HomeUncategorizedUnique ‘Gold Corvette’ headed for Mecum’s Indy auction

Unique ‘Gold Corvette’ headed for Mecum’s Indy auction

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The 1962 Corvette was restored as it was designed for a styling evaluation | Mecum Auctions
The 1962 Corvette was restored as it was designed for a styling evaluation | Mecum Auctions

Chevrolet in 1962 wanted to celebrate its 50-year golden anniversary in style, so the General Motors Styling Department set out to produce a special-edition color scheme to mark the occasion.

While Chevrolet eventually chose its 1962 Impala as the 50th anniversary standard bearer with a special-edition paint job of Anniversary Gold, the 1962 Corvette had been considered for the job before GM’s top brass decided that not enough of the sports cars would be sold to do the occasion justice. About 350 of the 50th anniversary Impalas were delivered during the 1962 model year.

The Corvette was the subject of a two-year forensic examination
The Corvette was the subject of a two-year forensic examination | Mecum

But there was a single 1962 Corvette that did receive the 50th anniversary gold treatment, a factory styling car that was designed to present to the company heads. Known as the 50th Anniversary Gold-on-Tan “evaluation car,” the Corvette bore Shop Order 10224.

Now restored and fully verified by Corvette experts, the unique car will be offered at Mecum Auctions’ Indianapolis sale that takes place May 17-21 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The “Golden Corvette” is being auctioned from the private collection of Fred and Terry Michaelis of ProTeam Corvettes in Napoleon, Ohio, where it has resided since 2008, according to Mecum.

“Throughout my 45-year career in the Corvette business, several mid-year Corvette styling cars have surfaced; however, this is one of the earliest Corvette styling cars that I have ever seen,” Terry Michaelis is quoted in the Mecum auction catalog. “This car is one-of-a-kind, a truly unique Corvette artifact.”

The upholstery was done in the original tan leather | Mecum
The upholstery was done in the original tan leather | Mecum

The roadster underwent an intensive two-year forensic inspection by Fred and Terry Michaelis, who found evidence of the car’s original gold color and tan interior, according to the catalog description. Its 10224 shop-order number was found in a number of locations and deemed authentic.

“The original paint color was matched based upon the wonderfully preserved section hidden from the elements under the door striker,” the description reads. “Completed in 2010, the special Firemist Gold paint emulates the original and is complemented by an inviting tan leather interior and matching beige convertible top.”

The Corvette is powered by its matching-numbers 327/300 horsepower small-block V8 mated to a Borg Warner T-10 four-speed transmission and 3.36:1 Positraction rear.

The styling car has been shown extensively at prestigious events since its restoration.

Some of the subtle styling touches from the original include the gold anodized front grille and color-matched wheels behind the stock wheel covers. In keeping with its originality, the wheels are shod with Firestone Deluxe Champion 6.70-15 bias-ply white-stripe tires.

Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen is a longtime automotive writer and editor, focusing on new vehicles, collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. He is the former automotive writer and editor for The Arizona Republic and SPEED.com, the website for the SPEED motorsports channel. He has written free-lance articles for a number of publications, including Autoweek, The New York Times and Barrett-Jackson auction catalogs. A collector car enthusiast with a wide range of knowledge about the old cars that we all love and desire, Bob enjoys tinkering with archaic machinery. His current obsession is a 1962 Porsche 356 Super coupe.

6 COMMENTS

  1. “Fawn Gold” is, was and always will be one of the finest Corvette colors ever offered. Anyone at GM able to tell us why they don’t offer it NOW?

  2. fawn beige metalic, had one, truly a beautiful color/white top, very nice cruising car at that time..

  3. official name of color is FAWN BEIGE IT WAS NEVER CONSIDERED GOLD………..I bought one in 2-19-1962….. I am always curious of the wanna be’s and their interpetation of historical facts.

  4. HAd a white 62 with red interior. Beat a fawn beige vette at least 10 times at westhampton drag strip. Usually by just feet. Great memories. I even lent cheater slicks to other owner. I thought he was ready to shoot himself.

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