Profiles
- Mopar - 1960 Chrysler 300F GT Special
- Race - 1967 Plymouth RO23 Belvedere
- Truck - 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 454 LS6
- GM - 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
- Hot Rod - 1932 Ford “Golden Rod” Roadster
- Corvette - 1957 Chevrolet Corvette 283/283 Fuelie convertible
- Americana - 1932 Auburn 8-100A speedster
- Ford - 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Search This Issue
Page 4
CAR COLLECTOR
Vol. 2 • Issue 9 • May-June 2013
The Scoop: Profiles
CORVETTE
1957 283/283
FUELIE CONVERTIBLE
$129k / RM Auctions
Fuelie icon brings
a top-money price
— Michael Pierce
Page 42
GM
1968 CHEVROLET
CAMARO Z/28
$64k / Mecum Auctions
GM’s high-revving answer
to race-spec Mustangs —
Chad Tyson
Page 44
FoMoCo
1969 FORD MUSTANG
BOSS 302
$71k / Mecum Auctions
Ford’s Trans Am challenge
to the dominating Z/28
— Dale Novak
Page 46
MOPAR
1960 CHRYSLER 300F
GT SPECIAL
$237k / Gooding & Co.
The best of the best in
a Chrysler letter car
— Tom Glatch
Page 48
AMERICAN
™
Cover photo: 1968
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Courtesy of Mecum Auctions
6 AmericanCarCollector.com
Keith Martin's
Page 5
HOT ROD
1932 FORD “GOLDEN
ROD” ROADSTER
$91k / RM Auctions
The price of originality
in a period rod
— Ken Gross
Page 50
CLASSIC
1932 AUBURN 8-100A
SPEEDSTER
$330k / RM Auctions
How do you value an
original rebody?
— Carl Bomstead
Page 52
RACE
1967 PLYMOUTH R023
BELVEDERE
$80k / Mecum Auctions
Are Plymouths fast? Ask the
man who didn’t own one
— Tom Glatch
Page 54
TRUCK
1970 CHEVROLET
EL CAMINO SS 454 LS6
$122k / Mecum Auctions
The baddest — and rarest
— muscle truck around
— B. Mitchell Carlson
Page 56
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302; profile, p. 46
Courtesy of Mecum Auctions
May-June 2013
7
Page 6
Inside
COLUMNS
10 Torque
36 Cheap Thrills
– B. Mitchell Carlson
38 Horsepower
A time machine with an eight-foot bed – Jim Pickering
1967–72 Ford F-series: Too good to ignore
Is cheap horsepower dead? – Colin Comer
40 Corvette Market
106 Surfing Around
The Curse of the Fours – fiction or fact? – John L. Stein
Must-have automobilia on eBay – Carl Bomstead
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
12 What’s Happening
Your guide to news and events
14 Crossing the Block
Upcoming auctions
20 Parts Time
22 Cool Stuff
24 Snapshots
28 Your Turn
Thermoquads and inTune
Bendable Boom Mat, slot-cars race to glory,
wrenching on a salad
Muscle-car stamps, and a trip to Cuba
Million-dollar ’Vettes?
34 Insider’s View
80, 88 Our Cars
What’s the best $10k American collector car?
60 Anatomy of a Market Report
A primer on how ACC rates cars at auction
Up close and personal with ACCer vehicles
100 The Parts Hunter
Big-money parts and accessories
102 Showcase Gallery — NEW!
Sell your car in our ACC classifieds section
104 Resource Directory
Get to know our advertisers
105 Advertiser Index
8 AmericanCarCollector.com
Photo: Looking down the barrel at Portland
International Raceway. For tips on prepping
your stock muscle for drag racing, see p. 30
Dave Tomaro
Dave Tomaro
AUCTIONS
62 Mecum Kissimmee
The mammoth sale grows to a record-shattering
10 days and $70.7m – Dale Novak
72 Leake Oklahoma City
A real-deal ’69 Yenko Camaro rumbles to $209k
at Leake’s $5.7m OKC sale – Phil Skinner
82 McCormick’s Palm Springs
Rust-free desert classics bring a record $7.5m
at Keith McCormick’s 54th sale – Jack Tockston
90 Roundup
6
Carl Bomstead, Burt Richmond
Highlights from five sales of American vehicles from
coast to coast – Adam Blumenthal, Donald Osborne,
FUN RIDES
20 Good Reads
– Mark Wigginton
The Complete Book of Classic Dodge and Plymouth
Muscle: Every model from 1
960 to 1 497
22 Desktop Classics
30 A Day at the Races
66 Quick Take
1969 Yenko Camaros – Marshall Buck
Ten Tips to help you beat your friends at the local
grudge races– Jim Pickering
1966 Chevrolet Nova SS L79 – Dale Novak
Page 8
Torque
Jim Pickering
hold up my three-inch exhaust system and
my Flowmaster three-chamber mufflers.
So a few weeks ago, I headed out to one of
Portland’s oldest speed shops to take a look
around and pick up the things I needed.
Radke Auto Parts has been in business
Time traveling in a truck
I
CLASSIC MUSCLE WILL ALWAYS BE HOT, BUT WORK TRUCKS
WERE WHAT OUR HEROES DROVE
’ve been working on rebuilding the
rear suspension in my ’66 Caprice
street/strip car — but I have broken a
few things in the process, including
several of the exhaust hangers that
since 1933. It’s not the closest shop to ACC’s
World Headquarters, but I always like the
drive, since it runs right past where my
father used to work when I was a kid. I try to
make it a point to buy from Radke’s at least
a few times a year, in part because it’s still
a family-owned business, and because it’s
the only reason I have to explore an area I
used to visit when going to see Dad at work.
Exactly where his building was is vague in
my mind, so whenever I’m in the area, I’m
always the guy driving five miles per hour
under the speed limit while looking for
landmarks that feel familiar.
For a kid like me, going to see Dad at
work was great, since the area was completely
industrial — you were guaranteed
to see big trucks, or a freight train, both of
which were by far the highlights of the week
for a little boy obsessed with mechanical
things.
But even more vivid in my memory were
the trips to work with Dad on the weekends.
We’d always take his blue ’75 Chevy one-ton
pickup. We’d share Hot Tamales from the
candy machine while he did whatever it
was he had to do. Sometimes we’d go into
the attic and he’d let me rifle through the
boxes of old semi-truck license plates for my
collection. Always at the center of these trips
was that blue truck — the way it sounded,
the way it smelled (a cross between sunbaked
vinyl and leather work gloves), and
the way it felt to sit in it — eye-level to the
dash, legs bouncing off the front of the seat.
That truck was the first vehicle I’d ever
seen brought back to life, so while I already
loved cars, in a sense it was my first personal
connection to this hobby. It was also the
first tangible evidence to support what my
5-year-old mind already assumed: My dad
10 AmericanCarCollector.com
Like father, like son — the ’75 Chevy one-ton meets Jim’s ’72 K10
could do absolutely anything. He’d pulled
it out of a field in the mid-1980s as a nonrunner,
and he worked his magic on it over
the course of a few years, personally making
it look like a new truck.
It served as his daily driver until 1988
or 1989, when he parked it in favor of a
company-supplied S10. In 2001, he sold it to
a friend for $500. Life moved on and we lost
track of it.
A few weeks ago, I was thinking of all
this stuff like I usually do on my way to
Radke’s. As I pulled in the driveway, I was
blown away to see the old Chevy sitting
in front of the house adjacent to the store.
I hadn’t seen it since 2001, but I’d know it
anywhere. Aside from some heavy weathering,
it looked just the way it did back when I
rode in it as a kid in that same neighborhood.
For a moment, I was 5 years old again.
Going back in time
There’s been a lot of talk about booming
classic-truck prices in the current market.
While I can’t say for sure how long the trend
will last, I do understand it, and I think it
boils down to this: Muscle cars and Corvettes
will always steal the spotlight and rank high
on the sales charts, but for a lot of us, work
trucks were the vehicles our heroes drove.
They are a tangible connection to a simpler
time of life, when all that mattered was fixing
this or moving that, or just riding with Dad or
Grandpa on the way to do something fun.
People are always willing to pay to
revive a part of their youth. I think for every
collector who is buying a truck to try to
make money in the hot classic-truck market,
there’s another one paying a premium price
not because a specific truck is rare or pretty
or poised to go up in value, but because
of what it represents to him on a personal
level. It’s a knee-jerk reaction to the harsh
economic and social realities of the past few
years. It’s the everyman car guy looking to
go home again.
My memories of that ’75 were the reason
I bought a ’72 Longbed 4x4. I don’t drive it
daily, but I do drive my daughter around in
it as much as I can. My hope is that she’ll
find the same sort of value in the old-truck
experience that I did when I was little.
That ’75 won’t ever come back to my
driveway. My dad and I have moved on. But
it’s nice to know it’s still out there and in
one piece. I just hope a little kid lives in that
house next to the old speed shop, and I hope
he or she gets to ride around in that truck,
legs bouncing off the front of the seat and
face eye-level to the dash. A
Page 10
WHAT’SHAPPENING
Shelby in SCCA Hall of Fame
Carroll Shelby, race car driver and the
wizard behind the Shelby Cobra and Shelby
Mustang, lives on as a member of the
Sports Car Club of America Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony
took place at the SCCA’s
Annual Meeting at the
South Point Hotel in Las
Vegas on March 2, 2013.
Shelby died in May
2012.
“Carroll Shelby is an
Shelby
icon in the automotive
performance industry,”
said SCCA President and CEO, Jeff Dahnert.
