WORDS: NATHAN CHADWICK | PHOTOS: MECUM
One of 20 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupes headlined the recent bumper $54m sale at the Mecum Auctions Glendale, Arizona event. The 1967 car (pictured here), wore just 357 miles and is believed to be the only example in Sunfire Yellow for that model year. The sole Duntov and Triple Diamond-awarded 1967 Corvette L88, which is still equipped with its original engine, had been subject to a ten-year restoration and came with its original new car sales contract, trim tag and title. It sold for $1.815m.
The Corvette was just one of 942 lots to pass through the State Farm Stadium stage between March 5-9, 2024, and the only non-Ford to bag a place in the top five sales. A pair of Ford GTs from two different eras followed the L88, with one of 20 2021 GT Studio Collection Series on 754 miles selling for $946k, while the above 3222-mile 2005 Ford GT sold for $440k. A two-time SEMA-winning 1969 Ford Torino Talladega GPT Special that starred in the film Furious 7 crossed the block at $440k, while a freshly restored 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback went for $363k.
The rest of the top ten sales was headed by a 2017 Dodge Viper ACR VoooDoo II Edition ($357.5k), followed by one of 63 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06/N03 models built ($346.5k) and a 1961 Chevrolet Impala Convertible better known as Swansong, built by Hot Rods & Custom Stuff of Escondido, California, with a LS3 V8 and an Art Morrison GT Sport chassis; that sold for $302.5k. One of the star lots, however, was the above 1969 Cadillac Eldorado that was first bought by Elvis Presley. After a heated bidding battle, it sold for $253k. A 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Big Tank Fuelie, which sold for $247.5k, rounded out the top ten.
Ferraris fared less well in Arizona – of the 17 cars offered, just two sold off the stage. Notable no sales included one of 111 original US-market Enzos and a 1992 US-market F40, plus the above 1969 Ferrari 265 GTC SWB NART Spyder conversion. Chassis 12181 is believed to be unique, crafted by Luigi Chinetti Jr during the 1970s but only finished in the 1980s, when the dealership had closed. It was first sold to Harry Gibson in 1987, and then passed to Bill De Carr. It was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours in 1990, and featured in the December 2013 issue of Forza magazine.
Other interesting results included one of ten 1964 Imperial Crown Ghias, which acted as the presidential limousine for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and President Lyndon Baines Johnson, which sold for $181.5k. However, the much-anticipated barometer of the US Nissan Skyline market, the above R34 GT-R M Spec Nür, failed to find a new home – despite being one of just 20 versions of the M Spec Nür finished in black, unmodified and, most importantly, street legal in the US.
For more results, head here.
