UPDATE: ’64 Fuelie Engine Sells for $38,500 at Barrett-Jackson

UPDATE: The hammer dropped on a final bid of $35,000 when the engine’s lot number came up for sale Saturday night. Combined with the buyer’s commission, total price was $38,500.

Last year, a ZL1 clone from the Floyd Garrett collection drew quite a bit of attention and bids at the 2013 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. For the 2014 edition of the sale, the Floyd Garrett Musclecar Museum has consigned a 1964 Corvette fuelie display engine. Scheduled as lot #1275.4, the listing is brief, saying only that the engine has been completely rebuilt, including the fuel-injection unit, and it features date-correct and NOS parts.

Display engines are becoming more popular with collectors who want automobilia beyond gas pumps, racing posters and ceramic signs to enhance a garage. Last year’s ZL1 clone drew a final bid of $80,000, bringing the total sale to $88,000 with the 10-percent buyer’s commission. An EngineLabs article suggested the final price could have reached $100,000. Also up for sale in 2013 was a Ford cutaway display engine from RoushYates Engines that had been featured in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It sold for $22,000, including buyer’s commission.

The Vette fuelie engine is certainly historic in the performance history books, but it’s not as rare as the all-alloy ZL1 big-block, and with a some zealous online searching or long walks at the swap meets, it would not be difficult to duplicate this engine. Coming from the Garrett collection might add a little provenance, so the final price will be interesting.