The Only Firemist Gold 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Auctioned

This is an ultra rare S.O. 10224, Special Firemist Gold Paint 1962 Chevrolet Corvette to be auctioned at Mecum, Indianapolis, between May 17 and 21st 2016.

The Corvette features a 327cu. small block/300HP engine with Borg Warner T-10 4 speed transmission, but as an experimental callback, this is one of the most rare out there.
As per the Mecum auction website – ‘Chevrolet celebrated its “Golden” 50th Anniversary in 1962 with a special paint scheme on the ’62 Impala in Anniversary Gold with Yellow-Gold interior. Unknown to many Bowtie enthusiasts, Chevrolet actually experimented with the Gold-on-Tan color combination on a Corvette before offering the 50th Anniversary Impala as an option.

Scheduled for November 15, 1961 production in St. Louis, this Corvette’s transformation was completed at GM Styling on January 16, 1962. Known within the Corvette community as the 50th Anniversary Gold-on-Tan “evaluation car,” the build date precedes the February 1962 Chicago Auto Show, from where rumors spread of a Golden Corvette on display for Chevrolet’s 50th Anniversary.

After the success of this styling exercise, Chevrolet had no choice but to offer a 50th Anniversary model in a special golden color combination. Corvette was considered, but high-level GM brass believed the full-size line would result in more sales, and subsequently an estimated 350 Impala 50th Anniversary cars were produced for 1962.

The decision left in its wake this special one-of-a-kind Corvette Styling Car.

Styling car expert Werner Meier inspected the original GM Styling Shop Order tag mounted on the firewall, and judged it authentic due to its “crude patina” typical of original tags found on other styling cars. The tag reads “S.O. 10224, 1-16-62” and upon further examination, many components on the car were also identified by shop order 10224 including the original interior kick panels and spare-tire board that have the number applied in grease pen. With this information in hand, Bloomington Gold Great Hall inductee Terry Michaelis immediately acquired the special car for his family’s private collection.’

The unique paintwork was a two-year mission by Fred and Terry Michaelis, having taken a sample of the original paint from under the dash.
Ultimately, this is one of the rarest and finest examples of an early 60s Corvette out there.

– 1962 Corvette GM Styling Show Car
– GM Styling S.O. 10224 completed January 16, 1962
– Special GM Styling shop order tag
– Commonly believed to be prepared for the 1962 Chicago Auto Show or a styling exercise to produce the 50th Anniversary Chevrolets with Gold paint and Tan interior
– Many components are labeled 10224
– Gold anodized grille
– Matching numbers 327/300 HP V-8 engine
– 4-speed manual transmission
– 3.36 Postraction rear end
– Special Firemist Gold paint and Tan leather interior
– A forensic inspection prior to restoration revealed Firemist Gold paint and evidence of a Tan or Gold interior
– New paint, interior and top in 2010
– Displayed in the Styling Car Showcase at Amelia Island in 2012
– Part of the Class of 1962 Display at MCACN in 2012
– Invited to the Ault Park Concours d’Elegance in 2012 and 2013
– Invited to the Eye on Design Automobile Design Exposition at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford Estate in 2011.

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