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MECUM MARKET REPORT: The Dallas Recap—Restomods, Classic Mid-Years, & The Corvettes That Brought The Money While Inventory Declines

Fewer Corvettes, stronger sell-through, and a Restomod revolution—is the collector-car market changing before our eyes? CorvSport takes you inside Mecum Dallas to reveal the biggest sales, the top dud, and the deal that deserves a second look

Douglas Barton··

From October 21 to 24, enthusiasts flocked to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, for Mecum’s third-to-last act of its 2026 big-tent season. But beneath the auction lights and the familiar thunder of the hammer, a bigger story was unfolding—one less about how many Corvettes rolled across the block and more about how dramatically the Mecum market is changing. Inventory continues to shrink, sell-through rates are climbing at most stops, and buyers are increasingly forcing us to reconsider what makes a Corvette desirable in today’s collector-car marketplace. Add the enduring influence of a Restomod pioneer and the timeless appeal of the Mid-Year Corvette, and Mecum’s Dallas/Fort Worth big-tent event becomes more than another auction stop. It’s another revealing checkpoint in the evolving Corvette market.

The Top 3 Mecum Dallas/Fort Worth Storylines

1. The Corvette Inventory Squeeze: Dallas Takes The Biggest Hit Of 2026

Is Corvette inventory still down? Absolutely—and Dallas delivered the biggest drop of the year among Mecum’s events. Compared with the 2024 season, Dallas featured 56 fewer Corvettes, a 38% decline. That’s a substantial contraction, and it puts Dallas at the top of a list that suggests shrinking supply is becoming a defining characteristic of Mecum’s current auction landscape.

Here’s how the three biggest inventory declines stack up since 2024:

  1. Dallas: 56 Fewer ‘Vettes- 38% Decline
  2. Indianapolis: 113 Fewer ‘Vettes- 34% Decline
  3. Kissimmee: 126 Fewer ‘Vettes- 24% Decline

And this isn’t an isolated case. After ten events in the 2026 season, nine have seen Corvette inventory declines compared with 2024. Nashville was the lone exception, but with an important caveat: 2026 marked its inaugural event, so there was no auction to compare against.

So, what’s behind the shrinking supply? Several forces could be converging. Owners may be holding onto desirable Corvettes rather than selling into a market where expectations and actual sale prices don’t always align. Others may be waiting for more favorable conditions, choosing private sales, selecting the competition, or deciding the costs and uncertainty of consigning a vehicle aren’t worth the gamble. Meanwhile, the supply of fresh, auction-ready examples is finite, and sellers with especially desirable cars have more options for when and where they bring them to market.

Those are theories rather than proven causes, but the recurring pattern is hard to ignore. Nine comparable events showing fewer Corvettes than in 2024 suggest this is more than a one-venue anomaly. For Mecum, the challenge is finding enough quality inventory to keep the Corvette selection compelling. For buyers, a smaller field could mean fewer opportunities to find exactly the car they want.

2. Fewer Cars, More Buyers Finding Their Match: Sell-Through Is Climbing

Here’s the counterpoint to the inventory squeeze: while fewer Corvettes are showing up, more are finding buyers. Across the nine comparable Mecum events, seven have improved their sell-through rates compared with 2024. Harrisburg leads the charge with a 14% increase, followed by Monterey at 10% and Glendale at 8%. The trend suggests that a smaller field doesn’t necessarily mean a weaker market—in fact, the right cars may be connecting with buyers more consistently.

What’s driving the improvement? More selective consignments, better-prepared cars, realistic reserve prices, and closer alignment between seller expectations and buyer budgets could all be contributing factors. Buyers may also be focusing their attention on the cars that best match their collecting goals rather than spreading it across a larger selection. We can’t credit any single factor without more data, and stronger sell-through doesn’t automatically mean higher prices, but the takeaway is encouraging: even as Corvette inventory contracts, the cars being offered are finding buyers more successfully at most Mecum stops.

3. The Jeff Hayes Effect: How Restomods & Customs Challenge The Mid-Year Throne

The 1963–1967 Mid-Year Corvette remains a collector-car icon, prized for its unmistakable styling, competition heritage, and historical authenticity. But the Restomod movement has rewritten the rules of classic Corvette ownership, blending vintage design with modern powertrains, suspension, braking, cooling, and drivability. Jeff Hayes helped pioneer this movement, championing the idea that a classic Corvette could preserve its timeless character while embracing contemporary performance and engineering. That philosophy opened the door to a new kind of enthusiast—one who wants the soul of a vintage Corvette without necessarily accepting all the compromises of vintage technology.

