Corvettes For Sale: Two Special Edition C6 Corvette Z06s Under $50k

We’ve written at length about the inflated nature of the Corvette market (and of new and used cars, in general) in the past year, but here are two outstanding, collectible Corvettes that time seems to have forgotten.

The sixth-generation Corvette’s first high-performance model, the naturally aspirated LS7-powered Z06, is one of the most respected machines ever built by the Stars and Stripes. It brought back the legendary 427 displacement of the ’60s golden years in a lightweight, manual-only package that many still consider the high-water mark of “driver’s” Chevrolets. Early examples weren’t just hailed as attainable supercar killers like their predecessors, but as American Supercars in their own right. While they were eventually overshadowed in the collector car and track-day hobbies by the arrival of the ZR1 and Z07 models in 2009 and 2011, respectively, years two and three of production saw the model’s first special editions hit the scene. Both should still be considered among the most desirable examples of America’s Sports Car from the 35-year build window of 1972-2008.

2007 Ron Fellows American Le Mans Series GT1 Champion Z06

The first of these holds claim to one of the longest and least catchy Corvette special edition names of all time. But as tedious as it is to type in its entirety, the Ron Fellows Z always delivers high levels of want to this site’s contributors. To celebrate the six-consecutive championships of its namesake, the GT1 Championship package ran 399 Z06s through the otherwise off-limits Arctic White paint booth at Bowling Green Assembly and added Monterey Red hash marks to mimic Fellows’ #3/33 C6.R. It was the first autographed SE Corvette in the model’s illustrious history, with Mr. Fellows signing and numbering each center console lid by hand. Out of the limited run, 300 units stayed in the US, with 33 designated for Ron’s homeland of Canada (you’ll find a faint maple leaf outline inside the hash stripes) and 66 set aside for export.

Number 295 is currently up for grabs in San Antonio at Novak Motorcars. It has only covered 13,733 miles since new and has a clean CarFax showing the same owner since 2009. It isn’t clear if it retains its original paperwork and certificate of authenticity, but even without those niceties, $49,995 seems like an absolute steal for such a significant ‘Vette in today’s market!

2008 427 “Wil Cooksey” Limited Edition

The signed Ron Fellows cars were such a success that Chevrolet returned to the John Hancock well the following year to honor longtime plant manager Wil Cooksey. Without a racecar livery to stick to, Cooksey was able to spec his desired SE colorway, and he didn’t disappoint! Like the ’07 special, the Cooksey cars were the only way for ‘Vette fans to get the top-of-the-line model in an exterior paint that couldn’t be found on the regular Z06 order sheet. The extra cost Crystal Red was Wil’s color of choice, and it was accented with a black center-stripe and 427 badges as an homage to the 1967 427 Corvette’s signature look. Other tell-tale signs of a Cooksey include the newer chrome “Spyder” wheels and the faux maroon carbon fiber interior surround. In another nod to the LS7’s 7.0-liter displacement, 427 units were earmarked for US and Canadian buyers, with an additional 78 shipped abroad for a horsepower-equaling production run of 505. Cooksey also signed and numbered the console lids of his namesake special editions, a specialized feature that hasn’t happened since this run concluded 14 years ago.

Wuerflein Chevrolet of Albert Lea, Minnesota, is the current home of the 30th member of the 427 family. It is sitting inside the showroom, safe from the cruel winter, where its odometer shows a very reasonable (i.e., low enough for peace of mind, high enough to drive as much as you want to) 15,992 miles. Amazingly enough, this beautiful slice of American Performance history can also be had for under $50 grand, with an ask of $49,865!

The only question becomes, which of these very special Z06s would you choose? Let us know in the comments, Corvette Nation!

Source:
Novak Motorcars and Wuerflein Chevrolet

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