Corvette Market Winter 2008

2 Corvette Market Ground-Pounding L88 Makes $254k ■ 145 Corvettes Rated Keith Martin's The Insider's Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values, and Trends '57 Vintage Racer— Bargain at $116k Winter 2008 ►ZR-1 Market, Speculators Need Not Apply ►Two Salvage-Title, Fright-Pig C5s ►Funfest—Mike Yager's All-Corvette Mega-Party www.vettemarket.com

JUNE 27 - 28 2008 @ 1955 - The first production V8 Corvette 1956 - The first Corvette redesign Serial No.1 Collection Mr. Al Wiseman and Mr. George Swartz 1957 - The first high performance Corvette 815-568-8888 www.Mecum.com Nobody Sells More Corvettes Than Mecum. Nobody.TM The property of Offered at Auction Bloomington Gold St.Charles, IL

Corvette Market Keith Martin's Volume 1 . Issue 2 . Winter 2008 36 36 1968 L88 Profiles 32 1957 Corvette 283/283 Race Car “The new owner, at a most reasonable price, bought a no-questions” Corvette racer. It's got extensive provenance, is street legal, and with little effort, is ready for road use.” by Carl Bomstead 34 1963 327/360 4-Speed “Fuelie” Convertible “Everything on the car works, including the clock. That's always a nice touch when you're spending the price of a house for a car.” by John Gunnell 36 1968 L88 Coupe “Driving one is a thrilling mix of terrific acceleration and a feeling of hanging on for dear life. And all of it happens under the roar of that big block.” by Thomas Glatch 40 1990 ZR-1 Coupe “This was the most important example of the modern Corvette until the Z06. There are enough people interested in them to keep the market alive and well.” by Dan Grunwald 44 Salvage-Title C5s, Coupe & Convertible “Buyers won't pay retail for a salvage-title car. Once they find out, the deal goes bust, or you get a counteroffer that makes you spin.” by B. Mitchell Carlson 46 C6 Mini Profiles “Nobody wants a race car that might not go straight.” by Geoff Archer On the Cover: 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Race Car. Photo: Gooding & Company 4 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

Market Reports 50 Carlisle Auctions, Carlisle, PA High winds hit Carlisle's crossed-flag event by Mark Rudnick 62 Mecum, St. Charles, IL A $446k L88 coupe leads a $3m Corvette total by Dan Grunwald 74 Global Roundup 64 Corvettes total $3.9m by CM Market Analysts Features 24 Stingray vs. Jaguar XKE: Still neck and neck after all these years 26 What's Next for Bloomington Gold: The L88s are coming... 27 Bloomington Gold Boot Camp: It's all in the details 28 Corvette Funfest: Mike Yager's enormous thank you 30 Top 'Vette Accessories at SEMA: Chargers, cut-outs, & a/c 42 ZR-1 History: Where are you going? Where have you been? 52 28 Corvette Funfest Departments 6 Publisher's Note 8 Contributors: A few of the faces of CM 10 You Write: Don't confuse the '56 for some lesser car 12 Industry Roundtable: When is the time to restore? 16 Events: Things to do and places to be with your Corvette 17 Auction Calendar 20 Q&A: Winter questions for ‘Vette lovers 22 Affordable Classic: 1986–96 C4 Convertible 23 20 Year Picture 48 Market Overview 88 Vette-o-bilia: You won't find a ZL1 this cheap anywhere else 90 Trick Stuff: Z06 on water, tie-downs, belts, and tube frames 92 Book Review: Jerry Heasley's Corvette Masterpieces 94 By The Numbers: Top 20 Sales of 2007, C1–C4t 96 Resource Directory 98 In Miniature: 20-year old Fadini models outta sight www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 5

Publisher's Publisher's Publisher's Note You Find. We Pay. You Drive We're inviting you to be a part of the first Corvette Market Find/Buy/Drive adventure by Keith Martin C M is looking for a C3 Corvette. And we want you to help us find it. We'll wire the funds to buy it, and then we'd like CM subscribers to drive it to Portland, Oregon. We've maintained that the C3 Corvettes are sleepers, the last place where prices haven't risen to stratospheric levels. Our first choice would be a 1968–69 small-block 4-speed convertible with a/c. But we'll consider any chrome-bumper, pre-1973 car, with condition and provenance being more important than equipment. But it must have a manual gearbox. Our preference would be that it still wears its original color and has its original engine and Is this the next CM Corvette? gearbox. But we'd take a nice 1970 coupe with a period-replacement engine over a ratty convertible with accident damage—if it's a right car. You get the picture. Just to keep things interesting, we've set our budget at a maximum of $20,000, and of course we're willing to pay less. After all, anybody can go out and pay market and above for a car; we believe CMsubscribers are the perfect gang to find the best car at the best price. It's not necessary that you drive the car all the way to Portland yourself. We can set up a tag-team of CMreaders to bring the car here, and time is really not of the essence. When you get to CM world headquarters, we'll put you up for two nights in a nice hotel so you can see the sights, give you the cook's tour of our facilities, and have you tell your story to the staff at a lunch. And of course, we'll throw in the customary Corvette Market hat and bag. How's that for a deal? If you come across a likely suspect, or have one in your garage, andwould like to see yourself and your car-buying cleverness enshrined in print, dropme an email at keith.martin@vettemarket .com. At the very least, we promise you an adventure. Free Scottsdale Corvette Seminar Due to industry support, we are able to make our first Corvette Market Seminar free for all CM and SCM subscribers, as well as registered bidders for the Russo and Steele collector car auction. It will be held from 9 am to 11 am on Friday, January 18, at the Russo and Steele tent. As an added bonus, Russo and Steele will provide a catered breakfast to all participants, which will start at 8:30. You'll have a chance to meet and listen to six experts on the Corvette market as they analyze the value trends for each generation, make predictions, and answer your questions. It's the first time anything like this has been done, and we hope you will be a part of it. The panel members include Dave Kinney, author of the Cars that Matter price guide, Jim Jordan, owner of County Corvette, Colin Comer, author of Million-Dollar Muscle Cars, David Burroughs, CEO of Bloomington Gold, NCRS judge Michael Pierce, and Kevin Mackay of Corvette Repair. If you're a Corvette junkie, does it get any better than a similar-minded group of gearheads and good food—for free? Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. You'll find more details on page 67; go to www.vettemarket.com/scottsdale to reserve your space. ■ Corvette Market Keith Martin's Volume 1 . Issue 2 . Winter 2008 Publisher Keith Martin V.P. Business Development/ General Counsel Rob Sass Art Director Kirsten Onoday 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 Dave Kinney Richard Hudson-Evans Norm Mort Contributors Carl Bomstead Marshall Buck Colin Comer John Draneas Peter Frye Mike Mueller Donald Osborne Web Design Valarie Huston Information Technology/ Internet Bryan Wolfe Controller Jimmy Carter Editorial Assistant Brendan Floyd Administrative Assistant Emily Hill Print Media Buyer Wendie Martin Director CM Television Roger Williams ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Executives John Scharff john.scharff@vettemarket.com 314.802.8139 KJ Glennon kj.glennon@vettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 222 Cody Wilson cody.wilson@vettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 213 Sales and Marketing Coordinator Valarie Huston valarie.huston@vettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 211 SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions Coordinator Jennifer Davis-Shockley To order new subscriptions 800.289.2819 Current subscriptions 877.219.2605 x 204 service@vettemarket.com 503.253.2234 fax CORRESPONDENCE Fax 503.253.2234 General P.O. Box 4797 Portland, Oregon 97208 FedEx/DHL/UPS 401 NE 19th Street, Suite 100 Portland, Oregon 97232 6 Corvette Market FALL 2007 www.vettemarket.com Corvette Market magazine (ISSN# 1939-6481) is published quarterly by Automotive Investor Media Group, 401 NE 19th Street, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at Portland, Oregon, and at additional mailing offices. 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 © 2007 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

Corvette Market Contributors Marshall Buck Contributor Marshall Buck founded his model company (CMA) in 1982, out of his passion for sports cars, sports racers, and classic cars. His fate as an enthusiast was sealed in 1967 at age 8, when a family friend took him for a ride in a '57 Corvette “fuelie.” Living overseas, he learned to drive at age 13 in a SEAT 600. Buck has authored a number of articles on models and wrote a models column for VintageMotorsportmagazine from1988 to 1999.He has a significant collection ofmodels himself and always at least one “full-scale” collector car, to which he'd love to add a 1950s Corvette. His 3-year-old daughter,Victoria, recently informed himthat shewill be joining his business, building model cars. His regular column, “InMiniature,” appears this issue on page 98. B. Mitchell Carlson Senior Auction Analyst B.Mitchell Carlson grew up in ruralMinnesota, where he developed an early interest in trac- tors, trucks, andmuscle cars.Hewrote his first auction report forOldCarsWeekly in 1990 and has contributed to Sports CarMarket since 1998. Carlson covers two dozen auctions a year and writes for Kelley Blue Book, as well as several marque-specific and military vehicle publications. His knowledge of ChevroletMotor Division serial number coding, Fisher Body coding, parts numbering, and Protect-O-Plate structure encompasses Corvettes and all GMproducts. A few Corvettes have eluded him (most notably a '69 coupe with 390 hp and a 3-speed in North Dakota) over the years, but he hasn't ruled out snagging a 1957–60 'Vette for his collection. He recently made a C5 his daily driver. His profile of two raggedy C5s appears on page 44, and his auction commentary appears throughout the Global Roundup. John Gunnell Contributor John Gunnell is best known for his book Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975, but his first profes- sional writing job was with the National Corvette Owners Association in the mid-1970s. He has written for Keeping Track of Corvettes, 'Vettes Only, and 'Vette magazine, and his 80 automotive books include Standard Catalog of Corvettes 1953–2005. He also updated 75 Years of Chevrolet for George Dammann's Crestline Publications. Gunnellmoved to Iola,Wisconsin, in 1978 to work as editor for Old CarsWeekly. In the past year, he co-authored Corvette Bible with Mike Yager and edited Jerry Heasley's new book, Corvette Masterpiece. He greatly admires the '61 and '62 Corvettes, followed closely by the classic 1953–1955 roadsters, but he writes about them all. His profile of a 1963 4-speed convertible appears on page 34. Mark Rudnick Auction Analyst Mark Rudnick fell in love with Corvettes watching the early 1960s TV series “Route 66,” in which Buzz and Todd traveled the USA in a Corvette roadster, living a life of adventure. For the past 20 years, he has been actively involved with the Corvette hobby, owning five, including his current treasure—a 15,000-mile, unrestored Mulsanne Blue 1970 coupe, which has received both the NCRS Top Flight Award and a 3-Star Award for Corvette Preservation Excellence. He also drives a Quicksilver 2003 Z06. Rudnick is a FoundingMember of the National CorvetteMuseum, and since the early 1990s, he has been a member of the National Corvette Restorers Society, where he holdsMaster Judge status. His auction commentary from Corvettes at Carlisle appears on page 50. 8 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

1954 Maroon 1957 Red 1958 Charcoal 1958 Red 1959 Blue 1960 Turquoise 1961 Black 1966 Nassau Blue 427 Cpe 1966 White Conv. 1967 Marina Blue 427-435 Cpe. 1969 Riverside Gold 427 Conv. 1969 427 LeMans Blue Conv. 1981 Convertible Converstion CN'V CORVETTE SALES 1000 N. McClintock Drive Tempe, Arizona 85281 www.cnv-corvettes.com 2005 Daytona Sunset Orange 2005 Yellow Cpe Purchase & Finance 1-800-875-8390 Phone 1-480-994-8388 Fax 1-480-423-0407

You Write Please send your letters to youwrite@vettemarket.com. All submissions subject to editing. Um, that would be 1956 I am an old subscriber to SCMand a new subscriber to CorvetteMarket. I might be getting kind of picky here, but I want to address something from the inaugural issue of Corvette Market, page 53. CMdiscusses a 1956 Corvette , lot F75, with “newer black vinyl interior,” but fails to point out that no 1956 ever came with a black interior. While the car's automatic and NOMhurt the price, the big slip up by the owner was the black interior.With that said, a bunch of other stuff must have been incorrect. But still a good buy at $40,163. And then, on page 54, the 1957 fuelie, lot S125—whoa baby! CMstates the 1957 “saved” the Corvette from an early demise. So not true. Zora Duntov saved the Corvette with the 1956 model with its all-new body, manual tranny option, and V8 engine with dual fours. Sales went from the dismal 700 in 1955 to 3,467 in 1956, a nearly 500% increase. Plus, Duntov set speed records at Daytona in a 1956 using his “Duntov”-designed cam, and then others started to race the cars seriously—and win. True, the 1957 had a slightly larger engine and introduced fuel injection, but sales only increased to 6,339. By the end of the 1956 sales run, GMknew the Corvette had a future. The 1957 model was simply a logical extension to growing demand for the car. The 1956 Corvette is the third lowest production run of all Corvette models. Just like the 1954s—once overlooked and set aside—the '56 will come to be recognized as the first Corvette by Zora Duntov. Its advanced styling and engineering “officially” put Corvette on the map as America's sports car. Don't ever trash the '56 again, or I swear…. Don't make me come up there to your world headquarters in Portland! Gee, could it be that perhaps I own a 1956? All kidding aside, great mag, and thanks for putting it out.—Dale Novak, Tampa, FL The '56 will come to be recognized as the first Corvette by Zora Duntov Welcome to the fold Just a quick note to say what a great magazine you've assembled in CorvetteMarket. I just signed up for a subscription. After all, your Premier Edition included auction results of my 1963 Split-Window on page 56 (Mecum St. Charles, June 16, sold at $92,925, Condition 2—CM). Although I don't entirely agree with the assessment, I'll take the buyer's appreciation for my restoration work. I'm looking forward to receiving every issue.—Danny May, Cincinnati, OH Here's where the real money is In the Corvette world, paper- work verifying the options on the car is very important to the value, as are original engines, trim tags, etc. It would be good if the existence (or non-existence) of paperwork was listed in each Corvette's write-up, plus whatever is known about the originality of the engine and trim tag. I hope your auction reporters have some basic training on 10 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com looking at engine pads and trim tags, or that they at least know the right questions to ask the owners of the cars. These items are more important on Corvettes than on most other collector cars. Incidentally, a book on trim tag verification is available from the NCRS. Also, a Bloomington Gold Certification or an NCRS Top Flight do not mean the engine is the one with which the car was born. Many Corvettes pass both Bloomington and NCRS judging with a “restoration engine” if the re-stamp is well done. The criteria are “typical factory production,” not “original from the factory.” The judges often know the engine is a “restoration engine,” but judging rules of both organizations allow “non-original” engines to receive full credit in the judging process. After all, the name of the organization is the National Corvette Restorers Society, not National Corvette Originality Society. And, as mentioned above, a car with an “original from the factory” engine is worth significantly more than one with a “restoration engine.”My point here is that a Bloomington Gold or NCRS Top Flight award does not indicate that everything is original. As such, they are only one consideration in the value of the car.—Bob Cook, Landenberg, PA Bob, thank you for your comments. Our auction analysts will strive to capture as much detail as they can as they evaluate Corvettes for CM. We all know that with Corvettes, more is better, and the devil is in the details. As they have such large production numbers, in terms of collectible cars, they are differentiated by their originality and correctness. The cars that bring the most money tend to be the best documented, and we would like to see the trend of “complete disclosure” on cars offered for sale continue to grow. After all, a car is what it is, and the sooner all of its high and low points are disclosed, the sooner buyers will determine just how much they want to pay for it.—Keith Martin ■

Insider's View The current state of the Corvette market The Turning Point How do you know it's time to restore a Corvette? David Burroughs CEO, Bloomington Gold Normal, Illinois If it were me, I'd never restore anything that's still authentic, that hasn't been wrecked, already restored, or altered. If the finishes, configuration, and installation are good enough to represent what it looked like at the factory, and if it's more than half authentic, I wouldn't touch it. If it's less than half authentic, then there's no right or wrong way, and my philosophy parallels the Smithsonian. If the car needs to be restored or repaired, I'd counsel doing it piecemeal, as long as doesn't look silly. The Smithsonian doesn't put new pieces on a 70year-old artifact. The final answer depends on your phi- losophy. A lot of people don't have enough experience to have a philosophy. They don't know and blast ahead with gold-plated valve covers, etc. Ask yourself, are you informed enough to not irreparably alter an authentic car? If the car isn't significant historically or has been restored once—or badly—have at it. If it's more than 50% unrestored and was a good model brand new, leave it alone. Craig Jackson Chairman/CEO, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company Scottsdale, Arizona The decision when and if to restore your Corvette should be based on what you are starting with. If it's original, remember that it is only original once. Once you restore it, you can keep restoring over and over again, but it won't ever be original again. If you have a “survivor,” my suggestion is to never restore it. But if you do decide to restore it, you have to ask yourself what you want to do with the car. Keep it in your garage or drive it out on the town? My first “real” car—one I restored in high school—was a '68 Corvette. By the time I got the car and decided to restore it, the Corvette had already endured a hard life. Back then, it was customary to put sidepipes and wheel flares on Corvettes. It was a great car, but I wanted to go back to stock. I went out searching for NOS parts to bring this Corvette back to what it originally started out as. Kevin Mackay President, Corvette Repair Inc. Valley Stream, New York The first thing I talk to a customer about is whether it makes economic sense to restore his car. It all depends on the year, options, and documentation. With $100,000-plus restoration costs, doing a 327/300 automatic car that may have a value of $60,000 when it's finished just doesn't make sense; you're immediately upside down at least $40,000. On the other hand, a documented 1967 big-block car will have a finished value that will support a comprehensive body-off restoration. On the East Coast, we see our share of cars with rotten frames.When you have issues like that, it really is time to restore the car, most importantly for safety. One of the first things we do is take the rear wheels off and look at the kickup area of the frame. If the drain hole is plugged, there is likely rust on the inside of the frame. A pinhole you can see from the outside is probably just the tip of the iceberg. When you're presented with a frame that has serious rust, you have two choices: You can buy reproduction frame sections, or you can find an original, rust-free California frame and swap it out for the rusty one. That's my preference. A frame replaced in this manner doesn't harm the value of the car, but the whole process should be photodocumented. 12 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

Mark Osborne Director, U.S. Motoring Department, Bonhams & Butterfields San Francisco, California Whether to keep a car in its current state or restore it to its original condition is a question every collector faces with an original car. A restoration can create a very usable and visually appealing vehicle that attracts attention from knowledgeable enthusiasts as well as the “Average Joe.” On the other hand, a car is only original once and there is value—emotionally and monetarily—in survivors. From a market standpoint, restoration is definitely something to consider when a vehicle has aged past “patina.” For a Corvette, a worn interior, wavy panels, rust on the frame, and loose trim pieces are indicators that some level of restoration is in order. Before starting on such a path, remember to stay true to how the car left the GMfactory. In the end, the deciding question should be what you want out of the car. If you want a restored beauty that can be driven and might be sold to a wide audience, restore it. If not, keep it unrestored and impress those who respect originality. Perhaps later on you'll transfer the car to another motorhead who will also appreciate its pure form. Mike Vietro President, Corvette Mike Anaheim, California Cars that retain their essential character as delivered from the factory should be left alone. If the paint is still smooth and continuous and key parts are still with the car, it may qualify for a Bloomington Survivor or even Benchmark award. I would leave such cars alone and get them judged to reflect their value as original cars. But once the paint is cracking or the motor has been replaced, it's time to either designate it as a driver, or restore it. If rust is an issue with the frame, restoration is your only choice, as safety concerns trump everything. In choosing a restorer, find examples of his work, especially on midyear models. If they square off the headlight cutouts rather than taking the time and effort to round the corners as per the factory, then find another shop.Well-restored straight-axle cars will drive with a minimum of rattling. They should feel like they are in one piece, not scores of parts lumped together. It takes time and experience to gain a feel for all the variables. Reduce the unknowns as close to zero as you can. Mike Yager President, Mid America Motorworks Effingham, Illinois If you're wondering if it's time to restore your Corvette, you should first determine which category your car falls into. Inmy book, Mike Yager's Corvette Bible, I've broken it down into five categories. Basket Case: Thismay be good for parts or present an opportunity for someone handy tomake into a driver. Itmight even pay to restore it, if you do the work yourself. If it's rare enough, with originalmotor and nothing expensivemissing, itmightmake sense to have it restored. Average Driver: Should simply be maintained and enjoyed. It's fun to personalize these cars, and things should be fixed as they break, withminor refurbishing like seat covers and carpets done when these items wear out. But a professional restoration for an average driver just doesn'tmake financial sense. Rare or Unique: If your car has desirable options and it's past the point of preserving, it should be restored by a competent and experienced restorer with Bloomington Gold and NCRS experience and credentials. Complete Original: Something like the low-mileage, unrestored Pennant Blue 1954 Corvette inmy GarageMuseumshould be preserved but not restored. An opportunity to look at an authentic half-century-old Corvette rarely presents itself. Refinishing it or altering it in any significant way would destroy a piece of Corvette history. Keeping the above inmind will help you decide whether to restore, refurbish, or preserve your car. It's your decision in the end, and thinking things through at the beginning will usually lead to better results in the end. www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 13

Event Guide Send your Corvette event listing to cmcalendar@vettemarket.com. What's Happening with America's Sports Car Know where you need to be in the months ahead with our nationwide calendar of Corvette events and auctions Alabama 5.08.08 Mid Alabama Drag Racing, Birmingham The Mid Alabama Corvette Club will host this hot rod and Corvette car show. Festivities will include parade laps around the race track. Admission is $30 per car, with cash prizes equaling $1,500. The car show will be a people's choice judged event open to all, and trophies will be awarded to top five in each category. Cash prizes are for first place. Drag racing takes place at Alabama International Dragway, and $30 admission per car gets you unlimited track runs. Registration is limited to about 100 cars. www.maccattack.net. Arizona 1.18.08 Corvette Market Scottsdale Insider's Seminar CM will host its first Scottsdale Insider's Seminar on January 18 from 9 am to 11 am in the Russo and Steele Auction tent. Publisher Martin will moderate the event, entitled “The Corvette Market—Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” and a panel of leading authorities in the Corvette world will share their thoughts on the state of the market across the entire Corvette spectrum, C1 to C6. Russo and Steele will provide a catered breakfast for all participants at 8 am. Entry for CM and SCM subscribers is free; complimentary admission is provided for registered bidders for the Russo and Steele auction as well. The non-subscriber rate is $100 for 2, $55 for 1. Visit www.vettemarket.com/scottsdale for details and to register. Arkansas 4.17.08–4.19.08 10th Annual CACC Weekend, Little Rock www.centralarkcc.com. 3.26.08–3.27.08 Antelope Valley Corvette Club Rallye, Palmdale www.centralarkcc.com. California 3.28.08–3.03.08 Southern Yosemite Film Festival, Oakhurst Don't miss this unique festival that celebrates car movies and celebrities. There will also be a roast of Corvette Hall of Famers Dick Guldstrand and Doug Hooper. www .southernyosemite.com. Colorado 5.01.08–5.03.08 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, Florida 16 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com NCRS Colorado Regional, Breckenridge www.ncrsrmc.org.

Florida 1.19.08 Reflections in Glass XXV, Boca Raton This Corvette and GM car and truck show is sponsored by Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet, and it's happening rain or shine. It's one of the largest judged Corvette shows in Florida, with 63 judged classes and awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each. Registration is just $30 by January 12. There will be a live DJ, lots of food and beverages in the adjacent plaza, door prizes, a silent auction, and more. www.americascorvetteclub.com. 1.09.08–1.12.08 NCRS Winter Regional Meet, Kissimmee www.ncrsfl.org. JANUARY 3.16.08 22nd Annual Spring Meet, Miami Register for $25 by March 3 and get a show T-shirt with the goody bag. More than 50 awards will be presented in 17 classes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. There will be plenty of door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, music, food and drinks on site, and a $100 club participation award. www.sunshinecorvetteclub.com. 1.19.08–1.27.08 Corvette Lovers Panama Canal Cruise, Ft. Lauderdale This event invites all Corvette enthusiasts to a wonderful cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to the western Caribbean aboard the Carnival Liberty. Special guests will include Dave Hill, retired C5–C6 Corvette Chief Engineer andWerner Meier, owner of Masterworks Automotive Services. www.catchawaveproductions.com. 1.12.08–1.19.08 Corvette Pirates of the Caribbean Cruise, Miami Join other 'Vette enthusiasts at sea on the Freedom as she sails from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and other great Caribbean desinations. www. corvetteracers.com. 3.12.08–3.15.08 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, Sebring One of the world's greatest motorsport events kicks off the American Le Mans and international racing season as cars from four different classes race into the night. Expect Corvette's mighty C6.R to dominate once again as they do battle with teams from Aston Martin, Maserati, and more. www .americanlemans.com. 4-6—KRUSE Ft. Lauderdale, FL 11-13—TOM MACK Charlotte, NC 12-13—ICA Gilbert, AZ 12-20—BARRETT-JACKSON Scottsdale, AZ 16-20—RUSSO AND STEELE Scottsdale, AZ 18—RM Phoenix, AZ 18-21—SILVER Fort McDowell, AZ 19—GOODING Scottsdale, AZ 19-20—KRUSE Concord, NC 24-27—KRUSE Phoenix, AZ 24-26—MECUM Kissimmee, FL FEBRUARY 1-2—ICA Tampa, FL 2—PETERSEN Salem, OR 8-9—KRUSE Honolulu, HI 9—ARTCURIAL Paris, FRA Russo and Steele, Scottsdale, Arizona 9—BONHAMS Paris, FRA 9-10—KRUSE Naples, FL 10—SHANNONS Brisbane, AUS 11-12—BARONS Surrey, UK 15-17—RM Fort Lauderdale, FL 18—SHANNONS Sydney, AUS 22-23—LEAKE Oklahoma City, OK 23—SILVER Seattle, WA 22-24—MCCORMICK Palm Springs, CA 27—H&H Cheltenham, UK 28-MAR 2—G. POTTER KING Atlantic City, NJ MARCH 1-2—KRUSE Stuart, FL 8—KRUSE Del Mar, CA 8—RM Amelia Island, FL 10—SHANNONS Melbourne, AUS www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 17 Auction Calendar 14-15—CLASSIC AUTOMOBILE AUCTIONS OF AMERICA Fredericksburg, TX 15-16—ICA Gilbert, AZ 15—KRUSE Huntsville, AL 17-18—BARONS Surrey, UK 17-18—KRUSE Ridgefield, WA 21-22—KRUSE Las Vegas, NV 24—BONHAMS Warwickshire, UK 26-30—BARRETT-JACKSON Palm Beach, FL 27-29—RUSSO AND STEELE Hollywood, FL 29—KRUSE Murrells Inlet, SC 29—POTTS Atlanta, GA APRIL 4-6—RM Ontario, CAN 5—SILVER Spokane, WA 11-12—MIDAMERICA St. Paul, MN 12—SILVER Portland, OR 18-19—COX Branson, MO 19-20—KRUSE Tampa, FL 19-20—KRUSE Salt Lake City, UT 25-26—CARLISLE Carlisle, PA 25-27—RM Novi, MI

Event Guide Send your Corvette event listing to cmcalendar@vettemarket.com. Sports, ZR-1s, Callaways, and C4s on display. Evenings will feature a BBQ one night, while closing night will have a benefit auction and event banquet. www.corvettemuseum.com. Michigan 5.15.08–5.18.08 NCRS Michigan Regional, Novi www.michiganncrs.org. Missouri Spring Chevy Vettefest, Rosemont, Illinois Georgia 5.03.08 Coastal Corvette Gathering XI, Tybee Island Hosted by the Coastal Corvette Association, this event allows participants to enjoy a road tour of scenic Tybee Island, which ends at the historic Tybee Lighthouse. There will be lighthouse tours, a BBQ, and plenty of time to relax on the beach. The Low Country boil and fried chicken dinner follows, along with an award ceremony. www.coastalcorvettesofsavannah.com. Illinois 4.05.08–4.06.08 Spring Chevy Vettefest, Rosemont The show will have a swap meet, car corral, judged classes, and several awards, including Outstanding Vintage Chevy, Triple Crown, and various Club awards. www.chevyvettefest.net. Kentucky 4.24.08–4.26.08 11th Annual C5/C6 Bash, Bowling Green This is the first event on the calendar for the National Corvette Museum. Be there to witness ground-breaking for the museum's 47-sqare-foot expansion. Events include a Z06 ride and drive, autograph sessions, road tours, Corvette Quality Clinic, drag racing at Beech Bend, a poker run, and an Evening withWil and Paul, which will celebrate the retirement of Corvette Assembly Plant ManagerWil Cooksey and introduce new manager, Paul Graham. www.corvettemuseum.com. 5.08.08–5.10.08 C4/ZR-1 Gathering, Bowling Green The weekend will consist of road tours and specialty seminars, with several Grand 18 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com 2.29.08–3.02.08 NCCC National Governors Meeting, St. Louis www.corvettes.nccc.org. 5.02.08–5.04.08 NCCC National Governors Meeting, St. Louis www.corvettesnccc.org. North Carolina 5.24.08–5.25.08 4rd Annual Vettes in the Valley, Maggie Valley Held at the Festival Grounds in Maggie Valley , this annual show should have over 300 Corvettes from all over the country. Festivities include plenty of vendors, trophies and awards for all generations, and more. www.smokyevents.com. Nevada 2.09.08 Las Vegas Corvette Association Rallyes, Las Vegas www.vegasvettes.com. 2.15.08–2.17.08 Las Vegas Corvette Association President's Run, Las Vegas www.vegasvettes.com. Pennsylvania 3.08.08 NCCC East Region Competition Meeting, Mechanicsburg www.ernccc.org. South Carolina 4.18.08–4.19.08 Vettes Doin' the Charleston, N. Charleston The Coastal Carolina Corvette Club hosts this all-Corvette show, with proceeds benefiting the National Corvette Museum. There will be six judged classes plus a Pace Car class. Pre-register online with PayPal for $15. www.4cccc.com. Tennessee 4.17.08–4.19.08 NCRS Southeast Regional, Chattanooga www.ncrssoutheastchapter.com. 3.28.08–3.29.08 Corvette Expo, Sevierville Held at the new Bridgemont Events Center, this huge show will have a Horsepower and Hot Rods theme, and will include an auction, car show, swap meet, and corral. www .corvetteexpo.com. Texas 5.16.08–5.18.08 19th Annual Lone Star Corvette Classic, Fort Worth Get in on a Khana Cross, Treasure Run, Car Show, Hot Laps, auctions both live and silent, burnouts galore, a Wheels 'n Pipes Challenge, the chance to win a 2008 'Vette, and more. Benefits the Texas Motor Speedway Children's Charities and the National Corvette Museum. Registration ranges from $15 to $55. www.lonestarcorvette.com. 2.15.08–2.17.08 30th Annual Corvette/Chevy Expo, Houston The largest indoor Corvette and Chevy event in the Lone Star State. Over 125,000 sq. ft. of Corvette and Chevy excitement, with cars for sale, major parts and accessories vendors, and a Miss Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Contest. www.corvettechevyexpo.com. Washington 2.09.08–2.10.08 34th Annual Corvette & High Performance Meet, Puyallup Held at theWesternWashington Fairgrounds, this big show will feature Corvettes and muscle cars. Get ready for a swap meet with over 1,000 booths, special manufacturer exhibits of parts and cars, a special activities area for non-automotive stuff, and plenty more. www.corvhp.com. ■