“He impacted the SCCA as a competitor,
as an automotive designer and builder, and
his influence within the motorsports world
elevated SCCA. We are very proud to have
had him as a member of the SCCA and now
as a member of the SCCA Hall of Fame.”
Fellow legends John “Skip” Barber, Bill
Noble, Bobby Rahal and Andy Porterfield
accompanied Carroll Shelby into the SCCA
Hall of Fame. With only five inductees this
year, initiation into the Hall of Fame is one
of the highest honors given in the world of
automotive racing.
Carlisle Events
The car-happy town of Carlisle,
PA, is the place to be in May and June,
especially if you’re into performance cars,
Fords or GM vehicles.
Carlisle Performance & Style,
on May 9–11, brings tricked-out
cars and trucks to the Carlisle
Fairgrounds. Autocross, stunt shows,
the Manufacturer’s Midway and a great
swapmeet are just a few of the weekend’s
events.
The 18th annual Carlisle Ford
Nationals arrives at the Fairgrounds on
June 7–9, and FoMoCo fans will wallow
in test drives and displays of concept, custom
and historical cars. A burnout competition,
NHRA drag racing, Manufacturers
Midway and the world-famous swapmeet
are also scheduled.
The Carlisle GM Nationals, from
June 21 to 23, also offers concept, custom
and historic cars — along with drawings
for vehicles and engines. More NHRA
racing is scheduled, along with a car show,
an all-GM car corral, a Turbo Buick celebration
and a Cacklefest. And, of course,
the legendary swap meet will wear out
even the most dedicated bargain hunters.
For more information on all Carlisle
Events, visit www.carsatcarlisle.com
12 AmericanCarCollector.com
Jenkins
Bloomington Gold’s Champaign Year
Bloomington Gold — the annual Corvette lovefest and strict test of originality — rumbles
into Champaign, IL, from June 28 to 30. This is the first time that Bloomington Gold will be
in Champaign, and the word is that there will be better roads for driving and more room for
events. This marks the 41st year of the longest continuous national Corvette show. Thousands
of Corvette lovers — and Corvettes — flock to Bloomington Gold each summer to celebrate
America’s Sports Car — and to see whether their car is original enough to win a prestigious
Gold Certification, a Survivor Award or the coveted Benchmark Award. But this is more
than a judging event. The Great Hall will honor Corvette people and cars, the GoldMine has
Corvettes for sale, and Mecum Auctions will move more than 250 Corvettes across the block.
For more information, visit www.bloomingtongold.com
Grumpy’s Stuff
Drag racing Legend Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins is gone, but his legacy will
live on at Mecum’s 26th Original Spring Classic auction in Indianapolis with
the auctioning of “Grumpy’s Stuff,” which features more than 150 personal
artifacts from his estate to be offered Saturday, May 18, all at no reserve.
“Grumpy,” as he was known by most, made a name for himself during the
1960s while drag racing in the NHRA using cars equipped with engines he
had built. Jenkins would often take off down the strip with a lit cigar wedged
between his teeth.
He built 30 vehicles that set national records in various racing venues
— and won a total of 61 races including eight championships. “He was a
mechanical engineer to a fault,” describes friend and estate executor Dick Williams. “He was
lost in his own world; he was like an artist that way. If he was back working on something you
might have to remind him to eat.” For more information, visit www.mecum.com
$20k Barrett-Jackson Cup at Hot August Nights
The owner of the top car at the 2013 Hot August Nights will go home $20k richer — with-
out having to step into a casino.
Barrett-Jackson will award $20,000 to the car that earns the Ultimate Best
of Show Award during the Downtown Reno Show-n-Shine.
The Barrett-Jackson Cup — and that $20k — will go to the top finisher
among 45 cars chosen as finalists. The 4th Runner Up will win $1,000, 3rd
will win $3,000, 2nd will win $6,000 and the 1st Runner Up will collect
$10,000.
This is Barrett-Jackson’s first year at Hot August Nights, and the Barrett-
Jackson
Jackson Hot August Nights Auction will send hundreds of cars across the
block at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center from August 8–10.
“We are proud of our new partnership with Hot August Nights,” said
Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We’re excited to celebrate with the Hot
August Nights enthusiasts as we bring our iconic auction and brand to the Reno/Tahoe area.”
For more information on the Barrett-Jackson Cup, visit www.hotaugustnights.net or
www.barrett-jackson.comA
Page 12
CROSSINGTHE
Upcoming auctions
BLOCK
by Tony Piff
1968 Shelby GT500 KR convertible to be offered at Worldwide’s Houston Classic, May 4
MaY
Worldwide — The Houston Classic
Where: Montgomery, TX
When: May 4
More: www.worldwide-auctioneers.com
Last year: 101/119 cars sold / $6.6m
Headliners at Worldwide’s Houston Classic sale include a 1968
Shelby GT500 KR convertible; the ex-Rod Stewart 1966 Shelby
427 Cobra, precisely restored to award-winning level; the Serial #1
1950 Nash-Healey Roadster, ex-Donald Healey, $400k restoration
just completed; and a 1932 Auburn 8-100A Boattail Speedster
with complete ownership chain since 1966. The sale takes place in
conjunction with the second annual Concours d’Elegance of Texas.
Silver — Spokane 2013
Where: Spokane, WA
When: May 8
More: www.silverauctions.com
Last year: 99/164 cars sold / $1.3m
Hudson Commodore Six Brougham convertible, a 1950 Hudson
Commodore Eight Brougham convertible, and a 1939 Hudson
Business Six Big Boy pickup. Other notable consignments include
a 1931 Auburn 8-98 Boattail Speedster in black and silver with red
pin-striping, a restored 1947 Buick Super Estate woodie wagon, an
award-winning 1957 Ford Thunderbird E-code, and a fully equipped
1967 Shelby GT500, one of only 200 built in Brittany Blue.
Mecum — Spring Classic
Where: Indianapolis, IN
When: May 14–19
More: www.mecum.com
Last year: 1,335/1,991 cars sold / $50.2m
Nearly 2,000 collector cars crossed the block at Indy last year.
This time around, the legendary 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake
is the headliner. Other star cars include a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette
427/400 convertible, a 1968 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro RS/SS, and
a documented 1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE with only 17,600 miles.
This annual sale always attracts a strong mix of drivable collector
cars, ready for show or go. You can count on a variety of Corvettes,
muscle, wild customs and classic American luxury cruisers.
The average price per car here last year was $13,500, with a lot of
high-quality consignments under $10k.
Auctions America — Auburn Spring
Where: Auburn, IN
When: May 9–11
More: www.auctionsamerica.com
Last year: 194/408 cars sold / $4.4m
AA predicts more than 600 cars at this three-day event. The sale
will feature 19 vehicles from the John Soneff Collection, many at
no reserve. The late Mr. Soneff was known as one of the foremost
Hudson experts in the industry. Collection highlights include a 1949
14 AmericanCarCollector.com
auctions america’s auburn Spring sale takes place May 9–11
Page 14
CROSSINGTHEBLOCK
Wake the neighbors — pro-streeted 1966 Chevy nova with 555-ci lump to cross the block at Leake’s Tulsa auction June 7–9
Dragone — Spring Vehicle and Collectibles Auction
Where: Westport, CT
When: May 31
More: www.dragoneclassic.com
A strong assortment of century-old American motorcars heads
to the second annual Dragone Spring Auction, including a 1911
Hupmobile Model 20, a 1908 International and a 1907 Columbia
Electric Victoria. Other exciting lots include a 1941 Chrysler T&C
Barrel Back wagon, a 1948 T&C convertible and a 1979 Dodge Li’l
Red Express.
MotoeXotica — St. Louis Classic & Exotic Car
Auction
Where: St. Louis, MO
When: May 31–June 1
More: www.motoexotica.com
June
Bonhams — The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance
Where: Greenwich, CT
When: June 2
More: www.bonhams.com
Last year: 62/90 cars sold / $5.2m
Leake auctioneers will run 750 collector cars, trucks and motorcycles
down two simultaneous auction lanes at this high-energy
sale. It’s a spectacle not to be missed, heavy on the Heartland
muscle. Early consignments include a nitrous-equipped 1972
Chevrolet Chevelle SS, a Pro Street 1966 Chevrolet Nova with
555-ci V8, a 1968 Camaro and a 1954 Bel Air.
Leake — Tulsa 2013
Where: Tulsa, OK
When: June 7–9
More: www.leakecarauction.com
Last year: 399/646 cars sold / $8.4m
MotoeXotica expects 300-plus cars at their hometown sale.
Look for a range of consignments from every automotive genre at
various price points. The selection of American muscle, Corvettes,
Mopars and customs is excellent.
Silver — Coeur d’Alene
Where: Coeur d’Alene, ID
When: June 15
Last year: 44/98 cars sold / $440k
Coeur d’Alene, ID, is known for its picturesque lake, wooden
boats and collector cars. It’s just the place for this classy, easygoing
auction. Consignments range from the mid-four digits on up,
with excellent examples from a range of automotive categories.
Mecum — Bloomington Gold
Where: Champaign, IL
When: June 28–29
More: www.mecum.com
Last year: 67/133 cars sold / 2.75m
Bonhams is the official auction house of the Greenwich
Concours d’Elegance, and this will be their fifth annual Greenwich
sale. The wide-ranging selection consistently features a number of
top-quality domestic collectibles. Sold cars averaged $84k at this
sale in 2012.
