1971 Corvette ZR2 Heads to Auction as One of Just 12 Ever Produced

One of a dozen and just two coupes built, this incredible 1971 Corvette ZR2 has a pretty fascinating history to boot.

Pretty much any Corvette throughout the model’s seven decades of existence that starts with a “Z” is something special, whether it be the Z06, ZR1, or ZR2. However, depending on which generation you’re talking about, these Z cars can be more common and reasonably priced, or ultra-rare and crazy expensive. This amazing 1971 Corvette ZR2 that’s going up for grabs at Bonham’s upcoming Scottsdale auction certainly falls in the latter category, as it’s incredibly rare and will likely hammer for a handsome sum.

This 1971 Corvette ZR2 is one of just 12 produced in total – a tiny number by any measure. It was purchased new by Tulsa, Oklahoma road racer Anatoly “Toly” Arutunoff for the specific purpose of entering it in the 1971 Targa Florio, and as such, he made sure to tick the ZR2 box when ordering the car. Thing is, he was one of very few that did, because the $1,747 cost of the package represented 30 percent of the Corvette’s base price at the time.

That extra outlay of cash netted buyers some pretty impressive upgrades, however – chiefly among them, the LS6 427 cubic-inch big block that was underrated at 425 horsepower, a Muncie M22 Rock Crusher manual transmission, heavy-duty power disc brakes, a special suspension with upgraded springs, shocks, and stabilizer bars, and a host of deleted equipment in an effort to make the C3 as light as possible in the never-ending pursuit of performance.

Ultimately, just 188 1971 Corvettes were built with the LS6 engine, and only 12 of them are equipped with the ZR2 package. Among that dozen, 10 were convertibles and just two – including this one – were coupes. However, this one’s racing career was cut short when it failed inspection at the Targa Florio for not having a roll bar, prompting Arutunoff to sell it to his co-driver, Charles Lucas, shortly after which it blew a head gasket.

Over the ensuing years, this special piece of Corvette history has changed hands several times, but now, it’s looking for yet another new owner. Thing is, this kind of opportunity doesn’t come along very often, given how rare these cars are, so we have no doubt that it’ll be one of the bigger stars at Bonhams’ upcoming sale in the deserts of Arizona.

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Photos: Bonhams