Paul Dehnert's 1994 Corvette ZR-1s sell at 2011 Mecum Indy

The 1990-1995 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 effectively raised the bar for American high performance and with under 7,000 units made over the course of its 6-year run, it is also one of the more rare Corvettes - but the 2011 Mecum Indy Auction featured three red 1994 Corvette ZR-1s owned by the late collector Paul Dehnert.

It is rare to come across more than one C4-generation Corvette ZR-1 at any event but it is even more unusual to see three sitting side by side, in the same color, having all been owned by the same person. Paul Dehnert was well known in the Corvette world for his passion for the ZR-1 and when you view his three bright red ’94 ZR-1s sitting together his enthusiasm for these ultra high performance Corvettes shines through as two of his ZR-1s pack rare Lingenfelter high performance packages that make these Corvette’s even more unique.

Mr. Dehnert’s Corvette ZR-1s were assigned lot numbers S138, S139 and S140; with each of the three Chevrolet supercars sporting a different level of performance. For most American performance car enthusiasts like myself, three ZR-1s lined up like this is a spectacle impossible to pass up but these three particular Corvettes make for a perfect cross-sample of the incredible lineup of the Mecum Auctions.

Starting from the left (in the image above on the right), S138 features the 850 horsepower, twin turbo package from Lingenfelter Performance – making this just one of the four vehicles equipped with the kit. In addition to the twin turbocharger setup, Lingenfelter added a reinforced bottom end featuring custom forged pistons and billet steel connecting rods to handle the added stress along with an upgraded fuel system to feed the hungry high powered engine. This rare Lingenfelter ZR-1 sold with a closing price of $42,500.

Next, the middle ZR-1 in the image on the right is lot number S139 and this 1994 Corvette ZR-1 features the Lingenfelter 415/650 horsepower package. Unlike the twin turbo package, this high performance Corvette does not use forced induction but the Lingenfelter-built LT5 engine still churns out an incredible amount of power. This 650hp mill is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and a variety of other Lingenfelter goodies helping to turn the ZR-1 into a track-ready monster. While the information offered at the show was brief, a look over this vehicle shows aftermarket rims and a high performance brake system to accompany a partial roll cage, safety harnesses and a fire suppression system as this Corvette was optimized for high performance and high speed driving. This 650hp Corvette ZR-1 sold this weekend for $35,500.

Finally, on the right side we get a look at Paul Dehnert’s all-original 1994 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. This vehicle was left completely unchanged from original and with just 8,154 miles on the odometer – this vehicle presents itself as a true collector’s item. This ZR-1 came with the original owner’s manual and VHS tape along with the window sticker running through the large number of options including Sport seats, Selective Ride and Handling Control and a Delco Bose AM/FM/CD stereo. Mr. Dehnert’s stock 1994 Corvette ZR-1 sold for $35,500.

The passing of Paul Dehnert was a sad day for the Corvette community but with the sale of his three gorgeous 1994 Corvette ZR-1s, his legacy lives on in the hands of new enthusiasts. This small spread of Dehnert’s ZR-1s gave show goers a great look at the capabilities of the C4 ZR-1 platform and with selling prices of $42,500 and $35,500 – these three cars were purchased at a very reasonable price considering the quality and history of the vehicles.

Check out the gallery below for a closer look at Paul Dehnert’s Corvette ZR-1s and stay tuned to TorqueNews.com for more closing coverage of the 2011 Mecum Indy Auction!

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