16 AmericanCarCollector.com
From C1s to C6s, it’s all about Corvettes at Bloomington Gold.
The well-established Corvette festival moves to Champaign, Illinois
this year, and Mecum returns as the official auction house. As
Mecum puts it, Bloomington is “where Corvette people buy and
sell to Corvette people.” The growing sale looks poised for another
strong year. A
Page 16
Publisher’s
Note
Keith Martin
Buy a car,
change your life
A
merican Car Collector is all about change. When a car
gets sold, the seller’s life changes — and so does the
buyer’s.
When you upgrade a car, perhaps following the suggestions
that Editor Jim Pickering makes in his drag-race
feature this month, your car changes. Hopefully it’s faster or more consistent.
And your driving experience will be different. If the changes
work out, you’re a happier owner. If not, it’s back to the drawing board.
But in either case, you’ve changed your life — even if just slightly.
What I enjoy the most about each issue of ACC is how the market
is represented as a vibrant, living thing — from boutique auctions
such as RM, with just 100 or so cars, to multi-day extravaganzas like
Barrett-Jackson, where more than 1,000 cars cross the block. Whether
you’re in a fancy ballroom or a big tent in a parking lot, what’s going on
is the same. Someone has decided it’s time to change their life by turning
a car into money (and often back into another car), and someone
else has decided that the car of their dreams is crossing the block, and
they’re going to put it into their garage.
If your dream car is the Boss 302, a Z/28, a Fuelie Corvette or LS6
El Camino that we profile in this issue, you missed your chance to buy
one when they crossed the block. But ACC reporters were there, and
you can read their descriptions of the cars (and trucks), the prices they
made, and what we thought of them.
The classic muscle cars that are the staple of ACC may be old, but
the emotions they elicit are fresh. This issue is full of cars that have
moved on to new owners, creating new experiences and new excitement.
Isn’t it about time you bought something new for your garage
as well? A
CAR COLLECTOR
Volume 2, no. 3
May-June 2013
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
associate editor Chad Tyson
Copy editors Yael Abel, Dave Tomaro
auction analysts B. Mitchell Carlson
Kevin Coakley
John Lyons
Norm Mort
Phil Skinner
Contributors Carl Bomstead
Colin Comer
John Draneas
Michael Pierce
Jay Harden
Mark Wigginton
Information Technology/
Internet Brian Baker
Lead Web Developer Marc Emerson
SeO Consultant Michael Cottam
advertising and events
Coordinator Erin Olson
Financial Manager Cheryl Ann Cox
Print Media Buyer Wendie Martin
aDVeRTISInG SaLeS
advertising executives Randy Zussman
randy.zussman@AmericanCarCollector.com
877.219.2605 x 214
Cindy Meitle
cindy.meitle@AmericanCarCollector.com
877.219.2605 x 5
Steve Kittrell
steve.kittrell@AmericanCarCollector.com
877.219.2605 x 5
SuBSCRIPTIOnS
Subscriptions Manager Rich Coparanis
administrative assistant Cassie Sellman
Subscriptions 877.219.2605 x 1
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., M–F
service@AmericanCarCollector.com
503.253.2234 fax
@AmericanCCMag
CORReSPOnDenCe
Phone 503.261.0555
Fax 503.253.2234
General P.O. Box 4797
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Portland, Oregon 97232
email help@AmericanCarCollector.com
Feedback comments@AmericanCarCollector.com
Web www.AmericanCarCollector.com
a “sold” sticker indicates that at least two lives are going to
be different
18 AmericanCarCollector.com
American Car Collector magazine (ISSN# 2164-1323) is published bimonthly by
Automotive Investor Media Group, 401 NE 19th Street, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232.
POSTMaSTeR: Send address changes to American Car Collector, PO Box 4797, Portland,
OR 97208. The information in American Car Collector magazine is compiled from
a variety of reliable sources. However, we disclaim and deny any responsibility or liability
for the timeliness, use, interpretation, accuracy and completeness of the information
presented. All material, data, formats, and intellectual concepts in this issue © 2013 by
American Car Collector, LLC, Automotive Investor Media Group, Inc., and Automotive
Investor in this format and any other used by American Car Collector magazine. Copyright
registered with the United States copyright office. PRINTED IN USA
Daniel Grunwald
Jack Tockston
Pat Campion
Dale Novak
B. Mitchell Carlson
Ken Gross
Tom Glatch
John L. Stein
Marshall Buck
AMERICAN
JOIN US
Keith Martin's
Page 18
GOODREADS by Mark Wigginton
The Complete Book of Classic Dodge and Plymouth Muscle:
Every Model from 1960 to 1974
by Mike Mueller, Motorbooks, 288 pages, $18.71 (Amazon)
Somewhere in the desert well east of Los Angeles,
heading for my new college in Missouri, my copilot and
UCLA buddy Lance Ito (yes, that Lance Ito) slid behind
the wheel of my Datsun 2000. Accelerating onto the
freeway, he promptly stuck it in the wrong gear on an
up-shift and buzzed the motor. Two weeks later, safely
at school, the timing chain let go, valves met aluminum
head and I was begging to borrow my roomie’s car.
It was a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, complete with
more horsepower than my sporty-car past had prepared
me for, big Hurst pistol grip shifter and a Hemi.
My introduction to Mopar power in the R/T was
eye-opening, as was the diabolical handling, lack of
brakes and seats so flat it felt like I was going to slide
out of the car on every curve. But, oh, the power.
That Challenger was at the end-in-sight era of
the muscle car. Back at the other end, the beginning,
there are Bowtie guys who claim the Corvette was
there first, as well as Chrysler guys who say, wait a minute, the first
muscle car came much earlier, 1955 to be exact, with the introduction of the C-300.
Mike Mueller, author of Dodge and Plymouth Muscle, makes a pretty good case for that C-300,
the first generally available Detroit iron to produce 300 horsepower. But that is just the beginning
for Mueller, who takes us through hundreds of models, from mild to wild, created under the Dodge
and Plymouth brands through the muscle-car decade and a bit more. Barracudas, Chargers, Darts
and Demons, Road Runners, Dusters and Super Bees, they are all here, with detailed looks at the
models, the options and the history.
Enjoy the ride, and the read: It’s a good one.
PARTSTIME by Chad Tyson
New products to modernize your street machine
Summit Racing remanufactured
Thermoquad carburetors
Thermoquad carbure
tors give good performance
and reliability if
they’re set up and tuned
properly. Unfortunately
there seems to be
more magic than skill
required in getting one
of these just right.
Now, instead of
searching through the
phone book and asking
everybody at the swapm
help, you can get a rema
TQ for your 1971–74 M
Summit Racing.
Summit disassembles and thoroughly cleans the carbs, replacing
any worn or non-functioning components. Each carb is individually
inspected and tested by the pros at UREMCO. The best part? Each of
the square-bore rebuilds is just $279.95.
Visit www.summitracing.com, or call 800.230.3030, for more
details. P/N SUM-210232, SUM-210234, SUM-210236.
20 AmericanCarCollector.com
Diablosport inTune
Programmer
If you want to wrangle every
ast horsepower from your moder
Camaro, Challenger, Mustang or
ruck, you’re going to need to tal
hat little computer under the hoo
Diablosport has just the tool for t
ob.
The inTune is a programmer,
data logger and DTC reader — al
wrapped up in a $389 package th
maller than your smartphone.
The inTune tuning covers
applications ranging from a 2012
Cadillac CTS-V to a 2003 Dodge
Neon SRT4 to a 2007 Jeep Grand C
Hemi. More than 65 tunes (for cars such as Camaros, Mustangs,
Corvettes and Chargers too) are preloaded into the tuner, and they
can boost both power and mileage significantly.
Data logging is as easy as plugging the device into the OBD-II
port and touching through a few menus. Clicking “save” can log up
to 30 minutes of data.
Visit www.diablosport.com for additional information. A
Lineage: ªªªª
Mike Mueller is an automotive
journalist with a strong pedigree in
magazines, as well as fifty books
on all things automotive. This is
the second, updated edition of the
original 2009 book, supported by a
large cast of Mopar enthusiasts.
Fit and finish: ªªª
Clean design and plenty of
well-printed color images makes this
book easy on the eyes.
Drivability: ªªªª
Good writing is so rare in most
enthusiast books, but it’s nice to be
able to say Mike Mueller breaks that
mold. His writing style is fun, breezy
and full of facts, full of personality
amidst the prose. From the first
chapter, the book is informative and
entertaining.
ªªªªª is best
Page 20
COOLSTUFF
Multi-tool
tableware
Wrenches, pliers…
I’ve never been so eager
to set the table. Each set
of stainless steel “utensils”
comes in a secure,
blow-molded case. $24.95
from www.genuinehotrod.com
by Tony Piff
Olive drab stab
The slim, smooth Kershaw
Ready, set, go
Summit Racing’s 13-foot slot-car set ($119.95)
brings the thrills of the drag strip into your living
room. Watch the “Christmas tree” countdown to green,
then you can hammer the throttle and race to the finish.
The functional foul light keeps everyone honest.
Each set includes two Top Fuel funny cars. Mix it up
with other dragsters, muscle cars and wild hot rods for
$19.95 apiece. www.summitracing.com
Bending the sound barrie
Boom Mat’s Moldable Noise Barrier is
just 1/16-inch thick. Use a heat gun to custo
mold the sheets to fit awkward floor contou
For service, the mat can be easily removed.
