Profiles
- Truck - 1972 Jeep Commando
- Mopar - 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Barn Find
- Race - 1957 Chevrolet 150 “Black Widow”
- Hot Rod - 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe
- GM - 1980 Pontiac Trans Am “Bandit” Special Edition
- Corvette - 1970 Chevrolet Corvette LT-1
- Ford - 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra
- Americana - 1966 AMC AMX Ramble Seat
Search This Issue
Page 4
CAR COLLECTOR
Volume 5 • Issue 26 • March-April 2016
The Scoop: Profiles
CORVETTE
1970 CHEVROLET
CORVETTE LT-1
$71.5k / Barrett-Jackson
Small-block screamer
brings market money in
Scottsdale — John L. Stein
Page 42
GM
1980 PONTIAC TRANS AM
“BANDIT” SE
$110k / Barrett-Jackson
Buyers want these cars —
and they want them very
badly — Dale Novak
Page 44
FoMoCo
1993 FORD MUSTANG
SVT COBRA
$27.5k / Barrett-Jackson
Here comes the awaited
Fox-body upswing — Sam
Stockham
Page 48
MOPAR
1969 DODGE CHARGER
DAYTONA BARN FIND
$99k / Mecum Auctions
What’s the next step for
this needy Mopar icon? —
Patrick Smith
Page 50
AMERICAN
™
6 AmericanCarCollector.com
Keith Martin's
Page 5
HOT ROD
1932 FORD 3-WINDOW
COUPE
$154k / Gooding & Co.
Cammer-powered Deuce at
a discount price
— Ken Gross
Page 52
AMERICANA RACE
1966 AMC AMX RAMBLE
SEAT PROTOTYPE
$91k / Russo and Steele
Pinning a number on the
only running AMX prototype
— Tom Glatch
Page 54
1957 CHEVROLET 150
“BLACK WIDOW”
$206k / Barrett-Jackson
Provenance makes the
difference on this NASCAR
unicorn — Tom Glatch
Page 56
TRUCK
1972 JEEP COMMANDO
$21k / Silver Auctions
Nice buy on a cult
street Jeep that rarely
survived beyond its era
— B. Mitchell Carlson
Page 58
Cover photo: 1969 Dodge
Charger Daytona barn find
Teddy Pieper, courtesy of Mecum Auctions
1957 Chevrolet 150 “Black Widow”, p. 56
Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
March-April 2016
7
Page 6
The Rundown
EXPERTS’
COLUMNS
10 Torque
A new crew of American car
collectors has arrived
— Jim Pickering
36 Cheap Thrills
The lowest-priced deals in the
Arizona desert
— B. Mitchell Carlson
38 Horsepower
Going all-in on a mystery
Bronco — Colin Comer
40 Corvette Market
Every car is a project, so
inspect before you buy
— John L. Stein
130 Surfing Around
Must-have automobilia
— Carl Bomstead
AUCTIONS
62 Barrett-Jackson — Scottsdale 2016
This week-long mega-sale sends 99% of 1,490 cars to new homes, and
sales total $103m — Dan Grunwald
72 Leake Auction Company — Dallas Fall 2015
Dual spinning turntables send 407 out of 607 cars to new garages,
and sales total $9m — Brett Hatfield
82 Mecum — Kissimmee 2016
Sales grow to $84.3m at this 10-day sale, and 1,794 out of 2,506 cars
sell — Morgan Eldridge
90 Russo and Steele — Scottsdale 2016
Total sales push forward 9% to $21.3m, and 521 of 723 cars sell
— John Boyle
98 Silver Auctions — Arizona in January
Sales grow 9% to a combined $3.9m, with 281 out of 484 cars sold
— B. Mitchell Carlson
108 Roundup
American vehicles from coast to coast — Cody Tayloe, Jeff Trepel,
Carl Bomstead, Joseph T. Seminetta, Nicholas M. Seminetta
8 AmericanCarCollector.com
FUN
RIDES
20 Good Reads
Ford GT: How Ford Silenced
the Critics, Humbled Ferrari
and Conquered Le Mans
— Mark Wigginton
22 Desktop Classics
Corvette Grand Sport
Roadster — Marshall Buck
24 Snapshots
ACC talks with buyers and
sellers in Arizona — Tony Piff
26 Snapshots 2
Three collector cars make a
wintry 3,000-mile journey from
LeMay—America’s Car
Museum home to their
birthplace in Detroit
d Tyson
SERV
DEPA
12 What’s Happening
Car events of note
14 Crossing the Block
Upcoming auctions and
highlighted star cars
20 Parts Time
Cool parts to keep your car
on the road
22 Cool Stuff
Shiny tees; a no-touch,
no-tools car container; and
a puzzling history of the
American pickup
28 Wrenching
Upgrade your lights for better
visibility
70 Quick Take
1990 Chevrolet Camaro
IROC-Z 1LE — Jim Pickering
71 Quick Take 2
1993 Dodge Ram pickup
— Jim Pickering
78 One to Watch
1992–95 Dodge Viper RT/10
— Chad Tyson
96 Glovebox Notes
2016 Cadillac ATS coupe 3.6L
RWD Premium
122 The Parts Hunter
Rare parts and pieces on the
market
124 Showcase Gallery
Sell your car in ACC’s
classifieds section
126 Resource Directory
Get to know our advertisers
127 Advertiser Index
Page 8
Torque
Jim Pickering
Old Guard Meets New Blood
MODERN CARS ARE COMING ON STRONG, BRINGING A NEW WAVE
OF GEARHEADS INTO THE TRADITIONAL COLLECTOR MARKET
W
hich cars will go up in value?
That was the topic at
this year’s American Car
Collector Insider’s Seminar
at Barrett-Jackson in
January. Just a few yards from cars crossing
the main auction stage, John L. Stein, Colin
Comer and Ken Lingenfelter joined me and
a bunch of ACC readers and Barrett-Jackson
attendees in the WestWorld Equidome for a
Wednesday morning panel discussion. The
topic was cars we think will emerge as hot
future collectibles.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so surpris-
ingly depending on how closely you’ve been
following the market over the past year or
so, we talked a lot about cars built in the
1980s, 1990s and 2000s. The Mustang 5.0,
Dodge Viper RT/10, fourth-gen Camaro SS,
C5 Corvette Z06, Pontiac Trans Am — they
all were on our lists of future stars.
Our panel’s general consensus was this:
As the next group of car collectors acquires
some disposable income, they’re going to
chase the cars they lusted after when they
were younger. That’ll influence the market
in two ways:
First, select modern cars will see in-
creases over their current valuations.
Second, those increased valuations will
bring more of these modern cars to auction.
Funny thing: Not far from where we were
having this conversation about the future,
cars were crossing Barrett-Jackson’s auction
block, and that possible future market transition
we described was already under way.
And a new generation of collectors was
on hand and spending money.
Ups and downs
This year’s Scottsdale totals fell 15%
overall from their 2015 levels — $251m
combined compared with last year’s $294m.
There were a bunch of possible factors that
led to the drop, from greater economic
instability on the global stage to just fewer
great cars available at auction.
Some observers pointed out that there
was no market-leading Ron Pratte Collection
headline at Barrett-Jackson — or anywhere
else, for that matter. Everyone saw the New
York Stock Exchange take a nosedive in the
days leading up to Scottsdale, and the price
per barrel of crude oil falling like a rock
was all over the news, too. All of that has an
10 AmericanCarCollector.com
ACC’s seers predict the future market at the Scottsdale Insider’s Seminar
Tony Piff
impact on the collector market in one way or
another, and I think a lot of people expected
final numbers to be down.
But on the ground at Barrett-Jackson,
the cars and their prices still looked solid.
Just after the seminar, Stein and I watched
a driver-level ’68 Chevrolet pickup done up
in a ’72 truck paint scheme bring almost
$27,000. Trans Ams were on fire this year,
and the 1977 Bandit Promo Car led the
way at $550,000. A 1979 Trans Am sold at
$187,000, and our profile car, a 1980 Turbo,
brought $110,000 (see the profile on p. 44).
Beyond the traditional market staples,
there was also a 1990 Chevrolet Camaro
IROC-Z 1LE that sold for a huge $49,500,
a 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra that made
$27,500, and a 1993 Dodge Ram shortbed
4x4 that brought a really surprising $33,000.
We cover all three of them in this issue.
Overall, American cars built from 1980
to 2000 saw a significant boost in their median
price at Barrett-Jackson, from $18,700
in 2015 to $26,400 this year. To top it off,
fewer cars from that era sold this year — 69
compared with 73 last year — yet with that
boosted median, it’s clear that there were a
greater number of higher-priced cars this
year than last. Yes, the quality of lots — and
interest in them — was up. It was the same
story at Mecum’s $84m Kissimmee sale the
week prior, where fewer cars from 1980 to
2000 sold than in 2015, but for a slightly
higher overall median price.
A new era
I don’t want to paint a picture of tradi-
tional collectibles — your ’50s and ’60s
Corvettes, T-birds, and letter cars — falling
off the face of the earth in favor of more
modern stuff, because I don’t believe that’s
what’s going to happen.
Instead, what we’re seeing is a diversifi-
cation of interests, and a new entry point to
draw fresh blood into an expanding collector
car market. A guy who buys the 5.0 Mustang
he always wanted at auction won’t stop
there — I think he’ll eventually end up in a
’68 fastback, because car guys buy what they
think is cool, and that’s ever-changing once
we’re exposed to the car world. That’s why I
want a ’70 LS6 Chevelle, a ’55 Chevy gasser
and a Ford Model T, even though I grew up
in the 1980s.
If I’m right, for our Mustang guy of the
future, tracing what got him into the market
in the first place — and the ’68 he’ll eventually
buy — won’t start with Steve McQueen
or “Bullitt.” It’ll start with Vanilla Ice,
rollin’ in his five-point-oh. And while that
might be a little hard for most of us to take,
it may not prove to be such a bad thing. A
Page 10
WHAT’SHAPPENING
Let us know
about your events
Do you know of American-car-related events or happenings that we should publicize? Contact
us at: American Car Collector, P.O. Box 4797, Portland, OR 97208 or online at comments@
americancarcollector.com.
LeMay—America’s Car
Museum Cruise-in
Spring starts the cruise-in season
throughout the United States, and the
LeMay—America’s Car Museum starts
its monthly Second Thursday Cruise-in
on April 14 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone
can bring their vintage vehicle — or just a
camera — to Haub Family Field for a fun
evening of kicking tires, listening to music
and entering a raffle. The Cruise-Ins are
scheduled for the second Thursday of each
month from April through October — rain
or shine. The Museum, located in Tacoma,
WA, also will be open during Cruise-In
hours.
For more information on LeMay—
America’s Car Museum, log onto www.
lemaymuseum.org.
The 2001 Lincoln Mk9 concept, above and below right
Modern Concepts at Amelia
Island Concours
The Amelia Island Concours shows off
325 of the world’s most significant collector
cars at the Golf Club of Amelia Island, FL,
just down the way from the Ritz-Carlton.
This year’s event on Sunday, March 13, will
include two 21st Century American concepts
from the Bortz Auto Collection: the
2001 Lincoln Mk9 and the 2003 Mercury
Messenger. Both of these rarely seen cars
come from an era not often represented at
concours.
For more information on the event, check
out www.ameliaislandconcours.org.
Goodguys on the Road
Goodguys burns rubber all over the map
during March and April. The Goodguys 7th
Spring Nationals takes place on March 4–6
at WestWorld
in Scottsdale,
AZ, and the 6th
Spring Lone
Star Nationals
rumbles to life in Fort Worth, TX, from
March 11 to 13. The 34th All American
Get-Together is March 19–20 in Pleasanton,
CA, and the Goodguys Meguiar’s 16th Del
Mar Nationals is April 1–3 in Del Mar, CA.
No excuses for those lucky enough to live in
California during the early spring! Finally,
the 2nd North Carolina Nationals rolls into
the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in
Raleigh on April 15–17. www.good-guys.
com
Portland’s Big Swap
The Portland Swap Meet is the largest
The 2003 Mercury Messenger
concept
car-parts extravaganza on the West Coast.
On April 1–3, you’ll find more than 3,500
vendor stalls crammed with millions of
car parts, including those rare pieces you
can’t seem to find anywhere else. www.
portlandswapmeet.com
Just a quick shuttle ride away from the
Portland Swap Meet is the PIR Auto Swap
Meet, running from March 31 through
April 2. Five miles of booths snake around
the road course at Portland International
Raceway, filled with anything and everything
you need for your project. Gates open
at 7 a.m. daily and admission is $7. For more
information, visit www.portlandraceway.com.
12 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 12
CROSSINGTHE
GAA — Classic Cars at the Palace
Where: Greensboro, NC
When: March 3–5
Last year: 351/502 cars sold / $7,694,618
More: www.gaaclassiccars.com
Specialty Auto Auctions
Where: Loveland, CO
When: March 5
More: www.saaasinc.com
Bonhams — The Amelia Island
Auction
Where: Amelia Island, FL
When: March 10
Last year: 65/82 cars sold / $14,955,600
More: www.bonhams.com
Gooding & Company — The
Amelia Island Auction
Where: Amelia Island, FL
When: March 11
Last year: 76/87 cars sold / $26,967,150
Featured cars:
• 1959 Muntz Roadster (Gooding &
Company estimate: $250k–$325k)
More: www.goodingco.com
• 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra ($950k–$1.1m)
• Star Car: 1966 Ford GT40 ($3.2m–
$3.6m)
Hollywood Wheels — The Amelia
Island Select
Where: Amelia Island, FL
When: March 11–12
Last year: 114/138 cars sold /
$13,970,165
Featured cars:
• 1970 Pontiac GTO convertible
• 2015 Chevrolet Camaro SVE Yenko
More: www.mecum.com
• Star Car: 1968 Shelby GT500 KR
fastback
Smith’s Auction Company
Where: Cape Girardeau, MO
When: March 11–12
More: www.smithsauctioncompany.com
Electric Garage — Red Deer
Collector Car Auction & Speed
Show
Where: Red Deer, AB, CAN
When: March 11–13
More: www.theelectricgarage.com
Motostalgia — Amelia Island
Vintage Grand Prix Auction
When: March 12
Where: Amelia Island, FL
• 1956 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible
More: www.seeyouontheblock.com
• Star Car: 1961 Chrysler 300G
convertible
Mecum — Kansas City
Where: Kansas City, MO
When: March 11–12
Last year: 362/636 cars sold / $8,421,330
14 AmericanCarCollector.com
Star Car: 1966 Ford GT40 at Gooding & Company, Amelia Island, FL
Featured cars:
Last year: 99/101 cars sold / $60,122,000
Featured cars:
• 2005 Ford GT. Finished in red with
white racing stripes. Two owners and
less than 300 miles from new. Offered
without reserve (RM Sotheby’s estimate:
$320k–$380k)
• 1963 Shelby 289 Cobra. Offered
following 35 years of ownership by a
well-known Shelby enthusiast ($1m–
$1.2m)
More: www.rmsothebys.com
• Star Car: 1932 Ford Model 18
speedster. The very first collaboration
of young stylist E.T. “Bob” Gregorie
and Edsel Ford, just four owners from
new ($1.2m–$1.4m)
Shannons — Sydney Autumn
Classic Auction
When: March 14
Where: Sydney, AUS
Featured cars:
Upcoming auctions (Images are courtesy of the respective auction houses unless otherwise noted)
MArCh
BLOCK
by Tony Piff
More: www.motostalgia.com
Featured cars:
• 1930 Cord L29
• 1967 Shelby GT500
• 1926 Stutz Bearcat, offered without
reserve
RM Sotheby’s — Automobiles of
Amelia Island
When: March 12
Where: Amelia Island, FL
• Star Car: 1969 Ford Torino
Talladega 428 fastback (Shannons
estimate: $72k–$82k)
More: www.shannons.com.au
Dan Kruse Classics
Where: San Antonio, TX
When: March 18–20
• 1903 Oldsmobile Model R curved-dash
runabout ($75k–$85k)
Page 14
CROSSINGTHEBLOCK
The Finest Automobile Auctions
Where: Online only
When: April 9
More: www.thefinest.com
Featured cars:
• 1967 Shelby GT500
• 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429
More: www.mecum.com
Star Car: 1932 Ford Model 18 speedster at rM Sotheby’s, Amelia Island, FL
Last year: 56/144 cars sold / $736,128
More: www.dankruseclassics.com
Featured cars:
• 2011 Lone Star 1965 Shelby Cobra.
Built by Operation Comfort, an organization
that provides support to service
members wounded in Afghanistan or
Iraq and receiving treatment at Brooke
Army Medical Center
Silver Auctions — Arizona
in the Spring
When: March 18–19
Where: Fort McDowell, AZ
Last year: 76/162 cars sold / $850,179
More: www.silverauctions.com
Southern Classic — 42nd SemiAnnual
Music City Spring Classic
Where: Murfreesboro, TN
When: March 26
More: www.southernclassicauctions.com
AprIL
Vicari
Where: Tampa, FL
When: April 1–2
More: www.vicariauction.com
Auctions America — Fort
Lauderdale
Where: Fort Lauderdale, FL
When: April 1–3
Last year: 368/495 cars sold / $21,280,245
More: www.auctionsamerica.com
• Star Car: 1948 Tucker 48. Began
life as the factory automatic-transmission
test chassis. Enthusiasts later
completed the car using sourced parts
and patterns taken from the excellent
original Tucker at the Gilmore Car
Museum ($950k–$1.25m)
wheel and seat belts ($350k–$450k)
Barrett-Jackson — Palm Beach
Where: Palm Beach, FL
When: April 8–10
Last year: 516/523 cars sold / $21,573,940
Mecum — Houston
Where: Houston, TX
When: April 14–16
Last year: 645/929 cars sold / $25,178,024
The Branson Auction
Where: Branson, MO
When: April 15–16
Last year: 124/172 cars sold / $2,344,377
More: www.bransonauction.com
Leake — Dallas Spring 2015
Where: Dallas, TX
When: April 15–17
Last year: 269/422 cars sold / $6,324,417
More: www.leakecar.com
Featured cars:
• 1957 Ford Thunderbird F-code. One of
only 194 1957 examples fitted with the
Supercharged F-code engine
Silver — Portland Spring
Where: Portland, OR
When: April 16
Last year: 41/73 cars sold / $501,448
More: www.silverauctions.com
Worldwide Auctioneers — The
Houston Classic
Where: Montgomery, TX
When: April 23
Last year: 66/87 cars sold / $4,729,870
Featured cars:
• 1968 Shelby GT500 KR convertible.
Equipped with 4-speed and finished in
Lime Gold. Recent concours-quality
restoration (Auctions America estimate:
$140k–$160k)
• 1953 Buick Skylark Roadmaster.
Stored for many years with original
paint and no rust. In 2004 the car
underwent a total frame-off restoration
costing $250k. Restoration receipts,
photos and history included
More: www.barrett-jackson.com
• 1965 Shelby GT350 fastback.
Equipped with its original engine and
retaining many original features, including
correct wood-rimmed steering
16 AmericanCarCollector.com
Electric Garage
Where: Edmonton, AB, CAN
When: April 8–10
More: www.theelectricgarage.com
• Star Car: 1957 Ford Fairlane 500
Skyliner F-code. The original owner
campaigned the Skyliner at top-level
drag races, winning the national
championship for his class in 1957
and 1958. The car was treated to a full
concours-quality restoration and has
never achieved less than first place on
the show circuit
Featured cars:
• 1912 Locomobile Model 30 torpedo.
A well-sorted tour car with original
coachwork.
• Star Car: Three silver Corvette L88
convertibles: a 1967, 1968 and 1969
More: www.worldwide-auctioneers.com
Collector Car Productions — The
Toronto Spring Classic Car
Auction
Where: Mississauga, ON, CAN
When: April 29–May 1
More: www.collectorcarproductions.com
Southern Classic — Inaugural
Louisville Classic
Where: Jeffersonville, IN
When: April 30
More: www.southernclassicauctions.comA
• 1930 Packard 740 custom roadster.
Formerly of the Ray Bowersox
Collection. One of 11 known remaining
examples
Page 16
Publisher’s
Note
Keith Martin
S
A New Kind of Price
Guide
ubscribers to
ACC are in f
a treat.
Included
with this issu
is your 2016 Collector
Car Pocket Price Guid
You’ll find that
the format has been
changed to more
accurately reflect
what is going on in
the market. Instead
of highly subjective
ratings with different
prices for different
conditions, we have
just two prices.
The first is the
median price.
Median and average
are two terms
that are often confused,
but they are very different.
Let’s use a 1969 Camaro RS/SS as an example. Let’s
assume we have 100 sale prices in the ACC Premium Auction
Database. We would list them in least-to-most order (say, from
$25,000 to $100,000). The 50th price would be the median, as the
median is the price at which there are an equal number of records (or
sales) above the number and below it.
The advantage to using median over average is that very high and
very low prices don’t skew the median value the way that an average
price can be affected. For instance, Barrett-Jackson sold the 1977
Pontiac Trans Am “Smokey and the Bandit” promo car for $550,000.
This would significantly increase the “average” price of Trans Ams,
but has little effect on the median price — $20,600 in this Price
Guide.
We think it is a very useful way to look at the market, and our
numbers are all based on real sales.
The second number you will find is the absolute highest price
a certain model has been sold for. Looking at the movie Trans Am
again, next year you’ll see $550,000 listed as the highest price, but the
median might be in the $25,000–$30,000 range. Listing the highest
price gives you an idea of just what a difference factors such as previous
ownership, race history or placement in a movie can bring.
Our Pocket Price Guide continues to have exclusive features you
won’t find anywhere else. We list production numbers for most cars,
along with an investment grade ranging from A to F, and the percentage
change in the median price from last year to this.
We continue to fine-tune our Price Guide, and would like to hear
what you think. Chad Tyson is our Price Guide editor, and if you have
comments and suggestions, please send them to him at chad.tyson@
americancarcollector.com.A
18 AmericanCarCollector.com
CAR COLLECTOR
Volume 5, number 2
March-April 2016
publisher Keith Martin
Executive Editor Chester Allen
Editor Jim Pickering
Art Director Dave Tomaro
Digital Media Director Jeff Stites
Editor at Large Colin Comer
Auctions Editor Tony Piff
Senior Associate Editor Chad Tyson
Copy Editors Yael Abel, Dave Tomaro
Auction Analysts Andy Staugaard
Dan Grunwald
Pat Campion
Jeremy Da Rosa
Adam Blumenthal
Michael Leven
Cody Tayloe
Joe Seminetta
Daren Kloes
Jeff Trepel
Morgan Eldridge
Contributors Carl Bomstead
Colin Comer
John Draneas
Michael Pierce
Jay Harden
Mark Wigginton
Jeff Zurschmeide
Information Technology Brian Baker
SEO Consultant Michael Cottam
Advertising and Events
Manager Erin Olson
Financial Manager Cheryl Ann Cox
Advertising Coordinator Jessi Kramer
ADVErTISInG SALES
Advertising Executives Darren Frank
darren.frank@AmericanCarCollector.com
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cindy.meitle@AmericanCarCollector.com
877.219.2605 x 213
SuBSCrIpTIonS
Subscriptions Manager Meredith Volk
Subscriptions 877.219.2605 x 1
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Email help@AmericanCarCollector.com
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Web www.AmericanCarCollector.com
B. Mitchell Carlson
Ken Gross
Tom Glatch
John L. Stein
Marshall Buck
Dale Novak
Travis Shetler
Jack Tockston
Mark Moskowitz
Phil Skinner
John Boyle
Doug Schultz
Pierre Hedary
Wallace Marx
Bob DeKorne
Brett Hatfield
AMERICAN
JOIN US
American Car Collector magazine (ISSN# 2164-1323) is published bimonthly by
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poSTMASTEr: Send address changes to American Car Collector, PO Box 4797, Portland,
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presented. All material, data, formats, and intellectual concepts in this issue © 2016 by
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Copyright registered with the United States copyright office. PRINTED IN USA
Keith Martin's
Page 18
GOODREADS by Mark Wigginton
FORD GT: How Ford Silenced the Critics, Humbled Ferrari
and Conquered Le Mans
by Preston Lerner, Motorbooks, 224 pages, $51.06, Amazon
One of the joys of growing up obsessed with racing was opening up the
newest Road & Track and savoring the reporting and stylistic flair of Henry
N. Manney III. It was Manney who kept me, an obsessed teen, abreast of
European sports car racing and the gargantuan battle between Ford and
Ferrari around the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
It was also a new world, and in 1965, ABC broadcast live from Le Mans
thanks to the new technology of the Early Bird satellite, which meant I was
up well before dawn to watch the Ford GTs whip Ferrari as the race drew to
a close. Well before breakfast I was already as disappointed as Henry Ford
II.
Which is why Preston Lerner’s Ford GT was such a surprising, enjoyable
addition to the Big Pile O’Books at ACC headquarters.
Lerner is already a well-respected motorsports author, and the story
of the Ford GT, the battle of the gods between Ford and Enzo Ferrari that
started in a boardroom and ended at Le Mans, promised to be a ripping yarn.
The elevator pitch: Ferrari indicates he might sell the company to Ford,
then balks at the last minute, after which Henry Ford vows to destroy Ferrari
at the event they have dominated for years: Le Mans.
Which is how the Ford GT program started in 1963. It took until 1966 for Ford to beat Ferrari at
Le Mans, the story of an industrial giant awakened and willing to spend whatever it takes to win.
Along the way, the greatest names in ’60s racing take the stage, the ones who only needed one
name (Gurney, Foyt, Andretti and so many more), with Carroll Shelby and John Holman (Holman
& Moody) taking charge, while having their own off-track battle. You already know how it comes
out, this being the 50th-year anniversary of Ford’s victory, but along the way is a tale of focus,
determination, hard work and tragedy, from boardroom to track, with ultimate success proving
elusive and costly.
Lerner does a wonderful job of turning a thousand stories around the Ford GT into a readable
history, bolstered by a wonderful collection of images from David Friedman (Shelby American’s
official photographer during the period). Reading Ford GT feels like a definitive text.
PARTSTIME by Chad Tyson
Lineage:
Lerner is a journalist first, and his
exhaustive research shows throughout
the book.
Fit and finish:
The simple design
stays well out of the
way of the narrative,
and there are plenty
of beautiful images,
well positioned within
the text and bolstered
by full and informative
captions.
detail Lerner manages to cram into
the prose without slowing it down
shows a journalist at his best. That he
has such a great story to tell makes
it even more fun to read. It’s a ripping
yarn indeed, well told.
is best
manages to be
both a fast-paced
storytelling work
and a history. The
Drivability:
Ford GT
New products to modernize your street machine
Classic Industries 1966–72
Mopar A- and B-Body remote
Door Mirror
Accidents happen. So does rust.
oEr 1969 Chevrolet Full-Size Model Grilles and Trim
OER has started producing previously unavailable reproduction
grille and headlamp bezels for 1969 full-size models. Each OER
upper grille (which will not fit Caprice, wagon, or SS 427 models) is
injection-molded and painted the correct silver with black accents.
The lower grille and headlamp bezels will fit the rest of the full-size
Chevy lineup. Prices range from $99.99 to $389.99. www.classicindustries.com
There are a number of reasons to
replace your old or missing remotely
operated door mirror. Classic Industries
now offers this Mopar Authentic
Restoration part by OER. The mirror
features chrome plating and a factory
mounting style. Price is $184.99. Learn
the exact models this fits at www.classicindustries.com.
20 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 20
COOLSTUFF
Pieces of History
This 1,000-piece puzzle chronicles the evolution of the pickup
truck. It features hard-working rigs from Ford, GMC, Chevrolet,
Plymouth, Dodge and Jeep. $16.97 from www.genuinehotrod.
com.
by Tony Piff
Air Chamber
Plug in the ShowCase’s attached air pump, and in four minutes you
have a freestanding car shelter. Drive right in through the zippered
front panel. Filtered outside air is replaced three to five times every
hour, eliminating the possibility of condensation. Prices range from
$1,075 to $2,195, depending on dimensions. www.carcapsule.com
Mini Grip
Benchmade’s patented
AXIS system is among the
most elegant and effective
blade-locking mechanisms ever
devised, which helps explain
the success of their Griptilian
lineup. The Mini Griptilian has
a hearty pocket clip and just
about disappears in a closed fist. It’s a perfectly sized everyday carry,
and lefties will appreciate the ambidextrous design. Choose from a
vast range of blade shapes, edges, steels, finishes and handle colors.
Made in the U.S. $89–$179 from www.bladehq.com.
Just the
Shiny Bits
Bmpr2Bmpr
distills the essence
of iconic
American classics
down to just their
chrome trim and
lights, printed
on T-shirts in
reflective ink. The current selection includes trucks, motorcycles,
muscle cars from the Big Three and Tri-Fives, with more designs in
the pipeline. $30 from www.bmpr2bmpr.com.
DESKTOPCLASSICS by Marshall Buck
1966 Corvette Grand Sport roadster
Shown is a great new release from True Scale
Models (TSM). This company produces models of
all types of cars, in all scales, hence their releases
run hot and cold. This little wonder is in the “hot”
category. Not perfect, but close to it.
It replicates the Roger Penske-entered Grand
Sport Corvette as co-driven by Dick Guldstrand
and Dick Thompson; unfortunately a DNF in
the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours. Overall stance, body
shape, and finish are top-tier, with the exception
of the fingerprints on the rear deck. Detailing is
very good except for a few mistakes: Interior color
is too dark, yellow on wheels should also extend to the rims, there should only be one wiper in front of driver,
and hood pins should have been added. But you do get underside detail. The model comes supplied in a nice
mini display case.
22 AmericanCarCollector.com
Detailing
Scale: 1:43
Available colors: Sunoco Blue
Quantity: Estimated 500 to 750
Price: $69.95
Production date: 2015
Web: www.motorsportsminiatures.
com
Ratings
Detailing:
Accuracy:
Overall quality:
Overall value:
is best
½
Page 22
SNAPSHOTS
Chasing Dreams
BUYERS AND SELLERS PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE IN ARIZONA
Lew Bednarczuk and russo and Steele ringman Marty hill seal the deal.
Bednarczuk flew in from Boston for a 1970 plymouth Superbird at russo
(right), which he acquired for $143k including premium
Story and photos by Tony Piff
S
teve Lammerman and sons Hayden and Brennan polished the fins and panels
of their ’57 Chevy Black Widow replica in the shade of an outdoor BarrettJackson
auction tent. Wife and mother Christina chatted with auction-goers
ambling past.
“It should go for $30k to $40k,” she said. “Hopefully $40k or $45k.
Usually it’s a find-it-on-Craigslist-sell-it-on-eBay kind of thing, but this is something
special. It goes across at 5 or 6. Cocktail hour.”
Was this a family hobby or a family business? “Well, it keeps the boys out of jail,”
24 AmericanCarCollector.com
John Boyle
Page 23
Christina said. “Actually, they’ve got a couple mortgages.
They have to stay out of jail now.”
Buyers and sellers put it all on the line at Arizona
Car Week each January. Whether it’s business or
pleasure, this is a place where hopes and dreams play
out in real time.
Paul Catone, a lifelong collision repairman from
New York, relocated to Arizona two years ago when he
got the call from Phoenix-based Hot Rod Investments.
He now restores classic cars full time. “I’m 55 years
old,” he said. “I’m goin’ back to my childhood.”
Catone pointed to a resto-mod ’63 Split-Window
Corvette in the Barrett-Jackson lineup and then pulled
out his phone to show off the car’s “before” pictures.
“These things are messes when they show up,” he said.
“When they roll out, they’re beautiful. They’re like my
kids. When they leave, I get a little choked up.”
Lew Bednarczuk flew in from Boston with his sights
set on a 1970 Plymouth Superbird at Russo and Steele.
As the car approached the auction block on Friday
night, bidders came down from the packed bleachers
and circled for a closer look. Bednarczuk hung back,
made his bids from the sideline, and when the gavel
dropped at $130k, he owned the car.
“I bought 10 cars this week, but this is the only one
I really wanted,” he said, jittering with endorphins.
“They had, like, 12 inches of documentation back
to the original owner. I spent three hours on the car
yesterday.” Bednarczuk texted the news to his friend.
“The seller was trying to free up some cash to buy his
dream car,” he said. “Sometimes you gotta sell some
stuff you don’t want to sell.”
Out at the Silver auction in Fort McDowell, Chris
Elliot stood in the consignment lot and sipped a Coors
Light. Elliot is co-owner of Interstate Restorations and
Service in Chandler, AZ. “If we can get seven cars
together, dealers get a package deal,” he said. “The
Chris Elliot, co-owner of Interstate restorations and Service in
Chandler, AZ, brought seven cars to the Silver auction, including this
1970 oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. he dreams of someday owning a C1
or C2 Corvette
Buick Riviera didn’t sell, but the Corvette sold for $12,000. Wish we got a little bit
more, but I was happy with it.” Corvette tattoos covered his forearm. “C1s and C2s
are my favorite,” he said. “I’ll own one one day, hopefully.”
When it came time for the Lammerman family’s Black Widow replica to cross
the Barrett-Jackson stage, the room was full, and buyers were ready. Bidding quickly
finished, and the car sold for $36,300. “It was good,” said Brennan Lammerman. He
spoke with the cool enthusiasm of a 20-something businessman. “It brought about
what we thought.” A
hayden Lammerman preps the family’s ’57 Black Widow replica for Barrett-Jackson primetime. The car sold for $36,300
March-April 2016 25
Page 24
SNAPSHOTS
DRIVING 3,000 WINTRY MILES
TO DETROIT IN THREE
COLLECTOR CARS
Homeward
Bound
Derek Klein
Thanks, Michelin tires! The 1966 Ford Mustang rips down the highway with the aid of some solid rubber
by Chad Tyson
F
or a “Snapshots” piece in ACC #23, Editor Jim Pickering and I headed up
Interstate 5 to LeMay—America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, WA, for a chat
with museum CEO David Madeira. Not only did we come away impressed
with the museum’s efforts to engage their community and youth, but Madeira
also shared a plan we both thought was a little nuts — driving classic cars
across the country right after Christmas.
The plan was to caravan with a 1957 Chevy Nomad, a ’61 Chrysler 300G and a
1966 Ford Mustang coupe across the Rockies, through the Great Plains, and ending
in The Motor City at the North American International Auto Show. Of course, all this
was to take place in the dead of winter.
Cars in a museum are not much different from pieces of art. Sure, they’re bigger,
can be used as transportation, and leak (more) oil. But sitting in a museum, there isn’t
much useable difference between the actual car and a really accurate painting of the
car.
And cars should be used. Madeira, via his day-to-day blog of “The Drive Home,”
agrees: “I argue that while driving vintage cars may put them at ‘risk,’ not driving
them makes their ‘death’ certain.”
Collectibles become cars again
Now, it wasn’t as if Madeira and crew just hit the road after pulling three random
cars long held in the museum’s depths. ACM Technical Specialist Dale Wickell was
the man for the task. A last-moment repair Wickell made on the Nomad’s clutch pedal
probably saved that car’s trip. The sponsors pulled their weight too, with Michelin
providing winter tires for each of the cars. (Anyone following Madeira’s blog knows he
sang the praises of those tires at every opportunity.)
After the driving party kicked off in Tacoma, their first stop heading down I-5 was
at ACC/SCM World Headquarters in Portland, OR. It was a taste of what the traveling
crew would do at nearly every stop. Enthusiasts showed
up in their cars to support the endeavor. Local (and even
some foreign at later stops) news brought cameras and
reporters to spill ink and pixels. A magnum of “The
Drive Home” wine was presented to the host.
Earned dirt
Adding to the authenticity of the journey was that
the cars were accepted, celebrated even, inside Club
Auto Colorado on New Year’s Eve and at the NAIAS in
all their dirty-snowy-icy-used goodness. There was no
room for toothbrush-on-wire-wheels cleanliness here —
the dirt and grime was hard-earned.
Madeira’s drive behind this trip was not only to
promote the ACM nationally and grow their supporter
base, but also to collaborate with other museums,
sponsors and influential auto enthusiasts. He hit a home
run for those goals. See their stops at ACC/SCM, Auto
Club Colorado, Kansas City Auto Museum, Hyman
Ltd. Classic Cars and the Pontiac-Oakland Museum as
evidence — as well as the long list of sponsors.
“The Drive Home” took the crew 11 days and over
3,000 miles to trek from Tacoma to Detroit. The final
stop at NAIAS was proof that despite the age of the cars
and the age of the technology in them, classic American
iron can still perform just as it was made to, even on a
long drive home.A
Derek Klein
The 1961 Chrysler 300G glides past snow-dusted trees
26 AmericanCarCollector.com
Derek Klein
The ’57 Chevy nomad shines in a spot of sun
Page 26
WRENCHINGHOW-TO
SEE
AND BE SEEN
YOUR ORIGINAL MUSCLE CAR’S LIGHTS ARE DIM BY DESIGN.
HERE ARE A COUPLE OF EASILY REVERSIBLE TRICKS TO MAKE
THEM BRIGHTER — AND SAFER — ON TODAY’S ROADS
by Jim Pickering and Chad Tyson
Photos by Tony Piff
F
ace it: Your original muscle car’s headlights and taillights
are old. Maybe they’re still as good as they ever were, but the
world has changed around them. Drivers today are more distracted
than ever, and even the most bland, blob-shaped commuter
junk has better lighting than your prized stock GTO,
SUMMIT RACING PARTS LIST
Pico 40-amp mini relay, P/N PCO-5591PT, $6.97/each (2 required)
Vintage Air 30A Circuit Breaker, P/N VTA-23160-VUW, $8.97
Ron Francis Wiring Sealed Beam Connectors, set of 8, p/n RFW-AM8
$12.69/each (2 required)
Standard Motor Headlight Plugs, 2-wire (high beam), p/n SMP-S529,
$5.97/each (2 required)
28 AmericanCarCollector.com
Charger or Mustang. Do you really want to gamble that you’re going to
be seen when you brave modern traffic in your classic machine?
With a little work, you can inject modern lighting technology into
your classic car without changing its OE looks or hacking up its original
wiring. That’s what we did with ACC Contributor Jay Harden’s ’69
Chevelle — installing a set of headlight relays and a set of Digi-Tails
LED taillights at World of Speed in Wilsonville, OR. Don’t let the wiring
intimidate you — these are easy projects. Here’s how we did it:
Standard Motor Headlight Plugs, 3-wire (low & high beam), p/n SMP-S526,
$4.97/each (2 required)
Pico wire, 16-gauge brown, p/n PCO-81166PT, $4.97
Pico wire, 16-gauge green, p/n PCO-81164PT, $4.97
Pico wire, 16-gauge black, p/n PCO-81163PT, $4.97
Pico wire, 14-gauge green, p/n PCO-81144PT, $5.97
Page 27
headlight relays: From the factory, this Chevelle’s headlight power had to run from the battery into the interior, through the headlight switch
and high-beam foot switch, and back out to the lights. It’s not the most direct connection, and there’s some substantial voltage drop in all that old
wire and all those old connections.
We’re still going to use the factory setup, but only to trigger a set of brand-new relays, which takes next to no juice. All the load on the circuit
will be gone, yet the factory switch, dimmer, high-beam indicator and warning buzzer will all still work.
2
1
How dim are your lights? Most GM muscle cars will show about 11.5 volts through
the original headlight circuit wiring with the engine running. Jay’s was 11.32.
Considering the alternator puts out over 13 volts at idle, we can do a lot better here
— and we’re going to do it using modern relays.
1
2
Headlight power will instead come
from the original horn-relay bus bar
— fed power directly from the alternator.
You could also run a wire to
the positive terminal of the battery, but using
the horn relay requires a lot less wire length.
Once you’ve located what will serve as your
main power supply for the headlights, disconnect
the battery.
3
Next up: finding a suitable mounting location for a 30A circuit
breaker and the two headlight relays. The breaker needs
to be mounted between the relays and the main power supply,
used to cut power in case of a short. Here we found a
spot on the core support for the breaker, not far from the horn relay
(1). The two relays bolted to two existing holes in the driver’s fender
(2). We also drilled a new hole to serve as a ground.
Wire, 14-gauge brown, p/n RNB-85717, $6.97
Wire, 12-gauge red, p/n SUM-872100R, $21.97
Performance Tool 285-piece electrical repair kit, p/n WMR-W5207, $24,97
171-piece heat-shrink tube kit, p/n TTN-45238, $9.97
Convoluted tubing kit, various sizes, p/n TAY-38000, $16.97
Cordless butane soldering iron kit, p/n ECG-J-700KT, $58.95
4
Feeding power to the breaker is a simple as fabbing up a
short section of 12-gauge wire. We crimped and soldered
the ends using a butane soldering iron (fantastic and portable)
and used shrink-tube to keep out moisture. One end
connects to the positive screw on the horn relay, the other to the new
circuit breaker.
