A single 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Cabriolet will be auctioned

A one-of-a-kind 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible will cross the block at an RM Sotheby’s auction on January 16 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Monaco Orange drop-top is the only one of its kind. And it’s one of only two factory-documented ZL-1 Corvettes built for 1969, and the only convertible to receive the ZL-1 treatment, an option that added a race-derived 427 cubic inch V-8 engine to the C3. vette

1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible (Photo by RM Sotheby's)

1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible (Photo by RM Sotheby’s)

Based on the L88 engine, the ZL-1’s 427 features aluminum block and heads, the latter with an “open chamber” design aimed at increasing performance, and redesigned and upgraded engine internals. Based on engines used in Can Am racing, General Motors offered the ZL-1 option for homologation purposes and had no real intention of selling street cars to customers.

The $4,718 price tag ($3,000 of which is for the ZL-1 package itself) helped discourage customers from ticking the ZL-1 box on their order forms Positraction locking differential. Amenities available on smaller Corvettes such as heating, air conditioning, radio and power steering were not available on the ZL-1.

1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible (Photo by RM Sotheby's)

1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible (Photo by RM Sotheby’s)

That was good for John W. Maher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, who took delivery of this car on December 30, 1968. He wanted to race the Corvette and then competed in various hill climbs, autocrosses and drag races in western Pennsylvania until 1972.

Maher pulled the ZL-1 out of storage in 1989, had it serviced, and continued to drive and show it until finally selling the car in 2007. The ZL-1 has since been fully restored and earned the Bloomington Gold certification coveted by Corvette collectors, but still has its original engine. Due to its rarity, well-documented history and the quality of the restoration, RM Sotheby’s expects the ZL-1 to sell for $2.6-$3 million at auction. That’s not out of place for rare Corvette variants like the later ZR2 convertible, which remain collectors’ favourites.