Questions &Answers Please send your questions to questions@vettemarket.com. All submissions subject to editing. Hot Tips for Cold Storage Don't try to heat the garage; all you will do is cause temperature variations that will create condensation by Colin Comer telling me to test-fit a midyear before I bought one. I ended up with a great (and roomy) 1968 427/435 4-speed coupe, a better fit for me and my wallet. My question is about the rear differential gears. Stamped in the differential case is a number with a prefix of “FA,” which I am told is the code I need to decipher. I haven't been able to find this information published anywhere. Can you tell me what I have?—M.L.G., Barrington Hills, IL I'm glad you found a Corvette that fits. The 435- hp C3 cars offer a lot of bang for the buck. You are correct; FA is the dif- Winterize your Corvette before putting it away Resist the urge to start it now and then Now that winter is here, any tips on storage for a guy that keeps his 'Vette in a cold, dry garage? Do I try to heat the garage? Cover the car or leave it uncovered? Jack it up so the tires don't touch the ground? Store the battery in the house? It will be parked from November until April, or less if the weather cooperates. Any advice is appreciated.—B.D., Green Bay, WI Good questions. I have a lot of experience here, as a fellow Wisconsinite with a cold garage. First, make sure the garage is dry. A good dehumidifier is a wise investment. If the car is parked on a concrete slab, I like laying down a thick sheet of plastic first, and then a nice thick carpet or piece cardboard to block the moisture and keep the chassis from sweating. Don't try to heat the garage; all you will do is cause temperature variations that will create condensation. Fill the gas tank with non-reformulated fuel and the appropriate amount of fuel stabilizer. Forgive me for stating the obvious—make sure the antifreeze is fresh and mixed at 50/50. Get the car good and hot before you park it to burn off moisture from the exhaust and various lubricated components. You can “fog” the engine with cylinder lubricant through the intake right before you shut it off if so inclined. Leave the car on the ground and air up the tires to their maximum allowable pressure as listed on the tire sidewall. You can leave the battery in, but make sure to disconnect it and attach a maintenance floattype battery charger. Leave the windows cracked slightly, and throw a few commercial-sized 20 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com bags of desiccant in the interior. When cool, seal the engine air intake and shove some old socks in the tailpipes to keep critters out. Make sure the car is clean and dry, with a nice coat of wax, and put a soft indoor-type car cover on it (not a Harbor Freight blue RV tarp). Resist the urge to “just warm it up a little” during the winter; all that does is load the engine oil with contaminants and fill the exhaust with water, along with washing all the oil from the cylinder walls. Use common sense, keep it dry, keep the garage critter-free, and rest easy knowing your car will be ready to go after those April showers clean the salt from the frost-heaved Wisconsin roads. Here's a quick way to decode differentials I previously wrote for advice on buying my first collector Corvette. Thanks for ferential code, which denotes a 3.70:1 Heavy Duty Positraction unit. Remember, even though your car originally came with a 3.70 rear, it is very common to find a previous owner swapped out the actual ring and pinion to something more suited to his particular use. The easiest way to see what is in there? Jack up the rear of the car, place it securely on jack stands, and using a grease pencil, place a mark on the driveshaft at an easily legible location, like 6:00.Place another mark on a rear tire, either at 6:00 or 12:00, for example. With a helper, rotate the rear tire slowly while your assistant counts the number of times the driveshaft rotates by using your grease pencil marks. If one full rotation of the tire equals roughly 3 and 3/4 turns of the driveshaft, you indeed have 3.70 gears. A little over four turns of the driveshaft means 4.10 gears, etc. It isn't an exact science, but it's easier than taking apart a perfectly good differential to count the teeth on

the ring and pinion. Hope this helps, and enjoy your new car. Pan gasket is key to leaking Powerglide I have a 1955 V8 Corvette with the Powerglide auto- matic. Even though I just had the transmission fully rebuilt, it still is not housebroken and leaves a puddle of transmission fluid when it sits.What gives?—M.G., New York, NY The Powerglide is a great unit, but also well-known for leaks. However, since yours was just rebuilt, it should be relatively leak-free. I'd make sure all the external hardware is snug and dry, and that the transmission pan was not over-torqued, which might have warped it and deformed the pan gasket. Also check the seal at the base of the dipstick tube and make sure the side cover is snug and the bolts are all dry. Lastly, if the fluid is overfilled, that can cause leaking as well. Check the level when it is hot and make sure it is correct. For good measure, use a rubber pan gasket (rather than the OE cork one) and make sure the pan flange is absolutely straight and flat. That usually takes care of these types of bad behavior. '56 'Vette is a rarer choice than '57 Is there a reason to buy a '57 Corvette instead of a '56? I have found a '56 that I really like, but my car buddies are telling me to hold out for a '57 because they are “better.” True? —AP, Boulder, CO Yes, a '57 has some refinements over the '56, but none that make a '57 materially better. The main difference is a '56 has the 265-ci engine (highest hp available was 240), while '57s 1956 Corvette, rarer than a '57 have the 283 ci (highest hp being the magical one hp per cubic inch 283-hp “fuelie”). Late-'57 saw the introduction of a 4-speed transmission, but in the real world, the 3-speed available in '56 is actually easier to lug around town with its tall first gear. Both years look identical, and they made almost twice as many '57s as they did '56s (6,339 vs. 3,467). Maybe it is just the magic of the “1957” year, or the advent of many performance options that has your buddies urging you to keep looking, but if you found a car you like and it checks out, go for it. Unless you show them the title, nobody will know the difference, and you'll have a car with much lower production to boot. ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 21

Affordable Classic 1986–96 Convertible 1986–96 C4 Convertible Drive it like you stole it. At current prices, maybe you did… by Rob Sass 1986—Open for business after all these years Details Years produced 1986–96 Number produced 74,651 (convertibles only) Original list price $32,032 CM Valuation $10,000–$25,000 Tune-up $500 Distributor cap $21.75 Chassis # Driver's side dash at windshield Engine # Pad forward of cylinder head on right side Club Corvette Club of America PO Box 9879 Bowling Green, KY 42102-9789 More www.corvetteclubofamerica.com Alternatives 1984–89 Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet 1983–85 Ferrari 308 GTSi QV 1986–89 Mercedes 560SL CM Investment Grade C 22 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com N ineteen eighty-three was the model year without a Corvette. The C4, which debuted as a 1984 model, was the first all-new Corvette since 1963, and like the first-year C3 in 1968, there were problems aplenty. The digital dash was failureprone, the ride was punishing, and the carried-over-from 1982 twin throttle- body “Cross-fire” injectionwas inferior to the bettermulti-port electronic systems that had been around for years. Especially harsh critics opined that in hindsight, Chevy might have done well to skip '84 too. Things got better quickly—1985 brought recalibrated spring rates and a newtuned- port injection 5.7-liter V8. By 1986, a convertible was available again after an eleven-year hiatus, and all seemed right in the world. Top up or top down, the new convertible looked good from every angle. All 1986 convertibles were Indy Pace Car editions and were equipped for the first time with anti-lock brakes. About the only bad news was the choice of transmissions. The automatic really didn't suit the performance of the 5.7 TPI engine, and the 4+3 manual had a balky linkage that made the car less enjoyable to shift than it should have been. Plus, the overdrive that engaged in the top three gears broke early and often. Fortunately, it was replaced in 1990 by a sophisticated ZF 6-speed. Almost as annoying as seatbelt interlock Unfortunately, it was a case of what Chevy giveth, Chevy also taketh away. The ZF had an annoying feature known as CAGS, or Computer Aided Gear Selection. A solenoid prevented second from being selected under certain load conditions. This in

1992, with luggage rack theory helped the car avoid the gas-guzzler tax. In reality, it was nearly as aggravating as the seatbelt interlock of 1974, although long-term owners claim you can get used to it. The 1990 model year also saw the replacement of the digital “flat dash” with a muchmore attractive dash thatmixed digital and traditional analog readouts. The biggest news from 1992 until the end of the C4 in 1996 was the LT1 5.7-liter engine with multi-port fuel injection. It put out an even 300 hp and offered tons of torque down low. The LT1 was universally praised and arguably made the peaky ZR-1 redundant. Aside from the usual collision, excessive wear and ill-advised modifications that are easy to spot, there are few weak points to a C4 convertible. Early ABS systems can give trouble, as can the early digital dashboards. Strangely, the Bose stereo setups are unique to the car and there are few alternatives if the system acts up; ditto for electronic a/c controls. Drive for years without losing anything One of the biggest advantages of nearly any Corvette is the fact that they aren't fin- icky. Unlike a Ferrari or even a Porsche, you can and should drive your Corvette every 1996 Collector Edition day. C4s are modern enough that it isn't in the least bit punishing to use one as a daily driver. They're near the bottomof their appreciation curve, so you should be able to pick one up now and drive it for several years without losing anything. In spite of the often-repeated myth that cars reach some sort of milestone status as far as collectibility when they hit 25 years old, don't look for anything unusual to happen to '86 convertible prices in three years. Since the jury is still out on the long-term collectibility of the ZR-1, it will be a long time until we see C4 convertibles trading for prices in excess of their original list. In the meantime, an LT1 convertible has to be one of the greatest performance car bargains on the market today. There are plenty to choose from, so hold out for the best example in your favorite color and drive it as often as you can. ■ 20 Year Picture 1987–90 Jaguar XJS Convertible $40,000 $30,000 1986–90 Corvette Convertible $20,000 $10,000 1987-90 Camaro IROC Convertible 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007 Prices are for cars in excellent condition. This information is provided by Black Book and Cars of Particular Interest Collectible Vehicle Value Guide, www.blackbookusa.com. $60,000 $50,000 www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 23

Versus 1961–67 Jaguar XKE / 1963–67 Corvette Sting Ray Dead Man's (Appreciation) Curve As landmark sports cars from the ‘60s, midyear Corvettes and Series I XKEs have both seen significant appreciation in the last ten years by Rob Sass and Jim Jordan American grunt vs. English sophistication I was cruisin' in my Sting Ray late one night when an XKE pulled up on the right. He rolled down the window of his shiny new Jag, and challenged me then and there to a drag…”* These lines from the Jan and Dean song “Deadman's Curve” immortalized the Corvette/Jaguar XKE rivalry that ran through the 1960s. Themagazines of the day echoed the same—when the newSting Ray came out in the fall of 1962, the first thing Road & Track wanted to know was if it was faster than the Jag, which had been introduced a year before. The answer was “yes and no.” The 1963 Corvette with the optional 327/300 4-speed and 3.36:1 ratio rear end was pretty evenly matched with the lighter 265-hp Jag up to about 120 mph, when the Jag would begin to pull away and head toward its 15 mph higher terminal velocity of 150 mph. Any of the Corvette's higher-horse optional motors would give the XKE a view of four round taillights in a stop light duel, but the Jag's tall gearing and slippery shape almost always gave it a higher top speed. And as the song said, the XKE had the edge in the curves. With the exception of the big-block cars, the performance envelopes were pretty close (although the XKE still had a 10-mph advantage over even the big-block cars in the top end, according to Road & Track). Ironically, things are pretty close from a value standpoint, too. As two of the most coveted sports cars from the 1960s, Corvette Sting Rays and Series I XKEs have both seen significant appreciation in the last ten years. According to the Sports CarMarket Platinum database, the average sale price for a 1963–67 Corvette (all engines and coupes and convertibles) sold at auction in 1998 was $34,867. By 2007, that figure was $89,542. For Jags, the numbers were $38,739 and $85,748 respectively. In total dollar sales, however, it's not even close. Americans like XKEs well enough, but they love the homeboy. In 2006, nearly $6.8 million in midyear Corvettes traded hands at auction. A paltry $1.5 million in XKEs found new homes that year. As far as future collectibility, fans of both Sting Rays and Series I XKEs make a pretty good case that these were two of the best production 1960s sports cars and high-water marks for both Corvette and Jaguar. They have beauty and performance going for them, and good examples will always find ready takers at steadily increasing prices. Rarity (or lack of it) is the only thing that keeps both out of the absolute top tier of A-list collector cars, but here the 'Vette has an advantage the Jag doesn't. With the exception of a fewultra-rare lightweight specials (think the equivalent of the Grand Sport), most XKEs were prettymuch alike. No big-block options, no fuel injection, and certainly no L88 equivalents. Midyear Corvettes with engine options like these will always appreciate at the front of the market and pull more money than any ordinary XKE. After 40, years, the Sting Ray finally has a higher top end than the Jag. ■ *©1964 Christian/Berry/Kornfeld/Wilson 24 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

Featured Event Bloomington Gold “Earthquake 88s” Will Shake Up St. Charles Bloomington Gold expects to show 50-plus L88s, and the first “All-Brand Survivor Show” will be open to 20-year-old collector cars by Paul Duchene Burroughs plans to have an education tent set up with examples of Mustangs, Corvettes, and Pontiac GTOs to illustrate Benchmark standards and Survivor standards, as well as cars that don't qualify, so entrants can see where their cars fit in. “Instructors will be on hand to discuss what we're looking for. Nobody will win or lose or be embarrassed,” he says. Entrants interested in becoming judges in different classes will be advised on how to apply and on what's involved in judging. “The next year,we'll do it again and audition Survivor judges to see if they pass. Judges will be certified once they are qualified. The third year we'll have Survivor judging.” He says Bloomington Gold is also expanding its Road Tour schedule. “We've had road tours since the 1980s, but we're announcing off-season tours to the Grand Canyon, RockyMountains, and the Indy 500, for example.” Burroughs is also taking the Bloomington Gold Pheasant Run has plenty of space for Bloomington Gold C orvette fans heading to the 2008 Bloomington Gold show at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois, can expect an even bigger version of the “Earthquake 88” event, which was held 20 years ago. For the upcoming June 26–29 event,BloomingtonGoldCEODavidBurroughs has announced the featured model will be the thundering, high-compression, aluminum-head L88 Corvette. He plans to assemble more than 50 of them in the building where Gold School took place in 2007, across the highway from Pheasant Run. There were 216 L88s built in all—20 in 1967, 80 in 1968, and 116 in 1969. In addition, on Sunday, June 29, the event will intro- duce the first All-Brand Survivor Show on the Pheasant Run Golf Course. “If you think you have a survivor of any marque, you are invited,” says Burroughs. “The car has to be 20 years old and be driven there. It can be a pickup truck or a car. We're expecting everything, includingMopars, Corvettes, Packards, and Duesenbergs.” Burroughs stresses this will not be a Corvette-focused show; there are plenty of Corvette events at the festival, including an auction and Benchmark and Survivor judging. Entrants for the All-Brand Survivor Show can register on the Bloomington Gold web site. “We just want people to enjoy this. There's no judging and nobody has to worry about driving his car to the event and having somebody say, ‘What are you doing here? This isn't even close.' If you think it belongs and you register, you're in,” says Burroughs. No door goes unopened during Bloomington Gold Certification 26 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com judging school on the road in May, with three seminars planned so far, inHartfordConnecticut,Chicago, Illinois, and possibly Atlanta, Georgia. “The seminars are to help people understand how we judge and attendees can decide if they are interested in learning how to become judges themselves.” ■ Photos: Bloomington Gold

Bloomington Gold Boot Camp Light up a big-block car with side pipes and drive it like a hooligan, and I defy you to lose sleep over uneven stripes or smeared adhesive By Rob Sass T here's nothing like going back to school, especially when your textbooks are vintage Corvettes. When we were first discussing launching Corvette Market magazine, David Burroughs and the Bloomington Gold organization gra- ciously stepped forward and offered to put our crew of Auction Analysts through “Corvette Boot Camp” to sharpen their skills by crawling around some unmolested, original cars. CMExecutive Editor Duchene covered Bloomington Gold's philosophy as to authenticity and preservation in “What Makes a Survivor?” (SCM, March 2007, p. 32). Now it was time to view that in less abstract terms. Burroughs had laid out an impressive selection of Bloomington Gold Survivor and Benchmark cars, including a 1957 Fuelie, a 1967 big block, a 1968 convertible, and a fabulous Nassau Blue 1965 small-block car that everyone wanted to take home. Our first task was to weigh in on whether we thought these amazing cars were original or restored and to state our reasons therefore. As it turns out, we all correctly determined these cars to be unrestored; however, few of us looked at some of themost obvious things first. Put your hand on my jambs “The first thing we're going to do is feel some door jambs,” Burroughs said. As Illinois is one of the few states where it is not illegal to do such things, at his urging, we proceeded to rub some door jambs. “An original door jamb should talk to you,” according to Burroughs. And the rough- as-a-cob jambs did just that, making very audible sounds as we ran our hands across them. The texture of the original lacquer (unbuffed in the door jambs) is nearly impossible to duplicate. The list goes on and includes nuances like rubberized sealant oozing out from behind windshield trim, unevenly sprayed flat black paint under the hood (“masked,” if you can call it that, by autoworkers with a piece of carpeting), haphazardly applied weatherstripping adhesive, offset and uneven big-block hood stripes, andmore.Allwere hallmarks of midyear Corvettes as they were assembled at the now-shuttered old plant on Natural Bridge Avenue inmy hometown of St. Louis,Missouri. Once Burroughs points them out, the gaffes and variations are easy to spot, but they are also very difficult to duplicate by restorers. Seams and hot bonds are impossible to fake. Once a body is worked and painted, they disappear. Original cars also have wavy sides and a fair amount of orange peel. Again, few restorers care to attempt to duplicate the somewhat casual original finish standards. Corvettes from the '60s clearly weren't built to the same standard as contemporary Porsches and Benzes. At about half the money, precision assembly and fit and finish weren't part of the program. But light a big-block car with sidepipes and drive it like a hooligan, and I defy you to lose sleep over some uneven stripes or smeared adhesive. And if you're paying a premiumfor originality, these are some things you'd better find. Playing Sherlock Holmes There are several other key clues to midyear originality, too. Body seams: They will almost always show in waves, as shrinking and warping can follow a “hot” joint with too much hardener in the resin. Door glue: Seal glue is usually sloppily applied at the leading edge of the door. Windshield dum-dum: It's generally visible squeezing out around the trim. Big block: The radiator core support holes are visible under the nose of the car. Inner fender: There are differences between big- and small-block cars. A survivor's engine compartment Radiused wheelwells: They're often done to accommodate larger tires. Crooked hood stripes: Restorations are invariably more accurate and arrow straight, and as Burroughs likes to say “not typical” of original work. Body bump in hood channel at cowl: It's often smoothed out during restoration. Rough body in channel at cowl: Again, often smoothed over. Thin chrome thin underneath rear bumpers at the bend: Replacement parts are much better, but “not typical.” Original armrest: It can tear the door panel due to mounting spring. Date code seat belts: Check that they match the year. Cowl vents a slightly different color: These were laid in the back and painted separately from the car, so overspray marks should be visible in the body behind the front seats. At the end of the session, we had gained a new ap- preciation for just how painstaking it is to restore a Corvette to “original” condition, including replicating all the imperfections the cars originally included. At the same time, we had a greater respect for the judges at Bloomington Gold, who live and breathe all of this stuff, and who spend so much of their time sorting out the differences between “original” and “restored,” to the benefit of all of us in the hobby. ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 27

Featured Event Corvette Funfest Effingfun at Effingham Kathy and Terry Smith scored trophies with their his 'n hers 1968 'Vettes, one of which was bought new by a stripper in Las Vegas by Paul Duchene and Rob Sass “Yeah, mine's the yellow one over there” C orvette Funfest, which takes place every September in Effingham, Illinois, is unique in the world of car events. It's aworld-class Corvette eventwith county fair pricing. In stark contrast to the escalating entry fees that go along with most major car shows, pre-registration for a Corvette is free. Laggards who wait until past the deadline to register still pay only $15, and those without Corvettes who wish to view the show can park on the grounds for just $5. Food and beverage prices are intentionally kept down so that families can enjoy the festivities. Of course, if you're looking to buy T-shirts, caps, jackets, shirts, and allmanner of Corvette accessories, go right ahead. And you'll get a special day-of-event discount, to boot. In fairness, organizers of other events must charge what they do because the shows are expected to either generate a profit or to benefit a charity. In the case of Funfest, its sole reason for existence is to enable Mike 28 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Yager, the owner ofMid AmericaMotorworks, to give something back to the loyal customer base of his Corvette parts and accessories business. But even as an exercise in customer relations management, the event is unusual in its size and scope. This year, 75 Corvette clubs and more than 14,000 Corvettes were present. Entertainment (free) was provided by Three Dog Night, who proved that just because you're gray doesn'tmean you can't still have big hair. Kustoms King George Barris circulated all weekend and happily signed autographs. On Friday, David Burroughs, CEO of Bloomington Gold, joined us in a seminar on the state of the Corvette Market. CM Publisher Keith Martin presented a similar talk on Saturday.Many CMcontributors and subscribers served as judges for the car show. As a nice touch, at the black-tie reception that launched Funfest, Yager and his wife presented a custom made “Corvette Market magazine” cake, and introduced Martin to the assembled crowd of Corvette notables. In rows on rows of Corvettes, custom plates predominated, mostly from adjoining states—BOBS C6, CRAZY V8, RED Z06, 1 OF ONE, 1BAD C5.... The list goes on. Corvette owners lined up to see if their cars were eligible for Bloomington Gold Awards, and Sharon and Terry Pearson of Forsyth, Illinois, were delighted that their 1970 350/350 orange 4-speed coupe made the cut as a Survivor. It won a trophy as well.

“We've had it for 15 years,we've been thinkingwe should at least repaint it.” Kathy and Terry Smith of DeSoto,Missouri, scored a pair of trophies with their his 'n hers 1968 'Vettes, one of which—a 427 4-speed car—was bought new by a stripper in Las Vegas. Among all the stalls selling wheels and brakes and those installing tops and interiors, vendors offering replacement exhausts were big business, with piles of standard pipes heading for the scrap yard. Engineer Eric Johnson of Billy Boat Exhausts reckoned the three installers there would fit more than 100 sets of pipes over the weekend, with $100 of the $810 average price going to charity. British advertising executive Guy Hanton had just moved to Chicago and bought himself a black 2004 C5 with only 6,000 miles on it. He was fitting a new exhaust to fulfill a classic gearhead requirement. “I want a loud one,” he said. Signing autographs along with George Barris, Mike Yager reckoned the best thing about 2007 was the new 140-acre location, to which he plans to add 200more. “I'd like to see a road course and a drag strip,” he said. “We're within five hours of 40% of the population of the U.S.” At the junction of Interstates 57 and 70, Effingham might also be a magnet for NASCAR. As a longtime observer noted later, “There's a road course on the West Coast and one in the East. AllMike needs is an interstate exit.” In spite of ever-increasing costs of things like enter- tainment and insurance, Yager has no plans to scale back the event and promises that next year's show will be even more elaborate. Funfest really is an event every Corvette enthusiast should attend at least once. ■ Utter exhaustion Where's Waldo's Corvette? Effingham, at the crossroads of America www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 29

Featured Event SEMA Turbos, Cutouts, Air, and Chargers The APS twin-turbo kit makes over 630 rear-wheel horsepower and more than 700 at the crank By Colin Comer SEMA, an automotive candy store T he Specialty Equipment M Association (SEMA) Show is a tr event that remains the place where t rubber meets the road for new ideas i automobile development and accessories. The annual show draws countless hot products and over 100,000 industry leaders to the Las Vegas Convention Center each November. The equipment covers the automotive, truck and SUV, marine and RV markets. A New Products Showcase features more than 2,000 APS Twin-Turbo kit 30 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com introduced parts, tools, and components, ile attendees can network at educational semiars and product demonstrations. I visited the November 2007 show and here are some trick items I found. APS Twin-Turbo kit for C5 and C6 OK, so you bought a 505-hp C6 Z06 and you were the top dog in your neighborhood for a nanosecond. But now the dentist down the street has his new 600-hp Viper and your buddy next door put a smaller super

charger pulley on his Ford GT and it now makes 625 APS (Absolute Power Supremacy, get it?) has a cur horsepower deficit. Their new Intercooled Twin-Turb what you need to regain bragging rights and scare a brave enough to take a ride. The bolt-on kit features ball-bearing turbochargers, OE-quality cast iron exh manifolds, dual intercoolers, an oil cooler, a full 3 stainless steel -inch exhaust, and all the necessary com ponents for DIY installation. With an internally stoc LS7 motor and low boost, the kit makes over 630 rea wheel horsepower—that's over 700 hp at the crank. The manufacturer claims factory-like drivability a crisp performance, and if youwantmore, the same kitw produce 1,100 rear-wheel horsepower (with recomm internal engine modifications to support higher boost) around $14,000 gets you the complete kit. If you hav Corvette and want more power, APS has a kit for as well—their Twin-Turbo C5 kit is around $6,000 promises 500 hp with stock “guts” and up to 1,000 hp w internal mods. Details at www.corvetteTT.com. Vintage Air Gen-IV SureFit HVAC kit for 1968–76 C3 Corvettes Does driving your C3 get you a little hot under Don't sweat it: Vintage Air has a new kit to make y Their new Gen-IV kit provides integrated heating and ity with infinite control, OEM quality, and factory “w sole controls. Better yet, the kit utilizes existing holes and mounting locations. Controlled by electronic servos rather than cables, vacuum hoses, or capillary tubes, the system also uses factory dash vents and features separate heating and cooling coils. Vintage Air supplied the same type of hardware to Ford for its Ford GT supercar. At $1,299, it's cheaper than a summer'sworth of ice to sit on, and a lot lessmessy. Part Number 964173-PCU for factory-air cars, or 961174-PCU for non-air cars. www.vintageair.com. Race Ready Performance electric exhaust cutouts for all Corvettes charger p charger p charger p charger p charger p charger p rger pulley on his Ford GT and it now makes 625 APS (Absolute Powe ulley on his Ford GT and it now makes 625 APS (Absolute Power Supremacy, get it?) has a cur horsepower deficit. Their new Intercooled Twin-Turb what you need to regain bragging rights and scare a brave enough to take a ride. The bolt-on kit features ball-bearing turbochargers, OE-quality cast iron exh manifolds, dual intercoolers, an oil cooler, a full 3 stainless steel -inch exhaust, and all the necessary com ponents for DIY installation. With an internally stoc LS7 motor and low boost, the kit makes over 630 rea wheel horsepower—that's over 700 hp at the crank. The manufacturer claims factory-like drivability a crisp performance, and if youwantmore, the same kitw produce 1,100 rear-wheel horsepower (with recomm internal engine modifications to support higher boost) around $14,000 gets you the complete kit. If you hav Corvette and want more power, APS has a kit for as well—their Twin-Turbo C5 kit is around $6,000 promises 500 hp with stock “guts” and up to 1,000 hp w internal mods. Details at www.corvetteTT.com. Vintage Air Gen-IV SureFit HVAC kit for 1968–76 C3 Corvettes Does driving your C3 get you a little hot under Don't sweat it: Vintage Air has a new kit to make y Their new Gen-IV kit provides integrated heating and ity with infinite control, OEM quality, and factory “w sole controls. Better yet, the kit utilizes existing holes and mounting locations. Controlled by electronic servos rather than cables, vacuum hoses, or capillary tubes, the system also uses factory dash vents and features separate heating and cooling coils. Vintage Air supplied the same type of hardware to Ford for its Ford GT supercar. At $1,299, it's cheaper than a summer'sworth of ice to sit on, and a lot lessmessy. Part Number 964173-PCU for factory-air cars, or 961174-PCU for non-air cars. www.vintageair.com. Race Ready Performance electric exhaust cutouts for all Corvettes Pulsetech Pulsetech Xtreme Charge With Race Ready's electric exhaust cutouts, you can switch from your current muffled exhaust to a straight unmuffled roar. With an electrically operated stainless steel butterfly driven by a gear-reduction 12V motor, in mere seconds you can offend nearly anyone in earshot. It's easily installed by any muffler shop, and once in place all it takes is a flip of the switch to uncork your exhaust. Available in single or dual exhaust kits and in various sizes for multiple exhaust pipe diameters. Single kits run around $200, dual exhaust kits predictably about twice that. Being unruly has never been so cheap. Just remember to close the “dumps” before the cops show up. www.racereadyperformance.com. Pulsetech Product's Xtreme Charge battery charger ly, most of us don't drive our Corvettes as much as we'd good for our batteries, especially on later model cars computers that put a continuous draw on the battery, or th less than stellar reproduction “show” batteries. I've every battery maintenance charger on the market and great at maintaining a charge, they don't do much to life. This is where Pulsetech's new Xtreme Charge is r pulley on his Ford GT and it now makes 625 APS (Absolute Power Supremacy, get it?) has a cur horsepower deficit. Their new Intercooled Twin-Turb what you need to regain bragging rights and scare a brave enough to take a ride. The bolt-on kit features ball-bearing turbochargers, OE-quality cast iron exh manifolds, dual intercoolers, an oil cooler, a full 3 stainless steel -inch exhaust, and all the necessary com ponents for DIY installation. With an internally stoc LS7 motor and low boost, the kit makes over 630 rea wheel horsepower—that's over 700 hp at the crank. The manufacturer claims factory-like drivability a crisp performance, and if youwantmore, the same kitw produce 1,100 rear-wheel horsepower (with recomm internal engine modifications to support higher boost) around $14,000 gets you the complete kit. If you hav Corvette and want more power, APS has a kit for as well—their Twin-Turbo C5 kit is around $6,000 promises 500 hp with stock “guts” and up to 1,000 hp w internal mods. Details at www.corvetteTT.com. Vintage Air Gen-IV SureFit HVAC kit for 1968–76 C3 Corvettes Does driving your C3 get you a little hot under Don't sweat it: Vintage Air has a new kit to make y Their new Gen-IV kit provides integrated heating and ity with infinite control, OEM quality, and factory “w sole controls. Better yet, the kit utilizes existing holes and mounting locations. Controlled by electronic servos rather than cables, vacuum hoses, or capillary tubes, the system also uses factory dash vents and features separate heating and cooling coils. Vintage Air supplied the same type of hardware to Ford for its Ford GT supercar. At $1,299, it's cheaper than a summer'sworth of ice to sit on, and a lot lessmessy. Part Number 964173-PCU for factory-air cars, or 961174-PCU for non-air cars. www.vintageair.com. Race Ready Performance electric exhaust cutouts for all Corvettes Pulsetech Xtreme Charge With Race Ready's electric exhaust cutouts, you can switch from your current muffled exhaust to a straight unmuffled roar. With an electri- cally operated stainless steel butterfly driven by a gear-reduction 12V motor, in mere seconds you can offend nearly anyone in earshot. It's easily installed by any muffler shop, and once in place all it takes is a flip of the switch to uncork your exhaust. Available in single or dual exhaust kits and in various sizes for multiple exhaust pipe diameters. Single kits run around $200, dual exhaust kits predictably about twice that. Being unruly has never been so cheap. Just remember to close the “dumps” before the cops show up. www.racereadyperformance.com. Pulsetech Product's Xtreme Charge battery charger ly, most of us don't drive our Corvettes as much as we'd good for our batteries, especially on later model cars computers that put a continuous draw on the battery, or th less than stellar reproduction “show” batteries. I've every battery maintenance charger on the market and great at maintaining a charge, they don't do much to life. This is where Pulsetech's new Xtreme Charge is ietary ietary testing and charging circuitry, theXtreme Charge ests and charges your battery and adjusts itself to the ge rate. This, combined with their patented technology electronically scrubs battery-eating sulfation from batnot only extends battery life up to five times but might ing weak batteries back to health. I can vouch for this, eproduction R59 Delco battery I thought was ready for but after one week on the Xtreme Charge, it is again cranking over my 427 like nobody's business. duction batteries selling for $200, that's a good thing. from Pulsetech is a 12-bank version for those with The standard Xtreme Charge retails for $99.00. www ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 31

