulsa, OK The 1970–72 ZR1s were limited-pro- duction road course terrors, and the 1990 through 1995 ZR-1s may still hold several international endurance records. So why did the C3 ZR1 become collectible after ten years, while the C4 ZR-1 is static almost 20 years later? In my opinion, this is due to several fac- tors. First, the C4 ZR-1s lead a horsepower and torque resurgence. The C3 ZR1s were the last hurrah in their day but were a state-ofthe-art push rod small-block. The C4 ZR-1 was a radical departure from push-rod design to a Lotus four-cam, 32-valve engine, not typical of a U.S. automaker. It scares many people when it comes to maintenance, even though it has a stellar performance record. It took 20 years before a small-block Corvette engine produced more power than the C3 ZR1, and it was the 375-horsepower C4 ZR-1 that did it. But the C4 ZR-1 did not hold the top spot for long. A 405-horsepower push-rod C5 Z06 surpassed the “King of the Hill” in just six years; then five years later a 505-horsepower C6 Z06 appeared. So will the 638-horsepower C6 ZR1 be collectible? The industry will decide, not the enthusiast. If a push-rod, non-supercharged Corvette produces 690 horsepower within ten years, then the C6 ZR1 will fare just like the C4 ZR-1. But if we fall into the same trap with the CAFE rules that we fell into in the 1970s with the EPA numbers, and in 20 years the 638-horsepower ZR1 is still the highest horsepower production Corvette ever built, then it will be collectible. In the meantime, the C4 ZR-1 remains the most underrated Corvette in the market place. Mike Thelin General Manager, The Chevy Store Portland, OR I've found the 1990 ZR-1 isn't as collect- ible to people who enjoy those cars as much as the 1995 is, of which there were only 448 built. ZR-1 enthusiasts really seem to like those cars. Chevrolet made 3,000 ZR-1s in 1990, and prices have dropped by two-thirds in relation to what they cost new. I think the window stickers were about $65k and dealers were marking them up $20k–$25k over that. We just had a nice black one that did pretty well, but the 1993–95 models sell for a bit more. Down the road 20 years from now, the only way you could estimate value on the new ZR1 depends on how many cars they build. I think history proves any special Corvette like that is collectible, but in relation to the price they're selling for now, I'd think they'll be worth less than today. I don't think they'll build anywhere near as many new ZR1s as they did in 1990—1343 is the highest VIN known so far. There's no question the new ZR1's incredible, more hand-built than production, but who knows what they'll do to improve it? That could have an effect if it comes out in a year or two—like the last ZR-1—with more horsepower and changes that make the car better. That's why people want the '95s. It's a crazy market. If I knew what would be worth more in a year or two, I'd be buying it. Still, I'm glad GM stayed the course and spent the money to get this car into the hands of enthusiasts. www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 9

Questions &Answers by Colin Comer No, they don't all do that I recently purchased a '62 resto-mod convertible that's been fitted with a late-model LS1 V8 and 6-speed manual from a 2000 Corvette. I've noticed a pronounced valve ticking at idle that goes away as soon as I apply a bit of throttle, but it almost always returns after I let it idle. I took it to a few shops and got the typical “they all do that” response, and while that might be the case, I'm afraid the noise will scare off buyers when it comes time to sell it. Should I tear into the motor to try to find the culprit? What should I expect to pay, and what do you think it'll do to the value of the car if I just leave well enough alone? —D.T. Philadelphia, PA This is a tough one to give a definitive answer to without more details or hearing it for myself, so I will just rattle off some random thoughts. First, usually I would tell you to run like your hair was on fire from a shop that says “they all do that” or “that's normal,” but the LS motors do seem to have a number of noises that are almost routine. That isn't to say they should have noise, but it isn't uncommon. You don't mention whether this happens when the engine is cold, hot, or some combination, which is crucial to a good diagnosis. That being said, here are some common LS motor noises as reported by my trusted GM dealer technician buddies: piston slap when cold; lifter noise when cold; lifter noise at idle due to faulty oil pump pickup o-ring causing the oil to aerate and foam (look for the GM service bulletin on this one); bent 2. If I'm lucky enough to find somebody to upgrade the electronics so I can keep driving, how will that be viewed at Bloomington Gold? Am I smartest to put the new micro modules inside the old black boxes, or just stockpile all the correct parts I can find while they're still around? Advice please. —A.K. Dallas, TX 1985 Corvette pushrods from missed shifts and over-revving the motor; EGR and exhaust flow noises that can sound like ticking; noisy fuel injectors or fuel rail hammering; along with a multitude of other non-LS specific noises that it could be. I've also seen many resto- mods with aftermarket or custom valve covers that have a rocker arm interference issue, so that is worth a look as well. Bottom line: Since I can't guess what the noise is, I sure can't guess what it will cost to repair. Any engine that makes a ticking noise will certainly scare off buyers, so have it properly diagnosed and repaired, if for nothing else than peace of mind that you are not moments away from a major mechanical issue. Find a good technician at a Chevrolet dealership and let him take a peek. These guys see (and read about) more LS motor issues in a month than some independent shops will in the next decade, and combined with dealer-only info and factory tech support, that often eliminates all head scratching. Best of luck in getting the tap dancers out of your resto-mod's engine. Your 1985 C4 cluster is an easy fix I have owned a 1985 Corvette for 15 years, and 10 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com it still only has 78k miles on it. Now I'm starting to have some issues with the electronic dash (partial digits, reluctance to change displays, etc.). Is this some kind of digital senility? Are there some simple answers that can “wake it up”? Should I just replace it with an N.O.S. unit? —S.S. Tempe, AZ Unlike parachute pants, some remnants of the 1980s we still deal with on a daily basis—one of them being digital dash clusters. Fear not, while ultra-high tech in its day, today a 1985 C4 cluster is an easy fix. For $185, Corvette Parts Service Company in Indiana will completely refurbish your malfunctioning dash, and their web site even shows you how to remove it yourself. www.corvettedashclusterservice.com Order a ZR-1 care package I have a 1991 ZR-1, which I plan to keep until I'm too old to drive (no cracks about investment please—I like it). What I am concerned about is the age of the electronic engine management systems. I have two concerns: 1. These cars were not made in very large numbers, so will I actually be able to find the correct modules? Typically, unless submerged, exposed to corro- sives, or hit with electrical spikes from jump starting, welding on the car, and the like without disconnecting the battery, the factory engine control units (ECUs) are trouble-free and should last indefinitely. Even if one should fail, I don't think finding a competent repair service or good replacement unit should be an issue for quite some time. I'm not sure what the “micro modules” you refer to are, but as the old air cleaner decals used to read, I highly suggest you “Keep your GM car all GM.” However, the parts I would stockpile if available are any ZR-1-specific ones such as those for the engine, shocks, and the like. As you know, your engine is a Lotus-designed, Mercury Marine-assembled jewel that has little in common with the L89 350 V8 of the standard C4. There are a few Chevy dealerships that specialize in ZR-1 parts, such as Tom Henry Chevrolet in Pennsylvania, and a call to one of them might be a good idea. Have them make you a care package of the most requested service and replacement parts for your ZR-1, and rest easy knowing you can keep your car on the road as long as you wish. Just remember: Maintain it like you want it to last, and most likely it will. ■ Please send your questions to questions@vettemarket.com. All submissions subject to editing. What's That Ticking Noise? Any engine that makes a ticking noise will certainly scare off buyers, so have it properly diagnosed and repaired, if for nothing else than peace of mind

Insider's View Event Guide California 10.09.09–10.11.09 Monterey Sports Car Championships, Laguna Seca The American Le Mans Series races into darkness at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the series finale. Watch the fastest Corvettes in racing battle it out in the GT2 class, and make sure to take advantage of the hospitality of the Corvette Corral, which features special parking, food and beverages, and unique entertainment. Three-day admission and Corvette Corral Pass is $85. www .americanlemans.com. 10.18.09 & 12.06.09 Antique Auto, Corvette, Porsche, Street Rod & VW Swap Meet & Car Show, Pomona The West Coast's largest show of its kind, held at Fairplex in Pomona, from 5 am to 2 pm, rain or shine. General admission is just $8, and kids are free. www.pomonaswapmeet.com. 10.30.09 Hooked on Corvettes! Willows This all-Corvette event at Thunderhill Raceway is all about high-performance driving. The Corvette community has responded to these special marque days with great turnouts, so expect nothing less this time around. Even if you're not a member of local clubs, come out and get to know them. Track time is available for all skill levels, and all novice drivers will have a coach, with other coaching available to anyone. No convertibles without rollover protection. $275. www.hookedondriving.com. Florida 10.17.09 Vettes at the Village, Baytowne Wharf This show-n-shine is open to all years and models, with trophies for C1 through C6 and subgroups for modified Corvettes, with special awards for best engine, best paint, best interior, best of show, and furthest traveled. $25. www.playgroundcorvetteclub.com. 10.24.09 Dimmitt Corvette Show, Clearwater This show is hosted by the Bay Area The current state of the Corvette market Send your Corvette event listing to cmcalendar@vettemarket.com. Corvette Club. Special guest Reeves Callaway will be on site for test drives and rides in Callaway-optioned Corvettes. The first 100 pre-registered entrants get a T-shirt and goody bag, and you can expect door prizes, a muffler rapping contest, 50/50 raffle, vendors, a complimentary breakfast, lunch vendors, and much more. Twenty-two trophies will be awarded, including People's Choice. $30. www.baccvette.us. 11.07.09 Corvettes at the Springs, Silver Springs Sponsored by Silver Springs and the Corvette Club of Marion County. Approximately 400 Corvettes from throughout Florida and surrounding states will gather at Silver Springs for this one-day show-n-shine event, which is presented on the concert field of the world-famous Silver Springs Attraction at the corner of State Road 40 and County Road 35. www .ocalacorvettes.com. 12.05.09 Brevard County Corvette Clubs Toy Run, Titusville This is the ninth annual Toy Run to help disadvantaged children have a happier Christmas. A parade of Corvettes proceeds with a police escort to Port Canaveral, where Santa and the local fire department collect the gifts. There is a social afterward. The suggested donation is $20 in gifts, books, or gift certificates for infants and kids up to 18 year olds. Contact George and Kristy Halkovic, halk@cfl.rr.com. Illinois 10.25.09 Windy City Corvettes Four NCCC Rallyes, Crystal Lake Don't miss out on the chance to drive in four NCCC Rallye events hosted by Windy City Corvettes and Lakeside Corvettes. www .windycitycorvettes.com. 11.21.09–11.22.09 Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals, Rosemont This mega-show is held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, and includes a car show, swapmeet, tons of vendors, special Nickey Chicago and Mr. Norms displays, an L88 showcase, and more. Dick Guldstrand and Santa Claus are among the honored guests, and the event will also feature Triple Diamond judging for Corvettes. $15. www .mcacn.com. Kentucky Corvettes at the Springs by the Corvette Club of Marion County 12 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com 11.05.09–11.07.09 Vets ‘n Vettes, Bowling Green The National Corvette Museum will once again welcome and honor the men and women who have sacrificed to protect our freedoms with this second annual Vets ‘n Vettes event. Held the weekend before Veteran's Day, the event is three days full

Insider's View Event Guide Mississippi 11.07.09 Vettes By The Shore, Bay St. Louis This one-day show is held in the Hollywood Casino parking lot, with plenty of events, awards, and vendors to keep you wanting more. www.msgccc.com. Pennsylvania 10.25.09 American Legends at Long's Park, Lancaster A Corvette and GM fun show that will feature tons of food, music, trophies, and door prizes, with a cash prize drawing, an auction, and plenty of fun. Proceeds benefit Spina Bifida Resource. $20 at the door. www.lcccpa.com. 11.01.09 3rd Annual Corvettes for Chip, Kennett Square This show started in 2007 as a combined effort between the Corvette Club of Northern Delaware (CCND) and Keystone State Corvette Club (KSCC). That year, 165 Corvettes attended and donated $2,500 to the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation. Last year, 235 Corvettes attended and donated over $3,000 to the CMCF. This year, they are hoping to draw over 300 Corvettes. The Chip Miller Charitable Foundation was formed to raise funds for the research, education, and awareness of amyloidosis, which took his life in 2004. Several special Corvettes from the Miller Collection will be on hand, including the 1959 “Purple People Eater” race car. $25 at the door. www.corvettesforchip.com. Tennessee 10.16.09–10.17.09 Corvette Expo, Sevierville Gates open at 9 am on this annual, show held at the Sevierville Events Center. The event will feature a little something for every gearhead taste, including a Horsepower and Hot Rod Show, a Thompson-Carr Collector Car Auction, a swapmeet, a cruise, an NCRS display, and much more. $10. www.corvetteexpo.com. Texas 10.14.09–10.17.09 NCRS Lonestar Regional, Killeen www.ncrs.org 14 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com The current state of the Corvette market Send your Corvette event listing to cmcalendar@vettemarket.com. of remembrances and fun activities not only at the museum, but also in Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky, including a scenic drive to Bourbon country for a tour of Maker's Mark. Separate event pricing ranges from $17 to $30. www.corvettemuseum.com. Virginia 10. 17.09 2009 Fall Corvette Cruise, Front Royal Another great drive put on by the Shenandoah Valley Corvette Club, which will once again benefit Toys for Tots. Join other Corvette owners for a scenic cruise of valley roads during one of the most beautiful times of the year. Registration begins at 8:00 am and is either $15, with all proceeds going to Toys for Tots, or a new toy in its packaging. www.svcorvetteclub.org ■ Fall Corvette Cruise with the Shenandoah Valley Corvette Club Auction Calendar OCTOBER 1-2—CARLISLE Carlisle, PA 1-4—MECUM St. Charles, IL 3—COYS Ascot, UK 3—ICA Wichita, KS 7-10—BARRETT-JACKSON Las Vegas, NV 8-9—RM Hershey, PA 9—KRUSE Lebanon, PA 9-10—SILVER Las Vegas, NV 9-10—VICARI Biloxi, MS 12—SHANNONS Sydney, AUS 16-17—COLLECTOR CAR PRODUCTIONS Ontario, CAN 16-17—KRUSE Las Vegas, NV 17—VANDERBRINK Latimer, IA 17—MIDAMERICA Chanhassen, MN 23-24—DAN KRUSE CLASSICS Fredericksburg, TX 23-25—COLLECTOR CAR PRODUCTIONS Ontario, CAN 24—COYS Padua, ITA 24—ICA Louisville, KY 24—MECUM Branson, MO 24—SILVER Medford, OR 28—RM London, UK 29—H&H Sparkford, UK NOVEMBER 6-8—KRUSE Auburn, IN 7-8—BUD WARD Hot Springs, AR 7-8—ICA Gilbert, AZ 14—BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS Los Angeles, CA 18—BONHAMS Harrogate, UK 20-22—LEAKE Dallas, TX 20-22—MCCORMICK Palm Springs, CA 23—SHANNONS Melbourne, AUS 27-28—ICA Houston, TX 27-29—VICARI Daytona Beach, FL DECEMBER 3-5—MECUM Kansas City, MO 4-5—AUCTIONS AMERICA Raleigh, NC 7—BONHAMS London, UK 9—H&H Buxton, UK 11-12—SANTIAGO Oklahoma City, OK Jim Strathearn Photography

Bloomington Gold Bloomington Basics Hang around the judges, listen to their conversations, and observe what they are judging. It's a unique experience for the observer, owner, and spectator by Michael Pierce B loomington Corvette Corral began in 1973 as a one-day Corvette get-together and swapmeet. At the first show there were 1,500 attendees, 112 Corvettes in the concours, and 19 vendors. The next year, the event expanded to two days, attendance tripled, vendor spaces quadrupled, and the Corvette count went up 600%. In 1975, the Corvette count was 1,200… and it's just kept growing over the following two decades. In its early years, Bloomington judged Corvettes one against each another, like most shows, to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, plus providing some special awards. The winners were determined to be exceptional in some combination of rarity, color, quality of restoration, visual appeal, cleanliness/condition, the judge's knowledge base, and of course, politics. Aside from the lucky winners, everyone else went home empty-handed. In 1978, David Burroughs changed all the rules. He developed a judging system in which Corvettes were judged against a standard of originality and condition (instead of against each other). How they rolled off the assembly line was the benchmark, with the goal being to be as close as possible to factory original. Consequently, every car entered for Certification (judging) has an equal chance to win a Bloomington Gold (95%–100% restored or preserved to the condition in which it left the factory), Silver (within 90%–94% of typical factory originality), or Bronze (85%–89%). Original, unrestored Corvettes are especially honored with the unique Survivor and Benchmark Awards, which were created in 1990. To qualify for the Survivor Award, a Corvette must be 1) over 20 years old, 2) pass a 20-mile road test, 3) remain over 50% unrestored, un-refinished, or unaltered, and 4) retain finishes good enough to use as a color guide for restoration of a car just like it. The Benchmark award is the ultimate recognition of authenticity. It means that a car is both Gold certified (preserved to at least 95% of the way it left the factory), and passes all four Survivor tests above. Since 1990, fewer than 100 cars have achieved Benchmark status. Play the lottery The entry fee to have your Corvette judged is $450 and includes two four-day passes. There is always a waiting list for the judging. In 2002, Bloomington Gold moved to its current loca- tion at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois, about 35 miles southwest of Chicago's O'Hare Airport. For four days in June, thousands of Corvettes and tens of thousands of entrants, spectators, and aficionados take over the 18-hole golf course, plus several blocks surrounding the resort. The swapmeet is legendary among Corvette fanatics; 16 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Judges at work last year, a friend of mine bought a set of N.O.S. dog-dish hubcaps and wide wheels for his original '62 Big-Brake fuelie tanker. Expensive? Very, but how many real, not-replica parts like this have you ever seen for sale? Burroughs sold his interest in Bloomington Gold in 1990. Auctioneer Dana Mecum purchased the Bloomington Gold business in 1997 after a not-so-successful management era that followed Burroughs' departure. Mecum's vision was to restore the show's premiere brand reputation and also create a venue that would support his core business—collector car auctions in general and the Bloomington Gold all-Corvette auction specifically. Burroughs was hired by Mecum to help with this project. The plan was to have Burroughs focus on the traditional aspects of Bloomington Gold and Mecum on the auction. It has worked. Watch, and listen to the judges The certification process is simply awe-inspir- ing. If you hang around any of the knowledgeable judges, you can hear their conversations and observe what they are judging. Their attention to detail is simply incredible. For example, there are those who specialize in number-pad stampings, others in VIN tags. It is a unique experience for the observer, owner, and spectator. The judging teams take a maximum of 36 minutes to completely judge a car in four categories (interior, exterior, underhood, and chassis). To become a judge is an exacting process, and each member of the team is highly knowledgeable. Most people who attend do not have their cars judged. They come for the swapmeet (400 vendors), auction, special displays, restoration workshops, Corvette memorabilia, auto-related vendors, and to view many of the rarest, smallest-production Corvettes anywhere. Spectators drive in, park on the manicured lawn of the resort golf course, along with thousands of other Corvettes, and spend the day strolling through the displays. Directly across the street from the resort is a Hilton Garden Inn and within a few blocks, many other places to stay, eat, shop, and tell car lies. In fact, one of the best restaurants I have ever been to is located in Geneva, IL, about two miles away. You should make reservations and probably ditch the jeans, but the food, service, decor and wine list are all extraordinary. It's called Niche—don't miss it. In 2008, Burroughs introduced the Survivor Collector Car Show, an event held on the Sunday of the Bloomington show. It is a show for all makes and models at least 20 years old that are original and unrestored. There are various awards that can be earned. The ultimate is Zzenith, earned by just 13 of the 50 cars entered in 2009. Bloomington Gold and the Survivor Bloomington Gold Collector Car Show happen every June. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing out. If you have, you know why so many people return year after year. It's the “Granddaddy” of all Corvette Shows. ■ The following brands are all registered trademarks of Bloomington Gold and David Burroughs: Gold Certified, Silver Certified, Bronze Certified, SURVIVOR, BENCHMARK, ZZENITH, and Freeze Frame. Where: Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles, Illinois When: June 24–27, 2010 More: www.bloomingtongold.com Survivor Car Show Where: Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles, Illinois When: June 27, 2010 More: www.survivorcollectorcar.com

2009 Certificate Recipients BENCHMARK Thomas & Kaye Bullock—Rocky Mount, NC 1969 350/300 Convertible James Cahill—Teutopolis, IL 1988 350/240 Coupe Lynn Dennis—Mount Ayr, IA 1978 350/180 Pace Car Coupe Larry Gerig—Fort Wayne, IN 1954 Roadster David Gulley—Maumelle, AR 1978 350/220 Pace Car Coupe Peter Hendricks—Marietta, GA 1971 350/270 Coupe Kenneth Joseph—Navarre, OH 1965 327/375 FI Coupe Ralph Lackner—Hominy, OK 1977 350/180 Coupe Danny Lewis—Hartselle, AL 1967 327/300 Convertible Keith Melebeck—Abbeville, LA 1967 327/350 Convertible Terry Michaelis—Napoleon, OH 1969 427/430 L88 Coupe 1972 350/200 Convertible 1981 350/200 Coupe Christopher Piscitello—Dallas, TX 1967 427/390 Convertible Stephen Plaster—Lebanon, MO 1974 454/270 Convertible Victor Preisler—Calabasas, CA 1970 350/370 LT1 Convertible Lee Richardson—Peoria, IL 1986 350/230 Coupe Brad Stein—Shorewood, IL 1978 350/200 Silver Anniversary Coupe Bill Thorne—Salem, OH 1989 Convertible Mike Yager—Effingham, IL 1988 350/245 B2K Coupe GOLD Ken Alflen—Port Charlotte, FL 1957 283/200 Convertible Fred Alley—Troutville, VA 1967 427/400 Coupe Lars-Erik Arnell—Carmel, IN 1957 283/270 Convertible William Baker—Albuquerque, NM 1959 283/270 Convertible Ronald Berggren—Littleton, CO 1963 327/360 FI Coupe Joseph Bizzarri—West Chicago, IL 1991 ZR-1 Convertible Barry Blocher—North Manchester, IN 1964 327/250 Coupe Michael Borowiak—Wheaton, IL 1997 Coupe David Borror—Dublin, OH 1967 427/435 Convertible Steve Bramati—Deer Park, IL 1967 427/435 Convertible Dave Brewer—Longwood, FL 1965 327/365 Convertible Dennis Brown—Hot Springs Village, AR 1957 283/283 FI Convertible Stan Chester—Benton, AR 1967 427/435 Convertible Ambrose Claybar—Orange, TX 1967 427/435 Convertible William Coffin—Whispering Pines, NC 1963 327/360 FI Coupe Robert & Doris Coons—Monroe, LA 1969 350/350 Convertible Jerry Cosler—Lebanon, IN 1960 283/290 FI Convertible Bruce Crookham—Wycombe, PA 1966 427/425 Convertible Donald Crowe—Springville, AL 1961 283/270 Convertible Don Curtes—Menomonie, WI 1956 265/225 Convertible Thomas Deeley—Collierville, TN 1967 327/350 Convertible Paul Dehnert—Mill Valley, CA 1967 427/435 Convertible Guido DiRe—Valley Stream, NY 1969 427/430 L88 Coupe Jack Downam—Fort Wayne, IN 1958 283/290 FI Convertible Paul Endres—Pontiac, MI 1956 265/240 Convertible Don Felts—Oxford, MS 1968 427/435 Convertible Thomas Fetchik—Aurora, OH 1967 327/300 Coupe Edward Foss—Roanoke, IN 1970 350/370 ZR1 Convertible 1972 350/255 ZR1 Coupe Richard Foster—New Castle, IN 1993 40th Anniversary Convertible Marion Galloway—Crete, IL 1969 350/350 Coupe James Genovese—Akron, OH 1960 283/290 FI Convertible Larry Gerig—Fort Wayne, IN 1958 283/290 FI Convertible Brian Grey—St. Peter, MN 1962 327/340 Convertible Lynn Haas—Fort Myers, FL 1966 427/425 Convertible Michael Harling—Dallas, TX 1963 327/300 Coupe Rich Haydinger—Moorestown, NJ 1967 427/435 Convertible Greg Heinrich—Henderson, NV 1967 427/390 Convertible 1972 350/255 LT1 Coupe Mary Hermanson—Madison, WI 1963 327/300 Convertible Kevin Jensen—Muscatine, IA 1958 283/290 FI Convertible Scott Jones—Valley Stream, NY 1967 427/435 Convertible Randal Kell—Alexandria, VA 1961 283/270 Convertible Ed Kelty—Lexington, KY 1966 427/390 Convertible Michael Ksiazek—Burr Ridge, IL 1965 327/350 Convertible Walter Kunz—Trenton, IL 1965 327/300 Coupe William Lacy—Florissant, MO 1967 427/435 Coupe John Malmquist—Madison, WI 2004 Z06 Commemorative Coupe Robert Mayhue—Fort Smith, AR 1969 350/350 Convertible Kelly McClain—Woodstock, IL 1960 283/245 Convertible Brian McCormick—Naperville, IL 1969 427/435 Coupe Terry Michaelis—Napoleon, OH 1953 Roadster Joe Mikuzis—Mokena, IL 1966 427/425 Convertible Ronald Miner—Avon, IN 1961 283/230 Convertible Tim Montileone—Springfield, MO 1962 327/340 Convertible James Morgan—Kansas City, MO 1960 283/245 Convertible David Morgan—Darien, IL 1995 ZR-1 Coupe Victor Ninio—Woodland, CA 1978 350/185 Pace Car Convertible John O'Donnell—Plymouth, MN 1961 283/315 FI Convertible Bob Patrick—Paintsville, KY 1954 Roadster Dwight Paul—Austin, TX 1965 327/375 FI Coupe Joe Perri—Chicago, IL 1963 327/360 FI Convertible Angelo Petrolla—Youngstown, OH 1967 427/400 Coupe Phillip Pitalo—Allen, TX 1978 350/220 Pace Car Coupe Dominic Presty—Eads, TN 1970 350/370 LT1 Convertible Elliott Pritch—Fort Lauderdale, FL 1966 427/425 Coupe Randall Rapp—Collinsville, IL 1965 327/365 FI Convertible Peter Rosa—Norwell, MA 1966 427/390 Coupe Alex Rusynyk—Miramar Beach, FL 1953 Roadster Lawrence Sachs—Scarsdale, NY 1966 427/390 Convertible Fred Sarbello—Danbury, CT 1970 350/370 Convertible Craige Schultz—Glenview, IL 1964 327/250 Coupe Harvey Schutzbank—Scarsdale, NY 1966 427/425 Coupe Robert Shellberg—Carrollton, TX 1982 350/210 Coupe Bobby Shepherd—Rochester, IN 1963 327/360 FI Convertible Ken Siegfried—Pontiac, MI 1960 238/290 FI Convertible Ken & Mille Smith—Paola, KS 1957 283/283 FI Convertible Scott Smith—Cleveland, TN 1966 327/300 Convertible Robert Smith—Palm Harbor, FL 1967 427/435 Convertible Michael Sparr—Lincoln, NE 1965 327/350 Coupe Jonathan Spivey—Oak Park, IL 1962 327/340 Convertible Mitch Stamos—Orefield, PA 1970 350/370 LT1 Coupe James Stuempfle—Westchester, PA 1967 427/435 Coupe George Swartz—Westchester, OH 1955 Roadster Terry Watson—Harwood, MD 1953 Roadster Brian Webb—Tallahassee, FL 1955 Roadster Hal Wehmeyer—Mountain Home, AR 1966 427/425 Coupe Clare Weidman—Eagle Rock, VA 1967 427/435 Coupe Craig Willetts—Winston-Salem, NC 1964 327/300 Convertible Tommy Young—Fort Wayne, IN 1958 283/290 FI Convertible Gary & Joan Zawacki—Ridgefield, CT 1967 427/400 Convertible SURVIVOR Richard Andrews—Shawnee, KS 1978 350/220 Pace Car Coupe Rocky Baldino—Beltsville, MD 1971 454/365 Coupe Ambrose Claybar—Orange, TX 1967 427/435 Convertible Jack Corso—North Brunswick, NJ 1968 427/400 Coupe James Davis—LaPorte, IN 1962 327/300 Convertible John Fortson—Martinsville, IN 1966 327/300 Convertible Edward Foss—Roanoke, IN 1962 327/340 Convertible Scott Freese—Omaha, NE 1969 427/435 Coupe John Gerton—Mt. Vernon, IN 1959 283/290 FI Convertible Jack Gillette—Lake George, NY 1967 327/300 Coupe Sam Green—Little Rock, AR 1978 350/220 Pace Car Coupe Greg Heinrich—Henderson, NV 1972 350/255 Coupe Patrick Howard—Chicago, IL 1977 350/210 Coupe Andy Jones—Kansas City, MO 1965 327/350 Convertible Jason Jones—Homer Glen, IL 1989 350/254 Coupe Anthony Loria—Maitland, FL 1959 283/230 Convertible Humberto (Sonny) Maldonado—Austin, TX 1966 327/300 Coupe Evan Metropoulis—Greenwich, CT 1967 427/435 Convertible 1969 427/430 L88 Convertible Terry Michaelis—Napoleon, OH 1970 350/370 ZR1 Convertible Phillip Pitalo—Allen, TX 1978 350/220 Pace Car Coupe Sylvia Ramos—Naperville, IL 1978 350/185 Silver Anniversary Coupe Robert Rosendahl—Menomonie, WI 1967 427/390 Coupe John Roxas—Hinsdale, IL 1967 427/390 Coupe Bob Rubens—Homer Glen, IL 1970 350/370 Convertible Bob Russo—Marlboro, NJ 1967 327/350 Convertible Tim Schuetz—Waukesha, WI 1965 327/375 FI Coupe Craige Schultz—Glenview, IL 1982 350/200 Coupe Robert Shellberg—Carrollton, TX 1982 350/210 Coupe Steven & Doris Stadheim—Ellendale, MN 1979 350/225 Coupe Gary Terwilliger—Smithfield, VA 1962 327/300 Convertible Bill Webster—Olathe, KS 1982 350/200 Coupe Dale Winters—Barnhart, MO 1978 350/220 Silver Anniversary Coupe www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 17

