Rounding out the GM cars I liked best at the January Arizona auctions is a handful of muscle cars and couple of very non-muscular convertibles. As I stated in part 1 yesterday, this in not an exhaustive look at the best GM cars there. For that, you’d have to spend an exhausting very full day of car gazing in the desert, or at least an exhausting wrist workout scrolling through the auction results online. I’ll save you the trouble so that if your tastes are anything like mine, you should enjoy looking at these highlights.
1966 Chevrolet Corvair Monza convertible. Corvairs aren’t particularly rare in classic car circles, but neither are they very common, especially one as attractive as this. So why did I home in on this one? I’ve always liked the 65+ rebodied version, I’m a sucker for creamy vintage paint jobs, and a top down Corvair shows off its clean flowing lines especially well.
I think Chevy did a great job with the grilleless front in 1965, and the rear is equally nice.
Four versions of the 164c.i. flat 6 were offered in the Corvair. 95hp was standard but our auction peach has the top engine available in the mid-level Monza series: 140hp with four 1-bbl carbs. The available automatic is a Powerglide. Top-level Corsa series had the 140 horse engine standard with a 180hp turbocharged version optional.
The Corvair’s interior was low rent but that doesn’t mean Chevy didn’t make it as nice as could be expected for the price. The dash has a lot of character. The diminutive gear shift lever is unique.
The convertible was presented as the lady’s half of a “His and Hers” pair for sale (separately). “His” was a red 1967 Monza hardtop coupe which sold for $28,600. Both were restored and appeared about as cherry as you’re likely to find. As nice as the red coupe is, I think “Hers” fills the traditional role of Better Half. The only other Corvair at the auctions was a restored 1961 Pickup that must have really excited the bidders as it went to $77,000.
$33,000
1967 Chevrolet SS427. As much as I love the 67 Pontiac Grand Prix in yesterday’s article, if I was going to put a plus-size 1967 model in my garage, I would much rather it be Chevrolet’s last full-size muscle hurrah. Chevy would sell an Impala SS for two more years before dwindling interest in big brawlers cancelled it. However, these last years produced some of the most potent heavy hitters of the 60s.
My pictures at MAG did not turn out great, an auction-provided photo gives a much better view.
And just because the car deserves it, here’s another one!
MAG listed it as an Impala SS 427, though if you look carefully, nowhere on the car does it have an Impala badge. While looking very Impala-like, this graceful gazelle was simply called the Chevrolet SS-427 by its makers. In typical confusing 60s fashion, the same 427 engine was available in the regular Impala SS as well as in any full-size Chevy. The SS-427 was a special top-of-the-line package that included mechanical and appearance upgrades.
The special SS-427 model was Chevrolet’s way of making kind of a big deal out of their new top-dog engine for 1967. It was an enlarged-bore version of the Mark IV 396 which had been the top Impala SS engine in 1966 when it made 325hp/410 lbft. This new L36 427 4-bbl was rated at 385hp and 460lbft. Not quite as lofty as some of the 62-65 409s, but still pretty darned stout.
The SS-427 package would also be offered again only in 1968, though the whole Impala SS line was de-emphasized by losing its separate model status, now just an option package on the Impala. However, in 1968-69 the 427 was also available in L72 425hp form, letting Chevy’s full-size muscle cars end their run with a bang.
The run ended because Impala SS sales were dropping like mod hair on draftee induction day: 1965-243k, 1966-119k, 1967-76k, 1968-38k. This gorgeous SS-427 was one of 2,124 with that package in 1967 (68 would have another 1,778).
The car was at MAG, but was completely Barrett-Jackson worthy and bidding bore that out. Engine bay, underside, body and interior were all super-clean. Mileage was listed as 66k, but no details were given as to whether it was restored, refurbished or mostly original (but I’m guessing restored). The only check on my lust for this car was the automatic. Muscle is always better when rowing your own gears.
$87,500
1973 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Early 2nd gen Camaros are a perennial favorite here at CC, so these next cars should be a tasty treat.
As you might expect, there were a lot of Camaros at Barrett-Jackson. You think 114 is enough to choose from? That includes 70 1st gen cars and a relatively scant 17 2nd gen cars. Still, 17 cars is a lot and includes a handful of stock early models. I by no means attempted to photograph all the Camaros (you have to use your time wisely at B-J if you want to get through everything in a day), just ones that grabbed me as especially pretty or noteworthy. One of those was this 73, the last year for the original styling.
According to the seller, it’s a low-mile (59k), numbers-matching car recently treated to a full high-quality restoration. As you can see, the only concession the 1973 Camaro had to make to the new bumper regime was a pair of vertical front “fangs”, and somehow the split bumper Rally Sport front end was still allowable (that would change the next year with new industrial strength girders bolted on front and back). The silver and black coloring looked really sharp.
Z28s came with their own exclusive 350ci engine which in 1973 made (net) 245hp and 285 lb-ft backed up by an M21 4-speed in this case, with automatic optional.
$49,500
1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Looking radiant in red and black was a first year example. It had also recently received a top-flight restoration.
Naturally, the power rating was much higher in 1970, so the Z28 350 made (gross) 360hp and 380 lb-ft. Net figure would be aprox. 300hp.
1970 was peak muscle in Detroit, so it’s understandable that this car, similarly equipped with similar restoration to the 73 above, would be bid substantially higher at $91,300. It’s also understandable that the highest price ($110k) for a stock 2nd gen car was for a 1970 Z-28 with the more desirable Rally Sport package. Pretty much the ultimate 2nd gen Camaro. Just makes sense.
