There are auctions and then there is Kissimmee. Held Jan. 3-13 at the Osceola Heritage Park just south of Orlando, Mecum’s mid-winter Kissimmee sale brings out thousands of cars we’d like to drive home. Specifically, there will be 3500 cars and 3000 pieces of "road art." Hard to even sort through it all. So we just sifted out our favorite Corvettes. While these are all fairly high-priced examples, there are plenty more that may fit in your budget, if not your already-crowded garage. To see everything, click here for the Mecum Kissimmee catalog and start picking your bidding items.
Lot S180 The Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell Corvette Styling Cars Estimate for the pair: $2,500,000 to $3,000,000
As you no doubt know, Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell were giants of GM styling for most of the 20th century. From the 1927 LaSalle to the massive Interstate personal luxury coupes of the 1970s that are only now being truly appreciated by collectors, these two men had a larger influence on American automotive style than anyone else in the industry. So in the early ‘60s, the GM Design Studio made them each their own Corvettes. The Harley Earl Corvette, which Mecum has auctioned twice already, was a carbureted 327 1963 convertible with unique side pipes and blue metallic paint with a white stripe and a matching interior. Bill Mitchell’s 1964 Coupe also had blue metallic paint and blue interior but without the white stripe. They’re being sold as a pair.
Lot F151 Two Tuxedo Black 1969 L88s Estimate: $1,100,000 to $1,350,000
The L88 is a special-order ultra-high-performance Corvette equipped with a 427-cubic-inch competition engine, M22 four-speed, heavy duty disc brakes, heavy duty suspension, transistor ignition and heater delete. There were only 216 of them ever made, all between 1967 and 1969. The convertible was purchased by racing great Tony DeLorenzo (cousin of former Autoweek editor Matt DeLorenzo!), while the coupe has only 2000 original miles on its 427/430 hp V8.
Lot S245 2019 ZR1 Convertible 755+ hp 6.2-liter, Eight-speed automatic Estimate: $160,000 to $175,000
While other Corvettes in the auction may be more historically significant, none can beat this one around a race track. This is the current state of the art in Corvette power and glory. With over 755 supercharged hp and the ZTK Track Performance Package, you will rule the driving school. The Sebring Orange Design package is just icing on the already very cool cake.
Lot S179 1958 Convertible 283/290 hp, four-speed manual Original Joie Chitwood Thrill Show Corvette Estimate: $175,000 to $225,000
Used in the original Chitwood Thrill Show for one year. Purchased new by Chitwood himself, it comes with the original registration signed by him, as well as Thrill Show promotional material and vintage footage of the car flying through the air.
Lot S251 1962 Big Brake Fuelie 327/360 hpEstimate: $190,000 to $250,000
During practice for the 1956 Sebring 12 Hours, Corvette driver John Fitch was doing development work on the car before the race. One regular problem was the brakes – they weren’t very good. So chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov sent the team a set of Bendix Cerametallic brake linings, which the team installed inside finned cast iron drums with big air scoops cooling the brakes. These improvements were added in to 1957 to RPO 684, the Heavy Duty Racing Suspension package and Corvettes did very well after that. Arkus-Duntov added a number of suspension and steering improvements to RPO 684 and all of them are present on this 1962 model racing roadster. If you win the bidding, you are honor-bound to race this thing. Send photos of your wins, please.
Lot S204 1963 Split Window Coupe 327/340 hp unrestored with 14,234 miles Estimate: $225,000 to $250,000
It wouldn’t be a Corvette story without a split-window Stingray, so here it is. This one has been with the same owner for the last 40 years. Matching numbers, no stories! Original engine and four-speed manual. The catalog calls it a “time capsule.”
Lot T207 1957 Convertible dual-quad 283 comes with matching boat! Estimate: $65,000 to $80,000 No reserve
Cutest custom boat and Corvette Combo ever! That’s turquoise over white on both the Corvette and the custom Red Fish boat. Note the matching Art Deco/mid-century modern engine cover on the outboard motor. You will be the hit of every car show you attend. Plus, you can go fishing afterward. The spouse will love the boat as much as you love the car. It’ll be win/win!
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