(January 12, 2016) As the world’s largest collector-car auction featuring 3,000 vehicles, Mecum Kissimmee is unequaled in its variety of makes and models being offered this year. An auction historically dominated by “The Big Three,” for 2016, more than one-third of the cars set to cross the auction block hail from the factories of General Motors, including more than 200 Corvettes, more than 100 Camaros, nearly 100 Chevelles, Bel Airs, Impalas, Trans Ams, GTOs and more.

Imagine walking into a dealership back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, and finding this vast of a selection. Fast forward a half century, and Mecum assembles perhaps the most comprehensive GM automotive toy store to stimulate the senses. With 10 full days of auction action, Jan. 15-24, the selection at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla., is simply unparalleled.


1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The docket includes cars that range in value from entry-level prices up to multimillion-dollar investment vehicles headlined by some of the rarest vehicles ever produced by GM, including two 1969 Trans Am Convertibles, two 1969 Camaro ZL1s, several of Corvette’s finest such as a ’68 L88, a ’63 Z06 Tanker and four of the first-year hand-built examples from 1953.

With very scant advertising upon its initial introduction, the 1969 Pontiac Trans Am is a rare and highly sought-after car in its own right; only 697 were built that year. Rarer yet is the Trans Am convertible. Produced for one year only, just eight of these storied cars were ever manufactured.

Astoundingly, two of those eight will be offered for sale in Kissimmee. The first is one of just four automatics and sports a deep blue interior, while the other is equipped with a four-speed manual transmission and boasts the title of the only triple-white example ever produced. The opportunity to purchase a Trans Am convertible could easily be a once-in-a-lifetime chance… Mecum Kissimmee 2016 will allow buyers the chance to bid on two.

Another car considered an elusive dream machine by many classic muscle-car enthusiasts is the 1969 Camaro ZL1, only 69 of which were ever produced. Purpose-built to rule NHRA and AHRA Super Stock drag racing, the astronomical price made them attractive only to those who planned to recover some of that cost in professional race prize winnings.

The Mecum Kissimmee Auction will present two of the finest surviving examples, both four-speeds with their original all-aluminum 427 cubic-inch ZL1 engines. Numbers 18 and 30 of the total 69 produced are both sterling examples of Chevrolet’s true “Super Camaro.”

America’s favorite sports car, the Corvette, has become a staple and a very important part of the Kissimmee auction, and this year’s lineup is stellar. One of 80 built, a four-speed 1968 Corvette L88 coupe will cross the auction block featuring its matching-numbers engine, original tank sticker and an older frame-off restoration, which earned it Bloomington Gold Certification as well as an NCRS Top Flight award, both in 1988.

Another rare and desirable Bloomington Gold Certified and Top Flight-awarded ‘Vette on offer will be a 1963 Z06 Tanker, one of just 63 built with the code-N03 36-gallon racing tank. In addition to those uncommon and exceptional ‘Vettes are four from the model’s debut year. All four of these 1953 convertibles boast membership in the exclusive group of just 300 built that year, all of which were constructed by hand.