C1 profile 1957 283/283 Race Car It's often said that racing improves the breed, but in the case of the Corvette, it's more accurate to state that racing saved the brand by Carl Bomstead Chassis number: E57S106241 A lthough Chevrolet introduced the Corvette to great acclaim at the 1953 Motorama, few realized it would, in time, become America's iconic sports car. The sporting transformation didn't come until 1956, a year after Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov inserted a 265-ci V8 into the previously sluggish 6-cylinder-powered fiberglass two-seater. For 1956, Arkus-Duntov improved the car's handling and braking system. He and veteran driver John Fitch took honors in the flying mile at Daytona Speedweek, and Ray Crawford andMax Goldman finished first-in-class at Sebring. Developmentof the racingmodelsSSandSR-2abruptlyendedwhenGeneralMotors signed the 1957 AutomobileManufacturers Association ban on motorsports. This left competition to privateers like Jeff Jeffords, Don Yenko and Dr. Dick Thompson, albeit with tacit corporate support in engineering and parts supply. GM did not return to racing until the 1980s with the Corvette GTP. In 1965, Fred Yeakel bought this 1957 Corvette and immediately took it racing, running in B Production at theMemorial Day races in Santa Barbara. He also raced it atWillow Springs and Riverside that year. In 1979, Yeakel opened a new chapter in the Corvette's life with vintage races at Portland and Monterey. Since then, it has competed regularly at Monterey, as well as Westport, British Columbia, Sebring, Kansas City, Riverside, Palm Springs, and the La Carrera Classic. This is one of the quickest Corvettes in the country. Fred Yeakel won the always- tough Corvette class at the 1982 Monterey Historics, and Dick Guldstrand drove it to victory in 1987—the year Corvette was the featured marque. That defined how well the car performed, considering that all the fastest Corvettes in the world were on hand to compete. Although '57 'Vettes are plentiful, and many have competition history, this car is unusual in its bulletproof pedigree and extensive documentation. It comes completely equipped for vintage racing and road use. The newly rebuilt engine has only break-in mileage, and the car is ready for tech inspection. This is a rare opportunity to buy 32 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com 1957 C1 Details Years produced 1957 Number produced 6,339 Original list price $3,176.32 base CM Valuation $120,000–$150,000 Tune-up $250 Distributor cap $9.95 Chassis # Driver's side door post Engine # Pad at rear of ignition opening Club National Corvette Restorers Society 6291 Day Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45252 More www.ncrs.com Alternatives 1954–57 Jaguar XK 140 1955–57 Ford Thunderbird 1957–62 Austin-Healey 100/6, 3000 CM Investment Grade A (for a race car) one of the fastest Corvette race cars in the country with a long and distinguished heritage and a race-winning record. CM Analysis This 1957 Chevrolet Corvette sold for auction held at Pebble Beach on August 18–19, 2007. $115,500 at the Gooding and Company Photos: Gooding & Company

It had a pre-sale estimate of $140,000–$160,000, and I agree with the CM on-site analysis by Executive Editor Paul Duchene that it was well bought. It is often said that racing improves the breed, but in the case of the Corvette, it would be more appropriate to state that racing saved the brand. When a brash Russian-born emigrant, Zora Arkus-Duntov, saw the Corvette concept at the 1952 GM Motorama exhibit in New York and outlined his criticisms in a letter to Chevrolet Chief Engineer Ed Cole, the die was cast. He was hired by Cole shortly thereafter and quickly realized the potential of the V8 that Cole was developing for Chevrolet. Duntov set a flying mile record at 150 mph The initial reaction to the 6-cylinder, 150-horsepower Corvette was mixed at best, and the car was considered by most a sports car in name only. With the small-block V8 under the hood, Duntov, a racer at heart, took three Corvettes race-prepared by Smoky Yunick to NASCAR Speedweek at Daytona Beach in 1956 to change those impressions. Duntov shared seat time with John Fitch and Betty Skelton, and the troupe set several acceleration and speed records. Duntov himself set a flying mile record at over 150 mph. Sebring followed, and the team finished first in class. Dr. Dick Thompson, the “Flying Dentist,” won the SCCA C Production National Championship, and Corvette quickly capitalized on this success. In 1957, a wannabe racer could walk into the local Chevy store and order an RPO (Regular Production Option) Corvette with options such as fuel injection and head to the starting grid at the local track. This particular car is very well known in vintage racing circles. Fred Yeakel, who is also known for campaigning his Corvette-powered Cheetah, competed regularly at Monterey and other venues. Yeakel ran D Production as “Itchy Foot Moose” Yeakel ran successfully at Santa Barbara, Willow Springs, and Riverside, then took up drag racing at Long Beach in 1966. He ran D Production Sports Car Class as “Itchy Foot Moose” at many Southern California tracks. CARL BOMSTEAD is a longtime gearhead who has judged at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for the last 13 years. He has an extensive collection of automobilia, and he currently owns five collector cars, all of which he happily exercises when the weather is nice. He parked the car for a few years, then revived it for historic racing in 1979, competing at Monterey, Westport, British Columbia, Portland, Seattle, Sebring, Riverside, Palm Springs, and even in Mexico's grueling La Carrera Panamericana Classic. Recently, Yeakel's daughter Jeni has shared seat time with creditable results. The car was also displayed at Bloomington Gold for the 50th anniversary of the 1957 Corvette. The new owner, at a most reasonable price, bought a “no-questions” Corvette racer. It has extensive racing provenance, is street legal and with minor effort, ready for road use. The originally carbureted 283 engine has been rebuilt and modified with fuel injection and 1.94 inch intake “camel hump” heads. I can't help but think that if the car had been origi- nally ordered with one of the 579-code FI options, the final price might have been more in line with the estimates, but then again, aren't race cars constantly being modified? This Corvette will be accepted on any grid, and if the new owner doesn't share the podium, he can't blame it on the car. (Introductory description courtesy of Gooding & Company.) ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 33

C2 profile 1963 327/360 4-Speed “Fuelie” Convertible The ‘63 convertible is under-appreciated, since it has always been overshadowed by its Split-Window partner by John Gunnell Chassis number: 30867S105012 T he 1963 Corvette was a dramatic, exciting breakthrough in American automobile design, engineering and specifications. Its four-wheel independent suspension was as good as any European exotic, and it should have ruled the road courses of the time— and would have, except for Carroll Shelby's Cobra. But the Cobra was gone in five years, while the Corvette that GM styling chief Bill Mitchell and engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov unleashed was still around mechanically in 1983. The '63 Corvette evolved froma racing car called the Mitchell Sting Ray. Bill Mitchell had replaced Harley Earl as head of GM styling in 1958. Like Duntov, he thought it important to race the 'Vette, so he persuaded Chevy's generalmanager Ed Cole to sell himthe chassis of the '57 Corvette SS “mule” for $1. Mitchell then had designer Larry Shinoda create a body for the Sting Ray 34 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com race car inspired by the sea-creature itself. Mitchell loved the 1963 “Split-Window” coupe, but Duntov hated the vision-block- ing rear and the style was offered only one year. Somewhat overshadowed was a companion convertible, which featured a new folding top that was so much easier to operate now that the power assist was discontinued. Convertible buyers had several top and color combinations from which to choose. A black fabric top was standard, and 3,448 cars were so equipped. For the same price, a customer could select a color-matched fiberglass hard top instead, and for $237, the buyer could add the body-colored fiberglass hard top in addition to the soft top. Folding tops also came in beige and white at no extra charge. In 1963, the Corvette trunk was eliminated to allow room for a repositioned gas tank, which in turn made room for the new independent rear suspension. All '63 'Vettes had front fenders with two long non-functional louvers—the “bar- becue grilles.” The rear deck still had a '62-style look, but the rest of the car was new. Hide-away headlights enhanced the car's aerodynamics. Inside were circular gauges with black faces. There was storage space under the seats of early '63 models. Photos: Bonhams & Butterfields

Firsts for '63 'Vettes included optional knockoff wheels, air-conditioning and leather seats. As in 1962, Chevrolet offered four engines, all based on the smallblock 327. The cars came with 250-, 300-, 340-, and 360-hp ratings. The 360-hp job carried Rochester fuel injection. The beautiful example offered here is the best that Corvette could offer in 1963. It is equipped with the topof-the-line 327-ci, 360-hp, fuel-injected small-block V8 engine, backed up by a close-ratio 4-speed transmission. The power windows may surprise some collectors, but there was dispute at the time as to whether they were lighter than wind-up mechanisms. This car is represented as a matching-numbers ex- ample, evidenced by the block deck stamping and the block date casting support. It is one of only 1,110 360-hp fuel-injected Corvette convertibles built in 1963. An NCRS-judged 96.4-point Top Flight score in August 1991 supports the quality of this early 1990s restoration by Master Works in Madison Heights, Michigan. It has been carefully maintained since and is still in excellent condition. The consignor reports that everything works, even the radio and the clock. Finished in Saddle Tan with Saddle leather interior, this is a rare and highly collectible example ofCorvette's graduation from the straight-axle years to the fully indpendent Sting Ray. Any 1963 fuel-injected Corvette is a trophy, a welcome addition to any collection, and an exciting car to drive. CM Analysis This 1963 fuel-injected convertible sold for $101,790 at the Bonhams & Butterfields Quail Lodge auction at Carmel, California, on August 17, 2007. The car was listed as a “roadster,” though Corvette authority Noland Adams, in his Complete Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide—Vol. 2: 1963 through 1963 Fuelie Details Years produced 1963 Number produced 1,110 (“fuelie” convertibles) Original list price $4,606.60 CM Valuation $66,000–$115,000 Tune-up $180 Distributor cap $14.99 Chassis # Right hinge pillar cross brace under glovebox Engine # Corvette V8s have last six symbols of VIN stamped on block next to engine number, at right front Club National Corvette Owners Association More www.ncoa-vettes.com Alternatives 1963–64 Shelby Cobra 1963 Jaguar XKE 1963 Austin-Healey 3000 CM Investment Grade B 1967, describes the cars as “convertibles,” which is technically correct because they have a fixed windshield and roll-up windows. This car is one of 3,742 ordered with the A31 power windows for 1963. The auction catalog goes deeply into the fact that power windows were lighter than roll-up windows, although it's hard to believe this affects value. On the other hand, the copious details that Adams researched in his 1988 book are important in gauging authenticity, and anyone planning to spent $90,000-plus on a C2 Corvette should get a copy of his book. One of 1,110 360-hp convertibles in 1963 Getting back to lot 440, the seller represented this Corvette as a “matching-num- bers” car. Bonhams & Butterfields says this is supported by 3105012F1116RF, which is stamped on the deck of the engine block, as well as block casting number J222, which indicates an October 22, 1962, build date. The catalog says it is one of 1,110 fuel-injected 360-hp convertibles built in 1963. In addition to having the top-of-the line 327-ci engine, the car is fitted with the desirable close-ratio 4-speed manual transmission and a Saddle leather interior. The leather trim was a first-time option in '63 and undoubtedly helped the strong price this car achieved. In August 1991, following its restoration, it took a National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) “Top Flight” award after being judged a 96.4-point perfect restoration. Everything works, even the clock According to the car's owner, everything on the car, works, including the clock— always a nice touch when you are spending the price of a house (in our neck of the woods) for a car. The 1963 Sting Ray convertible is very much an under-appreciated car, since it has always been overshadowed by its “Split-Window” partner. If you study Adams's book, you'll realize that Chevrolet put a lot of effort into giving the '63 ragtop much stronger construction than previous open models. We expect that well-preserved wind-in-the-face 'Vettes like this '63 will grow in value a little faster in the future, due to their fun factor and a depletion of the supply of comparable-condition Split-Windows. Choice options like fuel injection and cow hide upholstery add even more to the “bottom line.” We're not saying the ragtops will zoom past the coupes, but convertibles have a lasting appeal, which makes this car an excellent investment. Let's call this fully priced, but at the same time well bought. ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 35

C3 profile 1968 L88 Coupe “Drive” is not the proper word for an L88. It's more like jumping on the mechanical bull at Gilley's bar in Dallas and hanging on for dear life by Thomas Glatch Chassis number: 194378S422103 T he L88 Corvette burst onto the scene with victories at Daytona and Sebring in 1966 and continued at the Le Mans Trials in April 1967, where, in near-stock trim, an L88 clocked 171.5 mph on the Mulsanne Straight. That same car led the GT class in the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans for 11 1/2 hours before throwing a (stock Chevy) rod. Jerry Thompson and Tony DeLorenzo dominated SCCA A Production in 1969,with eleven victories in asmany starts, and though production ended in 1969, L88s dominated GT and A Production racing for the next decade. After three years of watching the 427-ci Cobras run away from the Corvettes, Chief Engineer Zora Duntov designed the L88 as a Cobra killer. In 1966,Duntov took a NASCAR-developed 427-ci big block, dropped it into a Corvette coupe fitted with optional heavy-duty brakes and suspension, and turned it over to Roger Penske. At 36 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com the 24 Hours of Daytona that year, Penske's drivers, Dick Guldstrand, George Wintersteen, and Ben Moore, came home first in the GT class and 12th overall. At Sebring, the same team earned another GT class victory, finishing 9th overall in the 12-hour enduro. All this was a tune-up for the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1967. Based on the 1966 prototype, RPO L88 was quietly added to the 1967 Corvette option list. The L88 was not just an engine, but a complete package for FIA GT and SCCA A Production racing. To meet these rules, the L88 had to be factory-built and street legal, so it came straight off the St. Louis assembly line. Everything a racer would need The package included all the pieces a racer would need: F41 heavy-duty suspen- sion, J56 heavy-duty brakes, Harrison aluminum radiator, and a special forced-air hood with raised “Power Bulge.” Deleted were all the items a racer would throw away, including radio, heater, air conditioning, power steering and power windows. Duntov also dispensed with the radiator fan shroud, since he found it restricted air flow above 80mph. Standard transmissionwas theM22 “Rock Crusher” 4-speed, named after the sound of its straight-cut racing-grade gears. But the real legend was under the hood. Photos: Bonhams & Butterfields

L88 Details Years produced 1967–69 Number produced 216 (20 in 1967, 80 in 1968, 116 in 1969, coupes & convertibles) Original list price $5,610.90 CM Valuation $250,000–$850,000 Tune-up $150 Distributor cap $19.99 Chassis # VIN 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 Rd, Cincinnati, OH, 45252 More www.ncrs.org Alternatives 1965–67 Shelby Cobra 427 1970–71 Hemi ‘Cuda 1969 ZL1 Camaro CM Investment Grade A Built at the same Tonawanda, New York, plant that produced big-block engines for everything from C-10 pickups to Camaros and Corvettes, the L88 was blueprinted and assembled in a special room that Duntov called “surgically clean.” Only the best GM components were used, like aluminum cylinder heads with 2.19-inch intake and 1.84-inch exhaust valves, developed in the Can Am series. Forged pistons with 12.5:1 compression were fed by a massive 850-cfm Holley 4-barrel atop an aluminum manifold. The solid-lifter cam was a wild one, with 354-degree intake/360-degree exhaust duration and 0.540 inch lift on the intake, 0.560 inch on the exhaust. A lightweight flywheel and 10.5-inch clutch rounded out the drivetrain. With open exhaust, the L88 recorded 560 hp on the dyno, though the factory claimed 430 hp, five less than the street L71. The L88 dominated racetracks. Though the '67 Le Mans effort failed, Jerry Thompson, a GM dyno technician, and Tony DeLorenzo, the son of a GM executive, put their Owens-Corning L88s in the winner's circle in every A Production race in 1969. In a cover story for Car Life magazine, Thompson and DeLorenzo said they drove stock L88s from the St. Louis plant to their Michigan shop, where they were blueprinted and prepared. Other famous L88 racers included Don Yenko and actor James Garner in the '60s, and Dave Heinz, John Greenwood, and comedian Dick Smothers in the '70s. But none of the L88's equipment is the kind a sensible personwouldwant in a street car. In fact, in its test of every 1969Corvettemodel available, Car Lifemagazine found the 435-hp L71 was actually faster in street trim than the L88. The stock exhaust was the culprit, of course, rendering the L88 over-carbureted and over-cammed.Without a fan shroud, the L88 often overheated in normal driving. It took a strong leg to operate the racing clutch, and heat fromthemighty 427 filled the cockpit. That's what happens www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 37

C3 profile when you try to drive a race car on the street. Duntov asked that somebody try to get hismessage across: “The L88 is being bought by people who don't know or care to use it properly,” Car Life reported. “They hear it's the hot thing to have, and that the factory doesn't put L88 on the order blank, so they order one.” Like some forbidden fruit, many of the 216 L88s produced never saw a race track. Buyer ignored Duntov's warning Bill Doskocz, Jr. ignored Duntov's warnings and or- dered this 1968 L88 for street use. Doskocz, of Orlando, Florida, recalled in a letter to the car's second owner “The car was purchased from Harrison Chevrolet in Marianna, Florida, in late 1967, it was new and I have been the original and only owner... It was a very late 1968 Corvette. I ordered the L88 motor, special brakes, M22 transmission, off-road service exhaust, telescoping steering wheel, head rests, leather trim, special suspension….” He also ordered Medium Blue leather interior, transistor ignition, and 3.70:1 Positraction. He continued, “Idrove the car approx.oneyear andhad a very bad back end wreck. This was fixed by Paul Van Zant in Tallahassee, FL, at a cost of approx. $2,500. At that time the rear endwas customized and a blue Firemist paint job done. I then brought the car to Orlando, Florida, and drove it daily for almost 1 year before I parked it and let it set for approx 1 year. I then drove it for 6 to 8months and parked it in late 1974 or early 1975 and left it until this sale today (March 22, 1980). The car is an original factory L88 and has the original brakes, block, heads, intake manifold, crank, rods, rear end, transmission, and I would estimate approx 90% of the other original major items on it… I never raced the car professionally and never took it to a drag strip for an official time. It has seen its share of street racing and I had much pleasure in going extremely fast in this car.” Howfast? BillDoskocz claimed over 140 mph, and we know other L88 owners who canmatch that. When Karl Hallstrom bought the car from Bill Doskocz, he not only got a mostly original Corvette, but also the Owners Protection Plan with Protect-o-Plate, the carbon copy of the original order form, the actual window sticker, a copy of the original title, the dealer's thank-youletterandevenChevrolet's instructionsonhow to install a choke on the race-ready Holley. Soon after buying the L88, Hallstrom decided to return the body to its original state. He turned it over to Country Corvettes in Nortonville, Kansas, first for a repaint and later for a first-class restoration. Hallstrom showed his L88 as part of the 1988 Bloomington Gold Special Collection as a restored, running and driving rolling chassis. After completion, the L88 earned a Top Flight award at the 1989 NCRS National Convention. It's been invited back to the Bloomington Gold Special Collection two more times, and in 1999 earned the NCRS Duntov Award of Excellence. On August 25, 2004, it was sold to its third owner, where it remained until August 2007. CM Analysis This 1968 L88 sold for $254,000 at the Bonhams & Butterfields auction at Quail Lodge, Carmel, California, on August 17, 2007. 38 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com The L88 is like love or jazz —unless you've experienced it, you can never understand or appreciate it. I had the privilege of driving a low-mile, unrestored L88 convertible some years back, and it's truly an epiphany. Actually “drive” is not the proper word. It's more like jumping on the mechanical bull at Gilley's bar in Dallas—the ride is an equally thrilling mix of terrific acceleration accented by the roar of the monster bigblock and the feeling of hanging on for dear life. I've seen common L71 Corvettes leap an entire lane to the left under hard acceleration. I've seen an L89 Corvette destroy a set of NOS tires in seconds in one glorious powerstand. Tack on 150 more horsepower, and the results are downright psychedelic. No wonder L88s have been the most highly sought Corvettes for decades. Today's Z06 Corvette surpasses the L88 in just about every way—acceleration, cornering, top speed, braking, fuel economy, you name it. Driving the Z06 hard is more Gulfstream than Gilley's, with smooth jet-like power and handling, while cradled in leather and seven-speaker audio. And the racing versions, the C5.R and C6.R, have been victorious at Le Mans and other venues. But it also took nearly four decades for technology to get to this level. If you were going to buy an L88, this one would be at the top of the list. It has the pedigree to make it a worthy investment—three owners, complete documentation, and mostly original condition. The restoration work was performed by one of the top Corvette restorers in the world. And the awards this car has earned reinforce its pedigree. Historically, the rarer 1967 models (20 in 1967, 80 in 1968, 116 in 1969) command about double the price of the '68 and '69 cars, but that makes the “Sharks” a good value. At $254,000, this has to be considered a steal. ■ The L88 Recipe for Success RPO Description 19437 L88 F41 G81 J56 M22 A82 N11 N36 976 1968 Corvette Base Coupe 427-ci, 430-hp engine Special Front & Rear Suspension Positraction Rear Axle Special Heavy-Duty Brakes 4-Speed Manual Transmission Heavy-Duty, Close-Ratio Options on Bill Doskocz, Jr's. L88 -- Off-Road Exhaust Tilt/Tele Steering Column Le Mans Blue Paint Total Genuine Leather Seats Headrests Cost $4,663.00 $947.90 included included included included $79.00 $42.15 $36.90 $42.15 nc $5,811.10

C4 profile 1990 ZR-1 Coupe First-year owners are the ones who will take the biggest hit when they sell, as they paid premiums over the $59,000 MSRP by Dan Grunwald Chassis number: 1G1YZ23J8M580130 T he Corvette is an American icon. It is the only true American sports car that has lasted from the '50s when the sports car market emigrated from Europe to this country, and numerous manufac- turers on this side of the pond dabbled in making fun two-seaters. The styling of Corvettes had always been pleasing and powerful,much like in the glory days of the 1967 L88 cars with 430 horsepower (in reality more like 500-plus) that came as convertible or coupe and were generally considered to be one of the most beautifully styled cars ever built. People often wax nostalgic about them in sentences that include the Mercedes Gullwing and the Jaguar XKE. Then came the gas crunch and the government involvement in building our automobiles. By 1976, the Corvette convertible was gone, and by 1981, the only engine available was an emissions-strangled 190 horsepower version that was pushing a bloated looking, rubber-bumper beast. At least it was still available with 40 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com a 4-speedmanual in '81. In 1982, the automatic was the only shifter available until the redesigned C4 appeared in 1984. By 1985, horsepower was sneaking back to 230, and small gains followed each year. By the late 1980s, the brains at GMwere thinking long and hard about the future of the Corvette and they made the decision to infuse energy into the brand with a new engine option. Enter the ZR-1. There were actually 84 ZR-1s built in 1989, but none were sold to the public. Nineteen-ninety opened to tremendous excitement in the Corvette world and GM had its halo car. Big premiums over sticker were the dealer norm, and the new ZR-1 was on the fast track to being a sure-fire winner despite the $27,000 ZR-1 premiumadded to the base $31,979 Corvette price tag. The General sold 3,049 carswith this option in 1990, and the dealerswere rumored to be getting an extra $20,000 or so on top of that. True or not, you can bet that few if any were actually sold at sticker. Some were driven, but many were kept in the wrapper in hopes of making a killing in the near future. In 1991, the total build dropped to 2,044; 1992 dropped again to 502 units, and from then until 1995, there were only 448 ZR-1s built each year. CM Analysis This car sold for $25,998 at the Mecum Bloomington Gold Corvette aucThe car offered was a very clean, lightly driven example with 18,424 miles on the tion in St. Charles, Illinois, on June 16, 2007.

odometer. Both exterior and interior were red, and the car was equipped with the more desirable 6-speed manual transmission. The mileage looked original, and any light wear issues showed excellent care that belied even the 18,000 miles on the odometer. This car would be a better bet than some of the 0-mile examples available, if you were interested in actually driving the car once in a while. Cars just don't like to sit. The price realized seems to fall in the average price range for this car. There are many low- or no-mileage examples to choose from in all years of ZR-1, and the demand hasn't escalated the average prices yet. The 1990 model-year owners will take the biggest hit when they sell, as they were the ones who shelled out premiums over the $59,000 MSRP when they bought the car. In 1993, the horsepower went from 375 to 405, and these cars can bring a fairly substantial premium in some instances. There seems to be a concerted effort (especially through the auctions) to jump-start the selling prices on these Corvettes, but that is meeting with little success when the hard dollars drop on the table. The big bids may be found somewhere in the auction tents to try to prove that the market is rising, but I don't see many new owners actually buying these cars at the inflated prices. There are just too many fine examples out there, and many are available at the mid-$30,000-range or less. Perhaps it is now the time to buy, as the prices seem to be holding and I really don't see any dropping off. This was the most important example of the modern Corvette until the Z06. It has everything Corvette collectors look for—limited production, high horsepower, special parts and exclusive body panels, good handling, and it was only available for six years. There are enough people interested in Corvettes to keep the market alive and well, and the prices will undoubtedly rise in time. The question is simply when? ■ ZR-1 Details Years produced 1990–95 Number produced 6,939 Original list price $58,979 (though most sold for much more) CM Valuation $25,000–$35,000 Tune-up $500 Distributor cap $35.89 Chassis # Driver's side dash at windshield Engine # Left/right side rear of lower crankcase Club Corvette Club of America, PO Box 9879, Bowling Green, KY 42102-9789 More www.corvetteclubofamerica.com Alternatives 1988–89 Corvette Challenge racer 1991–92 Callaway Corvette CM Investment Grade C How ZR-1 prices stack up At 2007 Bloomington Gold, there was a ZR-1 set from each year, new in wrappers, as lots S9 through S14. I watched the first two lots hammer sold at $35,000 each. But when the official auction results came out, the selling prices jumped to $60,375 each. Perhaps the buyers decided to raise their own bids by $25,000? While interesting, these results may not be reliable for our purposes. Let's look at some comparable cars: 1991 ZR-1, s/n 1G1YZ23J3M5800768 Condition: 3+ Sold at $24,200 RM Phoenix, AZ, 1/19/2007 Opinion: Aftermarket exhaust and cataloged at 32,000 miles. Clean example and a decent buy, especially in Arizona in January. Condition: 2 Sold at $23,100 Motley's, Richmond, VA, 3/20/2007 Opinion: 72,000 miles is enormous on a ZR-1, but for $23,000 and with a #2 SCM grade, the price is right. 5,200 miles and flawless in and out. Only 448 built in 1993, as the ZR-1 high option price was starting to take its toll on the buyers. The price paid is on the high side, but the low miles make it worth the premium. miles showing. Fairly bought and sold. 1991 ZR-1, s/n 1G1YZ23JXM5800170 1993 ZR-1, s/n 1G1YZ23JXP5800321 Condition: 1 Sold at $44,625 Mecum, St. Charles, IL, 6/15/2007 Opinion: First year of the upgraded 405-hp engine. 1991 ZR-1, s/n 1G1YZ23J9M5800807 Condition: 2Sold at $32,400 Barrett-Jackson, West Palm Beach, FL, 3/29/2006 Opinion: New tires, two sets of T-tops, little wear and 22,312 1995 ZR-1, s/n 1G1YZ22J6S5800052 Condition: 2 Sold at $32,550 Mecum, Belvidere, IL, 5/23/2007 Opinion: Last year of the ZR-1. 11,325 miles. Some light patina, but it looks like an 11,000-mile car should. I would call this well bought at less than the original base Corvette price without the $31,000 ZR-1 option when new.—DG www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 41

ZR-1 History Where it came from, where it's headed Should You Own a ZR-1? The ZR-1 injected a bit of magic across the entire Chevrolet line. It still scores an “A” for enjoyment, but it's a “C” for investment by Dan Grunwald F ew Corvettes in history were as anticipated as theZR-1. Itwas no secret thatGMneeded more horses for its Corvette if it was to be competitive in an increasingly powerful marketplace. The standard 350 engine had been starved down to 165 hp in 1975 and had only been improved to 240 hp by 1989. The future of the marque was dependent upon adding performance or it would surely die. Luckily, GM decided to save the Corvette. It may not have anticipated the difficulty of this task at inception, but the finished product brought pride back to the Corvette name. Concept and development The initial thoughts for the new powerplant were to keep the internal camshaft and two valves per cylinder and turbocharge for added ponies. These configurations didn't work out, and project engineers decided to use overhead camshafts and multiple valves, much like the European competition. GM's Lotus plant in Hethel, England, had expertise in this type of engine development, so they were tapped to develop the new “King of the Hill” engine for the Corvette. Designing the new overhead cam heads and intake proved to be just the beginning of this task. The normal assembly line procedure was to place the engine into the Corvette from the bottom. But with the stock engine block and the new dual overhead cam heads bolted on, the engine was too wide to fit in the car from the bottom. The possible solutions were all expensive and complicated, so GMdecided to build a completely new engine. It needed to have the reliability of the cast iron block, but be as light as possible. The answerwas a block castingmade of a newlightweight aluminum alloy that was narrow enough to be inserted from the bottom between the frame rails of the car. The newCorvette needed to have the performance and handling of an exotic car such as the Countach, without the scoops and wings. It also needed to be more reliable, civilized, and much less expensive. The ZR-1's new engine was to be manufactured byMercuryMarine, at Stillwater, Oklahoma. The production schedule called for about 18 engines per day, and the company had good quality control history. DOHC and four valves per cylinder The new engine was designated the LT5 and featured four overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder,withmulti-port fuel injection. The compression ratiowas 11:1 with an initial 375 horsepower on tap. The ZR-1 was available in coupe form only, and while it did not stand out from the standard Corvette at first glance, the changes were more than skin deep. The new Corvette had a bulging rear fascia and square taillights as opposed to the concave rear and round lights on the stock Corvette. A small ZR-1 emblem was affixed below the right taillight. To accommodate the new horsepower, the wheels were upgraded to eleven inches wide with Z-rated 17-inch rubber. To fit the tires, the rear of the car was widened by three inches. This meant special panels for the rear clip, rocker panels, and doors. The ZR-1 was only available with the 6-speed transmission. A unique feature was the “Valet Key,” which enabled the driver to switch between power mode and normal 42 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com 1994 ZR-1 mode.Normalmode disabled the secondary intake ports and limited the horsepower to around 200. Each time the ignition was switched off the “normal” mode was automatically selected. When manually switched to power mode, the full 375 horses were unleashed. Double the price of a Corvette? In 1990 the base price of a Corvette coupe was $31,979, and the ZR1 option added $27,016 to that price. To be fair, the ZR1 package also included power leather seats, selective ride and handling, Bose stereo with CD changer, and a low-tire-pressure indicator that would have added up to $4,829 on a base model. So let's rationalize the ZR1 option to be only an additional $22,187. With a fewoptions, itwas easy to exceed $60,000 for a Corvette. Despite this, there was no sticker shock dissuading the first buyers.When the ZR-1 was introduced in 1990, some buyers wrote checks for six figures to be among the first to own the new ZR-1. Dealer price gouging was the norm. From 1991 to 1993, the ZR1 option increased to $31,683, though in 1994–95, it dropped to $31,258. The only change was an increase to 405 hp from 1993 to 1995, accomplished by intake and valve changes. There were 3,049 ZR-1s built in 1990, 2,044 in 1991, 502 for 1992, and 448 in each of the remaining three years, for a total of 6,939. The reasons for the declining demand are numerous, but the price became a major factor. Coupled with that was the fact that the standard Corvette LT1 engine offered 300 hp in 1992 and the power gap between LT1 and ZR-1 was closing, which made the dollars-per-horsepower curve less desirable.

