New Hamburg, ON, Canada, November 30, 2022 — The Chevrolet brand will take center stage in an online-only Automobiles, Advertising & Toys auction planned for Saturday, December 3rd by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., as a 1963 Corvette ‘split window’ coupe and a Chevrolet “Super Service” dealer neon sign are the expected top lots. The auction will begin promptly at 9 am Eastern time.
All 241 lots in the sale are from the lifetime collection of the late Gary Archer, a renowned yet obscure collector who aggressively sought out gas pumps, petroliana advertising, automobilia, soda signs and toys, but who rarely parted with anything. “Anyone who knew Gary will tell you the same thing: nothing was ever for sale,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.
Mr. Miller added, “When I stepped down into Gary’s basement for the first time my jaw dropped. I saw the Chevrolet dealer sign and so many others. Nobody knew of this collection. This auction represents the best of everything he ever purchased, in one sale. The split-window ’63 Corvette had been stored in the same place since 1983. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Auto buffs are familiar with the ’63 ‘split-window’ as one of the most rare and coveted Corvettes out there. Mr. Archer imported his from the U.S. in 1983 and stored it away as an investment in a dry, heated garage. Prior to that, the car received a cosmetic restoration that included a color change from saddle tan to red and an interior update that included new seat covers and carpets.
The non-running, non-tested circa 1970 350 c.i. engine is a replacement. The car was one of 278 produced with air-conditioning; one of 629 with full tinted glass; and one of 3,742 with power windows. It retains the original Powerglide automatic transmission and period-correct knockoffs by Kelsey-Hayes. The car is expected to bring $40,000-$60,000.
To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the December 3rd auction, visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.