Sheets measure 54 inches by 24 inches
($49.95) or 54 inches by 48 inches ($97.95)
www.summitracing.com
Leek is one of my favorite everyday
knives: It carries nicely
in a front pocket with just the
right heft, the assisted action
is solid and slick, and the edge
arrives furiously sharp. The
only problem is choosing between
the variety of colors,
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
COOLSTUFF
STUFF
Multi-tool
tableware
Wrenches, pliers…
I’ve never been so eager
to set the table.
-tool
tableware
Wrenches, pliers…
I’ve never been so eager
to set the table. Each set
of stainless steel “uten-
sils” comes in a secure,
blow-molded case. $24.95
from www.genuine-
hotrod.com
by Tony Piff
Olive drab stab
The slim, smooth Kershaw
Ready, set, go
Summit Racing’s 13-foot slot-car set ($119.95)
brings the thrills of the drag strip into your living
room. Watch the “Christmas tree” countdown to green,
then you can hammer the throttle and race to the fin-
ish. The functional foul light keeps everyone honest.
Each set includes two Top Fuel funny cars. Mix it up
with other dragsters, muscle cars and wild hot rods for
$19.95 apiece. www.summitracing.com
Bending the sound barrie
Boom Mat’s Moldable Noise Barrier is
just 1/16-inch thick. Use a heat gun to custo
mold the sheets to fit awkward floor contou
For service, the mat can be easily removed.
Sheets measure 54 inches by 24 inches
($49.95) or 54 inches by 48 inches ($97.95)
www.summitracing.com
Leek is one of my favorite ev-
eryday knives: It carries nicely
in a front pocket with just the
right heft, the assisted action
is solid and slick, and the edge
arrives furiously sharp. The
only problem is choosing be-
tween the variety of colors,
DESKTOPCLASSICS
DESKTOPCLASSICS by Marshall Buck
1969 Yenko Camaros
Supercar Collectibles has produced a plethora
of Yenko Camaro miniatures. There are more
than 10 versions to choose from. Some replicate
ultra-rare Yenko cars such as the Dover White
with black vinyl roof sold by Jack Douglas
Chevrolet, or the one in Olympic Gold, which
exactly models the lowest-serial-number ’69
Yenko Camaro.
Fit and finish on both are very good, as is the extensive detailing that each model features. I’m par-
tial to the white with its perfectly rendered Torq Thrust wheels. Each model has a long list of working
features including tilt seat backs, working scissor hinges under the hood, flip-down rear license plate
over the gas cap, drive shaft that rotates with the wheels, and more.
You will not be sorry when you pop the hood to see that monstrous 427. It’s there in all its glory —
wired and plumbed with a comprehensive amount of supporting detail and components.
22 AmericanCarCollector.com
Detailing
Scale: 1:18
Available colors: Too many to list
Quantities of the two models shown:
Dover White, 750; Olympic Gold, 504
Price: $74.95
Production date: 2011
Web: www.supercar1.com
Ratings
Detailing: ªªªªª
Accuracy: ªªªªª
Overall quality: ªªªª
Overall value: ªªªªª
ªªªªª is best
Page 22
SNAPSHOTS
A car guy’s Havana time warp
CUBAN INGENUITY HAS KEPT AN ESTIMATED 50,000 AMERICAN CARS
FROM 1940 TO 1960 ON THE ROAD
including the United States.
Tourism promotion brought about the Cuban Grand
Prix from 1957 to 1959. The 1958 race gave Fidel
Castro’s revolutionaries the opportunity to kidnap
famous race-car driver Juan Manuel Fangio in 1958 —
and publicize their cause worldwide. Fangio is fondly
remembered in Havana, more than 50 years after his
safe release after 29 hours with his kidnappers.
When in Havana, a visit to Ernest Hemingway’s
home, Finca Vigia, is mandatory. It is magnificently
preserved just the way the famous writer left it in
1960. Hemingway’s 1934 Wheeler fishing yacht is
nicely restored and on view under cover. Hemingway
owned seven cars during his years in Cuba, including
a 1941 Lincoln Continental, two Buick convertibles
and a 1955 Chrysler New Yorker convertible.
The mix of cars in Cuba represents an interesting
Robert Ames
Paradise for fans of vintage Detroit iron
by Robert Ames
What is life like in Cuba these days — almost 53 years after the United States
placed an embargo on Castro’s paradise?
Well, I found rum, cigars, Hemingway haunts, salsa — and 1950s Detroit Iron
everywhere.
For years, I’ve seen photos of the amazing array of old American cars roaming
the streets of Havana. I’ve always wanted to see this phenomenon firsthand, so when
the U.S. Treasury Department announced the People to People program, which
allows U.S. citizens limited group travel to the island, we signed up for a National
Geographic-sponsored visit. We’ve traveled to some pretty remote spots around the
globe with this first-rate nonprofit outfit.
Meanwhile, I’ve long resisted the urge to sneak into Cuba through Canada or
Mexico. This trip was a legal way to live my
dream.
In addition to the days in Havana on either
Detailing
Travel to Cuba is illegal for most
U.S. citizens, but it is legal to visit
the country if you sign up for a
special tour. National Geographic
Expeditions offers a very popular
tour. For more information, visit
www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com.
end of the stay, we visited Cienfuegos, Pinar del
Rio and Trinidad, which is a World Heritage site.
These towns are all reached via an eight-lane motorway
— which seemed to have more mule carts
and bicycles than automobiles. There were 24 in
our group, including a couple of other gearheads.
Luckily, our principal guide was Christopher
Baker, an English travel writer.
Chris, an old Cuba hand, has written extensively about the island, its history,
politics and people — and about its time-warp cars.
Our first days were in Havana staying at the Marques San Felipe Hotel. Just
steps away from this marvelous hotel we found a museum filled with some of
Cuba’s earliest automobiles, including the oldest, a 1908 Cadillac. Now that’s fitting,
as Cadillacs are everywhere. This small island, the home of 1940s and 1950s
Mob-owned casinos, once bought more Cadillacs per capita than any other country,
24 AmericanCarCollector.com
Robert Ames
Is that a factory color?
spectrum. Ladas, the Soviet Fiat 124 copy, are still
about, smoky and rusting. Their survival rate is
much lower than the 50-years-older Detroit Iron. The
“classic” American car population ranges from scrap
candidates to good examples of amateur restoration
performed without the benefit of replacement parts.
The worst are barely mobile taxis, badly rusted
hulks with broken suspension corners and locked
in a remaining gear or two. Their owners hope to
keep moving shared fares from Point A to Point B in
exchange for a few Cuban Pesos above black-market
fuel costs.
A good many of the old U.S. cars underwent engine
changes — often to more-modern Russian or Chinese
diesels. Some of those engines came from tractors.
The range of transplants is amazing: Engines,
transmissions and entire underpinnings now live on
under ancient Chevrolet, Ford and Chrysler bodies.
Cuban backyard engineering equals anything seen in
1940s Southern California.
This ingenuity has kept an estimated 50,000 or
so 1940 to 1960 American machines on the road. All
See HAVANA, p. 26
Page 24
SNAPSHOTS
Muscle cars forever
by Chester Allen
The great muscle cars of
the late 1960s and early 1970s
remain a living, breathing
passion for many American
Car Collectors — and five
classic firebreathers now have
immortal status on five new
“Forever” stamps from the U.S.
Postal Service.
The limited-edition “America
on the Move: Muscle Cars
Forever” stamps display artist
Tom Fritz’s paintings of:
• A 1966 Pontiac GTO melting rubber on
a twilight track
• A 1967 Shelby GT500 at speed
• An orange 1969 Dodge Daytona —
with signature spoiler painted black —
at the very start of an epic burnout
• A 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda fishtailing
slightly while smoking the tires
• A 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle convertible
in a blur of speed and power
All of the stamps show cars flexing their muscles, which is only right, as these
“Forever” stamps can be used anytime in the future to mail a first-class letter. They, like
the actual cars, will not die.
In fact, muscle cars have always burned in the mind of stamp artist — and gearhead
— Tom Fritz. The painting of the Pontiac GTO rose from Fritz’s own memories.
“Being from Southern California — the San Fernando Valley — these muscle cars
came out when I was in elementary school,” Fritz said. “I remember cruising in a GTO
on Van Nuys Boulevard when I was in high school — we just jumped into a dad’s GTO
and hit the street at night.”
Fritz, a noted artist who has completed many comDetailing
For more about Tom Fritz and
his art, visit www.fritzart.com.
For more on stamp collecting
and the complete list of special
products related to the Muscle
Car stamps, visit www.usps.
com/shop.
missioned works, including several paintings for HarleyDavidson,
still lives in Southern California — with his
family, a bunch of motorcycles, a 1956 GMC pickup and
his grandparents’ 1954 Chevy sedan.
The original paintings of the five cars — in oil on
11-inch by 18-inch Masonite panels — now hang in the
National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington, D.C.
“For an artist, this is like getting hit with a bolt of
lightning,” Fritz said. “I’m honored and humbled.”
While many people will slap these stamps on their mail, others will collect them —
especially if they carry a first-day-of-issue postmark. This is easy to do. Simply place
each stamp — they come in sheets of 20 stamps, with four stamps of each car — onto an
envelope of your choice, address the envelopes to yourself or to others, and then place all
of them into a large envelope addressed to:
Muscle Cars Stamps
Postmaster
500 Bill France Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL, 32114
That’s right — these stamps will be postmarked at the famous Daytona Speedway.
