1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 'Snake Eater' Could Fetch $13M at RM Sotheby's Monterey Auction
From August 13 to 15, RM Sotheby’s will host its annual auction in Monterey, featuring a rare piece of automotive history: one of the five original 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sports, known as the 'Snake Eaters.' This specific model, chassis no. 003, is expected to sell for between $11 million and $13 million. Designed in secret by Zora Arkus-Duntov to compete with the Shelby Cobra, Chevrolet only produced five units. This car boasts a rich racing legacy, with legends like A.J. Foyt and Jim Hall driving it to multiple victories in 1963 and notable placements at the 12 Hours of Sebring in the following years. Recently, it received a new 377-cubic-inch V-8 engine and weighs just 1,900 pounds.
Key facts
- RM Sotheby's will auction a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, chassis no. 003, at its Monterey sale from August 13-15.
- The car is one of five original 'Snake Eater' Grand Sports built.
- Estimated sale price: $11 million to $13 million.
- The Grand Sport was secretly developed by Zora Arkus-Duntov in 1963 to beat the Shelby Cobra.
- Only five were built before Chevrolet management shut down the project.
- Chassis no. 003 was driven by A.J. Foyt, Jim Hall, and Augie Pabst.
- It won three SCCA class victories in 1963, finished second in class at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1964, and third in class in 1965.
- In 2024, it was fitted with a new 377-cubic-inch V-8 with four Weber carburetors, producing 600 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque.
- The car weighs 1,900 pounds, 1,300 pounds less than a standard 1963 Corvette.
Entities
Artists
- Zora Arkus-Duntov
- A.J. Foyt
- Jim Hall
- Augie Pabst
- Dick Doane
Institutions
- RM Sotheby's
- Chevrolet
- Shelby Cobra
- SCCA
- Mecum Racing
Locations
- Monterey
- Sebring