The "3rd" ZL-1 Corvette

[Big Block Bill]

Did anyone see the "3rd" documented ZL-1 Corvette on the Judging field @ Bloomington Gold this past weekend. I missed it while dodging rain drops & hiding out in the Auction tent. It was supposed to have been one of the original 6 ZL-1 Corvettes Zora said they made, and one of the 4 that were turned into L-88's and sold due to the original list price of the ZL-1 option. I heard it was a Monoco Orange Convertible. It was in a magazine years ago with an interview with Zora. Any info or pictures would be appreciated.

Bill

[Tenney]

...?

[PLATINUM6BBL]

Retired PA state trooper John Mahr's old car that he bought new. He traded a 68 L88 in on it. Last time I saw it it still had less than 5000 original miles on it. A couple friends of mine (Burr Corbett & Jimmy Stewart) have close association with the car when it was new and they ran around with John.
You could ask Rob Clary as he had a conversation with John years back after the car came into a "brighter light" so to say. I will say that John has always claimed to having seen 7 ZL-1 Corvette's built and in a holding lot.

[olredalert]

----Have seen this great Corvette many times and it is a treasure, as well as a beast!!!!!!.....Bill S

[markinnaples]

I, too, have seen this Corvette and it's just flat out awesome. Western PA car that I saw at a couple car shows around Pgh.

[markjohnson]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this car a TH400?

[Don_Lightfoot]

Here is a picture I took in 2005. I assume it is the same car, although there are much more graphics than in the picture shown earlier in this thread.

http://www.pbase.com/don_lightfoot/image/151121071.jpg

[SBR]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: markjohnson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this car a TH400? </div></div>
Mark, you are correct. In 1969, L88s were available with the TH400 if the owner wanted it.

[Big Block Bill]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SBR</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: markjohnson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this car a TH400? </div></div>
Mark, you are correct. In 1969, L88s were available with the TH400 if the owner wanted it. </div></div>

SBR,

Yes an L-88 was available with a TH400 automatic, but this car started life as a ZL-1, there for it would be the only &quot;Known&quot; ZL-1, TH400 automatic car ever made. I sure would like to experience driving a ZL-1, TH400, Convertible with side pipes! THAT would be a life changing experience.

Bill

[TimG]

Where the heck was this car, how could I miss it on the judging field?

[markus37]

I recall that GM resisted building this car with automatic trans and rear gear requested. I think someone at Gulf Oil , maybe Grady Davis , interceded to have it done.

[PLATINUM6BBL]

John made reference to Gulf being his sponsor to race Pikes Peak with the car.
If I remember correctly the car came from Kelly Chevrolet but John's dad had connections at Yenko as this was where he bought all the truck tractor's for his trucking business.
One story told to me by Jimmy Stewart was going with John to Harrisburg in the ZL-1 for some sort of police business. Jimmy said they got on the turnpike and ran about 140 most of the way. Did the same on the return trip. When John went to get off the guy in the toll booth asked John if he was Trooper Mahr. John replied &quot;yes&quot;. Toll booth guy told him &quot;Commander __ wants to see you in his office tomorrow <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/mad.gif!&quot; John looked at Jimmy and said &quot;YEA! Return trip tomorrow!&quot; Don't think the commander was happy about one of his troopers running so hard.

[Big Block Bill]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TimG</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Where the heck was this car, how could I miss it on the judging field? </div></div>

Tim,

That's exactly what I was thinking (even with ALL the Orange cars that were at this years show). That had to be a hard car to miss if it was striped like the pictures shown in this posting. I imagine if it was on the judging field, it had to be painted closer to as it was built at the St Louis factory back in 1969. Any way it was a missed opportunity. I should have pm'd you before the show so we could have met in person. Maybe the next time. Are you going to be @ the Mecum auction in Schaumburg this fall? Let me know.

Bill

[Big Block Bill]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...e=1&amp;theater (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151663085934827&amp;set=a.75689509826 .72466.52447429826&amp;type=1&amp;theater)

[olredalert]

----Oh, the humanity. I really loved that ZL1 the way it was!.......Bill S