C1 profile 1961 283/315 Big-Brake Fuelie Befitting their creators' mission, many Big-Brake Corvettes soon headed to the track in the hands of drivers like Fitch, Guldstrand, and Bondurant by John L. Stein Chassis number: 10867S107602 Engine number: 100659F0912CT A t first it seemed like the big changes for Corvette in 1961 were the body, particularly at the rear, with a sharp beltline cutoff and near-Kamm-style tail with exhaust tips dropped below the body. With it, Corvette introduced the fourtaillight arrangement that established an identifying feature that is still seen on Corvettes nearly five decades later. Up front, the bulky teeth that Corvettes had employed for years disappeared, replaced with a subtle rectangular mesh set deep in the oval opening. Inside, the Corvette engineering team was hard at work making their car better, faster, and more comfortable. The transmission tunnel was narrowed for more interior room but more importantly, continued development of the 283-cubic-inch Chevy V8 raised output, including a 25-hp increase in the solid-lifter, fuel-injected engine from 290 to 315 horsepower. The 4-speed transmission's case migrated to lightweight aluminum and the radiator was revised to a cross-flow configuration for better cooling. The ultimate options for the 1961 Corvette were the solid-lifter 315-horsepower fuel-injected engine with the Big-Brake package (RPO 687), featuring stiff shocks, big brakes with front and rear cooling air scoops and finned drums, wide steel wheels, and a quick-steering adapter. The Big-Brake option could be ordered only with the solid-lifter engines (either with fuel injection or dual with four-barrel carbs) and also required the Positraction rear axle. Finished in Honduras Maroon with white coves and Fawn Beige vinyl interior, this 1961 Corvette fuelie, owned by noted collector Reggie Jackson, is one of very few 1961 Corvettes ordered with the rare combination of the 283/315 cold air box, fuel-injected engine and RPO 687. Restored some time ago, it also has hard and soft 18 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Details Years Produced 1961 Number Produced 10,939 Original List Price $3,934 CM Valuation $67,000–$122,000, plus $60k-$75k for big brakes and fuel injection Tune-up $500 Distributor Cap $19.99 Chassis # Top of steering column under hood Engine # Right front cylinder head deck Club National Corvette Restorers Society 6291 Day Road Cincinnati, OH 45252 More www.ncrs.org Alternatives 1963 Corvette Z06 1967 Corvette 427/435 Tri-Power 1966 Shelby GT350 CM Investment Grade A Photos: Simon Clay / Bonhams & Butterfields

tops and radio and heater delete. The production numbers tell part of the story. Although there were only 1,462 315-hp fuel-injected cars out of 10,939 Corvettes produced for 1961, the number of RPO 687 cars is even fewer, at just 233. Considering that it cost $333.60 plus the $43.05 for the required Positraction (RPO 675), the paucity of RPO 687 cars is easily understood. The Reggie Jackson 1961 Big-Brake car is one of very few Corvettes built in the ul- timate configuration available to a few performance-oriented buyers. It's an example of the steady progression of Corvette into a competitive production-racing sports car with factory-developed performance equipment. It was recommended to Reggie Jackson by some of the most informed Corvette authorities, and is a prize of the highest order. CM Analysis This car was not sold at a high bid of $130,000 at the Bonhams & Butterfields auction in Carmel Valley, California, on August 14, 2009. Among solid-axle Corvettes, few are more rare and desirable than the early RPO 684 (337 built from 1957 to 1959) and later RPO 687 (598 built from 1960–62) BigBrake cars. Produced in very limited numbers and intended for racing, they remain the highest form of solid-axle desirability, with the exception of the 300 first-year 1953 models and a few cars with distinguished history, such as the 1960 Cunningham Le Mans racers. This was by all appearances a lovely car. Finished in the handsome Honduras Maroon with white coves, and featuring a Fawn Beige interior and tasteful painted steel wheels with hubcaps, it definitely touched all the bases. Strong offer in a down market And the fact that it included the Big-Brake and heavy-duty suspen- sion package, together with the highest-horsepower engine available in 1961, two tops, and radio and heater delete, pegs it at the very top. Curiously, the car was bid to B&B's low estimate, but in failing to sell, we might surmise the seller was looking for something closer to the high estimate of $150,000. Either way, this was serious money offered in a challenging market, where collectors are being very selective about what they are spending serious money on. Being part of a collection owned by a famous person—in this case Reggie Jackson—does not necessarily increase the value of a vehicle, unless that person owned the car back in the day and was at least partly defined by it—and it by them. Nevertheless, when a person of acclaim invests in any given car, this is often taken as a validation of the car itself. This is perhaps the case here, because there was no mention of its pre-Jackson ownership history in the auction catalog. Befitting their creators' mission, many Big-Brake Corvettes like this one soon headed to the track in the hands of drivers like John Fitch, Dick Guldstrand, and Bob Bondurant, and they were significantly modified by their keepers and then thrashed, crashed, rebuilt, and then thrashed again until they became used up and uncompetitive. From there they could have gone to the wreckers, or been returned to street duty in some fashion. Others were purchased by performance enthusiasts and simply lived quieter lives on the street, where they were driven sparingly and always returned to a loving garage. What are the origins? For me, the $130,000 question is where did this car come from? Is it a bitsa? A resurrected racer? Or a lovingly kept driver, since restored to new condition? The former owner certainly had sound advice when purchasing it, and the restorers certainly put it right. So it's too bad that most of the auction catalog copy was devoted to romancing the RPO 687 cars in general, with precious little on the details of this particular one. Troubling also was an online catalog footnote revising the chassis number from 10837S100659 to 10867S107602. Perhaps this was a simple data-entry error, but it introduces more questions, and questions on a car of this caliber can often be a dealkiller. Further, no mention was made of the car's restoration date, its restorer, or any NCRS or Bloomington Gold-type certifications, which lend important validation to any Corvette worth collecting. Bottom line: Anyone in the market for this kind of stunning and highly desirable solid-axle Corvette generally does his homework. And while bidding started out aggressively, perhaps there were just too many questions that needed answering. We'll likely never know why the bidding stalled at the low estimate of $130,000, and why the seller couldn't let it go. If it had sold there, my analysis would have been that this car was bravely bought, but with an upside once the overall economy approves. But without more historical clarification, bidders stopped short of where the seller wanted to be. ■ (Introductory description courtesy of Bonhams & Butterfields.) JOHN L. STEIN served as editor of Corvette Quarterly from 1998 to 2005, the only independent editor to lead GM's flagship magazine. www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 19

C2 profile 1966 427/425 Coupe Once cars have been taken apart, cleaned up, and put back together, they are no longer original by Michael Pierce Chassis number: 194376S108199 Engine number: T11291P6108199 A t first glance, one might think this is just another nicely restored big-block Corvette. But that perspective is to be significantly altered with the realization that this is a 15,000-mile original car that wears its original paint and interior. Chip Miller was, and still is, widely considered one of the most influen- tial innovators of the Corvette hobby for collectors and fans alike. He established Corvettes at Carlisle, and his private collection of low-mileage, unrestored, original Corvettes was hand-selected from more than 40 exceptional cars that he owned over the years. His cars were kept in climate- and humidity-controlled storage, where they were lavished with care and attention, and each was considered the finest of its type. This rare L72 427/425 was originally delivered in 1966 to Sherwood Chevrolet of Montrose, Pennsylvania. By 1972, it had passed through just three appreciative owners and was in the care of Tom Denner. Chip Miller discovered the big-block coupe at the Cavalcade of Corvettes in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and, after realizing how impressively preserved this car is, he purchased it for roughly $6,400. After some time with the car, he became deeply attached to it and was heard to say that he would never sell the car. He held it in the same regard as his 1953 model and L88 and claimed, “There can't be a nicer original '66 interior on earth.” Over the years this car earned a long list of awards, from a Bryner Award of Excellence to NCRS verifications and, in 1989, it was included in the Bloomington Gold Special Collection—strong testaments to its high quality. The only work that has ever been done to the car was a chassis-only restoration undertaken by Kevin Mackay. This was done after much deliberation and saw the body lifted off the frame, the chassis sympathetically restored, and the engine, suspension, and other mechanical components thoroughly detailed. However, only the frame was touched. Miller was true to his word and never sold the car. It was purchased by Michael Schudroff from his estate, and has remained in his care ever since. To date, the car has covered 15,642 miles; the rare Milano Maroon paint is exceptionally nice, given 20 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com its age, the saddle interior is nearly perfect, and the car looks fabulous with its teakwood steering wheel and goldline tires—three of which are original. The car even wears a Pennsylvania inspection sticker from 1975. It Details Years Produced 1966 Number Produced 9,958 coupes Original List Price $5,475 CM Valuation $68,000–$125,000 Tune-up $350 Distributor Cap $12 Chassis # Cross brace under glovebox Engine # On block in front of right cylinder head Club National Corvette Restorers Society 6291 Day Road Cincinnati, OH 45252 More www.ncrs.org Alternatives 1965 396/425 coupe 1965 327/375 FI coupe 1965–66 Shelby GT350 CM Investment Grade B Photos: Gooding & Company

seems this car is equipped with F41 suspension, a Positraction rear end, 4-speed gearbox, and off-road exhaust—great options that further enhance its rarity and prestige. The extensive file of documentation that accompanies this car includes the 1966 owner's manual, accessory book, radio-operating instruction pamphlet, owner protection plan, countless articles about the car, judging sheets, receipts, photos of the minor chassis restoration, letters, correspondences, and awards. It is one of the finest big-block Corvettes to be found anywhere, and with its unblemished history, impressive provenance, and vaunted status in Corvette circles, it will be an astute addition for any collector of low-mileage or original cars. CM Analysis This car sold for $143,000, including buyer's premium, at the Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach, California, on August 16, 2009. This is another unique piece of Corvette history to change hands at the Gooding auction, and it brought an amount in the current-market '67 427/435 territory. In fact, Gooding's suggested auction catalog value was even higher, at $160k–$200k. The original owner just wanted to go fast The original Pennsylvania owner probably had one thing in mind when he or- dered this car: Go fast. The following options were checked on the dealer order form: maroon exterior, saddle vinyl, 427/425 (L72), quick take-off wheels (P48), goldline tires (T01), off-road exhaust system (N11), special suspension (F41), AM/FM radio (U69), and a teak steering wheel (N32). Transistor ignition (K66) and a close-ratio Muncie transmission (M21) were required with the RPO L72. The car was built December 18, 1965. This Corvette was always maintained and lovingly cared for. Chip Miller bought the car and a trailer in 1972 for $6,400, selling the trailer for $400 to lower his overall cost. Several years ago, Lance Miller sold his recently deceased father's coupe at the first Carlisle Auction. Michael Schudroff of Carriage House Motor Cars in Greenwich, Connecticut, made it part of his vast collection of “cars that matter.” This '66, and the 1963 Rondine Corvette he purchased a couple of years ago for $1.76 million at Barrett-Jackson (CM3, p. 36), were joined with 48 other of his post-war collector and special interest cars at Gooding this past August. Between NCRS and Bloomington Gold, we have seen dozens of low-mile, original, and unrestored Corvettes. Ed Foss is probably the most notable collector of these Corvettes anywhere. He has 50, all with original paint, exhaust, drivetrain, and lots of paperwork. Lance Miller offered him this coupe several times before it was eventually auctioned off. The reason for the car not being part of the Foss Collection? “Too many miles,” Ed told me. “They have to have less than 10,000. I drew the line when I started collecting.” The work changed the car's value forever Although this '66 has been touted as “one of the fin- est unrestored Corvettes in existence,” I'm not sure that it is the case. Once cars have been taken apart, cleaned up, and put back together, they are no longer original. Far too many original Corvettes have undergone this process in the past. In the late 1970s, Chip Miller sent his '66 to Kevin McKay in Valley Stream, New York. There was a great deal of undercoating on the chassis, so McKay took the body off the frame, stripped it, cleaned everything, and reassembled the car. Although McKay's work is the finest and his knowledge of these cars immense, it changed the collector value forever. Let's face it, cars like this will be driven sparingly, mostly on and off the trailer for concours and car shows. This coupe received a very early NCRS Flight Award (pre-1984), was invited to be a part of a Bloomington Gold Special Collection, and was the cover car for Vette magazine in March 1987. If this '66 had a recent Bloomington Gold/Benchmark and/or Survivor Award, or recent NCRS Duntov/Bowtie Award, it might have pulled closer to the $160k–$200k that was hoped for. In today's market, cars with any stories suffer. In the not too distant past, many collectors paid way too much, and when the music stopped, there were no chairs to sit on. With this car, Corvette fanatics can (and have, and will continue to) sit long into the night arguing about whether the chassis should have been detailed. One faction will maintain that, since the undercoat wasn't applied at the factory, doesn't the removal of it make the car more “factory-correct”? And the other will say that it should never have been touched. Still another group of collectors, those like Foss, may complain about the “high miles” on this car. There is no right or wrong here, and the market has spoken. At this price, even though substantially below the low estimate, I believe this car brought all the money in today's market. ■ (Introductory description courtesy of Gooding & Company.) MICHAEL PIERCE is a longtime NCRS judge who ranks in the top few dozen and has judged Corvette events around the world. His own cars have won Top Flight, Bloomington Gold, and Duntov awards. www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 21

C3 profile 1968 Scuderia Filipinetti L88 Coupe Henri Greder and Jean-Claude Aubriet carried the Corvette torch at Le Mans admirably from 1968 to 1973 with this very car by Thomas Glatch Chassis number: 194378S410300 T he Greder Corvette, s/n 410300, holds a unique place in Le Mans history, not only as one of the most successful, and well-traveled, Corvette race cars in the world, but also as the survivor of one of Chevrolet's “back door” racing programs, managed and implemented by Zora Arkus-Duntov. The central figure is Henri Greder. Greder nearly won the 1963 Tour de France in a factory-entered 427 Ford Galaxie. This earned him a Ford of France ride in a 4.7-liter GT40 at Le Mans in 1966 and 1967. In preparation for the 1968 24 Heures du Mans, GM's European promotions director (and up-and-coming chairman) Bob Lutz and Greder approached Swiss racing patron Georges Filipinetti with the idea of entering a two-car Corvette team at Le Mans. Filipinetti accepted, and two L88 Corvette coupes shortly arrived from Detroit, fully race-prepared for the 24 Hours under Zora Arkus-Duntov's supervision—this car, for Greder and Umberto Maglioli, and the other for Sylvain Garant and Jean-Michel Giorgi. Zora, knowing the demands of 24 hours at speed at Le Mans, fitted very tall 2.56 rear end gears to take full advantage of the legendary 427-ci L88 engine's power. The combination was clocked down the Mulsanne straight at 191 mph and turned in a sub-four-minute lap in testing. The Corvettes were fast but suffered from what the French called the “ennuis de freins”—brakes not measuring up to the inertia of one and a half tons accelerated to nearly 200 mph by the big-block L88. Greder recalls having to brake for the Mulsanne turn at the 500-meter mark. In the 1968 race, Greder and Maglioli dominated the Porsche competition and led the GT category until the sixth hour, when a carburetion problem melted a piston. Garant wiped out the other Corvette in the Dunlop Curves in the 14th hour. Returning in 1969, now with Reine Wisell as co-driver and Ronnie Petersen as backup, Greder's L88 Corvette endured 16 hours of aggressive downshifting, using engine braking to relieve the brakes' “ennui,” before the gearbox gave up, again while leading the GT category. Following Le Mans, Greder placed 6th overall at Magny Cours, then in September reprised the Tour de France, a 5,000-km marathon over nine days, including eleven events at nine different tracks. Greder and the Corvette finished 2nd and won the GT category, earning the description “La phénoménale Chevrolet 22 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Corvette” in Maurice Louche's history of the Tour de France Automobile. The 1968–69 Greder car was sold to Jean-Claude Aubriet and entered by Aubriet's Ecurie Leopard a further four times at Le Mans from 1970 to 1973, finishing as high as 18th overall and 2nd in class, as well as Details Years Produced 1968 Number Produced 80 in 1968 Original List Price $5,610 CM Valuation $400,000–$600,000 Tune-up $150 Distributor Cap $19.99 Chassis # Plate on top of instrument panel at base of windshield Engine # Pad on front of block below right cylinder head Club National Corvette Restorers Society 6291 Day Road Cincinnati, OH 45252 More www.ncrs.org Alternatives 1965–67 Shelby Cobra 427 1955–57 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing 1965–66 Shelby GT350 CM Investment Grade A Photos: Darin Schnabel

contesting an active schedule of other races, including the Tour de France in 1970 and 1971. Six years at Le Mans, much less consecutive, as in this case, is a record unequalled by any single chassis in Le Mans history. The Greder Corvette was sold in 1989 to Bob Rubin, then to Marc de Peescara. It was acquired by its present owner in 2000 and was gone through thoroughly and professionally in the owner's own shop to prepare it for historic racing. Its first appearance was at the Monterey Historics in 2001. It subsequently has been displayed several times at important events without further historic competition. Today it is powered by the engine it had when acquired in 2000, a 1970s vintage 454 in the guise of the classic L88. It is prepared for historic racing with a lightened flywheel, carbon fiber clutch, M22 “Rock Crusher” close-ratio gearbox, and J56 heavy-duty brakes. In addition to FIA Historic Vehicle Identity and a new Historic Technical Passport, its documentation includes copies of the original ACO entry forms from its six appearances at Le Mans. CM Analysis This car sold for $572,000, including buyer's premium, at the RM Auction in Monterey, California, on August 15, 2009. There is no better international stage for an auto manufacturer than the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A class victory for the Chevrolet Corvette at Le Mans would surely show the rest of the world that the U.S. could build a real sports car. Many Americans have tried their luck at Le Mans with Corvettes, but they learned a harsh lesson: Success at home was no guarantee of success at Le Mans. Briggs Cunningham made the first attempt in 1960 with a factory-supported team of three Corvettes. Only one finished, and the engine had to be packed with ice to nurse it home, but they earned a surprise GT class victory. In 1962, Californian Hugh Powell's Corvette, with drivers Tony Settember and Jack Turner, was as high as 3rd in class when the transmission failed in the 13th hour. Corvette legends Dick Guldstrand and Bob Bondurant were leading the GT class in 1967 with their thundering L88 when the near-stock Chevrolet-built engine failed in the eleventh hour. In 1972, David Heinz, with the “backdoor” support of Goodyear and Chevrolet, built his “Rebel” '68 L88 Le Mans car in just eight weeks and finished 15th overall and 7th in the GT class. Even John Greenwood failed in three tries in the 1970s But Heinz's entry was initially rejected by l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), and it took the influence of U.S. Ferrari distributor Luigi Chinetti to eventually get the entry approved. Ironically, the ACO invited Heinz to return the next year, but the '72 effort was far more expensive than anticipated and the team never went back. Even the great John Greenwood and his well-funded Stars-n-Stripes cars failed in three attempts in the 1970s. It would be another 20 years before a serious challenge was mounted, this time by Reeves Callaway, who earned a 2nd in GT2 in 1995 with his Corvette-based creations. Cunningham's first-in-class in 1960 wasn't duplicated until 2001, when the Pratt & Miller Corvette Racing juggernaut began its string of Le Mans class victories (and an incredible 4th overall in 2006). Yet within that 41-year drought, it was the Frenchbased Corvette of Henri Greder and Jean-Claude Aubriet that performed as well as any American team. Brakes have traditionally been the Corvette's Achilles heel at Le Mans, and Greder's more aerodynamic third-generation car was fully 20 mph faster than Guldstrand's '67 car, which further strained the brakes, yet somehow Aubriet was able to temper speed with endurance to at least finish the '73 event. The Frenchmen understood the unique challenge of the 8.36-mile Le Mans course, their French-based operation avoided the massive expense and logistical nightmare the American teams faced in getting their cars, supplies, and crews across the Atlantic, and their nationality skirted the insular nature ACO scrutineers sometimes showed to American entries. Many Corvette histories fail to mention this French Corvette connection, perhaps because it was not an American team and so had no real visibility in the States. But Henri Greder and Jean-Claude Aubriet admirably carried the Corvette torch at Le Mans from 1968 to 1973 with this car. And it could have been equally ignored on the auction block. But it wasn't. Even the restoration—geared toward vintage racing, rather than museum quality —did little to dampen the bidding enthusiasm, which reflects Greder and Aubriet's accomplishment. Even without a correct L88 engine, I call this very well sold indeed; it is perhaps the most successful European-raced Corvette in history, and has a story that deserves to be told. ■ (Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.) THOMAS GLATCH has been an automotive writer since 1983. His work has appeared in Corvette Fever, Corvette, Sports Car Market, and elsewhere. www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 23

