ZL1 #59 headed to auction with no reserve

[Tenney]

Was said to be original engine whilst w/Otis.

[mockingbird812]

Originally Posted by Stefano

This is the former ZL1 from the Ottis Chandler collection. When the collection was sold off the caretaker/curator for the collection Greg Joseph was allowed to pick one car to keep for himself, or something to that effect and this is the car he chose. I remember talking with him when he was selling this ZL1 years ago. Some of the cars went to members here on this site early on, but many have been since resold. Check out the book “American Muscle’”. For the younger and newer guys in the hobby, Ottis Chandler was one of the early collectors to start chasing American Muscle Cars.

Thanks Stefano. Way cool book with some great (Leffingwell, I think?) photography. I found this book in a 2nd hand book shop a decade ago and thot it was a cool book and just loved the photos (427 Cobra on the flight line with and F-14 no less!). If I recall correctly, this brightly colored HO ZL1 was staged in a photo in a drab, dirty train yard that looked just so cool and inspired me to photograph my Deuce at a train yard for my HMM story.

[William]

Originally Posted by 69LM1

Those pinstripes correct? Looks off but I am no expert.

/Rich

Technically, they should be white. When found back in the mid-80s, still had OE paint. One side was black, the other white. I saw it at SC-Indy 1987 when Carl Dwiggins owned it. He asked the resto shop to restore it as found and they refused. So both sides are black.

Still has the wrong shifter.

[Stefano]

Interesting info William. While I never personally inspected the engine or drivetrain numbers, it had been represented as original engine in the past. Unless someone else knows different?

We will have some used Copies of "American Muscle" for sale at our MCACN display. Very Kool picture book indeed.

[mockingbird812]

Here is the shot of the HO ZL1 from Randy Leffingwell’s “American Muscle” book that I was referring to earlier. BTW, it was his first book (1989)!

[mprice]

The orange ZL1 in the Ottis book is not the one going to auction at Scottsdale. The orange ZL1 that Ottis owned and was in his book is the orange car that Greg bought out of Ohio from Derek Smith. I seen the Barrett auction car when it was Carl's car in person before it was restored and it was very good condition even for that time which would have been the early 80s. It did not have the original motor but Carl knew where it was but in those days he just didn't want to get crazy with the money and had Dave Tinnell restore the car with the replacement motor. When Dave restored the car he refused to paint mis matched pin stripes on the car as it was from the factory (white and black), it was restored with same color on both sides. I understand that the original motor was reunited with the car when it was redone this last time. This is classic case of how some of these cars that are great cars but get a bad reputation from idle chatter. The car was and I am sure still is one hell of a nice car with great paperwork and all the original major sheetmetal.

[Charley Lillard]

Update on the ZL1. Mark Schwartz told me this morning that he recently inspected and installed the orig. engine in the ZL1 for the owner. Got it from the guy that bought it in early 70’s. Said vin stamp matches trans stamp.

[1969L89]

Just sold for $995,000.

[mprice]

That sell price doesn't surprise me, I think this car is clearly in the top 3 or 5 of the ZL1s.

[Bill Pritchard]

FWIW, I heard Mike Joy say on the B-J TV coverage that the original engine was recently reunited with the car, which obviously jibes with what Charley posted above.