Photo Credit: Mecum Auctions

Monterey Car Week is always one of the most anticipated automotive gatherings of the year, and this year’s auctions on the west coast certainly didn’t disappoint.

If you are an active Corvette enthusiast, by now you have probably heard one of the historic five 1963 Corvette Grand Sports (chassis #003) was offered for sale during Monterey Car Week. The car appeared at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale on Saturday evening, and it became the highest selling Corvette ever sold at auction when it hammered for $17,000,000. With commission, the out-the-door price was an astronomical $18,705,000.

You can read our post about the ’63 Grand Sport sale here.

It’s an amazing Corvette just found a new home after 23 years, and we can confirm it wasn’t Mr. H who bought the prized Corvette. If anyone can point us to the new owners, we would be appreciative.

But there was more for Corvette buyers in Monterey than just the Grand Sport racer, so here’s a quick rundown of some of the more interesting Corvettes that were offered for sale during the week.

1968 Corvette L88 RED/NART Le Mans

Keeping with RM Sotheby’s auction, the money flowing through that room was incredible with someone paying $40 million for the first Ferrari Luce EV. But did you know that a 1968 Corvette L88 once raced at the 1972 Le Mans wearing a Ferrari badge? The Red L88 needed a team and ended up racing under the North American Racing Team (NART) banner but team owner Luigi Chinetti said it must match the team’s Ferrari liveries. The L88 would start 5th from last and ended up finishing 15th overall and 1st in Group 4 – making it just the fourth Corvette ever to finish a Le Mans race. During the race at Le Mans, drivers Dave Heinz and “Marietta Bob” Johnson recorded speeds of up to 212 mph on the Mulsanne Straight, which was faster than Ferrari’s top speed figure of 206 MPH (332 kph) during the race.

The Red 1968 Corvette L88 sold at RM Sotheby’s for $747,500.

1960 Corvette #1 Cunningham Le Mans Racer

The White 1960 Corvette was one of the three 1960 Corvettes entered for the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans by Briggs Cunningham and driven by Cunningham and Bill Kimberly. During the race, the car hit a wall of rain at high speed and went off track and rolled end over end. Kimberly was able to walk away from the wreck and the car was retired. The #3 entry would go on to take the class win and finished 8th overall. Once back in the USA, the #1 car was repaired and then went through a progression of owners before it was purchased in 1976 by Judge Richard Carr of St. Pete Florida where it disappeared for nearly four decades. The car was rediscovered by Carr’s family in 2011, and after a lengthy legal battle with a number of people including Kevin McKay, a judge ordered it sold and it was purchased by Briggs Cunningham’s grandson. Kevin McKay’s Corvette Repair did the restoration and it was reunited with the two other 1960 Le Mans Cunningham Corvettes at The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2023.

The 1960 Corvette LM received a high bid of $2,000,000 but did not sell.

2026 Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel

Over at the Mecum auction, a Black 2026 Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel limited edition that celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration was offered at their Monterey sale. In addition to its Stars & Steel package, it’s one of just 270 ZR1X models produced during it’s inaugural year.

The 2026 Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel Coupe sold for $605,000.

1963 Corvette Z06 N03 Tanker

Mecum offered this 1963 Corvette Split Window with the Z06 Special Performance Equipment Package and it was one of 63 N03 “Tankers” featuring the 36-gallon fuel tank. Restored by Verrillo Motor Cars, it has its numbers-matching 327/360-hp fuel injected motor, along with the 4-speed manual transmission and a positraction rear axle. The car has documentation and it has won multiple awards from the NCRS, Bloomington Gold, and MCACN.

The 1963 Corvette Z06 Tanker sold for $770,000 at Mecum’s Monterey Sale.

2019 Corvette ZR1 Coupe

This 2019 Corvette ZR1 features the 3ZR equipment group and the ZTK Track Package. The last of the C7s was outfitted with the Sebring Orange Design Package featuring Sebring Orange exterior, orange brake calipers, Black leather interior with Orange Stitching and Orange seat belts. Highlights include 1,339 miles showing on the odometer and it was also optioned with the 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 2019 Corvette ZR1 Coupe sold for $192,500 at Mecum’s Monterey Sale.

Betty Skelton’s 1965 Corvette Convertible

This Rally Red 1965 Corvette Sting Ray Convertible was previously owned by Betty Skelton, known as “The First Lady of Firsts” for her accomplishments in aviation, automobiles, and advertising. Betty famously raced with Zora Arkus-Duntov and John Fitch with a trio of 1956 Corvettes on Daytona Beach during NASCAR Speed Week, and then she became an advertising executive with Campbell-Ewald which handled the Chevrolet account. This 1965 Corvette was ordered through Chevy’s Central Office and it was used in an advertising campaign before it was presented to Betty for her personal use. The car at some point was sold and then discovered decades later in Pennsylvania.

Betty Skelton’s former 1965 Corvette Convertible sold for $88,000 at Mecum Monterey.

1967 Corvette L88 Coupe

The only known Rally Red 1967 Corvette L88 (and one of 20 produced in ’67) was offered at the Mecum Monterey auction. The well-known Corvette L88 once held the record for highest selling Corvette at auction when it sold during Barrett-Jackson’s 2014 Scottsdale auction with a record price of $3,850,000. It comes highly awarded with Bloomington Gold, NCRS Top Flight, Performance Verification, Duntov, and more.

The 1967 Corvette L88 Coupe had a high bid of $2,500,000 and the bid goes on… @ Mecum.

Source:
Mecum Auctions and RM Sotheby’s

Related:
[VIDEO] SOLD! 1963 Corvette Grand Sport Chassis 003 Sells for $18.7 Million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction
2026 Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel Edition to be Offered at Saturday’s Mecum Monterey Sale
Betty Skelton’s 1965 Corvette Headed to Mecum Monterey this Week

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