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Barrett-Jackson is back in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center on September 10-12, and the Chevrolet contingent on the preview docket is deep enough to stand as its own auction. Corvettes spanning six decades, a supercharged tri-five, first-generation Camaros, a matching-numbers LS5 Chevelle and a run of C/K pickups are all crossing the block with No Reserve, which means every one of them sells wherever the bidding stops.
"Chevrolet has earned a unique place in automotive history by building vehicles that combine elite performance and design," said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "We have an exceptional group of Chevrolet’s iconic sports cars, legendary muscle cars and rugged pickups crossing the block next month in Las Vegas. Each will be offered with No Reserve, giving our bidders the chance to take home a special piece of America’s rich automotive heritage."
The Corvette That Tops the Preview
The headliner is a custom 1962 Corvette convertible (Lot #734) that keeps the C1 shape and throws out nearly everything underneath it. The car rides on an Art Morrison GT Sport chassis with Brembo brakes and runs a built 418ci LS3 stroker backed by a Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed close-ratio manual and a Ford 9-inch with a Truetrac limited-slip. Barrett-Jackson lists roughly 200 miles since the build was completed.
Inside, it is trimmed in Rosso Red leather with Claret English Wilton carpet and a Goya Red Alcantara headliner, with Dakota Digital RTX gauges, Vintage Air Gen 5 climate control, power windows and a Custom Autosound Bluetooth head unit. It is the kind of build where most of the money went into the parts you cannot see from the curb.
Two Split-Windows, Fifty Years Apart
At the other end of the philosophy scale is an original 1963 Corvette Split-Window Fuelie (Lot #763), a fuel-injected V-8 car with a four-speed manual that was restored by Boyd Coddington. It is one of 10,594 coupes built for 1963 and one of just 3,516 finished in Sebring Silver, and it has collected awards on the show circuit since. An original Fuelie in the right color is about as blue-chip as a C2 gets.
Then there is the modern answer to it. The 2013 Corvette Split-Window Coupe (Lot #713) is one of 14 limited-edition cars built by Classic Reflection Coachworks on a 2013 C6 60th Anniversary chassis, with a supercharged LS3 and a six-speed automatic. The custom red leather interior adds power heated seats, navigation, satellite radio, a full-view rear-view camera mirror and a head-up display.
A Supercharged Tri-Five
The 1956 Bel Air on the docket is a Roadster Shop REVO Stage III car powered by a supercharged Chevrolet Performance LSA V-8 rated at 525hp. It wears a green and cream two-tone with brushed-metal grille components, bumpers and trim, and the Saddle interior runs bucket seats and a full-length console with a machined aluminum switch panel for the power windows, vents and interior LED lighting. An Ididit column, digital gauge cluster and an Alpine touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto handle the modern duties.
The Muscle Car Bench Is Deep
The custom 1968 Camaro (Lot #698) runs a rebuilt aluminum LS3 backed by a GM 4L65E automatic with electronic controls, sitting on a TCI front subframe with Ridetech suspension, a 9-inch rear and Wilwood brakes. The body was refinished in GM Wild Cherry Candy Red tri-coat, and the cabin gets Dakota Digital gauges, a seven-speaker system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and both backup and front-facing cameras. We went deeper on this car when it first surfaced on the docket.
The custom 1970 Chevelle (Lot #724) is the most thoroughly re-engineered car in the group. Jeff Piper of Harvey’s Automotive & Machine built the GM Performance LS1 with an aluminum block, Dart PRO1 aluminum heads, forged rods and forged pistons; it feeds a Tremec TKO 600 five-speed through a Moser full-floating 9-inch, on a Schwartz Performance chassis with RideTech adjustable coilovers and Wilwood discs. The Dark Green Metallic paint carries ghost racing stripes over shaved emblems, flush-mounted door handles, a one-off electronic cowl-induction hood, LED headlights and flush-mounted Fesler glass. Boze Forged Cruiser wheels wear Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires, and the interior pairs Camaro power buckets with a custom-contoured rear bench in brown and dark green Brazilian leather. LS-swapped Chevelles have become a Barrett-Jackson fixture, and this is a strong example of the format.
For anyone who would rather have the factory build sheet, the 1970 Chevelle SS LS5 convertible (Lot #440) is the product of a three-year restoration around a matching-numbers LS5 454 and a Muncie M22 Rock Crusher four-speed. It is maroon with white SS stripes over a white interior with black carpet, and it keeps the tilt column, factory tachometer, electric clock, AM/FM radio, deluxe belts and center console.
Trucks and SUVs Worth Watching
The pickup run is led by a 1972 K10 (Lot #442) from the final year of the first-generation "Action Line" C/K trucks. The four-wheel-drive K10 had a body-off restoration in its original black and carries factory air conditioning, power steering and power brakes. A 1968 K10 short-bed custom (Lot #768) is finished in Hugger Orange with an oak bed and polished stainless strips and has covered 1,000 miles since the build was finished, while a 1982 C10 custom runs an LS V-8 with a six-speed automatic, finished in Pearl White over burgundy leather with a custom console, push-button power and a custom stereo.
Also on the Docket
A Pro-Touring 1966 Chevy II Nova pairs an LS-based V-8 with a 4L60E overdrive automatic and rides on custom vintage-style Rally wheels that preserve the original SS look, with a leather-and-suede interior, an upgraded touchscreen sound system and a backup camera. A 1956 210 Delray brings 430hp and a serious audio build: a Custom Autosound head unit with remote CD player, a Clarion 400-watt amplifier, Pioneer TS-A30W speakers, an 8-inch Kicker subwoofer in a custom enclosure and a 1,200-watt Kicker amplifier.
"Chevrolet helped define American car culture with its universal appeal to enthusiasts across the country," Jackson said. "From the classic design of the 210 Delray to the Chevy II Nova that helped fuel the muscle car era, Chevrolets remain among the most recognizable and collectible vehicles worldwide."
What Else Is Happening in Vegas
The Chevrolets join a docket already headlined by Queen Elizabeth II’s 1951 Cadillac royal parade convertible and the final Bandit Outlaw Jeep Gladiator. The week opens September 9 with an invitation-only cocktail reception for registered bidders at LIV inside the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the official host hotel and a short walk from the West Hall. Beyond the block, the event runs its usual automotive lifestyle festival with a large Exhibitor Marketplace, interactive sponsor displays, live DJs and a range of food options.
Consignments and bidder registrations are still open, with three bidder packages plus Muscle Lounge and Hammer High Top upgrades. Advance tickets are on sale with special pricing for seniors, military and first responders; student tickets are $10 and children 12 and under are admitted free. Barrett-Jackson heads to Las Vegas off the back of its first Columbus auction, which brought $38.1 million and a new Boss 429 record.
