Harley Earl's 1963 Corvette At Mecum

[427.060]

I just saw that Harley Earl's personalized 1963 Corvette will be at the upcoming Mecum auction in Chicago. The car was built for Earl by GM with modifications that Earl wanted like the instrument cluster added to the passenger side and the side pipes. It will be interesting to see what it sells for. There are speculations that it may top the recent L-88 price.
James

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/26/harley-earl-personal-corvette-auction/

[1970Bluel78]

Fugly

[TimG]

I think this is one of the most beautiful Corvettes I've ever seen. I've seen it many times.

[olredalert]

----Tim,,,Stretch and I looked at that car unrestored at fall Carlisle long before Corvette Carlisle began. It was a true barn find and we both wanted it but had no idea how to approach the restoration. It sat in the for sale area all weekend with only a few people looking at it heavily. Im not sure but I think it went unsold that weekend and then, somehow, made its way to Bob Gold and Joe later. I had seen the car before in H. E.s driveway in Palm Beach when I was 16 or 17 and basicly knew what it was, but later was too stupid to buy it as the car, that weekend at Carlisle was VERY affordable......Bill S

[PeteLeathersac]

I've always loved the Shop Order cars especially the pipes and footgrilles.
The SO cars built for GM elite and their wive's are some of THE coolest 'Vettes ever but personally I'd consider the L88 as more valuable if the midyear '67 car.
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

[bergy]

I remember the car when it was in Bob Gold's shop. I still talk to his brother Andrew occasionally. They still have Bob's #7 prototype '63 coupe race car &amp; his survivor '63 fuel coupe - a real time warp car. - RIP Bob Gold!

[1967Z28]

Tom Swindell's '63 Z06 roadster next to the <span style="color: navy">&quot;Harley Earl Corvette&quot;</span> (http://www.carofthecentury.com/the_real_corvette_story.htm). According to Franz Estereicher, Tom used this special Corvette
to tow his race car to the track (notice the tow ball). Tom Swindell was one of the top Corvette salesmen in the nation and worked
at Dawson-Taylor Chevrolet in Detroit, which sold many hi-performance cars (including the L88 Corvette raced by Tony DeLorenzo).
That's Norman Luther's '57 Corvette in the background. This photo was taken at the July '64 race at Waterford Hills.
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills7-64007.jpg
<span style="font-style: italic">Photo by Ron Lathrop</span>

[ANDY M]

Wasn't this car in the Bob McDorman collection?

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/ameyers215/McDorman07017.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/ameyers215/media/McDorman07017.jpg.html)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/ameyers215/McDorman07022.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/ameyers215/media/McDorman07022.jpg.html)

[olredalert]

----Bruce,,,Bob was one of my closest friends. We both could practicly finish each others sentences. I sold and bought Corvettes to and from him for years, and I miss him dearly. Went to his 50th birthday and never had a better time. Big RIP in this case!
----By the way, the H.E. Corvette was equipped with Dayton wire wheels when I saw it in his driveway in Palm Beach.......Bill S

[DW31S]

That car has been around and sold several times. It would be interesting to see what the prices it has been sold for throughout the years.

[hep1966]

Gauges are missing on the passenger side....???


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1967Z28</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tom Swindell's '63 Z06 roadster next to the <span style="color: navy">&quot;Harley Earl Corvette&quot;</span> (http://www.carofthecentury.com/the_real_corvette_story.htm). According to Franz Estereicher, Tom used this special Corvette
to tow his race car to the track (notice the tow ball). Tom Swindell was one of the top Corvette salesmen in the nation and worked
at Dawson-Taylor Chevrolet in Detroit, which sold many hi-performance cars (including the L88 Corvette raced by Tony DeLorenzo).
That's Norman Luther's '57 Corvette in the background. This photo was taken at the July '64 race at Waterford Hills.
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills7-64007.jpg
<span style="font-style: italic">Photo by Ron Lathrop</span> </div></div>

[Jack_Tar]

The wheel knock-offs are different too.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hep1966</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Gauges are missing on the passenger side....???


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1967Z28</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tom Swindell's '63 Z06 roadster next to the <span style="color: navy">&quot;Harley Earl Corvette&quot;</span> (http://www.carofthecentury.com/the_real_corvette_story.htm). According to Franz Estereicher, Tom used this special Corvette
to tow his race car to the track (notice the tow ball). Tom Swindell was one of the top Corvette salesmen in the nation and worked
at Dawson-Taylor Chevrolet in Detroit, which sold many hi-performance cars (including the L88 Corvette raced by Tony DeLorenzo).
That's Norman Luther's '57 Corvette in the background. This photo was taken at the July '64 race at Waterford Hills.
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills7-64007.jpg
<span style="font-style: italic">Photo by Ron Lathrop</span> </div></div> </div></div>

[L78racer]

are those FI emblems in the track pic?

[olredalert]

----Dont understand the lack of guages, but I know Bob and Joe had real KOs on it when Bob restored it. Later when I happened to see it someone had taken the real bluestreaks and real KOs off and installed repro KOs and goldlines with the gold stripe painted blue. Kind of irritated me! Im not sure whats on the car today, but as I said, when Estes had it the car had Dayton wires, which many Tech Center GM cars received over the years.......Bill S

[TimG]

Bill, your history with these and other cars is amazing. I love hearing your stories.

[RPOLS3]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TimG</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bill, your history with these and other cars is amazing. I love hearing your stories. </div></div>

Isn't that the truth!

Jake

[hvychev]

Tim I totally agree with you! When I saw this thread pop up the first thing I thought was I wonder Bill knew this car when it was young, and he did! By the way, I too think this car is VERY cool!

[vette5762]

I also remember this car when Bob owned it, he took me for a very interesting ride, he could drive like a crazy man. I helped him with the early corvette auctions at Carlisle. I still own a 57 and a 62 I bought from Bob, he drove the 62 to my house after I bought it from him, he told me it was running like a dream. Turns out it was the last Corvette he ever drove.

[bergy]

Hey Jay - Good to see your post! I still have Bob's 5 cent coke machine &amp; the Ford dealer neon sign that I got from Maureen. Bruce E

[vette5762]

Congratulations on Charlie's new assignment, you are certainly up to the task. I hope I can catch up with you at Carlisle or Hershey.

[427.060]

Sold for $1.5M plus fees.
James

[ANDY M]

<span style="color: #FF0000">SWEET ONION CHUTNEY</span>!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/eek.gif $1.5 mil?! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif

All those years I saw it catching dust in a pole barn at McDorman's Chevy shop, I never would have guessed it would sell for that much. Poor old Bob had Mecum auction off 350 of his cars, I bet that whoever bought it back then got a screaming deal on it.
How many times has it changed hands since the McDorman auction? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif

[Mr70]

This from a recent article:
<span style="font-style: italic">&quot;McDorman says he does not have a favorite vehicle,he loves them all.But some stand out.
The most money he ever paid for a vehicle was $250,000,which bought him a blue 1963 Corvette,designed for and given to General Motors designer Harley Earl.
McDorman later sold it for $500,000.&quot;</span>