![A 1966 Chevrolet Black Sting Ray exhibited at the museum](http://media.assettype.com/outlooktraveller%2Fimport%2Foutlooktraveller%2Fpublic%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Ftravelnews%2Fshutterstock_1535982629.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
To an ordinary person, ZL1, COPO, L88, SS, RS, Z/28, Z06 may look like a bunch of codes with no meaning or context. However, for car junkies all over the world, they hold special significance. Denoting Chevy&rsquos mid-century order codes, they were cars that were frequently swooned over by automotive enthusiasts and collectors at the classic car museum Muscle Car City in Florida.
For the last 14 years, owner Rick Treworgy opened his collection of muscle cars to the public in Punta Gorda, Florida. Last month, citing reasons like the lack of international tourists due to the pandemic, Treworgy decided to close the doors of the museum and retire. The 72-year-old, who started buying and selling cars at a very young age, put up his collection of nearly 200 General Motors machines at a no-reserve auction. Hosted by Mecum Auctions, these pieces of road art were sold for $18.4 million.
Treworgy&rsquos collection of GM&rsquos primarily included Chevrolet with about 80 Corvettes of every generation. The unique and rare 1963 Chevrolet Corvette resto-mod was one of the top-sellers auctioned at $368,500. Others included a 1969 Chevrolet COPO Camaro, a 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge, a Chevrolet Bel Air bubble top, and the latest 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Z51. From pre-war Chevy pickups to 1988 K5 Blazer SUVs, plenty of trucks were also a part of the auction.
Originally, Treworgy opened the classic car museum in a former Walmart. The Muscle Car City collection sale was held at the present location that was previously a Sweetbay Supermarket in the Seminole Lakes Plaza.
Although the news of the auction might dishearten a few, it is comforting to know that Treworgy aims to keep a mini-museum at his home, including about 50 of his favourites.