Back in August one of the famous Owens-Corning L88 Corvette racecars went up for bids at RM’s Monterey auction. There it was a no sale at a stout $730,000. If you’re still looking to do something with your spare million or so bucks before the Fiscal Cliff hits don’t worry. You’ll have another chance to snag this magnificent Corvette at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction next month in Arizona.
The car, generally considered to be the most successful racing Corvette of all time, was piloted by Tony DeLorenzo and Jerry Thompson with Thompson spending the most time in the driver’s seat. Over its career the car generated a huge stack of accolades including: 1969 and 1972 SCCA A-Production titles, 1968 and 1970 SCCA National A-Production Runner-Up, 2nd in class at Sebring in 1969, as well as 1969 and 1970 GT Class wins at Daytona. Together with its sister car they won all 22 of 22 SCCA/FIA events between 1969 and 1971. The car seen here claimed 11 of those wins.
Offered with a Reserve as Lot #5041, it will be offered live on SPEED during primetime Saturday, Jan. 19, as part of the “5000 series” of cars that will hit the Barrett-Jackson stage during the peak of the auction week.
“In addition to its unmatched history of racing success, this vehicle includes exhaustive documentation, which can be rare on Corvette models,” said Steve Davis, Barrett-Jackson president. “We anticipate that the auction of one of the most significant Corvette racecars in existence will be among the highlights of Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale this year.”
Off the track, the car has claimed a NCRS American Heritage Award in addition to be featured in numerous magazine articles.
The first restoration on this car began 2000 which returned it to its 1971 24 Hours of Daytona livery. Once completed, the car was displayed with the Grand Sports and other historic competition Corvettes at Monterey in 2002. It has appeared at other premier car shows since including Pebble Beach in 2002, Amelia Island and the Quail in 2008, and “Chip’s Choice” at the 2007 Corvettes at Carlisle. It’s spent time in National Corvette Museum and is also the cover car on Corvette Racing Legends by Peter Gimenez.
The car is fully documented including race results, photos, and a complete ownership history. Still don’t think it’s the real deal? Tony DeLorenzo accompanied the previous owner to properly ID the car.
Don’t be surprised when this car again bids into the upper 6 figures and possibly ends up with 7 digits in the final hammer price. This easily one of the most significant racing Corvettes of all time. Call the bank and get your funds transfer ready. If it meets reserve, this will be one pricey racecar.
The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction will take place January 13th – 20th in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Source:
Barrett-Jackson via http://www.corvetteblogger.com