C4 profile 1988 Corvette Challenge Race Car Since this car has nearly 9,000 hard-fought miles on the clock, the new owner can show it, coddle it, or drive it in anger on the track anytime he wants by John L. Stein Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner, future Corvette GTP driver Tommy Kendall, Juan Manuel Fangio II, future factory Corvette C5-R driver Andy Pilgrim, and this car's driver, Peter Cunningham, among many others. Technically, the Corvette Challenge Chassis number: 1G1YY2185J5113483 C hevrolet went racing with the Corvette in 1988, producing 56 cars for the inaugural season of the Powell Development America-inspired SCCA Corvette Challenge Series. The white coupe offered here is one of those original 56. The Challenge cars were identically outfitted with standard equipment, in- cluding the 245-hp cross-fire fuel injection engine, Doug Nash 4+3 manual transmission, Z51 Performance Handling Suspension package, AC3 6-Way Power Driver Seat, UU8 Delco-Bose Stereo, Z6A Side Window and Side Mirror Defog System, and 24S Blue Tint Glass Removable Roof Panel. After assembly in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the cars were modified for competition by Protofab of Wixom, Michigan, which installed racing seats, a full roll cage, onboard fire-extinguisher system, Bilstein shock absorbers, and special Dymag wheels. A rare and valuable factory race Corvette, this Corvette Challenge car was campaigned as number 76 and driven by Peter Cunningham. It has 8,838 miles and features its original factory white paint with Corvette Challenge Series decals, the GM/Protofab-installed roll bar, and special-issue Challenge Series Dymag wheels. CM Analysis This car sold for $42,200, including buyer's premium, at Mecum's Original Had I attended this auction, I would have needed a sedative to keep myself from Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 15, 2009. buying this car—especially at the price for which it sold. That's because it's a remnant of arguably the most exciting Corvette marketing program in history—the 1988–89 Corvette Challenge Series, which exposed the racing capabilities of a big field of C4 Corvettes to audiences in major demographic areas around North America. Built Corvette's name as a world-class sports car The high-speed, fender-rubbing competition helped build Corvette's reputation as a world-class sports car at a time when competition from Porsche's evolving 911 and 944 series, BMW's new M variants, and even the Mustang GT was heating up. Better still, the series attracted stars like Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, 24 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com cars weren't all that special, with principal differences including individually dyno-tested engines, the aftermarket racing wheels and suspension dampers, a roll cage, and a racing seat. But they carried a unique (and all-important) Chevrolet motorsports connection, and of course all the VINs were known and tracked. The Corvette Challenge powertrain was known as B9P, although this code was not offered as a regular production option. The cars were priced at $33,043 ($3,354 more than a base coupe), plus $15,000 for the Protofab race-prep work. The fourth-generation Corvette model (beginning in 1984 and ending in 1996) is generally held in low regard by collectors, with a few outstanding exceptions, including the Callaway Twin Turbo, the final 1995 version of the 32-valve ZR-1, the Grand Sport of 1996, and the Corvette Challenge race cars. With just Details Years Produced 1988–89 Number Produced 116 (56 in 1988, 60 in 1989) Original List Price $33,043 CM Valuation $26,500–$40,000 Tune-up $500 Distributor Cap $19.99 Chassis # Lower left windshield corner Engine # Right front cylinder head deck Club National Corvette Restorers Society 6291 Day Road Cincinnati, OH 45252 More www.ncrs.org Alternatives 1993 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351 1997–2003 Lotus Esprit V8 CM Investment Grade B Mecum Auctions

56 built for 1988 and another 60 built for 1989, they are about as rare as big-tank mid-years. Unlike those cars, however, they were built by Chevrolet for the express purpose of racing. On the auction circuit today, earlier Corvettes with special racing-oriented options (such as the big-brake '57 RPO 684, '60 RPO 687, and '63 RPO Z06) attract far higher bids, which makes the $42k this unit sold for seem like a relative bargain. Since this particular car already has nearly 9,000 hard-fought miles on the clock, the new owner can show it, coddle it, or drive it in anger on the track anytime he wants for the rest of his days on earth, and he'll scarcely degrade or damage it in any way; that is, unless he backs it into a wall. Attention and kudos wherever it goes Since the Challenge cars were essentially stock C4s, repair parts are readily available, and the car will attract conversation and kudos wherever it goes. Someday there may even be a vintage race just for Corvette Challenge cars, and when this happens it will likely meet with glowing success, a fond reflection of the late-'80s “Happy Days” period for Corvette. As an account executive on Chevrolet Motorsports advertising at the time of the Corvette Challenge Series, I attended a number of races and recall that the excitement was brilliantly high. Watching the pack of cars thunder into the first turn was dramatic and exciting stuff, and with big spectator counts and the prestige of a professional title on the line (Stu Hayner won a $100,000 bonus for taking the '88 championship), the drivers were all super-motivated. Energy was high in Warren, Michigan, as well, as the Chevrolet division was in- volved with Indy Cars (via the Ilmor-built Chevy V8 racing engine), the impending launch of the ZR-1, excitement over Corvette active-suspension prototypes, and various entries in the IMSA road racing series. These were heady times, and the Corvette Challenge Series ran high on the list for two years. About this car in particular: After learning it had been sold, I contacted Cunningham to ask his recollections. He drove the entire 1988 season in the car, which was owned by MPS Motorsports of Dayton, Ohio, and he earned one podium and finished in the top ten in all the other races, except for a mechanical DNF in the final race at St. Petersburg, Florida. With no serious shunts during the year, the car survived the series in reasonable shape. “It was an excellent series—a lot of pretty good drivers were in it, and it was unbelievably competitive,” he recalls. “Car setup was the only thing you could do. It was so critical to qualify up front, and your wheel alignment was critical to do this.” Cunningham knew about his old car being sold in Indy, but wasn't particularly sad to have missed it. “I never wished to own my race cars,” he said. “Tommy Kendall had his Challenge car, and Bill Auberlen collects his old cars. Two of my World Challenge cars are in the Honda museum, and that's enough for me.” Two words summarize my feelings about this Corvette: Well bought. ■ (Introductory description courtesy of Mecum Auctions.) www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 25

C5 profile 2003 Z06 Hard Top While Corvette has always been about performance to some level, not everyone wants a bare-bones bone-shaker—or even a clutch pedal by B. Mitchell Carlson Chassis number: 1G1YY12S035121160 W hen Chevrolet revisited its past to introduce a new Z06 two-door hard top in 2001, it also added $7,000 to the base car's $40,475 sticker price. The new Z06 offered a new, more powerful engine, the 386-hp LS6. The LS6 had a new block, new intake and exhaust manifolds, new cylinder heads, unique camshaft profile, and higher capacity fuel injector. All Z06s had titanium exhaust systems and came with 6-speed transmissions. They didn't have run-flat tires or a tire pressure monitoring system, but they did carry a larger front sway bar and stiffer rear springs. Interiors were leather, and the tach redlined at 6,500 rpm, instead of the LS1's 6,000 rpm. By 2003, horsepower was up to 405 hp. This car features Quicksilver exterior paint—an original Z06 color—black leather interior, memory package, electrochromatic mirrors, head-up display, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, and more; it is described as having every option. It also has an aftermarket Borla exhaust, exhaust panel dress-up plate, and tinted rear window. It has never seen rain and has been stored inside. CM Analysis This car was bid to $19,000 and did not sell at Mecum's annual auction in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 18, 2009. With new-car dealers begging for sales, GM on fed- eral life support, and the government prodding us with the “cash for clunkers” program—all occurring during the timeframe of this auction—it was a lousy time to try to sell a C5 Corvette, and especially a Z06. While the Z06 cost substantially more than the stan- dard Corvette when new, today resale values have all but reached parity. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons is due to the march of technology. The base-level C6, when introduced in 2005, reached near equality to the C5 Z06 in the horsepower race in one fell swoop. And it could be had with a slushbox transmission option. 26 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com

Details Years Produced 2003 Number Produced 8,635 Original List Price $51,155 CM Valuation $27,500–$36,900 Tune-up $350 Ignition Coil $68 x 8 Chassis # Driver's side dash at windshield Engine # Pad forward of cylinder head on right side Club National Corvette Restorers Society 6291 Day Road Cincinnati, OH 45252 More www.ncrs.org Alternatives 2003 Corvette 50th Anniversary coupe 2006 Corvette Z06 1995 Corvette ZR-1 CM Investment Grade C It took a year for the Z06 to get back to the top of the horsepower heap in 2006, with 505 ponies. Today, we are back to the current state-of-the- art Z06 playing second fiddle again, now to the ZR1. Indeed, several automotive pundits in all forms of media will tell you that the best choices in a C6 are the ZR1 and the base model (even inclusive of the new 2010 Grand Sport), and that the Z06 is the caboose in the train. The base model has similar performance for less money, and the ZR1 is the Götterdammerung of performance on a global market basis that puts it in the top ten list of all performance cars—money be damned. This gives the impression of the Z06 being something of a compromise. The hard top proved to be unpopular In addition, the C5 Z06 could only be had with one body style: the close-coupled hard top coupe. It proved to be an unpopular body; it had the fewest sales in the years that all three body styles were available in the base model before the hard top was made Z06-only. The hard top has the same interior as the convertible, with severely limited in-cabin storage. While this is tolerable for the drop top (hey, you could just lower the roof to take home those 2x4s you bought at Home Depot), the hard top is good only for a weekend's set of maps in the cockpit and Barbie-doll-sized luggage in the trunk. When I was shopping for a C5, the hard top in any flavor was flat-out off my list, as I prefer to have some access to the rear cargo area while on the road (such as reaching behind the seat for a can of pop in the cooler). And I like the cargo-swallowing abilities of the hatchback. (As an aside, I've always had an issue with the nam- ing conventions on the hard top vs. the coupe on the C5 and C6 Corvettes. I feel the hard top is actually more of a close-coupled coupe, something of a 21st century three-window coupe, and it should've been named so, yet hard top stuck, denoting a plastic version of the rag top that doesn't move. Along those lines, the coupe www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 27 should've been called the fastback that it really is. Actually, as far as the SAE is concerned, it's truly a hatchback, but the Corvette marketing folks would probably have me drawn and quartered for even suggesting that.) One thing I don't see affecting Z06 (or any late-model Corvette) values is GM's current precarious position. The heritage, general demand, and aftermarket parts support make it the one vehicle that, even if GM was to be shut down totally today, would be supported beyond our lifetimes by a number of different entities. This is regardless of flavor or vintage of Corvette. Not everyone wants a bare-bones bone-shaker The final market influencer is that fewer creature comforts could be had on the C5 version of the Z06. Several of the features (TPS) and options (selective ride control) were not available with the Z06, and the ones that were (such as Memory Package) were only available à la carte. While Corvette has always been about performance to some level, not everyone wants a bare-bones bone-shaker—or even a clutch pedal—on a regular basis. All of this has led to a situation that in some cases means that a well-optioned base-level convertible or coupe can be worth more than a Z06. Our featured car died on the block pretty much at the lower end of dealer wholesale. Kelley Blue Book, for example, pegs wholesale value between $19,550 and $20,550. Needless to say, as this was the second-to-last car to cross the auction block, only dealers hoping to score a good deal on some fresh meat and lookie-loos were around, so dealer wholesale pricing applied. Further up the food chain, KBB puts the private party value in the $23,000 range, and retail at $26,685. Other price guides are also in this ballpark (including Corvette Market's). This means, value-wise, it runs shoulder to shoulder with a commensuratemile 50th Anniversary coupe and is actually cheaper than the drop top Anniversary car. As I mentioned, this Z06's position in the auction also hurt it; it was essentially a deal killer. Late-model cars at collector car auctions are usually ignored by potential buyers. Most folks came to try to get a GTO or '66 Mustang, so a Z06 is seen as a case of “I bought it because I missed the Chevelle I wanted, it was cheap, and I had $20k burning a hole in my pocket.” If the consignor had it either at the beginning or at least further from the end of the sale, there would have been more folks around to potentially bite. Since a 2003 Z06 can easily be found on a used car lot or at a dealer auction, why hang around for it? Most would search for one on eBay or Craigslist when they get home. All of this is not to say that these are cars to avoid. In fact, the Z06 is an excellent buy in the most-bang-for-your-buck performance category—especially right now. If you want a purer performance car or track car, a C5 Z06 is money well spent. However, just as with any car, and especially with those produced in relatively large numbers, buy for love, not for future investment. ■ B. MITCHELL CARLSON covers two dozen auctions a year, and his writing appears regularly in Old Cars Weekly, Kelley Blue Book, Sports Car Market, and elsewhere. His daily driver is a C5 coupe.

C6 by Geoff Archer 2005 Corvette coupe #180401682547. S/N 1G1YY24U555100554. Black/black leather. Odo: 57,000 miles. 20 Photos. Garden Grove, CA.”SUPERCHARGED!! Between 550-600 HP. Racing Sparco seats with harness. Racing Headers, Racing Exaust, Custom Racing Wheels (19” back, 18” front) HUD (heads up display) DVD, Navigation, 6 speed... Professionaly lowered, 4 inch Cal Hood. Windshield has crack. Small minor dent in front. If you have the need for SPEED this is the PERFECT CAR!!! Check Engine light is on because of the modifications. Airbag light is on because the original seats were taken out (never deployed). Car drives like a dream.” 8 bids, sf 12. Cond: 3-. CM Analysis SOLD AT $23,000. Though rough around the edges and finished like a theft recovdon't try to resell it anytime soon, or I'll rescind my slightly well bought judgment. 2006 Corvette coupe #110433780984. S/N 1G1YY25U265125881. Velocity Yellow /black leather. Odo: 15,700 miles. 6 Photos. Fort Collins, CO. Original Owner. “Pristine condition with no known nicks, dents, or scratches. 6 speed manual transmission, Z51 high performance package. 15,700 mostly highway miles. Always garaged and stored in the winter. LS2 V8 engine with 400 HP. We just got back from a trip to Minnesota and got 28 miles to the gallon! You will love this fabulous sports car!” 9 bids, sf 157. Cond: 2. could have saved a couple grand buying one of three or four other C6s on eBay, you would have paid for that choice with 20k–30k more miles. Well found (and bought). 2007 Corvette Z06 Ron Fellows Edition coupe #170383060236. S/N 1G1YY26E175132006. Arctic White & Monterey Red/red & black leather. Odo: 3,000 miles. 4 (terrible) Photos. Saugus, CA. “First introduced at the Feb.1st, 2007 Chicago Auto Show. The Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Z06 was honored and was the first signed limited edition in Corvette history. A total of 399 were built. 300 were built for the U.S., 33 for Canadian market and 66 for export market. This is car #227. This is the only Arctic white ever offered in the history of the C6 Z06's history! Garaged in Southern California and has never been washed. Purchased and maintained to be a collectable car.” 1 bid, sf 18. Cond: 2. CM Analysis SOLD AT $58,000. There are plenty of customary “never beens” in car sales—never be a clay bar in that explanation somewhere. Regardless, this rare sale defines market price for lowmileage Ron Fellows Edition Z06s. 2008 Corvette ZHZ Hertz Edition coupe #200375117608. S/N 1G1YY26W885130084. Velocity Yellow & black/black leather. Odo: 17,167 miles. 23 Photos. Orangevale, CA. One of 500. “Damaged on the front and back... runs and drives... has a California Salvage Certificate and is sold AS-IS. It is currently not registered. The buyer will have to register it in his state of residence, which may or may not involve some extra steps compared to registering a clean title car.” Damage does not correspond to any of the more famous Hertz car wipeouts: fireball in Atlanta in December '08, driving into the restaurant in Dallas in July '08, etc. 1 Buy-It-Now bid, sf 721. Cond: 4. CM Analysis SOLD AT $18,000. Like the prom queen going home with the quarterback, or the fat kid getting a job at McDonald's, there is something so perfectly inevitable about a shredded rental 'Vette. Sure would be funny if you brought this out on the show circuit as-is. Does Chevy VetteFest have a “Best Comedy” category? Barring that, I hope the new owner parted it out, because fixing it up (with a salvage title at this price) would never be profitable. ■ been raced, never been wrecked, never been abused.... Never been washed? There must CM Analysis SOLD AT $27,000. A car doesn't have to be a bargain to be well bought. While you ery, this blown beast represented a ton of bang for your buck. Keep wailing on it and A Selection of C6s that sold recently on eBay mini profiles Condition inferred from seller's descriptions; cars were not physically examined by the author. All quoted material taken from the eBay listings. sf=seller's feedback; bf=buyer's feedback Sure would be funny if you brought this out on the show circuit as-is. Does Chevy VetteFest have a “Best Comedy” category? 28 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com

Market Report Overview Summer Corvette Sales Hit $6.4m Recent sales reflected a buyer's market, but good cars with documentation continued to bring high prices by Jim Pickering E arly to mid-summer sales saw the Corvette market continue to be a tricky place for both buyers and sellers alike. And as has been the case for the better part of the last year, the majority of auctions around the globe struggled to match their totals from a year ago. It's been a buyer's market for Corvettes, and although a number of cars sold over the summer months still brought good prices, many individual sales continued to hinge on sellers being flexible in regard to their pricing. Mecum's Bloomington Gold auction is the largest all- Corvette auction in the world, with around 300 Corvettes crossing the block each June alongside Bloomington Gold's annual Corvette show and judging field. Senior Auction Analyst B. Mitchell Carlson was joined by Auction Analysts Dan Grunwald and Mark Rudnick on the ground at the event, where 117 of 274 cars sold for a final total of $5.8m. By the numbers, last year's $8.7m from 131 of 192 cars looked much more favorable than the results achieved this year, but all three of CM's reporters noted a number of decent prices achieved for every generation of Corvette—at least in terms of the current market. The sale was led by a 1968 Corvette L88 coupe at $318k, with other strong sales including a 1957 283/283 fuelie convertible at $90,100, a 1991 Callaway Twin-Turbo Speedster at $121,900, and the “First of the Sixties” 1960 283/290 fuelie convertible at $275,000. A fair number of high-profile one-off and rare optioned Top Ten Sales This Issue 1. 1968 Corvette L88 427/430 coupe, $318,000—Lot# S119, p. 42 2. 1960 Corvette 283/290 convertible, $275,000—Lot# S60, p. 34 3. 1963 Corvette 327/360 coupe, $153,700—Lot# S63, p. 38 (BG) 4. 1991 Corvette Callaway Speedster, $121,900—Lot# F57, p. 52 5. 1966 Corvette 427/425 convertible, $111,150—Lot# 243, p. 62 6. 1964 Corvette GM Styling coupe, $106,000—Lot# S108.1, p. 38 7. 1960 Corvette 283/230 convertible, $95,400—Lot# S70, p. 36 8. 1957 Corvette 283/283 convertible, $90,100—Lot# S57, p. 34 9. 1957 Corvette 283/270 convertible, $84,800—Lot# S62, p. 34 10. 1957 Corvette 283/283 convertible, $82,150—Lot# S139, p. 66 Best Buys 1. 1969 Corvette 427/400 coupe, $74,200— Lot# S82, p. 44 2. 1970 Corvette 350/370 LT-1 coupe, $34,450—Lot# S95, p. 44 3. 1981 Corvette coupe, $15,370— Lot# S43, p. 48 cars were also available at this year's event, all of which were good indicators of the condition of the top of the market. The majority of these failed to sell, including the 1963 “Harley Earl” 327/300 convertible which stalled at $985k, the 1967 “Bill Mitchell” 427/400 convertible—built for Bill Mitchell's wife by Zora Arkus-Duntov—which was bid to an insufficient $675k, and a 1967 427/435 coupe ordered by Ed Cole for his neighbor, which failed to find new ownership at $550k. A 1971 ZR2 coupe also joined this group, going unsold at $500k after selling at last year's event for $550k. In each of these cases, the expected money was simply higher than the final bid price, and while each of these cars' rarity and condition makes it easy to understand why their sellers held fast to their reserves, it'll be difficult for those sellers to find higher prices anywhere else anytime soon. The same trends seen at Bloomington held true CM 1–6 Scale Condition Rating: 1: National concours standard/perfect 2: Very good, club concours, some small flaws 3: Average daily driver in decent condition 4: Still a driver but with some apparent flaws 5: A nasty beast that runs but has many problems 6: Good only for parts throughout the rest of the auction world, with buyers showing themselves to be even more picky when it came 4. 1990 Corvette ZR-1 coupe, $17,225— Lot# F18, p. 50 5. 1974 Corvette 350/195 coupe, $5,300— Lot# F108, p. 66 to both condition and documentation than they were just a year ago. A fair number of no-sales again showed buyers and sellers were not always seeing eye to eye, but again, a variety of cars brought solid prices, including a 1978 350/185 coupe that sold for $14k at VanDerBrink's Iola sale in July, a 1994 coupe that brought $18,550 at Mecum's Des Moines sale in July, and a 1966 427/425 convertible that sold at $111,150 at Bonhams & Butterfields' Greenwich sale in June. Recent sales have shown that buyers are still will- ing to pay decent money for the most original and most well-documented cars they can find, but they've also shown that with all Corvettes—both high end and entry level—a current market-correct expectation on the part of the seller has become vital in making a deal. ■ 30 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL Bloomington Gold Corvette Auction Most of the C1 through C3 models were hit and miss on the selling front— with more of an emphasis on the miss than on the hit Company Mecum Auctions Date June 26–27, 2009 Location St. Charles, Illinois Auctioneers Mark Delzell, Mike Hagerman, Jim Landis & Bobby McLaughlin Corvettes sold / offered 117/274 Sales rate 43% Sales total $5,858,752 High sale 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 coupe, sold at $318,000 Buyer's premium Pace Cars sold well in St. Charles Report and photos by B. Mitchell Carlson, Dan Gruwald, and Mark Rudnick; intro by B. Mitchell Carlson Market opinions in italics M ecum Auctions retained its title of having the largest all-Corvette auction in the world during Bloomington Gold, which is held each June at Pheasant Run Resort and Spa in St. Charles, Illinois. However, this year's event seemed to be off a beat as far as sales were concerned, with final totals dropping from last year's $8.7m to this year's $5.8m. It almost seemed like a repeat of Mecum's Spring Classic the month before in Indianapoils, where the big guns were brought out to be sold with much fanfare, but like that event, when all was said and done, the big-ticket items in large part went home in the same trailers. The venue could hardly be blamed for this result, as the big change this year was to put the auction in the MegaCenter on the Pheasant Run grounds. This was adjacent to the event's usual tent location, and indeed the car staging wasn't all that different from previous years. The major benefit for those at the auction was that it was in this air-conditioned building, rather than the typically sultry tent. Previously, the MegaCenter had vendors in it, but this year, half of them were moved to an air-conditioned tent in the vendors' area, with Corvette Market magazine still holding down the fort outside at two locations—in the swapmeet, and out in the judging field. Holding the auction inside was a welcome innovation, and it allowed easy conditions for the shooting of Mecum's live television broadcast of the event on HD Theater. Most of the C1 through C3 models were hit Corvette Sales Total $12m $10m $8m $6m $4m $2m 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 32 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com and miss on the selling front—with more of an emphasis on the miss than on the hit. That being said, solid prices were still achieved for many, including a 1957 283 fuelie convertible that brought $90,100, a 283/290 fuelie convertible—the first production 1960 Corvette—which brought $275k, and an L88 coupe that was the high sale of the event at $318k. Low-mile C4s sold fairly well, and most of the cars offered here were low-mile examples, which is indicative of the types of cars that are selling in today's market, with folks buying the best quality examples they can afford. Additionally, if you wanted a red 1990 ZR-1, this was the place to be. Not only were there plenty to choose from, but they were selling for just a touch more than a nice base-model 1990—if not less. Also on the C4 front, limited-edition packages—especially Pace Cars—did rather well if they had minimal miles. One that really got knocked out of the park was a 16-mile 1995 edition, bringing home the bacon at $38,160 on Friday, backed up by an 8,864-mile twin fetching $26,500 on Saturday. By the numbers, this year's $5.8m for 117 of 274 didn't compare favorably with last year's $8.7m for 131 of 292, but at nearly $6m sold, the sky is hardly falling in the Corvette market. Come October, during the company's Fall Classic on these very grounds, we'll see if this was just a speed bump for the top end of the market. ■ $300 up to $5,499, $500 up to $9,999, 6% thereafter, included in sold prices