The U.S. Postal Service will return the first-day-of-issue postmarked envelopes
through the mail — free of charge. All shipments of stamps must be postmarked by
April 22, 2013, so don’t spin your wheels on this one. The
stamps are at all post offices or through www.usps.com/
stamps.
If you’re late to this, don’t worry. You can buy first-
day covers with first-day-of-issue postmarks through
www.usps.com/shop or by calling 1-800-782-6724. A
TS
Muscle cars forever
by Chester Allen
The great muscle cars of
the late 1960s and early 1970s
remain a living, breathing
passion for many American
Car Collectors — and five
classic firebreathers now have
immortal status on five new
“Forever” stamps from the U.S.
Postal Service.
The limited-edition “America
on the Move: Muscle Cars
Forever” stamps display artist
Tom Fritz’s paintings of:
• A 1966 Pontiac GTO melting rubber on
a twilight track
• A 1967 Shelby GT500 at speed
• An orange 1969 Dodge Daytona —
with signature spoiler painted black —
at the very start of an epic burnout
• A 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda fishtailing
slightly while smoking the tires
• A 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle convertible
in a blur of speed and power
All of the stamps show cars flexing their muscles, which is only right, as these
“Forever” stamps can be used anytime in the future to mail a first-class letter. They, like
the actual cars, will not die.
In fact, muscle cars have always burned in the mind of stamp artist — and gearhead
— Tom Fritz. The painting of the Pontiac GTO rose from Fritz’s own memories.
“Being from Southern California — the San Fernando Valley — these muscle cars
came out when I was in elementary school,” Fritz said. “I remember cruising in a GTO
on Van Nuys Boulevard when I was in high school — we just jumped into a dad’s GTO
and hit the street at night.”
Fritz, a noted artist who has completed many com-
Detailing
For more about Tom Fritz and
his art, visit www.fritzart.com.
For more on stamp collecting
and the complete list of special
products related to the Muscle
Car stamps, visit www.usps.
com/shop.
missioned works, including several paintings for Harley-
Davidson, still lives in Southern California — with his
family, a bunch of motorcycles, a 1956 GMC pickup and
his grandparents’ 1954 Chevy sedan.
The original paintings of the five cars — in oil on
11-inch by 18-inch Masonite panels — now hang in the
National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington, D.C.
“For an artist, this is like getting hit with a bolt of
lightning,” Fritz said. “I’m honored and humbled.”
While many people will slap these stamps on their mail, others will collect them —
especially if they carry a first-day-of-issue postmark. This is easy to do. Simply place
each stamp — they come in sheets of 20 stamps, with four stamps of each car — onto an
envelope of your choice, address the envelopes to yourself or to others, and then place all
of them into a large envelope addressed to:
Muscle Cars Stamps
Postmaster
500 Bill France Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL, 32114
That’s right — these stamps will be postmarked at the famous Daytona Speedway.
The U.S. Postal Service will return the first-day-of-issue postmarked envelopes
through the mail — free of charge. All shipments of stamps must be postmarked by
April 22, 2013, so don’t spin your wheels on this one. The
stamps are at all post offices or through www.usps.com/
stamps.
If you’re late to this, don’t worry. You can buy first-
day covers with first-day-of-issue postmarks through
www.usps.com/shop or by calling 1-800-782-6724. A
HAVANA,
HAVANA, continued from p. 24
this has happened without access to our
aftermarket suppliers. Cuban drivers would
not be able to afford the parts anyway.
I’d been told that spark plugs for
American cars of the 1950s were a particular
problem. Figuring I’d build some bridges
with fellow enthusiasts, I brought three sets
along. On the day before our departure,
my wife, Kathleen, and I set out to select
recipients.
The best place to find many Detroit Iron
survivors are the streets circling Havana’s
parks near the capitol. Here hundreds of
owners — often looking for taxi fares or
tourists to tour the city — park their cars in
photogenic rows or slowly cruise the oneway
grid.
Despite the number of cars, giving away
the first new plugs seen in Havana in what is
probably years was more of an undertaking
than we had anticipated. The first person I
picked instantly attracted the attention of
fellow U.S. car owners.
They each pulled out modest rolls of
pesos. I finally convinced the chosen owner
that the plugs were free. When I looked back
from a block away, it appeared the gift was
being divided among the assembled, with
each car owner getting one new plug.
The Plymouth owner up the street was a
bit easier to convince. He wasn’t convinced
that they were his — until we’d taken his
tool kit out of the trunk, carefully gapped
the new sparkers and installed them.
Is Cuba worth the trip for a car guy?
Absolutely! I spent hours of our free time
standing on the pedestrian islands blasting
hundreds of photos of Chevys, Fords, Cads
and all the orphans. When is the last time
you saw Kaisers, Frazers, Hudsons and
Edsels cheek-by-jowl except at a cruise in?
If you are of a mind to visit one of the more
fascinating places on the planet, I suggest
getting on a wait list for one or another of
the People to People tours. A
Robert Ames
Classic buildings, classic cars
Page 26
YOUR TURN
Tell us what’s on your mind
1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88
Owens Corning racer — one in a
million? not by some reckoning
Contact us at: American Car Collector, P.O. Box 4797, Portland, OR 97208
or online at comments@americancarcollector.com
1963 Corvette Grand Sport
Jim Pickering
Million-dollar ’Vettes
In the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
market report in the March/April issue,
Dan Grunwald wrote the comment, “If any
Corvette is worth $1 million, it’s this one”
regarding the Owens Corning Corvette
on page 68. I say you should mention five
additional ’Vettes worth considerably more:
the ’63 Grand Sport models. All are valued
between $6 and $11 million.
— John Motroni, San Francisco, CA
Making old cars new again
I really enjoyed Colin Comer’s piece on
modifying collector cars for modern use
(Horsepower, March/April issue, p. 40). He
hit the nail on the head.
I am a Corvette collector who not only
enjoys vintage original Corvettes but also
cars that have been restored to original. I
agree with Colin’s statement that he likes
the feeling of going back in time when he
sits in his 1965 Mustang. If I want to drive
a Corvette with all the comforts of modern
times, I get in my 2001 Z06. That’s not what
I want when I go for a drive in my 1957
Fuelie. I want to feel like I’m back in 1957,
and for the short time I’m taking my cruise,
I do.
The Corvette resto-mod does nothing
for me. I compare them to women who
28 AmericanCarCollector.com
wear too much makeup or to an 80-year-old
woman who dresses like a teenager. All that
being said, I agree with adding radial tires,
modern shocks and springs, and tuning older
cars to run on modern fuel. This is what I
have done to my 1966 L72 NCRS National
Top Flight coupe, and it drives wonderfully
— yet it’s still 1966 when I get behind the
wheel and start the old girl up.
It’s about time someone got it right!
— Dwayne Bublitz , owner,
Corvette ’N America Road Tours
The next generation
I received my second issue of
American Car Collector magazine,
which I thoroughly enjoy. As I was
reading the Pocket Price Guide,
and checking out the value of my
1969 AMX, my 1½-year-old granddaughter
Mary grabbed it from
my hand and sat down to check
out prices, too. Just goes to show,
you’re never too young to have an
interest in collector-car values.
Thought you might enjoy the pic of
a future vintage-car collector.
— John Elliott, Halifax,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
Page 28
DAYAT THE RACES
Are you
ready to rumble?
HERE ARE 10 TIPS FOR GETTING DOWN THE QUARTER MILE
WITHOUT TURNING YOUR STOCKER INTO A DRAG CAR
by Jim Pickering
B
ench racing is time-honored tradition among car guys. It’s
also an easy way to foster real competition, whether you
meant to or not.
Here’s a good example: Say you just bought a clean but
non-numbers-matching ’69 Chevelle SS 396. And say your
buddy has a ’70 Road Runner with a 383.
All your friends, including Mr. Mopar, are together in someone’s
shop. A few beers later, the inevitable question comes up. Whose car
is faster? Naturally yours, you think. And a few seconds later, before
you know what hit you, you’ve signed on to prove it at the next dragstrip
grudge night.
Whether this has happened to you, all of us have at one time or
another wanted to see what our muscle cars are capable of. At ACC,
we love to drive our cars, and that includes occasional trips to the
drag strip.
So here are a few general things to consider as well as a few basic
tips to help you get your stock muscle car down the 1320 in one piece,
and hopefully out in front of your competition.
30 AmericanCarCollector.com
1 Do you really want to do this?
This is the most important question. There is no insurance
at the track, so if you stuff your car into the wall, blow
up a numbers-matching motor or end up in the hospital, the cost to fix
it is coming out of your pocket. All you need to do is flip to our market
report section to see what a comparable replacement car will cost.
If any of that worries you, cut your losses now. Better safe than
sorry. If you’d signed on to race a friend, throw in the towel and
declare him the king of the muscle-car world.
Can’t live with that? Still wonder what your car can do? Proceed
to No. 2.
2 Tune your combination
If you lose to everyone, do you want to leave the track
wondering if something simple such as ignition timing or
carburetor jetting could have made you fast enough to win?
Hire a good dyno tuner to go through your car. He’ll make adjustments
to give your engine the greatest output possible. He may also
Page 29
Upping your game
Want to go faster? Here are some performance parts that offer
a lot of bang for the buck and won’t ruin your car’s generally
stock look. Find them all at www.summitracing.com.
Intake and modern carb. Less weight equals a better ET.
Research the best intake/carb upgrade via the Web or manufacturers’
websites. Edelbrock, Weiand and others have some great
options for street/strip that are simple bolt-on upgrades that can
do wonders. You can drop 25 or more pounds and add 25 ponies
here for a few hours’ work. If you want a stock look, paint the
intake your engine color.