1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28. Here’s where things stopped making sense to me. When I spotted this attractive late Z-28, I figured it must be a mint low mileage original. On closer inspection, it’s a restored final 2nd gen car, which apparently is a thing now! I’ve since read that these late Z’s are gaining in popularity and value. These used to go really cheap, getting no respect compared to the muscle-era 70-73s. OK, nostalgia is a funny thing.
The 1978+ urethane bumpers were a big improvement over the 74-77 girders and power levels improved slightly over their mid-70s nadir. Still, 1981’s 175hp 350 was a far cry from the early 70’s, and if you wanted a 4 speed instead of an automatic, you had to get the 165hp 305 (and the 350 wasn’t available in CA). On the plus side, you could get T-Tops like this car has since late 1977.
The interior restoration looks thorough and silver leather seats are attractive. Aftermarket stereo won’t win it any show points, but R.E.O. Speedwagon will sound much better. You’ll need the T-Tops because it doesn’t have A/C.
So this is a pretty cool Camaro. Doesn’t hold a candle to the powerful and elegant early models above, of course, but still a nice car overall. Probably brought a respectable price considering the restoration, I’m thinking. What I wasn’t thinking is that the final price would be $107,800. Say what?!
Only three other 2nd gens brought more (that 70 Z-28 mentioned above and two 71 customs at $115k and $132k). There was a white 1980 Z-28 that had been well-restored (see it’s a thing!) with a more powerful 185hp 350 with A/C and paired with the still-available-with-350s 4 speed. It brought $38,500, probably less than the cost of the restoration.
It’s a headscratcher alright. People will shell out all kinds of money for 1st gen Camaros. 37 1st gens sold between $100k and $200k, 4 above $200k, and in rarified-super-special Camaros one gaveled at $583k and another at the face-slapping price of $770k. I suppose with inflation and everything, next year we’ll see an 81 Camaro go for a million bucks!
1975 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale convertible. Proving the world hasn’t gone completely insane, a final true factory convertible from Oldsmobile brought well under $100k. This one struck a chord with me because I’ve always liked the final full-size GM drop tops. So much so that I bought one, a 75 LeSabre, which is the only convertible I’ve owned to date.
This Olds was clean and very handsome (according to me), though not in perfectly immaculate condition. It has the optional 455 engine. Mileage wasn’t listed and it wasn’t stated whether the paint was original, but being a native AZ car I suspect not, especially since the top has been replaced.
My LeSabre had been repainted red and wasn’t perfect, however it also had a 455, Buick chrome wheels, parade boots (which this Olds doesn’t have) and was in very good condition. I bought it from the original owner in 1992 for $3,800 ($8,200 in 2023 dollars) and sold it three years later for about the same. This Oldsmobile in comparable condition went for $25,300. I wish I could have kept my LeSabre!
That gray ’73 Camaro looks really good. The only think I’d change is to take off the over riders on the front bumper. To me they mess up the clean styling of the front end of that car.
My 8th grade teacher who was only teacher I had in military school below the age of 60 had a beautiful 1965 Corvair Monza Spyder convertible with the yellow exterior and black interior. She was very attractive and so was the car. Quite a car for Middle Tennessee in those days. I was in the 8th Grade.
That would definitely make an impression in 8th grade military school. The car still looks great, I hope she does too!
I really need to have a brief chat with whoever paid 6 figures for that ’81 Z-28. Those were the “Late Model Used” cars that half my high school class drove when they were about 3-4 years old, and they weren’t worth whatever Mom and Dad paid for them even back then. I usually try to remain fairly neutral if commenting at all, but somebody’s smokin’ the crack, I’m thinkin’. That’s just absurd.
Agree! No way that car is worth that (though to him it was).
These auctions bore me. The prices paid are astronomical in many cases. One just knows that many of these cars will never see the open road again lest they spoil their pristine condition one iota such as the SS-427.
I am enjoying this series, even though I have no interest in buying any of these cars, as it is interesting to see these cars so long after they have disappeared from the roads.
Lately, I have been really liking the idea of a full-size muscle car and this 1967 Impala ticks most of my boxes. I could also do one of the last of GM’s B-body convertibles, although I think I’d rather have your LeSabre than this Delta 88, having a real soft spot for Buicks.
As for the Camaros, yes, these second generation cars were perhaps the most attractive of the series, but as was mentioned above, I have a hard time separating them from their Mullet-mobile image, as was alluded to above.
That Corvair is to die for. I’m still pining for the day I finally own one, but the closest I’ll realistically come to one is the 13 1960-65 dealer promotional models I’ve got sitting in the cabinet next to my desk.
13 Corvair promos! Sweet!
When I got my licence in 1966 my mother had a 66 Monza in that same pale yellow, but hers was a dual carb 4-speed coupe. It is still one of my favourite cars. At the same time my cousin had a 64 Monza convertible, also with the dual carb engine (110 hp) and 4 speed. I think the first generation styling works better as a convertible, but I would take either one.
Love that “Corvair”!! The “big ole, Olds” is a “looker” too!
SS427.
Very nice model. What scale–1/24 or 1/18?
For California anyway, it’s a fact the 1970 Z28 was peak power out of the solid lifter 350 CI motor at 360hp. The 1971 continued with the solid lifter engine though the Feds hit with a substantial HP drop to 330. An even bigger drop by 1972.
Does anyone know if GM continued the solid lifter 350 past 1971?