Also, the square taillights and convex rear fasciawere extended to the totalCorvette line, which completely devalued the ZR-1's signature and left it visually different only by its high center-mounted brake light and small emblems. Step on the gas and wipe that tear away There is no doubt that, when first introduced, the ZR-1 option gave this Corvette a major performance advantage over other production cars on the road. Numerous magazine road tests were conducted over the five-year span of production and I was able to find a quarter-mile time in the high 12s to low 13s at speeds from 105 mph to 113 mph. Zero to 60 mph came in the 4-second range. That's significant bang for the buck. What's the future for the ZR-1 market? A fair number of ZR-1s were purchased and then immediately thrashed and raced to death by thosewho could afford themand had the need for speed.We also knowthat quite a number of these cars were simply put away for speculation and in the hopes of reaping a windfall profit. There are several problems with this approach. Let's say approximately half of all ZR-1s were put away and kept in pristine, low- mileage condition. That means there are over 3,000 cars to choose from, which means there are just too many out there for the values to go up significantly. In short, the long-term odds on ZR-1s being anything more than desirable used cars are very slim. The market bears this out on a daily basis. Numerous ZR-1s with under 10,000 miles on them sell in the $30,000-range.We see a few selling for a bit more and some for a lot less, but those are either exceptional or thrashed. I don't see prices dropping much in the future, although anything is possible with new Corvettes promising 600 hp and better ergonomics and technology than the ZR-1. Interesting as it is, the ZR-1 is getting dated by today's standards and it's just not stylish enough to compete with a '67 Sting Ray in the eye candy department. Damn. Should I just buy one anyway? That depends on that age-old question.Why do you want a ZR-1?What will you do with it?What's its mission? 1. Do you want to just drive a lot and enjoy it? If you can put up with some difficulty in the entry-exit contortions and you aren't averse to rattles and shakes in the dashboard and other places, then this is the car for you. It's fast, more reliable than anything else in its class and era, and the price is not likely to drop much lower, so the cost of enjoying it should be minimal. 2. Do you want everyone to watch you drive by and say “Wow!”? Sorry, they won't. The ZR-1 looks too much like any other used Corvette to draw much attention. That was a big part of its problem. People who spend almost double the price of the base model do not want it to look like the base model. 3. Do you want it to put it away without driving it, as an investment? Forget it. You will have to keep it at least 20 years, and by then you will need that money for the kid's college fund. The chance of bettering returns inmost other investment areas is slim. Also, if you don't drive it, the seals and gaskets will wear out and you will have to recondition it prior to using it anyway. ZR-1 problems and recalls (there were some) There were a few recalls and numerous service bulletins on the ZR-1. But there were nomore than any other car in this category, andmost of the fixes weren't terribly expensive. The windshields tended to show distortion and delamination. The ZR-1 windshield was special to the model and it may be difficult to find an original. There are rumors of oil leaks and brake master cylinders going bad, but again, these generally aren't too costly. Parts will undoubtedly become more difficult to come across as time goes by, and I believe GMsold most after ten years. OK, I want one, what do I watch out for? As I said, there aren't many things specific to the ZR-1 that are unusually prob- lematic. The usual areas of paint and prior accident damage should always be of concern and can present some very expensive problems. Look as you would at any other Corvette or even another used car. Most ZR-1s have been well cared-for, and abused ones should stand out and be avoided nomatter how cheap.Make sure the VIN www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 43 shows the car to be a true ZR-1. The ZR1 option will have a “Z” as the fifth digit where a standard model will have a “Y”. I have seen standard Corvettes with the LS5 engines installed. Call the ZR-1 a moral victory, at least With the amount of research and development needed to bring this car to market and a strict cost vs. profit analysis, I'd say the ZR-1 project was not a rousing success. Sales dropped significantly after the initial impact and the option only lasted five years. Initially, the engine recalls were shipped back to Mercury Marine, but after that contract ran out, local dealerships must have had nightmares dealing with this engine, which was unlike anything else in their inventory. Body and powertrain parts were specific to this model and stocking inventory had to eat into any profit quickly. Success isn't always just dollars, though. The ZR-1 gave GeneralMotors excitement, an enthusiasmthat ran across its entire product line. It provided immeasurable free publicity in print and video and gave them a badly needed new halo car. Most enthusiasts who stopped in at their dealer would not purchase a ZR-1, but they might buy a standard Corvette,Malibu, or Caprice.Getting theminto the store iswhat selling is all about, and it costsmoney to do that. The ZR-1 offered excitement and enthusiasm when Corvette sales were otherwise marginal, and that makes it a success in my book, even if it might not have been a favorite among the GMbean counters. ■

C5 profile When Salvaged C5s Go Slumming It must have been quite a phone pole; the car had damage to “front, left side, right side, rear, top, and underbody of vehicle” by B. Mitchell Carlson The big strike against the C5s was that both cars were to be sold on salvage titles, with an assertion that they had been “inspected” by some vague entity who wasn't named. Thanks to a wireless modem card and a laptop in the Chassis numbers: 1G1YY32G1X5105028 (1999) 1G1YY22G415104313 (2001) C all me an auction junkie, but on one of the few Saturdays that I wasn't covering a collector car sale, I went to Princeton,Minnesota, for a truck and heavy equipment auction. Along with trucks, tractors, front-end loaders, construction equipment, and other hardcore guy stuff,Wayne Pike Auction Company also sells consigned cars and light trucks. Once in awhile something more interesting than a rusty '89 Taurus with 204,000 miles turns up. Just when it looked like a '68 Mustang fastback or a '52 Kaiser sedan were going to take the honors, I ran across a pair of C5 Corvettes. Certainly, it wasn't the sort of thing you expected to find between a thrashed bank repo 1998 Ford Explorer and a formerly fleet-owned 1999 Ford Ranger. But since a C5 is onmy shortlist as a possible “company car,” I paid closer attention. Lot 580 was a 1999 Corvette convertible in white with an automatic, white soft top and tan leather interior. It was declared to have 107,474 miles on the clock. Bear in mind that this was not on a dealer warranty disclaimer form, but written on the windshield in grease pencil. Lot 581 looked to be a little more promising, a 2001 Corvette 6-speed coupe in Gunmetal with tan leather interior. This one was claimed to have 46,000 original miles, but with no exact figure scribbled on the windshield. Both C5s were offered by the same consignor, who also happened to have done the repair work. This same person also had at least two Chevy pickups consigned at this sale, which were also fixed-up collision jobs. The Corvettes would not be unlocked for inspection The first sign that should make any serious bidder turn tail and run was that both cars were locked—with the keys in the front office—and there was no one around to represent them. To make matters worse, the auction company made it clear that the Corvettes would not be unlocked to allow more careful inspection. They relayed the consignor's claim that the interiors could be soiled and items might be pilfered. And just what might be snatched? The steering wheel or dashboard? Seats? Yes, while the consignor might have a somewhat valid point based upon the clientele at this event, it's unreasonable to expect a serious bidder to bid without being able to inspect. In any case, his pickups were wide open. 44 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com trunk of my car, I was able to run the VINs while waiting for the C5s to cross the block. A quick visit to www .carfax.com revealed that the convertible was involved in an accident involving a utility pole in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, on June 1, 2007. It must have been quite a phone pole, as the car had damage to “front of vehicle, left side of vehicle, right side of vehicle, rear of vehicle, top of vehicle, underbody of vehicle...” So what wasn't damaged? If that report didn't deter me, a link to www .BuyCrash.com would let me buy a copy of the official state of Indiana crash report for $12. By the 29th of the same month, a salvage title was issued for it in Indianapolis. As for the coupe, the state of Illinois wasn't as forthright, but on May 7, it issued a salvage title to the insurance company, and the next day a title transfer was conducted with a lien reported against it. This was the last track they had on the car. Armed with this information, I headed back to the sale. This auction is frequented by a lot of dealers, some quite technically savvy, others Luddites, and some even C5 Details Years produced 1997–2004 Number produced 248,715 Original list price $37,495 CM Valuation $16,500–$48,000 Tune-up $500 Distributor cap N/A (8 coils @ $72.12 each) Chassis # Driver's side dash at windshield Engine # Pad forward of cylinder head on right side Club Corvette Club of America PO Box 9879 Bowling Green, KY 42102-9789 More www.corvetteclubofamerica.com Alternatives 1990–96 Corvette C4 2005–08 Corvette C6 CM Investment Grade D

further down than that. It was quite likely that no one had researched the cars to the level I had, as using the cell phone to consult their business partners or bosses was the highest observed use of technology outside of a ballpoint pen and the run list. At $10,000, the dealers were almost all done In each case, the bidding started quite low, but when they crossed the $10,000 plateau, the dealers were almost all done. The convertible seemed like it went to a happy retail customer at $13,000, or at least someone who would use it for a while and then sell it. The coupe buyer seemed more to be the “I can still squeeze a couple more grand out of this sitting on the front row of my lot” type of dealer, and it sold for $14,750. By the end of October, neither car had recorded a title transfer since the sale. Since the first examples left the pilot plant in Flint,Michigan, Corvettes have been cars that almost always get rebuilt—rather than parted out or scrapped—after an accident. This helps explain a survival rate in the area of 90%, despite a propensity to drive them to the fullest, and beyond. In days of yore, proper body repair of the fiberglass was more of an issue than yanking the frame straight. Over the years, this situation has reversed itself. On C5s and newer, it's easier to swap out modular body panels than it is to realign the hydro-formed frame and square up the driveline and suspension. Granted, automotive collision repair in general has become more of a science than either an art, skill, or downright hard physical labor. But will the same shop that can yank the frame square on a Silverado be skilled enough to set right the more intricate C5 substructure, without C5-specific tools and gauges? Maybe and maybe not. Finally, what isn't easily discernible at first can come back and haunt you financially. The stresses inflicted in a collision aren't always easy to see. Perhaps the transmission case was stressed, and will later crack? Perhaps the steering rack mounting bolts were damaged? Remember, you paid less for a good reason While our 46-000-milemystery coupewill eventually start to lose partsmore from general old age and advancing miles, the 107,000-mile convertible is even worse off. More than twice the mileage plus the severity of its accident are a double whammy. Will the front main seal start leaking at 110,000 miles? What if the power windows start to bind at 115,000? How about a driveshaft that finally throws off a cracked counterweight in 10,000 miles? Even if your alignment shop can set up the car as well as Bowling Green did, there is still the baggage of a salvage title. You paid less for the car for a good reason; work may be needed to make it right, or even legal to take on a public highway. Almost no buyers will pay retail for a salvage-title car. My experience with them is that once a buyer finds out about it, the deal goes bust. If you're lucky, you will get a counteroffer in a downward spiral worse than an F-4 Phantom out of fuel. Also, forget the idea that you don't really care about such trivialities as titles or that maybe you'll own it forever. Even if your estate has to deal with the car, that salvage title will come to haunt your descendents. States that once had a reputation for “title washing” have all tightened things up in the wake of hurricane Katrina and its flood of water-damaged cars. Besides, if some smart aleck can pull up CARFAX while a car is being sold, there's nowhere to hide a post-1980, 17-digit VIN car. To make things worse, there are still loopholes that do not help you, the buyer. CARFAX and the other webbased searches are not a 100% tell-all. Any computer application is only as good as the data it gets. Cars can—and do—slip though. I owned a post-1981 vehicle that had over 50%of the value of collision work done on it by a reputable shop, paid for by the insurance company. But since it was a single-vehicle incident without a police report (slid off the road during an ice storm, hitting a Jersey barrier), it's not in a public database. The insurance company neither asked for nor required a report to process the claim. It was actually a collision repair car, but without an electronic trail.When CARFAXed, it is as pure as the wind-swept snow that claimed it. All of this funnels into the choice of venue that sell- ers use. There were no problems with this reputable local auction company—they fully disclosed the salvage titles. Yet an auction that is primarily selling construction equipment is hardly one's first choice for a Corvette. Itmore likely represents the seller's desire—or need—to get rid of the cars at no reserve. On the other hand, these C5s were two game fish in a pond full of carp. At Mecum's Bloomington Gold auction, they would've been a very hard sell, but surrounded by a bevy of Bobcats, a flurry of Freightliners, tired Toyota Tercels, and dying Dodge Dakotas, they looked handsome. It's not a bad marketing maneuver to suck in an unwary casual bidder, but a smart buyer should look closer. By all means, buy a salvage-title Corvette if you can attest to the quality of the repair and intend to drive it until the wheels fall off. Just don't ever expect to make anymoney. Andmemorize your story—you'll be telling it many times. ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 45

C6 mini profiles A Selection of C6s that sold recently on eBay Condition inferred from eBay sellers' 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 Four Do-It-Yourself Specials As long as you value your time at nothing, these could all be deals by Geoff Archer 2006 Corvette coupe—sold at $22,800 #300160065987. S/N 1G1YY26U265127743. Blue/tan leather. Odo: 4,363 miles. 21 Photos. West Valley, UT. 3LT package. “This is a great project vehicle for any- one. This vehicle does start.” Airbags deployed. Salvage title. 1 “Best Offer” bid, sf 90, bf private. Cond: 4. CM Analysis Probably one of the few DIY fixable wrecks, but with the you're still going to be in around $30,000 with no value on your time. Makes no fiscal sense as a branded-title, saleproof, slushbox car that could be found perfect for around $10,000 more. Well sold. 2006 Corvette Z06 coupe—sold at$16,100 #300159380486. S/N 1G1YY26E665101901. Yellow/black leather. 14 Photos.West Valley, UT. “Worldwide Auto is pleased to offer this 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that is damaged all over as shown. This is a great way to own a $80,000 dollar vehicle for a tenth of the price.You can find most of the parts to this vehicle in the same color on ebay.” The interior actually looks very nice with (surprisingly) no airbag damage. Right door and hatch glass might be intact. Salvage title. 12 bids, sf 90, bf private. Cond: 5. CM Analysis This Z06 was so well munched that it could only make sense as a driveline and bucket seat donor for a hot rod. This price still seemed at least $5,000 strong given that both the chassis mileage and the engine's operational status were omitted. expense of the airbags and the hood, fascia, and bumper, 2006 Corvette convertible—sold at $25,000 #130157613790. S/N 1G1YY36U465105779. Blue/tan canvas/tan leather. Odo: 14,600 miles. 24 Photos. Houston, TX. Fitted with Z51 and 3LT options. “IT RUNS AND LOT DRIVES. CAR NEEDS AIRBAGS AND FRONT FENDER INERFENDERS AND FRONT COVER. ALSOWILL NEED BOTH FRONT RIMS AN TIRES.” Presumably new headlights and hood included. Everything aft of the missing windshield and popped airbag looks very nice. 4 bids, sf 100, bf 89. Cond: 5. CM Analysis People pay this much for other similarly crashed coupes on eBay, so I guess this was a deal. Could have fooled me. 2007 Corvette coupe—sold at $24,500 #280158213685. S/N 1G1YY25U175121077. Black/black leather. Odo: 48 miles. 22 Photos. NewYork, NY. “THE CARWAS DAMAGED ON THE DEALER LOT. THE CAR RUNS AND DRIVES. AS YOU CAN SEE THE DAMAGEWAS TO THE PASS DOORAND FENDER. THERE IS ACOSMETIC DENT IN THE FRAME BYTHE DOOR MOUNTAREA. EVERYTHING WORKS, NO DAMAGE TO ENGINE OR SUSPENSION.” Targa top missing. Seller coyly suggests, “THIS ISAPERFECT CAR TO FIX, RACE OR EXPORT.” Salvage title. 2 bids, af 104, bf 13. Cond: 4. pecially a targa-body car. Fixing it would be folly, with '05s selling in the low $30,000-range. Exporting it would be obnoxious, but probably a technical possibility. I would rather see a speedster-windshielded C6 Mako Shark tribute car. Well sold either way. ■ CM Analysis Nobody wants to race a car that might not go straight—es46 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

Market Report Overview Corvette Auction Block Performance Hits $8m L88s brought brute force to the market, selling from $100k to $400k by Jim Pickering F romthe foggyU.K. to theAugust heat ofMonterey, bidders looking for Corvettes had plenty of choices in the late summer and early winter months. Examples spanned the years, from C1 to nearly new, and came in conditions ranging from magnificent to monstrous. The Monterey auctions in August are generally full of rare classics and vintage exotics, and this year, 519 collector cars changed hands for a total of over $134m. Recent trends in the Corvette world saw a large number of Chevrolet's sports car populating the ranks of auctions once reserved for more exclusive automobiles. Bonhams & Butterfields offered a number of 427-powered midyears at its Carmel event, and of the two 1968 L88s on offer, one brought a full $254,500 (C3 Profile, p. 38). Several C1s were present at Christie's Jet Center auction, and although most of them needed some work after years ofmuseumservice, a fewpresented very good deals. Russo and Steele offered several good Corvettes, and they sold a 1964 300-hp coupe at $45,000, while Gooding sold an excellent 1957 vintage racer at $115,500 (C1 Profile, p. 32), and RM found new ownership for a 1965 425-hp convertible at $170,500. The first edition of Corvettes at Carlisle took place in late August, where just 32%of the 82 Corvettes on offer found newhomes for a final total of just over $1m.While an event like this was no newcomer to the Carlisle area, this was the first time Carlisle Events took the reigns as host. First-generation cars were fairly well represented, including a 1961 230-hp convertible that was claimed to be one of 2,285 equipped with a hard top and no soft top. It failed to sell at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June at a high bid of $82,000, but it sold well and easily in Carlisle for an above-market $100,800. At the same time, a 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 driver-level 1961 convertible with a non-original motor and automatic transmission changed hands at just $43,050. The high sale of the event was a 1967 L89 convertible in Sunfire Yellow, which brought $147,000, while most of the other big-block '67s present failed tomeet their reserves. The end of the event saw high winds knock down 48 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Top Ten Sales This Issue 1. 1969 Corvette L88 coupe, $446,250—Lot# S88, p. 68 2. 1953 Corvette roadster, $440,000—Lot# 46, p. 74 3. 1967 Corvette 427/435 coupe, $393,750—Lot# S99, p. 66 4. 1984 Lola-Chevrolet Corvette IMSA GTP racer, $269,500— Lot# F447, p. 84 5. 1968 Corvette L88 coupe, $254,500—Lot# 424, p. 81 6. 1963 Corvette 327/250 Tanker coupe, $210,000—Lot# S168, p. 64 7. 1965 Corvette 396/425 convertible, $170,500—Lot# F429, p. 79 8. 1967 Corvette 427/435 convertible, $166,500—Lot# 428, p. 80 9. 1968 Corvette L88 coupe, $155,500—Lot# 431, p. 81 10. 1957 Corvette 283/283 convertible, $115,500—Lot# 7, p. 75 Best Buys 1. 1960 Corvette 283/230 convertible, $55,000—Lot# 43, p. 76 2. 1966 Corvette 327/350 convertible, $50,400—Lot# F197, p. 66 3. 1968 Corvette 427/390 coupe, $25,988—Lot# S132, p. 58 4. 1961 Corvette 283/270 convertible, $110,000—Lot# 599, p. 78 5. 1964 Corvette 327/300 coupe, $45,000—Lot# F472, p. 78 tents, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to cars in the show. Mecum's Fall High Performance Auction took place in October, where 363 of the 699 cars on offer sold for a combined total of $17.5m. This salewas not limited toGM's sports car, but 80 of the cars on offer were Corvettes, which accounted for almost $3.1m of the final total. Only ten first generation cars were present here, but several of them sold for strong money, including a 1958 290-hp fuel-injected convertible that brought $103,950, as well as a 1960 270-hp convertible with a complete history that brought $82,950. A Bloomington Gold-Certified 1967 427/435 claimed to be one of one in black and blue brought $393,750, while a rare 1963 250-hp Tanker coupe sold at $210,000. The high sale of the event was a 1969 L88 coupe in Monza Red with tan leather. Having covered only 2,257 original miles since new, it found new ownership at an impressive $446,250—or almost $200,000 more than the higher-mile blue L88 at Bonhams & Butterfields only a few months earlier. The market is changing, and in an increasing number of cases, overly-optimistic reserves kept cars from changing hands. While there seem to be plenty of buyers for the absolute best-of-the-best, anything less than that is a tougher sell. It's a solid market; it's just getting pickier by the day. ■

Market Report Carlisle Auctions Carlisle, PA Corvettes at Carlisle Only a few cars elicited strong battles, and the high sale was a 1967 Sunfire Yellow L89 convertible Company Carlisle Auctions Date August 24–26, 2007 Location Carlisle, PA Auctioneers Jim Landis, Jeff Knox Corvettes sold / offered 26 / 82 Sales rate 32% Sales total $1,023,698 High sale 1967 Corvette L89 convertible, sold at $147,000 Buyer's premium 5% (included in sold prices) Calm before the storm in Carlisle Report and photos by Mark Rudnick Market opinions in italics T he 25th Corvettes at Carlisle show held August 23–26, 2007, will go down in memory as the “Wizard of Oz” year. The Carlisle Fairgrounds were nearly leveled by a tornado on Saturday night that packedmore punch than any '67 427/435 big-block in the place. What started out in 1982 as a swap meet has evolved into a major event involv- ing everything and anything related to the Corvette hobby and lifestyle. Hundreds of vendors and thousands of Corvette enthusiasts packed the 82-acre fairgrounds from Thursday through Sunday. It appeared there was a shortage of motivated buyers, which, when coupled with optimistic reserves, resulted in only a few cars eliciting strong battles, including the $147,000 high sale, a restored 1967 Sunfire Yellow convertible with the optional L89 427/435 engine. The highest bid went to a Silver Pearl 1966 coupe with the 427/390 engine and the distinction of being the last '66 Corvette built, but it was a no-sale at $180,000. Midyear prices were strong, with a half dozen cars bid over $100,000, but many sellers apparently felt they were not strong enough and so held onto their vehicles. A Honduras Maroon 1961 283/230 with only 109 miles since restoration drew $108,800, and it had covered only nine miles since being a no-sale for $82,000 at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June 2007. The low sale of the weekend was a red '79 350/195 coupe with issues that brought a paltry $8,925 and was well sold at that. Elsewhere in Carlisle, the humid 100-degree day was occupied by a swap meet, a Corvette tech session, an engineer's tent with GM representatives, a dyno challenge, a burnout contest, an autocross, a parade of Corvettes through downtown Carlisle, and a beauty contest. But at 7 pm, the sky blackened noticeably and things got scary. The wind kicked up and torrential rain and hail pounded the site. As one observer commented: “It was like theWizard of Oz. There were tents all over the place and you could see stuff flying everywhere.” 50 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Inside the fairgrounds, the large yellow and white tent that housed the “Tribute to the '57 Corvette” display collapsed on the cars. The only indication that cars were even there were the bumps in the canvas. All the roads fromthe vendor area by the grandstands to the car corral were blocked with fallen tents, awnings, poles, posts, and assorted debris. Cars in the Corvette car corral suffered significant damage as dealer displays collapsed after support poles failed and the tent fell in on vehicles and displays alike. In one instance, a metal support pipe punched through the glass roof of a C4 Corvette,went through the interior and floor, and embedded itself in the ground beneath the car. Rubberneckers were shooed away by police and organizers and the event concluded early as clean-up crews moved in. Auctioneershadhopedfor160cars tobe soldFridayand Saturday, but 82 cars turned out andwere sold on Saturday alone. The sales rate was a disappointing 32%, down from last year'sMecumsale,which saw150 cars cross the block with a 53%sales rate. Still, this was the first-time Carlisle had self-produced an auction at this event, and although some teething issues presented themselves, the group already has the 2008 Corvette auction on its calendar. Hopefully that event will have a little more luck with both theweather and the number of consignments. ■

Market Report C1 #S116-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Custom convertible. S/N E57S103210. Red& white/red vinyl. 5.7-liter 345-hp fuel-injected LS1 V8, auto. Body work, paint and chrome all excellent, as are interior and engine compartment. Lots of detail work completed, with work done to a better-than-factory level. Engine and transmission sourced from an '00 model, suspension from a late-model Ford Thunderbird. A well-executed resto-mod 'Vette. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $71,000. Once again, updating a solid axle Corvette with modern technology leaves an owner with no real return on the money spent. Finding someone willing to offer more than this high bid will be difficult, as the market tends to favor originals. #S141-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S100764. Honduras Maroon & white/black vinyl. Odo: 109 miles. 283-ci 230-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. A freshly done restoration, with a smoother-than-new body under an excellent repaint. Interior and engine compartment in mint condition. One of 2,285 equipped with hard top and no soft top. Restored beyond original factory standards, 4-bbl, 3-sp. Mostly unrestored, but clearly well-maintained over the years. Minor flaws in paint and chrome not unexpected, top well fitted and clean. Interior has received some restoration work, including relatively new seats, carpets, and door panels. Engine compartment needs detailing, but is complete. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $53,000. Although this Corvette had a great overall appearance, its market value was somewhat depressed by being fitted with the base engine and a 3-speed rather than one of the more powerful units and the more popular 4-speed. Perhaps the relatively low high bid reflected a lack of solid axle enthusiasts among the bidders at the auction, but whatever the reason, the seller was wise to pass up this offer. #S150-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S102654. Roman Red & white/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 91,241 miles. 283-ci 245-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, auto. Exterior paint shows well, with several light scratches and slight orange peel throughout. Panel fit to original standards, chrome and trim nice. Interior redone in original style with Carlisle Auctions Carlisle, PA Originally Jewel Blue. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $34,000. Canary Yellow is not an original Corvette color, and as such, this example had limited appeal for those looking for genuine cars. There was little interest here, reflecting the market's appetite for originality versus individuality. #S162-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S101020. Roman Red/ black vinyl. Odo: 63,020 miles. 327-ci 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint generally nice, chrome shows some pitting at front and rear bumpers. Panel fit inconsistent in places, interior worn but present, dashpad lifting at corners. Nonoriginal engine fitted in undetailed engine mileage displayed accumulated since completion. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $100,800. Last seen at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June '07, where it didn't sell at $82,000 (CM# 45452). With only twelve miles covered since its last appearance, this '61 managed to make the consigner's reserve from Bloomington here without too much trouble. This price was possibly slightly above market for this example, but not for long. Well bought and sold. #S159-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S101851. Roman Red/white vinyl/red vinyl. 283-ci 230-hp V8, 52 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com some wear to driver's seat. Engine compartment clean and mostly original, block not numbers-matching but period-correct. A nice driver. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $43,050. The nonoriginal motor and automatic transmission worked to limit this car's appeal and market potential, but it still had a great look and was very usable as it was. Well bought. #S153-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S109790. Canary Yellow & white/black vinyl. Odo: 117,400 miles. 283-ci 245-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 3-sp. Decent non-original yellow paint shows some orange peel, panel fit to factory standards, chrome and trim still nice. Interior aged, with some visible wear to carpet and door panels. Engine compartment unrestored but mostly complete. compartment.Adriver with some visible needs. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $37,000. Restored as a DIY Network project to a driver standard. A relatively low-budget restoration, and as such, the high bid offered here was in the right ball park. With a non-original motor fitted, the seller will be hard pressed to get much more money for the car. #S152-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S110320. Ermine White/black vinyl. Odo: 135,017 miles. 327-ci

Market Report Carlisle Auctions Carlisle, PA 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, 3-sp. Older restoration aging relatively well. Light polish marks to paint, factory-typical panel fit. Chrome and trim show some age, but no significant pitting or waves. Seats and carpet older, dash still cosmetically sharp. Engine rebuilt in 2004 and in need of some detailing to be show quality. Offered with both tops. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $44,000. If the car had been Roman Red, Honduras Maroon, or Sateen Silver, it likely would have generated more interest and the bidding might have gone somewhat higher. This bid was slightly under the money, but not much considering this car's condition and color combination. #S167-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S103430. Ermine White/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 66,906 miles. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Recent repaint shows slight orange peel and buff marks in places. Panel fit decent, chrome slightly wavy, older vinyl top. Interior and engine area nice, original engine rebuilt by John well fitted, paint missing on center console. Weatherstripping aged, glass unmarked, older top slightly wrinkled. Engine compartment original looking and clean. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $49,350. A high-horsepower 4-speed drop top 'Vette in appealing colors. While not in concours condition, this was a very good buy on an excellent driver, so the new owner should be very happy with his purchase. #S151-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194376S100472. Rally Red/black vinyl. Odo: 3,188 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint shows well from ten feet away, but swirls and chips are visible when viewed up close. Panel fit better than original, chrome appears replated or replaced. Interior clean and well fitted, although showing some Ligenfelter Racing with fuel injection unit restored by John DeGregory. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $92,000. Clearly loved, this car received a complete restoration not that long ago. However, its color combination left a little to be desired, and there was still a bit of work needed before it could be shown. This was a market-correct bid, and the seller could have sold without regret. C2 #S173-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 40867S116997. Riverside Red/white vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 76,000 miles. 327-ci 365-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint shows some swirl polish marks and a few chips to nose, panel fit as good as when new, chrome and trim decent. Original-style interior NOT SOLD AT $105,000. A 1966 425-hp 427 Corvette in this desirable color combination and restored to this level should have been able to bring more money than the high bid offered here. With the cost of restoration and the value of cars with these options being what they are, the seller was wise to pass up the high bid offered here. Worth significantly more to the right collector. 54 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com age since replacement. Engine compartment complete and appears original. Fitted with side pipes and teak steering wheel. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $40,950. A great car for the road or local cruise nights, but not a show winner as presented here. Not a lot of money for a midyear Corvette without the immediate need of a full body-off restoration, so this can be considered a very good buy. #S161-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 19467S10557. Nassau Blue/ white vinyl/blue leather. 427-ci 425-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fresh body-off concours-quality restoration shows excellent paint, panel fit, chrome, trim, interior and engine compartment. Finished to a better-than-factory standard inside and out, with no faults to note. Cond: 1. clean but not detailed, engine fitted with correct OEM-style components. Equipped with side exhaust, knockoff wheels, Goldline tires, factory a/c, pw, ps, pb, and headrests. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $76,125. This big-block coupe could have been enjoyed as it was, but it will need a full body-off restoration before it wins any awards. Still, this car had all the right options and would have made a great driver, and it was a very good buy at this price. #S117-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S117933. Nassau Blue/white vinyl/white leather. Odo: 71,815 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Body-off restoration. Paint shinier than stock, chrome shows no issues whatsoever. Panel fit typically inconsistent, especially around hood and headlight buckets. New soft top fitted with no wrinkles or stretch marks visible. Interior in #S172-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194376S117839. Milano Maroon/ saddle vinyl. Odo: 130,000 miles. 427-ci 390hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint shows scratches and crazing up close, but looks good from ten feet away. Chrome and trim decent, but nowhere near perfect, with some pits and waves in bumper chrome. Engine compartment fairly mint condition, with excellent seats, carpet, and door panels. Engine area freshly restored, with properly detailed GM components. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $95,550. A beautiful, freshly restored mid-year big block in an excellent color combination. While it was not likely to be a Bloomington Gold winner, this car had lots of eye appeal, and the 427 with side pipes certainly did no harm to this car's value. Well bought. #S138-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194679S117817. Rally Red/ red hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 34,702 miles. 327ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Smooth paint shinier than original, but showing no issues. Panel fit and chrome excellent, interior and engine compartment reflect a first-class restoration.