DIGI-TAILS PARTS LIST
1969 Chevelle Sequential LED Tail Light Kit, P/N
1100469, $199
Digi-Tails No-Load electronic flasher for LED,
two-prong, $19
TIME SPENT:
Two hours
DIFFICULTY: JJ
(J J J J J is
toughest)
Special thanks to World of Speed in Wilsonville, OR. Learn more
about their museum and facilities at www.worldofspeed.org
March-April 2016 29
Page 28
WRENCHINGHOW-TO
5
Each relay came with its own pigtail
and plug. We just needed to extend
the wires out for our use. Here, the
red wires link to the breaker to feed
main power to the relays. Blue is main
ground for both, while green and brown are
trigger wires, used to match the factory harness
colors. Finally, yellow runs to the headlights.
6
Headlight Wiring Diagram
We used spade connectors on our
new 16-gauge relay trigger wires.
These simply plug into one of the
original low-beam headlight plugs
to trigger our new relays when the headlight
switch is on. You could also cut the original
harness and hard-wire these to the factory
high- and low-beam circuits, but we wanted
to maintain the original harness’ integrity.
7
The factory headlight wiring used
small 16-gauge wires. We’re beefing
that up for this project with
brand-new 14-gauge brown and
green wires to run from the relays to the
headlights. The goal is limiting voltage drop
as much as possible — which will translate
to brighter lights.
30 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 30
WRENCHINGHOW-TO
8
We also sourced new plugs for all four headlights, but they
also came with dinky wires that were too small for our purposes.
Ron Francis Wiring makes the proper plug ends to
accept heavier gauge wire, so we used them. Taking out the
metal connectors from the plastic plugs is easy with a really small
screwdriver. Just bend back the spring tab and pull on the wire.
9
Here’s a good comparison of the factory-size wire with our
new 14-gauge headlight feeds. Bigger is better here.
10
Using all new 14-gauge wire and
the Ron Francis Wiring terminals,
we ran power from the highbeam
and low-beam relays out
to the headlights. High beam (green) runs in
series to all four headlights, low beam
(brown) only goes to the outermost lights.
We soldered all connections and used
shrink tube to keep it all clean.
11
We simply unplugged the original
headlight plugs and wire-tied
them to the harness, up out of
the way where they can’t touch
anything. You could remove the factory
plugs, shrink-tube the wires, and wrap-tape
them up in the original harness, but with the
plugs intact, you can revert back to the factory
setup on the side of the road if needed.
Now We’re Ready to Tackle the Taillights ...
12
Once everything is plugged in,
wrapped up, tucked away, and
grounded as required, hook up
the battery and hit the lights.
Now, with the engine running, we’re seeing
a much brighter 13V+ at the headlights, and
the factory switch no longer gets hot.
Problem solved! Best of all, none of the
changes made here are permanent.
32 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 32
WRENCHINGHOW-TO
LED Taillights
Weak bulbs, thin-gauge wiring and crazed plastic lenses all make it harder to see brake lights on our old cars — even at night. Converting to
LED taillights not only adds a whole lot of diodes to your car’s rear, but a bit of styling flair as well.
Switching over is simple, but there are some important steps to follow:
1
Identify a constant-power source in trunk or rear compartment with a test light. We
found an orange wire that fed power to the dome light, which is perfect. After you’ve
done that, disconnect the battery.
2
Remove taillights. We had to drop
Jay’s bumper here, so take care to
mark your bolts for painless reinstallation
if that’s your case as well.
3
Disassemble taillights. Go easy on
the 45-year-old-plus plastic lenses.
Now is a great time to inspect for
disintegrated gaskets and other
maladies.
4
34 AmericanCarCollector.com
Test-fit the new Digi-Tails LED panels.
Also ensure both panel
switches are set to the same position,
i.e. Standard or Sequential.
Standard functions the same as stock (only
much brighter), while Sequential illuminates
rows of diodes from the center of the car
out. If you don’t like the setting you’ve
picked, changing it up is as simple as flipping
each switch.
5
minutes.
Apply adhesive, or, in our case,
peel the paper from the tape and
install each LED panel. Press firmly
and allow adhesive to set for a few
Page 33
6
Assemble housing. Here’s where
you would replace those 47-yearold
gaskets.
7
Plug in extension wires, supplied
with the kit, and install grommets. A
flat-blade screwdriver is handy at
this point.
8
Reinstall taillight housings, taking
care to avoid scratching the paint.
Wait on repositioning the bumper
until you’re sure your wiring is done
and functioning correctly.
9
Access taillight wiring and splice the new LED panel wires
into your original wiring as instructed. Both panels need to
be hooked up to the same wires, so it’ll help to lay everything
out before splicing. For a secure connection during
one of Jay’s burnouts, we soldered and then applied heat-shrink
tubing to each of the connections
10
Splice orange constant-power wire into constant-power
source in trunk with supplied T-tap. We’re almost there…
11
Secure all spliced wiring. This
can be done with wire ties, plastic
loom, electrical tape, etc.
12
Digi-Tails require replacing the
turn-signal flasher with an electronic
no-load flasher. A stock or
heavy-duty bi-metal flasher
needs more resistance load to function
properly than an LED panel creates. This is
certainly true for cars equipped with front
and rear LED turn signals. Reconnect the
battery and test to verify everything works.
never need attention as long as he owns the
car.
13
A
Next to Editor Pickering’s
Caprice and its stock taillights,
Jay’s Chevelle now has much
brighter units — and they should
March-April 2016 35
Page 34
Cheap Thrills
B. Mitchell Carlson
DESERT
A
is best):
1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
rM Sotheby’s Lot 206, VIn 6L67S6Q193983,
sold for $52,500
Of the 14,000 built, 13,000 seem to have been saved by those who
thought these were “future collectibles.” Well, the future is now, and
you have your choice in color of cars with equal or less miles than
this for less money. And this car wasn’t even all that great. Door
fit was abysmal even for a ’70s GM product. Even the color was a
Debbie Downer — white with white seats and black carpeting. You
might as well be colorblind.
This selling price was commensurate to the 199 Bicentennial
editions out there, the few times they surface in the market — and at
least those white-on-white cars have red carpeting to spice them up.
Still, it shows that the cars from the “Malaise era” — as some who
weren’t there like to call the 1970s — are now not so malaiseful in the
market.
Cheap:
Thrilling:
(unless the 40-year-old top cables fail and tear the
vinyl roof to shreds)
Well-bought factor:
1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible
Gooding & Company Lot 4, VIn C7Fh267813,
sold for $44,000
While our featured T-bird is a nicely restored unit, it suffers the
same fate as all of its brethren — a shrinking fan base.
As it has minimal to microscopic race cred, the T-bird’s global
appeal is on par with the other Ford soft-top convertibles from
36 AmericanCarCollector.com
Not helping the value here is that it is one of the few that were
built with the standard 292-ci Y-block with the 3-speed stick, rather
than the more common and desirable 312 with automatic. While this
car attained CTCI Senior status, that was during Reagan’s first year in
office. It’s essentially a moot point, though, as it was restored in 2007
with light fluff-and-buff work since.
Cheap:
Thrilling:
(unless 0–60 times refer to the years you weren’t
drawing a pension)
Well-bought factor:
1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible
Bonhams Lot 1, VIn D7Fh334663, sold for $38,500
I remember when these two-place ’Birds got me interested in old
cars in the mid-1970s, wishing I could afford to plunk down the cash
to buy one, since they surely won’t lose money in the future. Back
then, they typically sold for $15k to $25k, with only primo examples
rarely going past $30k.
Change the date to four decades in the future, and the price points
have barely moved, apart from occasional market spikes on examples
with desirable options or battling bidders. Factor in inflation and
you’re not treading water; you’re sinking like an anchor.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL
BOTTOM-UP REVIEW OF THE
ARIZONA AUCTIONS MARKET
DISCOUNTS
h, to be back in Arizona in January for the spate of collector car auctions — a week full of diverse vehicles from a diverse group of
auction houses, each with its own character and general consignment genre.
There is literally something for everyone in Arizona, regardless of the size of your bank account. Some may be seeking a world-
class European touring car, some a numbers-matching, high-end muscle car. I, on the other hand, seek what few covet: the cheapest
cars I can find at each auction.
As in previous years, I’ll rate each to see if they were actually cheap, thrilling or well bought. Or just a cheap, scary money pit. So, here we
go, from the most spent to the least (
1957 — the Fairlane 500 Sunliner ragtop and the retractable hard-top
Skyliner. If anything, those are seeing more growth in values than the
T-bird. These ’Birds did the best this week at Russo and Steele, with
most fetching north of this example’s selling price, yet none besting
this one in condition.
Page 35
1976 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
If you’ve always liked these two-seat cruisers, find a nice one like
this example that only needs lube-oil-filter changes and has good
colors and desirable options. Enjoy the thing, keep it well maintained,
and know financially that it’ll be like renting a car for a long time.
Remember, at the core, we’re in this for love, not money.
Cheap:
Thrilling:
(especially if you left the hard top at home and it
starts to rain)
Well-bought factor:
russo and Steele Lot Sn507, VIn 6D49S6Q182412,
sold for $2,200
GM let the market know ahead of time that it was downsizing
for 1977, and the market for these cars responded. The ’76 DeVille
and Fleetwood sold like hotcakes because buyers didn’t want to get
stuck with some smaller weeniemobile. A number of these cars were
bought for the long term, with an overriding sentiment of, “If the auto
industry is going to cave in, at least I’m going to drive a real car for as
long as possible.”
This example from Russo clearly is from that pathological profile
of four decades ago. While not a minty untouched virgin, it shows
that it was cared for and used sparingly — yet still used at 89,510
miles. It’s unsettling that they had to drop in a GM crate engine at
89k miles, but it’s now turn-key ready.
Offered at no reserve on the last day of the auction, it wasn’t going
to see much buyer traffic, so there’s a little money left on the table
here — a lot if marketed correctly. Resoundingly, this was the best
deal for a low sale all week.
Cheap:
Thrilling:
(unless you dig funky velour seats bigger than your
living room couch)
Well-bought factor:
1999 Cadillac Eldorado 2-door coupe
1949 Crosley 2-door sedan
Barrett-Jackson Lot 9, VIn CD104086, sold for $3,850
Truth be told, there was one vehicle that did sell for less than this
Crosley at B-J, but it was a collection of parts rather than a regular
production car. Some might argue that a Crosley is that, too — although
I certainly won’t, as mass production is one thing that founder
Powel Crosley Jr. certainly knew well, both in terms of radios and
appliances.
However, whoever worked on this car certainly didn’t know
much about paint work. Or body prep. Or upholstery work. Or even
detailing. At least Crosley’s build quality was good enough to surpass
the incompetence of whoever had their way with this car, as it ran
sufficiently well with the stock CIBA 4-cylinder engine.
Done on the cheap is the one congruent thing here, and that rarely
yields profitable sales, even for the bottom-feeder end of the market.
There were several cars that barely sold for more here that were vastly
better deals than this poor lump.
Cheap:
Thrilling:
(unless rehabilitation of others’ poor judgment is
your hobby)
Well-bought factor:
Silver Auctions Lot 443, VIn 1G6EL12Y7Xu610618,
sold for $850
While this Caddy
looked pretty nice for
having over 100k miles, it
harbored a serious problem.
Suffice to say that it
blew enough white smoke
out the dual exhaust system
to either signal a blown head gasket or the selection of a new pope.
While the Northstar engine seemed to be the hot ticket when it
was introduced for 1993, it has since proved to be more of a death
wish for Cadillac, with blown head gaskets and snapped crankshafts
littered all the way to your nearest Lexus dealership. It’s noteworthy
that at $600 on the hammer, nearly a third of the total price was the
$250 minimum buyer’s fee.
With scrap prices at record lows, the only upside here is if you
have a ’79 Olds Toronado powertrain with an Olds 305 or 350 V8,
good fabrication skills, and a desire to do something really different.
Then again, with the threat of the Zika virus, maybe a cheap mosquito
killer like this is just the ticket — until it goes bang.
Cheap:
Thrilling:
(unless you don’t have AAA on your speed-dial list)
Well-bought factor:
March-April 2016 37
Page 36
Horsepower
Colin Comer
HUNCHES
a ODDSnd
Gambling
on a Bronco
THIS HOLMAN-MOODY/STROPPE BRONCO IS AN INTRIGUING MYSTERY
I HOPE TO SOLVE
guys getting their rooms comped in Vegas.
We wager when we buy a car that the numbers really do match.
T
We pass that last gas station betting that our gas gauge sitting on “E”
is probably just broken. And, as we push an engine toward redline, we
play the hunch that the last guy to rebuild it didn’t take a phone call
halfway through torquing the rod bolts and forget to finish.
Thankfully, these things usually work out. Of course it’s no secret
the smart money is on the odds, not on the hunches. And yet when it
comes to cars, I keep playing hunches like they are lead-pipe cinch
odds. Hey, what can I say? I like cars, not Vegas.
Discovered at a junkyard
The latest hunch I’ve gone all-in on started as an innocent trip to
a Bronco junkyard in Phoenix to buy a $250 set of used steel wheels
for my 1989 Bronco. This yard is a regular stop, and I previously
bought a pretty incredible ’74 Bronco through the owner, so no visit
is complete without asking him if there are any cool Broncos around
for sale.
Within minutes he walked me over to a red 1969 Bronco that he
38 AmericanCarCollector.com
Easy to walk by and dismiss ...
he Ten Commandments of Gambling say, “Thou shalt trust
the odds, not the hunches.”
Now, I realize this is a car collecting magazine, but who
among us could deny that this is a hobby based on gambling?
Heck, we probably roll the dice more than most of the
... until you see this serial-number tag
said was special and could be for sale for the right price. To be honest,
I didn’t pay it much mind when I walked in as, well, it was beat up
and cut with fender flares and big tires. But then I was shown the
special part: its original Holman-Moody serial-number tag. Oh boy.
Those $250 wheels just got a lot more expensive!
The Holman-Moody/Bill Stroppe and Associates (HMS) Bronco
race team won more than their fair share of off-road races from the
late 1960s through early 1970s, including the Mint 400, Baja 500 and
Baja 1000. In 1969, the year of this truck, HMS entered no less than
six race Broncos in the Baja 1000 — which they won. And the team’s
drivers? How about Parnelli Jones and James Garner for two of them?
These Baja-racing Broncos became the inspiration for Ford’s
own “Baja Bronco” option, available from 1971 to ’75, which is now
the most collectible of all early Broncos, with just around 500 of the
famous orange/white/blue and flat black Bobtails ever built. But this
rig I was looking at predated the factory option package by a full
two model years — and more than that, it had an H-M serial number
rather than a Ford one.
Real or not?
But hey, I’ve been around this game a while and I’ve seen my fair
share of bogus VIN tags and tall tales. However, the more I dug, the
more the H-M tag on this truck jumped out as being the real deal.
The serial number was in the right format and was also stamped
Page 37
“BRONCO HUNTER.”
Pulling the Marti Auto Works report
made it even more interesting. Listed as a
Ford Test Vehicle, with the “Dealer #” listed
as Ford Motor Company, it also showed
unique options such as front and rear limitedslip
differentials and 8.25x15 8-ply tires.
Looking at the truck, there was also a very
stout PTO winch that appeared to be original,
a Stroppe roll bar inside, and a Baja Broncostyle
steering wheel.
And this is where playing my hunch and
the odds come in. Truth be told, this old truck
is about as rough as a night in jail. If it weren’t
for that H-M serial number, or the Ford Test
Vehicle order code and Ford Motor Company being listed as the selling
dealer, I wouldn’t have given it a second look. But clearly this was
no ordinary Bronco.
I rolled the dice and paid nice Bronco money for a crappy Bronco
with a hell of a VIN tag. The Bronco community has known about
this very truck for years but it remains a mystery — despite the
forums lighting up again lately on the subject since it is no longer a
secret that it was just dragged out and sold.
Hunting the history of the Bronco Hunter
So what do I have? The short answer is I still don’t know. It’s an
HMS-built Bronco that they called the “Bronco Hunter.” It falls in a
period of time where H-M and Bill Stroppe were at odds more than
they weren’t. I still don’t know if it was built at H-M in Charlotte,
NC, or at Stroppe in Long Beach, CA. And what exactly was its
purpose?
Does “Bronco Hunter” mean it was a chase
truck for the Baja team? Was it a prototype for
a special Bronco model that later became what
we now know as the Baja Bronco? Was it built
for known hunting and Bronco enthusiast (and
Detroit native) Ted Nugent, who was enjoying
his first moments of superstardom in 1969?
Well, okay, that last one is a stretch.
The odds that it is a special Bronco are
100% based on the facts, and the hunch is
that I’ll be able to know more at some point
so I can restore it properly. I’ve been collecting
early Broncos for a long time and have
never seen, or heard of, another H-M tagged
Bronco. It is clear that this was a “dollar car” given to H-M for some
reason by Ford, hence the Ford VIN tag being knocked off of the
glovebox and an H-M VIN tag being used to title it since Day 1. So
my plan is to keep digging.
I have located a few former employees of Stroppe whom I hope to
quiz, and I will darken my friend Lee Holman’s doorstep soon and
also reach out to Willie Stroppe. I’ll be raiding the Ford archives and
the Internet for photos of the Baja team in 1969 to see if I can spot a
truck that looks anything like this one. In other words, a lot of stones
will be turned.
But most importantly, unlike the “barn-find” Daytona elsewhere
in this issue that took no sleuthing to determine what it is, this “outside
the junkyard fence find” is an intriguing mystery I hope to solve.
And, knowing that ACCers are an informed bunch, I’m hoping one of
you can help me determine if this was a good bet — or not. Have any
info or advice? You can reach me at colin.comer@americancarcollector.com.A
March-April 2016 39
Page 38
Corvette Market
John L. Stein
ELECT INSPECT
to
EVERY OLD CAR WILL NEED SOME SORT OF WORK, BUT AVOIDING
COMMON PITFALLS IS SIMPLER IF YOU INSPECT BEFORE YOU BUY
Courtesy of Scott Young
Scott Young’s 1964 — a long road to satisfaction
deep into trouble.
I knew within the first minute driving this chrome-plated, lacquered-
T
up, tube-axle beast that it wasn’t normal. The custom front disc brakes
dragged terribly, building enough heat to prompt a Smokey Bear warning.
One of the pie-crust cheater slicks had a fat goose egg on the sidewall,
like a strangulated hernia waiting to blow. Advanced timing made
the engine backfire while cranking, breaking the starter-motor housing
each time. Worst was a gunky fuel system that made the overbored 327
buck and stall without warning. Even so, that ol’ gasser sure looked fine
… stuck by the side of the road.
Some kind of fun, huh? Well, actually, years after the annoyances
and expenditures faded, I admit it was exactly that. Going one step
further, I’d give anything for a do-over. Because, within our shared passion
of finding and fixing up old cars, such problems actually make the
stories sweeter, the experiences richer, and the affections stronger. So
the next time you’re awash in “issues” with a car you perhaps shouldn’t
have bought, rejoice that you did — and know that when you ultimately
prevail, the sense of accomplishment will be even better.
Continuing on the Corvettes-with-problems theme, three friends
have also gotten in deep with their mid-years. It’s easy to do, especially
when the get-in price of a fixer-upper is well below the street value of a
polished example. Here are their stories.
Thar she blows
Advertising exec Scott Young bought a restored 1964 convertible
at auction 15 years ago. Its Satin Silver paint looked terrific, and the
365-horse L84 was the most powerful carbureted engine available. “It
happened so suddenly, I didn’t have a plan,” Young says. “We were
40 AmericanCarCollector.com
he pearlescent blue 1964 Corvette gasser a friend and I bought
years ago seemed like a brilliant idea at the time. By phone,
the seller claimed it ran well, and the email pictures looked
intriguing. Historic even. Of course, he wanted cash, and we
wanted the car. So my buddy and I paid up and jumped in …
Courtesy of Jeffrey Barteet
Jeffrey Barteet’s 1964 — rescued from the desert
sitting in the audience and this came up. It was bid to 28 and the bidding
just stopped,” he recalls. “I looked at my brother-in-law and we
both said, ‘That’s a good deal.’ I put my hand up at 30, paid for it and
drove it home.”
Unfortunately, what looked right onstage didn’t work exactly right
on the road. “On the way home one head gasket started to seep,” Young
recalls. “I could see it was losing coolant. After getting that fixed, I went
over the car with an NCRS judging manual and took pages of notes, but
ultimately decided to make it a reliable driver rather than a show car.”
Thus began a long process of turning the hard-top convertible into
an excellent trip companion. “The brand-new four-barrel needed to be
rebuilt,” Young says. “I also changed the axle ratio because it had an
aggressive gearing that spun the engine at 4,000 rpm on the freeway.
There were also lots of rattles and creaks, and the paint bubbled. I got
sick of looking at that, and it took six months to get repainted.”
Fortunately, the Corvette ultimately became exactly what Young
wanted — reliable, powerful and fun. “As a result of all the problems,
I do know a lot about the car now,” he says. “I trust it and it’s reliable.
It has Corvette performance with Chevy durability, which is exactly
what I wanted.”
Barn-find road burner
Five years ago, IT specialist Jeffrey Barteet noticed a Tuxedo Black
1964 base coupe advertised in a sketchy desert town. When he got there,
he found the seller to be, predictably, odd. “The guy was a character —
kooky.” Barteet recalls. “He didn’t trust computers, and he wanted all
cash. Green $100 bills.”
Although the car ran, it had not been driven in 25 years and the
brakes were soft and the suspension stiff. But there it was. “Sting Rays
versus Cobras and Jags were childhood dreams to me, and suddenly the
car was in my grasp,” Barteet says. “I thought, ‘This is a one-shot deal,’
and so I jumped on it.”
Knowing that it would be needy after 25 years asleep, Barteet took
Page 39
a deep breath, peeled off a fat stack of bills, and started the long trip
home. “Driving so far out in the boonies, I was a little spooked,” he
admits. “The brakes were pulling to one side. But after I eased onto the
highway, pretty soon I was outrunning traffic.”
Since acquiring the car, Barteet has undertaken what he calls “a roll-
ing restoration” — driving until a fault emerges and then fixing it. “My
policy is that I don’t do anything I don’t have to, and I’m still sorting
things out five years later,” he says.
Barteet likes the robustness of the Sting Ray. “Some people will buy
old cars and be afraid to drive hard because they think they are going to
break them. The fun thing with Corvettes is that they’re sports cars, but
they’re also built to take it.”
Surgical precision
Physician Phil
Scheinberg bought a Rally
Red 1965 big-block convertible
through an online
auction three years ago.
“It was a stupid impulse
purchase of a car that
needed someone to rescue
and love it,” he begins.
Unfortunately, the inspection Scheinberg commissioned failed to reveal
rusty frame rails sneakily patched with fiberglass.
“Making it safe and reliable was essential,” Scheinberg says.
Courtesy of Dr. Phil Scheinberg
phil Scheinberg’s 1965 learning
experience
Although known issues included body and paint, the tipping point was
the compromised frame, and repairing it properly required the body to
come off, and that in turn invited — or demanded, if your line of work
involves surgical procedures — a full restoration. “At that point there just
wasn’t any choice but full commitment, whatever that might take,” he
says.
Although forced, the restoration did provide an opportunity to create
an even better car. This meant installing a 496-inch crate motor with
modernized ignition, aluminum heads, and 130 pounds less weight than
stock. Scheinberg then added a Tremec 5-speed gearbox, power steering
and brakes, and a modern audio system. Air conditioning may follow.
Scheinberg is sanguine about the ordeal. “I think the end result will
be a better car than I would otherwise have had,” he says. “I have also
gained much Corvette knowledge from the experience that I would not
otherwise have.”
Inspect it yourself
Common to all of these Corvette cringe-fests is one critical detail:
buying a car without personally seeing, inspecting and driving it first.
We expect barn finds to have faults, and these are a natural part of the
hunt. Indeed, sometimes sellers truly may not know much about the old
heirloom they’re selling. But more unsettling are the lies, omissions or
convenient oversights that can accompany other sales.
Avoiding such jeopardy requires FBI-level sleuthing to uncover
problems before you do a deal. Dr. Scheinberg stitches up the best
strategy nicely. “I think one would be well advised to take the time to
thoroughly examine the car,” he offers. “And if you’re assigning this
job out, make sure the person doing it is your own representative and is
highly knowledgeable about the cars.”
Any old Corvette will provide ample pleasure and pitfalls over the
years. But diligence applied ahead of the purchase will definitely guarantee
more of the former, and way less of the latter. A
March-April 2016 41
Page 40
PROFILE CORVETTE
1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1
Big Power in a Small Package
Given its
superb
performance,
it’s a wonder
the LT1
small-block
doesn’t
get the
widespread
recognition
that the
Hemi, 427
and L88
enjoy
42 AmericanCarCollector.com
42 AmericanCarCollector.com
VIN: 194370S403893
by John L. Stein
transmission, 4.11 axle, power brakes, Firestone F70
white-letter tires, AM/FM radio, alarm system, and a
dealer-added luggage rack.
The seller purchased the Corvette from the original
T
owner in 1981 with all original paperwork, including
the window sticker and sales order. Now showing just
19,900 original miles, the car still retains its original
Marlboro Maroon paint and Saddle vinyl interior, but
has enjoyed cosmetic restoration of the undercarriage
and engine bay. It received a Bloomington Gold award
in 1981, and is offered with the judging sheets. In addition,
the car has been featured in books, magazines
and a calendar, which are also included.
ACC Analysis This car, Lot 1070, sold for
$71,500, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale,
AZ, on January 29, 2016.
The high-water mark of Chevy small-block engine
development for its time, the solid-lifter 350-ci LT1
was at its performance peak in 1970. Just 1,312
Corvettes were so equipped, including 1,287 cars
ordered with the stand-alone LT1 option, and another
25 competition-spec ZR1 models, which also included
his 1970 Corvette LT-1 coupe was bought
new off the showroom floor at BackhusEbert
Chevy-Olds in Fowlerville, MI, in May
1970. Options included the 350-ci 370-hp
solid-lifter engine, close-ratio 4-speed M21
the hot rod mill. All this represents just 7.6% of the
production run of 17,316 cars that year.
The LT1’s 370 horsepower was terrific for a small-
block V8 at the time, and it remains impressive over
four-and-a-half decades later. In fact, it wasn’t until
the four-cam, 32-valve, fuel-injected ZR-1 debuted for
1990 that a production Corvette finally surpassed the
LT1’s output (albeit by just five horses as rated). Not
too shabby for an iron-block pushrod mill with a single
4-barrel Holley on top.
Should be famous
Given its performance capabilities, it’s a wonder
the LT1 small-block doesn’t get the same recognition
among car people that the Hemi, 427 or L88 does.
After all, a high-performance small block is like a
welterweight MMA fighter — quick, powerful, reasonably
light, highly durable... and brutally effective.
But perhaps this is just as well, because this means
the LT-1 moniker (with hyphen as displayed on the
car, without as an RPO code) remains something of a
secret handshake among Corvette insiders.
Now to this car in particular. At 46 years old, this
Corvette had accumulated just 19,900 miles, and it
was reportedly still wearing its original paint and
interior. That works out to just 432 miles per year,
or just over a mile per day on average. In the grand
scheme of things, that’s chicken feed.
Desirable models that have lived pampered lives
Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
Page 41
CoLLECTor’S rESourCE: You can easily track a car’s value over time with the ACC premium Auction Database, featuring more
than 125,000 American cars searchable by year, model, VIN and more. Sign up for just $59 at www.AmericanCarCollector.com!
Detailing
Year produced: 1970
Number produced: 10,668
(coupes, 1970)
Original list price: $5,192
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $39,400;
high sale, $112,200
Tune-up cost: $500–$600
Distributor cap: $35
Chassis # location: VIN plate
on lower left windshield
pillar
Engine # location: On block
in front of right cylinder
head
make for serious bidding whenever and wherever
they‘re found. But cars like this one are fairly rare in a
sea of hundreds or thousands of restored cars — some
doubtlessly of dubious origins and history — orbiting
around the major auctions each year. An astute buyer
grabbed this one.
The best small-block Shark
The Corvette was available in a record 11 exterior
colors for 1970, but this car’s Marlboro Maroon enjoyed
reasonable popularity, although it was only about
half as popular as Donnybrooke Green. Fortunately,
the maroon on our subject car holds up well today —
both literally and artistically — with the finish bright
and deep-looking, and apparently unmarred.
Equally impressive was the Saddle interior, which
still looks showroom-fresh. Clearly a meticulous
effort was made to detail the car, as there wasn’t a
bolster wrinkle, upholstery stitch or carpet fiber out of
place. As referenced in the introductory copy above,
the engine bay had been detailed, and it presented at
auction as carefully used but original. Just right, and
convincing.
The 1970 model is one of five C3 years (1968–72)
with chrome front and rear bumpers. As such, it
falls right smack in the middle of this early and most
desirable series of Sharks. Truthfully, somewhat
overshadowing the LT1 engine this year was the debut
of the 454-ci LS5, boasting a claimed 390 horsepower.
However, the big block was a way cheaper option at
$289.65 versus the LT1’s $447.65 premium, and with
the pizzazz offered by the biggest engine ever to grace
a Corvette, it’s little surprise that the LS5 outsold the
LT1 by nearly 3.5 to 1. (However, today, the LT1 beats
the LS5 in value.)
Also to the 1970 LT1’s credit, at 370 horsepower, it
was the highest output of the LT1’s short three-year
run, as the power rating dropped to 330 hp for 1971 and
then further plummeted to 255 hp for 1972 as emissions
regulations took further control. The engine option
disappeared for good in 1973. All told, this makes the
1970 Stingray LT-1 — either coupe or convertible — the
most desirable small-block Shark out there.
Of luggage racks and 4.11 gears
Regarding the car’s other features, the 4.11 axle
is certainly a magic number in street performance
(“With 4.11 gears you can really get lost”—
Commander Cody), but such low gearing invites stoplight
drags more than it does interstate touring. Which
means that the dealer-installed luggage rack is a bit
of an odd fit for the car, although they’re nostalgic
enough today that in my estimation the rack neither
damages nor helps the car value-wise. And with
such low mileage, original paint and interior, and a
Bloomington award to its credit, there is little chance
this Shark will ever be used for anything that involves
the affixing and transportation of suitcases, ice chests
or golf bags anyway.
With no other remarkable options or any particular
history noted besides the original sale documentation,
the chief merits of this C3 are its rare and desirable
LT1 engine, the exceptional original finish and interior,
and the extraordinarily low mileage.
Among 77,909 chrome-bumper 1968–72 Shark
coupes built, due to its extraordinary surviving status,
along with the zenith of performance for the ’70 LT1
engine, this car fully deserved the $71,500 paid in
Scottsdale. With the current ACC Pocket Price Guide
framing 1970 LT-1s with a median price of $39,400
and a high-water sales mark of $112,200, this particular
sale tucked in about where I’d have expected
based off its condition and history. To my way of
thinking, that made it a terrific buy. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Barrett-
Jackson.)
1970 Chevrolet Corvette
LT-1 convertible
Lot 562, VIN: 194670S334087
Condition: 3+
Sold at $79,750
Auctions America, Fort
Lauderdale, FL, 3/14/2014
ACC# 239282
Club: National Corvette
Restorers Society
More: www.ncrs.org
Alternatives: 1962 Corvette
327/250 convertible, 1964
Corvette 327/250 coupe,
1996 Corvette Grand Sport
coupe
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
1970 Chevrolet Corvette
LT-1 convertible
Lot 464, VIN: 194670S406683
Condition: 3
Sold at $49,500
Barrett-Jackson, Palm Beach,
FL, 4/19/2015
ACC# 265008
1970 Chevrolet Corvette
LT-1 coupe
Motostalgia, Austin, TX,
10/31/2014
ACC# 256256
Lot 120, VIN: 194370S413806
Condition: 2Sold
at $34,100
March-April 2016
43CC
43
Page 42
PROFILE GM
Bandit Makes Off With Big Money
1980 PONTIAC TRANS AM “BANDIT” SPECIAL EDITION
Low-mileage
Trans Ams
found new
world-record
prices in
Arizona.
Does that
phenomenon
suggest a
trend?
VIN: 2W87TAL150286
by Dale Novak
This Trans Am is one of the lowest original-miles
Special Edition cars in existence. It is documented
with all its original books, papers and PHS paperwork.
T
44 AmericanCarCollector.com
ACC Analysis This car, Lot 480.1, sold for
$110,000, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at the Barrett Jackson Scottsdale sale held on
January 24–31, 2016, in Scottsdale, AZ.
A bunch of you may be tripping over this car’s
selling price — $110,000 for a 1980 Pontiac Trans
Am. Quite frankly, when I watched this sell at BarrettJackson,
I was in total disbelief myself. I had to put
on my glasses just to make sure I wasn’t seeing the bid
number incorrectly.
But the numbers were right, and this car wasn’t the
only one seeing big money across the block.
Transformation of the Trans Am
Even though the 1970 Firebird shared its platform
with the newly designed Camaro, the secondgeneration
F-body Pontiacs were marketed towards
a more well-heeled buyer. Any similarities between
the 1967–69 (first-gen) and second-gen cars were
his very rare and low-production Special
Edition Trans Am has it all. This style Trans
Am was immortalized in the “Smokey and
the Bandit” movies. This “Bandit” is 100%
original and has less than 750 miles on it.
nonexistent. The body was completely new, heavier
and larger. But with that came a wide range of styling
options and a heavy-duty lineup of performanceengine
choices.
We can’t lump all the Trans Am models into one
profile — there are far too many of them. That said,
we can dispatch all of the 1970–72 models as well
as the 1973 and 1974 Super Duty editions. Doing so
still gives us a production run from 1973 to 1981 of a
whopping 451,420 Trans Ams. So, needless to say, the
Trans Am name was very good for the Pontiac brand.
But by 1975, the Trans Am had become more of a
styling and touring car than anything else. While it
handled great, performance had become a thing of the
past. The highest horsepower offered came in the form
of the 455 HO (High Output), but that was mainly a
marketing buzzword for a paltry 200-horse windbag
of an engine suffocated by catalytic converters.
Still, as the Trans Am took a nosedive in the
performance department, sales climbed. Sales had
multiplied from 10,255 units sold in 1974 to 27,274 in
1975. Sales continued to soar all the way up to 1979,
with the bean counters tallying up 117,108 Trans Ams
sold in 1979 alone.
In the automotive world, U.S.-built cars were
choked and bloated by emissions and mandated safety
equipment. Styling was at an all-time low and the
“smogger car” era was fully engaged. With that, the
marketing teams at GM plotted a sales theory — if
it can’t go fast, it might as well look like it can. It
worked.
Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
Page 43
CoLLECTor’S rESourCE: You can easily track a car’s value over time with the ACC premium Auction Database, featuring more
than 125,000 American cars searchable by year, model, VIN and more. Sign up for just $59 at www.AmericanCarCollector.com!
Burt Reynolds and the ‘cool’ factor
In May 1977, Universal Pictures released “Smokey
and the Bandit.” It was campy, but it rocked the box
office and has grossed over $300 million since its release.
Unquestionably, the unspoken star of the movie
was the black and gold Trans Am that Burt Reynolds
slammed over highways.
Pontiac used the movie as an excellent opportunity
to market the Trans Am. While there has never been an
official “Bandit” edition Trans Am, Pontiac did capitalize
on the movie with the Y81- and Y82-code Special
Editions — the same type of car driven by Reynolds
with black and gold accents. Although the Y81s and
Y82s could be ordered in other color combinations,
the only “true” color combination is black on black or
black on tan. Sales leapt to 68,745 in 1977, with 7,392
of those being Special Edition models.
By 1980, the Trans Am was slightly updated, but
performance continued in name only. Gone was the
400 V8 (6.6-liter), replaced with the 301 (4.9-liter)
Turbo V8 or 305 V8. The turbo system was rather
pathetic and horribly unreliable.
By 1980, there were 13 Trans Am models to choose
from, with several SE models (including Y84 and Y85)
so buyers could be as confused as ever in the showroom.
Sales fell to 50,896 (from 117,108 in 1979) as the
model lost some of its “cool” factor.
Pick a Trans Am ...
Throughout the sale at Barrett-Jackson, Trans Ams
(in general) did very well on the block. It just may be
their time to find a new sea of buyers who lusted for
one back when they were new.
There are piles of Trans Ams out there. A quick
search at Hemmings found 98 for sale, from 1973 to
1981, including four Super Duty models. Mecum’s
Kissimmee, FL, sale had 22 “common” Trans Ams,
and Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sold 10, including the
$550,000 real Bandit Movie Promo car (Lot 7004).
The cars are not rare and they’re not hard to find —
but with limitations.
The reality is that most guys are hunting for the
black and gold editions, even if they aren’t SE models.
When you break down the auction sales, the black
cars usually find the best money, with T-tops adding
a premium. Automatic or a 4-speed does not seem
to play into the equation, but mileage does, with
all-original low-mile T/As rising to the top. Trans Ams
that have been beaten to death, modified, or littered
with wanna-be performance items are quickly kicked
to the curb.
From movie magic to auction magic
Our subject car is one of 3,444 Y84 Special Editions
built in 1980 with the 4.9 Turbo and T-tops. This styling
packaged upped the price by $1,443 in 1980 — a
heady amount to the $7,529 Turbo base price. The
mileage was reported at a paltry 750, as this example
was mothballed and stored away for a future payday.
It was fully documented and in showroom condition.
By the numbers, $25,000–$35,000 would be a
great price for a 1980 Y84 Trans Am with low miles
in exceptional condition. That said, low miles for a
1980–81 model would be more commonly found in the
30,000 to 40,000 range — that’s nowhere near 750.
Modern collectibles, such as our subject car,
seem to do extremely well when they clock in under
1,000 miles. Under 100 miles and hold on to your
hat — Barrett-Jackson also sold Lot 763.1, a 1979 10th
Anniversary Trans Am with 7 miles, for a staggering
$187,000.
The question is how do we discern this Trans Am
sale from others? At Barrett-Jackson, low-mileage
pristine Trans Ams were finding new world-record
prices — and it was happening consistently across the
board. But does that phenomenon suggest a trend?
My car radar tells me that this sale was a culmina-
tion of the perfect marketing storm. The genuine
“Smokey and the Bandit” promo car, Burt Reynolds
and three other exceptional Trans Ams (including our
subject car) gathered a room full of hopeful Trans Am
buyers. While that assumption does make me suspect
that this sale may have used a little movie magic
compounded with some auction magic, it does tell me
that there are buyers who want these cars — and they
want them very badly.
And, like Anniversary and Pace Car Corvettes,
there are quite likely more low mileage SE Trans Ams
squirreled away — and the guys holding these cars in
their garages are getting excited to tell their skeptical
wives that they’ve been right all along.
However, I think a few more examples will need to
come out to play before we know for sure if we are seeing
a new value trend or if this is just another round of
overly exuberant auction magic. For now, place this
one in the very well sold column. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Barrett-
Jackson.)
March-April 2016 45
Detailing
Years produced: 1976–81
(SE models)
Number produced: 452,615
(1973–81), 3,444 (1980 4.9
Turbo SE T-top)
Original list price: $8,972
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $16,000;
high sale, $110,000 (this
car)
Clubs: www.transamworld.
com, www.bandittransamclub.com,
Pontiac-Oakland
Club International (www.
poci.org)
Engine # location: Suffix
code and partial VIN on
front engine block below
left cylinder head
Alternatives: 1980 Chevrolet
Corvette L82, 1979 Dodge
Li’l Red Express truck,
1980 Ford Mustang Cobra
ACC Investment Grade: C
Comps
Tune-up/major service: $200
Distributor cap: $14
VIN location: Plate on driver’s
side dashpad, VIN label on
driver’s side door, partial
VIN on engine block and
transmission
1978 Pontiac Trans Am SE
Lot 586, VIN:
2W87K8L184824
Condition: 3
Sold at $21,330
Branson Auction, Branson,
MO, 4/18/2015
ACC# 264846
1979 Pontiac Trans Am
Lot S112, VIN:
2W87Z9L138385
Condition: 3+
Sold at $26,750
Premier Auctions, Punta
Gorda, FL, 4/11/2015
ACC# 264515
1980 Pontiac Trans Am
Turbo Pace Car
Lot TH275, VIN:
2X87TAL145064
Condition: 3+
Sold at $15,675
Russo and Steele, Scottsdale,
AZ, 1/14/2015
ACC# 257064
Page 44
PROFILE GM
Trans Ams Sales at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
(2016 sales of 1973–81 Trans Ams, not including SD-455 cars)
Lot 7004, 1977 Bandit promo Car, $550,000
Lot 763.1, 1979 with 7 miles, $187,000
Lot 480.1, 1980 (profile car), $110,000
Lot 480, 1977 Y82 Special Edition, $82,500
Lot 931, 1976 with 63,500 miles, $51,700
Lot 950.2, 1979 with 8,500 miles, $44,000
Lot 87, 1977 Y82 Special Edition with 33,850 miles, $44,000
Lot 103, 1976 455/4-speed, $42,350
Lot 419, 1977 with 30,600 miles, $33,500
46 AmericanCarCollector.com
Lot 359, 1979 with 91,000 miles and a color change, $11,000
Page 46
PROFILE FOMOCO
Fox-Body Snake Strikes
1993 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA
This may
seem like
strong
money,
but Fox
Mustangs
are picking
up steam
as former
lead-footed
teens mature
and start to
influence
the collector
market
48 AmericanCarCollector.com
48 AmericanCarCollector.com
VIN: 1FACP42D2PF175475
by Sam Stockham
original window sticker, registration history back to
1994, and Ford SVT vehicle certification with build
date of 5/14/1993. It was number 3,162 of 4,993 Cobras
built that year. It also comes with both the short and
long 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra vehicle brochures in
as-new condition.
