1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1

Psst...hey. How about a REALLY rare Chevrolet Corvette? How about one that is soooo rare, that it's valued at $1.4 Million? This just so happens to be that car. A 1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1.

With an aluminum engine churning out over 500 horsepower, the ZL-1 was themost powerful version of the already strong L-88 Corvette. In fact, ZL-1's were the most powerful production Corvettes available until recently. Only 2 are known to have been built that year.

Only a handful of Vettes originally came equipped with the ZL-1, but many racecars were later upgraded to include the ZL1 and produced upwards of 750 bhp.

Like the L88 racing engine, Zora Duntov made the ZL-1 available as a regular production option (RPO) but was rarely ordered because of its high price of $3,010 ontop of the $1,032 L88 option. This made the ZL-1 option the most expensive engine ever offered by General Motors at that time. Also , the engine wasn't as thoroughly tested as the L88 which had already proven itself in 1967 by winning at Daytona.

The all-aluminum engine was cast entirely differently than the 427 V8 in L88 model, having larger block thickness and increased support webbing. It was developed from the ground up and benefited from the lessons learned with the all aluminum 283 V8 engine. The first versions were used in 1967/68 by Chaparral for the Can-Am season. Suffering from major leak issues due to the porosity of aluminum, the ZL-1 reached final specification in 1968 and was sold in certain Camaros and Corvettes, or sold over the counter for about $2,000.

As for the ZL-1-in the photo provided , this car is the only one that features Black ZL1 stripes and it is the most famous. In the 1980's this car was restored in Texas and and eventually auctioned by the state in 1991 for $300,000. And now today, it's worth $1.4 million...I'm not much of a financial genius by any means (ask anyone), but I'd say it was a good investment. How 'bout you?