Market Report Carlisle Auctions Carlisle, PA a fairly recent restoration. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $53,000. A '67 small-block convertible with a 4-speed and side exhaust should have drawn a somewhat higher bid than was seen here. That said, sometimes it's better to start with a car in need of restoration rather than one in need of re-restoration. With that in mind, this was likely all the money. Engine correct for the car, but block is a 1967 replacement unit. Equipped with ps, pb, factory a/c, and knockoff wheels. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $71,400. This example had a lot going for it, but the price paid was on the high side for an example equipped with the base motor—and especially so for one without its original block. A nicely restored mid-year 'Vette, but it can be considered well sold at this price. #S144-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S111847. Rally Red/white vinyl/black leather. Odo: 3,002 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Nice repaint shows much shinier than stock, but with no issues visible anywhere. Panel fit also better than original, chrome either replated or replaced. Interior well-fitted in original style, with nice seats and an excellent dash. Engine compartment clean and correct, with all-GM and trim tags. While in very nice condition, it did have some wear showing, and it would have been fairly traded at this high bid. #S154-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194376S127720. Silver Pearl/ black leather. Odo: 9. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint, panel fit, and chrome excellent. Interior and engine compartment nicely restored, optioned with factory a/c, leather seats, teak wheel, telescopic column, side exhaust, full tinted windows, knockoffs, Goldline tires, ps, pw, and pb. Presented as a three-owner car and documented with original Protect-O-Plate #S182-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S103443. Elkhart Blue/Teal Blue vinyl/Teal Blue leather. Odo: 44,380 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Presented as a recently restored original car with its original engine. Paint well done, with even application and no noticeable flaws. Panel fit and chrome all excellent, as are interior and engine compartment. Fitted with restoration components used. Equipped with side pipes and a teak steering wheel. Needs nothing to be enjoyed. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $62,000. Options such as side pipes, knockoffs, and a wood wheel can add a lot to the value of midyear convertibles, and if this car had been equipped with a big block, we would have likely seen more bidder interest here. This car had a great look and was likely very usable as equipped, so the seller was wise not to let it go at this price. #S149-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194376S108512. Tuxedo Black/ black vinyl. Odo: 56,708 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Relatively recent paint shows minor scratches and nicks, panel fit typically inconsistent. Chrome and trim replated or new replacement, glass unmarked, Goldlines and knockoff wheels look correct. Stock interior and engine compartment ingoodcondition, seats and carpet show age-related wear as well as some light use. Fitted with factory a/c. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $105,000. This big-block coupe appeared to be very original, including the engine 56 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com and owner's packet. NCRS Top Flight award in January of this year, Bloomington Gold certification in June. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $180,000. Last seen at Mecum St. Charles in June '07, where it didn't sell at $175,000 (CM# 45436). Campaigned by Corvette Mike New England as the last 1966 Corvette built, and as such, $180,000 seemed like a fair price. However, with the $660k sale of the last '67 at Barrett-Jackson this January (CM 44187), the seller was likely looking for more. The market has spoken... at least for now. #S169-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S103470. Rally Red/ black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 43,594 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Restored, but not to the most exacting standards. Paint much shinier than original, body straight, panel gaps Corvette-typical with misaligned headlight buckets. Some pitting visible on side window chrome trim, bumpers slightly wavy. Interior and engine compartment look good and reflect Chrome and glass unmarked, exterior trim shows no issues. Stinger stripe not typical of factory production, interior and engine compartment restored to original condition. Fitted with factory a/c, ps, pw, pb, and side exhaust. Bloomington Gold certified, Chevy Vettefest winner, equipped with its original tank sticker as documentation. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $145,000. An original and documented show trim tags, which indicate the original trim tag is missing and the original color combination is unknown. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $127,500. The value on high-end midyear big blocks is very much contingent on authenticated originality and documentation, and this car's reproduction trim tag limited its market and investment potential significantly. The high bid of $127,500 seemed fair given the authenticity issues, and the seller would have been smart to let the car go. #S186-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S106613. Marina Blue/white vinyl/bright blue leather. Odo: 67,342 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. Paint excellent over factory-standard body.

winner with a desirable set of options and an appealing color combination. $145,000 was a lot of money, but this Corvette was worth more. The seller wanted $200,000, and while that seems a little steep, he'll likely be able to get close to it with the right buyer. #S111-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S115728. Marlboro Maroon&black/black vinyl/black leather.Odo: 65,954 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Freshly restored, with excellent detailing throughout. Exterior, interior, and engine compartment all in mint condition. Non-original later model engine installed, correct style wheels and Redline Interior and engine compartment done in original style, less than 300 miles covered since tires fitted. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $48,825. Even with a non-original motor, this was a very good buy on a convertible mid-year 'Vette with excellent eye appeal. The new owner shouldn't be afraid to use the car, and he or she will undoubtedly receive lots of attention on the road and at cruise nights. Well bought. #S137-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S116319. Sunfire Yellow/black vinyl/black leather. Odo: 38 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Excellent repaint shows no issues, panel fit better than original, all chrome replated or replaced. Interior shows excellent leather and detailed and finished in original style. Fitted with leather seats, transistorized ignition, 4.11:1 posi rear differential, Redline tires, AM/FM radio, tinted glass, shoulder harnesses, telescopic steering wheel, and speed warning indicator. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $120,000. First seen at Cole/Myers Monterey sale in August '97, where it sold for $43,000 (CM# 11593). Later seen at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June '07, where it didn't sell at $95,000 (CM# 45637). Documentation is very important with mid-year big-block Corvettes, and this one had the proof that it started life as presented here. This bid was closer to market than the $95k at its past appearance at Mecum, but it was still not enough for the seller to let it go. #S177-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S112358. Rally Red/ white vinyl&black vinyl hard top/white vinyl. Odo: 37,368 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4sp. Paint shows a few areas of bubbling as well as several slight runs. Interior in very good original condition, engine compartment clean restoration. Recent NCRS Top Flight award. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $50,000. Value here was somewhat held down by this car's automatic transmission in lieu of a 4-speed manual. Nevertheless, the car had been beautifully restored and showed well. The owner wanted at least $65,000, which while seemingly over the top, was likely not out of the question given this car's condition and options. #S195-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194678S425425. Red/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 43,549 miles. 350-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Recent repaint to a good standard, panel gaps and body typical. Windshield shows delamination, vinyl soft top aged, chrome bumpers pitted. Non-original big block-style hood fitted, replacement motor, aftermarket parts include Cragar mags and side pipes. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $19,425. Once the reserve was lifted at $13,000, active bidding brought the price up to $18,500. Obviously, there was interest in this car despite its nonoriginal bits and exterior appearance issues. Well sold. a well-restored dash, engine compartment freshly restored with originalGMcomponents. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $147,000. The '67 435hp big-block convertible with side pipes and documentation is the cat's meow in the world of Corvettes. This car was the high bid winner in the auction, and even at this price, this was a decent buy. #S142-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194377S109065. Goodwood Green/ saddle leather. Odo: 114 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Restored to NCRS standards, with excellent paint, panel fit, and chrome. Interior and engine compartment completely and nicely presented. Fitted with knockoffs, Redlines, two tops, and side exhaust. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $125,000. Finding a welldocumented, original, low-mileage, 1967 big block in Rally Red and white is rare, and this one had a great look overall. Bidding was spirited to $125,000, but nobody in the room was willing to go higher. The seller was wise to pass up the high bid, as he'll likely be able to find a number closer to his reserve of $150,000. C3 #S181-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194678S408721. Polar White/black vinyl/red vinyl.Odo:57,403 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. Recent first class body-off restoration with excellent paint, panel fit, and chrome throughout. Nice top, reproduction Redlines fitted on Rally wheels. www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 57 #S130-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194678S413320. International Blue/white vinyl/medium blue vinyl. Odo: 58,202 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Restored in 2005. Paint, panel fit, and chrome all excellent. Interior and engine compartment superb, with either nice original or new reproduction pieces used. Top well-fitted, glass and trim nice. Equipped with ps, pb, pw, and a/c. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $55,000. A nicely finished first-year C3 convertible, but not an

Market Report Best Buy #S132-1968 Carlisle Auctions Carlisle, PA especially rare car in terms of options. While the a/c and power windows helped, the base engine did not. However, the cost of restoration surely exceeded the high bid offered here, so the seller can't be faulted for keeping it at this price. CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194378S420942. Rally Red/black vinyl. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint shows a few minor flaws, including some chipping and areas of orange peel. Panel fit and chrome decent, but not perfect. Interior shows a small tear in driver's seat. 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint to front of car original, rear repainted and not blended well. Interior and engine compartment unrestored and heavily aged. Chrome and trim OK, newer tires fitted on original-style Rally wheels. Driver's side wheelwell shows cracks in fiberglass. Cond: 4. NOT SOLD AT $13,500. This one-owner Corvette had clearly not been well maintained over the years, and as presented here, it was in need of a complete restoration. Still, it was a fully intact original '70 model, of which production totaled only 17,316 units. Although this was not especially rare, it was desirable as a project and should have sold at this price. Engine compartment mostly original and very presentable. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $25,988. This 1968 big block 'Vette would have been a very nice driver as it was, not to mention its future restoration and investment potential. Red Corvettes always turn heads, and this one was a decent buy at under $30k. #S113-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Custom coupe. S/N 194379S707688. Blue/ light blue vinyl. Odo: 87,370 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Custom hood and paint, aftermarket side exhaust and wheels. Paint shows no noticeable flaws, panel gaps wide around hood and doors. Interior in nice shape, with original style seats and console fitted. Engine compartment shows modifications and lots of added chrome #S115-1971 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 19437S117109. Nevada Silver/ black vinyl. Odo: 104,578 miles. 350-ci 270-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint and chrome show numerous scratches, panel fit factory-standard. Glass and trim nice, Rally wheels, caps, and trim rings unmarked. Equipped with power steering and condition and fitted with original components, but not detailed. Fitted with factory a/c, ps, pb, pw, and original hubcaps. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $18,375. A very nice find with a good set of options. Although the later big-block C3s are not the most most desirable, they still offer plenty of power, and this cruise-ready example was bought well at under $19k. The new owner should be very happy with his purchase. #S140-1975 CHEVROLET CORVETTE factory a/c. Interior shows acceptable wear, engine compartment unrestored and presentable. Anice driver as-is, or a decent start for an easy restoration. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $16,000. Early chrome bumper shark cars are climbing in value, and this one was typical of the way a lot of buyers like to find them. This was clearly worth more than the high bid of $16k, and it rightly went back home with the seller. #S129-1971 CHEVROLET CORVETTE parts. Engine said to have been rebuilt 3,000 miles ago. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $9,000. Customized Corvettes are difficult to sell to the crossed-flag faithful, and their personalization tends to reduce their market value considerably. The high bid here was the full market value of this example, but the seller likely had much more money sunk into it. He might do better at a well-attended cruise night. #S134-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194370S413771. Donnybrooke Green/saddle vinyl. Odo: 52,543 miles. 350-ci 58 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com coupe. S/N 194371S110350. Bridgehampton Blue/saddle leather. Odo: 93,909 miles. 454-ci 365-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Exterior paint fairly fresh and showing well. Bumpers and exterior a/c and ps. One owner from new. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $12,600. 1975 was the first year for HEI ignition in the Corvette, which ended a tradition of points distributors used since 1953. As-delivered except for a recent respray, this car was in excellent condition throughout. Ready to be used and enjoyed, and bought well at this price. coupe. S/N 1Z37J5S430887. Silver/silver leather. Odo: 61,547 miles. 350-ci 165-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fresh paint decent, panel fit as per factory, with some wide gaps visible. Original interior in excellent condition, engine compartment clean and indicates a history of consistent maintenance. Equipped with factory chrome scratched and pitting, weatherstripping dry and cracked. Engine compartment fitted with many non-original parts, including aftermarket open air cleaner. Interior is original, unrestored, and aged. Factory a/c, driver's side headlight stuck up.Adriver in need of restoration. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $16,000. An early big-block C3 worthy of a full body-off restoration. The factory a/c and a 4-speed made it quite attractive, and in its current condition, this car was worth more than was bid here. #S174-1973 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37Z3S421437. Classic White/ black leather. Odo: 59,351 miles. 454-ci 275hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Fresh shiny paint shows drips and runs over factory-standard panel fit. Rear bumper scratched, nose panel typically wavy. Interior and engine compartment in good

Market Report Carlisle Auctions Carlisle, PA #S109-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z87L8S417685. Corvette Light Blue/dark blue leather. Odo: 100,089 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint acceptable, nonoriginal pinstriping added. Interior in fair condition, with some wear visible to seats and door panels. Engine compartment features a non- #S103-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY8783C5119183. Red/glass panels/red leather. Odo: 57,000 miles. 350-ci 200-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Exterior paint in good shape. Body panels factory-standard with appropriate gaps. Wheels and roof panels in good condition, engine unrestored and not especially exciting, this was a a decent buy on a very nice example. #S194-1980 CHEVROLET CORVETTE original engine with aftermarket valve covers and various chrome bits. Not much more than a driver. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $4,000. An altered Corvette in less-than-outstanding condition, and as such, it was of little interest to the Corvette enthusiasts here. This car was likely worth more than this high bid, so the seller was right to hang on to it at this price. #S187-1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z8789S412924. Corvette Red/ smoked glass/light beige leather. Odo: 56,901 miles. 350-ci 195-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Recent repaint shows some slight overspray and sections of orange peel. Glass still nice, interior shows decent seats and badly worn carpet. Engine compartment original and in need of a C4 parts to include valve covers, a/c pump, side pipes, and numerous cowl-mounted gauges. Interior shows new seats and door panels, carpet clean. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $16,000. Customization narrows the resale market of a Corvette significantly, and this was just another example of an owner getting buried in his customized ride. Unfortunately for the seller, this bid was likely all the money. #S112-1980 CHEVROLET CORVETTE complete detailing. Presents as little more than a driver. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $8,925. 1979 is not regarded as a high point for Corvette in terms of either performance or design, and while this car had good colors, it also had issues that needed attention. The seller received full market value for this car in its present condition. Well sold. #S107-1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z8789S416055. Corvette Light Beige/light beige leather. Odo: 39,109 miles. 350-ci 195-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Exterior finish and body panel fit excellent. Interior in very nice original condition, mostly stock engine compartment age- and mileage-appropriate. In need of very little to be excellent, a nice driver as-is. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $13,125. A turn-key original car that could be enjoyed as it sat. If maintained properly, it will easily hold its value into the future. Although the color was 60 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com unrestored and very clean. Presents as-new nearly everywhere. Original window sticker, build sheet, warranty book, and tires. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $19,500. Cars with so few miles and in such nice condition are hard to come by, so the seller of this one was wise to hold on to it rather than let it go for under $20k. coupe. S/N 1Z878AS413130. White/red leather. Odo: 4,000 miles. 350-ci 190-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Exterior paint excellent, panel fit typical, with inconsistencies around doors, hood, and bumpers. Original interior in superb overall condition. Engine compartment #S108-1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY0789F5119337. Bright Red/graphite leather. Odo: 67,982 miles. 350-ci 230-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Exterior paint badly faded, especially at nose. Blackout coupe. S/N 1Z878AS411016. Red/Doeskin leather. Odo: 79,194 miles. 383-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Recent repaint excellent, with no issues noted. Nice glass and chrome, panel fit wide at front of doors and tight at rear. Aftermarket Cowl Induction-style hood fitted, engine modified with numerous aftermarket chrome looks age- and mile-appropriate. Equipped with power seat, power mirrors, power locks, cruise control, andAM/FM cassette stereo. All stock. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $14,000. A very nice low-mileage 1982 Corvette that had clearly been well-maintained over the years. The owner was correct in not letting the car go for the high bid of $14k, as it could go as much as $4k higher to the right collector. trim losing color in places, weatherstripping chewed up. Interior worn, with some fading and dryness to leather seats. Engine compartment appears just as used, with an overall neglected appearance. Cond: 4-. NOT SOLD AT $6,000. In need of a total restoration, and with the high cost involved in that endeavor, it would hardly be worth it. This high bid was more than fair, and the seller would have been wise to let it go. #S180-1989 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY318XK5123062. Black/black canvas/red leather. Odo: 91,385 miles. 350-ci 245-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Paint aged, with chipsandscratches throughout. Red leather seats somewhat worn, as are carpet and dash. Glass nice, top slightly wrinkled and faded. Underhood area original, unrestored,

and still clean. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $10,448. At under $10,500, a driveable C4 convertible that isn't in need of immediate attention is a good deal, as they had considerable driving performance technology included in their development. This buyer paid a fair price for this entry-level example. Well bought and sold. #S156-1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 coupe. S/N 1G1Y23J5L5800768. Dark Red Metallic/black leather. Odo: 21,900 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Original paint still shows well, but not as shiny as when new. Interior and engine compartment reflect a relatively low-mileage car, with plenty of dust in both places from lack of recent use. Nice glass and trim, wheels and tires unmarked. shows minimal wear and is very clean overall. Underhood area stock, unrestored, and clean. Wheels unmarked, glass and blackout trim nice. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $13,000. 1994, 1995, and 1996 were the best years for the C4 Corvette, as the design had been developed and refined considerably from its introduction in 1984. This car had a popular and desirable color combination and should have brought more than this $13,000 bid while on the block. The owner was wise in not letting it go, as a little advertising to the general public will likely bring more money. C5 #S155-1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Mallett 435 coupe. S/N 1G1YY22G7X5113337. Black/black leather. Odo: 16,960 miles. 435-ci 500-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Exterior paint and panel fit very good, aftermarket rims and tires unmarked. Engine compartment very clean, interior shows no wear whatsoever. Asnew inside and out. Owned by Chip Miller of condition here reflected its use, and although it did have a top that went down, it was fitted with the less desirable automatic transmission. A fair deal at a market price. C6 #S183-2005 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY34U555133284. Victory Red/black canvas/black leather. Odo: 3,450 miles. 6.0-liter 400-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. As-new inside and out. Paint, interior, and engine compartment in showroom condition. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $44,100. This almostnew Corvette still has plenty of GM factory warranty left, and with no issues to note, it was purchased well at $44k. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $26,000. Originally owned by the late co-owner of Carlisle Events, Chip Miller. While in nice shape overall, the seller made little attempt to maximize the car's appearance for the auction. The high bid of $26,000 was appropriate for a first-year ZR-1 with this kind of mileage, and the seller could have let it go and considered it a fair deal at that. #S105-1994 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32P85103571. Polo Green Metallic/beige canvas/light beige leather. Odo: 44,766 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuelinjected V8, 6-sp. Exterior paint shows well, with only minor signs of use evident. Interior Carlisle Events. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $37,800. The Mallett Corvettes offered lots of bang for the buck, and while this one had some miles on the clock, it was in good shape overall. Offered at no reserve, and correctly valued for its condition and performance. #S163-2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G7Y5130209. Light Pewter Metallic/tan canvas/tan leather. Odo: 41,193 miles. 5.7-liter 345-hp fuel-injected LS1 V8, auto. Paint looks nice at 20 feet, but is stone-peppered up close. Interior and engine compartment relatively clean, but still just in used-car condition. A decent driver C5 convertible. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $22,050. Not a garage queen or strict sunny Sunday driver, but a daily-used commuter Corvette. Its #S229-2007 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY36U575102570. Machine Silver/black canvas/black & red leather. Odo: 183 miles. 6.0-liter supercharged LS2 V8, auto. Equipped with the 3LT preferred equipment group, including CD stereo with MP3 and 6-disc changer, Head-Up display, telescoping wheel, heated seats, steering wheel radio controls, and power convertible top. Fitted with aftermarket Callaway supercharger. Offered directly by its original dealer with delivery miles only.As-new in all respects. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $45,000. Fitted with plenty of creature comforts, as well as more than enough power, this new Corvette should have brought a higher figure than this undermarket bid. MSRP on these is above $60k when well optioned, so it's clear nobody in the room was really all that interested. ■ www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 61

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL Mecum Fall High Performance Auction Buyers with under $50,000 in hand had few choices if they were in the market for a C2 Company Mecum Collector Car Auctioneers Date October 5–7, 2007 Location St. Charles, IL Auctioneers Mark Delzell, Mike Hagerman, Jim Landis, and Bobby McGlothlen Corvettes sold / offered 48 / 80 Corvette sales rate 60% Corvette sales total $3,073,952 Corvette high sale 1969 Corvette L88 coupe, sold at $446,250 Buyer's premium 1969 L88 brought 446,250 cubic dollars in St. Charles Report and photos by Daniel Grunwald Market opinions in italics M ecum's second annual St. Charles High Performance Auction in October saw nearly 700 cars cross the auction block, with 52% of the cars on offer selling for a combined total of just over $17.5m. Corvette buyers had plenty of choices from among that group, with 80 examples representing everything from solid-axle early cars to a new low-miles Z06 coupe. Solid-axle cars were the minority here, with only ten on offer. Among them was a 1957 270-hp convertible in black and silver that wore an older restoration and still had a good look inside and out. It was a decent buy at $107,625. A fair $59,063 was forthcoming for a 1959 245-hp convertible, considering some slight issues with its paint and chrome, while an NCRS Top Flight-winning 1961 270-hp convertible with a complete history brought a strong $82,950. Second-generation cars were present in force, and the 435-hp steamroller seen elsewhere in the market didn't lose any momentum here. The second-highest Corvette sale of the weekend was a 1967 427/435 coupe that was presented as the only “black and blue” L71 example to leave the factory. It had been restored to original specifications and was Bloomington Gold-Certified, and along with its rarity, that made the $393,750 it brought a decent deal for both buyer and seller. A rare 1963 327/250 Tanker coupe fitted with a Powerglide transmission and factory a/c was also notable at $210,000, as it was claimed to be one of only two N03 big tank cars so equipped. 62 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Mecum Fall High Peformance Sales Totals $3.5m $2.5m $3m $1.5m $2m $500k $1m 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 This summer sawmany buyers turning to small-block midyears with the rising prices of big-block cars, but buyers with under $50,000 in hand had few choices here if they were in the market for a C2. High reserves have in the past been an issue within the muscle car market as a whole, and the same problem appeared here, with a number of driver-grade cars staying with their sellers at less-than-show-quality bids. This year's Corvette high sale was a 1969 L88 coupe with only 2,257 miles on the clock. With Bloomington Gold Certification as well as NCRS Top Flight status and a condition best described as new in all respects, it brought $446,250. While that price might seem expensive, it was likely worth it for a collector looking for the absolute best. Twoyellow1986convertibleswereavailable,andwhile they looked identical from a distance, one of them was fitted with the more desirable manual transmission. That said, the automatic car was in much better overall shape, leading to a $16,575 payoff for the seller versus $11,550 for themanual-equipped, driver-quality example. With 60% of the Corvettes on offer finding new homes, it's safe to say the market is still doing well. However, while many cars did change hands and a lot of them brought decent prices, more could have been sold had sellers adjusted their expectations to meet some of the strong bids offered. ■ $300 on the first $5,499, $500 from $5,500 to $9,999, 5% thereafter (included in sold prices)

Why Not Buy Smart? In the past few years, Corvettes have gone from being everyday drivers to highly collectible American classics. But with the huge number built, and the variety of options with which they were available, knowing what to buy and how much to pay is critically important. Keith Martin has augmented his topflight SCM staff with a well-known group of Corvette experts to bring you over 100 information-packed pages in every issue of Corvette Market. The incisive, take- no-prisoners approach to auction reports you expect from SCM continues in Corvette Market, with more than 100 Corvettes examined first-hand in each issue. Exclusive to Corvette Market is an industry roundtable, where top dealers, collectors, and auction company principals give their opinions and advice on what is really going on in the market. You'll find out if C1s have finished their run, or if they are still gathering strength. What is the real price differential for factory fuelies? How much more should you pay for a car with documentation, and more... Subscribe Today! One Year Corvette Market (4 issues), plus monthly Corvette Insider's email newsletter, $29.95. Subscribe online at www.vettemarket.com or call 1.800.810.7457

Market Report C1 #U80-1953 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E53F001112. Polo White/tan canvas/red vinyl. Odo: 62,752 miles. 235-ci 155-hp straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Decent paint over correct, original rough body, panel gaps typically inconsistent. Chrome and trim nice, with some wear on chrome side spears. Interior chrome trunk spears. This one was in very nice shape overall, and it was well sold at almost $104k. still fine, with original-style vinyl and good carpet. Well detailed undercarriage. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $225,000. A nice first-year Corvette in decent overall shape. The market seems to have a renewed interest in these cars, with collectors not afraid to bid large dollar amounts to own good examples. However, at $225,000, this car should have found a new home. #U78-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S104693. Onyx Black & silver/red vinyl. Odo: 536 miles. 283-ci 270hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. New paint, chrome, and interior. Some chrome pitted at taillights, other exterior brightwork serviceable. Wonderbar #S242-1959 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N J59S100776. Red & white/ red hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 2,569 miles. 283ci 245-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint on hard top rough at drip rails, plastic windows typically scratched in both hard and soft tops. Panel fit typically inconsistent, some pitting on chrome door handles, light aging on windshield surround. All other chrome new. Engine claimed to be original and generally clean. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $59,063. Two dual-carb engines were offered in 1959—245 hp and 270 hp—and this car was equipped with the lesser of the two. Fairly priced at the hammer, as it did have some light issues for the new owner to fix. radio, T-10 4-speed, off-road exhaust. NCRS Top Flight in 2001. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $107,625. A nice car inside and out, and although the restoration was an older one, it was still holding up well. Well bought. #S159-1958 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N J58S103940. Regal Turquoise/black vinyl. Odo: 1,104 miles. 283ci 290-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Few paint prep flaws to front fenders, several visible hubcap dents, good chrome throughout. New seats and carpet, gauges still sharp. Some delamination starting on windshield, One of 1,007 290-hp fuelies built in '58; engine detailed as new. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $103,950. The 1958 Corvette is a favorite among C1 enthusiasts, as it was the first 'Vette to use four headlights and features both an excess of chrome as well as the one-year-only hood louvers and twin rear 64 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com #S163-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 67S104311. White/red vinyl. Odo: 84,769 miles. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Driver door fits slightly wide, door jamb touch-up paint apparent in spots. Chrome and trim nice, windshield header chrome unmarked at top fit. Some dirt and wear on original driver's seat, paint on odometer numbers chipped, power brakes, tank fast-fill on B-pillar, side pipes and sport mirror fitted. Full rear window with no center post. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $155,000. Driven by Ed Lowther and Dick Thompson, and equipped with Gulf Research and Yenko equipment. Race-only cars have a real following, especially those with verifiable history, but the market is thin and it takes the right customer at the right time to make the sale. This apparently wasn't either. TOP 10 #6 #S168-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Tanker coupe. S/N 30837S120537. Red/red vinyl. Odo: 93,780 miles. 327-ci 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Non-Z06 big tank, fitted with a/c, pw, and knockoffs. NCRS Top Flight award. Newer paint shows several touched-up chips, original chrome has some visible wear, bright trim still nice. Redone dash a bit brighter than rest of interior. Some original wear visible in Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL C2 #S85-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 racer. S/N 30837S114703. Maroon & white/black, silver, & maroon vinyl. Odo: 81,874 miles. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Z06 tanker race car in unrestored condition. Paint crazing on Grand Sport-style vented hood, wheel flares and rear brake cooling ducts glassed into body, Torq-Thrust wheels and vintage racing tires fitted. Single master cylinder fitted with Wonderbar radio. Engine shows light use. Offered with original bill of sale; complete ownership history known from new. AACA Junior and Senior awards, NCRS Top Flight. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $82,950. A complete history as well as the right awards paid off in a strong price here, so the seller should be pleased. detailed underhood area. Claimed to be one of two N03 big tank coupes constructed with a/c in 1963. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $210,000. Last seen at Mecum's St. Charles sale in October '05, where it sold at $210,000 (CM# 39574). Oddly optioned, this car was special-ordered by its first owner as a long-distance driver between his South Texas ranch and Houston. This was about as rare as '63s get, so the price paid was on the money. #F13-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194675S102235. Red/black vinyl. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Non-factory metal

1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 This is a real and documented numbers match Corvette L88 427/430hp car. 1 of only 116 produced and grossly underrated for insurance purposes these cars put out well over 500 horsepower. This is a concours quality totally restored car in absolute show condition. Price on request. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster 1966 Chevrolet Corvette 427/425hp coupe Only three owners from new, original miles fully documented with original window sticker and owner history. Full numbers match throughout well equipped with power steering, power disc brakes, knock off's, side exit exhaust, leather bucket seats and more. Faster through the 1/4 mile than the 435hp cars of ‘67 and easier to maintain. $125,000 Very well equipped with leather bucket seats, power disc brakes, 427/435hp VIN stamped engine, 4 speed M21 VIN stamped transmission, both hard and soft tops, original miles, side pipes and more. A very fast and fast appreciating Corvette. $135,000 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster A real and rare code correct triple black car well equipped with 327/350hp numbers matching engine and M21 4 speed manual transmission. Mirror finish black paint and a very nice restoration. $75,000 Virtual showroom: www.familyclassiccars.com