Presented in Teal Metallic clear-coat paint with an
T
Opal Gray cloth/vinyl interior, this car appears exactly
as it did when new and is original all the way down to
its Goodyear Eagle ZR45 tires. In fact, the only thing
that is not original on this car is its brand-new Ford
Motorcraft battery.
ACC Analysis This car, Lot 385, sold for
$27,500, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Barrett-Jackson’s flagship auction in
Scottsdale, AZ, on January 27, 2016.
Almost all generations of the Mustang have success-
fully captured the hearts and imagination of the youth
of America. Globally, the Mustang is as American as
apple pie and baseball. When it turned the automotive
world on its ear in 1964 as a gussied-up Falcon, it was
heralded as the best thing since square cheese.
his is an extremely well-preserved, all-original
1993 Ford Mustang Cobra. This outstanding
car comes with extensive documentation
including multiple 100-point judging sheets
from the Mustang Club of America, the
As the Mustang continued to grow physically, so did
the displacement, and by 1973, our beloved federal
government (and arguably the insurance lobby)
became the cops at the front door of the muscle-car
kegger. In 1974, Ford reskinned the Pinto and called
it the Mustang II. These were dark days for sure, but
surprisingly, sales did not suffer too badly. It was a
new world of fuel economy and emissions regulation,
and Ford did what it had to do to keep the brand alive.
That Foxy 5.0
By 1979, Ford knew it had to bring some magic back
to the Mustang. The Fox chassis had already been in
use in the Fairmont, which eventually morphed into
the LTD II. That car’s benign design could be loved
only by a humorless government official, and according
to Ford, the chassis was the perfect platform for a
new Mustang.
Also introduced in 1979 was the “5.0” badge on
the front fender. It then went away for two years,
reappeared on the 1982 GT, and announced metric
displacement until 1993, when it quietly disappeared
on the 1994 redesign. That small detail was iconic in
and of itself — the Fox Mustang became known as
the “5-point-oh Mustang” to a generation hungry for
performance.
Many trim packages were introduced in the 14-year
run to keep buyers coming back. The 1979 Pace
Car was the initial standout, and the 1984 GT350
Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
Page 47
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Detailing
gave a nod back to the glory days of Shelby. By the
mid-1980s, the SVO (Special Vehicle Operations)
with a turbo 4-cylinder was designed to go up against
European offerings such as the Porsche 944. The
model was certainly unique but failed to gain real
traction. It was discontinued after 1986.
The return of the Cobra
By 1993, Ford knew the Fox–body Mustang was get-
ting old, and they decided to inject some last-hurrah
testosterone into the model by introducing the Cobra.
The Special Vehicle Team (SVT — no longer SVO) was
charged with its creation.
This performance package included ground effects,
which resembled the parts on the GT but were different,
a unique wing, special suspension, rear disc
brakes, and SVO-esque taillights. Choice mechanical
upgrades, only available in the Ford Motorsport
Catalog, bumped horsepower to 235 through the
addition of smog-friendly GT40 heads, and a custom
intake, cam and exhaust system. This marked the first
time a special-edition model from Ford actually used
Ford’s catalog parts to increase performance.
Production was limited to exactly 5,100 cars, 107 of
which were Cobra R models, which were considered
rather extreme for the day but are top brass in the
market today. The remaining 4,993 cars could be had
in any color as long as it was black, red or teal, which
is the tropical shade of our subject car.
Low miles
While the Barrett-Jackson description gave no
indication of this car’s mileage, some Internet digging
revealed the odometer showed a shade over 3,000
miles. The pictures certainly support this as well, but
they also show an aftermarket Hurst shifter handle,
which should be the first thing to go. The rubberinsulated
factory handle
will fit on the Hurst base
and won’t scream “modified,”
which can detract
from value.
The 1993 Cobra has
held steady value since
its initial depreciation
and has been a $12,000 to
$15,000 car for 20 years.
I have seen 100,000-mile
dogs as low as $8,000,
but the market is changing
here, and prime
examples such as this car
certainly command a premium.
Later Fox cars will last for 200,000 miles if taken
care of, but many were passed down to teenagers
when the cars were at the bottom of their depreciation
curve. Less so for the Cobra because of the price
point, but really, who drives a Mustang and doesn’t
lead-foot the thing?
As prices move up, we will start to see rough
examples get restored, and that’s a real challenge
with the unibody Fox chassis. These cars start to flex
and squeak over time, and that is where nice low-mile
examples like our subject really shine. They were nice
cars to drive when new, and getting that new-car feeling
back is really hard after 100,000 miles of teenage
power-shifts.
Big money, or is it?
This price — $27,500 — may seem like strong
money, but the new reality is that Fox Mustangs are
picking up steam as those once lead-footed teens start
to influence the collector market. Expect the best cars
to rise the fastest. I’ve seen $30,000 for some Fox-body
Saleens, and the Cobra is not far behind.
A fully loaded GT with under 20,000 miles and no
mods can fetch over $15,000 these days, and there
were many more of those made than Cobras. By way
of comparison, Barrett-Jackson also sold a 100-mile
hermetically sealed 1984 GT350 convertible with the
5.0 motor for an eye-opening $71,500. Ford made
more 1984 GT350s than 1993 Cobras, and the Cobras
are much better cars.
I don’t see the buyer getting a better deal on a better
car anywhere else, so I’ll call this one well bought.
The new owner has a great example of a performance
icon of the 1990s, and there’s plenty of upside left.A
(Introductory description courtesy of Barrett-
Jackson.)
Club: SVT Cobra Mustang
Club (SCMC)
Engine # location: Partial
VIN stamped on rear
of block, behind intake
manifold
Year produced: 1993
Number produced: 4,993
Original list price: $18,505
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $15,000;
high sale, $43,200
Tune-up/major service: $200
Distributor cap: $22
VIN location: Door tag,
driver’s door; plate at base
of windshield on driver’s
side
More: www.svtcobraclub.com
Alternatives: 1989 Chevrolet
Camaro 1LE, 1989 Pontiac
Trans Am Turbo 20th
Anniversary, 1994 Ford
Mustang Cobra
ACC Investment Grade: C
Comps
1993 Ford Mustang SVT
Cobra
Lot 281, VIN:
1FACP42D7PF176220
Condition: 2Sold
at $14,850
Dan Kruse Classics, Austin,
TX, 9/27/2014
ACC# 252409
1993 Ford Mustang SVT
Cobra
Lot 2415, VIN:
1FACP42D3PF176036
Condition: 2Sold
at $13,750
Leake Auctions, Dallas, TX,
4/25/2014
ACC# 243389
1993 Ford Mustang SVT
Cobra R
Lot 2195, VIN:
1FACP42D6PF169212
Condition: 1Sold
at $42,350
RM Auctions, Kensington, NH,
6/10/2006
ACC# 42191
March-April 2016
49CC
49
Page 48
PROFILE MOPAR
1969 DODGE CHARGER DAYTONA BARN FIND
Restore or Preserve?
Teddy Pieper, courtesy of Mecum Auctions
“Patina”
cars are very
popular at
cruise nights
and shows,
but this
one is a few
mossy layers
beyond that
VIN: XX29L9B355143
by Patrick Smith
• Glenwood, AL, barn find
• One of 503 produced
• Two-owner car
• Matching-numbers 440-ci engine
• Automatic transmission
• Original red with white wing
• Custom flames painted on nose cone
• Black bucket seats and center console
• Featured in November 2015 issue of Mopar Muscle
ACC Analysis This car, Lot F186, sold for
$99,000, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Mecum’s massive auction in Kissimmee, FL,
on January 15, 2016.
The 1969 Charger Daytona was Mopar’s first
winged wonder, built to dominate NASCAR’s super
speedways through both brute power and a host of
slippery aero tricks. The drivetrain consisted of either
a 440 Magnum or the optional 426 Hemi, and both
were offered with the heavy-duty TorqueFlite 727
automatic or a 4-speed manual transmission. The
winged Charger was a homologation special, and
Dodge produced 503 of them for sale.
Although the Daytona was a track winner and
forced rivals to up their game, it was a poor seller
due to that outrageous wing and nose cone. Drivers
weren’t enamored with “park by feel,” and the styling
was simply too in-your-face for most buyers.
Plymouth’s Superbird, built for the 1970 model year,
was a little more usable in the real world thanks to
50 AmericanCarCollector.com
50 AmericanCarCollector.com
revised nose-cone cooling, and more of them were
built to satisfy a change in the NASCAR homologation
rules. Of the two, the Daytona is the rarer bird.
Winged wonder in the barn
Decades later, the Daytona became recognized as
an influential force in aerodynamics in speedway racing,
and it then became a blue-chip vehicle hunted by
serious auto collectors.
With every market run-up, Mopars led the pack in
record-breaking prices and corrections. As market
bellwethers, Mopars are frequently involved in trends
and fads. We’ve seen shabby-chic-patina rides, and
the latest trend is the “barn find.” That’s why you’ve
likely seen this car already — even the mainstream
news picked up on its sale at Kissimmee.
Selling cars in barn-find condition at auction isn’t
new. A number of significant European post-war
classics have found new homes this way for years. But
there’s one important difference between a barn-fresh
Ferrari 250 GT California and Dodge Daytona — the
law of supply and demand greatly favors a complete
Ferrari restoration. That isn’t always the case with a
Dodge.
Two markets for two engines
The Dodge Daytona world is split in two layers for
collectors: Hemi cars and 440 cars. Dodge made only
70 Hemi Daytonas, which are more desirable than
their 440 siblings in today’s market thanks to their
race victories on the track. It’s the Hemi Daytonas
Page 49
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than 125,000 American cars searchable by year, model, VIN and more. Sign up for just $59 at www.AmericanCarCollector.com!
Detailing
that set records at auction, with an astounding
$972,000 high-water mark set for a low-mile, perfectly
restored Hemi car at Mecum Kissimmee last year
(ACC# 263111).
By contrast, there were over 400 Daytona 440s
made, the bulk of them automatic-transmission
equipped just like our subject car. The median sale
price for all 440-powered Daytonas sold in 2015 was
$147,000, compared with $798,500 for Hemi cars. The
highest 440 sale we’ve seen in the past two years was
also at Mecum Kissimmee in 2015, at $302,400 (ACC#
263112).
Preserve or restore?
Let’s suppose you own this car. What’s next? It
needs a complete restoration for show standards,
and considering recent median pricing, there’s little
chance of that being profitable unless you discount
the labor and do it as a hobby. Although stored under
a carport for decades, there is rust on the front end
and part of the roof. The partial white vinyl top may
have accounted for that. The interior looks like it was
and might still be home to a number of small furry
creatures.
“Patina” cars are very popular at cruise nights and
shows, but this one is a few mossy layers beyond that.
It needs to be hauled to go anywhere, which gets old
fast.
Although the odometer shows 20,553 miles, we have
no true knowledge of its condition. A lot of work needs
to be done to make it road-worthy, which will remove
a lot of the character that makes up its scruffy “barnfind”
appeal. So it appears the new owner is in a bind.
Or is he?
That shining moment
There’s an old maxim I like to consider when weigh-
ing the “restore, modify, or preserve” status of old
cars: What was that car’s shining moment in history?
For instance, did it have an illustrious race career
with victories or a famous driver? Was it customized
for the show circuit by a notable customizer, or
perhaps owned by a local street-racing legend? Is it a
low-mileage original worthy of preservation?
This car was originally owned by a judge in
Alabama. He bought it for his wife to drive. By 1974,
it had been traded in and eventually ended up sold to
an 18-year-old who used it for a vacation cruise down
South, complete with flamed paint job. The teen sold
the car to someone else, who kept it for decades. That
owner stopped driving it after denting the nose, and
it spent years parked in an open carport. That owner
eventually sold it to Charlie Lyons, who brought it to
the Mecum auction.
Prior to the auction, this Daytona’s crowning
moment was a high-jinx-laden Spring Break run to
Panama City. The once-teenage owner may have fond
memories from that trip, but they aren’t historically
important, and the custom touches aren’t unusual
enough for preservation. No, in the grand scheme of
things, this car’s true shining moment in history was
this well-reported sale, complete with dingy, chipped
paint under years of moss and dirt. But would you
really leave this car as-is?
Bringing it back
Considering you can’t do much with the car in
its current state, and the fact that it still retains its
numbers-matching drivetrain, the most compelling
path for this car is a restoration to factory-original
status — whether it’s done in stages by various owners
or in one go by someone with deep pockets.
Here’s why I think that’s the ticket: Fundamentally,
the Daytona changed NASCAR history as the first
car to smash the 200-mph barrier, and it changed the
styling of all Chargers afterward. The Daytona also
triggered some of the most controversial NASCAR
restrictions in history, with rule changes designed first
to make the car uncompetitive, then illegal.
Mopar collectors traditionally love the winged
cars for those reasons and more, and you can’t argue
against these things being most impressive when done
up in showroom condition. This one, with its matching
numbers, is worth that effort, even if it’s not a slamdunk
money-making prospect at today’s market levels.
All things considered, at under the ambitious
estimate of $150,000, I’d call this one a fair deal for
both the buyer and seller. The price paid here was no
bargain, but careful handling will get the car mobile
and buy the owner time to plan his next move in the
world of Daytona ownership. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Mecum
Auctions.)
1969 Dodge Charger
Daytona
Lot S154, VIN:
XX29L9B390024
Condition: 2Sold
at $206,700
Mecum Auctions, Kissimmee,
FL, 1/22/2009
ACC# 119456
Club: Daytona/Superbird club
More: www.superbirdclub.com
Alternatives: 1969 Ford
Talladega, 1970 Plymouth
Superbird, 1970 Mercury
Cyclone Spoiler
Original list price: $3,993
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $147,000;
high sale, $302,400
Tune up/major service: $200
Distributor cap: $22.80
VIN location: Driver’s side
dashpad next to windshield,
driver’s door decal
Engine # location: Raised
machined boss next to
distributor has suffix code.
Oil-pan rail has partial VIN
Year produced: 1969
Number produced: 433 with
440 4-barrel
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
1969 Dodge Charger
Daytona
Lot 5, VIN: XX29L9B409063
Condition: 2Sold
at $96,800
Worldwide Auctioneers,
Houston, TX, 5/4/2013
ACC# 215917
1969 Dodge Charger
Daytona
Lot S712, VIN:
XX29L9B355146
Condition: 1Sold
at $118,800
Russo and Steele, Scottsdale,
AZ, 1/18/2012
ACC# 191571
March-April 2016
March-April 2016 51
Page 50
PROFILE HOT ROD & CUSTOM
1932 FORD 3-WINDOW COUPE
Screaming Yellow Deal
Brian Henniker, courtesy of Gooding & Company
As ’32 Fords
go, this one’s
really special,
from its Art
Chrismanbuilt
427
Cammer V8
to paint and
metalwork by
some of the
best in the
business
VIN: 18123937
by Ken Gross
• 650-hp, 427-ci SOHC “Cammer” V8 with two
4-bbl carburetors
• Rod & Custom cover car in January 1998
• Built by an all-star cast of hot rod greats: Art
Chrisman, Steve Davis, Pete Eastwood, Ron
Mangus, Stan Betz and Bob Kennedy
• Chosen as one of “The 75 Most Significant ’32
Fords”
• Beautifully maintained with low mileage
ACC Analysis This car, Lot 130, sold for
$154,000, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Gooding & Company’s auction in Scottsdale,
AZ, on January 23, 2016.
It’s not often that I have the chance to inspect an
ACC profile car before the auction and be there when
it is sold, but I’ve been involved from the beginning on
this ’32 3-window, because I know its history. I saw it
when it appeared at the Fairplex in Pomona in 2007
for the 75th Anniversary of the 1932 Ford, and I’ve
spoken several times with the seller.
As ’32 Fords go, this one’s really special, from
its Art Chrisman-built 427 big-block Cammer V8 to
extensive modifications, paint and metalwork by some
of the best practitioners in the business.
Sidney Allen, the seller, told me he saw a picture of
the car at Art Chrisman’s and had to have it. It was
a Rod & Custom cover car in January 1998. Allen
bought it after the untimely passing of its builder Mike
Martin. Although the coupe was completed nearly 20
52
AmericanCarCollector.com
years ago, it’s still immaculate and looks as though it
was just completed.
If I had a Cammer ...
The fun starts under the hood. Ford SOHC V8s
are rare engines, and this torque monster, massaged
by the legendary Art Chrisman and topped with twin
Holley 4-bbls, develops over 650 hp. That’s plenty
of punch for a little deuce coupe that can’t weigh
more than 2,400 pounds. If you want one of these
SOHC engines today, you have to spend $40,000 to
$50,000, and that’s before you’d take a gennie Deuce
3-window, chop it, mount it on a boxed, modified
and stretched chassis, then pay top dollar to have it
finished to a fare-thee-well.
I stress the Cammer engine here because you don’t
often find Ford’s SOHC 427 big-block V8s in hot
rods, and this may have been the first time anyone did
one in an early Ford. Rare and expensive, they were
NASCAR’s most powerful engine overnight, and were
quickly banned from competition.
According to R&C, Motorsports Hall of Fame
and NHRA legend Art Chrisman upgraded this car’s
engine with a forged crank, J&E 9.5:1 pistons, Le
Mans connecting rods, Donovan stainless valves, a
Vertex magneto, a Buddy Barr aluminum intake with
twin Holley 4-bbl carburetors, a Holman & Moody oil
pan, and headers by Mike Hamm. Chrisman modified
a Ford C6 automatic to handle the 427’s mountain
of torque, and fitted period Buick finned drums, a
Page 51
CoLLECTor’S rESourCE: You can easily track a car’s value over time with the ACC premium Auction Database, featuring more
than 125,000 American cars searchable by year, model, VIN and more. Sign up for just $59 at www.AmericanCarCollector.com!
Detailing
Year produced: 1932, 1997
Number produced: Standard
and DeLuxe coupes,
70,720
Halibrand quick-change rear and Aldan coil-over
shocks. Pete Eastwood fabricated the boxed chassis
with a three-inch stretch for better handling and
proportions. Ka-ching!
Noted metalman Steve Davis subtly wedge-chopped
the top a little more than an inch in front and an inch
in the rear. He raised the cowl three-quarters of an
inch, bull-nosed and shortened the grille and fabricated
a three-piece hood that’s three inches longer
than stock.
The rolled rear pan features frenched taillights and
a Jaguar flip-top filler cap. Finished in PPG Deltron
Yellow, mixed by Stan Betz and applied by Jerry Cain,
the car also has a Ron Mangus interior, a woodgrain
dash by Bob Kennedy, and a custom Ron Sexton banjo
steering wheel. Those names are some of the best in
the business, and beyond their laying of hands on
this ’32, the car was also voted one of the “75 Most
Significant ’32 Ford Hot Rods” by a panel of hot rod
experts in 2006.
Power to the people
Long a hot rod favorite, the 1932 Model 18 intro-
duced Ford’s 65-hp, low-priced flathead V8 for the
masses. Production didn’t get under way until March
of 1932, and the 3-window coupe arrived late in the
model year.
Hot-rodders loved the flathead from the get-go,
and Henry obliged by improving it substantially until
1953. The go-fast crowd had already started installing
OHV V8s from Cadillac, Olds and Chrysler by the
mid-1950s, and as soon as Chevy’s lightweight smallblock
V8 hit the streets, that motor began its upward
trajectory.
Big-block engines such as Chevy’s 409, Pontiac’s
421 and, of course, Chrysler’s 426 Hemi found their
way into hot rods, but they were comparatively rare.
The mighty-but-outlawed Cammers, which went from
NASCAR right into Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars,
were considered too expensive. So Mike Martin’s yellow
coupe was an anomaly when it was first built. I thought
it’d go for much more here at the auction, but that’s
not what happened. Surprisingly, bids on this ’32 were
slow to start at the Gooding sale — the whole event was
somewhat sluggish, with hot rods even more so — and
bidding eventually eked its way up to $154k with buyer’s
commission. That’s decent money, but well short of the
$200,000 high estimate.
Great expectations
This is the first time one of the “Top 75 Deuces” has
come on the market, and some observers wondered if
that honor would have a positive effect.
This blazing yellow coupe’s pedigree is really
impressive; it’s in perfect condition, and it’s not been
seen too often, so there are still show opportunities
for the new owner. Sidney Allen was on hand to tempt
looky loos at the Gooding auction: “It’s fun to drive,”
he said, “but it’ll step out unless you watch what you
do with your right foot!” If you were nit-picking, you
might challenge its proportions based on the way hot
rods are built today — the roof is a bit high; a threeinch
chop would look better, contemporary cars run
taller rear meats, etc. But that’s all hindsight.
While you couldn’t possibly build this car now for
$154k, especially with the talented crew who first did
it, a greater issue may be that for six figures these
days, many guys would rather commission and author
their own cars. Contemporary hot rods aren’t setting
sales records, either. I still think this will prove to be a
collectors’ item, given its history and “Top 75” status,
but that didn’t count for much in Arizona. ACC Editor
Jim Pickering called this a “screaming deal,” and I
have to agree. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Gooding &
Company.)
1932 Ford 3-window coupe
Lot 655.2, VIN: 18207766
Condition: 1
Sold at $55,000
Barrett-Jackson, Las Vegas,
NV, 9/22/2011
ACC# 185821
1932 Ford 3-window coupe
Lot 418, VIN: MV1710
Condition: 2Sold
at $77,000
Barrett-Jackson, Palm Beach,
FL, 4/12/2014
ACC# 243172
Clubs: Goodguys, National
Street Rod Association
(NSRA)
Original list price: N/A
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $85,000;
high sale, $742,000
Tune-up, major service:
$500 (estimated)
Distributor cap: $20
VIN location: On frame rail,
driver’s side, in front of
firewall
More: www.good-guys.com,
www.nsra.com,
Alternatives: Other ’32–’34
Ford coupes, 3-window
and 5-window
ACC Investment Grade: C
Comps
1932 Ford 5-window coupe
Lot 352, VIN: 1503860
Condition: 1Sold
at $69,000
Bonhams, Scottsdale, AZ,
1/17/2013
ACC# 215086
March-April 2016 53
Page 52
PROFILE AMERICANA
1966 AMC AMX RAMBLE SEAT
Prototype Performance
Courtesy of Russo and Steele
As a running
and driving
AMX
prototype
survivor,
there had to
be some real
value here
for an AMC
collector
VIN: N/A
by Tom Glatch
1965, the first AMX prototype — short for American
Motors experimental — was developed under Charles
Mashigan, a leading contributor to Ford’s original
Thunderbird and Chrysler’s Turbine.
AMC management was suitably encouraged
E
54 AmericanCarCollector.com
54 AmericanCarCollector.com
to approve further development, enlisting outside
contractors Smith Inland of Ionia, MI, to build a small
group of the distinctive fiberglass bodies differing in
fine details from the original AMX show car.
While the number of fiberglass AMXs built
remains unclear today, it is believed that just two were
ultimately created. These fiberglass-bodied prototypes
were fitted with powertrains and tested at the AMC
proving grounds. This fascinating vehicle is one of
those cars.
Once the AMX progressed to the assembly line
in 1967 for its highly anticipated launch for 1968, the
fiberglass prototypes — which were never intended
for road use — were slated for destruction. One is
reported to have been unceremoniously burned, and
the other, the car offered here, was spared, thanks to
Domenick Jiardine Jr., an assembly-line worker at
American Motors’ Kenosha Lake Front Plant in 1971.
As the sole surviving fiberglass AMX prototype, it
stands as a unique and formative specimen of one of
the most exciting performance cars ever designed and
built in America during the 1960s.
ager to shed its stodgy reputation during
the 1960s, American Motors launched a
daring assault on the lucrative youth market
with a series of prototypes. Developed at
AMC’s advanced styling studios in October
ACC Analysis This car, Lot S544, sold for
$90,750, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Russo and Steele’s 16th Annual Auction in
Scottsdale, AZ, on January 30, 2016.
Audacity, nerve, guts. American Motor’s Vice
President of Design, Richard Teague, had little else to
work with.
His team was made up of a small but talented group
of designers, draftsmen and modelers. Miniscule budgets
meant the need to rationalize every component
and design decision against thin profit margins. This
was the challenge Teague faced, first with Packard,
and then with AMC beginning in 1961. “As long
as I worked at AMC, we were always trying to get
maximum bang for the buck. We never had the money
to do really dramatic things,” he told author Richard
M. Langworth.
Going sporty, saving money
Project IV was Teague’s long-range plan for the
design language and product direction of AMC.
When unveiled on the 1966 auto show circuit, the four
vehicles of Project IV were conceived to gauge the
public’s reaction, and to show what the small company
could accomplish. The Vixen hinted at the future
Hornet and Gremlin. The Cavalier demonstrated how
identical major components such as doors and fenders
could be used in both the front and rear locations to
save money. The AMX-II was a lovely four-seat coupe
that again hinted at the future designs of AMC. But the
real star of the group was the two-seat AMX.
That first AMX was just a “pushmobile,” or a fiber
Page 53
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than 125,000 American cars searchable by year, model, VIN and more. Sign up for just $59 at www.AmericanCarCollector.com!
Detailing
Year produced: 1966
Number produced: Three
(estimated)
Original list price: N/A
Current ACC Valuation:
$90,750 (as the only
known sales data point,
there’s no median)
Tune-up/major service: $150
Distributor cap: $22.58
VIN location: N/A
Engine # location: N/A
Club: American Motors
Owners Association
More: www.amonational.com
Alternatives: Any 1960s
prototype survivor, such as
the 1964.5 Ford Mustang
III “Shorty”
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
glass body on a rolling frame. This was common in the
industry — a fairly inexpensive way to build a concept
car for display by pulling a mold off a full-sized clay
model. That car survived and is on display at the
Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, OH.
AMC then had a steel running prototype built by
Italian coachbuilder Vignale, which was completed in
just 78 days. With the positive feedback that car generated,
AMC built several running fiberglass prototypes
for testing. I’m not so sure fiberglass was meant to be
a production material, but rather a quick, inexpensive
way to build a number of running test vehicles.
We know one may have been crashed, while another
was destroyed to liquidate unwanted assets (the usual
demise of concepts and test vehicles). But one of those
AMX prototypes — this car — survived through pure
chutzpah.
The $50 buy
Domenick Jiardine Jr. was an hourly worker at
AMC’s Lakeside assembly plant in Kenosha, WI. He
heard about the AMX prototypes from his brother who
worked at the proving grounds, and he wanted to save
the lone survivor.
One day in 1971, when AMC President and COO
William Luneburg was visiting the plant, Jiardine
simply walked up to him and asked if he could buy the
prototype. Jiardine told the Kenosha News in 1975, “I
just walked up and asked if he was going to destroy it
as they do with all prototypes. I don’t like to see anything
destroyed and, besides, I collect old AMCs and
Nashes. I told him that if he was going to destroy it,
why didn’t he give it to me instead. All the guys I work
with thought I was nuts. Maybe Luneburg did too.”
Soon after, Jiardine was called into the superinten-
dent’s office and offered the AMX for a grand total
of $50. The AMX prototype became the centerpiece
of Jiardine’s collection of AMC vehicles, and was
well known in Kenosha and the AMC community.
Domenick Jiardine Jr. passed away in 2012, and his
family kept the prized AMX until now.
Prototype value
So what is a one-of-a-kind factory prototype
or concept car worth? With no previous sales to
benchmark, there was no way of knowing for sure. The
Vignale-built AMX Prototype survives in a collection
in Canada, but there is no record of its sale to help
place this one on the value scale.
If this were a Ferrari, we could imagine the price to
be in the millions. But an AMC?
Considering this was a brazen
$50 purchase to begin with,
there wasn’t really a whole lot
to lose financially here — but
as a running and driving AMX
prototype survivor, there had to
be some real value here for an
AMC collector.
At Russo, that value boiled
down to a number just shy of six
figures. If you had to have an
AMX prototype, this was your
one shot, and I’d say the price
paid was the right money for the
story and the car’s rarity. Call it
well bought and sold. A
(Introductory description
courtesy of Russo and Steele.)
March-April 2016
55CC
55
1964 Ford Mustang III
“Shorty”
Lot 438, VIN: 100009
Condition: 1Sold
at $511,500
Auctions America, Fort
Lauderdale, FL, 3/27/2015
ACC# 264827
1969 AMC AMX
Lot 259, VIN:
A9M397X1000029
Condition: 2Sold
at $28,080
Dan Kruse Classics, Austin,
TX, 9/27/2014
ACC# 252385
1970 AMC AMX
Lot S71, VIN:
A0M397X108693
Condition: N/A
Sold at $71,690
Mecum Auctions, Houston,
TX, 4/6/2013
ACC# 219917
Page 54
PROFILE RACE
1957 CHEVROLET 150 “BLACK WIDOW”
Race-Track Unicorn
Phillip Pietri, courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
Proof beyond
a reasonable
doubt is
nearly
impossible
with Black
Widows,
but at least
Swartz’s Jack
Smith #47
has a strong
provenance
VIN: VA57A124372
by Tom Glatch
documentation.
283/283 fuel-injected engine and correct compo-
F
nents, including six-lug wheels, Fenton headers and
exhaust, high-performance Hydrovac brake system,
20-gallon gas tank and special HD 3.90 rear end. This
vehicle scored 997 at Classic Chevy Nationals and
recently won First Place—Racing Class at the 2012
Ault Park Concours d’Elegance.
ACC Analysis This car, Lot 1357, sold for
$205,700, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Barrett-Jackson’s auction in Scottsdale, AZ,
on January 30, 2016.
Chevrolet’s Black Widow was a real cloak-and-
dagger operation. SEDCO, the clandestine company
that built the cars, was not what it seemed to be, and
right out of “Mission Impossible,” headquarters
disavowed any knowledge of their activities. Due to
all that, the cars, and how they came to be, quickly
became the stuff of legend.
Race on Sunday, sell all week
Although NASCAR wasn’t yet 10 years old, its influ-
ence in the automotive market was already vast. Four
consecutive championships in the fledging NASCAR
series couldn’t save Hudson, but the success of their
“Fabulous” Hudson Hornets had to have helped the
company stay afloat.
Then Chrysler’s powerful 300 series sedan, powered
by the first-generation Hemi engines, dominated
56
AmericanCarCollector.com
rame-off, state-of-the-art, correct restoration
of Chevrolet Black Widow car #47 driven
by Jack Smith. This is one of the original
six factory-backed cars. SEDCO of Atlanta
NASCAR race-prepared vehicle. No GM
in 1955–56, but Ford made major inroads and won the
Manufacturer’s Championship both of those years due
to their consistent performance. Both companies were
able to use their success to increase showroom sales.
The one manufacturer noticeably absent was
Chevrolet. Prior to 1955, Chevy’s 6-cylinder sedans
didn’t have a prayer on the NASCAR circuit, but their
brilliant “Hot One” in 1955 and 1956 had some success
— two of 45 races in 1955, three of 56 races in
1956 — just not enough to make a real impact.
NASCAR’s premier Grand National series included
40 races on dirt, 13 on pavement, and three on road
courses in 1956, taking racers as far as New York,
Wisconsin and California. That’s a wide range of marketing
GM was missing, so for 1957, Chevrolet’s head
of racing, Vince Piggins, decided to go all in.
SEDCO and the Black Widow
Vince Piggins knew how to win in NASCAR — he
managed Hudson Hornet operations during their
glory years. With the backing of GM management,
Piggins created the Southern Engineering and
Development Company (SEDCO) in Atlanta, which
was ostensibly an extension of local dealer Nalley
Chevrolet. Of course, SEDCO was a fully factorybacked
racing enterprise, modeled after Ford’s
similar operation in Charlotte, NC, but with Congress
threatening to shut down all auto racing in the wake of
a number of high-publicity fatalities, it was essential
to make it look anything but “factory.”
Ford’s supercharged 312-ci F-code Fairlanes
were the target, and out of SEDCO came the most
advanced stock-car racers developed to that point.
Back then, except for a simple roll bar and seat belts,
every piece of that “stock car” had to be issued
Page 55
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Detailing
Year produced: 1957
Number produced: Eight to
20 (estimate)
from the manufacturer. So every one of the special
components that made the Black Widows so fast had a
factory-issue part number. Some of those components
included a fuel-injected 283-ci V8 making close to 315
hp, Fenton cast-iron headers, a close-ratio 3-speed
manual transmission, beefy six-lug hubs and heavyduty
suspension, and a 3.90 rear gear set, all mounted
in Chevrolet’s lightest 150 model — the one without a
rear seat and with fixed rear side glass.
Five SEDCO racers were ready for the famous
Daytona Speed Weeks in February 1957, while a sixth
was sent to Iowa to race in the IMCA series. Buck
Baker dominated the Grand National race on the
Daytona beach-and-road course, and on the beach
in Class 5 (259- to 305-ci), Chevys took 33 out of 37
places in the Flying Mile. At the next race, two weeks
later at Concord, NC, they swept the field, with Jack
Smith winning, Buck Baker 2nd and Speedy Thompson
3rd. Then on March 17 at Wilson, NC, Baker and
Thompson ran 2nd and 3rd.
It was a stunning performance, so much so that
NASCAR set down new rules in April, mandating
just one 4-barrel carburetor. It was the end of fuelinjected,
supercharged, and multi-carb stock cars.
Even without the Fuelie engines, and after the June
9 pullout of all factory support and the closing of
SEDCO, the Black Widows continued their winning
ways.
SEDCO also published a book called 1957 Stock
Car Competition Guide, filled with the list of factory
racing components and detailed instructions on how
they created the Black Widows. The Competition
Guide was sent to 411 dealerships on April 19, 1957, in
an effort to get racers to build their own Black Widow
copies — with all parts available from their local
Chevrolet dealer.
NASCAR legend in a scrap heap
No one knows where the Black Widow racers got
their name, but their black-and-white paint scheme and
deadly performance must have been an influence. The
total number of SEDCO-built racers is also unknown,
since Chevrolet has no record of these cars, but experts
claim eight to 20. The lower number seems realistic.
The additional cars were necessary, as some of the
six original team cars were totaled. Jack Smith crashed
twice that year, and one of his famous #47 Black Widows
ended up in a pile of about 20 scrapped race cars in a
backyard in Georgia. The elderly owner had the towing
contract for the old Atlanta Speedway, and always vowed
to eventually restore the racers in his yard. He never did,
but he wouldn’t sell any of the cars, either.
Chevy collector and restorer George Swartz, in con-
versation with Jack Smith, asked if he knew offhand
where any of his Black Widows were located. Smith
pointed Swartz to the Georgia scrap heap. Swartz
patiently waited, and after the owner passed away,
bought the Chevy from the estate before the cars were
crushed. The #47 was nothing more than a wrecked
shell, but George Swartz brought it back to its former
glory, including parts supplied by Jack Smith. That
was in 1998. But now with retirement imminent, it was
time for Swartz to let the Black Widow go.
Provenance pays off
There seem to be three true SEDCO-built Black
Widows in existence, including cars in Florida and
California, although any Chevy claiming to be a
genuine SEDCO car sparks controversy.
Proof of originality beyond a reasonable doubt is
nearly impossible with these cars, but at least Swartz’s
Jack Smith #47 has a strong provenance.
Because they are so rare, many re-creations have
been built, faithfully following the 1957 Stock Car
Competition Guide. These “tributes” tend to sell in
the $50,000–$100,000 range. But what about the real
thing? The sale of the Jack Smith #47 may be the only
documented exchange of a true Black Widow seen so
far, and at $205,700, the sale sets the bar for these cars.
All things considered, I’d call that very well sold. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Barrett-
Jackson.)
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
convertible
Lot 232, VIN: VC57L107202
Condition: 1
Sold at $209,000
RM Auctions, The Robson
Collection, 11/13/2010
ACC# 168388
1957 Chevrolet 150 sedan
Lot S116, VIN: VC57J290208
Condition: 2
Not sold at $39,500
Mecum Auctions, St. Paul,
MN, 6/22/2012
ACC# 209099
Club: Tri Chevy Association
More: www.trichevy.org
Alternatives: 1957 Ford
Fairlane F-code, 1957
Dodge D-500, 1957
Plymouth Fury
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
Tune-up/major service: $275
Distributor cap: $31
VIN location: Plate on the left
front door hinge pillar
Engine # location: Pad on
front of block below right
cylinder head
Original list price: Unknown
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $65,000;
high sale, $205,700 (this
car)
1957 Chevrolet 150 sedan
Lot F905, VIN: VA57L192615
Condition: 2+
Not sold at $70,000
Vicari Auctions, Biloxi, MS,
10/11/2014
ACC# 255920
March-April 2016 57
Page 56
PROFILE TRUCK
1972 JEEP COMMANDO
Suburbia’s Jeep Climbs the Grade
“Real” Jeep
or not, there
has always
been a
close-knit
group of
Commando
enthusiasts
who like its
simplistic
styling and
compact
package
58 AmericanCarCollector.com
58 AmericanCarCollector.com
VIN: 2JA87FVH32330
by B. Mitchell Carlson
• 1972 Jeep Commando with 69k miles
• Strong running original 304 V8
• Automatic transmission
• Four-wheel drive
• Dual exhaust
• No rust or accident history
• New tires
• Original upholstery still looks great
• No leaks or other issues
• Runs and drives as good as it looks
• Very rare/low-mileage Jeep Commando ready to
drive anywhere
ACC Analysis This truck, Lot 409, sold for
$20,520, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Silver Auctions’ “Arizona in January” event
at Fort McDowell, AZ, on January 29, 2016.
Something new from something old
With the International Scout and the Ford Bronco
entering the personal off-road market in the mid1960s,
Kaiser-Jeep figured that their evergreen CJ-5
“universal Jeep” was about to become yesterday’s
news.
In a way, all that new competition for the Jeep
wasn’t really competition at all, as they were essentially
different products. The Jeep was more akin
to a horse or tractor and used as such. These new
Multi-Purpose Vehicles were nimble off road, yet offered
comfort and convenience features that bested the
CJ — not the least of which was keeping the elements
out. Regardless, to counter the competition, Jeep took
a card from its former product deck and updated it —
the Jeepster.
Designed by Brooks Stevens right after World War
II, the Jeepster was actually classed as a car. While it
did borrow styling cues from the famed G503 Willys
MB/Ford GPW jeeps from the war, this was basically
a new body on an old platform. But with rear-wheel
drive only and essentially no cargo capacity, the phaeton
body (lacking crank-down windows, so it wasn’t
a convertible) was more playful than functional. It was
also lethargic, with the Go-Devil four that was designed
before the war. By late 1949, an inline flathead
six was available, but it didn’t stave off the inevitable.
When the new-car post-war boom market stabilized,
the Jeepster was dispatched in 1951 due to lack of
sales and more refined products.
Getting it right
On this second go around, Jeep was determined to
get the 1967 Jeepster done right. Internally called the
C-101 (the number being its wheelbase) and named the
Jeepster Commando, it was based most closely on the
B. Mitchell Carlson
Page 57
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CJ-6 chassis of the same wheelbase. This time, it was
four-wheel drive exclusively.
Styling was similar to the original Jeepster. Plain
rear bodywork channeled the original Jeepster not
only in looks, but also in ease of tooling. The front clip
was similar to the CJ family, but not the same. While
the front fenders were similar to those on the CJ, the
Jeepster Commando had a wider grille and hood that
went over the fenders for the full width of the body. It
comes off almost as a cross between the CJ and the
Gladiator pickups that Jeep was building at the time
— sort of tying two parts of the family together.
Initially, body styles consisted of a basic convert-
ible, a deluxe convertible with bustle back and
“Continental” spare tire, a wagon, and a pickup (albeit
with a cargo area smaller than some trash cans).
The wagon was the most popular style, maintaining
that status for the duration of production.
The Buick-sourced 225-ci V6 was an option from
the start, which ensured complaints about it being
underpowered were a moot point, unless you stuck
with the standard 132-ci F-head four. Also with an eye
more towards the turnpikes rather than the trails was
an optional automatic transmission.
Evolved body, better engines
AMC’s purchase of Jeep in 1970 all but guaranteed
some product changes were going to occur, and the
Jeepster Commando was no exception.
The second generation of the Commando was
introduced for 1972, offered only in wagon, pickup,
and soft-top basic roadster configurations. The
Jeepster name was dropped, with AMC going only
with Commando from here on out.
The wheelbase was stretched ahead of the cowl, and
the body was fitted with an all-new front clip, dispensing
with the Jeep-esque look for a plain aluminum
full-width grille. There was a good reason for that
modification, as more room was needed up front for
the best changes to take place for ’72: AMC engines.
