(October 16, 2013) SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Mecum Auctions held an exceptional sale with large crowds at the Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill., this past weekend. With 965 cars crossing the block throughout the three-day event, 615 hammered sold for a 64 percent sell-through rate and $18,634,223 in sales.

The one-of-a-kind personal driver of Corvette’s original designer Harley J. Earl led auction sales with a price of $1.5 million.

Chicagoland was abuzz with Mecum in town and bidders and spectators filled the Schaumburg Convention Center to near capacity to take part in the action. Record numbers of registered bidders in attendance translated to very strong individual sales resulting in nearly $7 million in growth from last year’s Chicago-area auction.

The Harley Earl Corvette, a 1963 General Motors styling car, took top honors at $1.5 million, as the one-of-a-kind Sting Ray gifted by GM to one of the most influential automobile stylists in the world. At a sale price of a half-million, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 took the second seat in the top 10 sales. As number 23 of just 69 built that year, the ZL1 has been restored to its original factory specifications and presents as an excellently documented example.

Coming in as the third top sale was a 2005 Ford GT. A one-owner car with a mere 2,047 miles on the odometer, this American power-house supercar sold for a hearty $240,000.

The complete top 10 sales list from the Chicago auction includes (all individual sales reflect hammer prices):

1. 1963 Harley J. Earl Corvette (Lot S110) at $1,500,000
2. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (Lot S135.1) at $500,000
3. 2005 Ford GT (Lot S219) at $240,000
4. 1965 Shelby Cobra, CSX4337 (Lot S205.1) at $140,000
5. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Lot S233) at $135,000
6. 1968 Dodge Hemi Dart Lightweight (Lot S116.1) at $125,000
7. 1969 Pontiac Trans Am (Lot S151) at $118,000
8. 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Lot S157) at $110,000
9. 2013 Chevrolet COPO Camaro (Lot S174) at $105,000
10. 1951 Willys Overland Custom Pickup (Lot S116) at $100,000