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL edges of hard top, rear window still clear, side glass scratched. Engine compartment appears factory. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $94,500. A very nice restoration with no real issues and deserving of the big green. A decent buy considering the quality of the work completed as well as the options included. lic paint shows some chips and rough edges. Chrome wiper grilles, NOM 350 engine, wide gaps on headlights. Armrest console shows wear, seats and dash still nice. Aluminum knockoff wheels installed. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $29,000. Mild custom touches on a driver-level car. The bid may have been a bit low, but non-original Corvettes can be a tough sell unless they are very special—and this car was just a driver. #S157-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S112576. Black/ black hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 93,664 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Lots of paint chips, cracks, and wear visible. Goldlines with original knockoff wheels, new seats, wood rim wheel, two tops. Documentation present from new. Bloomington Gold Survivor, NCRS Top Best Buy #F197-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S103678. Yellow/black vinyl. Odo: 69,777 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Cracks, chips and age checking in older paint, large cracks on nose. Glass, trim, and chrome still show well. Driver's armrest issues visible in older interior, dash and instrumentation vinyl. Odo: 42,831 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. New repaint includes door jambs, panel fit better than stock. Interior paint and chrome like new. Stated to be one family owned with original mileage. Original Protect-O-Plate, telescopic wheel, 1967 big-block hood, factory hubcaps. Engine clean but not detailed. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $51,725. A strong price reflecting originality and ownership documentation as well as condition. Well sold. TOP 10 #3 still crisp. Side pipes, two tops. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $50,400. Said to have never been restored, but that must not have been counting the obvious older repaint. This car had lots to like and would have made an excellent driver. It could have some bargain potential—but a very close inspection would have been needed to assess the amount of originality still present. #S23-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Flight. Cond: 4. NOT SOLD AT $65,000. Survivors can be tricky to price, as most American buyers seem to favor a factory-new restoration when voting with their wallets. With cars like this, it's all about the options, and had this been a big-block car, it would have likely brought a lot more here. This bid was below market considering this car's originality. #F177-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S119604. White/ white hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 27,802 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fitted with side exhaust, Goldline tires on knockoff alloys, two tops, tilt/telescopic column, and teak steering wheel. Nice paint to body, with nicer fit and finish than when original. Paint chipped on bottom coupe. S/N 194376S121619. Maroon/black vinyl. Odo: 36,846 miles. 427-ci 425-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. New paint includes door jambs with marginal masking. Original chrome bumpers showing age, other trim shows fit issues throughout. All new underhood and done in #S99-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194377S117646. Black/blue leather. Odo: 48,045 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Shiny paint shows no issues, panel fit typical of midyear Corvette production. Factory-correct restoration includes original alloy knockoff wheels, non-original-style Blue Streak tires, and correct side pipes. Chrome and trim nice, slight misfit at right front bumper. Spotless interior. Bloomington Gold certified. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $393,750. A rare color combination, and marketed here as the only “Black-N-Blue” 435 coupe built. Although this was a lot of money for an L71 coupe, it was not over the top considering this car's condition and rarity, and it was still cheaper than the Roby Price black and red L71 that sold at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June '07 at $467,250 (CM# 45566). Well bought and sold. an original style, new interior either NOS or reproduction. Worn window fuzzies, glass still clear. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $50,000. The high bid was light, but there were lots of Corvettes here to choose from, and it's the little details that help to make the big prices. This car just had too many shortcomings, and some attention to fixing them up should bring the price up a bit the next time around. #S273-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194376S124443. Laguna Blue/blue 66 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com #S158-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S116355. Silver Pearl &black/black vinyl. Odo: 48,614 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Claimed matching numbers. Globby windshield sealant showing,

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL chrome and trim show no issues. Original tank sticker, interior and top as-new. Two Regional NCRS Top Flight Awards, NCRS Performance Verification award, Bloomington Gold certified in 1989. Restoration supervised by David Burroughs. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $170,000. Last seen at Mecum's St. Charles sale in June '07, where it didn't sell at $180,000 (CM# 45595). Well restored and in good colors, this Corvette had plenty of wins under its belt. However, the market seems to have spoken on this particular example, and the seller could have sold here without regret. #S200-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S111876. Blue/black vinyl/blue vinyl. Odo: 52,667 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Factory a/c, headrests, telescopic wheel, ps, pb, pw. Body-off restoration in 2004, side glass scratched. Newer paint shows issues at front vent trim, areas of light Cross Ram intake and single carb fitted. Used in SCCAB/Production racing in period. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $17,000. Offered at no reserve, and sold on Bill of Sale only. A nice entry point for a vintage SCCA racer, and a lot of bang for the buck. Well bought. orange peel elsewhere. Redline radials fitted to original-style Rally wheels. Nice chrome and top. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $70,875. A nice convertible wearing a relatively fresh restoration with a decent set of options, but no show-stopper. This price was all the money despite the coveted a/c. C3 #F27-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194378S410507. Bronze & black/ black vinyl. Odo: 72,244 miles. 427-ci 435hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Decent paint blistered on T-tops, surface rough on big-block hood. Windshield corner trim missing, new bumpers, other chrome in driver condition. Non-original motor fitted with aftermarket chrome parts. L89s built in 1968. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $90,000. Putting new springs in the door handles should not have been a big deal for the seller here, and little details like that were likely the difference between this bid and what might have been a sale price. This was a decent bid considering some of this car's slight needs, but the seller was still looking for more. Passenger door handle droops, interior shows some slight wear to dash and console. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $28,000. Not an original car, but it could have made a nice driver for someone in the market for a big-block hot rod 68 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com TOP 10 #1 #S88-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE L88 coupe.S/N194379S736298.Monza Red/tan leather. Odo: 2,257 miles. 427- ci 430-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Fully documented original-miles L88 car with Bloomington Gold, #S171-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194678S408790. Maroon/ maroon hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 86,756 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Stated to be numbers-matching with Protect-O-Plate and complete owner history. Thick paint shows no chips or scratches, panel fit typically inconsistent. L89 aluminum head engine spotless, including smog equipment. Side glass scratched, both door handle tops sag. Clean original interior shows light wear. One of 624 'Vette. We've seen original cars sell for more, but an example with these needs should have changed hands at this price. #S86-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE racer. S/N N/A. Blue & white/black vinyl. 350-ci 400-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Usual race car wear-and-tear throughout, with tape repair to driver seat and no windshield. Roll cage, side pipes, no headlights, hood scoop, Torq-Thrust mags, no top. Smokey Yunick NCRS Top Flight, Gold Spinner Triple Crown awards, never scoring below 97. As-new everywhere and superb throughout. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $446,250. This could be the ultimate showroom-sold collector Corvette. Put it on a pedestal. At this price, this car will never again be driven the way it was originally intended. A decent buy for the Corvette collector looking for the best. #S143-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194679S706204. Red/white vinyl/red leather. Odo: 408 miles. 427-ci 390hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Equipped with pw, ps, pb, speed warning, luggage rack, and leather. Right side of windshield starting to delaminate, new paint shows well over better-than-stock panel fit.Newchrome, top windshield trim shows lots of dum-dum from installation. Reproduction interior fitted, including door panels. Detail- ed engine compartment looks correct. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $37,500. Lots of new parts were used in this restoration, right down to the nuts and bolts. The L36 was the most popular engine configuration in 1969, and with 10,531 built, finding one is not hard to do. This car just happened to be well optioned and well restored, and it was bought and sold fairly with that in mind. #U84-1971 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194671S115378. Blue/blue vinyl. Odo: 74,011 miles. 350-ci 330-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Paint shows numerous prep flaws, panel fit shows issues, front bumper slightly

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL wide from body.Wiper cowl stuck open, glass and chrome still nice. New interior parts include non-color-matching door panel pieces. LT1 warranty replacement engine dirty, with greasy fingerprints on air cleaner, cowl, and fenders. Cond: 3+. NOT SOLD AT $21,000. A total of 1,949 LT1 Corvettes were built in 1971. This one had some easy-to-fix issues, but this bid was near the top of the market for an example with these needs. #S68-1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37K2S513294. Red/red vinyl. Odo: 51,844 miles. 350-ci 200-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Mostly original paint has visible age flaws, including chips and scratches throughout. Protect-O-Plate, original bill of sale, tank sticker. Driver's side seat piping worn through, armrest cracked. Mileage claimed #S67-1975 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67J5S420208. Yellow/ black vinyl/black leather. Odo: 3,934 miles. 383-ci 486-hp V8, 4-bbl, 5-sp. New yellow paint has no apparent issues aside from a star crack in hood from air cleaner post. Panel gaps as good as when built, interior features fresh leather seats. Non-original stroked engine with Doug Nash 5-speed and a/c fitted. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $20,475. A very clean '75, with the $7,400. Although it had a decent overall look to it, this was just a driver, and the price paid was right in line with the market for later C3s in bland colors. #F81-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z87L8S416403. Silver & gray/ oyster vinyl. Odo: 80,712 miles. 350-ci 185hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Silver Anniversary Edition with decent original two-tone paint and sport mirrors. Exterior finish looks good at ten feet, kind of driveline GM couldn't build in '75. It looked good and sounded very healthy, and although this was strong money for a modified plastic-bumper C3, this one appeared to have been done with performance driving in mind. Fairly bought and sold. #F65-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE original. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $29,000. It can be difficult to see paint in the inconsistent tent lighting, but based on how it looked, this car might be considered a good Bloomington Gold Survivor candidate. Having said that, it was still a small-block 200-hp coupe with an automatic, and the high bid should have moved it to a new home. #F86-1975 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67JS422032. Red/red hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 1,232 miles. 350-ci 165-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Nice new paint shows some slight orange peel in places. Panel fit wide where doors meet front fenders, glass and trim nice. Interior shows light wear to seats and dash. Radio inoperative, side glass interior clean and original. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $25,463. With just 185 horsepower and automatic transmissions, these Corvettes could barely get out of their own way. This car deserved a premium because of its mileage, but this was a bit more bonus than I would have anticipated. Well sold. #S260-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE scratched. Tilt/telescopic column, aftermarket alloy wheels, BF Goodrich radial tires. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $16,800. A nice plastic-bumper car from the last year of C3 Corvette convertible production. This car looked nice inside and out, and its new paint helped considerably with its curb appeal. Bought and sold fairly at this price. 70 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com coupe. S/N 1Z87L8SA22577.White/blue cloth & vinyl. Odo: 60,381 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older average repaint shows chips on driver headlight door and hood edge. Interior cloth starting to sag, driver's door hinge pin coming out. Dirty windows. Engine compartment correct and showing wear commensurate with mileage. Cond: 3. SOLD AT carpets. Engine compartment has surface rust visible in places. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $9,000. It looked like every auto-trans Corvette in the Chicagoland market found its way to this sale, so those in the market for a plastic-nosed C3 coupe. S/N 1Z87L8S439966. Red/red vinyl. Odo: 609 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Mileage claimed to be original from new. Panel fit Corvette-typical, with inconsistencies throughout. Numerous paint flaws, including painted-over chips and preparation issues. Windshield starting to delaminate, panel fit decent, nose slightly discolored and wavy. No interior tears, but wear and dirt showing. Engine compartment in need of a cleaning. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $7,900. The Silver Anniversary Corvette was built in unlimited numbers, and this one did not have a whole lot going for it. Average condition, market price. #F7-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY8781C5120882. White/red vinyl. Odo: 25,116 miles. 350-ci 200-hp fuelinjected V8, auto. Paint chips on nose and door edges, front bumper typically mismatched to body paint. Panel gaps decent but typically off, edge wear visible on mirrors. Equipped with factory a/c. Interior shows scratches to console, worn chrome trim, and nice seats and

Market Report Mecum Auctions St. Charles, IL that would shift itself had plenty to choose from. This one had believably low mileage, and in this condition, this was a decent deal for the buyer. #F10-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY8781C5117707. Red/red vinyl. Odo: 57,818 miles. 350-ci 200-hp fuelinjected V8, auto.Windshield chipped, smooth paint looks recent. Nice panel fit, equipped with factory a/c and smoked glass T-tops. Clean original interior shows seat wear commensurate with mileage, alloy wheels polished and unmarked. Copies of original paperwork included. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $14,700. This was a well cared for Corvette with original miles. Although its automatic transmission let it down, its a/c and excellent overall condition more than made up for it. A fairly bought driver at this price. C4 #F11-1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY6783G5902979. Yellow/black canvas/gray leather. Odo: 27,535 miles. 350-ci 235-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Good original paint shows several chips to nose and door edges, panel fit decent throughout. Driver's side headlight sits low when closed, passenger side flush to hood. Glass and top nice, original interior has chips on plastic 32,105 miles. 350-ci 235-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Decent paint shows some light chipping, nose panel warped and slightly discolored, rash showing on original alloys. Interior original, with tear in driver seat bolster and screws missing from cracked plastic driver's side door panel. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $11,550. This car had more needs than lot F11, another yellow '86 convertible, but it was fitted with the more desirable manual transmission. As presented here, it still showed recent road grime on the body and chassis, but it was fairly bought and sold considering its options. #F266-1988 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G11YY2187J5115817. Bronze/ gray leather. Odo: 39,507 miles. 350-ci 245-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Paint mismatched on passenger side headlight door, splotchy to nose panel, shiny elsewhere. Blackout trim aged throughout, weatherstripping cracked and old. panel fit slightly wide at driver's side hood to bumper gap. Interior has driver's seat bolster wear. Polished wheels fitted, engine compartment very clean. Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $15,000. This drop-top 'Vette looked like it had been well cared for, and it was likely a great driver. Bidders weren't all that interested here, but they might have been had it been equipped with a 6-speed. C5 #S266-2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G615120731. Millennium Yellow/black leather. Odo: 17,135 miles. 5.7-liter 350-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Well-done flames on original paint. Lowered suspension, with many aftermarket trim parts fitted, including 20-inch canvas/black wheels and low-profile tires. Some light dirt and wear on yellow interior parts. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $32,000. This is a car everyone will notice, including the guys with radar guns. This price was above where many stock examples trade in this market, and although there was likely quite a bit spent on modifications and paint, this bid was all the money. C6 Inside window trim loose, driver's seat shows holes and wear. Engine recently washed, latermodel chrome ZR-1-style wheels fitted. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $9,450. Just another used car with some needs. A fair price for condition, mileage, and options, and a decent driver for the end user. edge of dash face on the driver's side. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $16,275. Another nice low-mileage example, and this one had good colors as well. Again, the automatic transmission was no help here, but you can still look good driving something like this despite its lack of performance compared to newer models. At the top end of the market, but still a decent deal considering its condition. #F313-1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY6788G5903268. Yellow/black canvas/black leather. Odo: 72 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com #F93-1993 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY33P3P5114442. Torch Red/black canvas/black leather. Odo: 49,321 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Good paint and top show no issues, #S254-2007 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 coupe. S/N 1G1YY26E875104705. Black/red & black leather. Odo: 3,249 miles. 7.0-Liter fuel-injected LS7 V8, 6-sp. A very clean used Z06 Corvette with low original miles. Several very light paint chips to nose, clean engine compartment and interior. Almost completely as-new. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $65,000. New Z06 sticker is $66,465, so even with its low mileage, this wasn't a bargain unless you just can't find one with a deal attached to it. Well sold. ■

Corvette Market Keith Martin's FOR CORVETTE MARKET AND SCM SUBSCRIBERS AND REGISTERED BIDDERS FOR RUSSO AND STEELE. INCLUDES CATERED BREAKFAST. FREE SEMINAR “The Corvette Market—Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” An analysis of the current and future C1–C6 market by industry specialists. Panel includes David Burroughs, David Kinney, Jim Jordan, Colin Comer, Kevin Mackay, and Michael Pierce. Moderated by CM Publisher Keith Martin. Friday, January 18, 2008 • Russo and Steele Auction, Scottsdale, AZ • 9 to 11 am General admission (non-subscribers and non-registered bidders): $100 for 2, $55 for 1 PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. SPACE IS LIMITED! REGISTRATION DEADLINE JANUARY 10, 2008. (Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Don't be left out!) Name (1) Name (2) Address City Best Phone Email Fax Signature Payment in Full Required Register online: www.vettemarket.com/scottsdale Register by phone: 503.261.0555 x204 Send this form to CM Scottsdale 2008, P.O. Box 4797, Portland, OR 97208; Fax 503.253.2234; Questions? Email jennifer.davis@vettemarket.com I am a subscriber to CM / SCM and/or a registered bidder at Russo and Steele I am not a subscriber or registered bidder. Enclosed is my check made out to Corvette Market. Charge my VISA/MC/AmEx State Zip Card # Expiration Total Amount $

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions 64 Corvettes, $3.9m in Sales Solid-axle cars continued with the upward trend seen throughout the summer Reports and photos by Carl Bomstead, B. Mitchell Carlson, Paul Duchene, Paul Hardiman, Chip Lamb, Norm Mort, Donald Osborne, and Dave Kinney Market opinions in italics R ecent months saw Corvette Market's Auction Analysts hard at work examining and rating Corvettes as they appeared. Solid-axle cars again showed themselves to be strong, with the earliest examples continuing the upward trend seen throughout the summer. Chief among them was a well-restored 1953 roadster that appeared at the Worldwide Group's Hilton Head auction in November. Completely restored to a very high standard, it sold at $440,000. At the same time, if you were willing to buy a second-year example with some needs, several were available at under $100,000. A number of slightly later cove cars were on the menu during the Monterey auctions in August, including several museum-displayed older restorations with only slight use, which sold at attractive prices for the do-it-yourselfer. C2s again showed growth in the market, with most small-block cars selling between $50k and $100k, depending on options. It was no surprise that big-block cars topped the market, but few over-the-top prices were realized, and high reserves were an issue in many cases regardless of the engines or options fitted. Early Shark cars continued to be popular, although the battle with high reserves seemed to be just as much an issue here as it has been with big-block C2s. Still, in the cases where deals were made, chrome-bumper cars continued to offer a lot of bang for the buck. A nice 1969 427/390 coupe sold at Kruse Hershey for $42,120, while on the other end of the scale, a very original L88 in Le Mans Blue found new ownership at a full $254,500 (C3 Profile, p. 36). C4s and C5s still struggled as used cars, but they continued to provide a starting point for the first-time collector or as drivers for those looking for performance at a very reasonable price. Low-mileage cars with rare options again faired the best, while cars with stories to tell rounded out the bottom end of the market. Despite reserve issues, many buyers are still willing to pay for the right cars in the right condition, and 64 cars bringing a combined total of $3.9m is proof that Corvettes are still causing buyers to raise their paddles and open their wallets. applied in 1962. Both tops. Full books and records. Door fit typically off a bit, steering wheel worn. Paint and brightwork decent. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $74,250. Last seen at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June '07, where it didn't sell at $52,500 (SCM# 45503). The plus here was the one owner, but the minus was the aged silver paint. These have been appreciating dramatically of late, so the price paid was about right considering this car's condition. RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #47-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E54S003004. Sportsman Red/ beige vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 19,537 miles. 235ci straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Sloppy repaint full of chips and large peels. Creative reconstruction or original mold marks showing over front wheelwells. Chrome and brightwork pitted, rusted, or just completely peeled off in places. Door vinyl separating, carpet faded. Seats still intact if faded, and perhaps the most attractive cosmetic aspect of the car. Hastily detailed engine bay to driver quality or slightly better. C1 TOP 10 #2 #46-1953 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E53F001103. Polo White/black cloth/red vinyl. Odo: 8 miles. 235-ci straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Faultless paint and body to exceptional better-than-new quality throughout. Chrome and brightwork flawless. Top and interior not only well- executed but correct to NCRS standards. Engine bay likewise does not disappoint. An example comparable to or better than the 2007 restoration of a slightly later '53 by GM Heritage. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $440,000. The car lost a few points with the NCRS due to overdoing some things... not missing details. Only three bids were cast in $100,000 increments, and the bidding closed with a sale at the low estimate. Maybe just under market today, but a few more years should see examples such as this appreciating at Gullwing speed. Well bought. Worldwide Group, Hilton Head, SC, 11/07. #225-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE roadster. S/N E54S003775. Silver/red vinyl. Odo: 25,426 miles. 235-ci 155-hp straight 6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Original owner from new, miles stated to be accurate. Incorrect silver paint 74 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Cond: 4+. SOLD AT $77,000. The preview drew a lot of lookers, many of whom commented on the sorry state of this worn but complete example. The opening bid of $50,000 seemed silly at first, but sensibility took over, and few of the underbidders wanted to challenge anything over the high $60s. Only one bidder dared go to $70,000, and his reward was the reserve being pulled and a sale. If the pundits are right, this should be a good restoration candidate down the road. Well bought and in line with the current market. Worldwide Group, Hilton Head, SC, 11/07. #250-1956 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E56S002548. Eng. # 04355082DF56GR. Robin's Egg Blue & white/cream vinyl. Odo: 5,293 miles. 265-ci 225-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 3-sp. Older paint shows a few touched-up areas, including a visible spot

3. SOLD AT $68,750. A nice original car that should not be restored but most likely will be. Either way, it was well bought. RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/07. TOP 10 #10 next to hood. Brightwork excellent. Included hard top shows some paint damage. Clean and correct style interior in good condition. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $68,750. One of 3,467 Corvettes produced in 1956. No surprises here; even though this car sold for less than its pre-sale low estimate of $70,000, it came close and was within the range expected. RM Auctions, Rochester, MI, 8/07. #34-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S105626. Eng. # F424EGVC. Red/red vinyl. Odo: 9,332 miles. 283-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp.Ahigh quality restoration now in need of some recommissioning. Excellent paint, chrome has only light surface pitting. Good exterior details down to originalstyle T-3 headlights. Nice carpets, well-fitted seats could stand some cleaning. Listed as a 265-ci V8 in the catalog, but the numbers #7-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S106241. Silver/ red vinyl. Odo: 29,440 miles. 283-ci feel. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $86,900. Last seen at RM's Phoenix sale in January '05, where it sold at $94,600 (SCM# 37372). Two fuelie '57 Vettes were at this auction, and neither was numbersmatching, but both claimed to be correct FI blocks. This one was nice, but the Venetian Red vinyl and carpet stood in overly stark contrast to the subtle elegance of the black and silver exterior. Well-bought despite the non-original motor. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #524-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S101475. Venetian Red/ white canvas/red vinyl.Odo: 62,711miles. 283ci 220-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 3-sp. Fitted with dual 4bbl carbs, but claimed to be a 220-hp example. Restored a year ago to a high standard, but trim is pitted. Nice paint shows no real issues fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Extremely clean racer. Good chrome, some cracking in body. Miles stated original, “many at redline”. Hoosier tires, Torq-Thrust American Racing wheels, racing seat matches original pattern. Typical Corvette panel fit. Originally a carbureted car, now fuel injected. Fresh motor, numerous racing upgrades. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $115,500. Possibly the fastest competition '57 Corvette, with complete provenance. Ready to race and also street legal. Fred Yeakel road- and dragraced it successfully in the 1960s and returned to historic competition in 1979. Dick Guldstrand won at Monterey in '87 when Corvette was the featured marque. Part of the Bloomington Gold Special Collection display in May in honor of the 50th anniversary of the '57 'Vette. If you can't win in this car, it's your fault. Well bought. (See Profile, p. 32.) Gooding, Pebble Beach, CA, 8/07 decode to a 283-ci V8, which is correct for the year. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $60,500. A museum-stored car with some questions as to its running condition. Not a bad opportunity if the mechanicals don't pose a problem, but really not much of a gamble. Recommissioning a fully restored Corvette after a period of sitting might prove expensive, but it's not impossible. The lucky new owner might change fluids and have a running example, the unlucky one might be facing a full engine rebuild on top of replacing a number of parts. Either way, this was not a bad buy. Christie's, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #S637-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S103350. Black & silver/ black vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 114 miles. 283-ci 283-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Paint and body subject to a recent frame-off restoration. Very exacting body, correct paint, slight trunk gap issue. Chrome and exterior brightwork without fault. Embossed vinyl seat material correct, fit flawless. Carpet and dash restored to a high standard. Soft top even and fits well, with a new aside from some slight polish scratching. No radio fitted, hard top included. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $66,000. Based on the price paid, I would think this C1 Corvette started life with only one carburetor. A strong #2 car for the appropriate money, but I doubt if the seller is happy with this result. RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #601-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57S1008254. Venetian Red/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 93,164 miles. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Stated to have been a Bloomington Gold award winner. Showing some wear and tear to paint and chrome, but nothing too serious. Factory radio, weird aerial in back.Adecent ten-footer. Cond: #S667-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N E57A101041. Eng. # F1004EL.VenetianRed&white/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 1 miles. 283-ci 283-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Paint lacks a little bit of lustre, chrome and brightwork shine evenly. Interior correct and fits well, carpet and dash tidy without flaws. Engine bay properly detailed but inner fenders on the dull side even from factory stock. Fuel-injection block not original to car. Cond: 2+. NOT SOLD AT $85,000. The Venetian Red interior in this car complemented the red exterior far more than the all-too-common black. This example was a very presentable car for the local show circuit, but not a top-tier or particularly unique www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 75

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions representation of an early V8 Corvette. Without matching numbers and more background information than the generic “frame-off restoration” claim, the high bid was in the right ballpark. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #37-1959 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N J59S103671. Eng. # F0524EB. Light metallic blue/blue/blue vinyl. Odo: 2 miles. 283-ci 230-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Very good paint shows only one dimple in rear quarter. Door fit inconsistent, hood gaps tight in places. Excellent brightwork, good glass, nice window rubber. Tail turn signal and trim other $25k could have done the deal. Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. #40-1960 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 00867S107050. Eng. # H0413DG. Silver/black/red vinyl. Odo: 5 miles. 283-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Very good to excellent quality restoration, unused since. One two-inch long scrape visible to driver's fender top, bodywork lumpy on lower rear passenger fender. Very good brightwork, Coker Classic tires have yellowed whitewalls. Inside is tidy but not fresh, with no real issues. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $60,500. I'm assuming that your #275-1959 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N J59S105766. Eng. # F313CU. Crown Sapphire/white/turquoise vinyl. Odo: 39,861 miles. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Well-restored, and a trophy winner all 13 times shown. Western Regional Corvette Champion in 1996. Wonderbar radio, off-road exhaust. Finished much nicer than factory, with arrow- bits all still clear, with no fogging or pitting. Older carpets and weathered older vinyl need addressing: they are still good, but could easily be better. Engine compartment spotless and unused. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $66,000. Museum stored. Again, whether this car will run and stop remains a question, as it was fully restored and then put in storage. In #3+ condition, this Corvette brought right about what it should have had it been a proven runner. Christie's, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #453-1959 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Competition convertible. S/N J59S104283. Eng. # F1215CS. Black/red leather. Odo: 90,363 miles. 283-ci fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Very good panel fit. Excellent paint, chrome, and interior. Goodyear racing tires, chrome roll bar. Restoration finished in 2007. Fitted with a fuelie engine from new, proper period engine replacement installed in 1988. Cond: 1. NOT SOLD AT $310,000. A racer from new, local airbrush Michelangelo can take care of that scrape, but that leaves the bodywork issue unresolved. At this price, driving and enjoying would be a good bet. If all the fuel and brake lines are still good, someone got a bargain. Christie's, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #S611-1960 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 8675109832. Roman Red/ white vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 60,386 miles. 283ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Claimed 2-time NCRS Top Flight recipient. Paint has uniform orange peel throughout, slight hood and trunk gap issues. Brightwork and chrome very nice overall. Interior excellent, with fresh soft top and hard top present. Engine bay well-detailed, engine and transmission not original to car, but straight seams and a smooth body. Chrome and interior spotless. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $88,000. Over-restoration normally is not a plus with Corvettes, but this one sold for more than was expected. What do you do with it? It was too nice to drive very far, and it wouldn't score highly at most major 'Vette venues that prize originality. Well sold. RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/07. Best Buy #43-1960 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 00867S103675. Eng. # T0919D. Red/black/red vinyl. Odo: 2 miles. 283-ci 230-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Top quality restoration is still nice despite some age-related wear. Excellent paint and brightwork, good glass and gaskets. Very good vinyl seats, nice tuxedo carpets. Dash shows well, with great gauge faces. Underhood is detailed, now needs some light touch-up work. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $55,000. If you restored a car and then didn't credited with a dozen top finishes in 1959 and 1960. Stunningly presented. '50s Corvettes have trouble selling at the estimate price at auction. This one might have made it there, but the crowd didn't want it enough. Perhaps an- 76 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com claimed date-coded to original month and year of production. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $69,300. This car was used by one of the wax companies sponsoring the preview as their prime demonstration object—not a bad way to score some exceptional detailing inside and out. Bidding was slow around $55,000, at which point the reserve was pulled and the car soldiered on to this final selling price. Well bought, even considering its needs. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. drive or start it for five, ten, or fifteen years, all parts of the car that came in contact with fluids would be suspect. That was the issue here, as this museum-stored piece could need from a few hundred to a few too many thousands of dollars of recommissioning. For the handy enthusiast, this could have been a jackpot. Two or three weeks of working underneath might earn him $20,000 or more on the sale side. Christie's, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #48-1960 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 00867S100662. Eng. #

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions F0802CU. White/white/red vinyl. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Excellent paint is only marred by two small divots on the door and trunk. Excellent brightwork, interior and underhood are tidy. Not perfect, but nice overall. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $66,000. A museum car, again one that hasn't run in many years. A bit of a roll of the dice here, but for those adept at bringing restored cars that have been sitting back to life, a potential $20,000-$30,000 payday might just await. Christie's, Monterey, CA, 8/07. Best Buy #599-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.S/N 10867S105784. Beige&white/ white/fawn vinyl. Odo: 49,796 miles. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Very recent restoration with only 50 miles covered since completion. Bare-body repaint, all new brightwork, engine completely rebuilt. Little to fault here, old driver Corvette to impress your friends or empty your wallet while attempting to restore... which would be pointless unless you found the original powertrain under a rock in your backyard. Fully priced for condition alone, and a premium considering the incorrect engine fitted. Carlisle Auctions, Carlisle, PA, 10/07. #S615-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 20867S108760. Eng. # S108760. Roman Red/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 932 miles. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Claimed “no stories” matchingnumbers frame-off restoration, and it shows. Beautiful paint and body with excellent gaps, aside from common top stowage gap issues. Painted headlight trim done well, brightwork nd a nice interior. This was well bought, assuming the mechanical details had all been attended to and the transmission was correct. Silver Auctions, Reno, NV, 8/07. #440-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 30867S105012. Eng. # 3105012F1116RF. Saddle Tan/black canvas/ saddle leather. Odo: 1,581 miles. Good panel fit, except for top lid, which is raised at rear edge, and hood, raised at rear edges.Very good paint, except for a crack forming over right front wheelarch. Small chips on rear deck. Very good chrome and interior. Cond: 2-. aside from over-restoration in places. Offered without reserve. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $110,000. A nearly flawless car for less than the cost of restoration. Add in the cost of the car, and the buyer was well ahead of the game. The seller is likely not a happy man, but such is the risk of offering a car at no reserve. RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #S154-1961 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 10867S103121. Roman Red & white/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 19,324 miles. 350-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Sloppy pop-riveted patch in front valance panel, stress cracks in coves and under last E in Corvette along nose. Very old repaint coming apart and about to peel in large sheets, with chips and scratches throughout. Older chrome bumpers dinged and misaligned. Pitted potmetal brightwork, stainless dull. Older interior redo shows redye to dash and door panels. Engine bay messy and missing most original detail parts. Engine stated as coming from a 1971 Corvette. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $38,063. Just an 78 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com and chrome without fault. Top and interior look fresh, with correct materials. Engine bay and fuel injection unit appear correct. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $77,000. Another car which would have benefited from a reserve price somewhere north of the final bid. The car appeared to be as the seller claimed, and unless my predilection for '62 Corvettes is unusual or someone else crawled underneath to find something unpleasant, I'd call this well-bought. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. C2 #317-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 30837S107109. Red/tan vinyl. Odo: 50,567 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. In storage for 20 years, claimed groundup restoration since with new paint, replacement motor, rebuilt T-10 transmission, power steering, and Wonderbar radio. No a/c, power windows, or power brakes. Hood badge fits poorly, nice paint and panel gaps. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $51,840. Very pretty, with overdone paint too nice to be correct, excellent chrome, a SOLD AT $101,790. Scored 96.4 with the NCRS in August '91. Now going off, it still looks lovely. Last seen at McCormick Palm Springs in February '07, where it was a no sale at $80,000 (SCM# 44543). Unless my eyes deceived me, it also had less mileage on the clock here than the 1,654 reported then. Its condition seems to have deteriorated a bit, no doubt due to transportation. The seller was wise to let it go. (See Profile, p. 34.) Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. Best Buy #F472-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 40837S107167. Saddle Tan/tan vinyl. Odo: 68,751 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp.Very nice never-completely-apart Corvette coupe. Body-on restored during the mid 1990s.