The 232 inline six was standard, with the 258-ci
version and the 304-ci V8 available as options. With
those mills, the Commando finally had the power to
be loaded up with the options that were being fitted
onto Blazers and Scouts, such as power assists and air
conditioning.
The model designator was the only major change
for 1973 (C-104), and with lagging sales (only 9,583
that year), the Commando was discontinued for 1974.
Essentially, it was replaced by the 2-door Wagoneerbased
Cherokee, despite that rig being larger and
heavier than the Commando.
Detailing
The misfit Jeep
For decades, Commandos (especially the later-year
models) were the red-headed stepchildren of Jeepdom.
CJ fans didn’t feel it was a “real” Jeep, being not as
nimble off road.
Cherokee/Wagoneer/J-series truck fans felt it was
too car-like and flimsy to be a serious off-roader.
As essentially an early SUV, most were bought
not to leave the highway. They were used in climates
that had real winter and salt to deal with snow, so
the vast majority rotted away before Reagan was
president. Between that and not feeling the love from
the Jeep community, they’ve all but vanished from the
landscape.
But despite all that, there has always been a small,
close-knit group of Commando enthusiasts who like
the pleasing simplistic styling and compactness of the
package.
Time to go Commando?
Vintage SUV values have been on the rise over
the past few years, and both interest in and values of
Commandos have started to increase with them.
Considering that Jeep has since had a few “clunk-
ers” as far as off-roaders are concerned (Liberty,
Compass, and the hackable FWD current production
Cherokee come to mind), Commandos are now
welcomed in the vintage-Jeep community. Today, the
biggest challenge is actually finding one, and if you
do, it will more likely be one that was either put out
to pasture needing serious restoration, or like our
featured unit, it’ll be one of the rare few that managed
to be preserved essentially intact.
Since a popular use for them was as a dedicated
snowplow rig (especially the pickups), be aware of
low-mile examples that may be patched-together rust
buckets. However, this example seemed to be a straightforward,
long-term cared-for Jeep from suburbia.
I got a good look at this truck out in Arizona,
and while the restoration may have been more of a
cosmetic nip and tuck, the bones seemed quite good.
The repaint got lackadaisical on the interior and
the original brightwork was showing its age, but the
selling price was a bit steep to just buy it and give it a
concours restoration, or to spend double to turn it into
a wild off-road machine.
The most appropriate scenario here is that this
will be driven occasionally and upgraded as time and
funds work out. Regardless of which route the new
owner takes, it’s a unique example from the formative
years of when the Multi-Purpose Vehicle was evolving
into the omnipresent SUVs and CUVs of today.
Overall, I’d call this correctly bought and sold for one
worth buying. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Silver
Auctions.)
1969 Jeep Commando
Lot 587, VIN: 8705F1756784
Condition: 3Sold
at $14,050
Vicari Auctions, Nocona, TX,
5/9/2015
ACC# 265263
Engine # location: Stamped
tag riveted to the right side
valve cover (V8), stamped
on an engine block boss,
centered on the right
side (I6)
Years produced: 1967–73
Number produced: 9,837
(1972 wagons)
Original list price: $3,408
Current ACC Valuation:
Median to date, $17,125;
high sale, $33,480
Tune-up cost: $200
Distributor cap: $20
VIN location: Data tag on
the driver’s door A-pillar
(1971–73)
More: www.jeepstercommandoclub.com
Additional: American Motors
Owners Association, www.
amonational.com
Alternatives: 1965–71
International Scout,
1971–80 International
Scout II, 1966–77 Ford
Bronco
Club: Jeepster Commando
Club of America
ACC Investment Grade: C
Comps
1967 Jeep Jeepster
Commando
Lot 56, VIN: 870101610188
Condition: 3+
Sold at $14,850
ACC# 228180
Worldwide Auctioneers, Lake
Forest, IL, 9/21/2013
1967 Jeep Jeepster
Commando Cape Cod
Edition
Worldwide Auctioneers,
Auburn, IN, 8/31/2013
ACC# 227806
March-April 2016
59CC
59
Lot 76, VIN: 870501613655
Condition: 3+
Sold at $28,600
Page 58
MArkET OVERVIEW
Mopars Hold Strong
While the Market Corrects
EIGHT BLUE-CHIP MOPARS BRING $16.1m IN FLORIDA,
AND 2,599 CARS TOTAL $252m IN ARIZONA
by Tony Piff
TOP 10
sales this issue
1. 1964 Shelby Cobra
roadster, $1,072,500—rM
Sotheby’s, AZ, p. 118
2. 1971 plymouth hemi ’Cuda
2-dr hard top, $1,045,000—
Mecum Auctions, FL, p. 88
3. 1965 Shelby Cobra roadster,
$797,500—BarrettJackson,
AZ, p. 68
4. 1955 Chevrolet Corvette
roadster, $605,000—
Barrett-Jackson, AZ, p. 66
(tie) 1956 Chevrolet Corvette
convertible, $605,000—
Barrett-Jackson, AZ, p. 66
(tie) 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
convertible, $605,000—
Barrett-Jackson, AZ, p. 66
7. 1969 Dodge hemi Daytona
2-dr hard top, $605,000—
Mecum Auctions, FL, p. 88
8. 1929 packard Deluxe Eight
roadster, $451,000—Leake,
TX, p. 80
9. 2003 Saleen S7 coupe,
$451,000—BarrettJackson,
AZ, p. 71
10. 1963 pontiac Catalina
Super Duty “Swiss
Cheese” racer, $412,500—
Barrett-Jackson, AZ, p. 64
BEST BUYS
1970 Dodge hemi Challenger
r/T SE 2-dr hard top, $143,000—
russo and Steele, AZ, p. 95
60 AmericanCarCollector.com
C
ombined sales declined 15% at
Monterey Car Week in late August,
signaling a cresting collector car
market. At Arizona Car Week in
late January the story repeated
itself. The six Arizona auctions sold 2,599 cars
for a combined $251,802,843, down 15% from
$294,426,923 in 2016.
Three serial-number-1 Corvettes — a 1955,
a 1956 and a 1957 — took high-sale honors at
Barrett-Jackson when they sold as a single lot
for $1,815,000. Barrett sold 1,481 out of 1,490
cars (99%), and sales totaled $103,403,610,
down 21% from last year’s $131,246,800.
Russo and Steele sales came to $21,307,765,
a 9% increase from last year’s $19,556,895, and
521 cars sold out of 723 (72%). A 2003 Saleen
S7 was the most expensive lot at $387,750.
Sales totaled $3,919,918 at Silver, up 9% from
$3,591,878. The high American sale was a 1963
Chevrolet Corvette coupe, sold at $81,000.
Over on the East Coast, Mecum’s annual
Kissimmee sale grew 24% to $84,275,966 overall from
$68,165,970. Over 10 days, 2,506 cars crossed the
block, and 1,794 sold (72%). A 1970 Plymouth Hemi
’Cuda convertible sold for $2,942,500 and was the most
expensive car of the event.
A 1929 Packard Deluxe Eight Rollston sold for
$451,000 and finished in the lead at Leake Dallas.
Leake sold 407 out of 607 cars (67%), and sales declined
12% to $8,988,265 from $10,222,080.
Tony’s Market Moment: Mecum’s $16.1m and 24%
growth in Kissimmee seemed to defy the wider market
correction seen in Monterey and Arizona. How did
it happen? Among the possible explanations: Hemipowered
Chryslers.
Mecum’s top 10 sales included eight blue-chip
Mopars, ranging in price from $495k to $2.9m. No
Mopar sold in Arizona came close. Those eight
Mecum cars alone totaled $10.6m, which accounts for
two-thirds of the Kissimmee sales increase. Clearly,
the right cars and the right bidders came together in
Florida.A
1969 Dodge hemi Daytona 2-door hard top, $605,000 —
Mecum Auctions, kissimmee, FL
GAA,
Greensboro, nC
november 5–7
november 20–22
McCormick’s,
Leake,
Dallas, TX
palm Springs, CA
november 20–22
Mecum,
kissimmee, FL
January 15–24
Barrett-Jackson,
Scottsdale, AZ
January 26–31
russo and Steele,
Scottsdale, AZ
January 27–31
Bonhams,
Scottsdale, AZ
January 28
rM Sotheby’s,
phoenix, AZ
January 28–29
Silver,
Fort McDowell, AZ
January 28–30
Gooding & Co.,
Monterey, CA
January 29–30
$0
$20m
$40m
$3.9
$42.4m
$60m
$80m
$100m
$21.3m
$18m
$62.7m
Auctions in this issue
$7.7m
$9m
$6.9m
$84.3m
$103.4m
1959 rambler Custom Cross
Country wagon, $18,090—Silver
Auctions, AZ, p. 106
1966 Ford F-100 pickup, $6,050—
russo and Steele, AZ, p. 94
1985 Chevrolet Blazer Silverado
SuV, $12,100—Leake, TX, p. 76
1977 Chevrolet C10 Cheyenne
Stepside pickup, $12,420—Silver
Auctions, AZ, p. 102
Page 60
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
Barrett-Jackson — Scottsdale 2016
STAR CARS INCLUDED A 1963 PONTIAC CATALINA “SWISS CHEESE”
RACER, SOLD AT $413k, AND A 1970 PLYMOUTH HEMI ’CUDA AT $248k
BarrettJackson
Scottsdale, AZ
January 23–31,
2016
Auctioneers:
Joseph Mast, Mast
Auctioneers
Automotive lots sold/
offered: 1,481/1,490
Sales rate: 99%
Sales total:
$103,403,610
high sale: Set of
three serial-number-1
Chevrolet Corvettes —
a 1955, 1956 and 1957
— sold at $1,815,000
Buyer’s premium:
10%, included in sold
prices
The last pontiac Super Duty built — 1963 pontiac Catalina Super Duty “Swiss Cheese” racer,
sold at $412,500
Report and photos by Dan Grunwald
Market opinions in italics
ACC 1–6 scale
condition rating
for vehicles in
Market Reports
1. perfect: National
show standard
2. Excellent: Club
show-worthy, some
small flaws
3. Average: Daily driver
in decent condition
4. Meh: Still a driver,
with some visible flaws
5. Questionable: A
problem-plagued beast
that somehow
manages to run
6. Lost cause:
Salvageable for parts
could possibly be sold to human beings. There were
also ride-alongs available to anyone who mustered the
courage (and waited in line) for a screaming trip with a
professional driver in a late-model muscle car.
This sale has seen continual growth every year
2
62 AmericanCarCollector.com
since 2009, but that trend did not continue. Even
though this year’s total of $103,403,610 with a 99%
sell-through was nothing to sneeze at, it was nonetheless
21% under last year’s $131,246,800. This downturn
is in line with the dip seen pretty much across
board at Arizona Car Week sales.
Last year eight cars sold over $1m, including a 1966
Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake at $5,115,000. This year
just three cars made it into the seven figures, and two
of those were modern cars — a 2015 Porsche 918 and
a 2017 Acura NSX, sold at $1,760,000 and $1,200,000,
respectively. The most expensive lot was a set of three
serial-number-1 Chevrolet Corvettes — a 1955, 1956
and 1957 — sold together for $1,815,000.
Other star cars included a 1963 Pontiac Catalina
“Swiss Cheese” racer, sold at $412,500, and a 1970
Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda with 4-speed, sold at $247,500.
016 marked the 45th anniversary of BarrettJackson,
and their Scottsdale auction was
once again a huge event. Countless vendor
booths offered cars, boats, airplanes,
automobilia and pretty much anything that
There were less expensive cars as well, such as a
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302, sold at $80,300, a 1967
Oldsmobile 442 W-30 replica, at $66,000, and a 1956
Nash Rambler Cross Country wagon, at $27,500.
The January Arizona figures don’t always predict
the future, but it is prudent to pay attention. My overall
feeling is that the American market might be finding a
plateau here. Early classics also seem to be in a holding
pattern. It seems we will likely see a price correction
for most cars, although examples with excellent
pedigree, documentation, quality and rarity will fare
better.A
1956 nash rambler Cross Country wagon,
sold at $27,500
Tony Piff
Page 62
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
GM
#1292-1952 CHEVROLET 3800 Steve McQueen
pickup. VIN: 0762065F54N. Green/
green vinyl. Odo: 38,938 miles. 236-ci I6,
1-bbl, 4-sp. Owned by Steve McQueen and
used to transport McQueen and the Rev.
Billy Graham to the airport for McQueen’s
last cancer surgery in Mexico. Dull paint
with chips, spots and worn fender welts.
Handmade aluminum “Dust Proof” camper
top attached to the bed with a wood viewing
deck on top. The hubcaps and tires look
new, as do the seat and floor mat. The rest
of the interior looks more naturally aged.
Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $50,600. Shoebox Chevys may
not be the flavor of the day like Porsches
and Ferraris, but a ’57 Bel Air convertible
will always be a classic ride. This one still
has lots of flair, you can maintain it yourself
and everyone will wave and smile as you
drive it. Well bought.
SOLD AT $60,500. This is a well-known
Steve McQueen estate truck that was sold
at the McQueen estate auction at the Imperial
Palace in Las Vegas in 1984. It also
visited the Mecum Santa Monica auction in
2013, where it was a no-sale at $70,000.
With its special ownership history, this was
well bought.
#1056.1-1956 CHEVROLET NOMAD
wagon. VIN: VC56F135550. Purple &
white/purple & white cloth & vinyl. Odo: 20
miles. 265-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. A fresh and
very high-quality full restoration with 20
miles on it. Highly optioned with original
power steering and brakes. Wonderbar radio,
factory a/c and tinted glass. Cond: 1-.
#631-1958 OLDSMOBILE 88 4-dr hard
top. VIN: 587M31350. White & tan/tan
cloth. Odo: 58,820 miles. 371-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Lots of paint chips, especially on
panel edges. Some interior chips and steering-wheel
cracks, but the original upholstery
and dash chrome are outstanding. Said to
be original and unrestored except for one
repaint in 1982. Three-owner car with the
original owner’s service manuals. The exterior
chrome (lots of it on this car) has some
pitting but shows great shine. The original
weatherstrips are still pliable. Cond: 3.
There are always a few of these at BarrettJackson
if you look hard for them. Everyone
seemed to have discovered this car, though,
and it sold quite well with spirited bidding.
racer. VIN: 363P165870. Silver/blue cloth &
vinyl. Odo: 3,068 miles. 421-ci V8, 2x4-bbl,
3-sp. Very good paint and chrome. Aluminum
front end and drilled frame. Factory
exhaust cutouts. Excellent interior with radio
and heater delete. All sound and heat deadening
materials were also deleted at the
factory. Cond: 1-.
10
#1358-1963 PONTIAC CATALINA
Super Duty “Swiss Cheese”
SOLD AT $412,500. An icon from the days
when GM built factory drag cars. This car
was designated as a Pontiac company car
for engineering purposes and was built on
April 2, 1963, well after GM’s January 1963
ban on factory racing. It was the last Pontiac
Super Duty built. I reported on the first
Swiss Cheese built when it sold at Mecum
St. Charles in 2008 for $451,500 (ACC#
117953). I would have to call this fairly
priced.
SOLD AT $17,050. A very honest survivor
that has been loved and cared for. Lots of
bling for the money and room for the whole
family. Sold strong, but I would call this a
fair purchase. What else can you buy of this
age and this condition for this amount of
money?
SOLD AT $99,000. Looks better than factory-new
inside and out. Well sold. Abovemarket
pricing, which gives you an idea of
the quality of this restored automobile.
#778-1957 CHEVROLET BEL AIR convertible.
VIN: VC57F253896. Blue/white
canvas/blue & white vinyl. Odo: 2 miles.
283-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Thick newer paint.
Driver’s door edge shows a chip, and passenger’s
door has a slight paint mismatch at
the rear. New trim and chrome. Some panels
could fit better. Light dirt is visible on the
driver’s seat. Cond: 2.
64 AmericanCarCollector.com
#1524-1961 BUICK ELECTRA 2-dr hard
top. VIN: 7H1055559. Brown & ivory/fawn
cloth & vinyl. Odo: 28,806 miles. 401-ci V8,
4-bbl, auto. Said to be all original except for
one repaint. The paint shows a few chips
and flaws but nothing serious. Bumpers and
trim look excellent. The original bench-seat
interior shows better than expected, even
with only 28k miles on the car. The gas
pedal is taped to the floor on the bottom.
The package tray shows age. Tires look
new. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $25,300. Nothing
too collectible about this year or model
Buick, but it is one of those honest, wellcared-for
older cars with low miles that
should give great service and be a fun family
driver that won’t break the bank.
#1593-1964 PONTIAC GTO convertible.
VIN: 824F31998. Black/white canvas/black
vinyl. Odo: 12,720 miles. 389-ci V8, 3x2-bbl,
auto. Fresh black paint looks thick in places,
and passenger’s side panel shows light
waviness. Good chrome and trim. New top.
Interior shows well. Wood-rim wheel.
Dealer-installed Tri-Power upgrade. The
side glass shows scratches. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $55,000. The documentation includes
the build sheet. The history in our
Premium Auction Database shows a nosale
at Mecum Anaheim in November 2013
at $40,000 (ACC# 238684) and a sale at
TOP 10
Page 63
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in January 2014
for $51,700 (ACC# 241203). The car sold
here at a correct market price, and the
owner drove it for two years with almost
zero penalty.
#1051-1967 OLDSMOBILE 442 W-30 replica
convertible. VIN: 338677M321358.
Yellow/yellow canvas/yellow vinyl. Odo:
10,941 miles. 400-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. A couple
of minor paint flaws on door by the Cpillar,
but you really have to look hard to find
them. The car card doesn’t specify if this
was originally a factory 442 or just a Cutlass
when it was delivered, but it does have the
front sway bar. “Upgraded” to the W-30
package, according to the car card.
Cond: 1-.
Package with 140-mph speedo and the
larger front sway bar. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $330,000. Originally sold in Madison,
WI, and later owned by Ed Cunneen of
COPO Connection for 10 years. The quality
didn’t escape the bidders, and this was a
very strong price for a very well-restored
car.
#1349-1969 PONTIAC TRANS AM coupe.
VIN: 223379N112402. White & blue/blue
vinyl. Odo: 93,866 miles. 400-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. High-level restoration that looks very
complete in all areas. Hood sits high at rear.
Said to have been completely mechanically
rebuilt with correct Ram Air parts. Unusual
a/c option. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $66,000. Last year that the 442
was listed as an option before it became its
own separate model series in 1968. This
makes it a bit harder to determine if a Cutlass
was originally a 442 or if it became a
442 at a later date. Call it fairly bought and
sold with the upgraded W-30.
#712-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO RS/SS
396 coupe. VIN: 124379L501299. Blue/blue
vinyl. Odo: 70,592 miles. 396-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Left side of hood fits high at rear. A
few light dents on drip rails. Paint prep
could be smoother on right side front of Cpillar.
New engine during restoration. With
a/c and Rally Sport package. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $176,000. One of 697 Trans Ams
for 1969, said to be one of nine with a/c and
automatic. A pretty rare car and well restored,
sold fair both ways.
#932-1970 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE SS
454 replica 2-dr hard top. VIN: 1363701503957.
Red & black/black vinyl/black vinyl.
Odo: 12 miles. 454-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Started life as a Malibu with a 307-ci 200-hp
engine, gold paint, gold cloth interior and
gold vinyl top. Fresh paint is shiny, smooth
and very nice. Wide gaps at the doors, trunk
and right-side rear bumper. Very nice trim
pieces and all-new chrome and interior. The
restoration was finished in 2015. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $50,600. Fairly bought and sold.
Not perfect, but the minor flaws did not stop
this Camaro from bringing top market dollars.
The factory a/c didn’t hurt, either, here
in Arizona.
#1390-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO
Yenko coupe. VIN: 124379N578842. Yellow
& black/black vinyl. Odo: 61,346 miles.
427-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. The exterior appearance
is better than factory-new, including
the paint, trim, chrome and glass. It is said
to have had a complete mechanical rebuild
to original COPO L72 427/425 specs. Also
featured is the 9737 Sports Car Conversion
SOLD AT $34,100. Still a clone but it has to
be an improvement. It now looks much better
and runs much faster. Allowing a bonus
for the improvements, I would call it a fair
deal both ways.
March-April 2016 65
Page 64
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
#472.1-1972 CHEVROLET C10 Cheyenne
Super pickup. VIN: CCE142S195290. Orange
& white/black & white vinyl & cloth.
Odo: 6 miles. 400-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Goodquality
new paint with some prep flaws visible
by the driver’s side mirror. New chrome
and interior. The grille fits poorly, especially
on the right side. Some trim misfit, and the
hood gaps are variable. Some scratches on
the left side glass. Well optioned with power
steering, brakes, tilt wheel and a/c. Sliding
rear window. Said to be the original engine.
Nice dent-free and rust-free bed. Cond: 2.
scratches. Power windows, steering wheel
scratches. Plastic screwed-on VIN tag. This
car was the first 1956 Corvette. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $101,200. A rare combination of
factory options that is said to have the original
engine, transmission, differential, interior
and paint. A real time capsule that will probably
never again be driven. As an unrestored
surviving original, I think this was
well bought.
SOLD AT $605,000. This car was originally
built without the fender scoops, since it was
a pre-production car. Sold with Lots 1351
and 1353 as a package for $1,815,000 total.
SOLD AT $50,600. A nice-looking, recently
restored truck that has some fixable flaws
but also has lots of recent work and new
parts already installed. Lots of eyeball and
quite well sold.
CORVETTE
4
#1351-1955 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
roadster. VIN: VE55S001001.
Red/tan cloth/red vinyl. Odo: 23
miles. 265-ci 195-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Good
paint, chrome, top and interior. Both doors
fit a bit wide at rear and side. Spear on left
is a little wavy. Right-side spear trim fit is a
bit high on the door. “Serial One” car for
1955. Cond: 1-.
#1353-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. VIN: E57S100001.
Green & beige/beige cloth/beige
vinyl. Odo: 21 miles. 283-ci 245-hp V8, 2x4bbl,
auto. Excellent paint. All chrome and
trim looks new. Fresh interior and new top.
Optioned with Powerglide, power soft top,
hard top and windshield washers. This is
the first 1957 built, and it features numerous
1956 model parts as it was originally built.
Cond: 1-.
6
#1272-2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
ZR1 Centennial Edition coupe. VIN: 1G1YN2DTXC5800079.
Black/black leather.
Odo: 1,022 miles. 6.2-L 638-hp supercharged
V8, 6-sp. There is a scrape at the
top of the spoiler on the right front. Only
1,022 miles on the odometer, but it looks
ready for new tires pretty soon. Optioned
with the Centennial Package, 3ZR Premium
Equipment Group and 6-speed manual
transmission. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $88,000. Special-interest car but
still a used car. Having said that, with 1,022
miles, it should still drive like new and with
638 horsepower it must be fun. Sold $9k
under the ACC Pocket Price Guide median,
and I will call it fair to buyer and seller.
FOMOCO
SOLD AT $605,000. Not even a hubcap
dent. I could not find a flaw other than the
hood fitting a little high in front. This was the
first production 283-ci V8 Corvette, s/n 001,
as well as the first production 283-ci V8 vehicle
Chevrolet built. NCRS Top Flight in
2008. Sold as a package with Lots 1351
and 1352 for $1,815,000 total. No-saled at
$950k in 2008 at Mecum’s Bloomington
Gold sale (ACC# 117102).
SOLD AT $605,000. 2008 NCRS Chapter
Top Flight with 99.3% score. First production
V8 featured many 1954-model-year
items factory modified for this 1955 Corvette.
I covered this car at the 2008 Bloomington
Gold Mecum auction, when it
no-saled at $850,000 (ACC# 117100). At
that time it showed 5 miles on the odometer.
Sold with Lots 1352 and 1353 as a package
for $1,815,000.
0010091. Venetian Red & white/white
canvas/red vinyl. Odo: 25 miles. 265-ci 225hp
V8, 2x4-bbl, 3-sp. Good paint, chrome,
trim, interior and soft top. Slight sagging on
the driver’s seat. A few light rear bumper
5
#1352-1956 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. VIN: E56S9-
66 AmericanCarCollector.com
#1030-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 194377S104481. Yellow/black
vinyl. Odo: 46,000 miles. 427-ci 400-hp V8,
3x2-bbl, auto. A very original 400-hp TriPower
Corvette with automatic transmission,
transistor ignition, power steering and
windows, and factory air conditioning. Said
to have the original tank sticker still attached.
Still shows very well for its age and
looks mostly, if not completely, original.
Cond: 3.
#752-1932 FORD MODEL B roadster. VIN:
VTP05587. Red/black leather. Odo: 718
miles. Fiberglass-bodied ’32 roadster with
blown 355-ci Chevrolet V8 and dual 4-bbl
carbs. Good paint and interior. Smooth
frame and chromed front leaf suspension.
Ford 9-inch differential. Black leather seats.
Disc/drum brakes. Aluminum engine parts
could use a bit of polish, and headers are
dulling some. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $44,000. Hot rods are a mainstay
of any Barrett-Jackson event. This appeared
to be well built and certainly had eye
appeal. Hold on tight when you push the
right pedal. With 500 horses and very little
weight, it is going to get exciting fast. Well
bought.
TOP 10
TOP 10
TOP 10
Page 66
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
#1340-1940 FORD cutaway chassis. VIN:
1. Maroon. Built as a cutaway chassis for
the Ford Pavilion at the 1939 New York
World’s Fair. The cutaway areas detail the
inner workings of the chromed V8 engine,
brakes, transmission and differential. There
are lots of chromed parts, including the
new-for-1940 3-speed column shifter. All
chrome looks new except for some pitting
on the cylinder heads. Cond: 1-.
for it, and it met the seller’s reserve, so I’d
say the market has spoken.
SOLD AT $88,000. Following the World’s
Fair, this chassis was displayed at state
fairs and dealer showrooms and also used
as an educational aid. This is a truly one-ofa-kind
piece of automotive history that will
add to any collection. Priceless? Not today.
Well bought.
#6-1962 MERCURY COMET 2-dr sedan.
VIN: 2H11U541190. Blue/blue & black vinyl
& tweed. Odo: 88,178 miles. 170-ci I6,
1-bbl, 3-sp. Most trim and chrome scratched
or pitted; some trim pieces have screw
holes drilled with no screws. Dry and
cracked weather stripping. Rear bumper
shows dents. Very poor masking on the
quickie paint job. Re-upholstered seats in
vinyl and tweed cloth are in nice condition.
Wavy rocker panels appear to have body
putty under the paint. Cond: 4.
#1058-1969 FORD MUSTANG Boss 302
fastback. VIN: 9F02G192960. Blue &
black/black vinyl. Odo: 84,768 miles. 302-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. The restoration is high quality
and very complete, down to the new
weatherstripping and window fuzzies. The
left side quarter-window trim shows poor
chrome. Cond: 1-.
#1162-2008 FORD MUSTANG Saleen Dan
Gurney Edition coupe. VIN: 1ZVHT82H385193090.
Blue & white/blue, black &
white leather. Odo: 350 miles. 4.6-L supercharged
V8, 5-sp. As new as you’d expect
with only 350 miles on the odometer. Supercharged
with 7 psi of boost, special chassis
tuning and upgraded brakes. Bought new
and put away rather than driven. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $80,300. Sold here at BarrettJackson
Scottsdale 2014 for $83,600
(ACC# 240766). Market-correct then and
now.
#317-1971 FORD MAVERICK coupe. VIN:
1X91T265178. White/blue vinyl. Odo: 6,019
miles. 170-ci I6, 1-bbl, auto. The card states
that this car is “all original,” including the
paint. The bench seat interior and engine
compartment seem to bear that out. The
interior shows almost no wear, and the engine
shows only light driving dirt. But the
paint is too shiny for original 1970s work,
and there are visible masking lines on several
trim pieces which would have been
SOLD AT $44,000. Car card says it’s #44 of
only 82 Dan Gurney Edition Saleens produced
in 2008, but Saleen’s website says
there were 300 units, while the Saleen
Owners and Enthusiasts Club says the run
of 300 was not completed, and only 68 were
built. Original MSRP was about $58k. Previously
sold at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach in
April 2013 for $55,000 (ACC# 221239), then
at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas in September
2013 for $180,000 (ACC# 233114). Well
bought today.
MOPAR
#559-1969 PLYMOUTH ROAD RUNNER
2-dr hard top. VIN: RM23H9G297905. Yellow
& black/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo:
4,069 miles. 383-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Thick
paint with orange peel. Scratches on side
and rear glass. Chips on windshield. Some
trim shows age, dents and fit issues. VariETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
#1340-1940 FORD cutaway chassis. VIN:
1. Maroon. Built as a cutaway chassis for
the Ford Pavilion at the 1939 New York
World’s Fair. The cutaway areas detail the
inner workings of the chromed V8 engine,
brakes, transmission and differential. There
are lots of chromed parts, including the
new-for-1940 3-speed column shifter. All
chrome looks new except for some pitting
on the cylinder heads. Cond: 1-.
for it, and it met the seller’s reserve, so I’d
say the market has spoken.
SOLD AT $88,000. Following the World’s
Fair, this chassis was displayed at state
fairs and dealer showrooms and also used
as an educational aid. This is a truly one-of-
a-kind piece of automotive history that will
add to any collection. Priceless? Not today.
Well bought.
#6-1962 MERCURY COMET 2-dr sedan.
VIN: 2H11U541190. Blue/blue & black vinyl
& tweed. Odo: 88,178 miles. 170-ci I6,
1-bbl, 3-sp. Most trim and chrome scratched
or pitted; some trim pieces have screw
holes drilled with no screws. Dry and
cracked weather stripping. Rear bumper
shows dents. Very poor masking on the
quickie paint job. Re-upholstered seats in
vinyl and tweed cloth are in nice condition.
Wavy rocker panels appear to have body
putty under the paint. Cond: 4.
#1058-1969 FORD MUSTANG Boss 302
fastback. VIN: 9F02G192960. Blue &
black/black vinyl. Odo: 84,768 miles. 302-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. The restoration is high qual-
ity and very complete, down to the new
weatherstripping and window fuzzies. The
left side quarter-window trim shows poor
chrome. Cond: 1-.
#1162-2008 FORD MUSTANG Saleen Dan
Gurney Edition coupe. VIN: 1ZVHT82-
H385193090. Blue & white/blue, black &
white leather. Odo: 350 miles. 4.6-L super-
charged V8, 5-sp. As new as you’d expect
with only 350 miles on the odometer. Super-
charged with 7 psi of boost, special chassis
tuning and upgraded brakes. Bought new
and put away rather than driven. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $80,300. Sold here at Barrett-
Jackson Scottsdale 2014 for $83,600
(ACC# 240766). Market-correct then and
now.
#317-1971 FORD MAVERICK coupe. VIN:
1X91T265178. White/blue vinyl. Odo: 6,019
miles. 170-ci I6, 1-bbl, auto. The card states
that this car is “all original,” including the
paint. The bench seat interior and engine
compartment seem to bear that out. The
interior shows almost no wear, and the en-
gine shows only light driving dirt. But the
paint is too shiny for original 1970s work,
and there are visible masking lines on sev-
eral trim pieces which would have been
SOLD AT $44,000. Car card says it’s #44 of
only 82 Dan Gurney Edition Saleens pro-
duced in 2008, but Saleen’s website says
there were 300 units, while the Saleen
Owners and Enthusiasts Club says the run
of 300 was not completed, and only 68 were
built. Original MSRP was about $58k. Previ-
ously sold at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach in
April 2013 for $55,000 (ACC# 221239), then
at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas in September
2013 for $180,000 (ACC# 233114). Well
bought today.
MOPAR
#559-1969 PLYMOUTH ROAD RUNNER
2-dr hard top. VIN: RM23H9G297905. Yel-
low & black/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo:
4,069 miles. 383-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Thick
paint with orange peel. Scratches on side
and rear glass. Chips on windshield. Some
trim shows age, dents and fit issues. Vari-
SOLD-
SOLD AT $4,730. Not much to show here
other than a possible good starter car that a
newer, budget-minded collector already
started. It sold cheap enough to be called
fair to both parties.
#1396-1965 SHELBY COBRA
roadster. VIN: CSX2495. Blue &
silver/black leather. Odo: 9,554 miles. 289ci
V8, 4x2-bbl, 4-sp. This is a real CSX Cobra
and it appears pretty much flawless.
Paint shows some light surface scratching
(could be buffed). Dirty shift knob. The interior
shows no wear. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT
$797,500. The catalog called it “a wellknown,
no stories, beautifully restored 289
Cobra.” This was certainly the right venue
3
68 AmericanCarCollector.com
bolted on after a factory paint job. Comes
with a Marti Report from 2015. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $20,350. The oil-change sticker
from May 1987 showed 4,430 miles. Said to
have been sitting long-term in a museum,
which explains the original, low-mileage feel
of this car. In this instance the low mileage
and originality triumphed, as there is nothing
else very special about a base-level
Maverick. With its sales price, however, this
one is now very special indeed. Extremely
well sold.
SOLD AT $38,500. A base 383 Road Runner
with 4-speed that is clean and roadready.
These weren’t great, high-level cars
when they were built. They were built to
offer a fair amount of performance for cheap
dollars compared to most of the competition.
This car sold on the money for condition
and should provide a fun driving
experience for its new owner.
#1341-1970 PLYMOUTH HEMI ’CUDA
2-dr hard top. VIN: BS23R0B349189.
Orange/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 36,643
miles. 426-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. A high-quality
restoration in all areas, inside and out,
top to bottom, including correct frame oversprays
on the undercarriage. Shaker hood
option N96. Said to be the original engine
TOP 10
Page 68
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
QUICKTAKE
1990 Chevrolet Camaro
IROC-Z 1LE coupe
SoLD at $49,500
Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale, AZ, January 24–31, 2016, Lot 860
VIN: 1G1FP23F7LL124103
and transmission. Govier documented.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $247,500. Looks to be a flawless
restoration with no miles or wear. 1970 California
plates attached. Sold on a bonded
title. I reported on this car at Russo and
Steele in 2007 when it was a no-sale at
$400,000 with 14 fewer miles on it (ACC#
44207). In August 2007 at Russo’s Monterey
auction, the car no-saled at $300,000
(ACC# 46380). Today it found a new home
at a fair price to all.
IROC Camaro — the same kind of IROC you remember blasting Mötley Crüe in the
mall parking lot. But this was no mullet-mobile — this was a rare 1LE car with only 204 original
miles on the clock. And it’s probably the best supporting example of the emerging modern
performance market to come out of this year’s Scottsdale auctions.
The 1LE package turned your average IROC into a serious club racer, with heavy-duty
Yes, you read that right. Someone spent almost $50,000 for an
brakes from the Caprice and Corvette, special shocks, a lightweight aluminum driveshaft, and
special baffling in the fuel tank to keep the gas flowing even in tight cornering situations. It
was designed for and used in Showroom Stock competition in Canada and SCCA use here in
the States, but only a handful were built — GM did not offer a/c, T-tops, or power anything
on the cars, which turned off most street buyers while simultaneously dropping weight for the
track. This car is one of 62 produced in 1990.
Was it worth $49,500? We covered the sale of another 1LE in ACC #20 — a one-of-478
1991 example with just 100 miles. It sold for $25,300. Our car had more miles, yet it doubled
the price. Some of that can be chalked up to its rarity over the ’91, some of it was auction
magic under B-J’s big tent, and some of it was undoubtedly due to a changing perception of
cars of this vintage in the collector market. I’d call this one well sold for now, but it may not
look that way for long. A
#741-1971 DODGE CHALLENGER R/T
2-dr hard top. VIN: JS23N1B391748. Yellow
& black/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo:
15,539 miles. 440-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. Very
nice paint and chrome. The driver’s door
has one paint chip, and the windshield is
just starting to delaminate on the lower
right. The top is lumpy underneath. The interior
looks like new. “Upgraded” to a 440
Six Pack. Started life with a 318 V8 under
the hood. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $46,200. Purists might deduct
more than I would for the engine change,
but it retains a stock look, and the 440 will
be more fun to drive. Fairly bought and sold.
AMERICANA
— Jim Pickering
#935-1948 WILLYS JEEPSTER convertible.
VIN: V74566. Maroon & black/black
cavas/maroon vinyl. Odo: 43,983 miles.
134-ci I4, 1-bbl, 3-sp. Good-looking paint
and chrome. The step pads have been
chromed over some pitting but still look
good. Paint crack on bottom of right door.
New top. Driver’s side spotlight. New
70 AmericanCarCollector.com
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Page 69
BARRETT-JACKSON // Scottsdale, AZ
interior. Steering wheel cracks. Continental
spare tire. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $22,000. I
like this car and would not have been afraid
to bid. Original list price of $1,765 was
equivalent to a 1948 Ford Super Deluxe
club convertible with a V8. Which would you
rather have had in 1948? Slightly well
bought today based on condition.
#446-1956 NASH RAMBLER CROSS
COUNTRY wagon. VIN: D313760. Red,
black & white/black & white vinyl. Odo:
20,322 miles. 196-ci I6, 1-bbl, auto. Looks
like newer, fair-quality paint and new
chrome. A couple of light trim dents and
some light pitting visible, but most trim
shows well (and there is a lot). Roll-down
tailgate window. Huge door gaps. Tinted
glass and factory a/c. Chrome luggage rack.
Comes with the optional Nash road-trip mattress.
New interior with leather lace-on
steering wheel cover. Cond: 2.
QUICKTAKE
1993 Dodge Ram pickup
SoLD at $33,000
Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale, AZ, January 24–31, 2016, Lot 363
VIN: 1B7HM16Z6PS272618
SOLD AT $27,500. A very stylish station
wagon that was intended to make crosscountry
driving a pleasurable experience.
One of the best-looking 1950s wagons that
still looks quite stylish today. Another plus is
you won’t likely see another one any time
soon. Bought and sold fair.
#1393-2003 SALEEN S7 coupe.
VIN: 1S9SB18193S000021. Silver/
black leather. Odo: 9,100 miles. 7.0-L fuelinjected
V8, 6-sp. The whole front end is
covered in protective film, so the paint
should be factory-new underneath. The naturally
aspirated engine is based on an aluminum
Ford V8 hooked up to a 6-speed
manual transmission. The body is carbon
fiber with a space frame of lightweight steel
and honeycomb aluminum composite reinforcing
panels. Cond: 1-.
9
the American truck market. Its high hood and low headlights gave it a retro feel,
replacing a body Dodge had used since the early 1970s.
The new trucks seemed to be everywhere overnight —
even Chuck Norris on “Walker, Texas Ranger” dumped
his GMC for a new Ram.
I remember seeing ads in the newspaper at the
time, with local Dodge dealers trying to offload the
last of their ’93s for what even I, as a kid, thought were
ridiculously cheap prices — even for a Cummins diesel
extended-cab dually. The trucks were old news. Newer,
better versions were already on the lots.
It’s funny how perceptions like that stick with you.
For me, seeing this short-bed ’93 Dodge bring $33k —
double its original MSRP — in Arizona was especially
surprising because of that memory.
Beyond knee-jerk reactions over the price, the
SOLD AT $451,000. One of 78 built, according
to catalog, and the first of only four
non-turbo S7s built with performance upgrade
package. The base MSRP was $395k
in 2003. I found one other for sale online at
$599,777, and a Twin Turbo S7 sold for
$682k at RM Sotheby’s Monterey in August
(ACC# 6796780), so I’m guessing this is
fair. A
truck itself was a surprise. It was brand-spanking-new.
Someone pickled it, only driving it 410 miles. Why? It
wasn’t particularly special, other than being a short-bed
4x4. And yet, against everything the market at the time
was saying, its owner thought it was worth preserving
— and he was apparently right. You can chalk that
decision up to either incredible foresight or straight-up
luck. I’d go with the latter. Regardless of how it came to
be, rarity through lack of miles created this payday.
There’s a saying that you can’t ever pay too much,
only buy too early. With the market for ’80s and ’90s
stuff currently on the rise, and classic trucks still doing
well, that could be true here. Still, I’ll call this very
well sold for now, and one piece of advice to the new
owner: Don’t drive it! A
Dodge’s all-new pickup line, introduced in 1994, caused a stir in
— Jim Pickering
March-April 2016
March-April 2016
71
TOP 10
Page 70
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
Leake — Dallas Fall 2015
A 1977 PONTIAC TRANS AM WITH ONE OWNER
AND THOROUGH DOCUMENTATION SOLD AT $48,675
Leake
Auction
Company
Dallas, TX
November 20–22,
2015
Auctioneers: Jim
Richie, Brian Marshall,
Dylan Hall, Bobby
Ehlert
Automotive lots sold/
offered: 407/607
Sales rate: 67%
Sales total:
$8,988,265
high sale: 1929
Packard Deluxe Eight
Rollston roadster, sold
at $451,000
Buyer’s premium:
10%, included in sold
prices
one-owner car with extensive documentation to
support authenticity — 1977 pontiac Trans Am
coupe, sold at $48,675
ACC 1–6 scale
condition rating
for vehicles in
Market Reports
1. perfect: National
show standard
2. Excellent: Club
show-worthy, some
small flaws
3. Average: Daily driver
in decent condition
4. Meh: Still a driver,
with some visible flaws
5. Questionable: A
problem-plagued beast
that somehow
manages to run
6. Lost cause:
Salvageable for parts
Report and photos by Brett Hatfield
and Elise Levy
Market opinions in italics
L
72 AmericanCarCollector.com
eake’s signature parallel-auction-block setup
with dual rotating platforms isn’t as overwhelming
as you might think. Thanks to the
strategically aimed PA systems, bidders can sit
on either side of the room and hear what’s hap-
pening without confusion. For vintage car multi-taskers
seeking sensory bombardment, the center aisle is the
place to observe both sides at once.