Cheater ignitions. Your old points and rotor ignition just can’t
match a modern HEI system. You can buy these as all-in-one
units that literally drop in and use the same wiring from stock.
You can also swap out your old coil for one with more juice that
still looks stock. If you want the best, there are some shops out
there that will set you up with a specific-use system based on your
engine and gearing with centrifugal advance that will make a
remarkable difference.
Better breathing. Your engine is a huge air pump — the
more air that can enter and exit, the more horsepower you will
make. Consider performance air cleaners that you can swap out
with your NAPA unit that will allow more flow. If you want huge
weight loss plus more power, ditch the old iron exhaust manifolds
for a proper set of headers. It’s obviously not stock, but you’ll
notice the difference on the first pass.
The right gears. Drag racing is an art form of the right engine
Dave Tomaro
mated up to the right running gears. You might have factory 4:11
in the rear axle but not enough motor to carry you through the
quarter mile. Or you could have a 3:23 set up without enough
torque to pull the car out of the hole. Switching out your rear end
with the right gears can win the day, and nobody will ever know
it’s no longer stock.
Drag radials. Lower 60-foot times and launch harder while
suggest some upgrades if your car doesn’t have the right mix of parts,
such as a different carburetor. All this will cost a couple hundred dollars,
but it is money well spent, as it’ll make the car more fun to drive
regardless of how you use it.
3 Drop that weight
We’re not trying to make an all-out race car here, but
even so, weight is still your enemy. You’ll want to ditch any
non-essential things from your trunk and interior. Empty the glove
box and console, ditch your spare tire and jack, and lose your emergency
tools. Also be aware of how much gas is in your tank, as a gallon
of gas weighs about six pounds. Longtime racers will tell you that
every 100 pounds lost is a tenth of a second gained, and that starts to
add up once you consider that a tenth of a second equals roughly a car
length of distance in the quarter mile.
4 Practice!
The car is only 50% of the equation. You, the driver, are
So take your freshly tuned car to your local track’s test-and-tune
the other half.
weekend. You’ll need to get it through tech inspection first, which
will require a few safety items such as a good battery hold-down and
a coolant overflow tank. If the car doesn’t pass, the inspector will tell
you why. Fix it and try again.
Watch some of the other racers stage and launch their cars. It’s a
great way to understand how the Christmas Tree and the timing lights
work. Once you’ve done that, get in line with your car and give it a
shot yourself.
5 Street tires, pressure and burnouts
Big V8s make a lot of torque, and street tires have a hard
time transferring that torque to the ground without going up
g your game
Want to go faster? Here are some performance parts that offer
a lot of bang for the buck and won’t ruin your car’s generally
stock look. Find them all at www.summitracing.com.
Intake and modern carb. Less weight equals a better ET.
Research the best intake/carb upgrade via the Web or manufactur-
ers’ websites. Edelbrock, Weiand and others have some great
options for street/strip that are simple bolt-on upgrades that can
do wonders. You can drop 25 or more pounds and add 25 ponies
here for a few hours’ work. If you want a stock look, paint the
intake your engine color.
Cheater ignitions. Your old points and rotor ignition just can’t
match a modern HEI system. You can buy these as all-in-one
units that literally drop in and use the same wiring from stock.
You can also swap out your old coil for one with more juice that
still looks stock. If you want the best, there are some shops out
there that will set you up with a specific-use system based on your
engine and gearing with centrifugal advance that will make a
remarkable difference.
Better breathing. Your engine is a huge air pump — the
more air that can enter and exit, the more horsepower you will
make. Consider performance air cleaners that you can swap out
with your NAPA unit that will allow more flow. If you want huge
weight loss plus more power, ditch the old iron exhaust manifolds
for a proper set of headers. It’s obviously not stock, but you’ll
notice the difference on the first pass.
The right gears. Drag racing is an art form of the right engine
Dave Tomaro
mated up to the right running gears. You might have factory 4:11
in the rear axle but not enough motor to carry you through the
quarter mile. Or you could have a 3:23 set up without enough
torque to pull the car out of the hole. Switching out your rear end
with the right gears can win the day, and nobody will ever know
it’s no longer stock.
Drag radials. Lower 60-foot times and launch harder while
suggest some upgrades if your car doesn’t have the right mix of parts,
such as a different carburetor. All this will cost a couple hundred dol-
lars, but it is money well spent, as it’ll make the car more fun to drive
regardless of how you use it.
3 Drop that weight
We’re not trying to make an all-out race car here, but
even so, weight is still your enemy. You’ll want to ditch any
non-essential things from your trunk and interior. Empty the glove
box and console, ditch your spare tire and jack, and lose your emer-
gency tools. Also be aware of how much gas is in your tank, as a gal-
lon of gas weighs about six pounds. Longtime racers will tell you that
every 100 pounds lost is a tenth of a second gained, and that starts to
add up once you consider that a tenth of a second equals roughly a car
length of distance in the quarter mile.
4 Practice!
The car is only 50% of the equation. You, the driver, are
So take your freshly tuned car to your local track’s test-and-tune
the other half.
weekend. You’ll need to get it through tech inspection first, which
will require a few safety items such as a good battery hold-down and
a coolant overflow tank. If the car doesn’t pass, the inspector will tell
you why. Fix it and try again.
Watch some of the other racers stage and launch their cars. It’s a
great way to understand how the Christmas Tree and the timing lights
work. Once you’ve done that, get in line with your car and give it a
shot yourself.
5 Street tires, pressure and burnouts
Big V8s make a lot of torque, and street tires have a hard
time transferring that torque to the ground without going up
Ralph
Ralph Ogata, www.ralphogata.zenfolio.com
still tracking well on the street. BF Goodrich and Mickey
Thompson both make excellent versions in a lot of sizes.
Posi, limited-slip, locker. Making sure both rear tires bite the
ground equally is really important in launching efficiently. Look
to Eaton, Auburn, Detroit Locker, etc.
Higher stall torque converter (for automatics). Rev higher
at the launch, lowering 60-foot times. 2,500-range will boost
performance over a stocker while still being extremely streetable.
B&M has been around for years — they have the unit you need.
Performance clutch (for manuals). Will take more abuse
than a stock unit, and is less likely to slip when you don’t want it
to. Look to Centerforce, Zoom, McLeod, Hays, etc.
Performance shifter (manuals). Hurst has been the industry
leader for decades, and for good reason. Positive, solid feel, and
less chance of missing a gear.
— Dale Novak and Craig Gussert
Page 30
DAYAT THE RACES
Ralph Ogata, www.ralphogata.zenfolio.com
Slicks: Smoke ’em if you got ’em
in smoke. A lot of guys will tell you to air down your tires and do a
big burnout. That works for slicks, but not your old Radial T/As.
Try this before you race: Find a clean patch of pavement some-
where, burn some rubber, and look at the contact patch your tire
leaves behind. You want it to be solid black across the width of the
tire. Too high a pressure will make it darker in the center, while too
low will be lighter in the middle and darker on the edges. Adjust pressure
accordingly and use that as your baseline.
Street tires don’t require a huge burnout. In fact, getting the tires
too hot may hurt you more than it helps you. Street-rubber compounds
have a tendency to glaze over when they get really hot, so you
could end up making your traction problems worse by pretending to
be John Force. All you really need to do is clean the tires with a quick
spin. And you should avoid the water at the rear of the burnout box,
too — that will fill the tread with water, which will then run down
and puddle on the track right as you’re trying to launch.
6 Reacting right
Your reaction time is measured in thousandths of a
second, starting from the time the green light on the tree
illuminates. And it’s not just measuring your reaction time — it’s
measuring the time it takes for you to see the light and react, as well
as the time it takes your car to react to your input and to move off the
line. What’s that all mean? If you wait for the green, you’ve waited
too long. You need to leave just before you see the green.
Try leaving as the second yellow light on the tree is going out, or
just as the third yellow light is coming on. Get this right, and ideally,
by the time the green light is coming on, your car is just starting to
move off the line. But if you jump too soon, you’ll get a red light, and
that’s counted as an automatic loss.
7 Launching and shifting
32 AmericanCarCollector.com
The most important thing to remember is that spinning
your tires will cost you time. Since we’re only talking about
street tires and stock suspension here, you will undoubtedly have this
problem. So what’s the solution? Ease into the throttle rather than
snapping it open.
It may seem counterintuitive to race this way, but believe me —
opening up the throttle more gradually will give you better results
than just hammering down and spinning your wheels through the
60-foot mark. The key is easing in as fast as possible without overpowering
your limited traction.
You’ll need to play with different launch techniques to find the
best result for your car. If you run an automatic, try holding the
brake with your left foot and running up the engine’s RPM with your
Page 31
Ralph Ogata, www.ralphogata.zenfolio.com
right while you’re waiting to leave the line (known as “stalling” the
converter). Then when the light turns green, let off the brake, let the
car start to move, and then smoothly open up the throttle. Also, try
shifting your automatic yourself to hold each gear longer.
If you’re running a manual transmission, try varying your launch
RPM to find the best result, and practice rowing the gears quickly so
you don’t miss a shift. Try slipping the clutch slightly to get the car out
of the gate, and again, open the throttle smoothly. You want to give
your tires as much power as they can possibly take without breaking
loose.
What’s the best RPM for shifting? That depends on your engine,
transmission, and rear-end gearing. Try shifting at different RPM
points and note where you shifted on each time slip.
