Hell-raising C1 Corvette Ready for Big Auction Stunt

Campaigned briefly by stunt legend Joie Chitwood, C1 Corvette heads to Mecum Indy auction this July to rake in the big bucks!

Of the Corvettes you’ll find on the road today, C1-era ‘Vettes are a rare sight. The weather must be perfect. The occasion must be right. All for a few hours (or, sometimes, days) of cruising. Then, they disappear again, resting in their garages for the next perfect day on the road.

Thus, it would be insane to perform wild and crazy stunts with a C1; it’s too rare, after all. Yet, that’s what Joie Chitwood once did with his ’58 Corvette. According to Hagerty, the ‘Vette is ready to ride again, this time at the Mecum Indy auction July 10 through 18.

Originally for sale by Pro Team Corvette, Chitwood bought the C1 off the showroom floor in 1958 to use in his namesake stunt show. The ‘Vette was just one of a handful of Chevys in his fleet, all performing death-defying displays for families far and wide.

In fact, Chitwood was strictly about the Bow Tie for his travelling circus, proclaiming the company’s products for their durability, according to Hagerty. Yet, his Corvette only stayed with him for a year.

Though its time with Chitwood was brief, the C1 was a performer. Under the hood is a fuel-injected 283 V8, delivering 290 horses to the posi through a four-speed manual. The glorious music from the V8 was more than enough for the legend, so he deleted the radio.

After kicking up the dirt, the C1 stayed with its second owner between 1959 and 1995. Following the owner’s passing, the ‘Vette changed hands thrice more, receiving a couple of restorations along the way. It also took home the National Corvette Restorers Society’s American Heritage Award in 2015, landed the cover of Corvette Fever‘s May 2006 issue, and left the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2014 block for $99,000.

Just 62 years later, Chitwood’s C1 seen around 19,000 miles of action. Meanwhile, his show remained true to Chevy to the end in 1998. Chitwood passed away in 1988, etching his legacy in stone as a legendary racer and stuntman. It’s truly an honor to bear witness to it, however brief, with this special Corvette.

Photos: Mecum Auctions

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