More than 600 cars crossed the block at Leake’s
Dallas Fall sale. The sales rate was a respectable 67%,
and just over 400 cars found new owners. Among the
lots were some significant entries, a number of stunning
restorations, many cool customs and a few great
bargains.
The only surviving 1929 Packard Deluxe Eight
Rollston roadster sold for $451,000 and was the most
expensive car of the weekend. It wore a stunning restoration
and was a CCCA First Place car and AACA Senior
Award winner. It had also appeared at the 2015 Pebble
Beach Concours d’Elegance. One other American car
managed a six-digit price: a custom 1957 Chevrolet Bel
Air, sold at $102,300.
American performance was well represented, such
as a 1970 Chevrolet Corvette LT-1 replica convertible,
sold at $30,250, and a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am with one
owner and thorough documentation, at $48,675. A restomod
1966 Corvette with modern sixth-gen Z06 engine
no-saled at $75,000, but a hot-rodded 1955 Chevrolet
Cameo pickup, built at a cost of $150k, found a new
garage at $48,400.
Big convertibles were plentiful: A 1950 Cadillac
Series 62 ragtop sold for $48,400, a 1957 Ford Fairlane
500 Skyliner with retractable hard top sold for a bargainbasement
$25,080, and a 1953 Packard Caribbean,
formerly of the Peruvian Embassy, sold for $64,350.
Overall totals dropped to $8,988,265 from last
year’s $10,222,080. That 12% decline is in line with the
15% drop seen at Monterey Car Week in August and
at Arizona Car Week in January. And yet despite the
smaller take overall, Leake still managed to sell more
lots. Cars may have gotten cheaper, but people are still
buying and selling. A
Page 72
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
GM
#2416-1937 CHEVROLET MASTER custom
convertible. VIN: 07021937. Blue/gray
canvas/gray leather. Odo: 4,451 miles. 350ci
fuel-injected V8, auto. Shaved door handles,
hinges, trunk handle and chopped
windshield. Blue paint is very shiny, with
light orange peel. The gray canvas top is
custom crafted. Gray leather seats are well
upholstered. Fit and finish very good overall.
Cond: 2+.
vertible. VIN: 8359231. Black/black cloth/
red leather. Odo: 90,044 miles. 346-ci V8,
1-bbl, auto. Shiny black paint still has polish
on the front fenders. Rear bumper chrome
is beginning to show signs of age with light
pitting. Power convertible top is new and
features a glass rear window. Red leather
front bench seat shows cracks from wear.
Rear seat shows some wrinkles along the
lower face, possibly from uneven installation.
Red painted steel wheels complement
it well. Cond: 3+.
polished and scratch-free. Engine compartment
is spotless. The self-leveling air suspension
was damaged in transit, causing the car
to sit high on the driver’s side. White leather
interior presents as-new. Heavily optioned.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $38,500. Despite wearing dated
graphics, this was done to a standard beyond
the norm. Chopping a windshield and
refitting a convertible top is no easy feat. I
doubt you could re-create this car for the
selling price. Well bought indeed.
#439-1941 BUICK SERIES 40 2-dr sedan.
VIN: 14099326. Black/tan cloth. Odo:
84,188 miles. 248-ci I8, 2x1-bbl, 3-sp. Older
repaint beginning to show its age and lack
of attention during prep. Stainless has
scratches, chrome is pitting. Seats are clean
and in good shape, but the door panels are
dirty and tired. Carpet is in good shape,
possibly recent. The original steering wheel
shows cracking and age. Bias-ply wide
whites on factory steel wheels with original
hubcaps. Trunk presents well, with clean
carpet and spare with hubcap. Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $63,800. A very attractive blackover-red
combination. The front bench seat
showed more wear than expected, compared
with the rest of the interior, but this
didn’t deter bidding, and the car sold near
the top of the market.
#2451-1955 CHEVROLET CAMEO custom
pickup. VIN: VH255L018217. Orange/tan
leather. Odo: 35 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. A placard lying in the bed claims this
Cameo was a $150,000 build. Lowered suspension,
power rack-and-pinion steering,
Wilwood disc brakes, Vintage Air, custom
leather interior, custom dash, power windows.
Paint shows bubbles down the length
of the passenger’s side bed rail and door
frame. Door gaps are uneven. Bed has attractive
wood inserts. Tan leather bench
shows slight wear but is dirty. Engine compartment
is clean and presents well. Undercarriage
is painted and detailed. Cond: 3.
NOT SOLD AT $89,000. One of 304 produced.
Frame-off restoration presents very
well, with the only obvious flaw being the
recently damaged air suspension. Bidding
stopped short, likely due to the car sitting so
high on the driver’s side. Current market
price for an Eldorado Brougham in this condition
is significantly higher.
#2501-1964 PONTIAC GTO convertible.
VIN: 824F27513. Red/black cloth/red vinyl.
389-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Body-off restoration,
and it shows. Bright, glossy red paint shows
well. Chrome is decent, with few signs of
age. Interior freshly restored in red vinyl.
New power top. Engine compartment is
spotless. Unable to note odo. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $42,900. Accompanied with PHS
documentation, this GTO was a stunner.
The fresh restoration left nothing for the
new owner to do but drive and enjoy. Power
steering and power top complemented the
325-hp V8 and 4-speed. Very well bought.
NOT SOLD AT $22,000. For 1941, Buick
released new bodies and special factoryorder
dual-carb induction on the 248-cube
straight 8. This example appeared to have
mostly original components. Weary door panels
hampered the nice interior, with seats in
decent condition, attractive wood dash cap
and good carpet. This would be an ideal
cruiser or parade car. The owner may have
missed the chance to sell this car well.
#2461-1941 CADILLAC SERIES 62 con74
AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $48,400. The list of work and
components certainly sounded like elements
of an expensive custom build, but
there were disappointments for the cautious
eye. Not everyone was so critical, however,
and the buyer paid full price. Well sold.
#471-1958 CADILLAC ELDORADO
Brougham sedan. VIN: 58P018846. White/
white leather. 365-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. New
paint is shiny with no orange peel. Panel fit is
consistent and even. Chrome and stainless
#2431-1965 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE SS
2-dr hard top. VIN: 138375K217652.
Maroon/black vinyl. Odo: 81,831 miles. 327ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Factory SS. Frame-off
restoration. Nice respray with minimal orange
peel. Chrome is bright and shiny.
Stainless is decent, save for the pitted trunk
trim. The glass shows some scratches.
Page 74
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
Interior shows as-new and features a factory
tach. Engine compartment appears
stock and clean. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT
$38,000. Though a few flaws could be
found with a critical eye, overall this was in
excellent condition. An early muscle car, it
was very stock and unmolested, making it a
rather unusual find. Stock steel wheels with
hubcaps complemented the presentation. It
was bid close to top value but failed to meet
the owner’s reserve.
#1178-1967 CADILLAC DEVILLE 2-dr
hard top. VIN: J7248329. Yellow/black
leather. Odo: 30,821 miles. 429-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Decent repaint shows good prep.
Hood is slightly high at the windshield on
the passenger’s side. Chrome shows light
pitting and a mark on top of the passenger’s
side fin trim. Original leather interior shows
light wear. Cond: 3.
was a first-generation Camaro convertible
with lots of fresh work completed. It checked
the right boxes for somebody. Fairly bought
and sold.
#446-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
coupe. VIN: 124379N625285. Fathom
Green/black & white houndstooth cloth.
Odo: 3,854 miles. 302-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp.
The deep green finish on this DZ 302 Z/28
is shiny and well buffed. Equipped with tilt
wheel, factory tach, rosewood steering
wheel, Rally gauges and fresh interior, this
radio-delete Camaro needs very little. Stainless
could stand to be polished, but chrome
is bright and new. Factory-correct Goodyear
Polyglas tires and a spotless engine bay
round out the package. With delivery paperwork,
matching numbers and impressive
documentation. Cond: 2.
Black/red cloth. Odo: 50,496 miles. 350-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Shiny black respray with a
few touch-ups. Chrome bumpers are just
beginning to show pits. Stainless could be
polished. Seats show little wear, and there
are no cracks in the dash. Instrument trim
bezel is beginning to show its age. Original
radio has been replaced with an aftermarket
cassette player. Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $12,100. This no-reserve Blazer
showed very well. Nicely equipped with
power windows, locks, steering and brakes,
a/c and 4wd. These soon-to-be vintage
4x4s are difficult to find in this condition.
They are seeing an upswing in prices, and
this one was well bought.
NOT SOLD AT $11,000. Equipped just the
way a Cadillac should be, this deVille had
air conditioning, power windows, power
locks, power seats, power antenna, and a
working factory radio. Wearing only 30,821
miles from new, it looked as though it had
barely been driven. The very definition of a
cruiser. It sold for $11,880 at Mecum Kissimmee
in January 2015 (ACC# 262174),
so the seller must be holding out for more.
#2529-1967 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS
convertible. VIN: 124677N223849. Blue/
black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 61,366 miles.
350-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. The paint, interior
and top are all new. The entire car feels like
it is covered in overspray. Paint prep is
poor, panel gaps are inconsistent. The seat
covers are new, but the rear seat is improperly
installed, sitting cockeyed. The carpet is
haphazardly installed. Cond: 3+.
NOT SOLD AT $51,000. This car showed
very well, presenting a high level of craftsmanship
in the restoration. It showed virtually
no wear since completion, and the
odometer indicated few miles had been
driven. Last sold for $65,450 at a 2012 Collector
Car Productions auction in Toronto
(ACC# 201380). Would have been a good
buy at the high bid.
#458-1977 PONTIAC TRANS AM coupe.
VIN: 2W87Z7N147276. Cameo White/ Firethorne
leather. Odo: 53,033 miles. 400-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. One owner on title, PHS
documented, delivery papers, window
sticker, build sheet, Trans Am Nationals
winner. One small chip has been touched
up on the passenger’s door but is barely
noticeable. Interior presents as-new with
Rally Gauge package, tach and clock. Detailed
undercarriage and engine compartment.
Cond: 2+.
CORVETTE
#515-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 20867S113196. Honduras
Maroon/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 54,186
miles. 327-ci 340-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Older
repaint showing age and wear with heavy
orange peel. Chrome and stainless need
refreshing. Dash paint old and flat, seat covers
and carpet show some wear. Engine
compartment needs to be cleaned.
Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $25,300. This restoration looked
rushed. With just a little more time and attention
to detail, it could have been much
better. From 10 feet away, the paint looked
shiny and bright, but up close numerous
flaws were apparent. Despite all of this, it
76 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $48,675. Claimed to have been
judged one of the best in the world, and that
is totally believable. Save for the one paint
chip, it was virtually flawless. A one-owner
car with extensive documentation to support
authenticity, it hammered sold at the top of
the money but was well bought. It would be
difficult to find another in this condition.
#742-1985 CHEVROLET BLAZER
SUV. VIN: 1G8EK18L4FF146633.
NOT SOLD AT $45,000. This was an old
Corvette, and it showed. There was a large
star crack in the center of the hood. The
repaint was tired. There was moisture inside
the trunk emblem, indicating a failed gasket
between the emblem and the dish backing.
A replacement aluminum radiator sat in a
dirty engine bay. The interior needed to be
restored, and the aftermarket cassette
player should be replaced with a factory
Wonderbar. Seller should have sold.
#517-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 20867S112016. Roman Red/
Roman Red hard top/white vinyl soft top/
black vinyl. Odo: 92,439 miles. 327-ci 250-
BEST
BUY
Page 75
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older respray just beginning
to let go. Chrome is shiny, but closer
inspection reveals the early signs of pitting.
Stainless has good fit at the headlight bezels
but is a little dull. Hard-top Plexiglas is
original and age-cracked, as is common.
The interior shows light wear. The engine
compartment is clean. Cond: 3+.
senger’s side headlight is slightly misaligned.
Paint in the door jambs is flat and
doesn’t appear to have been included in the
repaint. Interior looks recent and correct,
showing little wear. Engine compartment is
clean. Cast aluminum bolt-on wheels, an
L79 V8, Muncie 4-speed, original owner’s
manual and keys. Cond: 2-.
NOT SOLD AT $50,000. Despite showing
signs of age, the paint on this solid-axle
Corvette still shines brightly. This was the
last year of the first generation and the last
convertible with a trunk until 1998. High bid
would have been a good deal if the owner
elected to sell.
#496-1966 CHEVROLET CORVETTE custom
convertible. VIN: 194676S123302.
Red/white vinyl/red leather. Odo: 46,795
miles. 7.0-L 505-hp fuel-injected V8, 5-sp.
Resto-mod shows well. Features the sixthgeneration
Corvette Z06’s 505-hp LS-series
427, a Tremec TKO 5-speed stick, C4 suspension,
power steering, a/c, and polished
American Racing wheels. Glossy paint with
minor flaw in rear deck from the soft top.
Chrome has very minor marks, and the
stainless could stand to be polished in
places. Engine compartment is spotless.
Vinyl soft top is recent. Undercarriage has
been detailed. Interior is new and largely
stock. Cond: 2-.
NOT SOLD AT $68,000. With extensive
documentation, customer order form, dealer
invoice, window sticker and Protect-O-Plate.
A very attractive ragtop. Attractive enough
to reach this strong bid, far above market
for a small-block Corvette of this quality.
#160-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1
replica convertible. VIN: 194670S417249.
Mulsanne Blue/white vinyl/blue vinyl. Odo:
78,678 miles. 350-ci 360-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto.
LT-1 tribute car with passenger’s side mirror,
luggage rack, a/c and tilt/tele. Custom
headers, Edelbrock intake manifold, Holley
carb and other modifications pump up the
base 300-hp V8 to a claimed 360 hp. Retains
original Frigidaire a/c unit. Hard and
soft top marks show on rear deck. Paint is
shiny but shows large, cloudy inclusions.
Chrome and stainless are beginning to
show age. Correct interior shows little wear.
Aftermarket stereo. Clean engine bay.
Cond: 3.
NOT SOLD AT $75,000. The restoration
was decent quality but fell short in some
minor areas. Bright red with matching
leather interior. Pricing on resto-mod Corvettes
sometimes exceeds stock restored
prices, but this one did not meet reserve.
#2497-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. VIN: 194677S104065. Rally
Red/black vinyl/black leather. Odo: 79,157
miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Bright,
shiny Rally Red paint shows well with a few
buff marks. Panel gaps are consistent. Pas-
SOLD AT $30,250. This was a great topdown,
sunny-day cruiser for someone who
wanted performance similar to the LT-1 with
amenities unavailable with that option package.
It had signs of wear and some needs,
but nothing that would keep it from being
enjoyed at Cars and Coffee or show-andshine
events. That said, $30k is a bit above
market for a car in this condition. Well sold.
FOMOCO
#2415-1940 FORD DELUXE custom business
coupe. VIN: DRMVB0000160880MO.
Vibrance Money Green/saddle leather. 350-
March-April 2016 77
Page 76
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
ONETO WATCH
A focus on cars that are showing some financial upside
ci fuel-injected V8, auto. All-steel custom
body with glossy paint shows small prep
flaws. Consistent panel gaps, shaved handles,
tags, hinges, widened rear fenders
and running boards. Bumpers removed, and
hidden license plate. Interior is done to a
high standard in a rich saddle tan leather.
Vintage Air. Wilwood brakes tucked behind
polished American Racing wheels. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $59,400. As customs go, this
Ford was done right and with a great attention
to detail. The ZZ4 engine had FAST
fuel injection and a GM 4L60E programmable
transmission with paddle shifters.
Selling under $60k, it was very well bought.
1992–95 Dodge Viper RT/10
Shelby Cobra. He even included Carroll Shelby in the development as a project advisor. The
Lamborghini-influenced and Magnum-derived 8.0-liter V10 engine made big power, and
Tom Gale, then-Chrysler’s design chief, penned a seductive, muscular silhouette to match.
The Viper’s profile is as recognizable and desirable as anything else from the poster years.
There arguably isn’t a better modern option for uninhibited tire roasting and hooning
T
around (a track, preferably) than the original Viper. The only way to get something this
raw and analog today is to go the kit-car or track-only route, as road-going safety standards
include electronic nannies and other fun limiters.
Viper prices are clearly trending up. Sales for 1992–95 RT/10 Vipers show a median
price that has jumped 58% from 2012 ($30,240) to early 2016 ($47,850). It’s important to
note that 2016 prices will likely drop some from the Scottsdale highs, as they often do, but
the 2015 median is still 36% higher than 2012’s. It might be unreasonable to expect that
same double-digit jump over the next five years, but now might be the time to buy lest that
jump is made.
Over the past five years, the 1992 cars have maintained the highest median at $38,500,
with 1993 models feeling the least love at $30,240. This makes sense for the ’92 models,
as only 285 were produced — the lowest one-year total for the
entire Viper line to date. Another factoid when looking at buying
a year-specific Viper: Options were first available in 1994 and they
included a/c, fiberglass hard top and adjustable suspension, among
others.
In the last five years, the high sale was at Barrett-Jackson
Detailing
Years built: 1992–95
Number produced:
5,988
Number sold at auction
in the past 12
months: 11
Average price
of those cars:
$39,364
Current Median ACC
Valuation: $34,300
78 AmericanCarCollector.com
Scottsdale 2013, where a ’95 Carroll Shelby Limited Edition
roadster fetched an impressive $104,500. That car, serial number
seven (of 19), came with a certificate of authenticity, photo album,
Ol’ Shel’s signature on the steering wheel, and 7,600 miles.
A final word of caution, should you decide on a first-generation
Viper RT/10 — after you smoke those tires, watch out for hot
sidepipes!A
AmericanCarCollector.com
— Chad Tyson
SOLD AT $20,900. Buying this Thunderbird
would have been buying the opportunity to
restore it. It appeared complete but was
unmistakably rough. The selling price reflected
the condition, but for the right person
this may have been well bought.
#519-1957 FORD FAIRLANE 500 Skyliner
retractable hard top. VIN: D7FW378944.
Black/black & white vinyl. Odo: 1,325 miles.
312-ci V8, 4-bbl., 3-sp. Very shiny black
paint shows good prep. Chrome is just beginning
to show tiny pits. Unusual dual spotlights.
Stainless is nicely polished. Interior
shows no wear but is slightly lumpy. Engine
compartment is clean and squared away.
Thunderbird Special 312-ci V8 rated at 245
hp. Cond: 2-.
he Dodge Viper has captured the hearts, minds and wallets of thousands of
Americans since its debut as a 1992 model. Who among us hasn’t daydreamed of
slinking into the bare-bones cabin, flipping the key, dropping the hammer, and
smoking those 13-inch-wide tires?
With the Viper, Bob Lutz brilliantly tapped into the same zeitgeist as the
#2438-1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD convertible.
VIN: P5FJ205656. Red/white hard
top/red & white vinyl. Odo: 96,535 miles.
292-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint is rough, crazing,
scraped, nicked and chipped. Chrome
and stainless both show signs of age and
wear. Interior shows wear and dirt. Engine
compartment shows age. Wire wheels are
rusty. No sign of having been previously
restored. Cond: 4.
Page 77
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
console. Although not perfect, this fastback
is far beyond the average restoration.
Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT $50,000. With
matching numbers, GT package, K-code
289 and Pony interior, this one had a lot
going for it. The refresh was a step above
the expected, but $50k, well above high
market value for this car, was still not
enough to take it home.
SOLD AT $25,080. This was a clean example
from the first year for Ford’s retractable
hard top. The black paint gleamed
under the lights. Someone got a great deal
on this working retractable, well under market.
#464-1957 FORD THUNDERBIRD convertible.
VIN: D7FH170190. Coral Sand/
Colonial White soft top/Coral Sand hard
top/Colonial White vinyl. Odo: 532 miles.
312-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Equipped with Masterglide
power steering, signal-seeking radio,
engine dress-up kit and both tops. Paint
is virtually flawless. Interior appears showroom-new.
Engine compartment is spotless.
Chrome, stainless and wire wheels all
shine. From the Amos Minter Collection.
Better than new. Cond: 1-.
#1183-1971 FORD F-100 Ranger XLT
pickup. VIN: F10YCL01824. White & red/
red & white vinyl. Odo: 26,696 miles. 360-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Driver-quality repaint with
weak prep. Rear body seams on the bed
have some sort of odd, dirty-looking filler in
them. Chrome is pitting, and the pot-metal
grille is heavily scratched. Interior shows
little wear but could stand a good cleaning.
A little love would go a long way. Cond: 3-.
tation and a collection of memorabilia.
Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $100,000. Looked
like an older restoration beginning to show
signs of wear. This may have kept bidding
low, as the top offer was at the lower end of
the value scale. Recently no-saled at the
August 2015 Lucky auction in Tacoma, WA,
bid to $104k (ACC# 266498).
AMERICANA
#429-1929 HUDSON MODEL R coupe.
VIN: 845757. Dark blue & black/black
leather/black & gray cloth. Odo: 56,802
miles. Very original. Paint shows its age but
is in very good condition. Wood-spoke
wheels, black leather roof, shiny chrome
and stainless, very clean engine compartment.
Interior cloth in excellent condition,
NOT SOLD AT $80,000. Stunning nut-andbolt
restoration on a well-optioned, two-top
Thunderbird. It was difficult to find a flaw
anywhere. The Colonial White interior complemented
the Coral Sand body color well.
The engine compartment was surgery-room
sanitary. Though the high bid reached $80k,
it wasn’t enough to capture this top-of-themarket
’Bird.
#2484-1965 FORD MUSTANG GT fastback.
VIN: 5F09K759440. Orange/black
vinyl. Odo: 81,588 miles. 289-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Shiny orange paint without flaw save
for light overspray at the wiper trim panel.
Brightwork is beginning to show signs of
age. Back window has some scratches.
Engine bay is clean. Pony interior with Rally
Pac gauges and woodgrain trim on the
SOLD AT $14,850. Classic pickups have
been experiencing a good deal of interest of
late. Even an amateur restoration like this
garners a good bit of attention. It was attractive
from a distance, and could pull doubleduty
as a fun weekend ride and a practical
hauler. Power steering and brakes make it
an easy driver, and the less-than-perfect
rehab means it can be driven without guilt.
Last sold for $15,660 at Mecum Kissimmee
in January 2015 (ACC# 263404). Fairly
bought and sold.
MOPAR
#2470-1970 PLYMOUTH SUPERBIRD 2-dr
hard top. VIN: RM23U0A175597. Lemon
Twist/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 89,867
miles. 440-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint shows
some shoddy prep work. Scratches on the
trunk lid and what appears to be rust bubbling
under the vinyl top. Black paint on the
nose cap is faded, and the chrome is beginning
to look tired. Tear in the driver’s side
seat bolster. Mirrors pointed at the undercarriage
show it’s been driven through puddles
and not cleaned. Numbers-matching
drivetrain with a/c. Thorough documen-
with original acorn-style door handles.
Headliner shows some water marks. Dash
features a black painted finish, white pinstripes
and an intricate sculptured bezel.
Very presentable with minimal restoration,
and not one you are likely to encounter at
your local show. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$28,600. Although the paint on this Hudson
was showing its age, it was original to the
car. It had been nicely restored and only
showed cracks under bright light. The dark
color combo lent a bit of elegance, and the
wood wheels had a great finish. Speaking
with the owner, I learned the bid had only
reached $22,000, but it later sold for this
price. Well bought. Last seen at the October
2014 Branson Auction, not sold at $22,000
(ACC# 256245); before that, sold for
$29,425 at Mecum Schaumburg in 2013
(ACC# 236926).
Black & green/black/black leather. Odo:
30,750 miles. One-off custom body by
Rollston. Superior restoration. Paint is flawless.
Extensive chrome and brightwork is
perfect. Panels are smooth, and gaps are
perfectly consistent throughout. Teak wood
running boards and rumble seat present
as-new. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $451,000.
Built for the 1928 New York Auto Salon, this
one-of-a-kind Packard 645 roadster is the
only surviving example from Rollston. It featured
the original bodywork and original
L-head straight 8 engine. CCCA first place
8
#1147-1929 PACKARD DELUXE
EIGHT roadster. VIN: 173233.
March-April 2016 79
TOP 10
Page 78
LEAKE // Dallas, TX
SOLD AT $64,350. One of only 750 built.
The Peruvian Embassy previously owned
this car, using it for parades and special
events. A poster claimed that the car had
carried the Queen of England, John F. Kennedy,
Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe and Nelson
Rockefeller. Although the restoration
was beginning to show its age, the car was
still attractive with interesting history. Well
bought and sold.
and AACA Senior winner, and was shown
at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours. The
selling price seems extremely well bought
for a bespoke piece of history. Recently
sold at Worldwide’s 2014 Auburn sale for
$462,000 (ACC# 245254).
#466-1953 PACKARD CARIBBEAN convertible.
VIN: L212159. Matador Red
Metallic/white vinyl/tan & red leather. Odo:
18,339 miles. 327-ci I8, 4-bbl, auto. Older
restoration beginning to show age. Paint
shows signs of lifting at chrome trim.
Chrome is shiny and just beginning to pit.
Stainless trim is scuffed, shows wear. Interior
is complete but somewhat dirty and
lightly worn. Has matching top boot. Glass
and lenses are clear and scratch-free. The
engine bay is clean and tidy. Heavily optioned
with power steering, brakes, windows,
top, seat and leather interior.
Extensive documentation, including original
manual and purchase order. Cond: 3.
#461-1960 INTERNATIONAL TRAVELALL
SUV. VIN: B102SB109346A. Blue & white/
white & gray vinyl. Odo: 148,547 miles. 240ci
I6, 2-bbl, 4-sp. Three-door with split tailgate/hatch
rear cargo door. Three-row
seating. A nice older nut-and-bolt restoration
just beginning to show its age, with a
few minor paint chips and very small bubbles
on the rear door. Exterior stainless
shows some dings. Chrome looks new. Interior
is very clean and shows minimal wear.
Equipped with such minimal options as a
factory overhead AM radio and heater.
Cond: 3+.
#1125-1981 JEEP CJ-8 Scrambler pickup.
VIN: 1JCCM88E8BT064531. Tan/brown
hard top/brown vinyl. Odo: 52,346 miles.
350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. A GM small-block
replaces the underpowered AMC inline 6.
Tan respray with light orange peel and new
decals. Chrome and stainless is clean and
shiny. Wood bedside stakes need to be
refinished. Bed coated with brown Rhino
Liner. Brown vinyl interior shows minor
wear. Engine compartment dirty. Warn
winch custom front tube bumper. Seats are
Bestop replacements with a matching console.
Shiny chrome factory wheels with
newer mud and snow tires. Cond: 3-.
NOT SOLD AT $14,500. Rust-free body
and a recent, driver-quality paint job. It was
equipped with air conditioning, power steering
and power brakes. This was a nice
driver and was bid over the high value but
failed to sell. The seller should have
dropped the reserve. A
SOLD AT $33,000. Reminded me of how
spartan family haulers used to be. Last sold
at Mecum Kansas City in December 2014
for $36,180 (ACC# 256573). Since then, it
no-saled at Branson in April 2015 at the
same $33,000, and our reporter said it had
a $45k reserve (ACC# 264832). Marketpriced.
(See profile, p. 66 in our sister publication,
Sports Car Market, March 2016
issue.)
CAR COLLECTOR
AMERICAN
™
SUBSCRIBE
TO ACC
877.219.2605 Ext. 1
AmericanCarCollector.com
80 AmericanCarCollector.com
Keith Martin’s
Page 80
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
Mecum Auctions —
Kissimmee 2016
FOUR CARS BROKE THE MILLION-DOLLAR CEILING,
AND THEY WERE ALL HEMI-POWERED MOPARS
Mecum
Auctions
Kissimmee, FL
January 15–24,
2016
Auctioneers: Mark
Delzell, Jimmy Landis,
Mike Hagerman, Matt
Moravec, Russ Conklin
Automotive lots sold/
offered: 1,794/2,506
Sales rate: 72%
Sales total:
$84,275,996
high sale: 1970
Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda
convertible, sold at
$2,942,500
Buyer’s premium:
10%, included in sold
prices
ACC 1–6 scale
condition rating
for vehicles in
Market Reports
1. perfect: National
show standard
2. Excellent: Club
show-worthy, some
small flaws
3. Average: Daily driver
in decent condition
4. Meh: Still a driver,
with some visible flaws
5. Questionable: A
problem-plagued beast
that somehow
manages to run
6. Lost cause:
Salvageable for parts
82 AmericanCarCollector.com
one of only 59 1971 hemi 4-speed hard tops — 1971 plymouth hemi ’Cuda 2-door hard top,
sold at $1,045,000
“M
Report and photos by Morgan Eldridge
Market opinions in italics
onumental Muscle” was the theme at
Mecum Kissimmee 2016, and everything
about the auction was larger than
life.
Kissimmee is the biggest auction on
Mecum’s circuit. At 10 days long with more than 2,500
cars on offer and a vast selection of road art, it’s almost
more than one person can take in.
It didn’t seem to matter that the weather was bad.
Perhaps visitors from up north took the chilly temperatures
as typical for January, but as a native Floridian I
can tell you: Temperatures in the low 40s are always out
of the norm here.
This year’s sale was Mecum’s largest-grossing event
ever. The overall take increased 24% over last year’s
$68,165,970 to $84,275,996. Average sold price per car
was up 22% as well to $46,976.
Four cars smashed the million-dollar glass ceiling,
and they were all Hemi-powered Mopars. A 1970
Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible was the biggest sale
of the week at $2,942,500.
Many cars exceeded estimates, such as a 1965 Ford
Mustang with 289-ci V8, sold for $66,000. There were
also some deals: A 1970 Shelby GT500 sold for $88,000,
and a frame-off-restored 1959 Chevrolet Apache sold at
$44,000.
In the Next Gen category, a 1993 Ford Mustang SVT
Cobra R sold for a fair $66,000, and a 1996 Chevrolet
Corvette Grand Sport with 3,381 miles looked like a
smart buy at $37,950.
You would expect a saturation effect at a 10-day auc-
tion with no fewer than 128 Mustangs, 132 Camaros and
247 Corvettes to choose from, but Mecum’s Kissimmee
numbers prove that’s just not the case. You can’t argue
with a 72% sell-through rate and over $84 million in
sales.A
Page 82
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
GM
#T198-1957 CADILLAC ELDORADO Seville
2-dr hard top. VIN: 5762051513.
Olympic White/red & white leather. Odo:
85,987 miles. 365-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, auto.
Great paint, brightwork and clean engine
bay. Laser-straight body. Interior looks new.
Cond: 2+.
at no reserve, this example could have used
a detail. Prices remain consistent for these
cars, and $8k–$15k is the range. Another
great deal for buyer and seller.
NOT SOLD AT $58,000. Futuristic styling
really made the 1957 Cadillac stand out.
Larger front-wheel openings, hooded headlights,
curved rooflines and angled pillars
were purloined directly from the 1954 Park
Avenue show car. This car was bid up to
$70k at last year’s Kissimmee auction and
didn’t change hands (ACC# 262191). That
high bid is the top of the market and should
have bought the car last year.
#F25.1-1959 CHEVROLET APACHE
pickup. VIN: 3A59K139591. Tartan
Turquoise/black cloth. Odo: 2,030 miles.
235-ci I6, 2-bbl, auto. Frame-off restoration.
Paint shows well in period-correct color.
Clean whitewall tires, oak bed with painted
slats. Seats and dash look good. Clean engine
compartment. Cond: 2+.
#S106-1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO custom
coupe. VIN: 124378L334835.
Red/black leather. Odo: 130 miles. 416-ci
supercharged V8, 6-sp. Laser-straight body
with vinyl hash-mark fender stripes.
Driveline, seats and interior from a 2013
ZL1 show very well. Engine compartment
very clean and well detailed. Four-year
build. Cond: 1-.
The $225k–$275k auction estimate here
was spot-on.
#F115-1969 PONTIAC TRANS AM convertible.
VIN: 223679N104810. Cameo
White/white/white leather. Odo: 360 miles.
400-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. One of eight Trans
Am convertibles produced in 1969. Paint,
interior, engine all in excellent condition.
Tom Hoad ordered the car new as a brasshat
company car. Extremely well-documented
car. Cond: 1-.
NOT SOLD AT $1,900,000. The only example
that comes close to this is Lot F138, the
other one offered here that failed to meet
reserve at $1.4m. Interestingly enough, Lot
F138 was offered in 2010 at Mecum’s Indy
sale, where bidding ceased at $1.1m (ACC#
1684809). One day, I would like to say either
“well sold” or “a great buy” on one of
these cars.
NOT SOLD AT $105,000. This build was
beautifully executed, and the marriage between
new and old driveline and components
was well thought out. I doubt you
could replicate this even for the $130k low
estimate. Too bad it didn’t find a home.
#F167-1969 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE
Yenko 2-dr hard top. VIN: 136379B407823.
Blue/black vinyl. Odo: 30,087 miles.
427-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Unrestored example.
Paint, interior and engine all show very well.
Unusual floor-shift automatic. Well documented.
From the Wayne Schmeeckle Collection.
Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $44,000. Last year for Chevrolet’s
“Task Force” trucks. Nicely restored
examples have been going anywhere from
$25k to $45k. Good deal for both parties.
No-saled here a year ago at $45k (ACC#
262972).
#G81-1967 OLDSMOBILE TORONADO
2-dr hard top. VIN: 396877M603138.
Pewter/black cloth. Odo: 57,877 miles. 425ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older respray shows well
with exception of dings on the trunk. Carpet
dirty, seats show light wear. Some dash
components discolored. Engine bay has
normal dirt and grime. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$10,450. This was the first U.S.-produced
front-wheel-drive car since the 1936 Cord. It
was also GM’s first sub-frame car. Offered
84 AmericanCarCollector.com
NOT SOLD AT $180,000. In 1969, the
Chevelle was billed as “America’s most
popular midsize car.” This is one of only 99
1969 Yenko Chevelles ever produced.
Fewer than 50 remain in existence today,
according to catalog. Bidding started at
$100k and stalled before it met reserve.
This car is no stranger to Mecum: It sold
once in 2005 for $357,000 (ACC# 39582)
and in 2011 for $171,720 (ACC# 184406).
#L25-1988 PONTIAC FIERO Formula
coupe. VIN: 1G2PE1193JP201021. Red/
gray cloth. Odo: 17,928 miles. 2.8-L fuel-injected
V6, auto. Original paint and interior
shows well with little wear. Clean and tidy
engine compartment. Stock radio. Appears
to have been garaged its entire life and
comes with original window sticker.
Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $11,550. The Fiero, meaning
“proud” in Italian, was a new concept for the
Pontiac, as it was the first two-seat car produced
since 1938. New for 1988 was a Formula
option, which included the 2.8-L V6,
5-speed, WS6 suspension, crosslace
wheels and a rear spoiler. These little guys
are starting to creep up in value, generally
staying around the $7k–$12k mark for
clean, low-mileage examples. This was a
good deal for both parties.
#G191-1991 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
convertible. VIN: 1G1FP33F2ML149000.
Red/black/red leather. Odo: 108,616 miles.
5.0-L fuel-injected V8, auto. Some light
scratches here and there. Front bumper has
been in contact with a few parking blocks.
Page 84
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
Some water in the parking light. Wear on
driver’s seat and carpet, back seats look
new. Hood latch inoperable. Original radio.
Cond: 3+.
top/black & white vinyl. Odo: 69,209 miles.
292-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Shiny paint, gaps are
tight in areas, doors hard to close. Some
evidence of rust. Cracked rubber. Newer
seats. Instrument cluster cracked. Engine
not detailed. Cond: 3-.
This sale is almost in big-block territory.
Offered at no reserve, it sold within the
$100k–$125k estimate range. Well sold.
SOLD AT $9,900. With original paint, power
options, new top and same owner for the
past 21 years. There were a handful of Camaros
of this generation here. This one has
more miles on its clock than most, but it was
an authentic presentation. Fair price paid,
and everyone should be pleased.
#K150.1-2002 PONTIAC TRANS AM
coupe. VIN: 2G2FV22G322149140. Black/
tan leather. Odo: 28,000 miles. 5.7-L fuelinjected
V8, auto. Light swirl marks on paint,
wheels could be polished but look decent.
Seats show well with little wear. Clean engine
compartment. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $37,950. I knew there would be
at least one ’96 GS on site. Prices are gaining
and range anywhere from a high $20k to
$70k. GM produced only 1,000, and 810
were coupes. The lower-production convertibles
and cars with Torch Red interiors command
a premium. Well bought for a
low-mileage collector piece.
SOLD AT $19,800. The WS6 package consisted
of the airbox slightly taller than stock,
nestling up to the functional Ram Air hood.
Additionally, the WS6s came with de Carbon
shocks, 17-inch polished aluminum
wheels wrapped with Goodyear Eagles,
low-restriction dual exhaust and a powersteering
cooler. Clean, no-stories cars with
low miles seem to be in the $15k–$20k
range with a premium paid for manual
transmissions. This car was well sold.
CORVETTE
#S97-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 194677S112248. Tuxedo
Black/black/black vinyl. Odo: 41 miles. 327ci
350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Body-off restoration
by Paul Schuster with excellent paint
and body panel fit. Seats and dashboard
look new. Redline tires. Brightwork has no
pitting and looks fresh. Clean and tidy engine
bay. Al Grenning affirmation confirms
originality of the engine block, stamp pad
and engine stamp. Well documented with
tank sticker, invoice and payment receipt.
No hard top. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT
$121,000. The ’67 was basically unchanged
from ’66, but styling was a little cleaner.
86 AmericanCarCollector.com
NOT SOLD AT $21,500. The first year for
the C5 Z06. There are not many cars that
offer this performance for the price. Looking
at C4 ZR-1 prices, I think this should be on
its way up in value shortly. I don’t think the
owner was ready to part with this one.
FOMOCO
#K71-1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD convertible.
VIN: P5FH100983. Red/red hard
#G140-2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Z06 coupe. VIN: 1G1YY12S415135074.
Red/red & black leather. Odo: 43,263 miles.
5.7-L 385-hp fuel-injected V8, 6-sp. Paint
shows well, very small scratch on hood.
Light wear on driver’s seat. Clean engine
bay. Overall, super clean and well kept.
Cond: 2+.
#W213-1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Grand Sport coupe. VIN: 1G1YY2254T5600617.
Admiral Blue/black leather. Odo:
3,381 miles. 5.7-L 330-hp fuel-injected V8,
6-sp. Original paint shows well, interior has
slight wear. Engine bay clean and tidy. Aftermarket
headers and exhaust. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $24,200. This car was offered for
sale at Mecum Kissimmee last year, but it
did not sell at a high bid of $20k (ACC#
263481). It was far from perfect, but the
buyer got a good deal on a weekend
cruiser.
#S139-1965 FORD MUSTANG coupe.
VIN: 5F07K326597. Caspian Blue/white
vinyl. Odo: 65,000 miles. 289-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Light waves on paint. Straight body
with good door gaps. Trunk fit is slightly
uneven. Interior shows nicely with no cracking
or wear. Very good attention to detail
under the hood, with period-correct stickers
and labels. An older but honest restoration
with awards under its belt. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $66,000. Said to have been
trailered since restoration, this Mustang sold
at the top of the market. Well sold, and the
seller may have even recouped his restoration
expenses.
#F159-1969 FORD MUSTANG Boss 429
coupe. VIN: 9F02Z172933. Candy Apple
Red/black vinyl. Odo: 58,259 miles. 429-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Concours-style restoration
with excellent paint, brightwork and interior.
Very clean engine compartment. High attention
to detail. MCA award-winner, Marti Report.
Only 40-year-old original or NOS
components were used. From the Wayne
Schmeeckle Collection. Cond: 2+.
Page 86
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
NOT SOLD AT $320,000. The Boss 429
engine was too wide to fit between the Mustang’s
stock shock towers, so Ford sent
partially constructed cars to Kar Kraft for
engine installation. I felt the $375k–$425k
estimate was spot-on for this MCA Thoroughbred
Gold-winning car. Runner-up representations
come close in the
$320k–$350k ballpark.
#S80-1970 SHELBY GT500 coupe. VIN:
0F02R482882. Wimbledon White/black vinyl.
Odo: 55,135 miles. 428-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Well-documented restoration with receipts,
including engine rebuild. Owner has
had car for over 30 years. Marti Report.
Paint and chrome show well. Interior looks
great except for the loose plastic console by
the floor shifter. Gaps and panel fit are all
good. Cond: 2-.
