Month: January 2012

With so much going on in Kissimmee last weekend with the NCRS Regional and the Mecum collector car auction going on simultaneously, it was hard to be in two places at one time. After putting in a full day at the NCRS Regional, I arrived at the Mecum auction early Friday evening and as I walked into the front entrance, I heard the gavel fall as the auctioneer yelled “SOLD SOLD SOLD – $610,000″. I knew right away I had just missed the sale of this 1969 L88 Corvette Roadster.

Lot #F199 was a 1969 L88 Corvette Roadster that has some of the most coveted awards a Corvette can receive. Retaining its original 427/430 HP L88 engine and 4-speed transmission, the Daytona Yellow Corvette received its Bloomington Gold certification in 2005 and NCRS Top Flight award in 2009. It was a member of the Bloomington Gold Special Collection and was inducted into Bloomington Gold’s Corvette Hall of Fame. Other docs include the original Protect-O-Plate.

The Corvette has 20,000 actual original miles and comes with a black vinyl auxiliary hard top.

During its three year production run from 1967-1969, only 216 L88-equipped Corvettes were built. In 1969, there were 116 examples of the 427/430 hp produced, more than 1967 (20) and 1968′s (80) L88 production combined.

So is this the new normal price for L88 Roadsters? It was the second time this month that a C3 L88 convertible broke the $600,000 barrier. Two weeks ago in Scottsdale, Russo and Steele sold a 1968 L88 Convertible for $625,000.

Another highly optioned 1969 L88 Corvette Roadster crossed the block on Saturday evening, but failed to sell. Verified by David Borroughs and Tim Thorpe as the real deal, Lot #S189 was a White convertible with 46,000 miles. Bloomington Gold Certified, it also won the prestigious Duntov Award. This Corvette was part of the Rick Davis Collection but failed to sell as the high bid was $400,000 and the reserve was set at $500,000.

Related:
[VIDEO] 1968 L88 Corvette Roadster Sells for $625,000 at Russo and Steele
Corvette Auction Results: 1969 L88 Corvette Sells for $562,500 at Mecum Dallas
1969 BFG Stars & Stripes ZL1/L88 Racer Finds New Home at Proteam Corvette

The National Corvette Museum’s Corvette raffles provides the non-profit organization with the necessary funds to carry out their day to day operations. But let’s face it, not everyone can participate in some of the higher end raffles which cost anywhere from $100 to $500 per ticket. That’s why we appreciate the raffle coming up this Thursday that’s for us “regular Joes” who can afford to lay down $10 for the opportunity to help the museum and maybe win a brand new 2012 Corvette Coupe!

Yes, it’s the return of the $10 raffle at the National Corvette Museum. This Thursday, February 2 at 3pm ET, a ticket will be drawn and the lucky winner will get to drive off in a 2012 Torch Red Corvette Coupe loaded with these options:

• Torch Red Exterior
• Transparent Removable Roof Panel
• Cashmere Interior with crossed flag embroidery on headrests
• 3LT Package with Navigation, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Bose premium 9-speaker system
• Dual Mode Performance Exhaust
• 6-Speed Automatic Transmission with Paddle Shift
• 5-spoke Chome Aluminum Wheels
• Memory package, recalls 2 driver ‘presets’ for 6-way power seat, outside mirrors
• Battery Protection Package
• Museum R8C Delivery Program

In addition to the Grand Prize, the NCM is also offering a beautiful Corvette quilt as a 2nd place prize. The quilt is handmade by Holly Anderson, the wife of NCM Board Member Richard Anderson and features many embroidered generations of Corvettes is a bold design.

You don’t have to be present to win, but you do have to purchase a raffle ticket to be included in this great opportunity to help out the museum and maybe win a new Corvette.

Unlike most of the other NCM raffles, the $10 Corvette raffle features unlimited tickets so you can purchase more than one. We purchased our $10 raffle ticket for the Torch Red Corvette Coupe when we visited the NCM over Thanksgiving, so make sure you get yours as it helps fund our Corvette museum!

Winner must be 18 years old with a valid driver’s license. NCM Corvette raffles are licensed by the Kentucky Department of Charitable Gaming – License Number ORG0000854.

Source:
National Corvette Museum

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Join Kerbeck this Saturday for 8th Annual Toys for Tots Corvette Round Up
[VIDEO] Raffle Winner Picks Up 1965 Corvette Convertible

The 1961 Corvette Gulf Oil race car was one of the centerpieces of Mecum’s 2012 Kissimmee auction and it drew massive attention when it hit the auction block Saturday afternoon. Bidding on the Grady Davis Gulf Oil-sponsored Corvette was fast and furious at the beginning but eventually stalled at $850,000 and the car went unsold. The reserve was undisclosed and the auctioneer only said that it would take “more”.

