Gulf One Corvette Z06 nabs $1M

Known as “Gulf One,” this 1963 Chevy Corvette Z06 racer
sold for $1,050,000 at the Mecum Auctions Kissimmee, Fla.,
sale. (Mecum Auctions photo)

With the crowd on its feet and attendees cheering with excitement, Mecum Auctions dropped the hammer on the historically significant 1963 Gulf Oil Chevrolet Corvette Z06 race car as it crossed the block at the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Fla., Jan. 22-24.

As the leader of the pack, the “Gulf One” topped the auction’s sales and sold for $1,050,000.

“We’re declining to participate in this recession,” said Mecum Auctions President Dana Mecum, noting the significant sales and strong attendance at the Kissimmee event. “The collector car market has stabilized and it’s now getting back to the levels seen in 2004 and 2005.”

The Gulf One was the main attraction of 750 collector cars, muscle cars and Corvettes offered at the auction, which reported a 58 percent sell-through rate. Auction attendance grew 51 percent over 2008. According to Mecum, total gross sales for the three-day auction were $16.5 million, up from $15.2 million last year. Starting with this auction, Mecum has begun reporting the hammer prices for all vehicles sold — not including buyer’s premiums.

Mecum Kissimmee’s Top 10 sales:
1. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 “Gulf One” - $1,050,000
2. 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster - $525,000
3. 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Race Car - $305,000
4. 1957 Chevrolet Corvette convertible 283-cid/283-hp fuelie - $250,000
5. 1964 Ford Galaxie hardtop 427 Hi Riser - $205,000
6. 1964 Ford Fairlane 427 Thunderbolt Drag Racer - $195,000
7. 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona - $195,000
8. 1953 Cadillac Eldorado convertible - $165,000
9. 1953 Buick Skylark convertible - $135,000
10. 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta convertible - $135,000

“I am proud of the entire Mecum team, who once again performed tremendously during this auction to serve the consigners and bidders,” Mecum said. “We are committed to delivering the best results, for the lowest commissions, of any auction company.”

While a series of records were broken by Mecum at its Kissimmee auction — attendance, sales and Web site viewers were higher than any numbers from last year’s event — it was also the auction company’s first live broadcast from Osceola Heritage Park, which aired on the television series “Mecum Auto Auction: Muscle Cars & More” on HD Theater, Discovery Communication’s high-definition network.

Excitement surrounding the million-dollar Corvette Z06 was enhanced by the presence of legendary driver Dr. Dick Thompson, who was on-site signing autographs and taking pictures next to the race car he originally drove in 1963. Known as the “Flying Dentist,” Thompson contended for national championships during the 1950s and ’60s and was a mainstay in SCCA racing.
Full results of the Kissimmee, Fla., auction are available to Mecum InfoNet members, which is free to join at www.mecum.com/infonet/infonet.cfm.

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