[VIDEO] The John Kraman Collection Will Be Offered at Mecum’s Spring Classic in Indianapolis

The Corvette Nation lost a friend earlier this year with the passing of Mecum’s John Kraman on January 12, 2025. John may have been known by his Mecum friends as “The Professor,” but the Corvette enthusiasts who knew him best simply called him JK. He was always gracious with his time with us, and we’ll never forget the tour we got from him at Mecum Kissimmee a few years ago.

As you can imagine, being the face of TV for Mecum had its perks including the ability to see what was coming through the auction that appealed to him personally. John once told his co-host Scott Hoke that he knows four things: Cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and guitars and that’s where his passions were centered.

Over the years, JK amassed a collection of Corvettes, motorcycles, and a few other vehicles and they will now be offered at Mecum’s Spring Classic in Indianapolis which kicks off later this week. These 10 vehicles will cross the auction block on Thursday, May 15th and all are offered at No Reserve!

The 10 vehicles in the JK Collection can be viewed here, and we have the highlights below:

2020 Corvette Stingray

Like most Corvette enthusiast in 2019, John Kraman was extremely interested in the new mid-engine Corvette, and he called the changeover a bold and radical move. The more he learned, the more he liked, and he eventually was able to order his own 2020 Corvette Stingray Coupe in what he believed to be his ultimate vision for the car.

John’s 2020 Corvette Coupe was ordered in Elkhart Lake Blue with Sky Cool Gray interior, and John had said the color choice was selected due to his reverence for Road America. His options for the car were relatively low with it being a Base 1LT car, and he added the Performance Exhaust, Bright Red Brake Calipers, and the Chrome Exterior Badges to make it his own. Current mileage on the odometer reads 9,640 miles.

1972 Corvette Coupe

This 1972 Corvette was John’s “show car” but originally it was a gift for his wife Christine. John would take the car to a restorer and got it perfect before taking it to Bloomington Gold where it was judged and certified as Gold. John was very proud of this Corvette and hopefully the next owner will be as well!

The 1972 Corvette was originally sold in Bloomington, Illinois and it was in highly original condition when John purchased it in 2016. The Stingray has a matching numbers 350/200-hp V8 paired to a Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. Options include power steering, power brakes, and air condition. The car is presented in its original correct-code 987 Ontario Orange Paint with 417 Saddle Vinyl interior.

2010 Corvette Coupe

Bill Stephens says that this Silver 2010 Corvette Coupe was the car that driven by JK the most out of all his vehicles. John was the second owner of this 2010 Coupe, and it served as his summer driver in Palm Springs for he and his wife. A total of 44,031 miles are showing on the odometer.

This Blade Silver 2010 Corvette is well-optioned as it features the LS3 430-hp V8 coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission. Inside is a Black leather interior with an AM/FM/CD stereo and a dual-zone automatic climate control. The Silver Coupe also rides on chrome alloy wheels.

Other Vehicles in the JK Collection

In addition to the three Corvettes, John also had a 2014 Ford Mustang GT that he purchased new and drove to 27,339 miles on the odometer.

The oldest car in the collection is also the longest car held by John. He purchased this 1964 Pontiac GTO in 1976 and it’s credited with starting John’s lifelong obsession with automobiles. The 1964 Pontiac GTO is powered by a 389/348 hp V8 engine mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. It’s outfitted in Cameo Ivory, and it features a beautiful Dark Aqua interior.

We mentioned that JK loved the feeling of the open road, and his motorcycles were another outlet for that passion. The bikes in the collection are below:

• 2003 Harley-Davidson FLHTCI
• 1980 Kawasaki KZ1000 Shaft Drive
• 1994 Kawasaki Concours
• 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100
• 1972 Honda CL350
• 1972 Honda CL450

Mecum also has a nice preview of the JK Collection in this YouTube video:

Dana Mecum’s 38th Original Spring Classis will be held at the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds with the auction action kicking off on May 9th and running through May 17th. See all the consignments, register to bid, or get tickets for the event at Mecum.com

Source:
Mecum Auctions

Related:
In Memory of Mecum’s Professor and Corvette Owner John Kraman
[PODCAST] Mecum’s John Kraman Previews Upcoming Events on the Corvette Today Podcast
The Top 11 Corvette Sales from Mecum Kissimmee 2025

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