Unicorns, Sasquatch, the Loch Ness Monster. Mythical creatures of legend and lore. Some have been seen. Or have they? Regardless, mystery abounds when you think of these. In the automotive world, we have our own legendary and mysterious creatures. One of which recently surfaced, only to be seen for a short period. Legend has it that there are two 1969 ZL-1 Corvettes in existence. One recently sold through Sotheby’s Auction for $3,140,000. Very rare, indeed.

An air of mystery follows the 1969 ZL-1 Corvette.

The Factory Built Race Car

In the video from AmeriCars, the legend of the Zl-1 is shared. The 1969 ZL-1 was a factory-built Corvette race car powered by a 560 HP all-aluminum 427 cid engine. This particular 427 was a version of the engine used by Bruce McLaren in his CanAm racer of the day. The ZL-1 did not come with a lot of comfort amenities. It was built for speed. It did come with a significant price tag, which was about double that of a new Corvette in typical street trim.

The all-aluminum 427 engine in the ZL-1 was derived from the CanAm race car.

The Zl-1 was more of an experiment than an effort to build a high-performance road car. Yet, in December of 1968, John Maher, of Pennsylvania, traded in his 1968 L88 Corvette Convertible for this one-of-a-kind Zl-1 Convertible, and the first of two total Zl-1’s built.

The Racer Who Had To Have It

John Maher, a racer himself, was also good friends with Don Yenko. Yes, that Don Yenko. He informed Maher about the experimental Corvette with an all-aluminum 427 cubic-inch powerplant that could be paired with an M40 automatic transmission. The Zl-1 also came with power-assisted heavy-duty brakes, an upgraded heavy-duty suspension package, a Positraction rear axle, and transistorized ignition. However, it did not come with air-conditioning, a heater, a radio, power windows, or power steering.

Maher wanted one but it took some other friends in high places to leverage his ability to purchase the ZL-1. This came from Grady Davis, a two-time SCCA Champion and Senior Vice President of Gulf Research. At the time, Gulf was secretly partnering with GM on some of their racing operations. Davis helped get the order through and as a thank you, Maher ordered his ZL-1 in Monaco Orange, the shade of orange used in the Gulf livery. Maher became a menace of the race tracks of Western Pennsylvania, winning in hill climbs, drags, and autocross events, from 1969 until 1972.

John Maher’s Monaco Orange ZL-1 Corvette

Out of Hibernation

The ZL-1 spent some time safely tucked away, but Maher brought it out in 1989, had it refurbished, and spent many years attending the preeminent Corvette Concours and racing events. Maher sold the ZL-1 in 2007. In, 2012 the new owner ordered a full restoration by Kevin Mackay’s Corvette Repair Inc., known for their restorations of important Corvettes.

Kevin Mackay’s Corvette Repair Inc., of Valley Stream, New York completed a full restoration in 2012.

This iconic Corvette has appeared at a multitude of important Consours events. In 2018, it was put on display at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When the ZL-1 Corvette sold at the recent Sotheby’s Auction, it marked the first time the car had ever been offered publicly. We hope that the new owner will continue to showcase this extremely rare piece of automotive history and we all may enjoy seeing it.