Alice Cooper's Corvette for Sale at Shannons

MELBOURNE – May 20, 2010: An iconic matching-numbers 1961 Corvette that for some years was the personal car of outrageous American rock music legend Alice Cooper, is being offered for sale by Shannons at its May 31 Melbourne Winter Auction.

Even more special for collectors, the stunning white with classic red interior roadster comes with three ‘Fenders’ – the two on the car and a matching pearl white Fender Squier guitar signed by Cooper.

The Corvette was originally advertised on the Internet where a Melbourne muscle car enthusiast spotted it nearly two years ago. Then it was suddenly withdrawn from sale, so out of curiosity he followed it up six months later.

He spoke to Alice Cooper (real name Vincent Damon Furnier) at his home in Arizona and negotiated a deal. As part of that, Cooper agreed to include the signed Fender guitar that was part of the original Internet sale offer.

The Corvette, which is still equipped with its original 283-Cid V8 and Powerglide transmission, was owned and driven by Cooper for around six years before he offered it for sale. Like many rock stars, Alice Cooper is an avid car enthusiast, as well as a keen golfer, with a fantastic collection of American muscle in his garage.

The original Alice Cooper band broke into the international music mainstream in 1971, with their biggest hit being their 1972 anthem ‘School’s Out for Summer’.

The band’s signature stage show featured guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, boa constrictors and baby dolls, with Cooper drawing from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock to pioneer a grandly theatrical and violent brand of heavy metal that was designed to shock.

According to car’s current owner, who is reluctantly selling the car to finance a property purchase, the head-turning Corvette drives nicely, with new shock absorbers, rubbers and many refurbished components and is in excellent condition throughout.

Apart from the power-operated soft-top, everything on the car works properly and with its star studded provenance, Shannons believe it will prove to be a great investment. It is expected to sell in the $70,000-$80,000 range.

The Corvette is one of 44 classic vehicles and 27 lots of automobilia in the auction, to be staged at Shannons showrooms at 321 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, from 7.00pm on Monday May 31.