Market Report C1 #F54-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E54S001775. Polo White/red vinyl. Odo: 51,009 miles. 235-ci 150-hp straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Older repaint starting to show cracks, body typically wavy through- Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Variable gaps on hood and trunk, some misfit and dents on left side spear trim. Wavy paint on hood, light pitting on side window trim. Top shows storage dirt. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $73,140. Last seen here last year, where it sold at $87,675 (CM# 45560). This car was awarded Bloomington Gold status in 1994, and it was just starting to show a little age to that level of restoration. Although below the level it sold at the last time around, I'd call this a fair price in this market. TOP 10 #8 out. Speaker emblem missing, steering wheel cracked, chrome still excellent. Flat headlight grilles. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $54,060. An older restoration just starting to show its age, and still a showstopper despite my nit picking. Market price for condition. #S74-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E54S002408. Red/red vinyl. Odo: 4,837 miles. 235-ci 150-hp straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Nice paint with one crack above left headlight. Very good trim fit, chrome unmarked and shows well. Detailed engine #S57-1957 CORVETTE CHEVROLET convertible. S/N E57S192583. Venetian Red/red vinyl. Odo: 26 miles. 283-ci 283-hp fuel-injected V8, 3-sp. Fresh restoration. All new high-qual lenses cracked, wiper scratches to windshield. Good seats, generally aged interior. Rear frame has significant rust holes on both sides. Parish plastics vintage hard top. Cond: 4. SOLD AT $28,620. Apparently Pontiac wasn't the only marque with a Swiss Cheese frame. Current owner for 21 years said it was just time to let it go. I hope the new owner looked it over well, as the needs were far too many to call this a bargain. #S59-1959 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N J59S108369. Crown Sapphire & dark blue/blue vinyl. Odo: 38,270 miles. 283-ci 290-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Offered for sale by the second owner, who has had it two years. Very original except for cove color and two-tone seats added by original owner. ity paint and chrome, including windshield surround. Pitted antenna, hood latch doesn't release on right side. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $90,100. This Corvette was well restored and had a great look, and up close, it was hard to fault. Still, I'd consider it well sold at the price paid. TOP 10 #9 #S62-1957 CORVETTE CHEVROLET convertible. S/N E57S106303. Black & silver/black vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 1,743 miles. 283-ci 270hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. New chrome, good paint with a few flaws and some orange peel. Driver's Older partial repaint on left quarter panel with correct carb tags. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $75,260. Corvettes from 1953 and 1954 don't provide the greatest driving experience due to their lack of power (compared to the V8s that came later) and an automatic transmission, but this was a car I would have loved to put in my own garage. Beautifully done throughout, and both well bought and sold. #S83.1-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E54S002008. Pennant Blue/tan canvas/tan vinyl. Odo: 513 miles. 235-ci from old surface damage. Engine shows some rust and paint chipping, but it's said to be all original. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $105,000. Originally had white coves. The consignor was present throughout the sale to explain all the known history of this car to potential bidders, but even so, it wasn't enough to generate a bid he was comfortable with. It's hard to visualize any better future offers in this market. door handle button very loose, antenna pitted, gas door doesn't open. New interior with thick dash paint. Right door panel trim hangs loose, right roll-up window doesn't fit at top. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $84,800. A good looker with some minor flaws, but most of the issues noted would be easy to fix over the course of a weekend. Well bought and sold. #F3-1959 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N J59S107701. Silver/silver hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 47,559 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Some paint chips, trim dented and showing some attachment issues. Cracking weatherstripping around windshield, pitting and wear to chrome around windows, taillight 34 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com TOP 10 #2 #S60-1960 CORVETTE CHEVROLET convertible. S/N 00867S100001. White/white vinyl & hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 13 miles. 283-ci 290hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Very good paint and chrome with one single chip by gas door. Good panel and trim fit, no hubcap dents. Interior completely redone with reproduction materials and showing no wear. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL $275,000. Last seen at Mecum's Indy sale in May '09, where it failed to sell at $290k (CM# 120506). High quality and expensive restoration to the first 1960 Corvette off the line. It's not likely it looked this good when GM built it. Across the block, it was not sold at $290,000, but a deal was put together post-block at this number. There will only be one first, but this seemed a bit over the top for what was basically a run-of-the-mill 1960 fuelie. TOP 10 #7 #S70-1960 CORVETTE CHEVROLET convertible. S/N 00867S107896. Cascade Green & white/white vinyl/blue vinyl. Odo: 21,142 miles. 283-ci 230-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Good paint with no major issues. New chrome, interior, and top. Filled right side mirror holes, good trim fit. Gas door fit rough even for a C1. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $95,400. A nice car with a base engine that just didn't pop for me. Very few flaws, but not much excitement, either. The bidders liked it, and someone paid an overmarket price to own it. Well sold. #S110-1960 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 00867S103047. Ermine White/black canvas & white hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 10,495 miles. 283-ci 230-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. A low-mile Corvette with original paint, both tops, and factory chrome, interior, and drivetrain. Non-DOT tires, T-3 headlamps. Paint shows less cracking than expected, trim shows several small dents. Interior seats cracked through the surface. Rust and paint loss on engine. Bloomington Gold certification, Top Flight and Bowtie awards. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $150,000. This car's condition was incredible for a 59-year-old original. A one-of-a-kind in this shape, but it went back home after the seller turned down an impressive bid on the block. Condition and originality are everything when it comes to Corvettes, but at the end of the day, this one didn't have the options to make what the seller wanted. 36 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com carb. Gas door fit a bit worse than typically seen. Comes with two tops. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $48,760. Fresh red paint, good hubcaps, a 4-speed, and two tops—ready for a sunshine cruise with your best girl. It's odd that the fuelinjection system which had been removed at some point in the past was not re-installed, as the correct unit would certainly have raised the final bid here. #S48.1-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S112464. Maroon/ black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 41,257 miles. 327-ci 340-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Couple of paint scratches and pinholes, new chrome. Windshield delamination on both sides, grinding mark on passenger's side window frame. Undercarriage detailed to factory specs, engine shows some surface dirt and greasy finger door panel coming loose. Newer 350-ci engine and Hurst shifter. Said to be an original fuelie car. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $34,450. A somewhat quick fluff-and-buff restoration here, but it still looked like a good 15-foot driver. With some documentation and the proper injection unit, this could have brought substantially more, but as it sat, it sold well. #F62-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S102449. Red/red vinyl & hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 44,381 miles. 327ci 360-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. New paint, interior, and most chrome. Micropitting on windshield surround, several trim dents noted. Originally a fuel-injection car, now fitted with a 4-bbl #S5-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S103161. White/ white hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 29,702 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Older paint shows chips, cracking, and masking lines, with large broken-out paint spot where right mirror was. Some trim dents, chrome generally good. Thick dye-painted padded dash with cracks at grab bar, splits in driver's seat cover, driver's prints. Dog dish hubcaps. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $51,410. There were few visible flaws in this car's 1992 restoration, and in the realm of straight-axle Corvettes, this is the easiest year and engine combo to live with. Well bought. #F52-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 30867S115124. Red/white vinyl & red hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 19,567 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Fresh, thick, shiny, red paint with a couple of small overbuffs. New chrome aftermarket radio, dull console and armrest chrome trim. New wind- shield and surround chrome, rattle-can engine detail and thick undercarriage paint. Lots of Armor-All on tires. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $37,000. Is beauty more than skin deep here? There appeared to be a number of shortcuts taken, but it looked really good at ten feet. If it drives out well, this would have been a decent price for both parties, but the seller was still looking for more. C2 #S25-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 30837S102897. Ermine White/ blue vinyl. Odo: 21,028 miles. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Good paint and chrome, sanding scratches on rear glass and buffedthrough spot on headlight bucket. Clean engine, exterior shows some poor masking and trim fit areas. Interior with weak armrest

Market Report TOP 10 #3 #S63-1963 CORVETTE Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL chrome and tear in driver's seat back that appears to have been caused by a back pocket screwdriver. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $67,310. A fuelie Split-Window that was said to have matching numbers. I would have liked to have seen more documentation on the originality of the engine, but if all was as advertised, I'd call this well bought. CHEVROLET coupe. S/N 39837S101194. Red/black Vinyl. Odo: 1 mile. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Fresh restoration to very high standards. Driver's door gap a bit wide at top, visible door trim dent on passenger's door. Top Flight Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $55,650. 1964 coupes sometimes have a hard time finding love, as there's no Split-Window, and not as much was updated as in '65. Still, this one found a new owner at a decent price pretty easily, and that can be chalked up to the quality of the work done. award in 2009. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $153,700. Perhaps over-restored, because it was just too good throughout to be factory original. However, it's a Split-Window fuelie, and the $153k sale price further supports the quality of the work done. #S100-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE “Harley Earl” convertible. S/N N/A. Blue/ blue & white leather. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Some discoloration to side exhaust pipes. A custom-built car given to Harley Earl by GM. Fitted with numerous components that were never available in 1963 as well as lots of parts that were never available to the public. Normal glove box door fitted with accelerometer, inside and outside air temp gauges, and TOP 10 #6 #S108.1-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE “Ozzie Olson” GM Styling coupe. S/N 40837S104833. Blue/white leather. Odo: 51,031 miles. 327ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Factory a/c. New bright blue metallic repaint in the original color done well. Grille original, chrome shows well for age. Fitted with six taillights, chrome wire knockoff wheels, and reproduced GM Survivor certified, with mileage said to be actual. Claimed to be totally original, but there was at least a partial repaint at some point. This bid was a bit under the money for a Survivor, even in this market. #F115-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S100853. Maroon/ black vinyl & hard top/white vinyl. Odo: 51,577 miles. 327-ci 365-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Visible bubbles, chips, and cracks in paint. Bumpers rechromed over flaws, pitting on door handles, #F53-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 40837S116925. Silver/silver leather. Odo: 85 miles. 327-ci 365-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Right door and headlight gaps appear wide. Fresh body-off restoration with new paint, interior, and highly detailed engine. mirrors, and some trim. Interesting glued-on vinyl over cracks in door panels. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $50,000. This looked like it might have been a decent driver. The former owner looked to have done some budget resto work, but the work showed that he seemed to care about the car—and at the $50k bid, it was clear he cared about the car more than the money. styling sidepipes. Blue color coming off tires, original leather seats show age, paint is starting to come off radio speaker. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $106,000. From the McDorman Collection. The Ozzie Olson styling car built by GM. Started here as lot F56, and later sold as lot S108.1. GM styling cars are hard to come by, and although this one needed a bit of work to be perfect, the price paid was reasonable considering this car's rarity and documentation. an oil temp gauge. Custom two-tone interior and sidepipes also special to this car. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $985,000. This car was built in an era when the factory could compete with Winfield, Roth, and Barris in the custom car field. Although the factory's stuff was not as radical, GM's cars were built for daily transport use rather than just for show. With the heavy hand of government involved, cars like this will never happen again. This was a lot of money bid, but as they say, go find another. 38 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com #F112-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S113048. Yellow/ black vinyl & hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 76,006 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Chips, nicks, cracks and touch-ups to paint. Exterior chrome has light pitting and scrapes, chrome missing in places on air cleaner. Rusty master cylinder, some surface rust and driving dirt on engine and related components. Fitted with a/c, sidepipes, and tinted glass. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $52,000. Bloomington #S71-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194375S111919. White/white & blue vinyl. Odo: 85,112 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Good paint with light buffthrough on door edges and variable panel fit. Fitted with tinted glass, a/c, sidepipes, knockoffs, and Goldline tires. Some side glass scratching and side window trim dents. Detailed engine compartment, thick crackled paint on steering box. Chrome shows some subsurface flaws. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $53,000. Last seen at Mecum's Kissimmee sale in January '08, where it sold at $58,275 (CM# 49078). Tinted

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL glass looks great on Ermine White car, and this one was a great high-end driver with good options and an easy-to-live-with 300-hp engine. Well bought and sold. #S93-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S122825. Milano Maroon/black canvas & maroon hard top/ white vinyl. Odo: 21,450 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Some paint chips and bubbles, scratches on rear bumper. Pitting on inside of vent window trim, chips to console paint, wear on right door panel. Some wires hang low under dash. Clean engine. Fitted with in fiberglass at headlight corner and hood bulge. Fitted with knockoffs, Goldlines, and sidepipes. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $65,000. The 390-hp 427 is one of the most usable bigblock engine options, and it should make this a good and dependable driver for the owner to enjoy while he waits for a stronger bid. #F58-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Grand Sport Replica roadster. S/N 30867S110973. Blue/blue vinyl. Odo: 25 miles. 427-ci 500-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Dick Thompson/Roger Penske Grand Sport replica. Nice paint with lots of custom race car equipment and modifications. Only chrome is on telescopic wheel, two tops, and alloy wheels with Goldline tires. Said to have original miles, one repaint, and two owners. Good documentation. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $47,170. Original cars continue to be strong, and this one was a decent buy considering the options, mileage, and condition, and despite the base engine and automatic transmission. #S7-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S124010. Silver/white vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 79,974 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Dull, faded old paint with many visible panel lines, aged chrome, OK trim. Torn seats, tired and dirty interior, dingy engine with some stock parts missing. inset door handles, and it shows some pitting. Fake Halibrand-style knockoff wheels fitted. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $64,660. This car looked too good to race, but it will make a great display piece in someone's collection. A decent deal for both parties. Blows oil smoke from exhaust. Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $31,000. Said to be original and it was... kind of. Some repaints were noted upon closer inspection, including driver's door and back on left side, and all of it needed attention. Many components were replaced or were in need of replacement. If sold, it would need to be re-restored, and this was all the money. #S107-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N N/A. Nassau Blue/white canvas/white vinyl. Odo: 61,285 miles. 427-ci 390hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Some chips and bubbles in paint, few pits and scratches in chrome. Cracks 40 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com #F105-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S110844. Ermine White & red/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 45,543 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Chrome and interior good, paint shows slight aging with hood corner cracking and some light front-end driving chips. Chrome around vent panes starting to become pitted, windshield just starting to delaminate. Screw missing and some chips and mask lines on console plate, roughness on steering wheel hub. Very wide driver's door panel fit at glass, torn fan shroud with newer fan and pulley. Tank sticker. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $140,000. Ermine White and red on a 435 is a rare and desirable color combination, and sidepipes just added to the appeal. Awarded two Top Flight Awards, and it was just starting to show age throughout. 435hp cars have taken a pretty serious hit in the marketplace, with recent examples of decent driver-quality cars selling below the $100k mark. I'd call this a current market-correct bid considering the condition, color, documentation, and awards. #S31-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194377S114393. Elkhart Blue/blue vinyl. Odo: 72,241 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4bbl, auto. Fresh paint with high metallic content, new chrome. Some dirt on seats, wrinkles and misfit to driver's seat. Wiper arms are not typical of Corvette production. Clean engine with correct hoses and some extra wiring, taped-up radiator, overflow tank puttied near the neck. Fitted with power windows, headrests, a/c, and Redline tires. Undercarriage clean but not factory detailed. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $42,400. Last seen at Mecum's Kansas City sale in December '06, where it sold at $60,900 (CM# 43757). This car's condition had not changed in the three years since it last appeared at auction, but the market had, and while the last price achieved was considered fair at the time, now as a noreserve car, it brought a price in line with the current market. #S48-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S115864. Silver & black/black vinyl/silver vinyl. Odo: 6,178 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. LT-1 engine conversion. Newer paint and chrome, visible prep flaws at right door, variable panel fit, some trim scratches. Modern teak wheel, new interior with dents in seat trim. Speakers cut into in kick panels for new radio. Fitted with a/c. Big-block stinger hood and sidepipes. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $58,300. A decent conversion to a more modern drivetrain, but there's no real power advantage with the

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL 300-horsepower LT-1. Great color combination with Redlines and alloys, and a good driver for the money. #S49-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S110424. Black/white vinyl/white vinyl. Odo: 65,601 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Some flaws in generally very good paint, crack on headlight bucket, on alloy wheels. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $675,000. Specially ordered for GM designer Bill Mitchell's wife Marian by Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov. Not too far from stock, but the extras and the Bill Mitchell history make this COPO '67 a rare one. Again, an expensive bid, but it's the only one. C3 couple of bubbles noted elsewhere. Door gaps a bit wide. Chrome around vent windows pitted, dent in windshield surround, some yellowing on window crank knobs in interior. NCRS Top Flight at 98.2 points in 2007. Documented with window sticker, Protect-O-Plate, sales invoice, and title. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $77,500. A base 300-hp convertible in a great color combination with the right awards and a load of documentation. Could have sold for this bid with no regrets. #S105-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE “Ed Cole” coupe. S/N 194377S118305. Goodwood Green/saddle vinyl. Odo: 46,661 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Claimed factory L89 engine with aluminum heads and 3.55:1 Positraction. Good newer paint and chrome, “like new” interior with some repair to driver's headrest. 1996 Bloomington Gold certification. Includes copy of original order and invoice. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $550,000. A very authentic factory COPO car ordered by Ed Cole for his neighbor. It was one of the stars of this sale and was expected to bring over the $550k final bid, but that's a hefty price to pay in this market, even considering its rarity and provenance. “Bill #S102-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Mitchell” convertible. S/N 194677S117714. Ermine White/red vinyl. Odo: 83,731 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2bbl, auto. New paint and interior, some seat cover wrinkles, misfit carpet at console. Fitted with telescopic wheel, two tops, sidepipes, a/c, power steering, and power brakes. Clean engine, painted A-arms and red paint accents 42 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Collection. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $20,670. Last seen at Mecum's Indy sale in May '09, where it failed to sell at $23,000 (CM# 120505). This 1968 base engine coupe's value lies in its celebrity ownership, as a base engine automatic coupe with a/c was hardly the hot Corvette in 1968—arguably the height of the muscle car era. Given its current condition and configuration, this was a fair price. #F135-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194378S413729. Silverstone Silver/dark blue vinyl. Odo: 70,504 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior paint, panel fit, and chrome very nice. Glass in good Engine area presents as factory original and is in very good condition, with some aging evident. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $318,000. This highly original, largely unrestored 1968 L88 coupe came with a Protect-O-Plate and owner history back to day one. A documented original L88 in this condition would probably have brought more a year ago, but this is the current market level. #F110-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S712060. LeMans Blue/ bright blue leather. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior paint, panel fit, chrome, and glass in good condition. Metal rivets that hold bonding strips to metal support between hood and headlamps are starting to pop up, indicating a corrosion problem which wasn't addressed before the repaint. Windshield is aftermarket replacement. Interior in good condition, seat covers upgraded from original vinyl to leather, #F60-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194378S414314. Silverstone Silver/blue vinyl. Odo: 43,426 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Once owned by Apollo 13 Astronaut Jim Lovell. Exterior paint, chrome, and glass all in good condition, body panel fit is factory typical. Interior original and moderately aged and worn, engine compartment unrestored. Presents as an unmolested but aged driver. From the Bob McDorman condition, replacement windshield fitted. Interior presents nicely, with replacement seat covers and original seat belts. Engine compartment appears factory original, with AIR system in place. A high level driver. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $18,500. This 1968 base engine coupe was in very good condition and came with some documentation, service records, and new radial tires. A turn-key early Shark car that needed nothing to be enjoyed and proudly driven. In its current condition, it could have brought a few thousand dollars more to the table. #S119-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE L88 coupe. S/N 194378S413628. International Blue/ dark blue vinyl. Odo: 23,820 miles. 427-ci 430hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. One of 80 produced with the L88 engine option. Very original and mostly unrestored. Exterior paint in good condition with a few minor blemishes, chrome and glass very nice. Interior nice but shows aging—particularly at door panels and weatherstripping. TOP 10 #1

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL and Hurst shifter has replaced the original unit. Engine area factory original, AIR system missing. Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $37,500. Restored, but without attention to originality and detail. According to the trim tag, the seats should be vinyl and the engine stamp pad indicates the engine is a 390-hp unit with a single 4-bbl carburetor. In its current condition, the high bid of $37,500 was a fair offer. #F116-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S727012. Riverside Gold/ black leather. Odo: 45,283 miles. 427-ci 435hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Optional L89 engine, one of 390 built in 1969. Exterior restored in 1990 and still looks good, interior is original and shows some wear and aging. Engine area is factory original, fully intact, and in good shape. An investment-grade Corvette in good replacement windshield and a missing AIR system, it traded hands at a fair price. Both buyer and seller should be happy. Best Buy #S82-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S726931. Daytona Yellow/black vinyl. Odo: 3,039 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior lacquer paint, chrome, and glass all in excellent condition. Interior as-new, engine area factory original and appears fresh. Comes with excellent documentation as well as multiple NCRS Top Flight awards, Bloomington Gold Certification, and a Chevy Vettefest Triple paint, body panel fit, chrome, and glass all excellent. Interior nicely restored to as-new condition. Engine area is factory original and fresh. Recent frame-off restoration. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $40,000. The only thing lacking in this car's presentation was documentation and national awards received. The high bid of $40,000 was likely about half the cost of the restoration alone—without the cost of the donor 350/350 4-speed convertible. The seller is wise to await a better offer before letting it go. condition. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $67,000. Other then the L88, the 1969 427/435 L89 engine offers the ultimate in C3 high performance and Corvette muscle. This car was in very good condition and came with a binder of documentation, owner history, and appraisals. The high bid of $67,000 may be fair in today's market, but I think the seller was wise to hold onto the car, at least for now. #S69-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S701411. Daytona Yellow/ black vinyl. Odo: 54,890 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. L89 with aluminum heads, one of 390 in 1969. Exterior paint, chrome, and glass in good condition, including replacement windshield. Interior restored and looking showroom new. Engine area is factory original and nicely restored, but is missing AIR system. Fitted with power steering, power brakes, and power windows. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $67,840. This car was the recipient of a body-off restoration; however, it was not to a concours or NCRS Top Flight level. The car came with the tank sticker and ownership history dating back to 1975, but being a coupe with an aftermarket Crown Award. Fitted with power steering, power brakes, and a/c. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $74,200. First seen last August at the Corvettes at Carlisle auction, where it failed to sell at $94,000 (CM# 118010). This Corvette ticked all the boxes for someone looking for a great big-block with both documentation and the right awards, and at this price, it again showed that we're in a buyer's market. Very well bought. #S17-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 197370S400860. Marlboro Maroon/saddle vinyl. Odo: 65,665 miles. 350-ci 370-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior paint appears to be original and aged, with considerable checking, especially on driver's side door. Chrome shows aging, interior is mostly original and worn, with tears in seats. Engine Best Buy #S95-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1 coupe. S/N 194370S411924. Daytona Yellow/black vinyl. Odo: 45,135 miles. 350-ci 370-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Original and unrestored. Paint fairly good but does show aging and some checking. Chrome and glass nice. Original interior with mild aging but no excessive wear. Engine area factory original with some age-related issues. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $34,450. An unrestored 1970 LT-1 with documentation is a very desirable item in the Corvette market. This car was in very good condition, and it came with its Protect-O-Plate and complete owner history, so I'd call it very well bought at the price paid. #F33-1971 CHEVROLET CORVETTE area factory original and aged, AIR system missing. An LT-1 that has not been particularly well maintained. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $22,260. Last seen at Mecum's St. Charles sale in June '03, where it failed to sell at $21,500 (CM# 31543). Best described as a driver worthy of restoration, and in its current condition, without any documentation presented, it brought fair money. Well bought and sold. #S77-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194670S409946. Daytona Yellow/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 47,105 miles. 350-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior 44 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com coupe. S/N 194371S120409. Classic White/ red vinyl. Odo: 42,488 miles. 350-ci 300-hp

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Moderately customized exterior in good condition, with paint, body panel fit, chrome, and glass all presenting nicely. Interior in good condition and sports Hurst shifter. Modified from original with added side exhaust, front spoiler, and aftermarket wheels. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $14,840. Modified Corvettes have a relatively limited resale market, unless the seller is able to find a buyer who shares the same taste in mods as he did. Considering this car's current condition, the seller appears to have achieved full value. A fair buy for the new owner. #S68-1971 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR2 convertible. S/N 194671S117850. Ontario Orange/black vinyl & hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 21,028 miles. 454-ci 425-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. One of two built in 1971. Comes with excellent provenance and has been exhibited in the 1999 Bloomington Gold Special Collection, 2000 National Corvette Museum's Concours d'Performance, and in 2003 was original and nicely detailed. Has received a quality body-on restoration. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $34,000. Last seen at Corvettes at Carlisle in August '08, where it failed to sell at $40,000 (CM# 117994). A red-on-red Corvette convertible with a/c is a great summer cruiser, and this car was beautifully restored to show level condition. As this was in its original colors and had two tank stickers and a/c, the seller was wise to walk away from this bid, as there's more money out there for it. #S72-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1 convertible. S/N 1Z67L2S520743. Sunflower Yellow/black vinyl & yellow hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 21,852 miles. 350-ci 255-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Bloomington Gold, Bloomington Survivor, and Bloomington Benchmark award winner. In excellent condition inside and out, showing little wear and outstanding preservation. With the exception built engine and drivetrain. Fitted with power windows, power steering, and power brakes. Absolutely stunning. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $75,000. One of three Mille Miglia Red LT-1 convertibles with factory a/c. $75,000 is a lot of money for a 1972 Corvette; but this Corvette was worth all that and then some due to its rarity and the quality of its restoration. Seller was right to wait. #S130-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1 coupe. S/N 1Z37L2S516529. Steel City Gray/black leather. Odo: 42,498 miles. 350-ci 255-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior paint, chrome, and glass all in good condition. Rear passenger's side quarter panel shows repaired body damage, driver's door hangs poorly, passenger's door gaps wider than typical factory production. Interior in good condition, with new front carpeting and door panels. Engine factory-original, unrestored, and neat, with inducted into the Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame. Exterior, interior, and engine area all in excellent condition. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $500,000. The ultimate in Corvette performance, rarity, and acclaim. Last year, the car was bought at Mecum's Bloomington Gold Auction for $550,000 (CM# 117104). While this bid was just a bit shy of that number, the current owner needed more money to give up ownership. A one-of-a-kind Corvette that will always be of interest to major Corvette and automobile collectors. #F104-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67K2S511421. Mille Miglia Red/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 58,346 miles. 350-ci 200-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Optioned with factory a/c. Exterior paint, body panel fit, chrome, and glass in excellent condition. Interior showroom fresh, engine area factory of a few minor paint chips on front surround, the car is flawless. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $85,000. It's extremely rare to find a 1972 LT-1 convertible that's unrestored and in this condition. Being the last year for the famed LT-1 engine, with the lowest horsepower, the high bid of $85,000 would seem to be a generous offer. However, as a car in this condition with prestigious national awards, it would be extremely difficult to replace. The owner was wise in waiting for a better offer. #S94-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1 convertible. S/N 1Z67L2S522967. Mille Miglia Red/black vinyl/black leather. Odo: 92,000 miles. 350-ci 255-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. LT-1 with factory a/c. First class concours level body-off restoration. Exterior, interior, and engine area restored to better than factory production. Less than 100 miles on original re- AIR system in place. Fitted with power steering, power brakes, and a/c. Refreshed, but not restored. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $34,450. This LT-1 had received some cosmetic refreshening, including a repaint as well as new carpets and door panels. Considering this one's condition as well as the options offered, the winning bid was an appropriate price, and both the buyer and seller should be pleased. #F31-1974 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67J4S404656. Medium Red/white vinyl/saddle leather. Odo: 52,145 miles. 350-ci 195-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Nicely restored exterior, with paint, chrome, and glass in excellent condition. All body panels fit nicely, with appropriate gaps throughout. Interior restored to original appearance, engine area appears factory original and is in good condition. Presents as a well-maintained highlevel driver. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $17,490. This shiny red 4-speed C3 convertible was 46 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL very nice inside and out, and I expect it'll turn heads for the new owner. The low horsepower engine and urethane bumper are the only things holding it back pricewise, but it wouldn't take much to wake up the performance a bit without sacrificing a lot of originality. Well bought. coupe. S/N 1Z37X6S411332. Mahogany/ Firethorn #F94-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE leather. Odo: 318 miles. 350-ci 210-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. An unrestored, highly optioned, highly documented 318-mile car. Exterior paint oxidized and showing checking, urethane bumpers aged, stressed, and front bumper has a significant crack. Original windshield shows delamination. Interior in very seum. This winning bid is as much as any 1978 Pace Car seems to draw, so I'd call this a good deal for both the buyer and seller. #F125-1981 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY8763BS414086. Dark Blue Metallic/tinted glass/dark blue leather. Odo: 64,893 miles. 350-ci 190-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Exterior paint is original and in only fair condition, with chips and scratches throughout. Rear window molding missing some black paint. Interior original and showing wear and aging. Would best be described as a highly original with replacement seat covers and front carpeting. Engine area appears factory original and mildly aged. A solid driver. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $10,000. Being a red-on-red Corvette with new brakes, tires, shocks, etc., this was an excellent entry-level turn-key car for the new owner. An appropriate price, and a good deal for both buyer and seller. #F34-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Collector good condition, engine area factory original and only mildly aged. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $34,980. This coupe had virtually every option available in 1976, and its documentation was unsurpassed. The question is, what do you do with a low-horsepower rubber bumper Corvette with 318 miles? Finding a buyer for something like this is no small task, as they would need to really appreciate unrestored original Corvettes and their aging issues. The seller was wise to accept the high bid offered, which I would consider fair considering the miles, condition, and documentation. #F55-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Indy Pace Car Edition coupe. S/N 1Z8748S900267. Silver & black/silver leather. Odo: 27 miles. 350-ci 220-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. A well-preserved, unrestored original Indy Pace Car Edition coupe. Exterior, interior, and engine compartment are as delivered from the factory. Engine area shows slight aging and corrosion on hardware, but otherwise is spotless throughout. From the Bob McDorman showroom new, and engine area is factory original and shows only mild aging. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $15,370. An excellent entry-level Corvette that needs nothing but to be proudly enjoyed and maintained. A car in this condition does not come along everyday, and I'd consider it well bought by the new owner. #F27-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Collection. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $29,680. This car came with the original window sticker still affixed to the passenger's side window, as delivered to the dealership. With 27 miles and complete documentation, this L82 Indy Pace Car was a find for a Corvette collector with a significant collection or an automobile mu- 48 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com coupe. S/N 1G1AY8784C5119810. Red/dark red leather. Odo: 72,305 miles. 350-ci 200-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Arizona car with power steering, power brakes, and power windows, and presumably a rust-free frame. Exterior in good condition, with what appears to be a repaint. Panel fit factory typical, with appropriate gaps throughout. Original glass in good condition, interior nicely reconditioned driver in need of TLC. Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $10,000. A 1981 Corvette with a 190-hp engine and automatic transmission is one of the lowest performance Corvettes since 1955, and as such, the demand for these cars is limited. With a fair number of miles and in driver condition, the high bid of $10,000 was a very fair offer. The seller should have accepted the bid if he was really interested in selling the car. Best Buy #S43-1981 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY8764BS401177. Beige/ camel cloth. Odo: 13,263 miles. 350-ci 190-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Basically a brand new 1981 Corvette. Exterior paint, glass, wheels, and tires all in excellent condition. Interior appears area is factory original and showing mild aging. Well maintained. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $18,020. In 1982, Collector Edition Corvettes made up approximately 26% of the production, so they can hardly be considered rare or particularly collectible. This was an original unrestored example with moderate mileage, and it sold at an appropriate price. A decent deal for both buyer and seller. coupe. S/N 1G1AY8789C5119639. Red/red leather. Odo: 12,200 miles. #F121-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 350-ci 200-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Exterior in excellent condition, with paint, body panel fit, and glass flawless. Interior is in showroom condition, engine area is factory original with just the slightest aging evident. An outstanding, low- Edition coupe. S/N 1G1AY8783C5105219. Silver Beige/Silver Beige leather. Odo: 23,743 miles. 350-ci 200hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Original paint and original date-coded glass in excellent condition. Factory-installed interior still looks to be in good condition, showing slight wear. Engine