8 Building your method
9 Don’t blow it up!
Good drag racers are consistent drag racers — this is a
sport where hundredths of seconds matter — so hopefully
you’ve not only found out what to do to make your car as quick as
possible by testing out different things, but you’ve also become relatively
good at repeating those steps under pressure. Now you’re ready
to line up against your friends.
If you decide to race, you’re going to be driving your car
pretty hard, and if you have any numbers-matching com-
ponents, you’re going to want to be careful so that you don’t scatter
them across the racetrack.
Most Detroit muscle was pretty stout from the factory, so if ev-
erything’s in good working order, you shouldn’t have to worry about
a few trips down the quarter mile. However, I would suggest taking a
close look at your engine, transmission and rear end before heading to
the track, and it’s always smart to install a rev limiter, which can be
discreetly added.
10 Skill can trump physics and horsepower
If your opponent has a more powerful and lighter car
on stickier tires, there isn’t much you’re going to be able to
do to tip the odds in your favor. But he could miss a shift, or break
his tires loose on the launch, or get psyched out by the crowd in the
stands and get a red light at the starting line. If any of those things
happen, you’ll be able to take the win even if you didn’t have the
mechanical advantage.
Don’t think of the results as a given, even if you know the other
car is faster. A lot of it comes down to the driver, and if you practice
and get consistent before you head out for the big race, you’ll increase
your chances of winning those bragging rights. A
Ralph Ogata, www.ralphogata.zenfolio.com
May-June 2013 33
Page 32
What’s the best buy for $10k?
INSIDER’S VIEW
Crowd-sourcing an answer to your queries
To be on the mailing list for next month’s question, go to AmericanCarCollector.com and sign up for our biweekly newsletter.
1983 Ford Mustang
GT 5.0, a $7,500 sale
on eBay in 2011
over, 4-speed, improved suspension, eight-lug wheels, and it goes like
hell. Makes a great lowrider for a full-sized car.
Marty Thomas, via email: Gotta be the Ford Bronco, ’66–77, with
a decent paint job already. They’re still available and appreciating at
percentages above inflation with a more-or-less cult following.
Daniel Bulzacchelli, via ACC Blog: Early Ford Bronco. 1966–77.
My wife drives a ’77, last year made. It gets more attention than my ’62
’Vette.
Brian Znamirowski, Baltimore, MD, via ACC Blog: It’s very
tempting to agree with Dan on an early Ford Bronco. I have one and it’s
great fun and an attention-getter. But in my opinion, for $10k, it’s tough
to find one without needs. Your $10k can quickly become $15k.
I believe the ’85–93 5.0 Fox body Mustangs may be a better bet.
The ACC question: What’s the best American collector
car for $10k or less?
Readers respond:
Danny May, via ACC Blog: 1963 Dodge Polara 500! And not just
because it was my very first car. It has gained in popularity over the last
several years and is now among the other cool Mopars to own under
$10k!
JJ Sommer, via ACC Blog: I recently bought a 1974 Corvette
coupe with the 454-ci engine (non-original engine but car was an
original big-block car), 4-speed, sidepipes (non-original), air, power
steering, power brakes, electric windows,
leather interior, etc. for $8,000.
Other than deteriorated plastic bumpers,
With some patience and time, you can find unmolested convertibles
and hatchbacks fairly easy. Notchbacks seem to command higher prices
and can be more difficult to find.
These cars have a huge aftermarket parts availability, and with the
right modifications can be transformed into great performers. They are
reliable and easy to work on, and when something does go wrong, parts
are readily available. I’ve heard people refer to these cars as the ’55–57
Chevy of the ’80s.
Eric Knudstrup, via ACC Blog: I used to be a Fox body fan,
but I’ve spent enough quality time with them. I don’t like them at all
anymore. They don’t stop or turn, and the floor pans are so weak they
turn themselves into razor blades.
My vote would be for a C3 or a C4 Corvette. Maybe even a C5, but
finding good examples at $10k might be a stretch.
Greg Dolin, via ACC Blog: How about an Avanti II? All the styl-
the body and paint are in very good condition
and age-appropriate. It looks pretty good,
sounds great and drives great. While not the
most desired year for a vintage Corvette, and
it isn’t the highest horsepower one either, it
has the right goodies to make it special.
After the few cosmetic issues are resolved, total investment will be
“I’ve heard people
refer to the 5.0
Mustang as the ’55–57
Chevy of the ’80s”
under $10k, and other than the price of gasoline, it will be fun to drive.
It wouldn’t be very difficult to get it back to factory-original configuration,
either. Practical? No! But I can see its value doing very well in the
future.
I bought it for the driving fun factor, and that is what makes it col-
lectible for me. Rumble, rumble — love those sidepipes.
Jim Hughes, via ACC Blog: 1966 Chevrolet Caprice 396 2-door
hard top. Classic styling, more sophisticated than the Impala SS, and
the big block has plenty of power. Plenty of passenger and trunk room
for cruising. The perfect highway cruiser with the TH400 and 2:83
highway gears. Mine is Aztec Bronze and fawn. Bought it for $9,500
from a grandpa who loved it but barely drove it.
Mike Phoenix, via ACC Blog: My vote would be for a ’64 Pontiac
Grand Prix. My friend has one in Oregon. His has a 389 bored 0.030
34 AmericanCarCollector.com
ing of the original, plus Chevy reliability and many amenities!
Steve, via ACC Blog: The mid ’70s to
early ’80s Avanti fills these criteria. This is
a very limited-production, stylish GT that
was produced in the USA using the Corvette
engine and basic parts available from the local
NAPA dealer or through Studebaker parts
suppliers.
Frank Talatzko, New Berlin, WI,
via email: My choice would be a ’47–48 Plymouth (probably a nice
4-door). There are a lot of them out there. They have the cool pre-war
styling, were rugged enough for taxi use, and they give today’s driver
a real sense of the bygone days of driving. I’ve always wanted one, but
my fear of never being able to get rid of it when it’s time to sell has kept
me from ever buying one.
Frank Keel, via email: C3 Corvettes. Parts are all over the place.
No emissions problems, no state inspections. Hot-rod heaven!
Dwayne Bublitz, Corvette’N America Road Tours, Flagstaff,
AZ, via email: The hands-down best choice is a C4 Corvette. These
cars offer a ton of performance and good looks and make wonderful
drivers in town or on a tour. They still look better from the rear than the
C5, C6 and the new C7. I can’t see them going lower in value than they
are right now. Find the right car and you can drive it for five years for
free.A
Page 34
Cheap Thrills
F
W
B. Mitchell Carlson
stands for fantastic value
THE FORD F-SERIES
MAY BE THE BEST
BANG FOR YOUR
CLASSIC-TRUCK BU
hen it came to pickups i
1960s and early 1970s, t
no clinkers. GM was on a r
popular C/K series, and D
up its pickups with fine t
department. Even International radical
for 1969, equaling or arguably betterin
Ford had also radically restyled thei
form that essentially dated to 1961, the t
squared-off panels and a distinct body c
there was new dashboard styling that r
exterior motif.
But while these new Fords were pop
and they still haven’t really taken off in t
dramatically more than Fords. In essen
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air versus the Ford Fairlane.
Truck power
If there’s a perceived weakness of this era of F-series, it was in Ford’s use of
mostly dedicated truck engines.
Chevrolet used familiar 250-ci sixes along with 307-ci and 327-ci small-block V8s
(as well as 350s and 402 big blocks after 1969) in its trucks. GMC lost its distinctive
V6 powerplants in 1968 in favor of Chevy’s engine catalog. Even over at Dodge, the
truck slant sixes and 318 V8 were also basically the same as the car offerings.
The ’67 F-series was only offered with three engine choices: a 150-hp, 240-ci six
shared with the cars, a 170-hp truck-only 300-ci six, and a single V8 — the detuned
two-barrel 208-hp 352. In 1968, the 352 was dropped in favor of a 216-hp 360-ci V8.
The 360 was also a truck-only engine — a destroked version of the 390, which was
also available in 2-barrel form and made an extra 40 horses. By 1970, the 210-hp 302
1967 Ford F-100
Camper Special, a
$5,940 sale in 2011
became optional as well.
In today’s muscle-car-dominated market, the
trucks with the closest affinity to cars tend to get the
nod — and those trucks are Chevrolets and GMCs.
Nevermind that while those same displacements were
used in both cars and trucks, the latter never got the
higher horsepower versions.
But back in the day, the truck engine point was
moot. After all, these rigs needed to work for a living,
and when it came to hauling loads and pulling
stumps, low-RPM torque was king — not the sort of
thing you’d usually get with high-revving muscle-car
motors.
Parts availability on Ford truck motors is good. This
even includes the 360, due to its FE block architecture
and specific use in nearly all models into 1976. Of
the sixes, the optional Ford 300 has the Chevy sixes
skinned. It’s a very robust, overbuilt yet economical
(but not speedy) motor that lasted as long as the 302
V8 in production. In most cases, any parts you’ll need
for any of these engines are as close as your nearest
NAPA.
1969 Ford F-250 Ranger Camper
Special, sold for $6,500 in 2012
36 AmericanCarCollector.com
Trim levels
As 1960s pickups were progressing from utilitar-
ian to stylish, the number of trim levels expanded.