Yet the Mid-Year’s traditional appeal hasn’t disappeared–far from it. Numbers-matching engines, factory-correct details, documented provenance, and originality continue to command attention, setting up a fascinating contrast between preservation and reinvention. One philosophy celebrates the Corvette as a piece of history; the other reimagines that history for today’s roads. That’s the heart of the Jeff Hayes Effect: the expansion of what collectors consider desirable. Restomods haven’t dethroned the classic Mid-Year, but they’ve made the competition for enthusiast dollars—and the definition of the ultimate Corvette—far more interesting.

In a historic olive branch, the NCRS launched its Open Class Judging program, creating a dedicated division that scores Restomods on operational excellence, build quality, and engineering completeness rather than factory-correct paint marks and other stringent requirements. High-caliber custom builds can now proudly claim official NCRS accolades alongside untouched survivors and restored, unmolested classics, bringing the Corvette community full circle.

♦ What’s Inside Today’s Mecum Market Report:

  1. CorvSport’s Comprehensive Mecum Tracker
  2. Dallas’s Top 4 Restomod/Custom Sales
  3. Dallas’s Top 3 Mid-Year Sales
  4. The Top Sale
  5. The Top Dud
  6. The Top Deal

1 – CorvSport’s Comprehensive Mecum Tracker

♦ Kissimmee

♦ Glendale

♦ Houston

♦ Indy

  • Indy 2024: 332 Corvettes offered–232 sold (70%)
  • Indy 2025: 267 Corvettes offered–199 sold (75%)
  • Indy 2026: 219 Corvettes offered–146 sold (67%)

♦ Tulsa

  • Tulsa 2024: 56 Corvettes offered–45 sold (80%)
  • Tulsa 2025: 35 Corvettes offered–30 sold (86%)
  • Tulsa 2026: 37 Corvettes offered–31 sold (84%)

♦ Florida Summer Special

♦ Harrisburg

♦ Monterey

♦ Nashville

♦ Dallas

♦ Indy Fall Special

♦ Las Vegas

  • Las Vegas 2024: 43 Corvettes offered–30 sold (70% )
  • Las Vegas 2025: 30 Corvettes offered–22 sold (73%)
  • Las Vegas 2026: Scheduled for November 12-14

♦ Kansas City

♦ TOTALS:

  • 2024: 1,701 Corvettes offered with 70.2% sell-through (1,194)
  • 2025: 1,429 Corvettes offered with 74.9% sell-through (1,071)
  • 2026 Running Total: 1,176 Corvettes offered—71.2% sold (837)

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Mecum Dallas/Fort Worth 2026

2 – Dallas’s Top 4 Restomod/Custom Sales

#4 – 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe

Hammer Price: $110,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • Comprehensive custom build by noted builder Jim Bryant
  • Completed in the fall of 2023 shortly before Jim’s passing in December
  • Jim was the founder of Thunder Craft Boats and Bryant Boats and was known for building all-fiberglass replica drag race cars and custom concept hot rods
  • Custom fiberglass body hand-shaped and molded by Jim Bryant and Eli Moore
  • Art Morrison chassis, brakes, and suspension components
  • Supercharged 6.2L LT4 V-8 engine rated at 650 HP
  • GM 8L90E automatic transmission
  • Custom paint by DJ Ayers of A&S Autobody
  • Interior design and upholstery by Paul Atkins of Paul Atkins Interiors
  • Wiring and plumbing by Estes Russell and Brad Millsaps
  • Custom fabrication by Smoky Mountain Hot Rods

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

#3 – 2013 Chevrolet Corvette CRC Conversion Convertible

Hammer Price: $132,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • Classic Reflection Coachworks 1958 conversion using computer-engineered carbon fiber replacement body panels
  • Built on a 2013 C6 chassis
  • Odometer reads 7,643 miles
  • 6.2L LS3 V-8 engine
  • Automatic transmission
  • Custom spinner-style wheels with whitewall tires
  • Special electronic door handles made to look like the originals
  • Updated Sony screen radio
  • Dual-zone climate control
  • Power seats, Power windows, Cruise control
  • Upgraded headlights

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

#2 – 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe

Hammer Price: $137,500

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • 6.2L LT1 V-8 engine
  • 6-speed manual transmission
  • McLeod Racing hydraulic clutch
  • Leather upholstery
  • 19 and 20-inch Stance wheels
  • Coilover suspension, C7-sourced suspension arms
  • C6-specification braking components, Wilwood brake master cylinder
  • Power steering, Vintage Air, Dakota Digital RTX instruments
  • Moto-Lita steering wheel, Ididit tilt column
  • Recaro bucket seats
  • Tanaka 4-point harnesses

