Heroshot

1969 Chevrolet Corvette

ZL1 Convertible
$3,140,000
Sale Price
$2,600,000 - $3,000,000
Est. Range
Yes
Reserve
26 January 2023
Sold Date
144
Lot Number
#2+
Older restoration
RM Sotheby's
Auction House
Chassis no. 194679S710209; Engine no. T1022MG 19S710209. Monaco Orange with black top over black vinyl. ZL1 427 (the original engine was blown and replaced under warranty by Chevrolet in 1969), TH400 automatic transmission, 4.11 axle ratio, power brakes, radio delete. Extensively documented and verified as a real ZL1, restoration completed by Kevin MacKay.

Evaluation: Used in drag racing and hillclimb events in Pennsylvania in period but never wrecked. Bought by the current owner from the original owner in 2007, and then restored by Kevin Mackay in 2014. Excellent paint and panel fit. The brightwork is excellent. Convertible top fits tightly. The underbody and engine are excellent and show no use as well. The interior is like new. As well kept and presented as it deserves to be, this incredibly rare ZL1 the star Corvette in an auction week that is absolutely jam-packed with America’s sports car.

Bottom Line: This ZL1 is one of two built. It doesn’t get much rarer than that. Like the L88 that came before it the ZL1 was never advertised and prohibitively expensive but even more so as it added more than $4700 to the price tag with zero other options selected. That was double the base price of a Corvette, but it got you a 560-hp version of the all-aluminum Can-Am racing engine.

In the weeks leading up to Scottsdale, car media speculated that this could be the most expensive Corvette ever sold at auction. Indeed, we didn’t really have any comparable sales to go on. The other ZL1 built last sold at auction more than 30 years ago, for $300,000 reportedly after being seized by the DEA. In the end it didn’t quite break the all-time Vette record. That still belongs to a $3.85M 1967 L88 Coupe. But it is the most expensive C3 (1968-82) Corvette sold at auction and the third most expensive Corvette ever.

by Andrew Newton
10 February 2023
ZL1

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