F314270. Dark Shadow Metallic/black
leather. Odo: 12,755 miles. 4.6-L supercharged
V8, 5-sp. One owner. Blemish-free
paint with a clean and well-kept interior.
Clean engine bay, original window sticker.
Claimed to be one of 15 with these colors
and options. Cond: 2+.
Houston in April 2015, not sold at $625k
(ACC# 264658). This time around, bidding
stopped at $500k, but it was reported sold
in the final results at $550k, not including
premium. The 6k-mile 4-speed example
sold here last year for $972,000 (ACC#
263111), so maybe this car’s $700k–$900k
estimate wasn’t so ridiculous. Well bought.
SOLD AT $23,100. The Roots-type blower
in the S281 Supercharged boosted power to
375 hp over the standard S281’s 290 hp.
Saleen built only 128 of these in 2003. Values
seem to be parallel to the 2003–04 Cobras,
which are also supercharged and are
rated at 390 hp. Bottom line, this was a
clean, unmolested example and a good
price for buyer and seller.
MOPAR
SOLD AT $88,000. Fun fact: Shelby never
actually produced any GT350s or GT500s
for the 1970 model year. They were unsold
1969 models given 1970 VINs under FBI
supervision. This car would retail for $95k–
$125k, so buying at auction seemed to have
paid off. Well bought.
#S172-1993 FORD MUSTANG SVT Cobra
R coupe. VIN: 1FACP42D1PF169179. Vibrant
Red/gray cloth. Odo: 519 miles. 5.0-L
fuel-injected V8, 5-sp. Still on MSO. Perfect
paint. Plastic remains on the seats and
steering wheel. Factory barcodes and chalk
marks. Number 11 of 107 produced.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $92,400. At this price, there must
have been a few people in the room fighting
for it. An exceptional example that was well
sold.
SOLD AT $66,000. A Mustang Cobra built
for competition use—no insulation, radio,
a/c or fog lights. Unlike the Ford GT, most
of the owners that bought these cars used
them. This low-mileage example sold under
its $75k–$100k estimate. There is still room
for appreciation on well-kept examples. Well
bought.
#L73-2003 FORD MUSTANG Saleen S281
Supercharged coupe. VIN: 1FAFP42XX3-
88 AmericanCarCollector.com
#F103-1969 DODGE HEMI DAYTONA
2-dr hard top. VIN: XX29J9B386573.
Red/black leather. Odo: 46,436
miles. 426-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, auto. Excellent
paint and interior. Clean engine bay. Pistolgrip
shifter, Track Pack. Cond: 1-.
7
SOLD AT $605,000. Last seen at Mecum
SOLD AT $34,100. These were fun cars
meant to be taken out and enjoyed on a
Sunday. Few were ever used as daily drivers.
Many low-mileage examples are
around, with prices currently between $25k
and $45k. I always thought a manual would
be fun in one of these, but they were only
available in automatic. Fair sale for both. A
very clean car found a new home. A
#F122-1959 CHRYSLER 300E 2-dr hard
top. VIN: M591100137. Formal Black/tan
leather. Odo: 88,547 miles. 413-ci V8, 2x4bbl,
auto. Straight body with nice paint and
brightwork. Beautifully restored interior.
Clean and neat engine. Good attention to
detail on restoration. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $1,045,000. Of 107 Hemi ’Cuda
hard tops built in 1971, only 59 were
4-speed cars. This sale ties the previous
record for a ’71 Hemi ’Cuda hard top, back
in 2006 at Worldwide Houston (ACC#
41536). More recently, sales have hovered
in the $300k–$450k range, although an unrestored
4-speed car with only 33k miles
sold at Mecum Kissimmee 2014 for
$604,800 (ACC# 232400). Well sold.
#T135.1-1999 PLYMOUTH PROWLER
convertible. VIN: 1P3EW65G9XV504816.
Red/black/black leather. Odo: 5,319 miles.
3.5-L fuel-injected V6, auto. Well detailed.
Car looks brand new. Cond: 2+.
3R1B345763. Winchester Gray/black
leather. Odo: 58,992 miles. 426-ci V8, 2x4bbl,
4-sp. Unrestored example. Special-ordered
with all stripes and chrome deleted.
Paint shows well for its age, with very minor
hazing in some areas. All gaps are normal.
Good brightwork. Interior shows light patina
and clean engine bay. Very well-documented
R-code. Formerly owned by Mopar
guru Frank Badalson. To call this car “well
kept” would be an understatement.
Cond: 2+.
2
#F100-1971 PLYMOUTH HEMI
’CUDA 2-dr hard top. VIN: BS2-
TOP 10
TOP 10
Page 88
RUSSO AND STEELE // Scottsdale, AZ
Russo and Steele – Scottsdale 2016
TOTAL REVENUE WAS $21.3m, AN INCREASE
OF OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FROM 2015
Russo
and Steele
Scottsdale, AZ
January 27–31,
2016
Auctioneers:
Jeff Stokes, Rob Row,
Dan Schorno
Automotive lots sold/
offered: 521/723
Sales rate: 72%
Total sales:
$21,307,765
high sale: 2003
Saleen S7, sold at
$387,750
Buyer’s premium:
10%, included in sold
prices
1966 AMC AMX prototype 2-door hard top, sold at $90,750
ACC 1–6 scale
condition rating
for vehicles in
Market Reports
1. perfect: National
show standard
2. Excellent: Club
show-worthy, some
small flaws
3. Average: Daily driver
in decent condition
4. Meh: Still a driver,
with some visible flaws
5. Questionable: A
problem-plagued beast
that somehow
manages to run
6. Lost cause:
Salvageable for parts
Report and photos by John Boyle
Market opinions in italics
R
90 AmericanCarCollector.com
usso and Steele is known for their balanced
mix of exotics and muscle cars, with customs,
rods and the occasional oddity thrown into
the mix. With 700-plus cars parked under
four tents 800 feet long, the selection offers
plenty to keep you interested for a few days without overloading
your senses. The “auction in the round” format
somehow melds Shakespearean theater with the spectacle
of a rock concert.
Russo and Steele CEO Drew Alcazar told me he had
Consignment Director John Bemiss raise standards this
year. As a result, the overall quality was higher, and cars
sold on Friday and Saturday were very good.
Despite decreased sales elsewhere during Arizona Car
Week, Russo’s sales rate was 72%, up a healthy 11% from
last year, with 521 out of 723 cars offered finding new
homes. Total revenue was $21,307,765, an increase of over
a million dollars from 2015.
A 2003 Saleen S7 was the top sale of the week at
$387,750. Other top American cars included a 1970
Oldsmobile 442 W-30 at $308,000 and a low-mileage
Ford GT that brought $341,000.
If I had to choose a theme for this year’s event, it
would be the “Invasion of the E-bodies.” There were
well over a dozen early ’70s Barracudas, ’Cudas and
Challengers, including, by my count, five Hemis, and not
including a clone coupe and a re-engined convertible. A
matching-numbers 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T SE
was one of the best buys of the week at $143,000.
Aside from the Chryslers, there was the expected
assortment of Chevelles, Camaros and Corvettes. Part
of the fun of any large auction is seeing a variety or cars,
and the field included a few Model As, ’50s chrome boats,
pickups ranging from the modest to the extreme and a
humble ’79 Malibu wagon that brought a top-dollar price
of $13,750.
Alcazar sees his role as helping newcomers enter the
hobby, so this year he and Consignment Director Bemiss
held a seminar where bidders and attendees were encouraged
to ask questions about the auction process.
If all this sounds like fun but you can’t make it to
Scottsdale in January, don’t worry. Alcazar said that in
the next 12 to 18 months, he’ll be announcing three new
venues. He’s looking to go east of the Rockies but isn’t
showing his cards yet.
“We’re always going to have fun stuff,” said Alcazar,
“because fun stuff is cool, and we like cars, and it’s fun. If
it ain’t fun, then it’s time to do something different.”A
Page 90
RUSSO AND STEELE // Scottsdale, AZ
GM
#F558-1957 CHEVROLET BEL AIR 2-dr
hard top. VIN: 71037D817076. India Ivory/
red & black vinyl & cloth. Odo: 95,991 miles.
283-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Super paint over very
straight body. Bumpers have very deep
shine. Wheels painted body color. Interior
near perfect with nicely done dash and new
carpet. Seat covers new and in correct
style, but some seams are stretched where
fabric meets welting. Underhood is clean
and detailed with a modern battery.
Cond: 2+.
#F560-1965 PONTIAC GTO convertible.
VIN: 237675K131225. Blue Charcoal/white
vinyl/white vinyl. Odo: 57,634 miles. 389-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Recent-looking paint with
only minor issues, body prep very good on
unforgiving dark slab sides. Bumper chrome
probably better than factory, window trim
has only minor scratches. Dash is very nice
with excellent brightwork. Gauges look
faded. White seat covers look recent but
appear slightly overstuffed on bottoms.
Rocker plates show wear. Engine bay is
clean but has chrome alternator and modern
battery. Air cleaner has some corrosion.
Cond: 2.
#F464-1970 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE SS
396 2-dr hard top. VIN: 136370A112595.
Astro Blue/blue vinyl/blue vinyl. Odo: 74,307
miles. 402-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older paint is
still holding up well. Very straight body with
factory gaps. Chrome and stainless nice
with usual weakness to window trim. Slight
puckering to top material. Well optioned
with a/c, PS, PB, AM/FM. Nice dash and
interior, said to be original carpeting. Engine
compartment unavailable for inspection.
Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $57,200. A beautiful car, almost
too nice to drive. Seller says the car was the
subject of a $100k professional restoration
seven years ago with limited miles since.
We keep hearing how the market for these
is softening, but there are always plenty of
cars at these events that bring respectable
money. Well bought.
#TH167-1961 CHEVROLET CORVAIR
pickup. VIN: 1R124S1200777. Green/
green plaid. Odo: 20,600 miles. 145-ci H6,
2x1-bbl, 4-sp. Average paint in period
scheme. Body looks straight, including the
top of the ramp door where it hits the
ground. A deluxe model with chrome bumpers
and trim. Door handles worn. Bed
sprayed with gray and white fleck trunk
paint. Minor chips in bed with surface rust
on several bolts. Funky plaid seats, dash
nice, but odometer is barely readable due to
brown discoloration. Engine bay not open.
Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $46,750. Muscle cars don’t come
much more iconic than a ’65 GTO. Comes
with PHS documentation and documents.
Sold new in St. Louis with a sticker price of
$3,549.44. Well bought.
#S777-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
coupe. VIN: 124379N529836. Daytona
Yellow/black vinyl. Odo: 76,200 miles. 302ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Recent restoration 200
miles ago. Very nice paint and stripes on
straight body. Paint flaw above rear window.
Nice window trim and cat’s whiskers. Door
handles appear new. Trunk gap wide on
passenger’s side. Dashpad has a bump,
seats have some puckering. Under the
hood it’s clean and correct with all decals
and period Delco battery. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $44,825. A well-documented
(build sheets, Protect-O-Plate) car with rebuilt
suspension and transmission. Last
seen at the 2006 Mecum Kansas City sale,
where it sold in 2+ condition for $52,500
(ACC# 41563). Eight years and 20,000
miles later, it still shows well. Not as crisp
as it once was, but minimal depreciation for
seller and a fair deal for buyer.
#F585-1972 BUICK SKYLARK GS 455
convertible. VIN: 4G67U2H119444. Flame
Orange/white vinyl/white vinyl. Odo: 136
miles. 455-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Restoration
recently completed. Paint has minor orange
peel, but body is straight and has great shut
lines. Chrome and stainless are fresh and
well done, especially the windshield trim.
New interior, but the seat cover color comes
off as slightly dingy. Seller says he put in
the best dash he could find, but it still has
fading and worn plastic trim. Modern radio
and speakers cut into kick panels give it a
used-car vibe. Underhood looks well used—
nothing special with some aftermarket parts.
Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $17,050. I doubt if there are
many left in such nice condition. A usable
half-ton with a great load area for hauling
lawn mowers and furniture. The raised rear
deck over the engine would limit its usefulness
for some loads. A fair price that might
be just a bit well bought.
92 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $63,800. An Ohio-built, Canadian-market
car with full documentation
proving it was a Z/28 from birth. Seller says
DZ engine was balanced and rebuilt during
restoration. Options include Positraction
and spoiler package. Last seen at Russo’s
Monterey event in August, where it sold for
a low $55,000 (ACC# 266185). Now a bit
more correctly priced but still not badly
bought.
SOLD AT $36,300. A rare car with just 852
produced. The seller was upfront about it
not being a numbers-matching car, and the
current engine was rebuilt to Stage I specs.
Despite the recent work, the car still came
across as a quick flip, and final price reflects
that.
Page 92
RUSSO AND STEELE // Scottsdale, AZ
#TH231-1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO
Z/28 coupe. VIN: 1Q87L9L592268. Blue/
blue cloth. Odo: 44,530 miles. 350-ci V8,
4-bbl, auto. Nice paint with good body gaps.
Soft plastic front and rear caps fit well and
match the rest of the car’s paint—something
that couldn’t always be said when these
were new. Cloth interior shows well but
might be suffering from a bit of fading.
Underhood is clean, dry and largely correct.
Cond: 3.
retirement community, and it may have. A
one-owner car unused since 2012. Every
time I walked past there was a crowd looking
at it. Sold for double the market value,
but deservedly so.
CORVETTE
SOLD AT $15,400. Sold for $20,350 at
2015 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale (ACC
257871). Sold here at no reserve, so seller
wanted it gone. Until recently, a one-family,
numbers-matching car in California its entire
life. Well equipped with power steering and
brakes, a/c, tilt wheel and F41 suspension.
Comes with documents, restoration book
and 1979 Camaro salesman’s guide. Anyone
in the market for a disco-era Camaro
would love this. You couldn’t restore one to
this quality for the price paid here. Sold
$1,600 under the ACC Pocket Price Guide
median price.
#SN929-1979 CHEVROLET MALIBU Classic
wagon. VIN: 1W35J9R450417. Blue
metallic/blue vinyl. Odo: 49,208 miles. 267ci
V8, 2-bbl, 4-sp. Original paint well preserved
with a few expected chips. Window
trim still very nice, bumpers unmarked.
Base-level GM interior holding up well, although
driver’s seat-back foam is collapsing.
Aftermarket clear vinyl floor mats now
yellowing. Dash is like new. Small piece of
plastic chrome missing from steering wheel.
Interior plastic slightly faded. Vinyl hasn’t
faded. Underhood is just a driver. Massive
chrome stick shift on the floor is a surprise
and would look at home in a ’67 Chevelle.
Cond: 2-.
#S654-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 40837S105213. Riverside
Red/red vinyl. Odo: 85,086 miles. 327-ci
375-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. Unrestored
car. Original paint has small pimples where
resin looks to be coming through. Filled-in
paint chips on nose, a couple of small paintcrack
stars on hood. Bumpers rechromed,
stainless polished and very good. Hubcaps
unmarked. Chassis said to have been
cleaned and refurbished two years ago.
Minor fading to dashpad and upper door
panels. Engine bay clean and correct. Original
hoses and brake shoes come in a box.
Cond: 2.
with tonneau snaps; catalog says cover is
included. Seats and door panels redone in
red velour that would have looked at home
in a ’70s disco. Dash acceptable. Engine
bay dusty. Said to still be on a 6-volt system.
Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $13,750. Words
can’t express my horror at the interior, but it
would be easy enough to redo to either
stock or custom. Looks a bit well sold to me.
#SN815-1966 FORD F-100 pickup.
VIN: F10BR788630. Beige/gray cloth.
Odo: 60,065 miles. 300-ci I6, 1-bbl, auto.
Thick paint in original color has some dust
and bubbles. Bed painted without removing
many of the dents. If those dents are all
there were, the truck led a pretty soft life.
Body straight with some dings to top of box.
Poor window and trim masking. Seat recovered
in generic material. Dash is freshly
painted, stock and uncut. Steering wheel
has cracking. Underhood stock with peeling
blue paint on valve cover and some minor
corrosion on firewall and underside of hood.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $83,600. Four-time NCRS Top
Flight winner; Bloomington Gold certified in
2014. An original California car delivered to
Los Angeles in late November 1963. Well
optioned with power windows, power
brakes, 4.11 Positraction, off-road exhaust,
AM/FM and the all-important fuel injection.
Last seen at the Branson Auction in 2013,
where it was a no-sale at $80,000 (ACC#
231645). Very well bought if you value originality
over a fresh restoration.
FOMOCO
#SN900-1951 FORD F-1 pickup. VIN:
F1H1RH22342. Black/red cloth. Odo: 5,205
miles. 239-ci V8, 2-bbl, 3-sp. Old thick paint
with too many scratches, chips and cracks
to count. Severe dent/crack on lower part of
front fender. What trim there is is acceptable.
Newer oak bed in back. Box lined
SOLD AT $6,050. Recent repaint of a barebones
work pickup from California. Hopefully
this will be kept stock as a reminder of
the days when trucks really were bare.
Black rubber mats, one gauge, no radio,
painted bumper and hubcaps. VIN indicates
it originally came with the “big” 300-ci six.
Well bought. If it’s a bit too basic for your
tastes, at this price it’s a nice starting point
for a flashier stock truck or custom.
#F427-1969 MERCURY COUGAR Eliminator
2-dr hard top. VIN: 9F91M569359.
Competition Orange/black vinyl. Odo:
77,229 miles. 351-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older
thick paint with many touch-ups. Rocker
moldings have dents and poor paint areas.
Factory decals uneven on both doors. Extra
bolt heads under rear deck spoiler. Window
SOLD AT $13,750. This time-warp car
looked like it just drove out from a nearby
94 AmericanCarCollector.com
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Page 93
stainless good. Dash is good but has newer
radio, console and steering wheel worn.
Underhood stock but undetailed. Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $33,000. Just 2,250 of Ford’s
luxury performance pony car produced in
1969. These bring a hefty price premium
over other Cougars. Be that as it may, the
price paid here was strong for condition.
#TH137-1974 FORD BRONCO SUV. VIN:
U15GLT08137. Bronze/white vinyl. Odo:
10,823 miles. 302-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Nice
paint over an unmarked body. New stainless
trim. Top fits well, new window rubber
all around. Thin metal trim at top of door
windows coming loose on both sides. Great
painted dash with uncracked pad. Said to
be new seat covers, but they already show
some wear. Engine compartment has its
original pant, otherwise clean. Seller says
engine is a replacement. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $35,200. A two-owner Nevada
truck that has benefited from refurbishment.
Nice but not too nice to use. Brought top-ofthe-market
price despite issues and replacement
engine. The value makes
restoration feasible as demand for first-generation
Broncos holds.
MOPAR
#S734-1970 DODGE HEMI CHALLENGER
R/T SE 2-dr hard top. VIN:
JS29R0B232879. Plum Crazy/black vinyl/
black vinyl. Odo: 44,889 miles. 426-ci V8,
4-bbl, auto. Restored in 2003. Car still
shows exceptionally well with polishing
swirls and a few stone chips on grille and
radiator support. Window stainless has
wear, some rubber is aging. Vinyl top shows
a few minor bumps. Driver’s seat has minor
creasing, dashpad has a crack. Console
trim lightly scratched. Engine compartment
clean and correct with period-style battery.
Cond: 2-.
March-April 2016 95
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Page 94
GLOVEBOXNOTES RUSSO AND STEELE // Scottsdale, AZ
By Jim Pickering
2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe
3.6L rWD premium
SOLD AT $143,000. Just returning from
Sweden. Last sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
2007 for $192,500. Said to be one of
just 63 R/T SE Hemi Challengers built.
Numbers-matching. Inspected and decoded
by Govier. Although the restoration is aging,
it’s been well cared for and shouldn’t need
anything major for a long time. Well bought
for condition.
Price as tested: $56,415
Equipment: 335-hp 3.6L V6, 8-sp automatic
transmission with performance
algorithm tapshift, magnetic ride control,
electronic variable-rate steering, Brembo
front brakes, heated 12-way power
seats, Cadillac eight-inch touch display
with navigation, Bose stereo, Head-up
display, start/stop system
Mileage: 20 city/30 highway
Likes: A sporty little coupe with a lot
of nice options. Comfortable interior
with high-quality materials, good power
from growly V6 and aggressive 8-speed
gearing. Tight steering, fantastic brakes,
decent mileage.
Dislikes: Start/stop technology isn’t exactly
in its infancy, but this unit felt clunky
at best, especially at restart. Active seatbelts
give you an unnerving “hug” when
you first start rolling. Cadillac’s CUE
touch interface gives you what appear to
be radio and climate buttons, but they’re
actually hard plastic markers below the
actual touch-sensitive controls. Hard to
get used to.
Verdict: Cadillac is aiming right at
higher-priced Europeans in the segment
with the ATS, and all things considered,
it’s a solid competitor. Then again, I
didn’t find a lot that stood out here, and
for the $56k you’ll need to pay for one, I
expect a little more excitement. But, for
a nicely-equipped premium coupe with a
balanced grand-tourer feel, this is worth
a look.
Fun to drive:
Eye appeal:
overall experience:
#S736-1971 PLYMOUTH HEMI ’CUDA
2-dr hard top. VIN: BS23R1B227275.
Red/black vinyl/black leather. Odo: 130
miles. 426-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Fresh rotisserie
restoration, low miles since completion.
Better-than-factory paint, straight sides.
Door and hood gaps slightly wide in places,
probably as from the factory. Window trim
has minor scratches and a noticeable ding
below vinyl top. Interior new and well fitted.
Engine bay not open for inspection but photos
show it with period-style battery and
factory decals. Well equipped with pistolgrip
shifter, AM/FM radio, cassette, leather
seats, wood steering wheel, rear window
louvers, spoiler. Cond: 2+.
area trim showing some age. Engine bay
has original paint but is clean and dry, and
stock but not detailed. Color-matched period
suitcases in the luggage rack.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $16,500. Last year of the original
big Ambassadors on the 117-inch wheelbase.
This car came across like something
an older member of the Rambler club would
have owned, and indeed, there is a club
decal in the window. Despite being priced
near the top of the market for a Rambler, it’s
much cheaper than a corresponding Ford
wagon and is likely to be a good investment
if interest in wagons keeps growing. Buyer
is thrilled with his purchase.
NOT SOLD AT $440,000. A numbersmatching
car with three owners, with the
seller for 29 years. Well documented, Govier
decoded. It’s hard to imagine a nicer one
out there, just like it’s hard for some of us of
a certain age to believe these are going for
close to a half-million dollars. These have
come back nicely since the 2008 crash, but
like other muscle cars, I get the feeling they
may be more sensitive to ups and downs
than other segments of the hobby. Today’s
bid was well short of current market, and
you can’t blame the owner for holding onto
it.
AMERICANA
#TH301-1961 RAMBLER AMBASSADOR
Custom wagon. VIN: H137828. Turquoise/
turquoise & gray cloth & vinyl. Odo: 94,243
miles. 327-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Newer paint
has occasional chips, especially below rear
side windows. Panel gaps typically good,
just as I remember the Ramblers of my
youth. Side trim has minor dings but nothing
a casual viewer would notice. Driver’s outside
mirror damaged. Interior is largely original
with driver’s seat, headliner and cargo
96 AmericanCarCollector.com
AmericanCarCollector.com
#S754-1966 AMC AMX prototype 2-dr
hard top. VIN: N/A. Orange/black vinyl.
Odo: 1,103 miles. 343-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp.
Current paint was done sometime in the
’70s and is now badly cracked and chipped.
Door fit poor. Hood vents are foil-covered
wood. Looks to have later production seat
covers. Door panels nice. Engine compartment
not open. One-off grille nice but not
perfect. Cond: 4+.
SOLD AT $90,750. A running prototype that
bridged the non-running AMX show car and
production prototypes. Said to be one of two
built for initial tests. Includes “Ramble seat.”
Unlike roadsters of the 1920s and ’30s,
however, there’s a handy windscreen that
pops up for the passengers. That feature
got some press coverage back in the day,
but safety concerns killed the idea. General
shape is similar to the eventual ’68 AMX,
but most details differ. A nice piece of history
for the Rambler/AMC fan. Fairly bought
and sold. (See profile, p. 54.) A
Page 96
SILVER AUCTIONS // Fort McDowell, AZ
Silver Auctions — Arizona
in January
A BASE ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC IS USUALLY KRYPTONITE, BUT THE ’63
CORVETTE’S ORIGINALITY AND TWO-PIECE REAR WINDOW SENT IT TO $81k
Silver
Auctions
Fort McDowell, AZ
January 28–30,
2016
Auctioneers: Mitch
Silver, Gary Dehler,
Matt Backs
Automotive lots sold/
offered: 281/484
Sales rate: 58%
Sales total:
$3,919,918
high sale: 1963
Chevrolet Corvette
coupe, sold at $81,000
Buyer’s premium:
8%, $250 minimum,
included in sold prices
ACC 1–6 scale
condition rating
for vehicles in
Market Reports
1. perfect: National
show standard
2. Excellent: Club
show-worthy, some
small flaws
3. Average: Daily driver
in decent condition
4. Meh: Still a driver,
with some visible flaws
5. Questionable: A
problem-plagued beast
that somehow
manages to run
6. Lost cause:
Salvageable for parts
originally owned by a junior-high-school teacher — 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window coupe, sold
at $81,000
Report and photos by B. Mitchell Carlson
Market opinions in italics
a market interested in mid-to-lower-level cars, but that
servicing that market can even be profitable. While the
higher-end auction houses saw decreases in sales this
year, Silver managed to see an uptick.
Consignments were up by 168, with 62 more sales.
O
98 AmericanCarCollector.com
While that knocks the overall percentage down, the big
number — total sales — was up by $328k. Not earthshaking
growth, but better than a decline.
The top American car to sell was a 1963 Corvette
Split-Window coupe. Owned for 49 years by the schoolteacher
who bought it new, it was about as frugal and
docile a car as a new ’Vette owner could have gotten that
year, with the base engine and a Powerglide automatic.
Usually that combo is Kryptonite in the mid-year
ver the past 19 years, some observers
in the Arizona auction scene expected
Silver’s Fort McDowell to be a passing
fad. However, the auction house
continues to prove that not only is there
market. Yet the combo of general originality with 63k
original miles and that two-piece rear window meant
that buyers bid fiercely for it. The last man standing took
it home for $81k.
As a point of comparison, the other C2 consigned
here was a ’64 convertible in 300-hp tune with a 4-speed
and both tops. Granted, it was in a lesser condition
with color-change repaint to red, but that car could only
muster a $38,340 sale.
Below these sales was a healthy mix of American
vehicles. I say “vehicles” intentionally, since trucks —
especially short-box pickups — continued to do well
here. Quality muscle cars were in short supply, but there
were a few that did cross the block.
Silver continued to defy the upper tier of the market
and brought home another productive sale that once
again improved upon the results from the previous
year. We’ll see next year if the 20th anniversary event
continues the trend. A
Page 98
SILVER AUCTIONS // Fort McDowell, AZ
CLASSICS
#437-1937 LAFAYETTE SERIES 3710 sedan.
VIN: LE32214. Eng. # LE32214.
Maroon/gray cloth. Odo: 78,238 miles. Repainted
for the second time in 2015 and not
especially well. (First time was 1964.) Overspray
on cowl welting, door seals and even
on rear tires. Post-war aftermarket sun visor.
All original chrome with moderate pitting.
Hood-hinge chrome has all flaked off.
Passenger’s side headlight lens is cracked.
Enamel broken off cloisonné emblems. Recently
reupholstered interior with loose-fitting
seat coverings. New carpeting. Scruffy,
washed-off engine bay. Dingy undercarriage
with a newer electric fuel pump near
the tank. Cond: 3-.
of production, they were referred to as the
“Nash-LaFayette 400.” Claimed to be one of
four remaining examples, it’s tough to say
whether this was worth $2,500 more than
the price offered. I’m inclined to side with
the bidders, who quit at a point that seems
reasonable for a little-known car that’s been
kept up on the cheap.
GM
#421-1958 CHEVROLET CAMEO pickup.
VIN: V3A58L103932. White & red/red &
white nylon. Odo: 91,456 miles. 283-ci V8,
2-bbl, 3-sp. Professionally restored in recent
years; limited use since. Excellent body
prep and paint. All brightwork replated or
reproduction. Excellent door fit. Non-stock
high-gloss cargo box wood. Neat presentation
under the hood, but engine’s deviations
from stock include color (Chevy car red, not
truck gray), later exhaust manifolds, and
aftermarket carb and air cleaner. Aftermarket
coil-over rear shocks and dual exhaust.
Excellent reproduction interior. Squealing
speedometer cable. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$50,760. The reserve was met with no difficulty
at $44k and saw several bids more.
Two-and-a-half years after the Lambrecht
Chevrolet sale in Nebraska, it appears that
we have returned to the normal market for
’58 Cameos.
#662-1963 CHEVROLET CORVAIR 95
6-dr cargo van. VIN: 3R125F106652. Red/
Fawn nylon & vinyl. Odo: 13,355 miles. 146ci
H6, 2x1-bbl, 4-sp. Sold new in San Francisco
Bay Area to Bob Jauch Photography
of Oakland, CA. Original painted graphics
can still be read. Recently clear-coated over
and in places almost looks like it was
brushed on. Some body filler popping out
along a couple of seams, but the old bus is
actually free of serious structural rust. Original
motor runs out well enough. Dry-rotted
door seals. Seat reupholstered in correct
materials. Consigned on behalf of the
owner, Billie Joe Armstrong of the group
Green Day. Cond: 4+.
NOT SOLD AT $17,500. Nash’s low-priced
car during the Depression was the LaFayette,
produced 1934–40. Some sources
state that for a period during this car’s year
SOLD AT $8,856. Needless to say, Corvair
vans are no longer in the realm of “I’ll pay
you $50 to take it away,” like they were 18
years ago. (That’s how I got my last one,
and yes, it ran.) Armstrong also included an
autographed guitar with it, so the celebrity
thing skews things a bit. Silly money, going
away after the reserve was passed at $8k,
but at least they got an interesting piece
that’s either neat to cruise with as-is or a
good start for a restoration—not an internally
rusting Bondo sculpture like the lower
half of mine was.
#685-1967 OLDSMOBILE 442 convertible.
VIN: 338677M153313. Red/black vinyl/black
vinyl. Odo: 12,375 miles. 400-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Optional power steering, center console
and AM radio. Decent color-change
repaint from the original Crystal Blue.
100 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 100
SILVER AUCTIONS // Fort McDowell, AZ
Sloppy masking around the unmolested VIN
tag, but at least it was masked off. Body
gaps at cowl are wide but even. Hood sits
high at hinges. Doors close nicely. Wellinstalled
reproduction seats show no wear.
Plastic trim is original and getting a bit tired.
Period aftermarket gauges mounted beneath
the dash. Engine bay and undercarriage
are clean and generally authentically
redone. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $39,960. Was
out at the Arizona auctions last year, not
sold at Russo and Steele at $42,900 (ACC#
257105). A year later, the consignor was
likely a lot more keen to move it on and cut
it loose when the money dried up here. As
I’m well known for saying, the B-O-P A-body
muscle cars offer more bang for the buck
than any comparable Chevelle. If this wore
a Bowtie, it’d be a $50k example. Not perfect,
not 100% true to original, but still a
darn nice example that won’t embarrass.
7F377162. Maroon/maroon velour. Odo:
40,079 miles. 305-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Essentially
all original with actual miles. Good
39-year-old GM-applied paint. Door fit is not
the greatest; welcome to 1977. Excellent
original chrome and trim. Older radial tires.
#417-1977 CHEVROLET C10 Cheyenne
Stepside pickup. VIN: CCU14-
Period-accessory bug shield, mudflaps and
tonneau cover over the cargo box. Heaviest
wear on interior is brake pad and steeringwheel
rim, and those are negligible. Generally
circa-1977 under the hood, with light
oxidation and paint flaking commensurate
with the miles indicated. Cond: 2-. SOLD
AT $12,420. It’s easy to tell that this was a
truck that was pampered since new and
tucked away during inclement weather. It’s
a template that would be helpful to anyone
restoring a 1973–79, but it didn’t have so
few miles that it can’t take in a trip to the DQ
once in a while. Bought well.
#334-1978 PONTIAC TRANS AM coupe.
VIN: 2W87Z8L131458. Silver/ maroon vinyl.
Odo: 51,330 miles. 400-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Sold new in Scottsdale with sheeting indicating
optional a/c, tint glass, power windows,
door locks, steering, brakes and
seats, tilt wheel, center console, 2.56-ratio
Positraction, lamp group and snowflake alloys.
Eight-track replaced with newer tape
deck. Aftermarket Hurst dual-gate shifter.
Good new repaint and replacement hood
chicken. Some door-stop bumpers not reinstalled,
but does have new door
weatherstrips. Screaming chicken etched
into rear window. Interior soft trim is reproduction
and redyed. Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $16,200. The second-gen Firebirds
have certainly seen their ebbs and
peaks in the past decade. By the looks of
things, they seem to be starting to swing up
in value again. That partially explains the
strong price here on a car that’s not as 51kmile-minty
as some may have believed.
CORVETTE
#702-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Split-Window coupe. VIN: 30837S107822.
Saddle Tan/Saddle vinyl. Odo: 63,647
miles. 327-ci 250-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Miles
claimed actual. Stated that it was a oneowner
car until her death in 2012, retaining
most documentation from new. Sparsely
equipped. Splendid repaint done around
1990. No cracking or bonding-strip broadcasting
evident. Good door fit. Good original
brightwork with occasional light scuffing.
Seats look too nice to be original, but the
rest of the interior shows the expected light
wear and aging. Recent engine-bay detailing,
generally to stock. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $81,000. The original owner was
one Miss Jean Gall, a junior-high-school
teacher from Washington state. Why
couldn’t I have had cool teachers like that? I
generally had crabby old guys with rusty old
Chevy Task Force-era pickups. The closest
to being cool was Mr. Burr, who was into
4-door 1967–69 T-birds. Reserve lifted at
the end of bidding, proving once again that
a ’63 Split-Window coupe defies the “top
goes down, price goes up rule.” Despite the
base engine and Powerglide, I’d say it was
bought well.
FOMOCO
#651-1940 MERCURY EIGHT convertible
sedan. VIN: 09A229884. Blue metallic/tan
cloth/maroon vinyl. Odo: 60,717 miles. Optional
radio, heater with defroster and clock.
Older redo. Paint is still quite presentable,
despite a few chips from road debris. Some
brightwork in good shape (such as bumpers);
other pieces are darn near shot (mirrors).
Rattle-can matte black touch-up on
running boards where original dried-up rubber
has chipped off. Top is faded and splitting.
Old upholstery redo; seats still pretty
good; door panels getting ragged. Stated
that it has an issue with the brakes, and it
needed a few shots of ether to wake up
102 AmericanCarCollector.com
BEST
BUY
Page 102
SILVER AUCTIONS // Fort McDowell, AZ
when cold. Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $19,170. One of 1,083 from the
only year there ever was of a convertible
sedan from Mercury and the last 4-door
convertible from any FoMoCo line until the
1961 Lincoln Continental. No longer in its
prime but not quite ready for primer, it’s at
that clumsy point of driving if it sells for a lot
or restoring if it goes cheap. I’d say it went
for more of the former, but get your mechanic
on six-ring standby for some job security
regardless.
#503-1940 MERCURY EIGHT custom
convertible sedan. VIN: 16347J. Midnight
blue/blue cloth/two-tone blue vinyl. Odo:
117 miles. 350-ci fuel-injected V8, auto.
Modern VIN tag. Build completed in 2002,
received the Event Director’s Award at the
2002 NSRA nationals and was profiled in
the May 2003 issue of American Rodder.
Crate Chevy V8 with 4-bolt main, geardriven
cam, serpentine belt, tube headers
and TPI fuel injection. Ten-bolt rear end
from a ’67 Nova. Repaint and replating still
present exceptionally well. Generally good
panel fit. LED brake lights beneath rear
bumper. Not much stock inside, but mods
are tastefully integrated. Vintage Air, CD
player, etc. Cond: 2.
auto. Optional 260-ci V8, automatic, power
steering and simulated wire wheel covers.
Modern a/c. Superb trim-off repaint. All
brightwork either replated, professionally
polished or replaced with reproduction
pieces. Good panel gaps, but driver’s door
could be better. Excellent interior vinyl with
just a hint of yellowing. Good older carpet.
Non-stock door-lock plungers. Generally
tidy under the hood, considering all the
modern a/c hardware on top of the motor
and quite a bit of modern electrical wiring.
Cond: 2-.
appealing than a temperamental muscle
car with no power equipment. The reserve
was cut loose right before it was ushered
off the block, yielding a pretty decent buy,
all things considered.
#728-1977 FORD F-350 Ranger XLT
Camper Special pickup. VIN: F35JRY89199.
White & brown metallic/tan nylon.
Odo: 22,283 miles. 460-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Options include 460-ci V8, C6 automatic,
dual fuel tanks, power steering and brakes,
AM/FM and factory a/c (converted to
R134a). Claimed unrestored with actual
miles. Good original paint, except on the
front of the hood and in the box where it
worked for a living. Box floor has holes
where a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch was
mounted. Two spare wheels with tires sitting
loose in the back plus the factory spare
in its carrier. Excellent original seat and
door panels. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $17,280. The Sports Coupe moniker
was essentially Fairlane speak for
bucket seats and a center console, á la Galaxie
500 XL, Mercury S55 or even Chevy
Super Sport. Performance had nothing to
do with it. Still, this is one of those cars that
you’ll never have to worry about difficulty
telling which one of the 50 at a car show is
actually yours.
#416-1965 FORD MUSTANG convertible.
VIN: 5F08U210245. Wimbledon White/white
vinyl/white vinyl. Odo: 63,064 miles. 170-ci
I6, 1-bbl, auto. 1964½ production configuration.
Optional power steering, power top
and a/c. Cosmetically refurbished in recent
years, including better-than-typical repaint.
Non-stock body character-line pinstriping.
While not perfect, body-panel alignment is
better than typically encountered on these.
All-reproduction brightwork. Clean and generally
well detailed under the hood. Fresh
interior soft trim. Aftermarket wood-rim
steering wheel. Good enough for most
shows, but not for the Mustang geeks.
Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $63,180. With only about a thousand
built in the last year of a Mercury convertible
sedan, it’s unusual to see one turn
up for auction, much less two. Lot 651 was
a stock example that’s getting scruffy. It’s
interesting to compare values, although this
one being a rod, you’re really comparing
apples to pizza. The reserve here was surpassed
at $56k and saw a few more bids to
become the top seller at this point in the
event.
#581-1963 FORD FAIRLANE 500 Sports
Coupe 2-dr hard top. VIN: 3R47F113776.
Light blue metallic & white/two-tone blue
vinyl. Odo: 96,032 miles. 260-ci V8, 2-bbl,
104 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $8,208. The 1970s Ford F-350
Camper Specials had a spare tire alcove
integral to the right side of the pickup box.
With this setup, it was no big deal to change
a tire with a camper in the box. I’ve seen
quite a few heavy-duty F-series surfacing at
collector car auctions in recent years—more
so than GMs or Dodges. Most tend to be
lower miles and well preserved as tow rigs
or campers. With lots of interest in it, this
was bid up to $7,600 on the block and declared
sold as it left the auction tent.
#304-2003 MERCURY MARAUDER sedan.
VIN: 2MEHM75V03X645711. Black/
black leather. Odo: 89,285 miles. 4.6-L fuelinjected
V8, auto. Early production example
with “waterfall M” emblem; FoMoCo revived
the “Mercury Messenger Man” logo exclusively
for the Marauder later in the year.
Decent original paint, with heavier nicks and
clearcoat peeling on the mirrors and the
ends of the bumper claddings. Excellent
door fit. Minimal sun fade on turn signals.
Front tires worn from too much toe-in and
SOLD AT $21,600. With the power steering
pump and a/c compressor, it’s amazing
that the car can actually move. (I suspect
0–60 times are measured with calendars).
Still, a good example for folks who like
Mustangs as they were when they were
introduced in 1964: slow, comfy and more
Page 104
SILVER AUCTIONS // Fort McDowell, AZ
should be replaced. Less interior wear than
expected for the mileage. Runs out well and
completely stock. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$4,000. Mercury’s last attempt at something
more than a badge-engineered Ford used
the 4-valve 4.6-L V8 straight from the 2003
Mustang Mach 1. It was a good car, with the
robust Panther platform fine-tuned over two
decades of cop-car use, but the price killed
it. It was a couple grand more than it
should’ve been, and dealers played the
“market-demand price adjustment” game.
Most potential buyers stayed away, and
with weak sales, the car died after 2004.
This one may be a little on the jagged side,
but these show signs of future collectibility.
MOPAR
CAR COLLECTOR
AMERICAN
™
SUBSCRIBE
TO ACC
#731-1967 PLYMOUTH GTX 2-dr hard
top. VIN: RS23L75108472. Red metallic/
black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 17,424 miles.
440-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older, better-quality
repaint. Passenger’s flank has some door
dings, most without chipping. Heavier chips
in the leading edge of the hood, all brush
touched-up. Great door fit. Older bumper
replating; good, mostly original trim. Carpeting,
door panels and seat backs come off as
being original, but seat bottoms look newer.
