It’s been a banner week for Corvettes and collector cars in general, with several models crossing the block at the recent Barrett-Jackson [1] collector car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, setting sales records. Chief among the machines capturing top dollar is this incredible 1967 L88 Corvette – one of just twenty L88 cars sold in 1967 and the solitary example with the red-on-red color combination.
[2]Image Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson [3]
As a one-of-one car, there’s really no precedent for what it should fetch at auction, but Barrett-Jackson discovered the limit when the car hit the block and went from zero to $3.5 million (plus fees) in just about two minutes – an insane auction pace, and fascinating to watch. Even more fascinating for the new owner, of course, as he becomes the owner of the only car in existence with these options.
According to CorvetteBlogger [4], the car is the recipient of the National Corvette Restorers Society [5] Top Flight Award and is the only L88 to have earned the Duntov Mark of Excellence. The car was delivered to Mike Savoie Chevrolet on Woodward Avenue in Michigan and was ordered with a host of options.
In 1967, the L88 cars all received the F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension, the J56 Special Heavy Duty Brakes, the L88 427 cubic-inch 430 horsepower engine, and the M22 Heavy Duty Close Ratio 4 Speed Transmission. In addition, this car was ordered with a 4.56 rearend ratio, which shows off its drag racing heritage. In fact, the first owner raced the car quite often at Motor City Dragway, Lapeer Dragway, and Detroit Dragway. It’s an incredible car with an incredible history – and now, adding to that history, it goes down as the most expensive Corvette ever sold at auction.