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL mileage, well-preserved 1982 Corvette. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $18,000. Last seen at Kruse's Auburn sale in May '07, where it failed to sell at $24,000 (CM# 45959). Red-on-red Corvettes have a strong following, and this was an excellent example. The car presented as a time capsule, so while $18,000 was a high bid for a 1982, this car, with its low mileage and outstanding condition, could be worth a bit more to the right buyer. C4 #F6-1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY0787F5126867. Polo White/tinted panel/red leather. Odo: 26,341 miles. 350-ci 230-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Optional leather sport seats, Z51 Handling package, heavy-duty cooling, power door locks, tinted roof panel, and AM/FM/cassette stereo. Indicated miles claimed actual, two owners from new. Excellent original paint, minimal nose and wheelwell chipping. Headlight door fit on driver's side off a bit, rest of panel gaps worn gloves to keep the steering wheel looking this good. A fair exchange from buyer to seller, provided that the new buyer intends to keep it as garage art. #F88-1988 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY3183J5111172. Silver/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 7 miles. 350-ci 245-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Optioned with electronic climate control, Z52 suspension package, twin heated sport mirrors, twin power leather sport seats, Delco/Bose cassette stereo, and illuminated left visor mirror. Exactly 6.5 miles on the car as it was being staged to cross the auction block. Never titled, still on the and seat wear, with more wrinkling than wear on the latter. Door glass defroster vents broken on each door. Commensurate carpeting wear for an 86k mile car. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $7,750. Out of the slew of low-mile C4s here, this was one of the few daily driver grade cars offered. As such, it didn't see much action on the auction block. Bid to a market level. #F25-1989 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY3184K5124787. Dark Red Metallic/black canvas & red hard top/tan leather. Odo: 19,403 miles. 350-ci 245-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory options include both tops, leather seats, and electronic climate control. Seller claims original miles. Good original paint, minimal light chipping along nose and wheelwell lips. Cleaned-up engine compartment, full aftermarket exhaust system with Super Turbo mufflers. Outboard seat bolster wear heavier than rest of interior wear, good. Driver's side seat bolsters worn, but it's not out of line for the indicated miles. The remainder of the interior shows minimal wear and aging. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $9,600. Claimed to be lady owned since new, which is neither here nor there since either gender is capable of either being fastidious about maintenance or lazy and abusive. However, the car gives off the aura of more of the former than the latter, so I'll call it well bought. 35th #F44-1988 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Anniversary Edition coupe. S/N 1G1YY2182J5117720. Polo White/tinted panel/white leather. Odo: 5,340 miles. 350-ci 245-hp fuel-injected V8, manual. Optioned with 4+3 manual transmission. Mileage claimed actual, minimal to non-existent wear both inside and out. Some moderate wrinkling of driver's seat bottom and outboard bolsters, steering wheel rim yellowing noticeably with age. Clean and detailed engine bay displaying the only two non-stock parts: Interstate battery and replacement upper radiator hose clamp. Slight chipping of paint on left rear alloy wheel, right along bead lip. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $25,970. The example was previously on loan to the National Corvette Museum by the consignor. These all-white cars are usually a nightmare to keep looking nice, and this one was definitely a pickled time capsule—the owner must have 50 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com MSO. Minor factory flaws in the paint, top appears to have never been folded. Seams in door panels starting to separate from sitting. A brand new 1988 Corvette, pure and simple. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $25,970. There were a few things manifesting on this car simply because it had always been parked, and all of the issues were basically due to deterioration from atrophy. They were meant to drive, not sit as sculpture, but sitting will always be this car's destiny. The bidding bogged down at $22k, then the consignor lifted the reserve and things picked up quite a bit until the end. coupe. S/N 1G1YY2186J5112939. Silver/ black #F143-1988 CHEVROLET CORVETTE leather. Odo: 86,154 miles. 350-ci 245-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Optional twin leather power sport seats, dual roof panels, and Z52 suspension. 1996-style alloy wheels. Excellent original paint, careful touch-up of few rock chips on nose. Topically cleaned up engine compartment. Moderate steering wheel curb rash. Two light scratches on upper portion of front valance, otherwise original paint is rather well preserved. Clean but undetailed bone stock engine bay. Steering wheel rim, driver's seat, and carpeting with light wear. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $17,225. Amid some spirited bidding, the reserve was lifted at $16k. but not out of hand—yet. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $14,045. The consignor mentioned on the window sheet that this was “a Bloomington Gold Certification / Survivor candidate.” A swing and a miss on several counts. Sure, you could go there, but only after reinstalling a stock exhaust and a bunch of AC-Delco underhood parts. Even then, this would still not be as turnkey as the seller would have you believe. Still, a good car with low miles, so it was a good deal for both parties. Best Buy #F18-1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 coupe. S/N 1G1YZ23J5L5800446. Red/red leather. Odo: 34,730 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory options include both roof panels, dual power seats, selective ride control, electronic climate control, and AM/FM/CD stereo. Fitted with aftermarket stainless exhaust system and modern Goodyear tires. Stock alloy wheels with corrosion and

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL This was a bit of a step down from the $24,995 on the For Sale sign left in the car by the consignor. The first of several early ZR-1s that sold for less than market value. Well bought, as standard issue late C4s pulled similar money with fewer miles on the clock. #F36-1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 coupe. S/N 1G1YZ23J4L5800129. Red/ tan leather. Odo: 3,678 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Fitted with dual power leather sport seats and Selective Ride Control. Mileage claimed correct. Retains all components that were installed at Bowling Green when new, except for battery and fluids. Like new overall, with no perceivable wear to paint or upholstery. Still has some new car smell left heavily worn of the ZR-1s offered out here, so the selling price seemed to be market correct, if actually mildly high, since better cars sold for only a couple of bids more. TOP 10 #4 #F57-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Callaway Twin Turbo speedster. S/N 1G1YY3383M5117068. Silver/light blue leather. Odo: 2,471 miles. 350-ci 403-hp turbocharged V8, 6-sp. Number 8 of 9 “production” Series I speedsters. Autographed by Reeves Callaway on console cup-holder cover. Likenew paint and interior. Edges of rear quarter wrap-around glass starting to delaminate. interior. Well, it was actually gray leather illuminated through the blue tinted Lexan roof panel. While it may be one of two ZR-1s done up in black and gray, it was low production for a reason—most buyers wanted flashier colors. Considering that better ZR-1s sold for this much or less, this one should've sold, too. #S42-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 coupe. S/N 1G1YZ23J3M5800768. Turquoise Metallic/tinted panel/black leather. Odo: 33,440 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Tinted roof is the only option. Good original paint, although it doesn't really jump out at you. Windshield starting to delaminate along the edges, radiating out from black in it. Clean and well detailed engine compartment and undercarriage. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $21,465. This ZR-1 was exhibited in the Bloomington Gold Special Collection in 2004. Between that and the minimal miles, I figured that the consigning dealer would hold out for more than this, but he actually took the reserve off at $19,750, which yielded three more bids. Well bought, provided that you don't belong to the camp that feels that C4 ZR-1s are heading down in value rather than staying flat. #F79.1-1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 coupe. S/N 1G1YZ23J2L5802560. Red/tinted panel/black leather. Odo: 38,253 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory options include selective ride control, dual power seats, and tinted roof panel. Fitted with '91–'93 era stock alloy wheels shod with newer tires. Well-cared-for original paint with minimal chipping, door glass seals cracking Surgically clean engine bay, post-op clean undercarriage. The only flaw is that the consigning dealer—Bob McDorman Chevrolet—put his dealer badge smack dab in the middle of the rear fascia above the license plate alcove. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $121,900. Last seen a month ago at Mecum's Spring Classic, at that time a no-sale at $140k. Bought by an SCM Platinum subscriber and advertiser, who has a high-profile collection of one-off Corvettes where this will fit in quite nicely. The safe bet is that he'll have his detail crew carefully remove the dealer badge from the unobtanium-grade rear fascia. #F106-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 coupe. S/N 1G1YZ23J1M5800932. Black/gray leather. Odo: 14,233 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory-optional tinted roof panel. Fitted with 1995 model year alloy wheels. Generally well-kept-up original paint, some light chips on front and rear fascias. Cleaned-up engine bay and undercarriage. Dashboard around glove box door has a very uneven texture and fit—either a manufacturing defect or setting from age. Aftermarket edging. Engine bay, although cleaned off, is somewhat dull in appearance. Overall interior wear is correct for the mileage displayed. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $24,910. Last seen at RM's Phoenix auction in January '07, then selling for $24,200—or $710 less than here (CM# 44111). While the consignor talked up the car as being one of the more rare colors, much of the market would prefer something else, such as all of the red ones out here. Sold well enough. #S3-1993 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY33P1P5108669. Ruby Red/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 66,826 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Factory optional dual power sport seats and AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo. Aftermarket chambered dual exhaust system. Theft recovery code etched into windshield above VIN tag. Good quality body prep, masking, and repaint, heavier wear of door and door glass seals. Patched leading edge seat bottom on quite significantly. Seat upholstery is about as wrinkled as a senior center pool party. Moderate soiling and minimal wear on all carpeting. Aftermarket engine brag tag stuck to cup holder cover on console. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $19,080. I last saw this car at Mecum's Kansas City sale this spring, at that time sold for $20,670 (CM# 119845). It was the most 52 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com embroidered carpeted floor mats are several hues off stock carpet. Remainder of interior has commensurate wear for miles indicated. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $22,000. The consigning dealer tried to make this something that it really wasn't, claiming it had a rare “Steel Blue” driver's side, moderate seat bolster and carpeting wear. Vinyl headrests are newer, have less wear, and are slightly darker than the original leather. Claimed to be one of 500 40th Anniversary convertibles. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $11,130. All 6,749 40th Anniversary edition cars were painted Ruby Red—no exceptions. However, several aftermarket vendors sell

Market Report 40th Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL headrest upholstery embroidered with the 40th anniversary logo in your choice of color. A nosale on Friday afternoon as lot F26 with a $9k bid, proving that once in a while a rerun can get lucky. #F65-1993 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Anniversary Edition coupe. S/N 1G1XX23P3P5119666. Ruby Red/tinted panel/Ruby Red leather. Odo: 12,272 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Optioned with tinted roof panel and Delco-Bose CD/cassette sound system. Well-cared-for original paint, lots of wax residue on black plastic door handles. Chalky undercarriage and engine bay rubber components from oxidation and retaining mold release. Light wear on seat so they started backing off by the end of the day, allowing someone to get a decent buy. #F117-1994 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Custom limousine. S/N 1G1YY22P1R5106502. Arctic White/red leather. Odo: 21,206 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuelinjected V8, auto. Extended the length of two additional doors (with only one added door per side), fixed glass moonroof has a glass panel big enough to have come off the Sears Tower. Repaint holding up well, no body cracking. Side window trim and seals a bit tattered, window tint starting to delaminate. Six sport bolsters along power seat adjust panels, light carpet wear on both sides. All other wear commensurate with indicated mileage. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $19,345. I've seen a number of 40th Anniversary coupes cross the block in the last year, and this one was toward the top of the heap for both selling price and condition. As such, well enough bought. The cheap Dane in me thinks this was a bit spendy, but in realty this is about right for the mix of miles, condition, and configuration. #F140-1993 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 40th Anniversary Edition coupe. S/N 1G1YY23P8P5102068. Ruby Red metallic/ tinted panel/Ruby Red leather. Odo: 24,091 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Good original paint heavily buffed out to betterthan-new finish and gloss. One nasty scratch beneath passenger's side turn signal and side seats, wet bar, dual a/c, and dual TVs. Light to moderate interior wear overall front and rear. Bone stock powertrain, ambulance grade 200amp alternator. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $22,260. I was unable to discern who did the conversion, but it was significantly better than the scary 1974/81/-82 I saw in Indianapolis (CM# 120517). Claimed to have been the VIP perk car for the Chevy dealer in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and declared sold here two years ago for $40,950 (CM# 45662). The reserve was wisely cut loose on the final bid, so call in the reservation now for your son or daughter's prom ride. #F113-1994 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22P8R5100955. Torch Red/tinted & painted/black leather. Odo: 39,133 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Options include dual roof panels, dual power seats, and AM/FM/CD stereo. Fitted with aftermarket chrome alloy wheels of the same style as 1996 OEM wheels. Highly buffed marker lens corner on front fascia. Moderate wear and rippling of door glass seals, but with no tears or chunks missing. Dealer-prep engine bay detailing, dusty, unkempt undercarriage. Interior shows wear commensurate with mileage. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $13,250. Lower end of market pricing for a good example with low miles. Perhaps folks were getting punch-drunk from the parade of minty ultra-low-mile C4s, 54 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com out original paint, with some light touch-ups visible. New door and door glass seals, new headlight actuator motors. Light to moderate overall interior wear, commensurate with miles indicated. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $15,105. Certainly below average miles for a 1994 used car, but with a field full of sub-10k mile cars, this one stood out for not really standing out. Sold well enough. #F120-1995 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22P9S5117124. Torch Red/ throughout. Clean, washed-off undercarriage, light wear starting on console lid and edges of seats. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $19,080. The description card in the window stated “Best color combination Red/Black.” I love it when consignors try to tell me what my tastes are. Then again, since I tell you my subjective opinions, turnabout is fair play. I have one car with a black interior and have vowed to never have another one again, and red always conjures up “make it look pretty to sell quick” in my mind. A good color combination for most buyers? Sure, I can go along with that, as it did sell for some fairly strong money. #F80-1995 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Indy Pace Car Edition convertible. S/N 1G1YY32P4S5111785. Violet & white/white vinyl/black & purple leather. Odo: 16 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Sixteen red leather. Odo: 21,883 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Preferred Equipment Group 1, dual power sport seats, dual roof panels, low tire pressure warning system, and Delco/Bose CD/cassette sound system. Mileage claimed correct. Retains all paperwork since the car was ordered by the original and only owner. Excellent factory paint buffed out and polished to better than factory standards. Moderately well detailed engine compartment, minimal attention to chassis. Aftermarket clear plastic door sill protectors, light fading and wear on seats. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $20,670. A lot of money for a C4 with almost 22k miles. Being an all red coupe can't make this car worth that much, but someone certainly liked it well enough. Well sold. #F74-1995 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32PXS5112875. Red/ black cloth/black leather. Odo: 14,086 miles. 350-ci 4-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Equipped with selective handling, luggage rack, AM/ FM/CD sound system, cruise control, and dual power sport seats. Mileage claimed actual. Superbly kept-up original paint, top looks like it has never been stowed. Cleaned up and detailed engine bay, but with recent clearcoating

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL miles since manufactured, never dealer prepped. All shipping covers and most tags still in place, but some are getting worn from people sitting in the car and driving it in short stints. Original window sticker has never been removed, but ancillary stickers from windshield are sitting on passenger's seat. New York title issued to the car when new, but never issued licensed plates. Literally a new 1995 Corvette. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $38,160. If you absolutely positively had to have one of the few brand-new virgin 1995 Indy Pace Cars out there, this was one worth chasing down. Based upon the amount of interest in the car, it was a crowded field for the chase. Just like lot F88, there isn't much to do with it apart from rolling it in and out of trailers for Survivor-type shows. However, if that's your gig, have a field day, as driving it would be sheer stupidity for what was spent. #F92-1995 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22P7S5104761. Polo Green/tinted panel/black leather. Odo: 1,824 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory options include Preferred Equipment Group 1, Z07 Adjustable Suspension, dual power leather sport seats, Delco/Bose CD & cassette sound system, and tinted roof panel. Mileage claimed correct. No nicks, scrapes, or other damage in finish, neatly detailed engine compared to the body, even though both wear original paint. Light wear just starting to manifest on soft top from being cycled up and down. Clean and lightly detailed engine bay, undercarriage with light dealer-applied undercoating. Minimal to no discernible interior wear. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $29,150. The Collector Edition could be had with black, gray, or red leather seating, as this one was. Claimed to be one of 54 with both the LT4 and red guts, although the LT4 had the lion's share of desirability here. And it proved to be quite desirable, selling for more than a final year C5 Commemorative convertible would generally bring. #F102-1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY3258T5104306. Yellow/black cloth/black leather. Odo: 17,993 miles. 350-ci 330-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Optional LT4 powertrain, dual power seats, and Delco/Bose CD sound system. Stainless steel Borla exhaust. Seller claims correct miles. Approximately 3-inch long crack across upper corner of windshield on driver's side, door glass seals have a couple small chunks broken compartment, light surface rust on the brake components. Minimal to no perceivable wear to interior. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $26,500. A more realistic mileage car with a more realistic selling price than lot F80. That car was fine if you wanted a static monument; this one was a far better choice if you wanted a really nice car that could actually be driven to an event. A good deal for both parties involved. #S46-1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Grand Sport coupe. S/N 1G1YY2259T5600631. Blue & white/black leather. Odo: 23,836 miles. 350-ci 413-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. LT4 motor internally tweaked and measured on a chassis dyno. Other modifications include roll cage with quick-removable links along doors, shift light in main gauge cluster, racing harnesses, and Fiske alloy wheels. Excellent original paint, no touch-ups or nicks found. Motor compartment and undercarriage. Aftermarket embroidered carpeted floor mats protect likenew carpeting, rest of interior shows minimal wear. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $19,000. Claimed to be a rare color for 1995, despite being the second most popular hue for the year (remember that greens were big colors in the auto industry at the time—how many gazillion Tahoes were painted this hue?). The auction team said on the block that it will take about $25k to get it sold, but this was all the market was willing to bid on the day. #F97-1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Collector Edition convertible. S/N 1G1YY3256T5112839. Silver/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 7,936 miles. 350-ci 330-hp fuelinjected V8, 6-sp. Optional LT4 powertrain. Front and rear fascias come off a shade dark 56 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com off on passenger's side. Minimal paint chipping on front and rocker panels. Light wear on cloth top over top bows. Cleaned-up engine bay. Light overall interior wear commensurate with indicated mileage. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $21,000. Claimed to be one of 17 LT4 convertibles in Competition Yellow. As it was not as pristine and minty-fresh as most of the other low-mile C4s out here (and there were a ton of them to choose from), the final bid really should've sold the car. #S21-1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Indy Pace Car Edition convertible. S/N 1G1YY32P0S511707. Violet & white/white vinyl/purple & black leather. Odo: 8,864 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. All original components except battery and fluids. Fitted with stainless steel door sill protectors and engine brag tag on cup holder cover. Immaculately preserved original paint with no discernible nicks or scuffing. As-new engine sports several modifications, most of which are not blatantly obvious due to good workmanship. Driver's seat and footwell carpeting with heavier than average wear, rest of interior has minimal wear. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $24,000. Unlike the other '96 Grand Sport (lot F126), this was born to run—not destined to be an investment. As a track car, it could've rightfully sold for this bid, but the engine work alone probably cost this much, so back on the trailer it went. C5 #F20-1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22G1V5102931. Black/ gray & black vinyl. Odo: 97,842 miles. 5.7-L 345-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Selective Real Time Dampening, electronic climate control, and AM/FM/single-CD stereo. Claimed to have had an “entire restoration in 2005.” Z06 brake calipers, Z06-style wheels, Sumitomo M&S performance tires, K&N air induction, performance exhaust, black-out taillights, embroidered carpeted floor mats, and new upholstery. Average quality repaint with mediocre masking. Original paint buffed enough

that the edges of hood and hatch are showing bare plastic. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $14,575. I've seen plenty of repaint and reupholstery “restorations” in my day, as well as the real deal, and this wasn't a restoration. Shoveled money into modifications is more like it. At least the focus was on making the car stop better, rather than the usual Chevelle mentality of making it go fast without regard to the brakes. Considering the car as a rough first-year C5 with several grand worth of parts stuck on it, it was sold well, and the consignor should be a happy camper. #F22-1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22G3W5109378. Black/ oak leather. Odo: 109,870 miles. 5.7-L 345-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Original paint buffed enough that edges of hood and hatch are showing bare plastic. Nose peeled off and repainted, with uneven gaps and a mismatched paint hue. Heavy scuffing and wax residue on front chin spoiler. Headlight operation wonky, as full headlights pop up in parking light position and single CD stereo. Dealer installed chrome alloy wheels. All original components except for fluids. Light chipping on nose and rocker panels, light floor mat wear, and light dust on undercarriage. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $23,320. Purchased new by a retired businessman from Sioux City, Iowa, who only used as his summer car when he was home for three to four months in the summer. High retail for a 1998 convert, but since it had very low miles, I'll call it a good deal for both parties—especially for owner number two. #S20-2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G2Y5114306. Light Pewter Metallic/black cloth/black leather. Odo: 69,985 miles. 5.7-L 345-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Optional sport seats, performance axle, dual zone climate control, and body side moldings. Updated with standard-issue C6style alloy wheels and stock tires, side moldings have been removed. Slight hue mismatch of front fascia, panel gaps slightly off, more wear on headlight covers and leading edge of hood than fascia. Heavier seat bottom wear and foot well carpet soiling, but otherwise interior looks grind for nearly a minute after folding down. Settling of seat padding resulted in baggy fit of original leather. Original floor mats now missing. Cond: 4+. SOLD AT $10,812. Think of this as the “before” exhibit for lot F20 and you get an idea of how this car fits into the general scheme of things. It took a lot of arm twisting on Dana's part for the consignor to cut it loose, but reality finally soaked in. Sold well for a beat-on early C5 with issues. #F39-1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G9W5130340. Light Pewter Metallic/Oak cloth/Oak leather. Odo: 16,837 miles. 5.7-L 345-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Consigned by the original owner. Fitted with variable real time dampening, memory package, electronic dual zone climate control, dual power sport seats, performance axle ratio, body side moldings, and AM/FM/ good. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $18,550. The seller claimed that the laminated window sticker and build sheet were the original items. Nope, they were straight from the National Corvette Museum, where they will not only print them up for your car for $30 if you are a member, but will also laminate them for an additional tenspot. If they had been the originals, the former would still have adhesive on the ends and the latter would have been crumpled from when it was stuffed into the front of the chassis. Sold for lower to average retail. #S84-2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Lingenfelter 383 convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G8Y5124323. Arctic White/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 6,623 miles. 383-ci 475-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory installed options include memory package, twin power sport seats, bodyside moldings, power tele www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 57