The 1961 Corvette Gulf Oil racer was considered the most dominant Corvette racer of its time, winning almost every race it was entered. One of two Corvettes delivered by Yenko Chevy to Grady Davis, the Gulf Corvette made its debut at the 1961 12 Hours of Sebring where it took third place in GT. During the 1961 campaign, Corvette racing specialist Dr. Dick Thompson (aka The Flying Dentist) took over for driver Don Yenko midway through the season and took home wins at Bridgehampton, Indianapolis, Thompson, Road America and Watkins Glen to bring cement the championship.

The former race car was discovered in 1990 and restored to its 1961 Sebring configuration by author and photographer Richard Prince. Since its return, the Gulf Oil Corvette was indicted into the Corvette Hall of Fame and the Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame.

Saturday prior to the auction, the Corvette was on display out front of the auction hall and we caught up to the car just as a couple of the wranglers were getting ready to start it up and move it over to the staging lanes.

Early Corvette race cars seem to have their own distinct sound and as you can see, a huge crowd gathered around as the 283/315 hp fuelie was started up. Here’s a quick video from that moment:

Although its lack of sale disappointed the crowd, we know we’ll be seeing the 1961 Gulf Oil Corvette again!

Related:
Corvette Auction Preview: Mecum Kissimmee
[VIDEO] Gulf One 1963 Corvette Z06 Sells for $1.05 Million

The Corvette Daytona Prototypes made their inaugural debut at the 50th Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. After a brutal 24 hours of round-the-clock racing, the No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP led the way for Team Chevy and the Corvette DPs with a 5th place overall finish. Corvette Racing’s factory drivers in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Corvette DP finished 8th while in GT, Tommy Milner and Jordan Taylor in the No. 88 Autohaus Camaro GT.R finished 10th in class.

The No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP had to overcome several major obstacles to earn that 5th place finish – including not being able to make a qualifying run and having to pit just after one lap of the race.

“That was probably one of the toughest 24 Hours I have done,” Darren Law said following a fifth-place finish in the famed endurance race at Daytona International Speedway. “We had a lot of adversity. We had some engine issues prior to the race, (and) we had to miss qualifying. The first, probably, eight hours of the race, we had an electrical misfire, which really cut the motor back, and we struggled.”

“But the guys worked really hard – Action Express, Chevrolet, Corvette – they all did a great job. I’m proud of the car. I’m proud of the team. … A top-five is a good start to the season, and we are happy to finish it.”

The No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP – driven by Antonio Garcia, Richard Westbrook, Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen – ended up in eighth place.

The No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP – driven by Terry Borcheller, JC France, Joao Barbosa and Max Papis – went to the garage at about the 14-hour mark to address a number of issues, and finished ninth.

The GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP, also driven by Jon Fogarty and Memo Gidley, did lead 19 laps but experienced a number of issues and finished 13th in the Daytona Prototype (DP) class.

The No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP started on the outside of the front row, courtesy of Max Angelelli’s qualifying effort, but experienced suspected valve train failure after just 14 laps.

In the Grand Touring (GT) class, the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R earned Team Chevy a 4th place class finish. Jordan Taylor picked up two spots in the closing laps to secure a ninth-in-class finish for the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Camaro GT.R, which was also driven by Paul Edwards, Matthew Marsh and Tom Milner. The No. 75 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R – driven by Al Carter, Hugh Plumb, Matt Bell, and Eric Curran – finished 30th in class.

The only Corvette in GT, the No. 46 Michael Baughman Racing Corvette driven by Michael Baughman, Mike Yeakle and Ray Mason finished 40th in class.

The Corvette DPs and Camaro GT.Rs will be back in action at Barber Motorsports Park on March 30-31 for GRAND-AM road racing’s second event of the season.

Source:
Team Chevy
Photo Credit: GRAND-AM.com

Related:
New Corvette Daytona Prototypes Ready for this Weekend’s 50th Anniversary Rolex 24
GRAND-AM: Oliver Gavin to Drive Corvette DP for Spirit of Daytona
Westbrook to Drive Corvette DP for Spirit of Daytona
Three New GRAND-AM Corvette DPs Test at Daytona
[VIDEO] Corvette Daytona Prototype Turns First Laps
Chevrolet Unveils 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype