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This '00 Corvette GTR by Specter... This '00 Corvette GTR by Specter Werkes/Sports sold for a seemingly giveaway price of $30,000. It was yellow, with a 465hp engine and a six-speed manual. Only about 30 C5 GTRs were built, making this a rare Corvette. Perhaps because of the erosion in prices for marquee cars, the prices of clones-also known by a number of other euphemisms, such as recreations, tributes, and so on-are way down. The same seems to go for non-numbers-matching cars and modifieds. Again, however, one man's pain is another's pleasure, as enthusiasts looking for a great deal on cars they can drive and enjoy will find plenty of clean, show-worthy machines at prices that are generally less than the build cost. Nearly 1,800 cars crossed the block during the Indy event; about 66 percent of them sold, for a total of more than $41 million. That was a good sell-through percentage, but it suggested that many sellers were still holding out for 2007-era prices. As we overheard from one bidder, "Some of these guys need a reality check. They don't seem to know what year it is." Nevertheless, it was a marvelous spectacle of classic American sheetmetal-make that fiberglass. And if you're in the market for your first collector Corvette, there hasn't been a better time in the last 10 years to jump into the fray. Author's note: Visit www.mecum.com for information on upcoming auctions, as well as results from the Indy event and other previous sales.  Lot S104 was a '67 big-block...  Lot S104 was a '67 big-block roadster with the L68 400hp engine. It was displayed with its tank sticker still in place, but perhaps more interesting was its special-order status. It has a documented factory-installed tan interior that wasn't offered with the Sunfire Yellow exterior. That rarity and the car's low, 31,000 original miles helped push the selling price to a strong $130,000.  This '94 six-speed coupe was...  This '94 six-speed coupe was essentially a brand-new 16-year-old car, with fewer than 700 miles on the odometer. It was bid to $27,500, but the seller declined that offer-even though it was about $10,000 more than Kelly Blue Book's value for a low-mileage '94. There is certainly collector value in vehicles with exceptionally low mileage, but non-ZR1/non-special-edition C4s have a way to go until they reach that status. And with the car's value being tied to its three-digit mileage, a new owner couldn't drive and enjoy it. So, the high bid seemed plenty to us.  Another strong price for a...  Another strong price for a model that hasn't wavered much in value was the $90,000 that bought this '58 Fuelie (with the RPO 579D 290hp engine). The four-speed car-one of 1,090 with the factory power top-looked to have been well restored, but the Silver Blue paint (with a white cove) was presented as being about 90 percent original. The selling price may seem like a relative bargain in a few years.  One of the subsets of the...  One of the subsets of the collector market that has taken a huge hit is modified cars. Collectors seem to be heading for the relative safe haven of the blue-chip original/restored vehicles, or focusing on modifieds as value buys. Regardless of the reason, hot-rodded cars-especially Corvettes-are noticeably down in value. This flamed '73 was a prime example. It had a non-original 383 engine and a host of mods. The selling price of $29,250 surely didn't come close to what it cost to build the car. On the other hand, for the enthusiast who wanted a flashy cruise-night star, buying a ready-built car for about a third the cost of doing it himself was a screaming deal.  Lot S50 was a '66 big-block...  Lot S50 was a '66 big-block roadster with the 390hp L36 engine and a four-speed. It looked good in silver, with a black top, factory side exhaust, and knock-off wheels (the wheels weren't claimed original), but let's be honest: It wasn't Nassau Blue or Rally Red. It was a strong car nonetheless, with a numbers-matching drivetrain. It sold for $74,000, which was a good price, although the L72 425hp engine and a more desirable exterior color would have dramatically increased its value-perhaps 25-30 percent.  We didn't learn much about...  We didn't learn much about this '66 big-block, and it didn't generate much interest before rolling off unsold with a high bid of $57,000. But let's take a closer look: The Stinger hood is incorrect for 1966, and the precious little information included with the car led us to believe the big-block was either a swap of the original small-block or at least a non-numbers replacement. But so what? The car looked great and would turn heads wherever it was driven. As a non-original car, there'd be little upside to reselling it, but the owner could drive it worry-free. Assuming it's a non-original car, the high bid was plenty.  Lot F209 was this gorgeous...  Lot F209 was this gorgeous black '69 convertible with the midrange L68 400hp engine (one of 2,072 built) and a four-speed. It sold for a strong $85,000, proving the bedrock of the Corvette market is composed of big-block cars in original condition. With L88 Vettes at the top end of the market, the selling price for this car leaves plenty of room for upward movement. It may take a few more years, but with each passing season, there are fewer original big-block Corvettes out there, so this was a good buy in our book.  Echoing the sale price of...  Echoing the sale price of the Silver Blue '58 Fuelie, this Panama Yellow example-only 455 Corvettes left the factory in that color-also sold for $90,000. Like the silver car, it had the 290hp engine and a four-speed. If you're wondering what a '58-'62 Fuelie is worth, the sale of these two cars gives you a good idea.  The LT4-powered Grand Sport...  The LT4-powered Grand Sport models of 1996 are among the few collectible C4s, and right now they're relative bargains. This low-mileage, six-speed roadster, sold with the matching removable hardtop, went for $43,000, which even seems a bit high to us. The car came with tons of documentation, including the window sticker, which enhances desirability. Don't throw away even the smallest scrap of paper associated with your Corvette. The next owner will want it.
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