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL increased by any amount since then. And more importantly, interest from potential buyers has cooled even more. scopic steering column, and Head Up Display. Upfitted with the LPE powertrain, suspension, and exterior styling upgrades. In like-new condition overall, with minimal signs of wear or use. Rear tires show the most wear (go figure). National Corvette Museum decal affixed to the windshield. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $39,220. As this was about $10k to $15k over the value of a bone-stock minty 6k-mile Y2K convertible, adding on the value of the Lingenfelter conversion makes this a deal that is more smoking hot than the back tires on the car. #F59-2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE John Cafaro Skunk Werkes convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G315105586. Silver/black cloth/black leather. Odo: 9,232 miles. 5.7-ci 350-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Customized for C5 design chief John Cafaro with a 10inch windshield chop. Most other mods are careful aftermarket parts selection, including Skunk Werkes body kit, high rise center bulge hood, rear spoiler, lowered suspension, HRE 19-inch and 20-inch alloy wheels, Donaldson #F109-2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 Custom coupe. S/N 1G1YY12S925116411. Black/black & red leather. Odo: 13,700 miles. 427-ci 750-hp twin-turbo V8, auto. Built-up 4L65E automatic transaxle conversion, 6-piston front/4-piston rear Wilwood brakes with slotted rotors, custom painted carbon fiber hood, Auto Meter gauges mounted between stereo and relocated electronic HVAC controls, custom seat upholstery, and HRE alloy wheels. stuck to windshield. Fitted with aftermarket battery quick disconnect on negative lead; otherwise is exactly as used at the Speedway and in like-new condition. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $33,920. Festival cars from both the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400 pop up once in awhile (we've seen several at Mecum's Indy auction over the last two years). Not that being car #1 really makes it worth that much more, as it was bid to what any other one would be expected to do. Last seen on this very turf last fall, then a no-sale at $29k (CM# 117097). It nearly did the same thing here, as it was bid to $28,500 on the block against a desired $35k, but became a post-block sale by the end of the day. C6 Overall very clean, high build quality showing minimal wear or usage throughout the whole car. Tires indicate some fun has been had. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $43,000. A bit too aggressive for regular street use, so making for an easier high-speed commute wasn't likely what the builder had in mind when swapping out the 6-speed for an automatic. Those Pilot Sports make it a scary car to drive on the street—let alone on a cool rainy day—although they are a dream on the track. Had a reserve somewhere north of $50k, which likely just covered all the mods with a free 14k-mile Z06 tossed in for free—the usual modified car quandary. air intake, and Corsa exhaust. Interior further tweaked with suede bits, leather-covered rollover hoops, billet aluminum trim, and 4-point Simpson racing harness on passenger's seat only. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $37,500. Note to the Corvette interior trim planning committee: Don't do a BMW, and forego suede for interior trim. I remember seeing Euro-spec M5s in the 1980s with suede inside, and they were ratty looking in less than a year. I saw this car not sell at Mecum's Indy auction last month for $65k, and I can't say that my interest in it has #F40-2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Brickyard 400 Pace Car convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G735121714. Millenium Yellow/ black cloth/black leather. Odo: 878 miles. 5.7-L 350-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Festival car number one, assigned and licensed to a descendant of late Indy Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman. Still retains event access passes #F119-2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 Pre-Production coupe. S/N 1G1YY22Y3650016EX. LeMans Blue/black leather. Odo: 18,450 miles. 7.0-L 505-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Used by GM for final development of the production Z06 and ZR1— both at GM's facilities in the U.S. and at the Nürburgring, Spa, and on the Autobahn. Fitted with Sparco racing seats, roll bar, racing harnesses, fire suppression system, and mountings for test equipment in rear hatch area. Proudly wears its Nurburgring Industry Pool access sticker for 2005 on driver's side of hatch glass. Freshened up with stock LS7, full stock powertrain, wheels/tires, and repaint before being released by GM. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $63,600. During the development of the ZR1, this was one of the cars that helped lend credence to the “Blue Devil” project folks inside of and observing from outside of GM. This was my favorite of all the C4 and latter cars out here, simply because of its unique purpose. A tempting proposition, but with that darn pesky EX VIN, it may end up as a track car. Hopefully, a forward thinking collector will preserve it as is for posterity. ■ 58 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com

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Market Report C C1 #S154-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E54S001441. Red/black cloth/ red vinyl. Odo: 8,473 miles. 235-ci 150-hp straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Braille front fiberglass finish even worse than original, OK older repaint on top of it. Somewhat typical difficultto-open hood for a 1953 to '55. Good older rechroming, now with some light pitting. Seats and door panels redone quite well, dash padding wrinkled. Carpets becoming rather faded and worn, especially on transmission hump. Global Roundup Corvettes across the block 45 Corvettes, $508k Sold orvette Market's Auction Analysts kept a close eye on the market throughout the late spring and early summer months, covering cars as they crossed the block at locations all around the world. Every car is different, and each of these reports gives not only a price that each individual car was bid to across the block, but also an informed view on why it performed the way it did. This is the essence of the market, and it cannot be matched by any printed price guide. This information should be an essential part of your thoughtful collecting. Auctions covered this issue: Bonhams, Monaco, MCO, 5/18/09—Jérôme Hardy MidAmerica Auctions, St. Paul, MN, 5/30/09—B. Mitchell Carlson Bonhams & Butterfields, Greenwich, CT, 6/7/09—Donald Osborne Kensington, Bridgehampton, NY, 6/13/09—Donald Osborne VanDerBrink, Sioux Falls, SD, 6/13/09—B. Mitchell Carlson Mecum Auctions, St. Paul, MN, 6/20/2009—B. Mitchell Carlson Bonhams, Sussex, U.K. 7/3/09—Paul Hardiman VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/11/09—B. Mitchell Carlson Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/17/09—B. Mitchell Carlson Market opinions in italics Odo: 22,251 miles. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Very good panel fit, paint, and chrome throughout. Well done interior shows soiled driver's seat and steering wheel. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $95,000. From the collection of musician Max Weinberg. Formerly the wellknown “half car,” restored down the middle by Vette Dreams of Long Island, NY, and displayed. Later finished in a new restoration. We know this car from the Christie's Monterey auction in August '07 (SCM# 46179), where it was a no-sale at $140k against a $200k low estimate. Six miles later, I'm sure Mr. Weinberg would love to drum up that bid. Kensington, Bridgehampton, NY, 6/09. TOP 10 #10 #S139-1957 CORVETTE convertible. CHEVROLET S/N E57S105399. Venetian Red & Shoreline Beige/tan cloth/red vinyl. Odo: 4,635 miles. 283-ci 283-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Radio and heater delete. High quality frame-off restoration a few years ago, with mostly better-than-stock body prep and panel fit—except passenger's door alignment. Heavily reinforced inner wheelwell openings. Excellent quality #61-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S105936. Whtie & silver/black vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 7,089 miles. 283-ci 245-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 3-sp. Only options include dual-quad 245-hp motor with California emissions (PCV system in lieu of a road draft tube), and contrasting coves. Bloomington Gold certification #1563 awarded in 1988, with a recent frame-off refreshing done—primarily on chassis and powertrain. Better-than-stock body Nearly impossible to jump start the car to get it running, and the one time it lit before it crossed the block, it blew a lot of black smoke. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $47,700. 1954s seem to bring out the worst of all C1s. It was claimed that this example had been sitting in a warehouse for the last 27 years, and that seems to check out based on how the car looked here. It was probably restored on the fly back then and left to rot (the “too nice to drive, have to keep it in storage” mentality). The reserve was dropped at the final bid, but it was all the money in the world. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. 60 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com repaint, replated or replacement chrome and trim. Show-quality engine compartment detailing. Stock exhaust routing, although outlets terminate inside of rear bumperettes instead of past them. Interior with minimal to no wear. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $82,150. I saw this sell at Indy a few months prior at $83,740 (SCM# 120500), and it then showed up at Bloomington Gold, being bid to a $70k no-sale. At least we are getting the general impression that a '57 fuelie should have about $75k to $80k worth of demand. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #21-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S101617. Cascade Green & Shoreline Beige/beige vinyl/beige vinyl. and paint work, concours-ready engine bay and undercarriage lacking only replica inspection markings and tags. Squeaky clean like-new interior with mostly reproduction components. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $75,000. Spent less than 30 seconds on the block, as the auctioneer refused to start below $75k for an opening bid. While saving some time for the tent full of lookie-loos and bottom-feeder dealers, it was pretty much a waste of time for the consignor except for cheap exposure for a possible future deal. VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/09. #S137-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S102499. Red/black vinyl & red hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 44,386

miles. 327-ci 360-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Two top option. Claimed to be an original fuel-injected car, now has non-Corvette 4-bbl induction. Recent cosmetic fluff-up of older restoration, including trim-off repaint, rechromed bumpers, selective replacement of emblems, new windshield, new seals, and mid-level quality interior soft trim. Original body panel fit. Fluffed up engine bay is show ready, but would be eaten alive at a concours. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $45,000. This was at Mecum's Bloomington Gold auction in St. Charles last month, and was declared sold for $48,760. Out here, it certainly wasn't going to find a new home for a lesser bid. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. C2 #38-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 30867S118850. Saddle Tan/ white vinyl & tan hard top/saddle vinyl. Odo: 29,057 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Optioned with both tops. Non-original period 300-hp coded block and 1970s vintage cylinder heads. Mileage claimed actual since new. Old repaint crazed on tops of fenders, blatant evidence of crack repair on forward end of right front fender. Good door and panel gaps, newly replated bumpers and vent window surrounds. Original interior upholstery, with light to moderate overall wear and soiling. Aftermarket Hurst shifter, modern sound system mounted in glovebox. Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $20,000. Bid way below the current market level. Even if you blow off the mileage claim and reinforce it as a parts-is-parts engine, it should still be worth at least $10k more than the pittance offered here. No real interest. VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/09. #255-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1946755119289. Red/black leather. Odo: 58,318 miles. 327-ci 400-hp V8, www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 61

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes across the block #41-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fully prepped Lingenfelter smallblock with all the modern goodies, including side exhaust, a 4-speed, and a Posi. Common in the U.S., but quite unusual on the French South Riviera and probably not appreciated as it should be by most. The perfect smiling tool, provided you have ear plugs. I heard this engine and it is a raw beast. Put together nicely and sorted out, with restoration costs exceeding $50k. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $45,000. This one missed its estimate by $10k. This toy was all about the engine and having fun, not about car collecting. Nobody in the room was willing to shed $50k for it, and I would agree, as you can probably find the equivalent in one form or another on eBay Motors for a lot cheaper these days. Bonhams, Monte Carlo, MCO, 5/09. #S142-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S118181. Black /black vinyl /black vinyl. Odo: 80,484 miles. 327-ci 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Documentation includes Protect-O-Plate. Optional a/c, full tinted glass, power windows, 3.36 Posi diff, AM/FM radio, Comfort and Convenience group, and knockoff alloys. Teak steering wheel added later on. Three-year full frame-off restoration completed in 2006, very limited use since. Better-than-stock body prep, with only coupe. S/N 194375S120320. Ermine White/ red vinyl. Odo: 71,757 miles. 350-ci V8, 4bbl, 3-sp. Optioned with a/c, AM/FM radio, and power rear antenna. Original motor “lost” during driver-grade cosmetic restoration, now powered by 185-hp 1973 C3 engine. Newer alternator and fresh brake lines from master cylinder out to all four ends. Clean unaltered body with good prep and paint application, mostly new trim and emblems. Newer reproduction interior soft trim, door seals, and carpeting. Heavier scuffs on bottom of dash #S101-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S124147. Nassau Blue /black vinyl /black vinyl. Odo: 62,343 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Good repaint shows waviness and bonding strip broadcasting, one nasty paint run on right rear corner directly below character line. Door edges sanded smooth, jambs retain original texture. Shaved front wheelwell lips, good untouched rears. Lightly wavy and lightly scuffed original immediately below radio. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $23,000. A 3-speed manual was the base transmission on all Vettes of the C2 era, but we get so used to seeing 4-speeds that it's an oddity to find one still in a car. For the “but who wants a wussy 3-speed” arm-chair quarterbacks, remember that this box was just as robust as a 4-speed (more so if the 4-speed isn't a Muncie), and that the drag racers (the winners, not the whiners) preferred them—one less shift to make. With a $25k reserve, the factory a/c should've offset the N.O.M. factor, and made it a no-brainer to buy. VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/09. #62-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S124354. Silver/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 52,313 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Non-original engine. Claimed to have had a complete frame-on restoration in March '09. Good external body prep, rear wheelwell lips shaved quite deeply, right side has no inner lip at all along top of wheel- bumpers, good fit to newer replacement top. Good engine cosmetics, but not to show quality. Older replacement seat coverings, rest of interior original and showing moderate wear. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $46,000. The paint on this one just doesn't jump out. It was even more dull than original, and it really needed to be compounded out—or just reshot if you're made out of money or like to do that. Bid to market price. Mecum, St. Paul, MN, 6/09. #20-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194676S119112. Marina Blue/ black vinyl. Odo: 25,959 miles. 427-ci 425-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Good panel fit, as per factory. Well-done paint, chrome is fair to good with much fading on bumpers. Interior shows almost no wear, except for corrosion on bright trim. Triple Bowtie winner, NCRS Top Flight, minimal body seam broadcasting beneath high quality repaint. Excellent fit for the replacement soft top, along with repro interior upholstery. Excellent chrome. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $54,590. Actually, an all-black Chevy wasn't all that hard to do. In fact, all black was the standard color configuration if a dealer didn't choose a color for either the paint or the interior (hence the STD code for a black vinyl interior on the Body by Fisher tag). The restoration work was done well enough on this fairly basic car to cause the bidding to go a little past the $51k reserve. Well bought and sold. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. 62 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com well. Both doors have wide upper rear gaps. Fresh bumper replate, skewed fit to all front brightwork. Buffed out original stainless trim and mostly reproduction emblems. Newer top and interior upholstery, with good to average fit and minimal wear. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $38,000. Even being a good driver-grade restoration with a replacement motor, this was still worth a little bit more than the bid. Not a whole lot more, but a little more—somewhere in the $40k+ range. MidAmerica, St. Paul, MN, 5/09. Bloomington Gold, Survivor Certification. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $117,500. A very appealing coupe with great mechanical specs and plenty of awards. I'd assume the evident touch-ups in the door sills and bodywork apparent in the jambs must have happened when the car was nearly new, many years ago. Sold at RM's Ft Lauderdale sale in February '08 for $140k (SCM# 60900), not driven since. There was no real interest here today. Kensington, Bridgehampton, NY, 6/09. TOP 10 #5 #243-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S120140. Nassau Blue/black vinyl/white leather. Odo: 32,171 miles. 427-ci 425-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Very good panel fit and

paint. Chrome generally smooth except for pitting on vent window frames. Interior appears original, with worn seat belt webbing as well as some scars and soiling on side panels and glovebox door. Former NCRS winner. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $111,150. A great color combination in a desirable spec C2. Very strong price for spec and condition, and well sold in the current market. Bonhams & Butterfields, Greenwich, CT, 6/09. #F66-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Pro Street coupe. S/N 194376S117370. Black Cherry Metallic/black vinyl. 350-ci supercharged V8, 4-sp. A Pro Street quarter-mile drag machine with a full roll cage and billet aluminum rear wing. Body mostly intact, apart from wheelwells, cowl, and relocated headlights. Good quality paint, interior fitted with matching race seats, five-point harnesses, black patio carpeting, aluminum dashboard with aftermarket gauges, small diameter steering wheel, and Hurst competition shifter. Motor is a Rodeck painted-on redlines. Wheelwell lips reinforced with resin (I hope), or possibly putty. Fresh bolts and hardware on seats and bumpers, light top wear and weathering. Mostly high quality replacement interior components, aside from modern sound system retrofitted to fit the dash. Powdercoated frame and major suspension components. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $52,500. Being something of a Heinz 57 small-block convertible, the amount bid here should have been more than sufficient to effect a change in ownership. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S131.1-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S118978. Red & white/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 1,903 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Optional a/c, power steering, and AM/FM radio. Rally wheels, reproduction bias-ply Redline tires. Claimed to have been a Bloomington Gold car at one time, but exactly when is not specified. Older repaint in good condition other than deep scuffing on rear deck. Light body seam broadcasting, authentic finishes in door jambs, windows, and luggage rack. Claimed 1969 warranty replacement engine block, with original heads and induction bolted to it. Average quality older light repaint, original paint in door jambs. Rechromed bumpers, front one not mounted squarely. Aftermarket tube headers and chrome valve covers, plus bolt-bucket special hardware on the motor. Non-stock exhaust without mufflers, so it has a robust exhaust note. Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $25,000. I'd say it was more like a GM replacement engine block, as most dealers tended to be very suspicious on 435-hp motors (“I was just minding my own business at the intersection, when out of nowhere the motor scattered its guts on the pavement when the light turned green. Honest!”). That is, if it really was originally a 435-hp car. $40k reserve on a $25k car; next... VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/09. #S86-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194679S724496. Dark blue metallic/black cloth & blue hard top/black leather. Odo: 6,995 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fitted with Cragar SS wheels, original rally wheels included. Newer cosmetic restoration. Better quality non-stock repaint, but Body by Fisher tag still masked off. Fresh bumper chrome and reproduction emblems. small-block with a 6-71 blower set up to run on Methanol. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $14,000. The oddest thing about this whole deal was a copy of Noland Adams's Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide, Part II (for C2 Corvettes). Call it a hunch, but there's not a whole lot in that book that will pertain to this car—apart form deciphering the dataplate to find that it was originally painted Milano Maroon with a saddle vinyl interior. The seller was looking for $25k, which I figure would cover the cost of the motor. As can be surmised by the bid, there was almost no interest in the car here. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S84-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S106452. Silver & black/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 4,147 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fitted with sidepipes, power brakes, and power antenna. Wears '67 big-block hood with black stinger stripe. Rally wheels painted to match body, Goodyear Arriva radials grooved with better than original door gaps. Average quality bumper replate, mostly reproduction emblems. Minimal wear and wrinkling on replacement soft top. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $86,000. The only physical “proof” displayed with the car that it was Bloomington Gold certified was a sticker on the vent window. If you make the claim like this consignor did, you had better be able to have some documentation to back it up. Otherwise, you can't complain about getting a market value bid like this one did. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. C3 #31-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194378S414890. Silverstone Silver/black vinyl. Odo: 79,693 miles. 427ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Equipped with optional power steering, power brakes, power Good quality replacement top fitment, newer reproduction interior soft trim. Recently rebuilt brush-painted original motor, fitted with various aftermarket trim bits. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $37,100. The reserve was taken off upon reaching the last bid in the room. Plenty paid for an entry-level chrome bumper big-block that was done to personal tastes rather than restored to stock. Mecum, St. Paul, MN, 6/09. #119M-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S727922. Can-Am White/ saddle vinyl. Odo: 7,000 miles. 350-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Salvage title. Factory options include power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt/telescopic column, and a/c. www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 63

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes across the block Extensive front end damage, with most of the pieces sitting on a pallet in front of the car. Original paint is in excellent condition, but the front clip is splintered along fender bonding seams and the nose is pretty much shattered. Motor starts and runs, no radiator fitted. Good original interior with light wear. Cond: 5+. SOLD AT $6,400. This would've been the nicest car at the auction if it weren't for the shunt on the nose. While it would've otherwise been a decent car, it is not the #3 condition car that the auction company rated it before the sale. With a patch job out of the question—and most likely at least a new front end needed to fit it—this was sold quite well. VanDerBrink Auctions, Sioux Falls, SD, 6/09. #S140-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S734817. Red/black leather. Odo: 73,536 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Originally Riverside Gold with standard black vinyl interior. Fitted with optional sidepipes, power brakes, tilt/telescopic steering column, and AM/FM radio. Adequate older repaint, light pitting and scuffing on chrome stock. Heavier interior wear, especially on the driver's seat. Cond: 4+. NOT SOLD AT $15,250. This gets my “Corvette Summer” award of the auction, with all of the usual stuff that was done to C3s to make them the “stroke” ride of that decade. Amount bid was more than plenty—even as a real-deal bigblock. MidAmerica, St. Paul, MN, 5/09. #102-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194370S417293. Monza Red/ saddle vinyl. Odo: 2,350 miles. 400-ci 385hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Non-original small-block with non-original TH-400 automatic. Factoryoptional power steering, power brakes, and a/c. Decent repaint on a real Monza Red car with good prep. Like-new replacement windshield, replacement interior soft trim done with good workmanship. Only carpeting is starting so show appreciable wear and soiling. SOLD AT $8,000. I suppose that one could clean this up and just run it. However, it runs OK, not great, so it wouldn't be a daily driver. The body had more issues than all of my exgirlfriends combined, so more than a repaint is needed. The interior is shot, so you might as well just strip the car down to the bare frame and start all over. $8k is not the place to be on this car. Well sold. VanDerBrink Auctions, Sioux Falls, SD, 6/09. #F55-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37K2S506194. Sunflower Yellow/black leather. Odo: 87,349 miles. 350ci 200-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Factory-optional a/c. Claimed to be a mostly original car. Paint somewhat flat and heavily worn in door jambs where it rubs against door seals. Windshield starting to delaminate along lower passenger's corner. Presentable slightly pitted and scuffed and trim. Older replacement PPG windshield, small Harley-Davidson sticker on the rear glass. Good quality leather seat kit installation, along with newer carpeting. Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $27,500. This consignor's reserve of $35k was downright crazy in this market, especially for a modified, driver-grade bigblock C3. Bid was current market-plus pricing, and he'd have been smart to take the money. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #87-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Custom coupe. S/N 194370S410008. Red/ black leather. Odo: 81,473 miles. 454-ci 390hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Optional deluxe interior with leather and AM/FM radio. Aftermarket sidepipes, reproduction rally wheels, repro Polyglas tires. Visible prep issues under old repaint that's now crazing over most surfaces. Hole drilled in the fuel filler lid, most likely for a CB antenna. Decent original brightwork. Original engine block, everything else non- 64 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com The only stock thing bolted to the engine is the a/c compressor. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $12,000. As this car was near the end, it took less than a minute to slam it out of the auction tent after spending a minute getting up to this bid—versus a $16k reserve. Actually, the company got the consignor down from $17k, but close only counts in hand grenades and atomic weaponry—not auctions. I'll side with the top bidder on this one, as it's a pretty driver all day long. VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/09. #105M-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67K2S519365. Sunflower Yellow/white vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 23,571 miles. 350-ci 200-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Optioned with power windows. Older repaint a shade off of original color, which is easily seen in door jambs. Exterior heavily scratched, some of which goes deep into fiberglass mat. Bubbling to fiberglass between hood and headlights, several paint chips hastily touched up. Both front side marker light lenses missing, windshield cracked. Older replacement top is at best serviceable. Decent original bumper chrome, trim cloudy. Interior very dingy and dirty. Cond: 4. bumpers and trim, mostly worn-off engine paint in overall dingy engine bay. The a/c compressor belt is missing, while other belts and hoses are newer. Driver's side outboard seat bolster has tearing and heavier wear, carpet soiled. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $19,000. Since the top didn't fold into the trunk, this bid was way out in fantasy land for the car. It sort of slinked off the block without a definite call of what it needed to be bid to in order to sell—but this should have been more than enough. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S174-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67K2S515422 . Sunflower Yellow/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 6,966 miles. 350-cc 200-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Options include power steering, power brakes, AM/FM cassette, and tilt/telescopic steering column. Fitted post-factory with LT-1 hood, original paint on rest of body starting to flake off and has been touched up at right rear quarter panel. Gouge in leading edge of driver's door, lightly pitted but presentable original chrome and trim. Front suspension sits low, rear suspension sits high. Dull, weathered soft top, interior mostly original with some light wear. Cond: 4+. NOT SOLD AT $12,750. Sure, it could have really used a paint job, but in the overall scope of