Paint has not lost much of its initial lustre, body gaps excellent. Interior shows minor use throughout. Engine bay well detailed ostensibly for the auction preview and looks like the most recently done part of the car. Optioned with ps, pb, a/c, and period aftermarket Hays ignition box under the hood. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $45,000. I love well-kept, mostly-original refreshed cars like this, as they represent the best compromise between show and driver quality. A body-shop owner in Las Vegas owned the car and brought it here with a $70,000 reserve, but he pulled that reserve at $45k, selling the car to a happy new owner. Very well bought. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #22-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 40867SIL8053. Red/white canvas/black vinyl. Odo: 69,366 miles. 327-ci 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Imported to the U.K. about 20 years ago, and subject to a body-off restoration. No fiberglass damage or missing trim, 1967 big-block-style hood fitted. Paint hows a few dust marks, interior reupholstered in a garish and glossy button pattern tidy. Spinner caps surrounded by modern radials, which is the only real detractor on the car. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $55,000. This restoration by a Bloomington Gold judge attracted a fair amount of attention, and despite the narrow whitewall tires, there was not much to complain about. Bidding was fierce through $40,000 and tapered off at $50,000. Despite being a base 327, I'll call this well-bought if only for the attractiveness and show-quality condition of the work performed. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #585-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 19467S118965. Ermine White/black vinyl. Odo: 41,351 miles. 396-ci 425-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Bloomington Gold winner some years back. Stored in mid-'70s for 20 years due to a slipping clutch. Restored in '90s with attention paid to preservation and this Corvette on the upper level of the parking deck during the preview, answering questions and enjoying the party atmosphere that prevailed. However, by the time it crossed the block, bidders' interests were with the big-block 'Vettes coming up in the run list, and this one received only slightly more than half the interest it needed to find a new home. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #36-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194376S107933. Blue/black leather. Odo: 86,370 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Slight panel fit issues between front clip to door on both sides. Older refinishing shows light orange peel throughout. Chrome slightly wavy, brightwork around windshield bent, seal replaced with silicone applied to stop a leak. Knockoffs and Goldline tires correct, leather interior appears original and shows nice patina. Driver-quality engine bay clean, but with use visible. Factory a/c. Cond: 2. vinyl. Possibly later motor dressed up with Edelbrock intake manifold and chrome valve covers. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $44,880. This was a relative bargain for a tidy 4-speed midyear sin the U.K., even with the slight reservations expressed above. Well bought, and with some room left over for the new owner to recover the seats as well. H&H Auctions, Duxford, U.K., 10/07. #F415-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194675S122978. Eng. # S122978. Nassau Blue/white vinyl/white vinyl. Odo: 56,568 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. One of the nicest restorations at this auction, with correct finish quality in paint and brightwork. Top and interior well-restored. Sidepipes seem inappropriate, but they are on the factory build-sheet. Engine compartment originality. Interior and most of paint original, but aging. Papers and Protect-O-Plate included. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $170,500. A desirable big-block Corvette that was maintained and preserved over the years. Sold right in the middle of its estimate range, this car was both well bought and sold. RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/07. TOP 10 #7 #F429-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194676S103054. Eng. # S103054. White/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 66,658 miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Older repaint in original white with period interior kit, hard and soft tops present, very decent chrome and brightwork. Knockoff alloys wearing modern Michelin radials. Very original and lightly detailed engine compartment with complete and functioning factory a/c. Optioned heavily with side pipes, power windows, antenna, AM/FM, and wood steering wheel. A nice driver-quality car. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $58,300. The owner and two attentive friends had a good time detailing SOLD AT $55,500. Last seen at Kruse's Detroit sale in April '93, where it didn't sell at $24,750 (CM# 1532). Bidding was strong through $45,000 before falling off. I really liked the color combination with leather buckets, but I'm no fan of a Powerglide-equipped Corvette. I imagine many folks at the sale felt the same way, but it only took one interested party to make an offer immediately post-block, which was accepted by the consignor. Well bought and sold. Worldwide Group, Hilton Head, SC, 11/07. #S101-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S110288. Marina Blue/white vinyl w/ blue hard top/blue vinyl. Odo: 30,758 miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Tinted glass, AM/FM radio, both tops. Body bonding strips filled in, most body character lines slightly muted. Older repaint holds a decent shine. Door gaps typically uneven, but doors function well and close solidly. Good original trim, older replacement bumpers. Soft www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 79

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions top serviceable, engine compartment generally clean. Heavily faded carpet, replacement seats, and door panels have virtually no wear. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $64,050. The consignor's statement of having “only two private owners” seemed more than a bit odd. The car was hammered at this bid to a no-sale on the block, despite a lot of work by the auction staff as well as Dana Mecum. Within five minutes off the block, the consignor (the second private owner, we are to assume) wisely took the final bid for a publicly declared post-block sale. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #425-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194377S112386. Eng. # T1216JG7112386. Sunfire Yellow & black/ white vinyl. Odo: 54,210 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. Very good panel fit, excellent paint and chrome. Very nice interior has slightly soiled seats. Fitted with a/c,pw, and pb. windshield surround.Verygoodinterior has lightly soiledseats. Sold with hard top. From the no-reserve Oregon muscle car collection. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $166,500. NCRS Top Flight Award winner, scoring 97.4 points in 2002. A topspec '67 convertible, in dramatic and blinding triple white with blue. Well sold. Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. #F440-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE From the no-reserve Oregon muscle car collection. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $105,300. Winner of the Duntov Mark of Excellence and NCRS Top Flight awards at the National Convention and Southern Regional in 1999. Still holding up very well, and at $20k below the low estimate, it sold at the correct current market price. Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. #426-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194377S108069. Eng. # T1228JF108869. Marlboro Maroon/black leather. Odo: 40,073 miles. 427-ci 425-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Excellent panel fit, chrome, and interior. Very good paint has some light polish swirl marks. Canadian delivery car, Redline tires and sidepipes fitted. From the no-reserve Oregon muscle car collection. Cond: 1. SOLD AT $144,500. Bloomington Gold winner in 1989. GM Canada keeps documentation on all cars sold, making authentication easy for cars coupe. S/N 194377S104651. Eng. # S104651. Marlboro Maroon/black leather. Odo: 1,061 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Beautiful paint and detailing, good panel gaps, very small edge issues mostly in the front clip. Brightwork mostly excellent with a few small exceptions. Black leather has light patina to driver's seat. Dashboard and carpets pristine, sold north of the border. Still just about perfect, and this was a market-correct price. Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. TOP 10 #8 #428-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S103944. Eng. # T0928JE7103944. Ermine White & blue/white vinyl/white leather. Odo: 71,869 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp.Very good panel fit. Excellent paint, decent chrome shows some waviness under plating on front bumpers and 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. All original low-miles car with interesting early SCCA competition history. Restored in late 1980s to a high standard. Paint, detailing, and brightwork are excellent throughout, unusual green vinyl interior and carpet shows very little wear or fading. Engine bay likewise detailed to as-new, not modern-day as-restored condition. A likeable car with an interesting history. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $135,000. Known in Corvette circles as “The Desert Rat”, this coupe was discovered in the desert near Yuma, AZ, after being stolen with its enclosed trailer following a regional Corvette show more than a year prior. The car was unscathed in this adventure, leading many to concoct their own theories about what happened. Sadly, the fun factor in this car's provenance did not aid its value, and it didn't sell at market-correct money. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #F457-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194677S101837. Eng. # S101837. White & red/black vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 62,846 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Very well presented paint and detailing, nice chrome shows slight left front bumper alignment issues. Black top and red vinyl interior thoroughly restored and still fresh. Engine bay showed well without too much shine, although with an apparant coolant leak. Claimed recent restoration to NCRS award-winning knockoff mags and Redline radials show well. Engine bay as nice as the exterior. Incorrect modern AC Delco battery. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $70,400. This was claimed to be one of 199 1967 427-ci 400-hp cars with factory a/c, and it became considerably rarer as one went down the option list, with items like leather and the M21 close-ratio transmission. A little better detailing might have helped this car sell for more at no reserve, but I call this well bought. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #F451-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194677S107371. Eng. # S107371. Green & white/green vinyl. Odo: 33,002 miles. 80 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com specifications. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $145,000. When the car entered the Marriott, it was streaming coolant and steaming as it drove into the banquet hall. Noticeably, the crowd was not terribly responsive when it came to topping the $150,000 mark, and bidding petered out with $145,000 bouncing around the room. The car was still sitting in the preview garage

Saturday afternoon with a $230,000 price tag in the window. One wonders if anything else was overlooked in the restoration if a calamity such as that couldn't be avoided. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #748-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. Ermine White/red vinyl. Odo: 85,719 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Recent high-quality respray, red insert application inconsistent with typical factory production. Equipped with side exhaust, AM/FM radio, and Positraction rear axle. Right door fit off a bit, headlight buckets fit decently. TOP 10 #9 #431-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE L88 coupe. S/N 194378S419533. Eng. # T0229IT18S419533. Silver/black leather. Odo: 33,646 miles. 427-ci 430-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Good panel fit, except for uneven gap around left door. Very good paint and interior. M22 Rock Crusher 4-speed gearbox, F41 suspension, J56 power brakes. Radio and Engine bay clean, nice stock interior with no issues noted. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $74,520. The seller worked this car and answered a number of bidders' questions before it crossed the block. It should have brought a bit more money in this condition, but the seller was happy with this number, and that's enough to make this a good deal for both parties. Kruse, Hershey, PA, 10/07. C3 TOP 10 #5 #424-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE L88 coupe. S/N 194378S422103. Eng. # T0229IT18S422103. Le Mans Blue/blue leather. Odo: 29,694 miles. 427-ci 430-hp V8, 4bbl, 4-sp. Very good panel fit typical of Corvettes of the era. Well-applied paint shows light polish swirl marks and a few light chips. Chrome excellent, interior has some minor chipping on console heater delete. From the no-reserve Oregon muscle car collection. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $155,500. The Hanky Panky Special, one of 80 1968 L88s built. A successful racer when new, restored in 1989. Here it still presented very well, and it was a decent deal for all involved. Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. #S69-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 194679S709071. Red/tan vinyl/tan vinyl. Odo: 46,239 miles. 350-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Optional power brakes, power windows, and trunk rack. Aftermarket side pipes. Highly sanded-out body, repaint shows numerous fisheyes in fender peaks and overspray in window channels. Heavily pitted top mounting fixtures and door handles. Dull stainless steel trim, scuffed-up original bumpers. Engine fitted with lots of aftermarket speed parts. Well-preserved original interior with lightly soiled seating surfaces. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $18,638. The work done here was nowhere near show quality, let alone concours-correct. Little was original, so it had no value as a preserved car. Added-on engine bits may or may not be all that reliable or temperamental, so drivability was not a solid lock. Aside from the fact it was a pretty red convertible at 20 feet, I really don't know why someone paid a premium for this. The seller should be very pleased. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #S129-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S733574. Marina Blue/black vinyl. Odo: 66,477 miles. 468-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4sp. Two-year-old repaint shows visible orange peel on door tops and upper fenders. Bumper chrome wavy, tinted windshield delaminating along lower right edge. Engine bay corroded and grubby. Radio missing, older replacement seat upholstery OK, remaining interior components original and with moderate wear. Cond: 3. bright trim. From the Oregon no-reserve collection. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $254,500. One of 80 1968 L88 Corvettes built. Very well presented, it was the only car in the group that exceeded its pre-sale estimate, and deservedly so. A big price, but appropriate for the car. (See Profile, p. 36.) Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Valley, CA, 8/07. www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 81

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions quite dusty from storage. Mostly stock interior also quite dusty, carpet on driver's side very heavily worn. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $13,125. Sort of like lamb chop sideburns, disco, and bell-bottom polyester leisure suits, these mods definitely give a '70s character to a car most would rather forget. Someone paid a premium for a languishing hack job. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. SOLD AT $21,788. While it was originally a big-block car, the combination of piece parts, a modified big block, and tell-tale signs of past neglect showed that this was not a prime investment. Even with chrome bumper C3s still on the upswing, one would still get upside down on this one pretty quickly if it were bought to do anything more than just run it. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #426-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S733348. Riverside Gold/ black vinyl. Odo: 74,820 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Presentable paint shows a few scratches and swirls, panel fit consistent with original build quality. Glass shows no issues, trim slightly worn throughout. Chrome plating appears recently redone, interior has minor #S119-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE high bid fell short of the mark, but it was not too far from market considering the condition and options here. Kruse, Auburn, IN, 8/07. #NR14-1974 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1Z67J4S424116. Maroon/ white vinyl/red vinyl. Resprayed maroon with dirt, imperfections. Original worn but acceptable chrome. Carpet and console showing minor wear. Seats okay, but door panels needed replacement. Clean under hood, but lots of detailing required. Driver quality with room to improve. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $16,130. coupe. S/N 1Z37L6S437474. Red/black vinyl. Odo: 43,969 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Optioned with pb, pw, a/c, tilt/telescopic column, and rear window defroster. Average quality repaint makes lousy body prep, pits, and fisheyes shine. Motor features a spray-can restoration, engine bay relatively clean. Random signs of wear to seats and carpets. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $42,120. Not the most popular body style, but this car had an appealing color combination, as well as a lot of performance for the money... not the car for your teenage kid. This price was a bit below market, so this can be considered well bought. Kruse, Hershey, PA, 10/07. #3787-1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 194379S717436. Burgundy/black vinyl. Odo: 13,295 miles. 427-ci 390-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Owner states numbers matching. Equipped with pw and tilt-telescopic column. Paint shows some issues around edges, but overall it's quite nice. Some pitting to a few bits of brightwork, but most is still OK. Clean stock interior shows some slight wear to driver's seat. Big motor a help, no a/c hurts. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $20,000. Even if it wasn't true in the late '60s, in the last twenty years, buyers have been expecting a/c when it was an option. This doesn't hold true for all cars, and big-block Corvettes can be an exception, but Corvette coupes without a/c can be an interesting ride in the hot days of summer. This 82 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com The market value of this generation of 'Vette is on the rise. Its shape is unmistakable. An icon of the late 1960s and '70s, it's the Corvette most of us with a little spare cash can remember zooming by, our girlfriends staring, while we tinkered with our MG to get it going. A good buy for a convertible despite its flaws. RM Auctions, Tornonto, CAN, 10/07. #S51.1-1975 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1Z37J5S437404. Orange Flame/tan vinyl. Odo: 52,462 miles. 350-ci supercharged V8, 4-sp. Body wavy, original paint generally acceptable. Hood cut for clearance for Weber side draft carbs and supercharger. Base motor with L82 valve covers pretty much untouched and rather dirty. Grubby undercarriage also undercoating hit most of clamped exhaust and missed half of the frame. New replacement interior vinyl and carpet hoseddownwithArmorAll. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $9,750. 1976 through 1986 can best be described as the decade that most Corvette enthusiasts wish wouldn't have existed. Not only were there no ragtops available, but build quality ranged from mediocre to abysmal, and performance was emaciated. Along those lines, this seemed to be an excellent example. Thus, this was all the money in the world. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #36-1977 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N N/A. Red metallic/red leather & vinyl. Odo: 60,257 miles. 350-ci 210-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Former concours winner with three owners and the L82 motor. Several paint chips at door edges, but not falling apart like many U.K. 'Vettes of this period. Doors fit well, some chrome dress-up items in engine bay include Edelbrock Performer manifold and carburetor. Fitted with pw, a/c, and aftermarket exhaust. No obvious worries. Cond: 1-.

SOLD AT $24,684. This very sharp 'Vette may not be the most desirable year, but later C3s all look the same to a lot of U.K. buyers. More important, it cost the same as an SI E-type coupe at this same sale, which is a comparison many classic car magazines often like to make. The U.K. market is a fickle thing, but this time there was no doubt this was the better car that would most likely be easier to live with. H&H Auctions, Duxford, UK, 10/07. #S1-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Indy Pace Car 1G1AY0788C5116667. Dark silver & charcoal/smoked glass/sliver & charcoal leather. Odo: 90,674 miles. 350-ci 220-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Optioned with a/c, ps, pb, pw, and tilt column. Generally good original paint shows a few chips, nicks, and peeling on rear bumper. Factory-typical panel fit all around, unrestored Edition coupe. S/N 45797). As of late, it seems like you can't swing a dead cat at a collector car auction and not hit at least one '78 IPC 'Vette. A fair-to-middling price for a fair-to-middling example, although far better examples can be found for not much more money. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. Silver #7-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Anniversary convertible. S/N 1Z87L83433552. Silver & gray/black canvas/ black leather. Odo: 57,079 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Claimed to be one of twelve Silver Anniversary models converted from coupe to convertible, and also the only open one snake pit of wires and hoses under the hood. Silver dye worn heavily on steering wheel and seats, door panels held on with strategically located Phillips-head screws. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $9,600. While the Collector's Edition was supposed to usher out the C3 era with a bang, it ended more as a splat. You could buy a one-ton big-block stick-shift Chevy pickup in '82 with more power than the small-block automaticonly 'Vette. The reserve was surpassed at $9k, so the seller must be one happy camper. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #S85-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Indy Pace Car Edition coupe. S/N 1Z87L8S903582. Black & silver/smoked glass/silver leather. Odo: 44,221 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Options include pw, pl, tilt/telescopic steering column, AM/FM/cassette stereo, and a/c. Typical lousy factory paint heavily buffed, with orange peeled black and currently in U.K. residence. Clearly repainted at some time, possibly when converted. Paintwork clean with only minor marks, interior serviceable, engine bay unexceptional, wheels only fair. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $14,961. Although slightly more had been forecast, the amount paid was enough for a former coupe that allegedly had been beheaded in period—even though it did look the business and will turn younger heads. H&H Auctions, Kempton, U.K., 7/07. #627-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE T-top.S/NIZ67L8S402343.Eng.#CLM40234J. Red/maroon vinyl. Pretty depressing to look at, as many U.K. 'Vettes are. Fiberglass damage (nose, right-hand door, and fairly horrible around badly fitting headlight flaps) did at least distract from the not-very-nice paint a few nicks and scratches in headlight doors and bumper, mild stress cracking around front license plate opening. All original throughout, aside from battery and maybe tires. Engine bay reflects mileage with excellent preservation for age. Interior immaculate with no wear noted. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $23,888. One of many put away, and cosmetically on par with the 2,000mile 2008 Saab media car I drove to the event. Seemed to run fine as it drove across the block, selling at the reserve price despite its relatively undesirable automatic transmission. Carlisle Auctions, Carlisle, PA, 10/07. #103-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AY878XC5120010. Silver Metallic/blue velour. Odo: 1,272 miles. 350ci 200-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Older silver repaint to average used-car condition. Flaws to painted urethane front bumper, waviness down both sides. Petrified weatherstripping, abysmal seat reupholstery in incorrect coarse-weave #F87-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Collector Edition coupe.S/N1G1AY0785C5110728. Silver Beige Metallic/smoked glass/gold, tan, & gray leather. Odo: 7,218 miles. 350-ci 200hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Better than most museum-stored low-mileage classics. Only blotchy silver. Blackout trim worn, especially at windshield frame. Silver leather seat dye holding up well for its age, steering wheel rim and door panel piping rather lumpy. Heavily shampooed carpeting. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $19,425. Last seen at Mecum's Bloomington Gold sale in June '07, where it sold at $18,900 (SCM# job. Interior as tatty as the outside. Claimed good mechanically but locked so we couldn't examine the engine. Hey, it's a small block, so few worries there. L82 badges but VIN says it started life with an L48. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $7,107. Somebody wanted it, and it took 30 seconds to sell from the start point of $4,000 to hammer fall. For someone willing to put in the elbow-grease, this could end up as a reasonably priced, fair enough Corvette. Bonhams, Harrogate, U.K., 11/07. velour. Steering wheel wrapped in parts-storegrade leather cover. Add-on accessory cruise control mounted on turn signal stalk. Engine bay surprisingly complete and shows recent service. A 20-footer that might be a decent driver. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $12,650. Out of all the 1982 Corvettes I've come across at a car corral or auction, this had to have been one of the most depressing. I guess someone still had five figures in his or her pocket that needed spending. Well sold. Worldwide Group, Hilton Head, SC, 11/07. #S199-1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Collector Edition coupe. S/N1G1AY0788C5110738. Silver Beige Metallic/smoked glass/gold, tan, www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 83

Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions & gray leather. Odo: 85,674 miles. 350-ci 200hp fuel-injected V8, auto. The same car as lot F87, but without pinstripes and with almost 80,000 more miles. Signs of light accidentdamage and outside storage evident. Right side rear of front clip sagging at door gap, very wide at top. Left rear front clip cracked lightly at door opening. Repainted body does not extend into jambs, doors do not shut well. Missing factory antenna. Sloppy tilt and telescoping column the worst part of the interior, seats and carpets nicer than expected. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $12,000. A toss-up at the top bid. There was no interest at all over $12,000, and the car finally left the block. The one buyer for a last-year automatic transmission C3 bought the perfect one the day before, so there were no more butts left in the Expo Center for these plush seats. Carlisle Auctions, Carlisle, PA, 10/07. C4 #S23-1984 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AYY0786E5129646. Black w/flames/red vinyl. Odo: 164,006 miles. 350-ci 205-hp fuel-injectedV8, auto. Older repaint with airbrushed flames. Paint cracked below hatch corners, passenger side mirror face held into the housing with black electrical tape. Replaced dashboard, mileage incorrect and very difficult to read. Racing seats and 4-point harnesses installed. Smokes upon startup. Cond: 4. SOLD AT $7,400. Last seen at Mecum's St. Paul sale as-expected for a big-bore IMSA GTP car. Engine freshly overhauled with forged pistons, rods and crank, having been run only 5.5 hours; work performed by TedWentz of Marcovicci& Wentz. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $269,500. A good sale all around; the recent engine build by Wentz added some value, as did the recent documented tech and use. Drew Alcazar and his helpers pushed the car into a row of chairs as they got it headed towards the block, but no damage was done. When the bidding reached $245,000 and it seemed like it would come to a stop, the reserve was pulled. A fair deal for both parties. Russo and Steele, Monterey, CA, 8/07. #F100-1984 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1AYO780E5125544. Bronze Metallic/tan leather. Odo: 85,981 miles. 350ci 205-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Evidence of front bumper and clip respray aside from onetime full body repaint. Orange peel and some fisheye throughout, right rear bumper finish spidering.Weatherstripping dry, leather cracking on driver's seat, carpet and console faded. Cutoff switch on battery hints at electrical issues. Heavy Armor-All underhood over black Odo: 139,886 miles. 350-ci 400-hp turbocharged V8, 6-sp. Fully loaded. Mostly original paint showing its age. Door seals crumbling and torn on both sides, door fit quite good. Removable top panel cracked on passenger's side. Engine and chassis dirty, exhaust muted. Well cared for original interior has lots of regular wear and tear visible. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $13,650. One of 498 Chevy-authorized Callaways sold through the dealer network, 58 of which were built in 1990. Having cost more than a ZR-1 on the front end and worth far less now, this was hardly a good investment. In fact, with this many miles on a highly-modified engine, this likely wasn't even a good daily driver... It's more like waiting for the reverse Powerball to pay out the wrong way. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. Greenwood #S47.1-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY3388M5117552. Black/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 55,525 miles. 350-ci 250-hp fuelinjected V8, auto. Greenwood body effects fitted. Consignor claims original mileage. Mostly original paint shows some older touch-up and heavy buffing marks. Engine and undercarriage appear to be regularly maintained. Minimal in June '07, where it didn't sell at $7,400 (SCM# 45779). This cobbled-up collection of parts may not have sold up in St. Paul, but it sucked someone in down here at almost the same price. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. TOP 10 #4 #F447-1984 LOLA CORVETTE IMSA GTP racer. S/N HU2. White & black/black fiberglass. RHD. Far better condition than most period race cars. #2 of 7 produced and still race-ready. Ran at Daytona 1985 for the 24-Hour. Recent tech stickers, wellused slicks mounted on car for auction. Interior 84 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com spray-can touch ups. Steering rack boot torn and soaked with power steering fluid. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $5,355. A rather tarted-up first-year C4 Corvette. Just an old used car with slightly under average mileage for a pleasure vehicle. Sounded and looked good enough across the block to meet its $5,000 reserve, and it picked up one more bidder beyond that. With any luck, the car will not continue its downward slide towards the salvage yard and provide someone with a few years' worth of enjoyment. Carlisle Auctions, Carlisle, PA, 10/07. #S131-1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Callaway Twin-Turbo coupe. S/N 1G1YY2384L5105620. Black/black leather. driver's seat wear, virtually none to carpets. Lightly worn cloth top commensurate with both age and mileage. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $13,913. Once the bidding ground to a halt, this car's reserve was successfully coaxed off, thus moving the car down the road with a new owner. Bought and sold well, so there should have been no complaints from anyone here. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #S120.1-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY338XM5108979. Black/black cloth/black leather. Odo: 69,573 miles. 350-ci 250-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Mediocre masking of decent newer repaint. Chalky blackout trim includes door handles.

