Bob McDorman is a Chevrolet dealer and noted General Motors collector from Canal Winchester, Ohio. From time to time Bob works through his collection of nearly 300 cars and sells those that are duplicates or to make room for something even more unique. He has a goal of replacing the rare with the ultra-rare.

The Bob McDorman Corvettes offered by Mecum auction at Bloomington Gold is made up of one-of-a-kind, low mileage, low serial numbers, or extremely unique vehicles. Cars of particular interest include:

The '64 Corvette Ozzie Olson GM Styling Car

It was 1979, and Meier, a Corvette restorer, former GM executive and owner of Masterworks Automotive Services in Madison Heights, Michigan, had heard through the grapevine of a highly-optioned ‘64 coupe. While its 300-horse automatic drivetrain held little appeal for Meier, the news that it supposedly wore a mint set of Kelsey Hayes knock-off wheels was enough to pique his interest. He arrived expecting to find a straight, original car and was instead scandalized by its bright pearlescent Blue paint. The owner insisted the finish was original; unable to find any evidence of overspray, Meier inspected the trim tag, which specified the paint code as “SPEC”. Meier bought the coupe on the spot for the full asking price, knowing he had found the tip of a thread that would lead him to the car’s true value.

Meier subsequently established that the car was specially prepared at GM Styling for industrialist Ozzie Olson, founder of the Olsonite Toilet Seat Company and famed sponsor of a series of Dan Gurney-built Eagle Indy 500 race cars driven by Gurney, 1974 USAC Champion Bobby Unser and others. Olson and Mitchell were friends whose shared enthusiasms included Corvettes, racing and partying, so it was only natural that Olson joined the select group of clients and friends for whom Mitchell built special Corvettes.

Along with the custom floor grates that were a trademark feature of the GM Styling specials, the car was fitted with six taillights, and the lower front fenders were modified by filling in the scallops and creating openings for side-mounted exhaust. These were originally simulations; true side exhaust did not appear until 1965 but several Mitchell Corvette specials had a variety of such pieces that eventually evolved into the first production systems. During the car’s restoration, Werner Meier worked from period photographs to make aluminum recreations which he rendered functional by fitting them with internal mufflers. Because the pearl Blue paint had begun to craze, he also reluctantly repainted the body.

Werner Meier put about 1,000 miles on the Corvette over the 25 years he owned it, including a return road trip from his Michigan home to Kentucky, and a drive to the Gilmore Museum, where it was displayed for 12 years until going into the famed McDorman Collection, another fascinating chapter in the story of Bill Mitchell and his GM Styling Studio.

Highlights:

- 1964 Corvette custom built by Bill Mitchell for Ozzie Olson
- 327/300 hp automatic
- Air conditioning
- Custom exhaust system recreated in restoration
- Refinished in the original Pearl Blue
- Blue Line tires on chromed wire wheels
- Custom taillights, floor grates and vanity mirrors
- Documented history


The '68 Corvette owned by Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell

One of the all-time movie Corvette trivia questions concerns the real color of astronaut Jim Lovell’s Corvette. In the movie “Apollo 13”, the famed Apollo 13 astronaut is portrayed by Tom Hanks, who drives a Red coupe. In reality, we know that Lovell’s 1968 ride was finished in Silverstone Silver with a Blue interior, because that same car is now being offered from the Bob McDorman Collection.

An original matching numbers 327/300 hp smallblock automatic, the engine in Mr. Lovell’s Corvette carries the correct build codes and casting numbers, and the car is optioned with air conditioning, power steering and power brakes, deluxe wheel covers and rear luggage rack.

The Lovell Corvette is a wonderful artifact from a fascinating and heroic chapter in American history.

Highlights:

- Previously owned by famed Apollo 13 Astronaut Jim Lovell
- Silverstone Silver
- Blue interior
- Matching number 327/300 HP
- Engine build V0308HO, block 3914678, cast C 2 8
- Automatic transmission
- PO2 hubcaps
- Luggage rack
- Air conditioning
- Power steering
- Power brakes

and a 1991 Corvette Callaway Speedster with a 403 HP Twin-Turbocharged engine.

In 1991 the only non-GM Corvette performance option that could be ordered as an RPO was the Callaway Twin Turbo package known as RPO B2K. Performed by Callaway Cars in Old Lyme, Connecticut, the modifications added twin intercooled turbochargers, revised engine management and 150 horsepower, raising output to over 400.

Extremely difficult to acquire due to their low numbers, the most notable conversions were a limited edition of ten Series 1 Speedsters, which featured cut-down windshields, wraparound glass and twin integrated headrests. Here we present number 8 in that series, a Callaway Aero-bodied Speedster that was once part of the famed Chandler Collection.

The Paul Deutschman-designed bodywork is finished in Silver, with a custom interior skillfully stitched in Wedgwood Blue leather. Large-diameter three-piece O.Z. wheels are special units original to the car that distinguished it as a genuine Callaway, and the polished undercarriage showcases the company’s famous craftsmanship.

Callaway Speedsters are seldom offered for sale; this former Otis Chandler-owned example presents a rare and unique opportunity to own an exceptional model.

Highlights:

- Number 8 of 10 Callaway Series 1 Speedsters ever produced.
- Previously in the Otis Chandler collection.
- Silver Callaway Aero body
- Speedster chopped glass
- Special OZ wheels
- Unique Wedgwood Blue Speedster interior
- L98 Callaway Twin Turbo engine, 403 HP
- Polished undercarriage
- Highly desirable, highly sought after

Presented in sequence (click here for individual details), these six Corvettes are scheduled to start crossing the block at approximately 5:10 PM Eastern on Friday, June 26 - in front of a live national TV audience on HD Theater, Discovery Communication’s premier high-definition network.