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes across the block things, if you wanted a chrome bumper C3 drop-top to drive and not worry about, you could definitely have done worse. However, it was fully priced and then some for what was bid. The auctioneer said that the owner must get $14,000 for it, and I say that owner needs a reality check. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #22-1973 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67T3S141908. Red/black vinyl hard top/saddle vinyl. Odo: 15,609 miles. 350-ci 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Originally painted Elkhart Green, retaining the original and now heavily worn interior. Fitted with aftermarket Keystone Classic wheels and singleloop interior roll bar. Minimal to lousy prep work, with more ripples than most of the local lakes. Ten-footer cheapie repaint with lots of SOLD AT $5,300. Since plastic bumper C3s are no longer the bottom-feeders of the Corvette world, you could definitely do worse. Sure, it's not even Bloomington Kryptonite certifiable in the shape it's it, and it really had some body needs that will need to be addressed in short order, but it seemed to have had basic driveline needs taken care of. Went a couple of bids past the $4,500 reserve for a decent buy—especially if the new owner will do his own work on it, or just run it until it dies. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S14-1975 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37J5S438083. Medium Saddle/ saddle leather. Odo: 73,220 miles. 350-ci 165hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Factory options include power steering, power brakes, power windows, luggage rack, and tilt/telescopic steering column. Originally configured for a/c, but compressor is missing. Aftermarket rear valence with integrated spoiler and taillights. Older repaint darker than original Medium Saddle, in coves. Usable original interior recently cleaned up, apart from removing a pair of USA IDL stickers from the dash and console top. Offered at no reserve. Cond: 4-. SOLD AT $3,922. Last seen here a year ago, where it failed to sell at $3,900 (CM# 116630). Now wearing a State of Minnesota-blessed VIN, after it was hustled off the block at last year's sale. Other then than, not much changed (for better or worse), selling for $200 less than its bid from a year ago. You may leave the auction circuit now. MidAmerica, St. Paul, MN, 5/09. #335-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37L7S401958. Maroon/black velour. Odo: 27,061 miles. 350-ci 180-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Good order, with no chips, scrapes, or scuffs in body. Repaint still nice, Cragar mags fitted, interior has survived well. overspray, serviceable original brightwork. 2006 Pennsylvania inspection sticker in windshield. Good condition original interior upholstery, with heavier wear on carpeting. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $10,600. The auction description claimed this car had the LT-1 motor, but it was built a year after that engine was discontinued. This one was just a run-around car, as it was not so horrible that you'd have to tear it apart again. Plenty paid for a convertible without a soft top and a Corvette that reinforces a lot of bad stereotypes about C3s. MidAmerica, St. Paul, MN, 5/09. Best Buy #F108-1974 CH EVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37J4S423334. Dark Brown/ saddle leather. Odo: 47,879 miles. 350-ci 195-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Factory-optional a/c, power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt/telescopic steering column, and luggage rack. Seller claims actual miles. Original paint lightly crazed, with some chipping on panel edges and on hood vents. Light seam splitting along the tops of both front fenders. Good door and panel fit—or at least to as-new specs. Seat bottoms and carpeting staring to show heavier wear, but overall the original interior isn't too bad. New water pump and hoses. Cond: 4+. 66 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com panel edges have numerous touched-up paint chips. Rear window sealed with clear RTV. Newer brake lines, non-stock exhaust system. Driver's seat back has several seam separations, rest of interior presentable. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $6,500. It's not worth redoing this back to stock, as there is no return on what you'd spend, and it runs out well enough just to use it as-is until is wears out. A nothing-special driver that got bid to the current market level. Mecum, St. Paul, MN, 6/09. #71-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37L6S414999. Black /red leather. Odo: 22,146 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Factory options include ps, pb, leather, and a/c. Both bumper skins appear to have been epoxied back together from several small pieces and then given a lousy rattle-can repaint. Original white paint shown by blank space on left front A-pillar where VIN tag was, although there's a new Minnesota-assigned VIN sticker on door pillar. Pop-up headlights have been converted to rectangular quad lamps Emissions gear junked, now fitted with Holley 4-bbl and headers. Off road since 2005. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $16,871. Sold new in the U.K. (but not until 1978, hence the S plate), in the current hands since 1991. As far as Corvettes go, this is not a desirable year, but that didn't seem to bother U.K. buyers. Sold market-correct for tidy generic car. Bonhams, Sussex, UK, 7/09. #26-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37L6S409153. White/dark brown leather. Odo: 19,457 miles. 350-ci 185hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Factory options include a/c, power steering, power brakes, power windows, alarm, tilt/telescoping column, AM/FM stereo, and rear defroster. Fitted with dealer-installed luggage rack. Non-original L48 installed, but consignor is willing to supply the original motor. Collision damaged 15 years ago and

repaired well. Better quality repaint dates from that time, although the masking wasn't as good. Appropriately in Tobacco leather, as it was a smokers' car. Average seat and carpet wear for a used car. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $8,000. The original motor included with the car stick rarely helps sell cars at collector auctions. That tends to work better for an eBay auction or private sale, as most buyers are prepared to haul a dead motor home. Whatcha going to do, toss it in the back of this C3? On top of that, dealers just want to flip the car for a profit, not have a 600-pound chunk of iron to deal with. The final bid was proper for the car as it was... no matter how many engines it comes with. MidAmerica, St. Paul, MN, 5/09. #S63-1977 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37L7S429911. Black/black cloth. Odo: 48,882 miles. 350-ci 180-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Optional power steering, power brakes, power windows, a/c, cruise control, luggage rack, and tilt/telescopic steering column. Mileage claimed correct. Original paint buffed to knock down original orange peel, and now displays lots of polishing swirls. Point on nose has some paint cracking from light impacts. Decal on fan shroud indicates a/c has been smoked glass roof panel option was introduced in 1978, but very few got to these standard Corvettes. Most were installed on Pace Cars (especially for those who ordered their car “with every single option”). At least someone was able to get a deal done on a Corvette here, as this was the only one that changed hands. Well sold. VanDerBrink, Iola, WI, 7/09. #S69-1981 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY8769B5103678. Silver/ tinted panels/silver gray leather. Odo: 74,548 miles. 350-ci 190-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Options include tinted roof panels, AM/FM/8-track stereo, and a/c. Decent respray, with the only obvious masking lines around fuel filler cavity. Scuffing on base of windshield from where AM/FM/cassette deck the only deviations from stock. Clean, lightly detailed original engine compartment, stock-style stainless steel ex- retrofitted to R-134a. Minimal interior wear commensurate with indicated miles. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $8,300. Why I hate all black cars, reason number four. It was 85 degrees on sale day, and not only was it impossible to touch the car with the bare hand (I used several layers of napkins to open the door), but I actually felt the heat radiating off the car while I was evaluating it. Even with cloth seats, this must have been unbearable for the assigned driver. No wonder the a/c was religiously kept in shape. The reserve was lifted at the final bid, for a market-correct price—one way this car wasn't smokin' hot. Mecum, St. Paul, MN, 6/09. #52-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z87L8S421879. Black/tinted glass panels/red vinyl. Odo: 78,567 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Factory options include a/c, tinted glass roof panels, power windows, power seats, and tilt/telescopic steering column. Heavily prepped from bare fiberglass body, repaint in original black is far better than when it left St. Louis. Rear fascia Corvette emblem missing. Lots of work done to the motor, yet the consignor refused to open the hood at any time. All replacement interior installed very well. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $14,000. The www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 67 haust system with generic polished outlets that point directly down. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $16,000. While later production C3s have seen some increases in prices, despite the market, the final bid here should have been enough—even for a low-mile original all-red car. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. windshield wiper arms have contacted it repeatedly. Cleaned off clear-coated engine bay. Replacement seat upholstery, rest of interior original. Carpeting around center console is loose. Brightwork on door panels is discolored, with some silver paint touch-ups on edges of vinyl. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $11,925. Reserve was off at $9,700, and surprisingly, the car went quite a bit past that level. Sold well, considering that it's not as original as the consignor thought it was. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S129.1-1981 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY876XBS427532. Red/tinted panels/red leather. Odo: 11,382 miles. 350-ci 190-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Mileage claimed correct. Factory options include tinted panels and power door locks. Well preserved original paint and interior, T-pad and electronically tuned

Market Report C4 coupe. S/N 1G1AY0789E5115887. Black/red leather. Odo: 80,913 miles. #125M-1984 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 350-ci 205-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Fitted with late 1980s vintage Pontiac alloy wheels. Last licensed in Iowa in 1994, suffered a catastrophic roll-over around that time. Stored outside since, engine bay nearly stuffed full of leaves. Nose missing, with just two square feet of hood left, rear has Global Roundup Corvettes across the block #F94-1987 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY2182H5119767. Firethorn Red/tinted panel/saddle leather. Odo: 89,031 miles. 350-ci 240-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Factory options include tinted roof panel, Bilstein suspension, electronic climate control, and power driver's seat. Aftermarket mudflaps, cat-back exhaust, rosewood shift knob, console pad, and sill protectors. Average respray with a couple masking short-cuts on window seals, 40th #S4-1993 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Anniversary convertible. S/N 1G1YY33P3P5120340. Ruby Red/Ruby Red cloth/Ruby Red leather. Odo: 49,954 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Claimed to include optional removable hard top, but is not on-site. Original paint shows quite a few nicks, and not just on the front. weathering on soft top, but still very serviceable. Generally kept up, but not cleaned up Light been significantly cracked, and the original paint is heavily scuffed and faded. Roof panel sitting loose in rear hatch. Windshield has a hole from the outside going in. Cond: 6. SOLD AT $975. It's worse than that, it's dead, Jim. One wonders why the narrower Poncho wheels were put on the car—perhaps it was a contributing factor to the accident. Any way you look at it, this was an organ donor, and it was purchased by the owner of the local pick-a-part junkyard. Well sold. VanDerBrink Auctions, Sioux Falls, SD, 6/09. #S122-1984 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY0783E5145318. Polo White/red leather. Odo: 4,563 miles. 350-ci 205-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Fitted with aftermarket rear spoiler. Mileage claimed actual. No nicks or blemishes in the paint, apart from typical light orange peel courtesy of GM. Driver's door sill has heavier heel gouge and aftermarket carpeted floor mats have some moderate wear, but otherwise all stock interior is like new. Retains GM-installed Motor Trend non-OEM replacement windshield. Claimedto-be-replacement seat leather worn and soiled, carpeting recently replaced and shows almost no wear. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $8,400. Another Corvette getting frequent flyer miles from Dana, as it was a no-sale at $7k in Kansas City in March (SCM# 120126). While being firm and fast at $8k back then, now the consignor cut it loose at $6k—and it continued to get a lot of action. I'm not certain if it was worth the shipping and hassle for another grand, but at least the consignor got sick of carting it around and kicked it out the door at a prudent price. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S64-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY2383M5104184. Red/tan leather. Odo: 55,965 miles. 350-ci 250-hp fuelinjected V8, auto. Factory-optional dual power leather sport seats and electronic climate control. Mostly original well-cared-for paint apart from a respray on nose. Interior wear commensurate with indicated miles. DIN-mount AM/ FM/CD stereo displaces the stock entertainment either under the hood or beneath the car. Wear on the carpeting, door sill, steering wheel rim, and driver's seat is all commensurate with indicated miles. Dealer's sticker still affixed to left rear valance. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $12,985. Previously used as an occasional summertime driver, rather than a hopeful future collectible. Hopefully the seller got 50k miles worth of enjoyment out of it, since it sold for average late C4 convertible driver money. A fair exchange for all involved. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #F23-1994 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22P7R5114944. White/red leather. Odo: 21,886 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuelinjected V8, auto. Equipped with dual power leather seating, dual roof panels, and electronic climate control. Seller is the second owner, and he thinks the mileage is correct. Overall condition seems to bear that out, with minimal Car of the Year decal in rear window. Heck, it even still has a new car smell 25 years later. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $19,080. Too bad about the hokey rear spoiler, otherwise the car would be a lock for Bloomington Gold Survivor status. Still, you'd have to hit a lot of auctions to find a better low-mile late-1984 than this one—although they are out there. Either that, or just wait a week and go to Bloomington Gold. The consignor was prudent to let it go at the final bid. Mecum, St. Paul, MN, 6/09. 68 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com system. Dealer-quality engine bay clean-up and quasi-detailing, fresh AC-Delco replacement battery. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $10,500. This car has a bad habit of turning back up at Mecum auctions after being declared sold. We tracked it in January '08 at the Kissimmee auction, selling out there for $10k (CM# 49069), then at Indy in May '09, selling for $20,670 (CM# 120512). This time, the price was just below the water line for the car's condition. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. chips or scuffing to original paint. Clean, well maintained engine bay, with all original or GM replacement components. Aftermarket clear plastic door sill cover plates. Heavierthan-expected wear on outboard driver's seat back bolster, rest of interior like new. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $18,550. Mirroring what I saw at Bloomington Gold, low-mile later series C4s seem to be moving up in price lately. This one even went past the seller's $17k reserve, making for a very strong sale. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S50-1995 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22P9S5117365. Black/ painted panel/black leather. Odo: 97,611 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Factoryoptional dual power sport seats, climate

control and AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo system. Well-cared-for original paint with several touched-up nose chips. Door and glass seals starting to crack and tear. Stock wheels with more corrosion under clear coat than curb rash, but they all have some. Bone stock cleaned up but not detailed engine bay. Center console lid torn along hinge, but otherwise interior wear is commensurate with miles indicated. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $8,000. When it hit the auction block, it was declared to have become no reserve, and started with a $2,500 opening bid. Not an investment grade car, but it sold toward the lower market price for a good commuter car—until the a/c goes south on a hot day. Then you'll wish you'd bought a white convertible instead. Mecum, St. Paul, MN, 6/09. C5 #F75-1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N G1YY32G9X5116326. Black /black cloth/black leather. Odo: 39,581 miles. 5.7-L 345-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Stock chrome alloy wheels, brake calipers painted red. Aftermarket Borla cat-back exhaust, simulated wood dashboard and console coverings. Original paint shows some polishing swirls and the occasional touch-up. None Display. Aftermarket Borla exhaust, exhaust panel dress-up plate, and tinted rear window. Possible repaint on nose panel, as it's slightly off hue and has absolutely no nicks or chips. Engine bay quite dusty—no attempt was made at detailing the car beyond hitting it with a hose before it was driven to the site. Interior wear commensurate with indicated mileage. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $19,000. As the owner of a C5 with a few less miles than this one, I know that unless you only run the car in the city on perfect days or put on a nose bra, you WILL get slight stone chips on the beak. It's actually easier (and sometimes cheaper) to peel off and repaint them than to install clear chip guard. Besides, it's plastic, it's not gonna rust out anyway. The Mecum staff was all but begging for bids on the car, as it's used car lot fodder and was at the end of the sale. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. C6 #S26.1-2005 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY24U955103621. Red/black leather. Odo: 51,162 miles. 6.0-L 400-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Options include tinted roof panel, Z51 suspension, Head-Up Display, Navigation, HomeLink, OnStar, and heated seats. Fitted with aftermarket 20-inch Forte coated alloy wheels shod with new Falken rubber. McNeil floor mat troughs fitted to interior. Squeaky clean engine bay and undercarriage. of the induction is stock ahead of the MAF sensor. Light seat and carpet wear commensurate with miles indicated. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $21,995. The consigning dealer purchased the car from its 75-year-old owner, who had to sell it because he was going blind. Play with your toys while you still can. Went one bid past the reserve, yielding a respectable deal for a wellkept—albeit mildly customized—C5 rag top driver. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. #S178-2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 coupe. S/N 1G1YY12S035121160. Quicksilver/black leather. Odo: 51,436 miles. 5.7-L 405-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Factory options Electrochromic include Memory Package, Mirrors, and Head-Up The only discernible interior wear is on steering wheel rim. Otherwise, it is a bone-stock C6 with far less wear and tear than expected for the mileage. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $24,750. Another late-model Corvette that was begging for bids. The troubled late-model car market just makes things worse for specialty cars that turn up at collector car auctions—especially with a room full of dealers. There were hints at a deal possible past $26k, but in this crowd, it was a pipe dream. Mecum, Des Moines, IA, 7/09. ■ Advertising Prints 13" x 19"; Just $15.95 Available online at Vintage www.sportscarmarket.com www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 69

By the Numbers Most Expensive Corvettes Sold, June to August 2009* Rank Model 1 1968 Corvette L88 Coupe 2 1968 Corvette 427/430 L88 Coupe 3 1960 Corvette Convertible “First of the 1960s” 4 1967 Corvette 427/435 Coupe “Ed Cole” 5 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 6 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 7 1969 Corvette 427/430 L88 Coupe 8 1960 Corvette 283/290 Convertible 9 1963 Corvette 327/360 FI Coupe 10 1966 Corvette 427/425 Coupe 11 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 12 1957 Corvette 283/283 Convertible 13 1966 Corvette 427/425 Convertible 14 1991 Corvette Callaway Twin-Turbo Speedster 15 1966 Corvette 427/425 Convertible 16 1966 Corvette 427/425 Convertible 17 1964 Corvette Coupe “Ozzie Olson GM Styling Car” 18 1954 Corvette Roadster 19 1966 Corvette 427/450 Convertible 20 1963 Corvette 327/300 Coupe 21 1967 Corvette 427/435 L71 Coupe 22 1957 Corvette 283/250 FI Convertible 23 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 24 1960 Corvette 283/230 Convertible 25 1965 Corvette 327/375 Convertible 26 1967 Corvette 427/390 Convertible 27 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 70 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Top Seller—1968 Corvette L88 Coupe, $572,000 Sold Price Location $572,000 RM, Monterey, CA $318,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $291,500 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $217,300 Mecum, Monterey, CA $207,760 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $161,120 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $159,000 Mecum, Monterey, CA $156,350 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $153,700 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $143,000 Gooding, Pebble Beach, CA $140,400 Silver, Reno, NV $129,320 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $125,080 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $121,900 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $111,300 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $111,150 Bonhams & Butterfields, Greenwich, CT $106,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $104,500 Gooding, Pebble Beach, CA $102,820 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $100,357 Coys, Nürburgring, DEU $99,000 RM, Monterey, CA $99,000 Gooding, Pebble Beach, CA $98,280 Leake, Tulsa, OK $95,400 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $95,400 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $95,400 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $95,400 Mecum, St. Charles, IL Date 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 Lot # 537 S119 S60 S86 S109 S115 S208 S125 S63 8/16/09 160 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/7/09 51 432 S99 S61 F57 S104 243 6/27/09 S108.1 8/16/09 6/27/09 8/8/09 8/15/09 8/16/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 S91 248 375 55 2536 S70 S113 S103 F69 *As recorded in the Corvette Market Digital Plus database (www.corvettemarket.com). Auction sales only. Photos: Darin Schnabel

Rank Model 28 1961 Corvette 283/245 Convertible 29 1957 Corvette 283/283 Convertible 30 1966 Corvette 427/425 Convertible 31 1967 Corvette 427/390 Convertible 32 1957 Corvette 283/270 Convertible 33 1957 Corvette 283/283 FI Convertible 34 1963 Corvette 327/360 FI Coupe 35 1954 Corvette Roadster 36 1957 Corvette 283/283 FI Convertible 37 1954 Corvette Roadster 38 1969 Corvette 427/400 Coupe 39 1954 Corvette Roadster 40 1969 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 41 1969 Corvette 427/435 L89 Coupe 42 1963 Corvette 350/360 FI Coupe 43 1961 Corvette 283/230 Convertible 44 1963 Corvette 327/340 Coupe 45 1963 Corvette Grand Sport Roadster Replica 46 1969 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 47 2006 Corvette Z06 Coupe 48 1963 Corvette 327/340 Coupe 49 1970 Corvette Stingray 454/390 Convertible 50 1966 Corvette LS6 Custom Coupe 51 1962 Corvette 327/360 FI Convertible 52 1966 Corvette 427/425 Coupe 53 1960 Corvette 283/230 Convertible 54 1962 Corvette 327/250 Convertible 55 2007 Corvette Z06 Coupe 56 1965 Corvette 350 Coupe 57 1965 Corvette LT-1 Convertible 58 1966 Corvette 327/350 Convertible 59 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible 60 1961 Corvette 283/245 Convertible 61 1967 Corvette 327/350 Convertible 62 1965 Corvette Convertible 63 1964 Corvette 327/365 Coupe 64 1964 Corvette 327/365 Convertible 65 1959 Corvette 283/230 Convertible 66 1965 Corvette 327/250 Convertible 67 1967 Corvette 427/400 Coupe 68 1954 Corvette Roadster 69 1966 Corvette 427/390 Coupe 70 1967 Corvette 327/350 Convertible 71 1962 Corvette 283 Convertible 72 1969 Corvette 427/435 Coupe 73 1962 Corvette 327/340 Convertible 74 1965 Corvette 327 Coupe 75 1967 Corvette 327/300 Coupe Sold Price Location Date $93,600 Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA 8/14/09 $90,100 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $88,510 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $87,980 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $84,800 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $82,150 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $81,000 Leake, Tulsa, OK $78,840 Silver, Reno, NV $77,000 RM, Rochester, MI $75,260 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $74,200 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $73,140 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $68,900 Mecum, Monterey, CA $67,840 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $67,310 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $65,190 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $64,800 Silver, Reno, NV $64,660 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $63,600 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $63,600 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $63,600 Mecum, Monterey, CA $63,180 Shannons, Sydney, AUS $62,100 Leake, Tulsa, OK $61,600 RM, Rochester, MI $59,890 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $59,625 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $59,360 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $58,320 Leake, Tulsa, OK $58,300 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $58,300 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $57,770 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $57,240 Leake, Tulsa, OK $57,240 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $56,700 Silver, Reno, NV $56,160 Silver, Reno, NV $55,650 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $55,120 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $55,000 RM, Rochester, MI $54,590 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $54,270 Leake, Tulsa, OK $54,060 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $54,060 Mecum, Monterey, CA $53,530 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $53,460 Leake, Tulsa, OK $53,460 Leake, Tulsa, OK $53,460 Silver, Reno, NV $53,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $53,000 Mecum, Monterey, CA 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 7/18/09 6/14/09 8/9/09 8/1/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 7/12/09 6/14/09 8/1/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/1/09 7/18/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 Lot # 281 S57 F66 F96 S62 S139 2431 393 234 S74 S82 S83.1 S62 S69 S25 S15 460 F58 F64 F119 S55 24 490 223 S30.1 F45 S37 1213 F86 S48 F77 2489 F100 417 715 F53 F48 241 S142 2486 F54 S48 F87 2470 1239 428 S71 S167 www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 71

By the Numbers Rank Model 76 1954 Corvette Roadster 77 1959 Corvette 350/340 Convertible 78 1959 Corvette 283/230 Convertible 79 1954 Corvette Roadster 80 1962 Corvette Convertible 81 1960 Corvette 350 Convertible 82 1962 Corvette 327 Convertible 83 1962 Corvette 327/350 Convertible 84 1954 Corvette Roadster 85 1962 Corvette 327/360 Convertible 86 1963 Corvette 327/340 Coupe 87 1973 Corvette Convertible 88 1954 Corvette Roadster 89 1969 Corvette 427/390 Convertible 90 1965 Corvette 327/300 Convertible 91 1960 Corvette 350 Convertible 92 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition Roadster 93 1967 Corvette 327/350 Coupe 94 1966 Corvette 327/350 Convertible 95 1965 Corvette 327/250 Convertible 96 1966 Corvette 327/300 Coupe 97 1964 Corvette 327 Coupe 98 1962 Corvette 327/250 Convertible 99 1968 Corvette 427/390 Convertible 100 1967 Corvette 327/350 Coupe 101 1963 Corvette 327 Convertible 102 1969 Corvette 350/350 Convertible 103 1969 Corvette 427/435 Coupe 104 1961 Corvette 283/270 Convertible 105 1995 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe 106 2000 Corvette 383/475 Lingenfelter Convertible 107 1961 Corvette 283 Convertible 108 1964 Corvette 383/600 Custom Convertible 109 1961 Corvette 283/230 Convertible 110 1995 Corvette Indy Pace Convertible 111 1969 Corvette 427/390 Convertible 112 1965 Corvette 327/300 Coupe 113 1967 Corvette 327/300 Convertible 114 1976 Corvette 350 Coupe 115 1961 Corvette 350 Convertible 116 1970 Corvette 350/370 LT-1 Coupe 117 1972 Corvette 350/255 Coupe 118 1968 Corvette 327/350 Convertible 119 1972 Corvette 454/270 Convertible 120 2003 Corvette Brickyard Pace Convertible 121 1961 Corvette 327 Convertible 122 2006 Corvette Convertible 72 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Sold Price Location $52,920 Leake, Tulsa, OK $52,920 Silver, Reno, NV $51,840 Leake, Tulsa, OK $51,700 RM, Rochester, MI $51,410 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $50,880 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $49,820 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $49,680 Silver, Reno, NV $49,140 Silver, Reno, NV $48,760 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $48,600 Leake, Tulsa, OK $47,965 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $47,700 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $47,300 Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA $47,170 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $46,980 Leake, Tulsa, OK $46,750 RM, Monterey, CA $46,440 Silver, Reno, NV $46,110 Mecum, Monterey, CA $45,580 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $45,580 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $45,360 Silver, Reno, NV $44,280 Silver, Reno, NV $43,290 Bonhams & Butterfields, Tacoma, WA $42,400 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $41,750 Silver, Reno, NV $40,163 Coys, Nürburgring, DEU $39,750 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $39,220 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $39,220 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $39,220 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $38,880 Leake, Tulsa, OK $38,690 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $38,500 RM, Rochester, MI $38,160 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $37,100 Mecum, St. Paul, MN $36,180 Leake, Tulsa, OK $34,980 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $34,980 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $34,450 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $34,450 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $34,450 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $34,020 Silver, Reno, NV $33,920 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $33,920 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $33,480 Silver, Reno, NV $33,156 Silver, Jackson Hole, WY Date 6/14/09 8/9/09 6/14/09 8/1/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 7/18/09 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 8/15/09 8/9/09 8/15/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 8/9/09 9/12/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 8/8/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 8/1/09 6/27/09 6/20/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 7/5/09 Lot # 2497 175 508 212 S48.1 F24 S47 304 348 F62 2459 F89 S154 F457 S93 545 339 426 S231 S83 F50 767 457 47 S31 392 235 F99 S136 S120 S84 409 F122 252 F80 S86 534 S137 F94 S5 S95 S130 427 F78 F40 607 77

1966 Corvette 427/425 Convertible—$111,150 at Bonhams & Butterfields, Greenwich, CT Rank Model 123 1964 Corvette 350/370 LT-1 Convertible 124 1969 Corvette 350/300 Convertible 125 1972 Corvette 350 Coupe 126 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition Convertible 127 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Coupe 128 1996 Corvette Convertible 129 1959 Corvette 350 Coupe 130 1971 Corvette 454 Convertible 131 1970 Corvette 350/300 Convertible 132 1995 Corvette Indy Pace Convertible 133 1969 Corvette 427/390 Coupe 134 1970 Corvette 350 Convertible 135 1971 Corvette 350 Convertible 136 1978 Corvette 350 Coupe 137 1988 Corvette 35th Anniversary Coupe 138 1988 Corvette Convertible 139 1971 Corvette Stingray Convertible (RHD) 140 1964 Corvette 327/300 Coupe 141 2003 Corvette Coupe 142 1991 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe 143 1972 Corvette 350/200 Convertible 144 1971 Corvette 454/365 Coupe 145 2004 Corvette Convertible 146 2002 Corvette Coupe 147 1970 Corvette 454/390 Coupe 148 1998 Corvette Convertible 149 1970 Corvette 350/370 LT-1 Coupe 150 1994 Corvette Limousine 151 1999 Corvette Convertible 152 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Coupe 153 1969 Corvette 350/350 Coupe 1954 Corvette Roadster—$54,060 at Mecum, St, Charles, IL Sold Price Location $32,940 Silver, Reno, NV $30,780 Leake, Tulsa, OK $30,510 Silver, Reno, NV $29,700 Leake, Tulsa, OK $29,680 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $29,150 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $28,620 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $28,090 Mecum, Monterey, CA $27,540 Leake, Tulsa, OK $26,500 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $26,460 Leake, Tulsa, OK $26,460 Silver, Reno, NV $26,235 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $25,970 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $25,970 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $25,970 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $25,740 Shannons, Sydney, AUS $25,440 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $25,380 Silver, Reno, NV $24,910 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $24,380 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $24,300 Leake, Tulsa, OK $24,030 Silver, Jackson Hole, WY $23,760 Silver, Coeur d'Alene, ID $23,436 Leake, Tulsa, OK $23,320 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $22,260 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $22,260 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $21,995 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $21,870 Leake, Tulsa, OK $21,600 Leake, Tulsa, OK Date 8/9/09 6/14/09 8/9/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 8/15/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 7/12/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 7/5/09 6/13/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 7/18/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 Lot # 327 2441 131 103 F55 F97 F3 S13 522 S21 527 407 S14 F139 F44 F88 3 F46 976 S42 F38 719 42 69 1246 F39 S17 F117 F75 1119 2512 www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 73