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

#1 – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window Coupe

Hammer Price: $297,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • Frame-off custom build by Doug Rippie Motorsports
  • SRIII custom tube chassis
  • Best of 60th Year Anniversary of Corvette Marque Award at 2023 Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally
  • Builders Choice Award by Goolsby Customs at the 2025 Goodguys 10th Anniversary North Carolina Nationals
  • 6.2L LS3 V-8 engine, Wiseco pistons, Borla induction ITB fuel injection
  • Low-profile GM Performance oil pan, Custom valve covers styled like original
  • Billet Specialties polished front runner system
  • Holley Terminator ECU
  • 4L80E automatic transmission
  • Silver Blue code 912 base coat/clear coat paint by Squeeg’s Kustoms of Chandler, Arizona
  • Black custom leather interior, Flaming River tilt steering column, Custom Glide Engineering seats
  • Vintage Air, Quartz clock, Antique Automotive Bluetooth radio
  • SiriusXM radio, Dakota Digital gauges
  • Custom Gray square weave carpets
  • Originally delivered to Luby Chevrolet of Denver, Colorado

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

3 – Dallas’s Top 3 Mid-Year Sales

#3 – 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

Hammer Price: $121,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • Matching-numbers L72 427/425 HP V-8 engine
  • M21 4-speed manual transmission
  • FA-code 3.70 Positraction rear end
  • Finished in original code 986A Silver Pearl over black interior
  • Factory telescopic steering column
  • Teakwood steering wheel
  • Kelsey Hayes knock-off wheels with white stripe tires
  • Factory-style stainless side exhaust

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

#2 – 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

Hammer Price: $134,750

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • 2012 Corvette giveaway car
  • Matching numbers 427/400 HP Tri-Power V-8 engine
  • Transistorized ignition
  • 4-speed manual transmission
  • Red exterior, White Stinger hood
  • White interior, Bucket seats
  • Center console, Factory air conditioning
  • AM/FM radio, Power windows
  • Tinted glass
  • Positraction
  • Side pipes, Redline tires
  • Owner’s manual, Original order form

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

#1 – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window Coupe

Hammer Price: $176,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • NCRS Top Flight
  • Frame-off restoration
  • Rebuilt 327/300 HP V-8 engine
  • 4-speed manual transmission
  • Ermine White exterior, Black interior
  • Bucket seats
  • Positraction differential
  • 15-inch original steel wheels with original OEM hubcaps
  • Documentation from original owner
  • Held in the care of the original owner until November 2016
  • Owner’s manual, Service records

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

4 – The Top Sale

2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel Edition Coupe

Hammer Price: $550,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • 793 miles
  • One-year-only design commemorating America’s 250th anniversary celebration
  • 1 of 4 ZR1X Stars & Steel Editions painted Arctic White
  • 1 of 25 ZR1X Stars & Steel Editions produced
  • 1 of 270 ZR1X models produced for 2026
  • ZR1X carbon fiber aero package
  • ZTK track performance package
  • All-wheel drive
  • Twin-turbocharged 5.5L/1,250 HP hybrid V-8 engine paired with front axle electric motor
  • 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
  • Targa top, Santorini Blue leather interior, Bucket seats
  • Bose stereo, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, Navigation
  • Power windows, locks and mirrors, Cruise control
  • Rare suede trunk liner
  • Carbon ceramic brakes, Rare carbon fiber wheels
  • Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires
  • Factory-rated 0-60 MPH time of 1.68 seconds (prepped track)
  • Factory-rated quarter-mile time of 8.675 seconds at 159 MPH (prepped track)
  • Full Xpel PPF film, all painted and carbon fiber on the body has been covered
  • Custom Edge Red-painted X’s on side of vehicle painted to match factory calipers
  • Edge Red Corvette script installed on rear from GM

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

5 – The Top Dud

1966 Chevrolet Corvette N03 Coupe

Bid To: $300,000

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • 1 of only 2 Corvettes equipped with the N03 36.5-gallon fuel tank that were exported to Canada for the 1966 model year
  • Delivered new to the Chevrolet dealership in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada
  • Ordered with 18 factory options
  • Bloomington Gold certified
  • Multiple-time NCRS Top Flight winner
  • MCACN Concours Gold award
  • Triple Diamond certified
  • Original window sticker and order form
  • Owner’s manual, Protect-O-Plate
  • Matching numbers L79 327/350 HP V-8 engine
  • Shortly after taking delivery, the original owner had the camshaft replaced with a higher-lift cam and had the carburetor re-jetted for increased performance
  • M20 4-speed manual transmission
  • Previously part of the K.D. James Corvette Tanker Collection
  • Collaborative comprehensive restoration completed by Bob Gregory and Bruce and Scott Smith

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

6 – The Top Deal

1995 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

Hammer Price: $6,050

♦ Key Listing Details:

  • 157,082 miles
  • 5.7L LT1 V-8 engine
  • Automatic transmission
  • Bright Aqua metallic exterior
  • Removable Targa top
  • Black interior
  • Bucket seats
  • Center console
  • 5-spoke black alloy wheels

♦ The Full Mecum Listing

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*All vehicle information and photos are fully credited to Mecum