The term “Tri-Five Chevy” is familiar to most auto enthusiasts. It usually refers to the 1957 Chevy Bel Air or other variants from 1956 and 1957. But this week at Barrett-Jackson auctions in Scottsdale, Ariz., visitors know that’s it all about a stellar collection of three Chevy Corvettes. What makes these classics extraordinary is that all three have a VIN of 001—indicating they were the first to roll out of the factory for three straight model years.
In recent years, car manufacturers have offered the chance to buy the first production run of a particular sports or muscle car as a special incentive. In this case, a buyer has the chance to obtain not one, but three first-VIN Corvettes for 1955 through 1957.
The three classics were restored by Thomas Harmer, who sold the collection in 1984. That buyer resold the Corvettes to the current owners in 2005. Mecum Auctions had a chance to sell the set in 2008, but it didn’t happen. Now Barrett-Jackson will offer these classics on Saturday as part of its Salon Collection, meaning the cars will be sold if the bidding reaches past the undisclosed reserve price.
The 1955 Corvette is in Polo White and had a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. This was the first year for a V8 (packing 195 horses) in a Corvette. The 1956 Corvette was a redesign of the original 1953 model and has one-off features—picked up when production of the car was rushed for display at the 1956 Motorama. It has a three-speed manual transmission and sports a Gypsy Red color with Polo White coves.
The final piece in this collection, the 1957 Corvette, was also a production prototype. This Corvette is bathed in Cascade Green with Shoreline Beige coves. It features a 283ci V8 engine and two four-barrel carburetors also linked to a Powerglide automatic. All three were awarded a Top Flight Award through National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) chapter events in 2008.
Only a few collectors have the space and deep pockets to buy three classic Corvettes at once. Part of the value is having all three in one sale—all with 001 VINs. Break up the set and the value diminishes. Keep them together and the bidding could well exceed $1 million.
Update (2/3/16): The three Corvettes sold at Barrett-Jackson as a collection to one bidder, who submitted a winning bid (with buyer’s premium) of $1,815,000. That was the highest winning bid at the auction for the week.