Original AM radio in dash, but rear parcel
shelf has speakers cut into it. Aftermarket
induction and chromed valve covers on an
otherwise stock-looking motor. Runs out
strong. Cond: 3+.
Scuffed door panels and tailgate interior.
Recent chrome and trim buff-out. Aftermarket
chrome tailpipe outlet. 1960s California
Highway Patrol inspection, AACA and AMC
Rambler Club decals in original windshield.
Authentically reupholstered seats.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $18,090. The Custom was the
top-end trim of the entry-level (6-cylinder)
Rambler line for ’59. Above that were the
V8 Rebels and Ambassadors. In a nutshell,
this was the fanciest 6-cylinder wagon that
year. In pink and white with a period picnic
set in the back, it certainly looked the part of
’50s suburbia—and for once, thankfully,
there wasn’t a surfboard in back. Seems
cheap to me, but the motivated consignor
cut it loose at $14k, so he knew what he
was doing. I still think, in the long and short
run, this was bought well.
SOLD AT $24,840. Stock Mopars were few
and far between out here, but this one fit the
bill nicely. A long way away from being a
concours queen, but would do one proud as
a cruiser or local show car with better detailing.
With the reserve pulled when the bidding
ceased, it represents a good solid buy
on a good solid car.
AMERICANA
877.219.2605 Ext. 1
AmericanCarCollector.com
106 AmericanCarCollector.com
#442-1959 RAMBLER CUSTOM
Cross Country wagon. VIN: D543004.
Hibiscus Rose & Dover White/black, pink &
white vinyl. Odo: 39,706 miles. 196-ci I6,
1-bbl, 3-sp. Retains original documentation,
including invoice, from when it was sold
new in Portland, OR. Optional overdrive
unit, Weather Eye heater, reclining seats
and undercoating. Excellent older repaint.
SOLD AT $20,520. While the CJs tended to
be saved, these mostly got used up and
thrown away—especially up in the Rust
Belt. Today, they are just starting to get noticed
and are catching the rising tide of
American vintage SUVs. (See profile, p.
58.) A
#409-1972 JEEP COMMANDO SUV. VIN:
2JA87FVH32330. Blue metallic & white/
multi-blue vinyl. Odo: 69,033 miles. 304-ci
V8, 2-bbl, auto. Optional 304-ci V8, automatic
transmission, power steering, rear
seat and AM radio. Newer masked-off repaint
is presentable but could be better.
Decent door fit, considering that they were
iffy at best when new. Original chrome bumpers
have light surface rust; alloy trim is far
better. Period Selectro locking front hubs,
modern radial mud and snow tires. Several
interior plastic components are yellowing,
but the claimed-original upholstery is rather
nice. Mostly stock and well detailed under
the hood. Cond: 3+.
BEST
BUY
Keith Martin’s
Page 106
GLOBAL
ROUNDUP
Selected Sales Combined in One Comprehensive Report
American Highlights
at Five Auctions
GM
#358-1956 CHEVROLET BEL AIR custom
2-dr hard top. VIN: VC56L105207. Matador
Red & Indian Ivory/tan leather. Odo: 68,523
miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. An attractive
resto-mod with a big crate 350-ci V8. Fitted
with American Racing mags and B&M
shifter. Good-looking paint in glistening Resale
Red. Chrome bright and shiny. Interior
finished in tan leather buckets. Fitted with
air and dual exhaust. Very well done if this
is your thing. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $36,225. I doubt the price paid
covered the cost of the build. Works out well
for the buyer, but a tough pill to swallow for
the seller. Price paid was market-correct, so
I hope the seller had his fun with the car.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
Less than 300 miles from new — 2006 Ford GT coupe, sold for $310,000 at
Bonhams, Scottsdale, AZ
Gooding & Company
The Scottsdale Auctions
Scottsdale, AZ — January 29–30, 2016
Auctioneer: Charlie Ross
Automotive lots sold/offered: 96/113
Sales rate: 85%
Sales total: $42,386,050
high American sale: 1929 Duesenberg Model J
dual-cowl phaeton, sold at $2,420,000
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Joseph T. Seminetta and
Nicholas M. Seminetta
Photos by Ian Butt
RM Sotheby’s
Arizona 2016
phoenix, AZ — January 28–29, 2016
Auctioneer: Max Girardo
Automotive lots sold/offered: 126/149
Sales rate: 85%
Sales total: $62,747,250
high American sale: 1929 Duesenberg Model J
Torpedo convertible, sold at $3,000,000
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Carl Bomstead
Bonhams
The Scottsdale Auction
Scottsdale, AZ — January 28, 2016
Auctioneers: James Knight, Rupert Banner
Automotive lots sold/offered: 94/112
Sales rate: 84%
108 AmericanCarCollector.com
Sales total: $18,038,250
high American sale: 2006 Ford GT, sold at
$310,000
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Cody Tayloe
McCormick’s Palm Springs
Collector Car Auction
palm Springs, CA — november 20–22, 2015
Auctioneers: Jeff Stokes, Frank Bizzarro,
Rob Row
Automotive lots sold/offered: 369/530
Sales rate: 70%
Sales total: $6,859,978
high sale: 1959 Cadillac Series 62 convertible,
sold at $136,500
Buyer’s premium: 5%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Carl Bomstead
GAA
Classic Cars at the palace
Greensboro, nC — november 5–7, 2016
Auctioneers: Ricky Parks, Mike Anderson,
Eli Detweiler
Automotive lots sold/offered: 337/545
Sales rate: 62%
Sales total: $7,733,138
high sale: 1933 Packard Super Eight tourer,
sold at $222,600
Buyer’s premium: $500 up to $8,000,
6% thereafter, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Jeff Trepel
#ST-0130-1957 CHEVROLET 3100
pickup. VIN: 3A57L125748. Indian Turquoise
& Antique White/black & white cloth
& vinyl. Odo: 63,133 miles. 235-ci I6, 1-bbl,
3-sp. Excellent workmanship with beautiful
paint and chrome. Nice, non-original oak
bed. Small scrape on tailgate and brake
pedal pad are among the very few flaws.
Near-perfect interior with seat belts. Other
concessions to modernity include an alternator
and AM/FM tape deck. Nicely detailed
underhood with minor recent dirt and oldlooking
radiator cap. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $31,270. One of two Chevy pickups
from the Doris and Larry R. Bailey Collection,
which consisted mostly of pre-war
Fords. The late Mr. Bailey owned a cabinet
business and apparently was focused on
what constitutes good workmanship, because
almost all of his cars were outstanding.
Less history was presented here than
on most of the other Bailey Collection cars,
but this was a very nicely done pickup. The
price realized was strong for the model and
spec, but given its outstanding condition,
the result seems fair to both parties. GAA,
Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
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#355-1957 CHEVROLET BEL AIR 2-dr
hard top. VIN: VC570101089. Dusk Pearl &
Imperial Ivory/silver & black fabric. Odo:
16,715 miles. 265-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. A very
impressive restoration of a popular Tri-Five
Bel Air. The windshield is scratched, and
the trim is a bit dull. Headliner dirty. The
paint is in good order and applied in a professional
manner. Interior without issue.
Engine clean and appears properly maintained.
Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $132,000. This was last seen at
Barrett-Jackson’s 2008 Scottsdale sale,
where it realized $104,500 (ACC# 48556).
Driven only 37 miles since. Even though the
car was restored prior to the 2008 sale, it
still appears as fresh. Price paid was spoton,
so no issues here. RM Sotheby’s,
Phoenix, AZ, 01/16.
SOLD AT $30,450. These continue to be
popular, but they are off their high of a few
years back. Even so, the price paid here
seems a bit light. Call this well bought.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#503-1957 CHEVROLET BEL AIR convertible.
VIN: VC57L135617. Larkspur
Blue/white vinyl/blue vinyl. Odo: 5,934
miles. 265-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. An impressive
example restored to perfection. Fitted with
twin spotlights and aerials. Also has radio
and Continental kit. Paint is close to flawless,
and interior is without issue. A gorgeous
presentation. Cond: 1-.
#144-1958 CADILLAC ELDORADO Biarritz
convertible. VIN: 58E047525. Desert
Bronze/tan cloth/bronze leather. Odo: 715
miles. 365-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. A work of
art from a bygone era. 2008 restoration, still
showing well. Nice panel gaps. Red hue
slightly uneven on hood. Steering wheel
chips. Correct-grain dash and three-piece
rear bumper. Cond: 1-.
Impala is its 348 V8 with three 2-barrel
carbs, but there was no claim that this was
the original configuration. This particular car
has the 2-speed Powerglide transmission,
but the 348 engine was also available with
the 3-speed Turboglide. The restoration is
decent but has too many inconsistencies at
this price level. Well sold. GAA, Greensboro,
NC, 11/15.
#233-1959 CADILLAC DEVILLE 2-dr hard
top. VIN: 59J066623. Black/white leather &
black fabric. Odo: 98,606 miles. 390-ci V8,
4-bbl, auto. Distinctive styling with large tailfins
and twin bullet taillamps. Power windows
and two-way power seats standard. A
well-presented example with the rear passenger’s
window delaminating. Paint very
nice and interior with no glaring issues. A
solid driver. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $75,600. The edge has been off
Tri-Fives for a bit, and as a result this did
not reach its full potential. A few years back
it would have pushed six figures, but not
today. A delightful car that was well bought.
Kudos to the buyer. Bet he still has an earto-ear
grin. McCormick’s, Palm Springs,
CA, 11/15.
#267-1957 OLDSMOBILE STARFIRE 98
J-2 convertible. VIN: 579M26916. Festival
Red/white vinyl/red & white leather. Odo: 41
miles. 371-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. Oldsmobile’s
NASCAR exploits resulted in the J-2
package being offered to the public as an
$83 option. It is thought that fewer than 750
were so equipped. An older restoration that
still presents well. Engine bay sparkles, and
Festival Red paint is almost flawless. Massive
grille in good order. Lacking air. Restored
in the right colors. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $181,500. At over 18 feet in
length, this lot was a crowd favorite all
weekend. The car sold three years ago at
this exact auction for $192,500 (ACC#
222186). The owner probably waited one
year too many to make some money here. I
hope he enjoyed this exceptional car during
his short ownership. Traded at the appropriate
level given the current market (and
within the $175k–$225k auction estimate).
Gooding & Co., Scottsdale, AZ, 01/16.
#ST-0047-1958 CHEVROLET IMPALA
convertible. VIN: F58J212081. Onyx
Black/white canvas/black, aqua & gray cloth
& vinyl. Odo: 645 miles. 348-ci V8, 3x2-bbl,
auto. Attractive ’58 Impala in classic colors,
mercifully free of Continental kit that afflicts
many of these. Shiny black paint a bit thick.
Vague claim that it was “recently restored,”
but much of the exterior chrome is faded,
scratched, pitted or dented. Bumpers are
better. Nice top but with scratches in rear
window. Good full tinted glass. Seats very
nice; kudos to the restorer for including lap
belts front and rear. Interior chrome somewhat
better than exterior. Neat engine compartment.
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $69,960.
The distinguishing feature of this particular
SOLD AT $45,150. This example sold at
the high end of the market. It was a good
car but far from perfect. Buyer may have a
problem getting his money back, so no reason
not to drive and enjoy. Well sold. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#333-1959 CADILLAC SERIES 62 convertible.
VIN: 59F065714. Pink/white vinyl/
black & white leather. Odo: 53,840 miles.
390-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. The most flamboyant
of the late ’50s cars with huge tailfins and
twin bullet taillamps. The Series 62 engine
made 20 less horsepower than the triple2-barreled
Eldorado. Stated to have been
fully restored. Finished in wild non-factory
pink. Top is dirty and interior shows a mild
patina. Body straight and solid. Heavily promoted.
Cond: 2+.
March-April 2016 109
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SOLD AT $136,500. If you want to attract a
crowd, this will do it. A wild car finished in a
wild scheme suitable for Elvis or Marilyn
Monroe. Sold for strong money considering
it is not an Eldorado Biarritz. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#207-1959 CHEVROLET IMPALA convertible.
VIN: F59J145285. Tuxedo Black/black
vinyl/red tri-tone vinyl. Odo: 36 miles. 348-ci
V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. A recent restoration with
test miles since completion. Equipped with
348 Super Turbo-Thrust V8 and desirable
Tri-Power. Also has power steering, brakes
and dual rear antennas. One-year-only “bat
wing” rear fenders and “cateye” taillights. A
solid presentation. Cond: 1-.
be a better example, so a fair outcome to
both parties. GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#FR-0217-1961 CHEVROLET IMPALA
2-dr sedan. VIN: 11811B148062. Twilight
Turquoise/turquoise cloth. Odo: 86,675
miles. 283-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Another mintyfresh
(both in color and condition) ’61 Chevrolet
from the Sam Taylor Collection. This
unusual two-door post, again with a 283-ci
V8, 4-barrel and Powerglide, was even better
than the Bel Air (Lot FR-0216). AACA
prize winner. Exterior, interior and
underhood approach perfection. The clock
appears to be inoperable. Cond: 1-.
quality could not be reproduced for anywhere
near the price. Well bought, but perhaps
begs the question: Can you drive it?
GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#TH-0071-1966 CHEVROLET CORVAIR
Monza convertible. VIN: 105676L108262.
White/white cloth/dark blue vinyl. Odo:
76,282 miles. 164-ci H6, 2x1-bbl, 4-sp. Attractive
Monza convertible at least partially
restored at some point. Shiny white paint
with clean white top that could benefit from
a tighter fit. Bumpers nice, but balance of
chrome shows age. Original-style wire
wheel covers ($59 extra in 1966). Interior
shade of very dark blue not shown as a
color option in the accompanying sales brochure.
Seats good, driver’s door panel is
warped. Clean and tidy underhood but not
detailed. Good collection of books and manuals.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $104,500. Styling that does not
appeal to all, but at least two bidders were
after this one. They pushed it to a solid
number, and the quality restoration was the
driving factor here. I doubt it you could do
one to this level for the price paid. Kudos to
buyer and seller. RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix,
AZ, 01/16.
#FR-0216-1961 CHEVROLET BEL AIR
2-dr sedan. VIN: 11511S211477. Twilight
Turquoise/turquoise cloth. Odo: 7,433 miles.
283-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Frame-off restored at
an unspecified time; looks virtually showroom-new.
Very minor flaws include faded
chrome around the side windows, a scratch
on the front bumper and a delaminating rear
view mirror. That’s it. Near-perfect interior.
As-new underhood, showing off the optional
283 Power Pack with 4-barrel carburetor.
Overall the best example anywhere of your
grandmother’s Bel Air sedan. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $25,175. 1961 was the only year
that an Impala 2-door pillared sedan was
produced. It is difficult to find any comparables
for this over-the-top restoration. The
phrase “restored to concours condition” is
thrown around a lot. This car lived up to that
hype yet was not over-restored. The sale
price was high, but again it must be the best
example in the world. Well sold, but at much
less than the cost of restoration, so certainly
well bought. GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#FR-0218-1961 CHEVROLET IMPALA
2-dr hard top. VIN: 11837B123206. Ermine
White/turquoise cloth. Odo: 75 miles. 283-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. The third of three frame-offrestored
1961 Chevys from the Sam Taylor
Collection. Even better than the first two
(Lots FR-0216 and FR-0217). Here are all
the flaws I could find on this car: 1) the radiator
tag informing the owner about the
type of coolant to be used was damaged;
and 2) some dirt had accumulated around
the hood latch. Otherwise it could be taken
to Pebble Beach as-is, if Pebble Beach had
an Impala class. Cond: 1.
SOLD AT $11,130. Ralph Nader’s safety
allegations about the Corvair began to take
hold in 1966, but they really related only to
the 1960–63 cars. Only about 10,000 1966
Monza convertibles were sold, versus
26,000 in 1965. This was an attractive example
which appeared to require only minor
cosmetic upgrades.To me the second-gen
Corvair is one of GM’s best designs of the
’60s, and the 4-speed transmission promises
fun. Fair to both parties, but the buyer
also gets the enjoyment. GAA, Greensboro,
NC, 11/15.
#247-1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO coupe.
VIN: 123378L323850. Marine Blue/blue
leather. Odo: 2,983 miles. 454-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Attractive resto-mod. Big GM 454 under
the cowl-induction hood. Holley 750
carb. Bucket seats with center console.
Sony stereo with new a/c. Paint striking and
all in good order. A solid package. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $20,670. The Sam Taylor Collection
consisted of three full-size 1961 Chevrolets,
two Impalas and this Bel Air 2-door
sedan, which would be very ordinary except
it must be the best one in the world. In order
to evaluate these three cars, I had to act
more as a concours judge than an auction
analyst. Sale price may seem very high for
such a pedestrian model, but there cannot
110 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $43,725. Is there a rating of “1+”
for condition? If so, this Impala bubbletop
deserved it. When the reserve was lifted on
this car at around $35,000, the bidding took
off. One of the few cars in the auction where
that occurred. The ultimate sale price may
have been high for a 283 (albeit with a
4-barrel) Powerglide car, but the amazing
SOLD AT $49,875. Willing to bet that the
seller had more than the sales price in
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vested, as all was finished to high standard.
A build such as this is rarely a profitable
venture unless you are doing it in-house.
Buyer should be all smiles on this one.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#ST-0095-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO
Z/28 coupe. VIN: 124379N688403. Daytona
Yellow/black vinyl/yellow & houndstooth
cloth & vinyl. Odo: 56,223 miles.
302-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Blindingly bright.
Shocking to sit in the yellow-and-black
houndstooth interior in this era of gray-ongray
luxury cars. No radio. Paint, chrome
and interior generally without issue. Black
vinyl top not indicated by trim tag, so may
have been added when new by dealer or at
restoration; in any case, it is nicely done.
Engine compartment also nice but with
added non-stock headers; smog pump appears
to be missing. Sits properly on Rally
wheels. Cond: 2+.
of the speculators are bragging about their
smart move. Just a nice collectible Cadillac
today, and the price paid here is about right.
(See “Cheap Thrills,” p. 36.) RM Sotheby’s,
Phoenix, AZ, 01/16.
CORVETTE
#14-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: E57S104701. Arctic Blue/
white vinyl/white leather. Odo: 367 miles.
283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Extensive,
nut-and-bolt, well-documented 2008 restoration.
NCRS decorated and documented.
Attractive Arctic Blue paint with inconsistent
panel gaps. Slightly discolored interior. Misaligned
chrome. Cond: 2-.
miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. The
Split-Window was the first Corvette coupe.
Fitted with factory air and Powerglide automatic,
which was rarely selected. Seating is
not fresh, but no other major issues. Asexpected
panel fit with paint showing a bit of
age. Also equipped with knockoffs and AM/
FM radio. A very presentable example.
Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $63,600. The yellow-and-black
interior is a conversation piece for everyone
who sees this car. Does that increase the
value? Consignor claims that only 7% of ’69
Camaro production was in Daytona Yellow.
Z/28 values have been on a rollercoaster
over the past several years. This one previously
sold for $64,200 at Mecum Indy in
May 2013 (ACC# 22859). Well bought today.
GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#206-1976 CADILLAC ELDORADO convertible.
VIN: 6L67S6Q193983. Cotillion
White/white leather. Odo: 257 miles. 500-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Has been maintained in
factory-fresh condition. Mechanically refurbished
with limited actual mileage. The
1976 Eldorado was going to be the last year
for the Cadillac convertible. Priced at
$11,049 when new. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $121,000. Opening bid came at
$50k, and things inched up nicely to the
final sale price. Gooding always brings a
few cars such as these to balance out the
Ferraris and Bentleys, and this lot sold at a
market-correct price. Gooding & Co.,
Scottsdale, AZ, 01/16.
#150-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Split-Window coupe. VIN: 30837S118592.
Saddle Tan/tan leather. Odo: 60,193 miles.
327-ci 340-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Unrestored,
solid-lifter L76 Split-Window coupe. Positraction,
sintered metallic brakes, power
windows. Chipped, scratched paint with
mismatched panel tones. Nicely preserved
interior. MCACN Heritage and NCRS Top
Flight awards. Window sticker, owner’s
manual, brochure, protection plan and some
early registration docs included. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $126,500. This Corvette was last
seen at Mecum Kissimmee a year ago,
where it realized $77,760 (ACC# 262621).
A year later, a tidy profit for the seller. Any
Split-Window coupe is desirable, but this
one had the smaller motor and 2-speed
auto, so not all that exciting. Very well sold.
RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix, AZ, 01/16.
#357-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 408678S115928. Riverside
Red/red hard top/black vinyl. Odo: 7,724
miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. An
eye-catching Corvette finished in the most
popular color for 1964. Resprayed to high
standard and brightwork in good order. Interior
up to standard with ever-popular
4-speed manual transmission, which was
on most every ’64 Corvette. Has a few minor
fit-and-finish issues, but a very presentable
example. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $45,150. Price paid was marketcorrect
for a roadster in this condition. A few
years back it would have brought a bit more,
but the Corvette market has taken a correction.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA,
11/15.
SOLD AT $52,250. How many of these
were put away as the “last” Cadillac convertible?
Factor in storage, insurance and
alternative use of the funds, and I doubt any
112 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $115,500. Color is subjective, but
Saddle may have deterred some buyers.
The $175k–$225k pre-sale estimate was
closer to current Fuelie prices. Price paid
was fair for buyer and seller. Gooding &
Co., Scottsdale, AZ, 01/16.
#116-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Split-Window coupe. VIN: 30837S115045.
Sebring Silver/black vinyl. Odo: 41,533
#384-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 194675S103248. Tuxedo
Black/tan fabric/tan leather. Odo: 93,297
miles. 327-ci 350-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. An
attractive Corvette convertible powered by
the L79 motor. Fitted with aftermarket
knockoffs and was complete with both tops.
Riding on Goldline tires, which were an option.
Attractive leather interior which was in
good order. A few buffer marks on trim. Mi
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nor swirls in black paint. A well-maintained
example. Cond: 2+.
doors coming unglued. Those are about the
only nits to pick. Cond: 2+.
attention. Interior clean with a radio blank.
Equipped with a 4-speed manual as standard
equipment. Paint to high standard and
engine clean with no leaks or streaks noted.
An attractive package. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT
$29,400. The F-2 had a 1,910 pound payload
and a roomy 96-inch x 54-inch cargo
box. This truck sold at the VanDerBrink
Hustisford sale in May 2015 for $17,250 in
3+ condition with no graphics (ACC#
265087). Looks like the added graphics
increased the value 70%. Well sold. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
SOLD AT $47,250. This was last seen at
McCormick’s November 2011 sale, where it
realized $51,225 (ACC# 190213). Driven
only a couple thousand miles since, most of
which were on the Copperstate 1000. Slight
decline in value reflects the changing Corvette
market. McCormick’s, Palm Springs,
CA, 11/15.
FOMOCO
#ST-0127-1934 FORD MODEL 40 roadster.
VIN: 18636950. Tan/tan canvas/ Tobacco
brown leather. Odo: 3,095 miles.
Iconic ’34 roadster with rumble seat from
the Bailey Collection. AACA Senior National
First Place winner in 2012. Another spectacularly
preserved Bailey restoration. Virtually
perfect inside and out, except that balky
driver’s door latch needs adjustment. No
opportunity to view under the hood.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $53,000. The deluxe phaeton is
less commonly seen than the roadster. This
car wasn’t quite as gorgeous as the Bailey
roadster, Lot ST-0127, but it gets points for
rarity. This car garnered a lot of attention in
the auction showroom. I absolutely loved
the fender skirts with “V8” logos, which I
gather were a period accessory. Like the
roadster, this phaeton brought a strong
price but was well worth it. Well bought.
GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#354-1941 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL convertible.
VIN: H119248. Black/tan fabric/red
leather. Odo: 23,579 miles. 292-ci V12,
2-bbl, 3-sp. One of only 400 1941 Lincoln
Continental convertibles produced.
Equipped with pushbutton door handles and
gold trim. Paint is very presentable, although
there are several large blisters. Interior
plastic in good order. Top soiled. V12
motor with overdrive. Cond: 2.
#514-1951 MERCURY 9CM sedan. VIN:
51LA13314M. Pink/white vinyl. Odo: 96,210
miles. 255-ci V8, 2-bbl, 3-sp. Painted a hideous
shade of pink that is faded and rubbed
through in areas. Even has plastic pink Mercury
Man hubcap centers (one missing).
Rear window broken, chrome badly pitted
and dented. Dash plastic shot. Interior has
horrible rotting odor. Hate to think of how
much rust was hidden under the carpets.
Hard to find anything constructive to say.
Probably the worst car McCormick’s has
sold in years. Cond: 5.
SOLD AT $4,988. You have to assume
someone bought this for parts, because the
road to restoration would be long and winding.
Belongs on the back row at the junkyard.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA,
11/15.
SOLD AT $63,600. Mass-produced American
cars of the ’30s are mostly in the market
doldrums, but not an open Ford V8. This
impeccable roadster in great colors is
among the best of the best. Not inexpensive,
but well worth it for the quality. Very
well bought. GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#ST-0142-1934 FORD MODEL 40 Deluxe
phaeton. VIN: 1879330. Black/tan canvas/
Tobacco brown leather. Odo: 32,023 miles.
Gorgeous Ford V8 from the Bailey Collection.
This is one of the oldest restorations in
the collection, an AACA National First Place
winner way back in 1977. For a restoration
that is approaching 40 years old, it’s astonishingly
well preserved but understandably
not quite as perfect as some of the other
cars in the collection. Paint generally less
fresh, with some cracking and lifting on right
front fender. Interior side panels behind rear
114 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $52,500. These are for all intents
handmade cars and should be worth more
than they are. That said, the price paid here
was on the high side of market. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#295-1949 FORD F-2 ¾-ton pickup. VIN:
98RY168414. Green/tan vinyl. Odo: 45,450
miles. 239-ci V8, 2-bbl, 4-sp. An attractive
restoration, and the catchy graphics grab
#TH-0074-1954 FORD COUNTRY SEDAN
9-passenger wagon. VIN: U4LX159555.
Dark green/ivory vinyl. Odo: 55,944 miles.
239-ci V8, 2-bbl, 3-sp. Mislabeled as a
Country Squire on dealer and auction stickers
despite the Country Sedan script right
below. Excellent paint, chrome not up to
same level but good enough. Driver’s door
fit could be better. Nice factory-tinted glass
but vent windows are delaminating. Appealing
interior with very nice seats, carpet and
door panels and later add-on Mark IV airconditioning.
Scruffy, authentic underhood.
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Factory overdrive is a plus. Nice driver condition
with lots of ’50s suburban character.
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $16,430. The 1954
Ford Y-block OHV V8 was a big step forward
from the ancient flathead, so 1954 is a
desirable model year. I loved this nicely preserved
wagon, which would make a sensational
football tailgating car for the owner
and eight friends. Dealer sticker on car during
auction had an optimistic asking price of
$23,995. The successful high bid represented
a big discount from that but is generally
consistent with the scant values found
in price guides. Lots of fun for the money.
GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#243-1956 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
MARK II 2-dr hard top. VIN: C56F3045.
Light green/white vinyl/white & green
leather. Odo: 90,785 miles. 368-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. One of the most expensive cars of the
era, with a price tag that pushed $10k. Ford
still lost $1,000 per car. Fully loaded with air
the only option. Finished with incorrect
white vinyl top. Leather interior in good order
with mild patina. Paint well applied with
no real issues. Very pricey hubcaps in good
condition. A very expensive car to restore. A
very nice presentation. Cond: 2+.
cracking. Several cracks in steering wheel.
Driver’s seat leather is cracking. Gauges
clean and clear. Carpets are worn and
could be replaced. Paint chips in driver’s
footwell. Stained headliner. Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $63,800. Produced for only two
years, this one is said to be original miles
with solid known ownership history. Shown
at regional concours events, taking home
first in class at the 1988 LCOC Western
National Meet, among others. While appealing,
don’t look for values to go crazy anytime
soon. These seem to be solid and
steady. Offered without reserve here, it was
bought for market-correct money, almost
$20k below the low catalog estimate. Bonhams,
Scottsdale, AZ, 01/16.
#142-1959 FORD COUNTRY SQUIRE
wagon. VIN: H9RY141083. Black & faux
wood/red & white vinyl. Odo: 3,087 miles.
352-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. The Country Squire
was the top trim level for the three Ford
wagons offered in 1959. A very well-restored
wagon with black paint that sparkles
in the Palm Springs sunshine. Red and
white interior all in good order. Dealer-installed
Polar-Aire. A striking example.
Cond: 1-.
shield. VIN indicates this car is equipped
with the optional 332 V8 rather than the
more ubiquitous standard 292. Used and
dirty underhood, but honest. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $8,480. The Fairlane 500 initially
was the top-of-the line full-size 1959 Ford
until the Galaxie was introduced several
weeks later with its Thunderbird roofline.
This unusual Club Sedan body style is
rarely seen; only about 10,000 units were
built versus 53,000 Galaxie Club Sedans.
The odometer reading was undocumented
but believable. The sale price is slightly below
price-guide figures, which are likely
based on limited information. A good value
for the buyer on an attractive original car
with a little room for touch-up. GAA,
Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#267-1960 MERCURY PARK LANE 2-dr
hard top. VIN: 0W53M513975. Red &
white/red & white vinyl. Odo: 89,528 miles.
430-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. The Park Lane was
the top of the line for 1960. It had special
trim, and power steering, power brakes and
Multi-Drive automatic transmission were
standard. A recent respray to decent standard.
Trim scratched. Fitted with fender
skirts, which were a $11.60 option. An unusual
model with only 2,974 produced.
Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $46,200. These are elegant and
powerful luxury automobiles that have never
really caught on. On rare occasion one will
sell for six figures, but this is more the norm.
I think it is worth a bunch more but don’t get
much agreement. McCormick’s, Palm
Springs, CA, 11/15.
#89-1956 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
MARK II 2-dr hard top. VIN: C56B2094.
White/white leather. Odo: 20,292 miles.
368-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Mostly original with
one repaint. Longtime California car. Original
manuals, tools, and history. Mileage
said to be original. Miles of brightwork in
very good condition. Glass clean and clear.
Body panels line up nicely. Touched-up chip
on front fender. Rubber around rear window
SOLD AT $32,288. This was last seen at
Auction America’s August 2014 sale, where
it failed to sell when bid to $28,000 (ACC#
244759). Driven about 500 miles since then.
Seller did a bit better this time around. A
surprise, as I thought it would do much better.
I’ll call this well bought. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#FR-0012-1959 FORD FAIRLANE 500 2-dr
sedan. VIN: B9GV132382. Yellow & white/
gold cloth & vinyl. Odo: 71,188 miles. 332-ci
V8, 2-bbl, auto. Claimed original survivor
that has never had “any bodywork or restoration,”
in which case the paint looks remarkably
good. Chrome varies from good to
dull to pitted. Vent windows delaminating;
two stars in windshield. Aftermarket wheel
covers mimic originals. Interior appears
original with good fabrics and surfaces, although
dash top is warped near the wind-
SOLD AT $25,725. Not all that popular
when new and not all that popular today.
Price paid was a bit aggressive for a rather
ho-hum car. Still, an attractive offering that
you don’t see often. McCormick’s, Palm
Springs, CA, 11/15.
#FR-0094-1961 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
convertible. VIN: 1Y86H414873. Sunburst
Yellow/black vinyl/black vinyl & leather.
Odo: 79,699 miles. 430-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto.
First year for Elwood Engel’s glamorous
4-door convertible sedan in beautiful and
correct Sunburst Yellow. Claimed original
two-owner car with one very nice repaint.
No rust observed. “Clapdoors” open and
close well. Good chrome; antenna mast
broken. No opportunity to view top and
116 AmericanCarCollector.com
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window operation. Interior appears original
with excellent dash top; patinated leather
which could be left as-is, peeling real wood
veneers need to be redone. Engine compartment
appears to have been repainted.
Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $29,150. Despite some
ambiguity about what parts were original,
this magnificent classic convertible sedan
was highly desirable. Refinish the wood and
fix the antenna, and you would have at minimum
a local show-winner. This was one of
my favorite cars at the auction, but I was a
little put off by not seeing the complex top
and window operation in action. Sold well
below market. GAA, Greensboro, NC,
11/15.
#219-1964 SHELBY COBRA roadster.
VIN: CSX2561. White/red
leather. Odo: 41,107 miles. 289-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Well documented and registered in
SAAC Shelby Registry. Fitted with “Class A”
accessories, including whitewalls and luggage
rack. Said to be one of fewer than 20
examples equipped with C4 automatic
transmission from the factory. Now
equipped with 4-speed. A solid example.
Cond: 1-.
1
SOLD AT $13,650. The 6-cylinder motor
with 2-speed automatic transmission was
not a strong combination, and anything
other than timid driving will have you quickly
in the transmission shop. Good car for your
teenager for not a lot of money. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#259-1969 MERCURY COUGAR XR-7
convertible. VIN: 9F94H511410. Yellow/tan
fabric/tan leather & vinyl. Odo: 50,407 miles.
351-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. The XR-7 had special
wheel covers and medallions, as well as
leather-trimmed vinyl seating. It also had a
rim-blow steering wheel. This example
equipped with factory air. It has been properly
restored with a solid body and
brightwork in good order. Interior with only
minor wear. Presented with Marti Report. A
solid presentation. Cond: 2+.
second-gen GT to be released for 2017 will
do to the values of the first run. While below
the catalog estimate, the price paid here is
what it cost to play the game these days for
one with no miles. Bonhams, Scottsdale,
AZ, 01/16.
MOPAR
#485-1950 CHRYSLER NEW YORKER
Town & Country Newport 2-dr hard top.
VIN: 7411751. Black/tan/tan fabric & green
leather. Odo: 97,024 miles. 323-ci I8, 2-bbl,
3-sp. This was the last year for the woodtrimmed
cars from Chrysler. Only about 700
T&C Newports produced. The panels between
the ash wood sections are painted
body color. Fitted with one-year-only aircraft-style
disc brakes. Wood in decent condition
with a coupe of issues. Attractive
green leather and tan fabric interior. An attractive
car. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $25,200. Only about 4,000 produced.
The ACC Pocket Price Guide shows
the current median value for ’69 XR-7 convertibles
is $39,100. This was a solid car
and was well bought. McCormick’s, Palm
Springs, CA, 11/15.
SOLD AT $1,072,500. Price paid was market-correct
as expected. This Shelby will
continue to move with the market, as long
as it is maintained in the current condition.
Well bought and well sold, so all is square
with the world. Last sold for $825,000 at
Auctions America’s 2013 Burbank sale
(ACC# 227160). RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix,
AZ, 01/16.
#234-1966 FORD MUSTANG convertible.
VIN: 6T08T144373. Silver Blue/white vinyl/
blue & white vinyl. Odo: 98,435 miles. 200ci
I6, 1-bbl, auto. A very presentable baseengined
Mustang convertible. It has a
couple of modifications, including a Grant
GT steering wheel and a custom console.
Portions of the trim are oxidized, and there
are a few paint touch-ups. Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $310,000. It has been 10 years
since Ford made the GT, and with just over
4,000 built, these are not especially difficult
to find, with dozens offered at various auctions
in 2015. The difference between now
and then is that these days you have to
open up your checkbook considerably
more. Values have increased and increased,
but one has to wonder what the
118 AmericanCarCollector.com
#84-2006 FORD GT coupe. VIN: 1FAFP90S36Y401862.
Eng. # 1FAFP90S36Y401862.
Midnight Blue Metallic/black leather.
5.4-L supercharged V8, 6-sp. Odometer is
digital but said to be less than 300 miles
from new. Includes original window stickers.
Routinely serviced. Paint appears factoryfresh.
Shut lines are as one would expect.
Delivery plastic still on the console in the
driver door threshold. Seats look virtually
untouched. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $31,500. If this were a 1947–48
T&C, we would be talking close to six figures,
but in 1950 they used less wood trim,
which was on its way out due to cost. Price
paid here seemed reasonable unless there
was something that did not meet the eye. A
decent buy. McCormick’s, Palm Springs,
CA, 11/15.
#311-1961 IMPERIAL LEBARON 4-dr
hard top. VIN: 9313193379. Brown/tan vinyl.
Odo: 28,104 miles. 413-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Its unique roof treatment set the LeBaron
apart from the Imperials for 1960.
Power vent windows, steering and brakes
were standard. Three-speed pushbutton
transmission. Equipped with swivel buckets.
Trim a bit pitted but a very presentable example.
A few minor issues with paint. Last
gasp with the big fins. Toilet-seat spare-tire
cover in trunk. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $25,463. There was a time a few
years back when this would have been a
screaming deal, but the market for the big
finned cars has softened a bit. Price paid
here was fair considering the above-average
condition. McCormick’s, Palm
Springs, CA, 11/15.
TOP 10
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ROUNDUP
#FR-0196-1963 CHRYSLER 300 Pace Setter
convertible. VIN: 8033215370. Pace
Car Blue/white canvas/ivory vinyl. Odo:
63,274 miles. 383-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Decent
driver-quality paint with buffing swirls; Indy
500 lettering on sides corresponds to period
photos but possibly was added later. Correct
Pace Setter emblems. Bumpers good,
but other chrome is dull and scratched. Nice
dash and carpet, seats a bit dirty. Soft top
good with clear window. Cragar wheels are
not a good look on this car. Stance is all
wrong. Dull wheel covers in trunk appear to
be from a Newport, not a 300 Pace Setter.
Very dirty underhood with aftermarket valve
covers. Cond: 3.
base-level Imperial for ’64. Pushbutton
3-speed transmission. A little extra pinstriping
and Vintage Air added. Attractive interior
in decent condition. Trim and other
brightwork a bit tarnished. Paint just okay.
An expensive car in its day. Mileage not
noted. Cond: 3+.
stored to the high standard and completed
in 2014. Most powerful of all the vintage
Mercer road cars. Paint is nearly flawless
and better than new. Brightwork is topnotch.
Front windscreen fits nicely and is
clean and clear. Interior pedals, gauges and
brightwork are impeccable. Upholstery is
nearly perfect and also better than new.
Carpets are new and fresh and custom cut
with piping. Museum car pre-restoration.
Cond: 1.
SOLD AT $11,550. A decent starter car that
could be fixed up a bit over time. No real
upside, however, so don’t get carried away.
Fair price for a Saturday night driver. McCormick’s,
Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
SOLD AT $20,670. How can you not love a
car with a square steering wheel (specific to
the Pace Setter in 1963)? I thought this fascinating
car was loaded with potential for
easy improvement. Another Pace Setter
sold for $27,500 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
2014 (ACC# 240601). The ecstatic
buyer here got a lot of cool for his money. A
surefire sensation at the next cruise-in.
GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#300-1963 CHRYSLER 300 Pace Setter
convertible. VIN: 8033196857. Blue/white/
white leather. Odo: 9,898 miles. 383-ci V8,
2-bbl, auto. Chrysler introduced the Pace
Setter series to commemorate the use of
the 300 as the Indy 500 Pace Car. Offered
as a hard top and convertible. Only 1,861
convertibles produced. Missing the checkered-flag
emblem below the 300 fender
badge. This example in very nice condition
with good paint and interior. Fitted with optional
leather buckets. Cond: 2+.
#FR-0096-1967 PLYMOUTH GTX 2-dr
hard top. VIN: RS23671113626. White/
white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 98,912 miles.
440-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Unspectacular-butsound
GTX with smooth older repaint and
red stripes to match red interior. White vinyl
top does it no favors but is in good shape;
Magnum 500 wheels and Redline tires look
great. Chrome average at best; signature
“Pit-Stop” flip-out gas cap is the worst piece
of chrome on the car. Nice interior with excellent
dash and seats; carpet fit could be
better. Column shifter, no console. No access
underhood, but car sounds good on
startup with a nice rumble (but not too
much). Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $187,000. During the three-year
restoration, special attention was given to
re-engineering some of the engine internals
to address known weaknesses with the
Rochester powerplant. Once completed, the
Mercer went on to win the Ansel Adams
Award in 2015 at Pebble Beach. While an
exact number is unknown, it is believed that
fewer than 5,000 Mercers were built during
the company’s existence. The car plus restoration
likely exceeds the sale price here.
Well bought. Bonhams, Scottsdale, AZ,
01/16.
SOLD AT $27,563. Not a Chrysler Letter
car, but an interesting offering. Price paid
was not out of line, but the new owner better
brush up on ’63 Indy 500 facts and figures.
He just may get asked a bunch of
questions. McCormick’s, Palm Springs,
CA, 11/15.
#93-1964 IMPERIAL CROWN 4-dr hard
top. VIN: 9243255807. White & blue/tricolor
leather. 413-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. The
120 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $21,730. No it doesn’t have a
Hemi in it, but the “date-code correct” 440
sounds good and should provide more than
enough power. This was not a great GTX
but certainly a good GTX that would be fun
to own. These have been stagnant in the
marketplace, but this was a remarkably low
sale price. Future appreciation may be limited
unless the market changes, but if the
new owner is an end user, this car was a
great deal, and there is certainly room for
enhancements. Well bought. GAA, Greensboro,
NC, 11/15.
