There’s no shortage of Corvettes at Barrett-Jackson, but some Corvettes garner more attention than others. Want a stock big-block C2? Take your pick! What about a road-racing C3, just like what John Greenwood drove at Le Mans? You may find one. If your inclinations lean towards C1 restomods, then this 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Topless Roadster from the Bryan Frank Collection should do the trick. You will have the opportunity to buy it with No Reserve at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction October 15-18 at WestWorld.
Nineteen sixty-one was a pivotal year in several ways: the rear end was restyled into a “ducktail” design that foreshadowed what was coming for the C2, not to mention it was the Corvette that introduced what would become a trademark: a pair of taillights on each side. Up front, a new mesh grille eschewed the flashy 1950s. Along the sides, the coves would offer contrasting paint as an option for the last time. And, underneath the hood, the 283 made its final appearance, to be replaced by the 327 the following year. Nineteen sixty-one also was among the most significant model years for General Motors, as classic car fans tend to consider all GM brands on the top of their respective games.
For this 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Topless Roadster, let’s start with the exterior: having undergone an 18-month build, this vehicle is finished in custom Starfire Pearl White with charcoal coves. You may not notice, but there’s several subtle modifications, such as a peak on the hood and front end, cut and tucked bumpers, custom grille, and painted brass trim. The fiberglass body sits on an Art Morrison chassis with AME Sport independent front suspension and a triangulated 4-link rear suspension. Power is directed to a Strange Engineering, 31-spline Ford 9-inch S-Series axle housing 3.70 gears. Braking is handled by Wilwood SL6 front and SL4 rear calipers with 14-inch drilled and slotted discs. A set of HRE custom wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero radials.
Inside, you’ll find a gray leather interior featuring a leather-wrapped dash and steering wheel, Dakota Digital gauges, honest-to-goodness blown-glass knobs, Vintage Air system, and JL Audio system with Bluetooth—the latter for those moment when American Graffiti is on your mind.
Though the original 283 is gone, the legendary small-block is still in its rightful place, in this case a GM Performance 6.2-liter LS3 V8 crate engine backed by a 4L65E automatic transmission. The engine is built with L92 aluminum hypereutectic pistons and forged 4340 steel I-beam rods, and topped by a custom-fabricated intake and Holley Dominator EFI vehicle management system. Breathing is assisted by Art Morrison ceramic-coated headers and 2.5-inch polished stainless-steel pipes with MagnaFlow Performance mufflers.
There’s plenty of features jam-packed into this 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Topless Roadster from the Bryan Frank Collection. Configured in a way that Chevrolet engineered never envisioned, this C1 is ripe for your man cave or lady lair—but only when you make the winning bid at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction.
Register for the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction and bid on location or online.
