Are Corvette Pace Cars Made for Enthusiasts or Speculators?
Are Corvette Pace Cars Made for Enthusiasts or Speculators?
Owner of C4 Corvette Pace Car plans to remove or replace components to make it a special edition.
Chevrolet has a long history with the Indianapolis 500, and Corvette in particular has been instrumental in that history, being a recurring pace car for the race. To accompany official Corvette pace cars, Chevy has usually sold limited-production Corvettes bearing the pace car livery. Some of these, like the 1978 Corvette Pace Car, are iconic, while others, not so much. That has always made us wonder whether or not Corvette pace cars are truly collector’s cars, or if they are just desirable within the Corvette community.
This discussion was reignited recently after seeing this 1995 Corvette pace car on auction website Bring A Trailer. We had been watching the timer tick down, reading the comments section, and waiting for the inevitable last-minute bidding war to break out. However, it really didn’t. Instead, this 1995 C4, in all-original condition with just 33,491 miles, sold for $11,250. For a low-mileage, late model C4, this is a solid selling price, but for a pace car with documents, it seems a touch low. Comments on the auction site corroborate out thoughts, with people congratulating the buyer for snagging a solid deal. This is where things get interesting.
#gallery-1 {
margin: auto;
}
#gallery-1 .gallery-item {
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 50%;
}
#gallery-1 img {
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
}
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {
margin-left: 0;
}
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Several commenters exclaimed that the car was a hard sell because of the color and interior, which are pace car-specific. It’s kind of the point of buying a Corvette pace car special edition. Things got even more interesting when the auction winner chimed in, stating that he plans on repainting the car and replacing the seats. Why buy a Corvette pace car, and then immediately want to get rid of the things that make it a pace car?
ALSO SEE: Corvettes Steal the Spotlight at Fall Carlisle Auction
To us, this signals that not all Corvette pace cars are created equal. While we generally don’t fret over keeping our rides all original, this is an interesting case. The seller bought the car, put 25 miles on it and listed it on BaT, which, to us, sounds like speculator behavior. However, the buyer didn’t end up paying massive coin for the car, and plans on modifying it. So, for now, it appears Corvette pace cars fall under “enthusiast’s choice,” rather than a quick pay day for speculators.
#gallery-2 {
margin: auto;
}
#gallery-2 .gallery-item {
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 50%;
}
#gallery-2 img {
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
}
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {
margin-left: 0;
}
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Even though it may not be an easy retirement cash out on wheels, we still feel this ’95 pace car is a special ride in it’s own right. What do you think about buying a Corvette pace car and modifying it? Or about the potential values of these cars in the future? We are curious to hear your thoughts on the matter.
