[VIDEO] Trio of Unrestored 396-Powered 1965 Coupes Headed to Mecum Indy

May 6, 2026

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[VIDEO] Trio of Unrestored 396-Powered 1965 Coupes Headed to Mecum Indy

The list of top-tier Corvettes crossing Mecum’s red carpet at Dana Mecum’s 39th Original Spring Classic continues to grow. They recently announced a trio of unrestored C2 Corvettes that’ll have bidders lining up for miles.

“The Exemplars” as they’re being billed, represent the baddest of the available Corvettes in 1965. Each of these midyears are highly documented, unrestored originals covering the full span of 1965 production. The Nassau Blue car is an early production example; the Rally Red car hails from the middle of the production run, and the Silver Pearl car represents the latter end of production.

1965 marked the first year for a big block engine in a Corvette. RPO L78 offered a 396 cubic inch lump rated at 425 thumping horsepower. Just 2,157 of the 23,562 Corvettes produced that year received the 396 engine. Of those, it’s believed that around 750 were produced in coupe form.

All 3 cars feature the first-year L78 396/425hp engine, a 4-speed manual transmission, and a 4.11 rear end. Additionally, all 3 have been used to support and update the 1965 NCRS judging manuals.

“The Engineer” is finished in Nassau Blue over a blue interior. It holds 2 Bloomington Gold 4-Category Survivor awards over a 24-year span demonstrating the care that’s gone into its preservation. It was ordered new through Nickey Chevrolet and still retains a number of early production features including an “001” intake manifold and a hand cut ignition shield. Many factory assembly marks remain as well. The car is documented with 3 binders of paperwork that includes, ownership history, Bloomington Gold documents, CCAS Affirmations, and a NCRS Shipping Data Report.

The Rally Red car is known as “The Steward“. It was built towards the middle of the production year on May 4th, 1965. The car was ordered with a host of options including a teak steering wheel, telescopic steering column, AM/FM radio, power antenna, and the Convenience Package among others. Like all 3 cars, it still wears its original factory applied paint. The odometer shows 51,000 miles since new. It’s a Bloomington Gold Survivor and has never been judged by the NCRS. The Steward is documented with 3 binders containing service records, ownership history, the original deposit receipt, CCAS Affirmations, and a NCRS Shipping Data Report.

“The Stud” is the final car in this amazing trio. The Silver Pearl coupe was born on July 23, 1965, and delivered new through Davies Chevrolet in Glendora, CA in October of that year. It’s believed to be one of the last big blocks produced for 1965. It features 11 factory options including F40 HD suspension, a teak steering wheel, AM/FM radio, and power antenna among many more features. This one too shows the original chassis finishes and markings, tags, and many other details. It won the John Kraman preservation award at the 2025 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals at it’s never been judged by the NCRS or Bloomington Gold. The Stud’s documentation includes 2 binders with purchase documents, dated titles, registrations, insurance papers, many preservation photos, CCAS Affirmations, and a NCRS Shipping Data Report.

All three of the Exemplars will be crossing Mecum’s famous red carpet on Friday, May 15th as part of the Mecum Indy auction. They’ll be offered in succession and at no reserve, which means all 3 will have new owners in just a couple of weeks.

How much do you think each of these spectacular Corvettes will sell for?

Mecum’s 2026 Indy auction runs May 8th through May 16th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gates open daily at 8am and vehicle sales begin at 10am on the early days of the sale. Starting Thursday, May 14th, vehicle sales begin at 9am. Single day tickets are $30 each and a 3-day pass is $75. Save 25% by grabbing your tickets ahead of time. Kids 12 and under get in free.

ESPN+ will have a total of 24 hours of live coverage running May 13th – 16th. The Mecum livestream runs the full duration of the auction.