By the Numbers 2003 Corvette Brickyard Pace Convertible—$33,920 at Mecum, St. Charles, IL Rank Model 154 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe 155 1973 Corvette Pro Street Coupe 156 1968 Corvette Coupe “Jim Lovell” 157 1995 Corvette Coupe 158 1975 Corvette 350 Convertible 159 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Coupe 160 1993 Corvette 40th Anniversary Coupe 161 2001 Corvette Z06 Coupe 162 1993 Corvette Coupe 163 1984 Corvette Convertible 164 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe 165 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe 166 1995 Corvette Convertible 167 2000 Corvette Convertible 168 1994 Corvette Coupe 169 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Coupe 170 1973 Corvette 350/350 Convertible 171 1982 Corvette Coupe 172 1974 Corvette Convertible 173 1968 Corvette 327/300 Coupe 174 1996 Corvette Convertible 175 1973 Corvette 350 Coupe 176 1974 Corvette 350 Convertible 177 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe 178 1976 Corvette Coupe 179 1969 Corvette 350/350 Convertible 180 2001 Corvette Convertible 181 1980 Corvette Coupe 182 1968 Corvette 402 Custom Convertible 183 1981 Corvette Coupe 184 1994 Corvette Coupe 74 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com 1996 Corvette Convertible—$17,490 at Mecum, St. Paul, MN Sold Price Location $21,465 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $21,330 Leake, Tulsa, OK $20,670 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $20,670 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $20,140 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $19,980 Leake, Tulsa, OK $19,610 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $19,440 Leake, Tulsa, OK $19,345 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $19,080 Mecum, St. Paul, MN $19,080 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $19,080 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $19,080 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $18,550 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $18,550 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $18,090 Leake, Tulsa, OK $18,020 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $18,020 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $17,755 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $17,604 Leake, Tulsa, OK $17,490 Mecum, St. Paul, MN $17,490 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $17,490 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $17,225 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $16,871 Bonhams, Sussex, UK $16,470 Leake, Tulsa, OK $16,308 Leake, Tulsa, OK $16,165 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $15,370 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $15,370 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $15,105 Mecum, St. Charles, IL Date 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/20/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 7/18/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 Lot # F36 536 F60 F120 S36 1183 S19 753 F65 S122 F79.1 S138 F74 S20 F23 447 S24 F34 F136 803 6/20/09 S126.1 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 7/3/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 S30 F31 F18 335 1250 1145 F67 S146 S43 F113

Rank Model 185 1971 Corvette 350/300 T-top 186 2000 Corvette Coupe 187 1969 Corvette 350/350 Coupe 188 1997 Corvette Coupe 189 1989 Corvette Convertible 190 1979 Corvette Coupe 191 1993 Corvette Coupe 192 1995 Corvette Convertible 193 1993 Corvette Convertible 194 1982 Corvette Collectors Edition Coupe 195 1977 Corvette 350 Coupe 196 1973 Corvette 350 Coupe 197 1996 Corvette Coupe 198 1973 Corvette Coupe 199 1980 Corvette Coupe 200 1981 Corvette Coupe 201 1976 Corvette 350 Coupe 202 1978 Corvette Coupe 203 1993 Corvette Convertible 204 1998 Corvette Coupe 205 1979 Corvette 350 Coupe 206 1972 Corvette 383 Coupe 207 1994 Corvette Coupe 208 1982 Corvette Coupe 209 1992 Corvette Coupe 210 1985 Corvette Coupe 211 1992 Corvette Convertible 212 1981 Corvette 350 Coupe 213 1989 Corvette Custom Coupe 214 1982 Corvette Coupe 215 1995 Corvette Coupe 216 1995 Corvette Coupe 217 1987 Corvette Coupe 218 1977 Corvette Coupe 219 1985 Corvette Coupe 220 1995 Corvette Coupe 221 1995 Corvette Coupe 222 1988 Corvette Convertible 223 1977 Corvette 350 Coupe 224 1990 Corvette Convertible 225 1994 Corvette Coupe 226 1981 Corvette Coupe 227 1978 Corvette 350/220 Coupe 228 1981 Corvette Coupe 229 1986 Corvette Coupe 230 1974 Corvette Sting Ray 231 1974 Corvette 350 Coupe Sold Price Location $14,840 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $14,796 Leake, Tulsa, OK $14,575 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $14,575 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $14,045 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $13,250 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $13,250 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $13,230 Silver, Coeur d'Alene, ID $12,985 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $12,960 Leake, Tulsa, OK $12,852 Leake, Tulsa, OK $12,420 Leake, Tulsa, OK $12,420 Leake, Tulsa, OK $12,312 Silver, Reno, NV $12,190 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $11,925 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $11,660 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $11,130 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $11,130 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $10,812 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $10,800 Leake, Tulsa, OK $10,100 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $10,044 Leake, Tulsa, OK $10,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $9,720 Silver, Reno, NV $9,600 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $9,288 Leake, Tulsa, OK $9,180 Leake, Tulsa, OK $9,180 Leake, Tulsa, OK $9,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $8,748 Silver, Reno, NV $8,424 Leake, Tulsa, OK $8,400 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $8,300 Mecum, St. Paul, MN $8,208 Silver, Jackson Hole, WY $8,100 Leake, Tulsa, OK $8,000 Mecum, St. Paul, MN $7,560 Leake, Tulsa, OK $7,500 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $7,344 Leake, Tulsa, OK $7,344 Leake, Tulsa, OK $7,100 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $7,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $7,000 Mecum, St. Charles, IL $6,264 Leake, Tulsa, OK $5,300 Mecum, Des Moines, IA $4,200 Mecum, St. Charles, IL Date 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/13/09 7/18/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 7/18/09 Lot # F33 455 S147 F20 F25 F35 F140 20 S4 113 1235 183 1122 1005 F15 S69 6/27/09 F16 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 8/9/09 6/14/09 7/18/09 6/20/09 7/5/09 6/14/09 6/20/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 6/14/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/27/09 6/14/09 7/18/09 6/27/09 F19 S3 F22 1125 F9 114 F27 912 F6 1171 202 411 F142 921 1224 F94 S63 83 785 S50 172 S2 1231 1118 S141 F17 S8 1128 F108 F2 www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 75

Trick Stuff B What you need for your Corvette and where to get it. By John Gunnell All That Glitters at Bloomington Gold Finished in Polo White, with “old school” Corvette logos and vintage lights and horns, the bike catches attention like a classic Corvette loomington Gold is a huge show in Illinois where hopeful Corvette owners go to win awards—like Survivor Certification and Gold Certification. To confuse these folks, it's held in St. Charles these days, rather than in Bloomington, where it used to be. Most Corvette lovers find the event anyway. When they arrive, there is plenty of “trick stuff” to buy. So we thought this issue's “Trick Stuff” column should be used to give out our First Annual Trick Stuff Bloomington Gold Awards. AND THE TRICKEST NON-PRODUCT AWARD GOES TO… Mike's Bike Undoubtedly the “trickest” item at Bloomington Gold in 2009 was the Corvette bicycle that Mike Yager of Mid America Motorworks had his in-house designers whip up. Finished in Polo White, with “old school” Corvette logos and vintage lights and horns, the bike catches attention like a classic Corvette and provides even better gas mileage than a tri-carb “Stovebolt Six.” Although Mike has thousands of other Corvette parts and products in his thick Mid America Motorworks catalog, you won't find this bike listed yet. So why not order something else, and when you send your order in, tell him “Mike . . . we want a bike, too!” Mid America Motorworks, www.mamotorworks.com. AND THE CAST IN STONE AWARD GOES TO… The Nickey Mantel Well, you could have a “Nickey mantel” in your home if you owned a Nickey Corvette and you wanted Maier Precast to make you one with the Nickey backwards-K logo on it. But you better check with Steve Bimbi first, 'cause he owns the brand. As for Maier Precast, the Illinois company's graphic designer can custom-etch any type of automotive graphics into the mantels, hearths, bars, coffee tables, sinks, and outdoor counters the company sells. Maier's products are made out of a lightweight concrete so they can be installed in most homes without flooring reinforcement. Most of the mantels and hearths come in five or six pieces, allowing for easy installation. The standard colors for mantels are white, gray, and buff, but Maier offers the option of painting the piece to match your wall, trim, or finish. Maier countertops are made out of Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC), which allows pouring material thinner than regular concrete. GFRC weighs only 10% as much as conventional precast The Corvette of bikes Diane's napkin rings concrete. There are no molds or standard sizes, so each counter is made to your requirements. Maier also offers computer design services to etch your personal Corvette into your concrete creations. Because of the custom nature of this work, prices differ according to the job. Maier Precast, www. maierprecast.com. AND THE PEWTER CERTIFICATION AWARD GOES TO… Diane's Neat Napkin Rings Diane R. Everce, president of CarArtWork in Louisville, Kentucky, suggests you rev up your next automotive social gathering with her custom-made Corvette napkin rings. The Corvette napkin rings are handcrafted in lead-free pewter, come in sets of four and are available with both C5 and C6 emblems. Each set sells for $40. CarArtWork, Inc., www.carartwork.biz. AND THE GIVE ME A BRAKE AWARD GOES TO… Van Steel's Wilwood Brake Kits In August 2007, Van Steel and Wilwood collaborated on the light- est, most technologically advanced brake package ever produced for the '65–82 Corvette. This direct bolt-on system provides forged, lightweight calipers with two-piece rotors. It is 33% lighter than factory brakes, and rotating mass is reduced 22%. The Wilwood SL6R caliper is a forged billet, 6-piston, mono block- type caliper. The billet aluminum combines super strength and ultralight weight. Wilwood's “Differential Bore Design” utilizes special stainless steel pistons and location for optimum brake pad balance and wear. The SL6R caliper is black or can be upgraded to a red finish. In kit form, the caliper has the Wilwood DP-20 pads, which are an aggressive Now that's a sink 76 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com Somebody stop me

street or track material. A full line of Wilwood or Hawk pads are available. Wilwood “Big Brake” kits for the 1965–82 Corvette come in 13- or 14-inch diameters, with slotted or cross-drilled and slotted designs. Rear rotors are designed to utilize the factory parking brake with no modifications. These kits are priced from $2,074–$2,332. Van Steel, www.vansteel.com. AND THE SPEED WRITING AWARD GOES TO… Corvette Thunder, 50 Years of Corvette Racing Corvette Thunder, 50 Years of Corvette Racing, 1953–2003, tells this story as it should be told—with hundreds of photos and first-person recollections from drivers who made history racing Corvettes. Motor-sports historian Dave Friedman spent more than a year compiling this photographic history of Corvette racing, filled with hundreds of unpublished, or rarely published, photos. The more than 600 black-and-white and color photos in the book bring to life the greatest moments in Corvette racing, plus there are interviews with Dr. Dick Thompson, Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant, Dick Guldstrand, Jim Jeffords, and more. Corvette Thunder Corvette Thunder, 50 Years of Corvette Racing, 1953–2003, is now available at $75, plus shipping and handling. To get a copy signed by both Dick Guldstrand and Dave Friedman, contact Guldstrand Motor Productions, 818.551.6880. MEANWHILE, BACK ON THE WEST COAST… Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow With this new chassis kit from Jim Meyer Racing Products, you can take the C1 Corvette of yesteryear, blend in today's Corvette technology, and make a car that will be up to date tomorrow. The kit is set up for the LS1 V8 and includes suspension, steering goodies, and Wilwood four-wheel power disc brakes. It will make your C1 go, stop, and handle like a world-class 2010 'Vette. For a good look at what it takes to install the kit, as well as a few options, go to www.jimmeyerracing.com. ■ C6 goodies for the C1 NEW! “Fair”, “Good” and “Excellent” prices for all models, 1900–88. FREE! NOW ONLINE! The world's largest collector car price guide based on over 500,000 sold transactions from www.collectorcarpricetracker.com For the collector who needs to know what things are selling for, right now. Take your free test drive today. . Updated weekly. www.vettemarket.com SUMMER 2009 Corvette Market 77

In Miniature By Marshall Buck Speaking Volumes By Paul Duchene How To Rebuild Corvette Rolling Chassis 1963–1982 By George McNicholl, Motorbooks Workshop, 222 pages, $34.95 The term “frame-off” restoration sets a lot of buyers' minds at rest when they're at auction. It suggests the car they're looking at has been away from its home garage for months, while experts fettled all the little details and basically rebuilt it from the ground up. It is, in many people's estimate, beyond their 1975 Corvette L82 Convertible Back in the mid 1970s, disco music was everywhere, and the American auto indus- try was still discovering how to meet D.O.T. and E.P.A. standards while also offering cars we'd buy. The C3 Corvette convertible was dying; 1975 was the last year for a convertible until 1986. Unlike the convertible, disco is mostly dead and buried, and never made a real comeback. Life is good. Danbury Mint has produced a stunning 1:24-scale model of the 1975 convert- ible, fully optioned and finished in Bright Green. This shade of green could only be had from the mid 1970s, and dated as it may be, it does look great on the model. As we've come to expect from DM, the paint is flawless, high gloss, and oh-so smooth. Complementing the highly detailed exterior is an equally well-detailed tan interior. The Rally wheels wear Firestone Steel Radial 500s, which thankfully do have the white sidewall lettering. There's eye candy everywhere you look, including all the separately made and applied Corvette emblems and scripts. Watch out for the very well scaled and hypodermic-needle-sharp raised antenna; it belongs in a doctor's office. Under the luggage rack is a hinged gas cap door, forward of that is the hinged lid over a folded convertible top, then farther forward is the wonderfully detailed interior with all gauges and switchgear in place. The overall detailing of the dash, console, and door panels is absolutely top notch. The seatbacks tilt forward, the storage lids behind them lift up, and the sun visors are movable. Little or nothing has been left out. Even the carpeting and carpeted floor mats are included. It takes several good looks to appreciate some of the more subtle details, such as weather stripping and labels inside the driver's door. A separate convertible top in black is included in case rain clouds appear. Open up the engine bay and you'll be treated to a plethora of fine detail. It ap- pears that DM has included everything—wires, hoses, clamps, components, labels, and more. The engine in this one is the optional L82—still asthmatic with only 205 hp, and not a “monster” as claimed by the DM marketing guys. Where I do agree with them is the fact that the realism and quality of reproduction are superb. Much too much to list here, and it's all great. Throw back two or three martinis, and you'll swear you're Gulliver in the land of Lilliputians. The chassis is beautifully detailed, and even parking brake cables are in place. An abundance of working features are incorporated into this C3 model. I would never want a real car in this color, but I really love the model, and I highly recommend it. Add in the high level of detail, accuracy, fit, and finish, and you have an absolute winner.A must for any Corvette model collector, and very reasonably priced at $120. Available from Danbury Mint, 800.243.4664. 78 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com '75 Vette Details Production Dates: 2008– Quantity: 15,000 approx. Ratings: Overall Quality: Authenticity: Overall Value: Web: www.danburymint.com abilities. Not so, according to author and Corvette restorer George McNicholl, whose handy book strips away the mystique from such a profound enterprise. McNicholl details the chassis restoration of four Corvettes he personally rebuilt—1965 and 1967 convertibles and 1969 and 1972 coupes. The Corvette chassis is fundamentally the same from 1963 to 1982, so the information in this book serves a range of enthusiasts. McNicholl's information is encyclopedic and includes the detail differences between the various year frames as a starting point. Along with step-by-step procedures, he also in- cludes advice on how to prepare parts you won't see again anytime soon, once they're reinstalled (axle shafts, torque control arms, etc.) and also sensible upgrades (fiberglass rear spring in place of the stiff steel one, for example). McNicholl lists GM part numbers and prices the various parts you'll need—the brake system replacement is thoroughly examined—and even explains how to upgrade to disc brakes on earlier cars. His aim is to help the enthusiastic owner rebuild a car to be driven, rather than shown, though showlevel attention to detail is left in the hands of the workman. However, one thing is certain; anybody who does rebuild the chassis of his Corvette to this degree is bound to enjoy it more, as they'll know how it works. And the mystique of all those parts you normally can't see—the skeleton of the car, if you like—will have been removed. Provenance: There's no substitute for hands-on experience, and it's visibly beneficial here. You know McNicholl had to answer a lot of questions to his own satisfaction before proceeding. Fit and Finish: Excellent photos, clear, step-by-step directions, and soft bound, so you can hold it open with a brake caliper or a tie rod while you refer to it. Drivability: If you've got a C2 or C3 that's been making puz- zling noises underneath, or you love it and have been thinking THIS is the winter to dive in and overhaul it, go ahead. It's not going to be as hard as you think. Knowledge is power.

For 21 years, Keith Martin's Sports Car Market has been the informed, authoritative voice of the collector car hobby. Subscribe Today www.sportscarmarket.com/special Call 877.219.2605 x 204 ask for the “McLaren” special offer.

Resource Directory Auction Companies Kruse International. 800.968.4444, 5540 CR llA Auburn, IN 46706. Largest Collector Car Auction Company, holding over 35 auctions per year. Home of the 480-acre Auction Park in Auburn, IN, where the 37th Annual Labor Day Auction will be held with over 5,000 cars and 150,000 people. www.kruse.com. (IN) Mecum Collector Car Auctioneers. 815.568.8888, 815.568.6615. 950 Greenlee St., Marengo, IL 60015. Auctions: Orlando, Kansas City, Rockford, Bloomington Gold, St. Paul, Des Moines, Carlisle, and Chicago. Nobody Sells More Muscle Than Mecum. Nobody. www .mecumauction.com. (IL) Russo and Steele Collector Automobiles. 602.252.2697, 602.252.6260. 5230 South 39th Street, Phoenix AZ 85040. info@russoandsteele.com; www .russoandsteele.com. (AZ) Silver Auctions. 800.255.4485, 2020 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA 99205. silver@silverauctions.com. www.silverauctions.com. (WA) The Worldwide Group. 866.273.6394, Established by John Kruse and Rod C. Egan, The Worldwide Group—Auctioneers, Appraisers and Brokers—is one of the world's premier auction houses, specializing in the procurement and sale of the world's finest automobiles and vintage watercraft. www.wwgauctions.com. (TX) Corvette Parts & Restoration County Corvette 610.696.7888, Sales, service, parts and restoration. When it must be right. www.countycorvette.com. (PA) Mid America Motorworks 800.500.1500, America's leader in 1953-2008 Corvette parts and accessories. Request a free catalog at www.mamotorworks.com. (IL) Classic Car Transport Intercity Lines, Inc.. 800.221.3936, 413.436.9422. Rapid, hassle-free, coast-to-coast service. Insured enclosed transport for your valuable car at affordable prices. State-of-the-art satellite Put your company in the CM Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 x211, or email advert@vettemarket.com transport tracking. Complete service for vintage races, auctions, relocations. www.intercitylines .com. (MA) Insurance Hagerty Collector Car Insur- ance. 800.922.4050. Collector cars aren't like their late-model counterparts. These classics actually appreciate in value so standard market policies that cost significantly more won't do the job. We'll agree on a fair value and cover you for the full amount. No prorated claims, no hassles, no games. www.hagerty.com. (MI) Corvettes for Sale Corvette Central Parts and accessories for all corvettes. Corvette Central has been a leading manufacturer and distributor of Corvette parts and accessories since 1975. We offer the most comprehensive and detailed parts catalogs on the market today and produce a different catalog for each Corvette generation. All catalogs are also online with full search and order features. From Blue Flame 6 to the new C6, only Corvette Central has it all. www.corvettecentral.com. (MI) County Corvette. 610.696.7888, The most modern and best equipped Corvette-only facility in the nation. www.countycorvette.com. (PA) The Chevy Store At The Chevy Store, you will find only the highest grade, investment quality Corvette and specialty Chevrolet automobiles. We take pride in providing our clients with the finest selection anywhere. Offering investment quality corvettes and Chevrolets for over 30 years! 503.256.5384 (p) 503.256.4767(f) www.thechevystore.com. (OR) Museums National Corvette Museum 800-53-VETTE, The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY was established as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit foundation with a mission of celebrating the invention of the Corvette and preserving its past, present and future. www.corvettemuseum.com. (KY) ■ Ad Index Barrett-Jackson...................................84 Bloomington Gold...............................3 Bob Bondurant School of H.P.D.......51 Bruce Shaw........................................65 Chubb & Son Inc.................................7 Classic Reflection Coachworks......... 11 Collector Car Price Tracker...............77 Continental Western Group...............37 Corvette America...............................55 Corvette Correction............................57 Corvette Expo Inc..............................53 Corvette Repair Inc............................39 Corvette Specialties ...........................61 Corvettes Of Houston........................49 County Corvette...................................2 Eastern Corvettes ...............................80 Factory Reproductions.......................83 Grundy Worldwide ............................29 Heacock Classic ................................33 Intercity Lines ....................................57 Jim Meyer Racing Products Inc........61 Keith Martin's Guide to Car Collecting ....................................59 Leland-West Insurance ......................43 Long Island Corvette Supply Inc ......61 Midwest Corvettes and Classics .......67 National Corvette Museum ...............65 National Corvette Restorers Society ...............................65 Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctions....41 Pro Team Corvette .............................45 Reliable Carriers ................................47 Russo And Steele ...............................31 Seatbelt Solutions...............................77 Silver Auctions...................................13 Sports Car Market..............................79 St Joseph School................................65 Superior Glass Works ........................15 Swissvax.............................................35 The Chevy Store ................................25 Thomas C Sunday Inc .......................69 Zip Products .......................................55 80 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com

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Vette-o-bilia T Online trash and trinkets—some valuable, some not. By Carl Bomstead. Crunch Time Cookies, rare brochures and posters, a crystal '57, and a custom lighter show eBay traffic has plenty of Zip-po he one who decides the house décor has relented and suggested a few Corvette pieces just might be okay in the rec room. With a green light, no time need be wasted as “she who must be obeyed” has been known to change her mind. EBay provides fertile ground for shopping, and with a few key strokes I found a '57 Corvette table with working headlights for only $550, a front clip wall hanging for $1,100, and a smaller front clip wall shelf for $300. Add in a Corvette pinball machine for $3,500 and a restored Corvette gas pump for $900, and we are good to go. All I need to do now is ask for the credit card… Here are a few other items I found for the house that won't cause such a fuss: EBAY #160356655985— CASE OF CORVETTE COOKIES. Number of Bids: 1. SOLD AT: $24. Date Sold: 8/25/2009. This was a case of 24 boxes of Corvette cookies that dated to 1999. Each box had cookies that were in the shape of C1 through C5 Corvettes with descriptive information on the back. The seller cautioned against eating them—as if someone would. Of course, I have to wonder just what you are going to do with a box of stale, hard cookies sitting in the garage, matching your prized Corvettes. Date Sold: 8/22/2009. This was the press kit GM sent to automotive publications announcing the 1963 Sting Ray. It was to be released August 23, 1962, and included a four-page press release and five photographs of the Corvette, including the SplitWindow coupe. It was stated to be in excellent condition, with only minor wear. It caused quite a stir, with spirited bidding and an over-the-top winning bid. a few years, so this is a rare piece. As such, the price seems most reasonable, especially if you own or covet a '59 Corvette. This seven-inch crystal model of a 1957 Corvette had a 24k gold electroplated removal hard top. It was issued by the Franklin Mint and was complete with the box and all the papers. These are seldom offered, so the price paid was not an issue. EBAY #300341200878— EBAY #27044367505—SET OF SIX CORVETTE POSTERS. Number of Bids: 4. SOLD AT: $306. Date Sold: 8/23/2009. This set of posters was offered by Corvette News in 1966 and 1967. The posters were 12″x16″ and were said to be in excellent original condition, having never been displayed. The set included a 1956 Corvette at Daytona with Zora ArkusDuntov, the 1962 Riverside Grand Prix, and Roger Penske in a 1962 Grand Sport. Seems most reasonable, but the cost of framing will be the major expense here. 1998 CORVETTE INDY 500 PACE CAR POSTER. Number of Bids: 13. SOLD AT: $133.50. Date Sold: 8/30/2009. This 8″x14″ poster was titled “The Only Pace Car That Matters.” The frame was Pace Car Purple with a clear plastic cover. A dramatic poster that was in good condition and a must-have, especially if the real thing is sitting in your garage. EBAY #310161979819— EBAY #390037441864— EBAY #270443299845— 1963 CORVETTE STING RAY PRESS KIT. Number of Bids: 15. SOLD AT: $1,602.89. 1959 CORVETTE ACCESSORIES SALES BROCHURE. Number of Bids: Buy-It-Now. SOLD AT: $119.99. Date Sold: 8/06/2009. This mailer described the 1959 Corvette Standard and Optional equipment and was stated to have minor wear. Mailers were only used for 82 Corvette Market SUMMER 2009 www.vettemarket.com EBAY #370247424529— 1957 CRYSTAL CORVETTE BY FRANKLIN MINT. Number of Bids: 4. SOLD AT: $244.50. Date Sold: 8/25/2009. CORVETTE 50TH ANNIVERSARY ZIPPO LIGHTER. Number of Bids: 27. SOLD AT: $84.33. Date Sold: 8/21/2009. This commemorative lighter was laser-engraved in 24k gold with several different Corvette logos. The display box was also engraved and was complete with a certificate of authenticity. The unique lighter attracted a lot of attention with 27 bids, but the final price was not out of line. ■