8 Very Best Corvettes of Amelia Island 2026

The Amelia Concours 2026

The 2026 Amelia Concours is in the books. As usual, it was one of the most impressive gatherings of automobiles on the planet. Not only is the concours itself an incredible event, but collector cars from all over the country take over the small island, so you see incredible vehicles on every road, gas station, and restaurant in the area. It's like the entire universe transforms into the greatest car show you could ever imagine. There are cars in the show, cars being auctioned off, and the Radwood event takes place right across the street. This is not a Corvette-only show, but some of the most important Corvettes in the world are here.

I did my best to capture some of the incredible Corvettes that were at Amelia this year. For 2026, there was a special display to honor the L88 Corvettes. So, as you can imagine, my list of the best Corvettes is dominated by these incredible big block machines. But I included a few other special Corvettes as well, just to keep it interesting. If you couldn't make it to Amelia this year, this is what you missed.  

1. 1962 327/360 Fuelie

It was hard not to be taken in by this Corvette. It was a beautiful sunny day and this 1962 327 Fuelie was parked on the lawn outside the Ritz-Carlton overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was quite the scene and quite the car. This car has a 4-speed manual and the 360 horsepower 327 fuel injected V8 engine. It underwent a frame off restoration and the Sateen Silver over red interior and black pinpoint soft top look perfect. It is a Bloomington Gold Certified example. The car was sold at auction later that day for $145,600.

2. 1969 See-Thru L88 Corvette

There have been three see-thru Corvettes ever created. I saw the 1965 car a few months ago at the Radnor Hunt Concours. That car was also here at Amelia, but parked next to it was the 1969 see-thru Corvette with the L88 big block. One of just 116 L88 Corvettes built that year. These see-thru Corvettes are really special to see in person. Now I just need to see the 1953 example, and I will have finally seen them all.

3. 1963 Split Window

I had to put a 1963 split window Corvette on this list. Especially when it is in such fantastic condition and painted in Saddle Tan Metallic. There are no official figures that I could find that lists how many split window Corvettes were painted Saddle Tan Metallic, but it seems to be one of, if not the, rarest color. I have seen plenty of split window cars in my time, but very few have I ever seen painted this color.

4. 1966 Corvette Development L88

Back to the L88 cars, and this is a special one. It's a 1966 coupe that was one of the four Corvettes built to develop the L88 engine. Pedro Rodriguez raced in the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring. After that, it was sold to Harold Whims, a longtime racer who continued to compete in the car. This very car won the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Grand Sport Trophy. It was presented to the owner by GM president Mark Reuss.

5. 1967 Corvette Factory L88 Dana & Harry Mann Racer

Another special L88 race car. This one finished in Marina Blue, the only L88 finished in that color. Only 20 L88 cars were built in 1967. This one has a well-documented race history and was raced at Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, and Riverside, California. This Corvette is a winner of the National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) American Heritage award.

6. 1968 Corvette Factory L88 Band-Aid Racer

Here is another L88 race car that is also a NCRS American Heritage award winner. The car first raced at the International Championship of Makes at Watkins Glen, New York, on July 14, 1968. Not only did the car win its class, but it also broke the lap record for said class. A few months later, Robert “Columbus Bob” Johnson drove the car to an overall victory at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The car has had a body-off restoration and currently wears the livery from the Watkins Glen race in 1968.

7. 1969 Corvette Factory L88 Greenwood “Stars & Stripes” Racer

This amazing car competed at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1972, this car won its class at the Watkins Glen Six Hours with drivers John Greenwood and Dick Smothers. At Le Mans, this car set a GT speed record when it hit 215 mph on the Mulsanne straight in qualifying in 1973. This car is also a NCRS American Heritage award winner.

8. 1980 L-82 Corvette

I am switching it up a bit for the last car on the list. Not every Corvette featured needs to be a priceless heirloom. There is Corvette passion in all ranks, and I wanted to show that by featuring this 1980 L-82 Corvette that was displayed at Radwood. Finished in its original Frost Beige paint, this car also has the original interior, carpets, and wheels. There are fewer than 21,000 original miles on the clock. The car was originally sold in Norman, Oklahoma for $12,000. It is not the rarest or most expensive Corvette that I saw this past weekend, but it is well-loved and presented with pride. Not all special Corvettes have to be worth six or seven figures.

Images: Joe Kucinski