Ultra rare C5 spotted?

[99mallett]

Possibly...

My wife went to visit a friend in a small town East of us today, and when she came home she was telling me about a C5 she saw at a gas station today that was a "weird" color...but she really liked it.
Of course, she doesn't really know (or really care) about such oddities, so she didn't really get any details. The only thing she could tell me was that it DEFINATELY was a C5 convertible (she has one, so I believe her) and it had a dealer plate on it.
She described it as a "goldish-tan" color with a tan top. "HMMMM...you don't mean "Aztec Gold" do you?" says I. "I guess you could call it that, but I'm not sure." says she.
I jumped on the interweb and pulled up a pic of a '98 Aztec Gold Corvette, and showed it to her. "Yup...that's it, only a convertible with a tan top" she said. It was in real nice shape, too..it even had those ugly early C5 wheels you hate on it..."

OMG...if it's real, she not only spotted one of 15 Aztec Gold C5s, but one of three convertibles. I have a hard time believing that anyone would be out driving around a rare car like that, especially on a rainy, crappy day like today.

 

[6 Shooter]

HEY - Drive em or sell em!

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[99mallett]

I've done some investigating. There were three verts made, with one being a stick. One is owned privately (i believe), one was wrecked and totalled a few years ago, and Kerbeck supposedly owns the other one. It must have been a mistaken observation or maybe a repaint...who knows.

 

[BuckIVette]

99 Aztec Gold

Could be the one frorm the Bob McDorman collection in Canal Winchester, OH.

 

[BuckIVette]

99 Aztec Gold

Could be the one from the Bob McDorman collection in Canal Winchester, OH

 

[timfitz63]

Not to say your wife didn't spot a true "Aztec Gold" convertible, but the very common "Pewter Metallic" color appears a "goldish-tan" like your wife described. It was offered during that same period (1998-2002), so some of the vehicles with that color will also have the pre-2000 rim style.

I've seen a few re-painted C5's out there, some offered for sale from time to time. They were never presented as "Aztec Gold" (only gold), but the seller may have been trying to hook someone who didn't know any better. You've definitely got to be an informed buyer when it comes to these rare Corvettes, and the best way to deal with this particular question is to cross-reference any questionable gold C5 against this list of VINs: Aztec Gold C5 Corvettes. The RPO decal (inside the glove box) should also show paint code "58" for a genuine "Aztec Gold" C5.

A few years back, I did the same research as "99mallett" -- with the same findings: of the 3 "Aztec Gold" convertibles built, two were automatics and one was a 6-speed/Z51 combination (which I would dearly love to have). I haven't been able to determine what top/interior colors these cars have. One of these vehicles was reportedly wrecked/totaled a few years back; don't know the details surrounding that or who owned it at the time, but it was ostensibly one of the automatics.

The other automatic is purportedly held in the Kerbeck Corvette Collection, but I haven't confirmed that. The YouTube video they have (accessible through their website Kerbeck Corvette Collection - Corvette Information and GM muscle cars at Kerbeck Worlds Largest Corvette Dealer) doesn't mention it (only their one-off gold 2003 Anniversary Corvette). But a photo at the bottom of the web page clearly shows a gold C5 convertible with the pre-2000 rims on it.

The 6-speed/Z51 combination (which is also the only 6-speed "Aztec Gold" C5) is purportedly owned by Les Stanford, who runs Les Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn, MI (Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac is a Dearborn Cadillac, Chevrolet dealer and a new car and used car Dearborn MI Cadillac, Chevrolet dealership.). Again, I've not been able to confirm that.

Can't comment on what vehicle may be in Mr. McDorman's collection, but it would appear that all of the convertibles are spoken for...

When I was shopping for my Corvette back in 2004-2005, I found one of the "Aztec Gold" coupes offered for sale out of Arizona. I immediately contacted the owner to tell him I was interested, but he started "himming and hawing" about whether he was going to sell it, explaining it was really his wife's car. Don't know if that was a negotiating ploy on his part or if he was telling me the truth, but I never did end up with the car...

About a year ago I was at the NCM, and they had an "Aztec Gold" C5 (seem to recall that it was a coupe) on display there.

 

[jrose7004]

Here is an Aztec Gold C5 coupe that was at th Central Oklahoma Corvette Club roundup yesterday!

 

[6 Shooter]

YEP - Gold is good!

http://www.c5registry.com/Production/aztec.htm​

​

 

[timfitz63]

Wow! How lucky can you get...?! Wonder if that was the Arizona car I'd found "for sale" in 2004-2005...?

They should've bought lottery tickets that week too...! :L

 

[TR04VERT]

Nice story and info...thanks

 

[XLR8]

Nice article, D. Thanks for sharing it!

I've not seen one of the Aztec Gold Vettes up close and personal but hopefully I will someday.

Jane Ann

 

[99mallett]

Very good info. Thanks for posting. I have yet to determine if she actually saw one or not. I was telling the story to a car dealer friend yesterday (who happens to be from the town where my wife spotted the car), and he tells me that he recalls one of the dealers in the area telling him about a "gold Corvette" he acquired late last year, but can't recall which one.
This isn't that big of a town, and if there's one around, it's bound to surface soon.

 

[rascal_rascal_99]

Was this the color that was discontinued quickly because they were having trouble keeping the paint uniformly colored and the cars look like they have different color body panels?

 

[6 Shooter]

Yes, if the color was up to Corvette/GM's quality the 50th Anniversary Edition Corvettes would have been produced in Aztec Gold. :cool