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Market Report Global Roundup Corvettes at other auctions Typical grubby used car undercarriage, factory alloys show no curb damage. Heavier wear to floor mats, leather steering wheel rim, and driver's seat bottom. Remainder of interior generally in far better condition than a 16-year-old car should have, but not minty fresh. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $13,125. In a textbook example of lousy marketing, the final part of the seller's four-line information about the car was “Get it sold.” Needless to say, the other three lines were just about as insightful and verbose—“Good solid car. Tires are new. Everything works.” A mediocre effort for a mediocre used car that sold for mediocre money. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. ZR-1 #S126-1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY23J7M5801342. Black & gray/black leather. Odo: 62,390 miles. 350-ci 375-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Sold new by the Corvette Center of Honolulu, Hawaii, registered on the islands until 2004, now wears current Minnesota plates. Fresh repaint done to a good standard, but not the “flawless” job seat bottoms, remaining interior components in good condition. Some leather dye rubbed off of seats. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $14,175. Mechanically and feature-wise, this was basically a '95 Buick Roadmaster with two doors that's a bitch to get in and out of. If you want a late-model C4 investment, look for a lower-mile '96 Grand Sport. If you want a late-model driver, get a C5. Lower-mile used car money for a lower-mile used car, plain and simple. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. C5 #580-1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible. S/N 1G1YY32G1X5105028. White/white vinyl/tan leather. Odo: 107,474 miles. 5.7-liter 345-hp fuel-injected LS1 V8, auto. Sold on a salvage title due to collision repair. Good repaint finished commensurate to new build quality. Door, hood, and panel fit decent, rear fascia stretched. Power antenna won't fully retract, newer tires fitted. Heavy wear to convertible top, with some bow bite on passenger side and fraying at corners. Steering wheel rim glossy from wear, spokes dirty. miles. 5.7-liter fuel-injected LS1 V8, 6-sp. Excellent original paint with only a couple of light gravel nicks to the nose. Well-maintained and regularly cleaned engine bay, chassis and suspension show light use. Like-new interior shows slight wrinkling of driver's side seat bottom. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $22,000. This was from the early years of the hard top coupe, but there's not much call for one of these without the high-powered Z06 package. The final bid was up against a $25k reserve, based more upon the lower miles and better care than any potential collectible interest. A nice used car for someone who travels solo and wants a trunk—a modern day Business Coupe—and that's about it. High bid was market for condition. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #581-2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22G415104313. Light Pewter/tan leather. Odo: 46,000 miles. 5.7liter 350-hp fuel-injected LS1, 6-sp. Mileage claimed original from new, sold on a salvage title due to collision repair. Decent repaint, fenders misaligned, hood gaps inconsistent, driver's door gap razor thin at front. Heavy coating of brake dust on factory-issue alloys, average used car undercarriage shows generally equal wear and no indications of damage, described by seller. Expertly detailed under the hood, interior wear congruent for a 62,390-mile daily driver. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $23,363. What a double whammy... sold new in Hawaii and now in Minnesota. What the salt spray from the ocean didn't get, the salt spray from the road will. Wonder why it was repainted? A nice 20footer and cheap for a ZR-1, but still well sold. Mecum Auctions, Des Moines, IA, 7/07. #S112-1995 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY22P6S5112088. Red/black leather. Odo: 56,352 miles. 350-ci 300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Equipped with Bose AM/FM/cassette stereo, electronic climate control, and power driver's seat. Good original paint shows several touched-up chips. Heavier than expected wear on steering wheel and Average used car undercarriage with equal wear and no indications of damage, overspray, or recent suspension alignment. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $13,000. Sold between Kelley Blue Book's trade-in and private party values, but either of those numbers is too much for a Corvette with over 100k miles, collision repair work, and a salvage title. Most of the dealers had bailed out before it hit ten grand, so the buyer probably thinks he got a good deal. Unless you get it at a discount below dealer wholesale, a car like this will never be a good deal, as it will always tell a story no buyer wants to hear. (See Profile, p. 44.) Wayne Pike Auctions, Princeton, MN, 9/07. #S59-2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coupe. S/N 1G1YY12G9Y5106644. Light Pewter Metallic/black leather. Odo: 33,419 overspray, or recent use of suspension alignment hardware. Newer center exhaust section, original resonators and outlets reused. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $14,750. All the previous comments about lot 580 apply here, and having fewer miles didn't help much. At least it sold for quite a bit below Kelley Blue Book for all values, including dealer wholesale. The good thing here is that when an end user finally acquires this, it should last that person quite a while before the wheels fall off and it's virtually unsaleable except as a parts car. (See Profile, p. 44.) Wayne Pike Auctions, Princeton, MN, 9/07. ■ 86 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

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Vette-o-bilia Online trash and trinkets—some valuable, some not. By Carl Bomstead Amusing, Amazing, and Expensive Bargain toys, serious promos, and a killer Indy 500 jacket for that special someone with a '98 Vette in the garage by Carl Bomstead L ooking for an inexpensive or even downright cheap Corvette trinket for your buddy? Just search eBay and select the area that will list the least expensive stuff first. You'll be amazed at the hundreds of items that are listed for under a buck. That's toomuch?Well there are pages with really cheap stuff for only a penny or two. Of course, the shippingmightmake it a bitmore but even so, that should be cheap enough. Finding the more expensive items can be a real chore, as there are hundreds of listings for wheels, tires, and rims you have to plow through. So just go to advanced search and exclude those items from your quest. Here are a few items I found amusing, and a couple that were amazing. EBAY #260182803150— EBAY #260184591558— HOT WHEELS 1969 CORVETTE ZL1. Number of Bids: 1. SOLD AT: $.01. Date Sold: 11/24/2007. Yep, someone bought this First-Edition 1969 ZL1 Hot wheels Corvette for only a penny. Of course, the shipping added a couple bucks, but still. There was no packaging, but I guess at the price paid, the buyer can't be too picky. SHOWROOM ALBUM. Number of Bids: 18. SOLD AT: $685. Date Sold: 11/28/2007. This album included all the Chevrolet offerings for 1957, including the Corvette. It did not include color chips or upholstery samples. Stated to be in excellent condition, it sold for a bit more than the recently sold '58 album that did include color and upholstery samples. The value of the paper reflects the interest in the cars and '57s continue to bring more money than '58s, so price paid here was about right. EBAY #260185119792—1:18 EBAY #270189164691— AMERICAN FLYER GILBERT CORVETTE RACE CAR SET. Number of Bids: 18. SOLD AT: $212.50. Date Sold: 11/26/2007. Figure-eight race car set with two Corvettes. Complete with track, accessories, decals, and instructions book. Original packaging in very good condition. I'd think it dates to the early '60s. A fun piece to add to your collection of Corvette race stuff. HOT WHEELS 1969 CORVETTE 427 STINGRAY. Number of Bids: 12. SOLD AT: $35. Date Sold: 11/28/2007. This was issued in 2004 and the original packaging is still intact. Doors opened and the diecast model was well detailed. Price seemed more than fair for a quality model that had never been messed with. 1962 CORVETTE PROMOTIONAL MODEL. Number of Bids: 22. SOLD AT: $690. Date Sold: 11/25/2007. This promo has friction drive and is an unusual light blue color, which was not offered on the actual Corvettes for 1962. Stated to be in excellent condition and never played with by some kid hell-bent on crashing it into the nearest wall. A seldomoffered promo, it sold for serious money due to the rarity and condition. EBAY #300174445363— EBAY #200179105934— EBAY #120186933676— 1957 CHEVROLET DEALER 88 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com AMT ERTL 1957 CORVETTE GASSER MODEL. Number of Bids: 1. SOLD AT: $5.99. Date Sold: 12/05/2007. This model kit #6355 has a copyright date of 1990 and was suitable for kids aged eight and up, so the buyer should be able to put it together with his son's help. It has over 100 parts and requires painting. Box was dented. Good father-son Corvette project for no money. 1998 INDY 500 CORVETTE PACE CAR JACKET. Number of Bids: 10. SOLD AT: $685. Date Sold: 11/26/2007. 1998 was fourth time Corvette was the pace car at the 500. This leather and blue twill jacket was number 75 of only 150 manufactured. The emblems were all embroidered and the jacket still had the original tags. A must-have item, if a '98 'Vette resides in your garage. ■

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Trick Stuff What you need for your Corvette and where to get it. By Paul Duchene ▲ If you'd like to take Corvette style someplace new, how about into the lake?Malibu Boats ofMerced, California, has introduced the Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V, packed with Corvette design cues you'll appreciate. The Corvette C6 “cove” is designed into the hull, power wing win- dows roll down into the windshield, and open the hood and the enclosed bow reveals LED lighting, a dual sub-woofer, and an eight-speaker Malibu Rockford Fosgate stereo system. You'll be sitting in an authentic Corvette driver's seat, passenger seat, or console-split rear lounge. The driver faces keyless start with security code activation, in-dash LCD, and two banks ofmultiplexed switches with servo-drivenMedallion gauges. TheMalibu Limited Edition Sport-V is available in both Z06 and Coupe packages. The Z06 delivers 505 hp fromits LS7 V8, just like its four-wheeled counterpart. The 400-hp Hammerhead 383-ci V8makes its home in the Coupe. Either engine lurks beneath a C6-inspired rear deck with signature taillight-look vents. And that's the viewmost people will get of your toy. And of course, there's a customtrailer with Corvette or Z06 wheels. The Sport-V is reckoned to be the fastest inboard power boatmade in the U.S. Brad Howlett of Bridge CityWater Sports, inWilsonville, Oregon, a top-fiveMalibu dealer, says the Z06 has been tested at 63.5 mph, “but they're going to getmore out of it.” It's also going to be a favorite for water skiers, as it will do a “hole- shot” 0–36mph in 5.8 seconds. The Hammerhead Coupe starts at about $100,000 and the Z06 at $130,000, but there's an upside, says Howlett. Unlikemost power boats, (andmost Corvettes), these are limited production—only 75 will be made. That's down fromthe 1997 C5model, of which there were 125 made at $45,000 each. Howlett adds that the earlier C4 Corvette Sport-Vs now sell formore than their price new. “I remember the first ones were $26,000 back in about 1993. Now people are getting $30,000 or better,” he said. Check out the newest Sport-V at www.malibuboats.com. 90 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

► I've watched some extrem dodgy tie-down jobs on ca being shipped recently, so here's some encouraging news.Mac's Custom Tie-Downs of Sagle, Ida has a new ProPack Tie-Down kit comes with four ratchet straps, fo axle straps with sleeve protectors and four fleece sleeve protectors, four strap wraps to secure the tie downs when you're not using the All strap assemblies are tested to 10,000 pounds. The kit comes w durable pack that's compartment and padded. Use these on show c rods, vintage race cars, and any performance vehicle that needs to be tied down securely. $149.95 For more information, visit www.macscustomtiedowns.com. ◄ Any NASCAR fan knows that trick chassis are the key to a precise 180-mph stock car, but what if you could put a tube frame under your old C3 Corvette? And what if it could be a C5-style tube frame? You'd wind up with something that looked and ran like a 1969 Sebring racer. PhildelphiaMotorsports builds such frames, and the result is the Darth Vader of C3s. TIG-welded tube frames are available for C1–C6 Corvettes for under $11,000 for a bare chassis.With a good donor, complete cars can be built for $75,000– $150,000, if you get carried away. You KNOWspeed costs money, or you wouldn't be reading this, so check them out—complete with photos and a story about they do it—at www.phillymotorsports.com. ► The finishing touch to a nice restoration—and a good safety update, too—is to replace your old seatbelts. Seatbelt Solutions offers lap belt reproductions for Corvettes from 1956 to 1982, as well as retractor belts for C3s. Even better, the company now makes dual-retractor seatbelts for 1974–77 coupes and 1975–76 convertibles. These are complete sets and include GM-style buckles. The belts bolt right in with OEMhardware (not included) and are available in the six colors Chevrolet originally offered—black, silver, maroon, red, saddle, and dark blue. All belts are tagged and meet federal requirements. Suggested retail is $499, and you'll find them at www.ecklers.com, www .corvetteamerica.com, www.corvettecentral .com, and www.corvetteparts.com. www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 91

Mixed Media Trick Book Review Stuff What you need for your Corvette and where to get it Corvette Masterpieces Jerry Heasley's Field of Dreams The most unusual, highest performance, limited production, highest horsepower, fastest stock and custom Corvettes on the planet by Michael Pierce J erry Heasley has written over 5,000 magazine articles and books and supplied thousands of photographs for various publications, so his Corvette Masterpieces is not just another coffee table book stuffed with stock Corvette pictures. Heasley took all these high-resolution photos, but most impor- tantly, he chose to write about Corvettes with interesting stories. Perhaps the title could have been Dream Cars You'd Love To Own, a phrase that appears on the back cover. I have a hundred Corvette books, but most seem very similar. In his 352 large-format pages, Heasley has tapped into the Corvette hobbyist, restorer, resto-modifier, collector, tuner, and enthusiast. He seems to have found the most unusual, highest performance, limited production, highest horsepower, fastest stock, modified, and custom Corvettes on the planet. And he put them all into this book. Not only are the photos and design excellent, but the individual stories are fascinating. If you have traveled to National Corvette Restorer Society judging events, Bloomington Gold, Super Chevy events, and other large car shows, you may have seen some of these unusual examples. If not, let this book be your introduction to them. In 30 years of Corvette judging, I have personally seen and judged many of the Corvettes in this book. Here are some of my favorites: 1954, NCRS Duntov Award recipient, owned by Jerry Palmer, Lemoore, CA Palmer completed a body-on restoration of this '54 and earned the prestigious award at the NCRS Nationals in Oklahoma. They say we all learn fromour experience; Palmer learned never to give or throw away a part you take off your car. In this case, it was the original fuel pump because it “leaked.” This is one of themost outstanding examples of the '54 Corvette in existence. Noland Adams's research indicates it is the earliest known example of the 150–155-hp changeover. 1959 Purple People Eater, 1960 Briggs Cunningham Le Mans Racer, 1966 L88 Penske Racer, 1966 425 8-Ball, 1969 L88 See- Through, 1968 Yenko Sunray DX L88, and 1969 L88 Rebel This outstanding group of cars has something in common other than their huge horsepower and race histories. They were all restored by KevinMackay in Valley Stream, New York. He is probably the greatest Corvette restorer on the planet. The invoice may bring tears to your eyes, but you will not be disappointed with the quality; they'll look perfect and work as designed. 1963 Z06 Nineteen sixty-three marked the beginning of the “midyear” Corvettes. The design was a complete body styling change, including rotating headlight buckets, and it produced Corvette's first independent suspension. This '63 has three of the rarest options Corvette has ever produced: RPO Z06 (360-hp 327 V8, dual-circuit vacuum power brakes, heavy-duty suspension), RPO N03 (36-gallon fuel tank), and P48 (aluminum knockoff wheels). Perfectly restored, this example represents less than one half of 1% of the year's total production. 92 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Lingenfelter, Callaway, Skunk Werks, Kaizen, Mallett, Doug Rippie, Hennessey, MTI, and Specter Werkes. These names are synonymous with aftermarket tuning and perfor- mance, and the book features Corvette examples from each of them. Callaway, of course, holds the unusual distinction of having been an RPO supplier of 500 “B2K”-optioned twin-turbo/intercooled factory Corvettes in the late 1980s and early '90s. Florence Knudson's Pearlescent Pink 1964 327/300 Powerglide coupe This is probably the most unusual Corvette in the book. Florence's husband, Bunkie, was the GeneralManager of Chevrolet. His passion for styling and performance led him to retro-fit this Corvette as the first (and only) 396-ci Corvette with air conditioning. The 396/425 was a one-year only option due out in 1965. Air conditioning would not be available in Corvettes until the '66 427/390 was in production. The door panels, seats, instrument panel, and glovebox were pink as well. The rugs, dash, and seatbelts were red. Don't forget the six taillights. The pictures in the book do this car justice. There are literally a hundred more rare and unusual Corvettes in Heasley's excellent book. Buy several copies and give them away to your Corvette friends for birthday or holiday gifts. No one will be disappointed. ■ Corvette Masterpieces, by Jerry Heasley. 352 pages, 400 photgraphs, $40. ISBN: 0-89689-544-8. www.krausebooks.com

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By the Numbers Top 20 Sales of 2007 by Generation, C1–C4 The CM/SCM Platinum database has over 60,000 auction results. Here are the key sales from 2007 that have directed the Corvette market Rank Sold Price Year Model C1 Top 20 Sales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 $440,000 1953 Corvette Roadster $440,000 1953 98145.451 $396,000 1953 Corvette Roadster $390,500 1953 Corvette Roadster $353,700 1954 Corvette Roadsters (Lot of 3) $300,000 1953 Corvette Roadster $296,625 1953 Corvette Roadster $285,600 1953 Corvette Roadster $283,500 1953 Corvette Roadster $258,500 1957 Corvette 283/283 FI Convertible $231,000 1959 Corvette LS7 Custom Convertible $198,000 1959 Corvette 427 Custom Convertible $192,500 1959 Corvette Convertible $181,500 1958 Corvette Convertible $178,500 1955 Corvette Roadster $178,200 1958 Corvette Custom Convertible $165,000 1958 Corvette 283/270 Convertible $165,000 1958 Corvette 283/270 Convertible $165,000 1962 Corvette Custom Convertible $159,500 1958 Corvette Custom Convertible C2 Top 20 Sales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 $704,000 1965 Corvette Cut-Away Autorama Display Location RM—Lapeer, MI Worldwide—Hilton Head, SC Worldwide—Houston, TX RM—Tarpon Springs, FL Kruse—Auburn, IN Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL RM—Tarpon Springs, FL $660,000 1967 Corvette 427/390 Coupe “The Last Sting Ray” Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ $467,250 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $393,750 1967 Corvette 427/435 Coupe $367,500 1963 Corvette 327/360 Z06 Coupe $362,250 1966 Corvette 427/425 Coupe $280,800 1963 Corvette Z06 Big Tank Coupe $280,500 1963 Corvette 327/250 Coupe $280,500 1963 Corvette 327/360 Z06 Coupe Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—Kissimmee, FL RM—Ft. Lauderdale, FL $275,000 1967 Corvette 427/435 “Gus Grissom” Convertible $264,000 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $231,000 1967 Corvette 427/435 Yenko Convertible $220,000 1967 Corvette 427/400 Convertible $220,000 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $216,000 1963 Corvette 327/360 Z06 Coupe $214,500 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Russo and Steele—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ RM—Ft. Lauderdale, FL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Date 6/9/07 11/3/07 5/5/07 12/1/07 9/2/07 10/6/07 6/17/07 1/21/07 6/17/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 4/1/07 4/1/07 6/17/07 4/1/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 4/1/07 4/1/07 12/1/07 1/21/07 6/17/07 10/6/07 6/17/07 1/27/07 2/11/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 2/11/07 1/21/07 Lot # 229 46 55 856 2789.1 S281 S91 1294 S53 1242 1261 1354 708 674 S55 691 1298.1 438 704.1 711 859 1285 S67 S99 S63 S83 SP30 1280 1280.1 S719 1334 1326 1267.1 1308 NR46 1334.1 94 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

Rank 17 18 19 20 Sold Price Year Model $210,000 1963 Corvette 327/250 Tanker Coupe $204,750 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $203,500 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $187,000 1967 Corvette 427/435 Coupe C3 Top 20 Sales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 $446,250 1969 Corvette L88 Coupe $254,500 1968 Corvette L88 Coupe $240,000 1969 Corvette L88 Coupe $155,500 1968 Corvette L88 Coupe $141,900 1969 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $126,500 1969 Corvette 427/435 Convertible $120,750 1971 Corvette 454/425 $110,000 1972 Corvette LT1 Convertible $106,050 1969 Corvette 427/435 $104,500 1969 Corvette 427/400 Coupe $99,000 1969 Corvette 427/435 Coupe $97,125 1969 Corvette 427/400 Convertible $95,700 1969 Corvette Convertible $93,500 1969 Corvette 427/435 Coupe $90,200 1969 Corvette ZL1 Replica Coupe $89,250 1968 Corvette L89 Convertible $85,800 1969 Corvette L88 Replica Convertible $85,050 1969 Corvette L89 Convertible $79,200 1969 Corvette 427/435 Coupe $78,100 1968 Corvette 427/435 Convertible C4 Top 20 Sales 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 $80,850 1996 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible $68,775 1996 Corvette Grand Sport Coupe $60,375 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $60,375 1991 98145.451 $60,375 1992 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $60,375 1993 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $60,375 1994 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $60,375 1995 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $57,200 1995 Corvette Guldstrand Nassau Roadster $52,250 1990 Corvette Coupe $49,140 1995 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $47,520 1995 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $44,625 1993 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $44,000 1995 Corvette Custom Coupe $43,200 1993 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $42,120 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $42,120 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $42,120 1994 Corvette ZR-1 Coupe $41,040 1989 Corvette Callaway Convertible $40,950 1994 Corvette Stretch Limousine Location Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—Kissimmee, FL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—St. Charles, IL Bonhams & Butterfields—Carmel, CA Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Bonhams & Butterfields—Carmel, CA Russo and Steele—Scottsdale, AZ RM—Monterey, CA Mecum—Belvidere, IL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—Kissimmee, FL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Russo and Steele—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Barrett-Jackson—Scottsdale, AZ Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL Mecum—St. Charles, IL RM—Tarpon Springs, FL Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Kruse—Mt. Airy, NC Kruse—Mt. Airy, NC Mecum—St. Charles, IL Barrett-Jackson—West Palm Beach, FL Kruse—Mt. Airy, NC Kruse—Mt. Airy, NC Kruse—Auburn, IN Kruse—Mt. Airy, NC Kruse—Auburn, IN Mecum—St. Charles, IL Date 10/6/07 1/27/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 10/6/07 8/17/07 1/21/07 8/17/07 1/21/07 8/18/07 5/28/07 1/21/07 1/27/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 6/17/07 4/1/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 6/17/07 1/21/07 6/17/07 1/21/07 1/21/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 6/17/07 12/1/07 4/1/07 5/5/07 5/5/07 6/17/07 4/1/07 5/5/07 5/5/07 6/3/07 5/5/07 6/3/07 6/17/07 Lot # S168 S149 1321 1021 S88 424 1327 431 F550 278 S209 1548 S128 1540 1054 S73 660.1 S748 695 S60 693 S69 983.1 443 S93 S100 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 870 45.2 226 229 F36 346 234 227 2844 230 2850 F25 www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 95

Resource Directory Auction Companies GoFastAuction.com Go- FastAuction is an Internet oasis for classic, vintage and antique car aficionados from around the world. Our auto auction and classified listings are the definitive source for locating classic cars and related parts or accessories. www.gofastauction.com 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 SellsMoreMuscle ThanMecum. Nobody. www .mecumauction.com. (IL) Palm Springs Auctions Inc. Keith McCormick. 760.320.3290, 760.323.7031. 244 N. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.classic-carauction.com. (CA) 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 Put your company in the CM R M Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 x211, or email advert@vettemarket.com 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) Automobilia Custom Diecast Inc Ever thought about having your car in diecast ? Have you tried to find a diecast version of your car at shows and hobby shops ? The #1 home for custom diecast replicas. www.customdiecastreplicas.com Vette Collectibles Licensed Corvette diecast, apparel and novelties.We are a one-stop shop for collectors and Corvette enthusiasts alike. www.vettecollectibles.com Corvette Parts & Restoration Corvette Repair, Inc. 516.568.1959, The most recognized Corvette restoration shop in America. The leader in NCRS, Triple Crown and Bloomington Gold Achievements. www .corvetterepair.com Corvette Central 800.345.4122, Parts and accessories for everything from the Blue Flame Six to the new C6. www.corvettecentral.com County Corvette 610.696.7888, Sales, service, parts and restoration.When it must be right. www.countycorvette.com Mid America Motorworks 800.500.1500, America's leader in 1953-2008 Corvette parts and accessories. Request a free catalog at www.mamotorworks.com 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 transport tracking. Complete service for vintage races, auctions, relocations. www.intercitylines .com. (MA) Motor Auto Express, Inc.. 360.661.1734, Enclosed Transport. MAX cares for what you care for.We offer Personal, Private, Professional services with liftgate loading for your vehicles. Please contact RandyMcKinley, Owner. maxiet@gmail.com. (WA) Exotic Car Transport. 800.766.8797. 20 years serving manufacturers, dealers, collectors, and owners of fine automobiles. www.exoticcartransport.com. (FL) FedEx Custom Critical Passport Auto Transport. 800.325.4267, fax 314.878.7295. Fully enclosed transport from the industry originator. Specializing in events, including Pebble Beach, the Colorado Grand, and BarrettJackson. Liftgates for safe loading and winches for inoperable vehicles. Inquire about ultra-expedited, three-day, coast-to-coast service. www.passporttransport.com. (MO) 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) Motor Sport Personal Acci- dent Coverage. 441.297.9439. Email,mcooke@evolution.bm. Limits up to $1,000,000 including accident medicaland helicopter evacuation. Comp Capital Ltd. can obtain coverage atcompetive rates including drivers over the age of 65. Either 12 monthpolicy covering a whole season and or for specific events. PleasecontactMark Cooke and or KevinWay. Corvettes for Sale Cardiff Classics 760.632.5555, Located on Pacific Coast Highway 101 in beautiful Encinitas. www .cardiff-classics.com Cn' V Corvettes 1-800-875- 8390,We mechanically service and recondition our Corvettes like no other Corvette dealer does. From underside to the top we go to extremes to make you proud of the Corvette you purchase from Cn'V. www.cnv-corvettes.com 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 Corvette Mike. 800.327.VETT, Whether you are looking for a vintage 1953 Corvette—or the latest 96 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com

Corvette model—CorvetteMike is your one-stop shop for anything Corvette.West Coast and New England showrooms. Leader of the Pack since 1982. www .corvettemike.com County Corvette. 610.696.7888, The most modern and best equipped Corvette-only facility in the nation. www.countycorvette.com Family Classics 949.496.3000, Our showroom houses some of the world's most prized classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars and modern exotics. If we don't have what you want, check back - or tell us what you want.We're equipped to find numbers matching 100-point restorations, low-mileage survivors or just beautiful, reliable drivers. www.familyclassiccars.com Park Place 425.562.1000, The West Coast's largest luxury, sports and special interest automobile dealership. “No one has what we have. Period.” www.parkplaceltd .com (WA) eBay MotorsWhatever it is…you can get it on eBay. www.motors.ebay.com ProTeam Classic Cor- vette Collection and Sales. 419.592.5086; fax 419.592.4242. The world's largest classic Corvette collection. 1410 N. Scott Street, Napoleon, Ohio, 43545. Toll Free 1-888-592-5086. Email: proteam@proteamcorvette.com. www.proteam-corvette.com Motororcar Porfolio located in the Marriott Hotel in downtown Canton Ohio, we offer you unique classic automobiles at excellent prices. All of our vehicles have been evaluated by master mechanics specializing in the field. Over fifty years of combined experience allows us to select only the finest vehicles. This assures appreciation in value, and protects your investment. www.motorcarportfolio.com The Chevy Store At The Chevy Store, you will find only the highest grade, investment quality Corvette and specialty Che automobiles.We take pride providing our clients with t finest selection anywhere. O ing investment quality corv and Chevrolets for over 30 503-256-5384 (p) 503-256-4 www.thechevystore.com Garage & Tools Baldhead Cabinet Compa 877.966.2253,Offering a fin www.vettemarket.com WINTER 2008 Corvette Market 97 tion of qualitymetal garage cabinets suitable for shop and residential garage applications. SS and custom colors available.Manymodules to choose from. Call for a customquote and drawing. See ad in this issue. www.baldheadcabinets.com. (CA) Griot's Garage. 800.345.5789, The ultimate online store for automotive accessories and car care products.www.griotsgarage.com. (WA) Metal Line Cabinets Your va- cation photos get put in an album. Your china has its own closet. Seriously, even your toothpaste gets stored inside of a fine hardwood ormetal and glass cabinet. So why does the really important stuff (like your tools, toys, etc.) have to reside on an open shelf or inside a homecenter white particle board box? It's time to show your stuff itmatters. 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Royal Purple® manufactures a wide range of high performance, synthetic lubricants for every use from top fuel dragsters to the family car, Museums MY Garage Museum 800.500.1500, Housed on the campus ofMid AmericaMotorworks, in Effingham, IL theMY Garage Museumcontains numerous oneof- a kind Corvettes such as the CERV 1 research vehicle and the 1964 BillMitchellWorld's Fair styling study car. www .mamotorworks.com/mygarage National Corvette Museum 800-53-VETTE, The National CorvetteMuseum 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 St. Louis Car Museum. 800.957.5707; 314.993.7104. Providing the most discerning enthusiasts with the world's finest automobiles for nearly a generation. We buy cars and offer competitive consignment services, as well as climate controlled storage. Call for details. www.stlouiscarmuseum .com. (MO). ■ motorcycles, trucks, RVs and boats. Its industry experts are consistently developing products that outperform leading mineral- and synthetic-based lubricants in performance and protection. www.royalpurple.com Ad Index American Collectors Insurance 25 AnB Classic Cars Bald Head Garage Bondurant Enterprises Bud's Chevrolet Cn'V Corvettes Corvette America Corvette Correction Corvette Repair Inc. Corvette Specialties Corvettes & Classics County Corvette 89 65 55 89 9 67 93 39 81 71 2 D&M Corvette Specialists LTD 51 Family Classic Cars 65 Fast Vette Accessories &Apparel 96 Flag Caddie GoFastAuction.com Gooding & Company Hagerty Insurance Agency, Inc. 96 71 49 11 Long Island Corvette Supply Inc. 93 Mac's Custom Tie-Downs Mecum Auction 69 3 MetalLine Cabinets Mid America Motorworks Mid America Motorworks Midwest Corvettes & Classics Mr. Car Art Advertise in Corvette Market Contact John Scharff john.scharff@vettemarket.com 314.802.8139 KJ Glennon kj.glennon@vettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 222 Cody Wilson cody.wilson@vettemarket.com 877.219.2605 x 213 National Corvette Museum Park Place LTD Philadelphia Motorsports Russo And Steele Seatbelt Solutions Seminar Showcase Garage Silver Auctions Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate South Georgia Corvette Sports Car Market magazine St. Louis Car Museum The Chevy Store Thomas C Sunday Inc Vette Collectibles Worldwide Group 99 19 100 93 77 77 14 69 21 89 73 77 53 59 67 87 7 59 93 7 47

In Miniature How details make models into masterpieces. By Marshall Buck Fadini, DM Classics Shut 'em Down This 20-year-old 1:43 model outshines most hand-built or mass-produced models in that era, and also most produced today 1966–67 Corvette L88 I love the paint schemes of these two 1:18- scale versions of the first L88 Corvette Sting Ray,whichwas campaigned by Roger Penske in 1966 atDaytona (red) and Sebring 1967 (blue). Both aremass-produced by Exoto under theirMotorbox label.As opposed tomany of their othermodels produced in China, these Corvettes aremade at their newfactory in the U.A.E.,which shows real signs of “teething problems.” Though bothmodels are striking at first glance, they are 1967 Corvette Sting Ray 427/435 The last year of the original Sting Ray body style certainly went out with a bang when equipped like this convertible with the big-block 427/435-hp V8, 4-speedmanual transmission, side pipes, rally wheels, and redline tires, all packaged in perfectly applied and polished Rally Red with a white Stinger stripe. They are eye-catching, to say the least. Correct emblems, labels andmore are perfectly replicated everywhere you look. This '67 is a new 1:24-scale edition fromthe Ratings ( Quality: Authenticity: Overall Value: is best) DanburyMint. Unlikemany other largemodelmanufacturers, they constantly seemto strive to improve the quality and detail of eachmodel they produce and have made great strides over the years. The only gripe I have is with the use of the old-style dogleg door hinges. DMhasmade a good attempt to make these less glaring by painting themflat black, which does help a bit. This Sting Ray ismade from older tooling, though all of theirmodelsmade from new tooling do featuremuch improved and accurate hinges. Chassis detail is all there, along with excellent engine detailing down to the correct printing on the radiator hose. Now onto the working features, which are plenti- ful—opening hood with telescoping prop rod, tonneau cover that reveals a folded convertible top, doors, sun visors, hinged seat backs, suspension, steering, headlights, gas cap, and spare tire compartment with a spare. Also included is a snug-fitting white convertible top in the up position, which even has framework and a correct outside label on the lower left. Somebody did his homework. Simply put, this is how amass-produced diecastmodel should be done. At $120, you will get more than yourmoney's worth. Available from the Danbury Mint, 47 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06857; 800.243.4664; www .danburymint.com. 98 Corvette Market WINTER 2008 www.vettemarket.com Ratings ( Quality: a big letdown on twomajor counts. First—rather shoddy quality on practically every one of these I've seen. Second, rarely have I seen somany glaring historical inaccuracies on amodel. There are numerous additions and omissions of parts. The 1966 car never raced in this imaginary form. Exoto used a 1967 body, which Authenticity: Overall Value: ½ has five side slit vents instead of three. It also has a wrong hood, wrong headers, multiplemistakes on the front, both seats should be race seats (not just the driver), interior color on both cars should be all black, both have wrong tires, as the raised-letter Goodyear Eagle STs they wear did not exist until about ten or so years ago, and the list goes on. Overall detail is onlymoderate. Yes, there are a few noteworthy good points, such as great body shape, well-done wheels with brake detailing, and some nice chrome detail parts. Keep inmind, Exoto is the same company that producesmuchmore refined,more detailed, and higher quality Grand Sports for the same price as these, $190, under their Racing Legends label. Those are amuch better buy. Available from Motorsports Miniatures, PO Box 4, East Meadow, NY 11554; 516.794.2831; www.motorsportsminiatures.com. 1978 Indy Pace Car The real 1978 Indy Pace Car replicas may not be coveted or havemuch value, but just the opposite holds true for this little 1:43-scale gemby Ugo Fadini of Italy. Approximately 250 of these were made;most were built in 1987, and each is signed and dated. This is and always has been a highly sought-after piece by Ratings ( Quality: Authenticity: Overall Value: ½ is best) knowledgeable collectors. As a 20-year-oldmodel, it not only outshinesmost any 1:43 hand-built ormass-produced model fromthat era, but alsomost produced today. Like all Fadinimodels, the fit and finish are top-notch. There is a great amount of delicate detail down to things like the door panels, dash, and switches. Thismodel even has amirror on the passenger side sun visor. The decals are of such high quality and applied so well that you can barely tell they aren't painted on.Wheels are beautifully replicated, as is the chassis. Shown lying next to themodel is its tinted see-through removable roof panel, which fits in place perfectly. There is not a negative to utter, except perhaps what youmay have to pay if and when you find one; the price ranges froma low of $500 to a high of $800. This model was generously loaned from a private collection through Motorsports Miniatures, PO Box 4, East Meadow, NY 11554; 516.794.2831; www.motorsportsminiatures.com. ■ is best)

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