AMERICANA
#90-1923 MERCER SERIES SIX phaeton.
VIN: 20024. Eng. # 10124. Green & black/
black canvas/black leather. Odo: 104 miles.
Award winner at 2015 Pebble Beach. Re-
SOLD AT $222,600. The Baileys’ other focus,
in addition to pre-war Fords, was Pack-
#ST-0144-1933 PACKARD SUPER EIGHT
1004 tourer. VIN: 65016. Two-tone gray/red
leather. Odo: 67,316 miles. An older restoration
that collected numerous AACA and
CCCA awards from about 1997 to 2001.
Like all of the Bailey Collection cars, it was
beautifully restored and then amazingly well
preserved. Among the few flaws were several
dull chrome pieces, including the front
bumper and the second windshield (which
may have been added later). Although this
Packard did not have a crisp new restoration,
there was very little to fault, and some
minor enhancements could make it a
concours winner again. Cond: 2+.
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GLOBAL
ards. Any open 1933 Super Eight was a
low-production model; most 1933 Packards
were mere Eights. This was a dual-windshield
touring car but not a dual-cowl, which
would be more valuable. The sale price
here was strong, but if it runs as good as it
looks, the buyer has purchased an excellent
car. Fair to both parties. GAA, Greensboro,
NC, 11/15.
#FR-0004-1940 CROSLEY convertible.
VIN: C25512. Eng. # C2334. Cream/white
canvas/red vinyl. Odo: 282 miles. Many
people don’t know that Crosleys were built
prior to World War II, sold via appliance
dealers and department stores such as Macy’s.
The 1940 models included a 2-passenger
wagon, a “convertible coupe” and this
4-passenger “convertible sedan,” weighing
900 pounds and priced at $350. Frame-off
restoration by the owner previous to the
consignor. The 2-cylinder 4-stroke engine
sounds like a furious lawnmower. Correct
colors. Nearly flawless inside, outside and
under the hood. Cond: 2+.
top of the line, but it was half again as expensive.
Paint is very presentable but has
numerous touch-ups. Delamination on windshield.
Window trim pitted. Radio plastic
worn. A decent driver. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT
$15,750. A starter car that should hold its
value. Packard produced a ton of these, so
they’re really nothing special. Price paid
was market-correct. No harm done here.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
#201-1955 NASH RAMBLER COUNTRY
CLUB 2-dr hard top. VIN: DC21757. Sunmist
Yellow & white/white & tan fabric. Odo:
68,179 miles. 195-ci I6, 1-bbl, auto. Both
Nash and Hudson marketed these. Cute
little car on 100-inch wheelbase with 90-hp
motor. Paint is very nice, but trim is pitted.
Interior in good order with only minor wear.
They made a bunch of these, but you don’t
see them all that often. Cond: 2-.
and interior. Who knows what else? New
owner is upside-down before he drives
home. McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA,
11/15.
#271-1962 RAMBLER AMERICAN 400
convertible. VIN: B469870. Tan/tan/gold &
tan buckets. Odo: 10,566 miles. 196-ci I6,
1-bbl, 3-sp. The 400 was the top of the
Rambler American line and included padded
dash, two-toned steering wheel and a
few other goodies. Weather-Eye was a $74
option. This is a well-presented example of
an unusual convertible. Paint in good order
with a few minor scratches, and the bucket
seats have minimal wear. Only about
14,000 convertibles produced, and few survive.
Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $9,275. There aren’t many other
pre-war Crosleys around for comparison,
and they do not seem to appear in price
guides. However it is hard to imagine there
are many—or any—Crosleys better than
this example. Driven only 282 (presumably
rather scary) miles since restoration, this
rare American microcar seemed like a great
deal for a buyer looking for a fun, inexpensive
conversation piece. You could talk all
day just about the hood ornament—for all
intents and purposes, a Crosley refrigerator
door handle. GAA, Greensboro, NC, 11/15.
#308-1947 PACKARD CLIPPER Deluxe
sedan. VIN: 168210477. Maroon/tan fabric.
Odo: 10,966 miles. 282-ci I8, 2-bbl, 3-sp.
The ’47 Clipper was unchanged from the
prior year and was based on the pre-war
design. The Custom Super Clipper was the
SOLD AT $13,125. Not a lot of money, but
not a lot of car, either. Fun to putt around
with on Friday night and should be worth
about what was paid here when it’s time to
move on. McCormick’s, Palm Springs,
CA, 11/15
#451-1956 PACKARD 400 2-dr sedan.
VIN: 56871482. Pink, gray & white/white &
red leather & black fabric. Odo: 84,289
miles. 374-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. This was the
year that the music died at Packard and
they became part of Studebaker. The Packard
400 was part of the 56th Series and fit
between the Clipper Custom and the Caribbean.
The cars had a luxurious look and
feel, but sales were dreadful. This very original
example’s drastic forward rake indicates
suspension issues. A number of scratches
and a few areas where the paint has rubbed
through. Attractive tri-color seating, but
showing serious signs of wear. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $15,488. Price certainly seems
fair for a cute little convertible that you don’t
see every day. If you want the unusual, then
here you go. A fun Saturday-night driver
that should maintain its value down the
road. McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA,
11/15.
#269-1972 AMC GREMLIN X hatchback.
VIN: 3K91L175578. Copper/tan vinyl. Odo:
631,921 miles. 304-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. The
Gremlin was a shortened Hornet. The X
option cost $285 and included custom
bucket seats, special trim and sport steering
wheel. This example is well presented with
good paint and trim. Interior in good order.
Equipped with factory air. A cute little car
that was made in Wisconsin. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $27,300. This was last seen at
McCormick’s November 2014 sale, where it
realized $12,338 (ACC #256486). Hard to
understand why someone would pay this
kind of money for a major project. Needs
everything, including new suspension, paint
SOLD AT $20,475. Not a car you see every
day, and I have no idea how many were
equipped with the rather expensive X package.
Price seems a bit aggressive, but if
you want the unusual, you’re all set. Just
the thing for the next Orphan Car Show.
McCormick’s, Palm Springs, CA, 11/15.
A
March-April 2016 121
Page 120
The Parts Hunter
Chad Tyson
SD-455 in Pieces
A PONTIAC ENGINE AND GM BUCKET SEATS ARE DEALS,
EVEN AT THESE PRICES
#201486647621—1974 Pontiac SD-455 Complete Motor. 12 photos. Item condition:
Used. eBay, Port Angeles, WA. 12/18/15
“This motor is complete, with exception of the distributor. Carb is there, but choke
housing has been broken off. Housing is included. Block and crank are both
standard and in fantastic shape, as are the original rods and pistons. Heads still
have the original valves, springs, etc., and are in excellent shape as well. Everything
has been hot-tanked and magnafluxed, and all checked out well. Includes original
matching intake and exhaust manifolds, timing cover, oil pan and valley cover,
oil pump, harmonic balancer, pushrods, EGR valve, etc., etc. This is a great opportunity
to purchase a very difficult-to-find engine, with all of its matching parts, in
incredible condition.” 7 bids. Sold for $11,500.
Depending on whether this is going in a Formula SD or Trans Am, assuming it
goes in a ’74 Pontiac F-body, it’s either 19% or 16% of the car’s median value.
Regardless, this is a fantastic find for the buyer. It could be a win for all of us if the
buyer gets this in order and operating again. An engine this great should never go
to waste. Well bought.
#291562986282—426 Hemi 6-71
Supercharger with Cragar Intake Manifold.
12 photos. Item condition: Used. eBay,
Rochester, MI. 1/16/16
“You are buying a 426 Hemi 6-71 polished
blower with Cragar blow-out and Cragar
intake. The blower spins free and comes with
everything in the picture. This is a nice piece
for a nostalgia build.” 2 bids. Sold for $2,950.
This was a reasonable price paid for what was
all here, as anything new will run closer to $4k.
Earlier Hemi cars are much easier to find supercharger equipment for, as owners of the 426
Hemi don’t tend to deviate this far from stock in the current market.
I poked around for another set of buckets, I found a whole lot of bupkis. No upholstery, no
frames, nothing. Apparently, when bucket seats are reserved for the high-end convertibles, or
at least priced for those cars, not a whole lot of buyers picked them as an option. A buyer has
to jump fast when a pair as complete as this hits the market. For that reason, fairly bought.
#151895322521—1958–61 GM
Bucket Seats. 8 photos. Item
description: Used. eBay, Saugerties,
NY. 11/26/15
“Nice, solid pair of the rare ’58–61
GM bucket seats. These have been
in dry storage for 45 years. Factoryoriginal
paint, no rust. Passenger’s
seat has two tears. You’ll look long
and hard for another pair in this
shape, if you can find any.” Buy It
Now. Sold for $6,995.
Challenge accepted, seller. When
122 AmericanCarCollector.com
#191800814731—Solarclipse Brass
Carbide Acetylene Headlamps Model
1149. 12 photos. Item condition: Used. eBay,
Stafford Springs, CT. 2/7/16
“From the Brass Era of motorcars, these
rare antique headlamps were discovered
in a barn in New England. They have not
been cleaned and still have the dust of
many decades of sitting in a dark corner
undisturbed. Manufactured by Badger Brass
Manufacturing Co. Inc. in Kenosha, WI. 11inch
diameter bezels. The glass lenses have
“Long Distance Lens Size 9” embossed on
their edges. They are a matched pair.” Best
Offer. Sold for $2,000.
I found some contemporary advertising
showing a pair of lamps similar to these
selling for $9 each or $15 for the pair.
Direct comparables were difficult to find.
Bonhams sold a 1903 Brass Badger Phare
Solar headlamp for $936 back in 2007. So
this price for this set seems reasonable by
extension. Fair deal.A
Page 122
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GM
1979 Pontiac Trans Am WS6
coupe
restored, new everything, no
disappointments whatsoever.
$34,900 OBO. Contact Frank,
Yazco, 408.210.6557, email:
yazcomotor@sbcglobal.net
(CA)
1990 Cadillac Fleetwood
Brougham d’Elegance
4-door sedan
Black/blue. 56,000 miles. V8,
automatic. Absolutely gorgeous,
with every available
option and low miles. 1,000
miles on completely rebuilt 403
engine, new interior completely
S/N 1G6DW54Y8LR726737.
Black/black. 425 miles. V8,
automatic. Collector’s dream.
S/N 867234. Mandarin
Maroon/tan. V8, 3-spd manual.
Total restoration on an Arizona
native car. Beautiful condition.
Mostly original car with
the comfort and confidence of
a 350-ci V8. Directly replaced
without any frame or firewall
modifications. LaBarron Bonney
interior and top. Drives excellently.
Immaculate! New original
replacement wiring. $55,000.
Contact Al, 480.734.4545,
email: almillertime@cox.net
(AZ)
Triple black with 425 miles (not
a misprint). 5.0-liter V8, wire
wheels. original Royal Seal
tires. Essentially new vehicle.
Stored in climate-controlled
facility by collector. All delivery
materials and window stickers
included. $44,000. Contact
Joseph, 203.454.0044, email:
jbomd@aol.com (CT)
FOMOCO
1940 Ford Deluxe
convertible
1963 AC Cobra roadster
S/N CSX2023. silver/black
leather. V8, 4-spd manual.
Black full tonneau, equipped
with 289-ci engine, 4-speed
gearbox, disc brakes and full
weather equipment with side
windows. The 23rd production
Cobra built. Rare early model
and an outstanding example,
fantastic performance.
$975,000 Heritage Classics
Motorcar Company. Ph:
310.657.9699, email: sales@
heritageclassics.com. (CA)
r1965 Shelby Cobra replica
oadster
S/N AA9HBMAAHV1CN1050.
Indigo Blue with steel gray
stripes/black & gray. 966 miles.
V8, 5-spd manual. Backdraft
Racing factory-built Cobra
with fully-polished Roush 427
with 550-hp, Tremec TKO 600
5-speed, Wilwood big brakes,
limite-slip, ceramic-coated
headers and sidepipes, 17-inch
knockoffs. $49,999. Contact
Thomas, email: tomallan185@
aol.com (PA)
f1966 Shelby GT350 H
astback
124 AmericanCarCollector.com
Very original with low mileage.
Repainted red and 4-speed
transmission installed in the
1970s per Shelby Registry.
Otherwise all original. In private
Shelby collection past 10 years.
Runs and drives absolutely
without fault. $145,000. Matthew
L. deGarmo, Ltd.. Contact
Matthew, Ph: 203.852.1670,
email: matt@degarmoltd.com.
Website: deGarmoLtd.com.
(CT)
Page 123
Showcase Gallery
r1986 Shelby Cobra replica
oadster
ERA Cobra. All original and
perfect with just 20,000 original
miles and one owner from new.
4-speed top loader, Halibrand
wheels. All the best components.
Always pampered.
Needs nothing. $75,000 OBO.
Matthew L. deGarmo, Ltd..
Contact Matthew, Ph:
203.852.1670, email: matt@
degarmoltd.com. Website: deGarmoLtd.com.
(CT)
1994 Lincoln Continental
convertible
Desert Rose/black. V8, automatic.
Rare color. Black interior
and top. Exterior is average
condition, interior is excellent.
Runs good, well taken care of.
$2,900 OBO. Contact Brian,
630.988.8090, (IL)
2007 Ford Mustang Saleen
Parnelli Jones edition
coupe
owner, original paint, loaded
with options: 5-speed manual
transmission, Hurst short-throw
shifter, cloth convertible top,
Shaker 1000 stereo system,
interior upgrade package, antitheft
system and GT Upfitters
wheel package. Built at the
Shelby facility in Nevada, unlike
GT500, built by Ford. Ford Racing
Power Upgrade Package;
319 hp and 330 lb.-ft. of torque.
High-flow exhaust with X-pipe.
Ford Racing Handling Pack
with special-tuned dampers,
unique sway bars and a 3.55:1
rear-axle. The overall ride
height was dropped to reduce
body roll, and a front strut-tower
brace adds additional strength
to the chassis structure.
Factory-set 18-inch polished
wheels with high-performance
P235/50ZR18 BF Goodrich
G-Force tires. Roll/light bar and
supplemental bracing to give
the car additional stiffness. An
additional set of factory 18-inch
polished wheels and new highperformance
P235/50ZR18
tires and an indoor/outdoor
California Car Cover are also
included. $38,500 Contact
Donna, email: raisingkenna@
msn.com. (CA)
S/N 1ZVFT82H175264910.
Grabber Orange/black w/
Grabber Orange inserts. 3,420
miles. V8, 5-spd manual.
Number 173 of 500. I am the
original, only owner. Kept in a
climate-controlled garage. All
documents and accessories
included. Car is a condition #1
and is a beautiful GT beast. Air
bag recall being taken care of
this week. $40,000. Contact
Hal, 540.364.3647, email: raceneon1@gmail.com
(VA)
2008 Shelby GT convertible
MOPAR
1974 Plymouth Gold Duster
coupe
AMERICANA
1934 Packard 1101 Phaeton
Orange/white. 74,000 miles.
V8, 3-spd automatic. Rebuilt
318 engine, four-wheel disc
brakes, 8-3/4 rear with Posi,
factory sunroof, upgraded OE
radio. $13,500 OBO. Contact
Jim, 410.242.8282, email: buckinghamautomotive@verizon.
net. Web: www.buckinghamauto.com
(MD)
1994 Dodge Viper RT/10
Blue/blue. Other, 3-spd manual.
This Packard has new paint,
new interior, chrome is very
good, tires new and runs like a
Packard should run. $129,500
OBO. Contact Andre R.,
418.591.0348, email: argauthier@hotmail.com
(CAN)
1970 AMC Rebel “The
Machine” Collection coupe
S/N 1B3BR65E6RV102085.
Viper Red/gray. 15,941 miles.
V10, 6-spd manual. Unmodified
first-generation Viper.
Perfect condition, no paint
work ever, accident-free, new
tires, leather, air conditioning,
comes with original windows/
vinyl roof, manual, VHS video.
A true classic in mint condition.
$32,900 OBO. Contact Kevin,
412.400.8348, email: kmccrory02@hotmail.com
(PA)
S/N AOM190Y256713. Red,
white & blue/black. 48,000
miles. V8, 4-spd manual. Featuring
the unique June 1969
Press Kit Rebel Machine with
prototype parts; a second
Machine, 390, 4-speed transmission,
sheet metal, donor
body. Restoration needed.
$27,000 OBO. Contact Patrick,
920.540.1756, email: phwslw@
aol.com (WI)A
Vista Blue/black leather. 34,500
miles. V8, 5-spd manual. One
March-April 2016 125
Page 124
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Put your company in the ACC Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 Ext. 218,
or email advert@americancarcollector.com
Auction Companies
Auctions America. 877.906.2437.
Auctions America specializes in
the sale of American Classics,
European sports cars, Detroit
muscle, hot rods, customs, and
Automobilia. Headquartered at
the historic Auburn Auction Park
in Indiana, Auctions America
boasts an expert team of full-time
specialists, who offer 190 years’
combined experience making
them uniquely qualified to advise
on all aspects of the hobby.
www.auctionsamerica.com. (IN)
Barrett-Jackson Auction.
480.421.6694. 480.421.6697. For
over four decades, the BarrettJackson
Auction Company has
been recognized throughout
the world for offering only the
finest selection of quality collector
vehicles, outstanding professional
service and an unrivaled
sales success. From classic and
one-of-a-kind cars to exotics and
muscle cars, Barrett-Jackson
attracts only the best. Our auctions
have captured the true essence
of a passionate obsession with
cars that extends to collectors
and enthusiasts throughout the
world. A television audience of
millions watches unique and select
vehicles while attendees enjoy
a lifestyle experience featuring
fine art, fashion and gourmet
cuisine. In every way, the legend
is unsurpassed. N. Scottsdale Rd,
Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
info@barrett-jackson.com.
www.barrett-jackson.com. (AZ)
Douglas Co. Fairgrounds,
Roseburg, OR; September—
Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem,
OR. On the I-5 Corridor. We offer
knowledgeable, fast, friendly “hassle
free” transactions. Oregon’s #1
Collector Car Auction www.petersencollectorcars.com
Leake Auctions. 800.722.9942.
Leake Auction Company was
established in 1972 as one of the
first car auctions in the country.
More than 40 years later Leake
has sold over 34,000 cars and
currently operates auctions in
Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas.
Recently they have been featured
on several episodes of three
different reality TV series — Fast
N Loud on Discovery, Dallas Car
Sharks on Velocity and The Car
Chasers on CNBC Prime.
www.leakecar.com. (OK)
RM Sotheby’s, Inc.
800.211.4371. RM Sotheby’s is
the world’s largest collector car
auction house for investmentquality
automobiles. With 35 years
experience, RM Sotheby’s vertically
integrated range of services,
from restoration to private treaty
sales and auctions, coupled with
an expert team of car specialists
and an international footprint,
provide an unsurpassed level of
service to the global collector car
market.
www.rmauctions.com. (CAN)
Lucky Collector Car Auctions.
888.672.0020. Lucky Collector
Car Auctions is aptly named after
Harold “Lucky” Lemay. Based in
the majestic, pastoral ground of
Marymount, home to the Lemay
Family Collection Foundation
near Tacoma, WA, the collection,
formerly the biggest in the world
according to Guinness, now hosts
an unrivaled event center, art collection
and charitable foundation,
which features two exceptional
collector car auctions a year. www.
luckyoldcar.com (WA)
Russo and Steele Collector
Automobiles. 602.252.2697.
602.252.6260. 5230 South 39th
St., Phoenix, AZ 85040.
info@russoandsteele.com;
www.russoandsteele.com. (AZ)
Silver Auctions. 800.255.4485.
2020 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA
99205. silver@silverauctions.com.
www.silverauctions.com. (WA)
Hollywood Wheels Auctions &
Shows 800.237.8954. Hollywood
Wheels is a premier auction
house that specializes in Porsche
sports cars, European exotics,
American classics & historical
race cars. Each year, during the
Amelia Island Car Week, they host
the Amelia Island Select & Auto
Retro™ within the ballroom of the
Amelia Island Omni Plantation
Resort. Hollywood Wheels…
Where Great Cars Are Bought &
Sold! www.hollywoodwheels.com
126 AmericanCarCollector.com
Palm Springs Auctions, Inc.
Keith McCormick. 760.320.3290.
Family owned & operated for 28
years. Producing 2 large classic
car auctions per year in Palm
Springs, California. Each auction
features over 500 cars. Held in
November & February every year.
www.classic-carauction.com
Worldwide Auctioneers.
866.273.6394. Established by
John Kruse and Rod C. Egan, The
Worldwide Group—Auctioneers,
Appraisers and Brokers—is one
of the world’s premier auction
houses, specializing in the
procurement and sale of the
world’s finest automobiles
and vintage watercraft. www.
worldwide-auctioneers.com. (IN)
Buy/Sell/General
sic, collector vehicles. Bob Lichty
offers over 40 years experience in
the classic car industry. Motorcar
Portfolio, LLC. has been serving
NE Ohio and the world since 2004.
Let us help with your needs. See
our current inventory at our web
site
www.motorcarportfolio.com
Park Place LTD. 425.562.1000.
Founded in 1987 in Bellevue, WA,
our dealership is locally owned and
independently operated. The fouracre
Park Place Center features
an Aston Martin sales and service
center, a Lotus dealership, and we
have one of the largest selections
of collector & exotic cars available
in the Northwest. We consign, buy
and sell all types of vehicles. We
also have an in-house service center
and high-end Auto Salon.
www.ParkPlaceLtd.com
Classic Car Transport
Direct Connect Auto Transport.
800.668.3227. “The driver was
friendly and helped our son feel
comfortable about moving his
lowered ‘59 Volkswagen Beetle
antique auto. The driver communicated
well during pick up and
delivery. It was fast, too. We spent
two days in Phoenix after the car
was picked up and it beat us back
to the east coast.”
5-Star Reviews
Let Us Earn Yours
directconnectautotransport.com
Intercity Lines, Inc. 800.221.3936,
413.436.9422. Rapid, hassle-free,
coast-to-coast service. Insured
enclosed transport for your
valuable car at affordable prices.
State-of-the-art satellite transport
tracking. Complete service for
vintage races, auctions, relocations.
www.intercitylines.com. (MA)
Petersen Auction Group of
Oregon. 541.689.6824. Hosting
car auctions in Oregon since 1962.
We have three annual Auctions:
February—Oregon State
Fairgrounds, Salem, OR; July—
McCollister’s Auto Transport.
800-257-9595.
Motorcar Portfolio, LLC.
330.453.8900. Buy, sell, trade,
auction of affordable antique, clas-
4We have transported thousands
of collector vehicles over the last
35 years all across the United
States, whether they are moving
Page 125
Sports Car Market
Keith Martin’s
r Market
Keith Martin’s
Subscribe
Subscribe to SCM today and
become a collector car insider
www.sportscarmarket.com
Advertisers Index
American Car Collector ............... 80, 106
Auctions America .................................. 9
Auctions America ................................ 11
Barrett-Jackson ................................... 33
BBarr Marketing .................................... 4
Blue Bars ........................................... 125
Bmpr2Bmpr, LLC .............................. 102
Camaro Central ................................... 85
Car Art by David Snyder .................... 101
Car Capsule USA ................................ 97
Charlotte AutoFair ............................... 93
Chevs of the 40’s ................................ 65
Corvette America ................................. 15
Corvette Mike ...................................... 41
County Corvette .................................... 2
Danchuk .............................................. 67
Dr. ColorChip Corporation .................. 95
Electric Garage Auctions ..................... 63
Evans Cooling Systems Inc. .................. 5
Evapo-Rust .......................................... 31
Gano Filter Company ........................ 123
Grundy Insurance .............................. 111
Hagerty Insurance Agency, Inc. .......... 81
Hendrick Motorsports ......................... 21
JC Taylor ............................................. 47
Jim Meyer Racing Products Inc. ......... 80
Kiawah Island Motoring Retreat .......... 87
La Jolla Concours D’ Elegance ........... 73
Leake Auction Company ....................... 3
Lory Lockwood .................................... 89
Lutty’s Chevy Warehouse ................. 119
MacNeil Automotive Products Ltd .... 100
McCollister’s Auto Transport............. 132
Michael Irvine Studios ....................... 131
Mid America Motorworks .................... 13
Motorcar Portfolio ............................. 111
Moultrie Swap Meet .......................... 107
Mustangs Unlimited .......................... 117
National Corvette Museum ................ 123
National Corvette Restorers Society . 123
National Parts Depot ......................... 105
New England Auto Auction ............... 119
Obsolete & Classic Auto Parts, Inc. .. 115
Original Parts Group ............................ 19
Paragon Corvette Reproductions ........ 99
Paramount Automotive ........................ 91
Park Place LTD .................................... 75
Passport Transport .............................. 83
Performance Racing Oils ..................... 79
Reliable Carriers .................................. 61
Ronald McDonald House .................... 69
Silver Collector Car Auctions .............. 27
Sports Car Market ............................. 127
St Bernard Church............................... 95
Steve’s Auto Restorations Inc. ............ 39
Summit Racing Equipment .................. 23
The Chevy Store Inc .......................... 113
Thomas C Sunday Inc ....................... 106
TYCTA ............................................... 115
Volunteer Vette Products .................... 17
Woodside Credit................................ 103
Your Car In Diecast ........................... 125
Zip Products, Inc. .............................. 113
zMax .................................................. 117
March-April 2016 127
Page 126
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Put your company in the ACC Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 Ext. 218,
or email advert@americancarcollector.com
an exotic, street rod, vintage racer
or muscle car. With our experienced
drivers trained to ensure the
finest protection and our customized,
lift-gated, air-ride trailers,
we make sure your vehicle safely
arrives on time. www.McCollisters.
com/AutoTransport
Corvette Parts &
Restoration
Passport Transport.
800.736.0575. Since our founding
in 1970, we have shipped thousands
of treasured vehicles doorto-door
with our fully enclosed
auto transporters. Whether your
prized possession is your daily
driver, a vintage race car, a classic,
a ’60s muscle car or a modern
exotic, you can depend on
Passport Transport to give you the
premium service it deserves. We
share your appreciation for fine
automobiles, and it shows.
www.PassportTransport.com.
Corvette Central . Parts and
accessories for all Corvettes.
Corvette Central has been a leading
manufacturer and distributor
of Corvette parts and accessories
since 1975. We offer the most
comprehensive and detailed parts
catalogs on the market today
and produce a different catalog
for each Corvette generation. All
catalogs are also online with full
search and order features. From
Blue Flame 6 to the C6, only
Corvette Central has it all.
www.corvettecentral.com. (MI)
County Corvette. 610.696.7888.
Sales, service, parts and restoration.
When it must be right.
www.countycorvette.com. (PA)
Reliable Carriers, Inc.
877.744.7889. As the country’s
largest enclosed-auto transport
company, Reliable Carriers faithfully
serves all 48 contiguous
United States and Canada.
Whether you’ve entered a
concours event, need a relocation,
are attending a corporate event or
shipping the car of your dreams
from one location to another, one
American transportation company
does it all.
www.reliablecarriers.com
Mid America Motorworks.
800.500.1500. America’s leader in
1953–2016 Corvette parts and accessories.
Request a free catalog
at www.mamotorworks.com. (IL)
selection anywhere. Offering
investment-quality Corvettes and
Chevrolets for over 30 years!
503.256.5384(p) 503.256.4767(f)
www.thechevystore.com. (OR)
Volunteer Vette Products.
865.521.9100. 1963–2004
Corvette Parts and Accessories.
Supplying Corvette restoration
parts and accessories for 30
years. Visit our website at
www.volvette.com and take advantage
of the Free Shipping offer
on orders over $150. You can also
speak with us directly by calling
865.521.9100. New parts are
added daily, so if you can’t find it
give us a call. (TN)
Insurance
no mileage limitations, zero deductible*,
and high liability limits.
Our coverages are specifically
designed for collectible-car owners.
From classic cars to muscle
cars, Grundy Worldwide has you
covered. (*Zero deductible available
in most states.)
888.6GRUNDY (888.647.8639).
www.grundyworldwide.com. (PA)
Hagerty Collector Car
Insurance. 800.922.4050.
Collector cars aren’t like their latemodel
counterparts. These classics
actually appreciate in value,
so standard market policies that
cost significantly more won’t do
the job. We’ll agree on a fair value
and cover you for the full amount.
No prorated claims, no hassles, no
games. www.hagerty.com. (MI)
Zip Products. 800.962.9632. Zip
customers know that the voice on
the other end of the phone is a
true enthusiast. Someone who, in
minutes, can hold in their hands
any item in stock. Further, someone
with knowledge of, experience
with, and genuine affection for, the
car we hold so dear: Corvette.
www.zip-corvette.com (VA)
Corvettes for Sale
Thomas C. Sunday Inc.
800.541.6601. Established in
1970, Thomas C. Sunday Inc. provides
clients with fully-enclosed,
cross-country, door-to-door service.
Thomas C. Sunday Inc. are
well-seasoned experts in the field
of automobile transportation, hiring
only Grade-A drivers, and offering
clients the best possible service at
competitive pricing. Fully-licensed,
insured and bonded. Call 1-800541-6601
or 717-697-0939, Fax
717-697-0727, email:
info@sundayautotransport.com
128 AmericanCarCollector.com
County Corvette. 610.696.7888.
The most modern and bestequipped
Corvette-only facility in
the nation.
www.countycorvette.com. (PA)
The Chevy Store. At The Chevy
Store, you will find only the
highest-grade, investment-quality
Corvette and specialty Chevrolet
automobiles. We take pride in
providing our clients with the finest
Grundy Worldwide.
888.647.8639. Grundy Worldwide
offers agreed value insurance with
American Collectors Insurance.
1.866.887.8354. The nation’s
leading provider of specialty insurance
for collectors. We offer affordable,
agreed value coverage
for all years, makes, and models
of collector vehicles. Since 1976,
we have provided superior service
and broad, flexible coverage.
Experience our quick quoting and
application process, as well as our
“Real Person” Guarantee every
time you call. Email: Info@
AmericanCollectors.com
www.AmericanCollectors.com
Chubb Collector Car Insurance.
1.866.CAR.9648. The Chubb
Collector Car Insurance program
provides flexibility by allowing you
to choose the agreed value and
restoration shop. Broad coverage
includes no mileage restrictions
and special pricing for large
schedules. For more information,
contact us at 1(866)CAR-9648 or
www.chubbcollectorcar.com.
J.C. Taylor Insurance.
800.345.8290. Antique, classic,
muscle or modified — J.C. Taylor
Insurance has provided dependable,
dynamic, affordable protection
for your collector vehicle for
over 50 years. Agreed Value
Coverage in the continental U.S.,
and Alaska. Drive Through Time
With Peace of Mind with J.C.
Taylor Insurance. Get a FREE
instant quote online at
www.JCTaylor.com. (PA)
Leasing
Premier Financial Services is the
nation’s leading lessor of vintage
and exotic motorcars. Our Simple
Lease Program is ideal for those
who wish to own their vehicle at
the end of the term, as well as for
those who like to change cars
frequently. Our Simple Interest
Early Termination Program allows
you the flexibility of financing with
the tax advantages of leasing.
Contact Premier at 877.973.7700
or info@pfsllc.com. www.premierfinancialservices.com
(CT)
Page 127
Putnam Leasing. 866.90.LEASE.
For over 25 years, Putnam
Leasing has been the leader in
exotic, luxury, and collector car
leasing. This honor comes from
Putnam’s unique ability to match
the car of your dreams with a
lease designed just for you. Every
Putnam Lease is written to provide
maximum flexibility while conserving
capital, lowering monthly
payments, and maximizing tax
advantages. It’s Putnam’s way of
letting you drive more car for less
money. For leases ranging from
$50,000 to more than $1 million,
with terms extending up to 84
months visit www.putnamleasing.
com or call 1.866.90.LEASE. (CT)
Museums
carry products that are better than
original equipment in performance,
safety and quality. Our warehouse,
service shop and retail store are
located in the Midwest for good
access to all parts of the USA. We
have completed literally hundreds
of project cars. These performance
vehicles are in enthusiasts’ hands
across the USA. Many of the
cars are in daily use, proving the
durability of our workmanship and
products. Check us out at www.
autobahnpower.com.
Evapo-Rust® 888.329.9877.
Evapo-Rust® rust remover is safe
on skin and all materials except
rust! It’s also biodegradable and
earth-friendly. Water soluble and
pH-neutral, Evapo-Rust® is nontoxic,
non-corrosive, non-flammable,
and contains no acids, bases
or solvents. Evapo-Rust® is simply
the safest rust remover.
www.evapo-rust.com
info@evapo-rust.com
California Car Cover Company.
800.423.5525. More than just custom-fit
car covers, California Car
Cover is the home of complete car
care and automotive lifestyle products.
Offering the best in car accessories,
garage items, detailing
products, nostalgic collectibles,
apparel and more! Call 1-800-4235525
or visit Calcarcover.com for a
free catalog.
LeMay Family Collection
Foundation. LeMay Family
Collection Foundation at
Marymount Events Center near
Tacoma, WA, hosts an epic backdrop
for your next event. Home to
500 fabulous collector cars, worldclass
art exhibits, and assorted
ephemera, consider your next
event here. Weddings, swap
meets, conventions, auctions. The
facility can likely exceed your expectations.
Visit during the 37th
annual open house along with
13,000 other enthusiasts.
253.272.2336
www.lemaymarymount.org.
National Corvette Museum. 80053-VETTE.
The National Corvette
Museum in Bowling Green, KY,
was established as a 501(c)3 notfor-profit
foundation with a mission
of celebrating the invention of the
Corvette and preserving its past,
present and future. www.corvettemuseum.com.
(KY)
Parts—General
AutoBahn Power. Performance
+ Looks + Durability + Comfort
= Autobahn Power! Autobahn
Power is a veteran of vehicle
modifications, parts and accessories.
Our specialty has been to
manufactures and stocks over
75,000 of the finest restoration parts
and accessories for GM classics at
the best prices anywhere. The largest
selection of Chevelle, El Camino,
Monte Carlo, GTO, Le Mans,
Tempest, Gran Prix, Bonneville,
Catalina, Cutlass, 442, Skylark, GS,
Riviera and Cadillac classic parts
anywhere. Visit www.OPGI.com or
call (800) 243-8355.
Restoration—General
Custom Autosound
Manufacturing. 800.888.8637.
Since 1977 providing audio solutions
for classic car and trucks.
Covering over 400 application our
radios and speakers fit the original
location without modification. Keep
the classic look of your vehicle
while enjoying state of the art
audio. Check out all of our products
at www.customautosound.
com. Or if you’d like a free catalog
call 800-888-8637. (CA)
Mustangs Unlimited. Since
1976, Mustangs Unlimited has
been the source for Restoration,
Performance, and Accessory
parts for 1965–present Mustang,
1967–1973 Mercury Cougar, and
1965–1970 Shelby Mustang.
More than 55,000 available parts
in 2 fully stocked warehouses,
Mustangs Unlimited is YOUR
Mustang Parts SUPERSTORE!
FREE Shipping on orders over
$300.
Visit www.mustangsunlimited.com
or call 800.243.7278.
Corvette America. 800.458.3475.
The #1 manufacturer & supplier of
interiors, parts and wheels for all
generations of Corvettes.
Our Pennsylvania manufacturing
facility produces the finest quality
Corvette interiors and our distribution
center is stocked with thousands
of additional Corvetterelated
products. Corvette America
is a member of the RPUI family of
companies. Visit
www.CorvetteAmerica.com (PA)
National Parts Depot.
800.874.7595. We stock huge
inventories of concours-correct
restoration parts for:
Evans Waterless Coolant is a
revolutionary coolant with a boiling
point of 375° F, providing superior
engine cooling protection. This
means no vapor formed, no
hotspots, no boil-over, and a much
lower cooling system pressure.
Evans eliminates water caused
corrosion, electrolysis and pump
cavitation. Evans protects on the
other end of the temperature scale
to -40°F, and lasts the lifetime of
the engine. Visit www.evanscooling.com
for more information.
Cosmopolitan Motors, LLC.
206.467.6531. Experts in worldwide
acquisition, collection management,
disposition and
appraisal. For more than a quarter
century, Cosmopolitan Motors has
lived by its motto, “We covet the
rare and unusual, whether pedigreed
or proletarian.” Absurdly
eclectic and proud of it. Find your
treasure here, or pass it along to
the next generation. www.cosmopolitanmotors.com
(WA)
1965–73 and 1979–93 Mustang
1967–81 Camaro & Firebird
1964–72 GTO, Tempest & LeMans
1964–87 Chevelle, Malibu &
El Camino
1948–96 F-Series Ford Truck
1947–98 C/K 1/2-ton Chevy Truck
1966–96 Bronco
1955–57 Thunderbird
www.nationalpartsdepot.com
Park Place LTD. 425.562.1000.
Founded in 1987 in Bellevue, WA,
our dealership is locally owned and
independently operated. Our restoration
department works full-time to
restore vehicles of every year,
make and model to provide an
award-winning finish. We consign,
buy and sell all types of vehicles.
We also have an in-house service
center and high-end Auto Salon.
www.ParkPlaceLtd.com A
Original Parts Group, Inc. With
over 30 years’ experience, OPGI
March-April 2016 129
Page 128
Surfing Around
Carl Bomstead
Automobilia on eBay
and Beyond
Carl’s thought: Heritage Auctions, at their November 20, 2015, auction, sold the original artwork for the
cover to the Green Lantern comic book #76 for a startling $442,150. The work was done by Neal Adams, and
was the piece that marked the transition from the Silver Age to the Bronze Age of comics, making them more
socially relevant.
I readily admit that vintage comics aren’t my thing, and I can’t understand why someone would pay the
price of a ’63 Corvette Z06 for one. Here are some that I do understand that are from two recent auctions of
prominent collections:
MORPHY AUCTIONS LOT 828—OILZUM
MOTOR OILS PORCELAIN “LOLLYPOP”
CURB SIGN. Estimate: $30,000–$50,000.
SOLD AT: $75,640. Date sold: 1/10/2016.
Oilzum was the brand name for White and
Bagley petroleum products, which was very
active in early racing. The “Oilzum Man”
logo was well known in the era. This sign
would have been outside on the curb of an
establishment that sold their product. The
sign had the very scarce white background
and was in spectacular condition, with the
original base. As such, it sold for serious
money.
MECUM AUCTIONS LOT Z25—PERFECT CIRCLE PISTON
RINGS TIN 30x36 SIGN. SOLD AT: $8,260.
Date sold: 1/24/2016. This sign is one of a
series of about four tin signs that suggest
you utilize their piston rings or feed an oil
hog. The level of detail is exceptional, and to
find them in decent condition is a challenge.
This example had only minor scratches and
sold for market-correct money. Good luck
collecting the rest of the set.
MORPHY AUCTIONS LOT
97—TOKHEIM MODEL #36 ADC
SHOWCASE GAS PUMP. Estimate:
$20,000–$40,000. SOLD AT:
$32,940. Date sold: 1/10/2016. This
impressive gas pump stands 80
inches in height without the globe
on top. It has been professionally
restored to a generic standard. These
were point-of-sale pumps that displayed
products the motorist might
require. Wayne also made a display
pump, and both are very desirable
today for displaying automotive collectibles.
Each sells for about what we
see here.
130 AmericanCarCollector.com
MECUM AUCTIONS LOT Z230—SINCLAIR
OPALINE MOTOR OIL ONEGALLON
CAN WITH RACE CAR. SOLD
AT: $5,310. Date sold: 1/24/2016. This is
one of the most desirable oil cans produced.
The strong image captures the imagination,
and while fairly common, they always sell for
serious money. Morphy sold an example for
$7,320, but it was in a touch better condition,
which makes all the difference in value.
MECUM AUCTIONS LOT Z418—UNITED
MOTORS AUTHORIZED SERVICE PORCELAIN
SIGN. SOLD AT: $20,060. Date
sold: 1/24/2016. United Motors evolved into
Delco and was part of the General Motors
empire. In the era their advertising was ubiquitous
and is popular today. This example
was in exceptional condition, justifying the
strong price.
MORPHY AUCTIONS LOT 242—NORWALK TIRES “8000
MILES” TIN FLANGE SIGN. Estimate:
$15,000–$30,000. SOLD AT:
$34,160. Date sold: 1/9/2016. This
die-cut tin flange sign, with the car
and golfer graphics, was in as-new
condition. It had it all: color, graphics
and condition, thus the strong price.
It measured 18x24 and the only issue
was light paper marks at the top
of the sign. A strong piece.
MECUM AUCTIONS LOT Z448—TEXACO HOME LUBRICANT
COUNTER DISPLAY. SOLD AT: $4,720.
Date sold: 1/24/2016. This Texaco counter
display was in near-mint condition. Some
years back they showed up from time
to time but of late they have been rather
scarce. It included two of the oval cans,
but the challenge will be finding the other
10, and at about $400 apiece, it won’t be cheap. The display was a
bit of a bargain, as complete displays have sold for five figures. A