Page 35
Initially, Ford only offered a basic pickup and a
spiffed-up Ranger package on the F-series. The latter
included an aluminum grille, central body spear, and
rocker panel moldings, plus chrome front bumper over
the standard painted bumper and grille. Notice that I
ingularly, as a rear bumper was optional.
ase model and Ranger were also avail-
e Custom Cab option, consisting of vinyl
, vinyl and nylon seat upholstery, plus
hboard top. 1970 saw the Ranger become
LT package — along with a major grille
hich the front turn signals were given
d lenses. It also was the first year of a
ly available mid-year spring special
plorer trim group.
What to look for
Like most pickups from this era,
cab corner rust-out is a concern, and
examples from the Salt Belt will also
rot out near the forward cab mounts and
near the hood hinge support bracket from
road spray.
Ford also had one additional
transmission combination that Chevy
didn’t at this time: overdrive. Cataloged
nto 1971, they are quite rare in this era.
sonally know of one behind a 302 in a
0 in California, which I’d dearly love to
o remind me of the 1968 F-100 Ranger
ht new.
While there are plenty of modified Fords out there,
the Chevys tend to get the heaviest abuse from being
wannabe muscle cars. The Fords tend to remain
truer to their workaday origins, yet engine swaps are
prolific — mostly including 351C/351W/351M/400
or “Lima” platform 429/460 engines under that large
hood.
Pennies on the dollar
Despite a strong pickup truck market, good
worker-bee Fords can be had for as low as $2,500.
Typical examples are in the $5k to $6k zone, with
the highest-selling examples tending to be the later
Ranger XLTs with 302s under the hood. For 1971,
a Ford Ranger XLT should run you about $15k,
compared with a similarly equipped Chevrolet C-10
Cheyenne at $25k.
And that Ford price isn’t too far removed from
top money for a Dodge D-100 Adventurer or an
International 1010 Custom from the same year, either.
All three generally float within two grand of each
other in top condition. GMCs, on the other hand, fall
in between those three and the Chevys — regardless
of year or motor.
Just like with the 1957 car market, demand for
Chevy drives values. But if you’re looking for a
better bang for your buck, the greater availability of
reproduction and restoration body and interior parts
for the Ford over the International and Dodge make it
the better choice for a non-GM fan who wants one for
the long haul or to restore. A
Detailing
Years produced: 1967–72
Number produced: 223,017
(1967 F-100), 460,780
(1972 F-100)
Original list price: $2,237
(1967 F-100), $2,804
(1972 F-100)
Current ACC Valuation:
$6,000–$17,000
Tune-up cost: $150
Distributor cap: $12
Chassis number: Top of
the right frame rail, in
front of the suspension
point; data plate on the
driver’s door
Engine number: Basic
casting numbers only, on
the side of the block
Club: American Truck
Historical Society
Website: www.aths.org
More: www.ford-trucks.com
Alternatives: 1967–72
Chevrolet C-10 pickup,
1967–17 GMC C1500
pickup, 1960–72 Dodge
D-100 series pickup,
1969–75 International
1010 pickup
ACC Investment Grade: C+
May-June 2013 37
Page 36
Horsepower
Colin Comer
CHEAPand
The demise of
“B
ang for the buck.” That’s a term that gets thrown around a
lot in the car world. But seriously, can a new $30,000 disposable
car really offer it? Maybe. But as a guy who started
buying cool cars in the early 1980s with paper-route money,
I really have to wonder: When did cheap, fast, so-dorky-
they’re-cool cars become extinct?
I know a lot of today’s car collectors grew up in the ’70s and
’80s as well, and most likely there was a car early on that shaped our
collecting tastes. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to work in one
of those classic hole-in-the-wall garages that fixed old cars. There
was always a parade of cool stuff coming through the door — in that
garage I was safe from the onslaught of Rabbits, Starlets, and K-cars
and surrounded by ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s cars. Sure, we were using
chicken wire and Tiger Hair body filler (the long strands of fiberglass
and “waterproof” material were thought to be far superior to Bondo)
to make new quarter panels, but regardless of how beat-up or rusty
they were, the cars were still cool. And because they were worth basically
nothing, nobody was afraid to have fun with them.
Horsepowe
Horsepowe
Horsepowe
Horsepowe
orsepower
Colin Comer
epower
Colin Comer
CHEAPand
The demise of
“B
ang for the buck.” That’s a term that gets thrown around a
lot in the car world. But seriously, can a new $30,000 dis-
posable car really offer it? Maybe. But as a guy who started
buying cool cars in the early 1980s with paper-route money,
I really have to wonder: When did cheap, fast, so-dorky-
they’re-cool cars become extinct?
I know a lot of today’s car collectors grew up in the ’70s and
’80s as well, and most likely there was a car early on that shaped our
collecting tastes. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to work in one
of those classic hole-in-the-wall garages that fixed old cars. There
was always a parade of cool stuff coming through the door — in that
garage I was safe from the onslaught of Rabbits, Starlets, and K-cars
and surrounded by ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s cars. Sure, we were using
chicken wire and Tiger Hair body filler (the long strands of fiberglass
and “waterproof” material were thought to be far superior to Bondo)
to make new quarter panels, but regardless of how beat-up or rusty
they were, the cars were still cool. And because they were worth basi-
cally nothing, nobody was afraid to have fun with them.
FAST
FAST
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A V8 GREMLIN OR 440-POWERED
CHRYSLER THAT WAS READY TO ROCK FOR A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS?
125 mph for cents on the dollar
My favorite was my 1966 Chrysler New Yorker sedan — yes,
the cheapie with the door posts, not even a true hard top. But it was
a first-year 440-ci powered version with a four-barrel AFB carb and
727 TorqueFlite. Its red interior was pristine, and its body had been
given the full weight-reduction program thanks to rust. The best part
was that the 440 was an animal. I paid $200 for the car, rigged up dual
exhaust, tweaked the torsion-bar suspension, and put on a set of used
Pirelli P-7s taken off a fancy Mercedes at the garage. Yes, I know,
worst winter tires ever — but they were free. I also couldn’t resist
adding black Le Mans stripes over the top and a big ol’ Sun Tach on
the dash.
With its 2.73 rear gear, it had a top speed I still won’t mention for
fear of jail time. I will say I was busted once from the air by a sheriff’s
airplane. When the deputy on the ground pulled me over, I tried
to get out of it by using the famous “it wasn’t me” defense teenagers
have perfected over many generations. The deputy looked at me and
said, “Kid, you’re saying there is another white Chrysler with racing
, I got the ticket.
66 New Yorker
y bulletproof,
how it always
imes, and evenrth
more in scrap.
rsepower
Colin Comer
CHEAPand
The demise of
“B
ang for the buck.” That’s a term that gets thrown around a
lot in the car world. But seriously, can a new $30,000 dis-
posable car really offer it? Maybe. But as a guy who started
buying cool cars in the early 1980s with paper-route money,
I really have to wonder: When did cheap, fast, so-dorky-
they’re-cool cars become extinct?
I know a lot of today’s car collectors grew up in the ’70s and
’80s as well, and most likely there was a car early on that shaped our
collecting tastes. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to work in one
of those classic hole-in-the-wall garages that fixed old cars. There
was always a parade of cool stuff coming through the door — in that
garage I was safe from the onslaught of Rabbits, Starlets, and K-cars
and surrounded by ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s cars. Sure, we were using
chicken wire and Tiger Hair body filler (the long strands of fiberglass
and “waterproof” material were thought to be far superior to Bondo)
to make new quarter panels, but regardless of how beat-up or rusty
they were, the cars were still cool. And because they were worth basi-
cally nothing, nobody was afraid to have fun with them.
FAST
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A V8 GREMLIN OR 440-POWERED
CHRYSLER THAT WAS READY TO ROCK FOR A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS?
125 mph for cents on the dollar
My favorite was my 1966 Chrysler New Yorker sedan — yes,
the cheapie with the door posts, not even a true hard top. But it was
a first-year 440-ci powered version with a four-barrel AFB carb and
727 TorqueFlite. Its red interior was pristine, and its body had been
given the full weight-reduction program thanks to rust. The best part
was that the 440 was an animal. I paid $200 for the car, rigged up dual
exhaust, tweaked the torsion-bar suspension, and put on a set of used
Pirelli P-7s taken off a fancy Mercedes at the garage. Yes, I know,
worst winter tires ever — but they were free. I also couldn’t resist
adding black Le Mans stripes over the top and a big ol’ Sun Tach on
the dash.
With its 2.73 rear gear, it had a top speed I still won’t mention for
fear of jail time. I will say I was busted once from the air by a sher-
iff’s airplane. When the deputy on the ground pulled me over, I tried
to get out of it by using the famous “it wasn’t me” defense teenagers
have perfected over many generations. The deputy looked at me and
said, “Kid, you’re saying there is another white Chrysler with racing
, I got the ticket.
66 New Yorker
y bulletproof,
how it always
imes, and even-
rth more in scrap.
as
as and rust buckets
om Wisconsin,
adillacs” —
ith an average
er $400, you
at a V8 Gremlin.
, even the 258i
sixers were
etty stout. I did
atch one a guy
ore was faster
n reverse than
ing forward get
troyed when it
1971 Ford Maverick — if
you can find one, get a V8 in
there and go
orsepower
Colin Comer
CHEAPand
The demise of
“B
ang for the buck.” That’s a term that gets thrown around a
lot in the car world. But seriously, can a new $30,000 dis-
posable car really offer it? Maybe. But as a guy who started
buying cool cars in the early 1980s with paper-route money,
I really have to wonder: When did cheap, fast, so-dorky-
they’re-cool cars become extinct?
I know a lot of today’s car collectors grew up in the ’70s and
’80s as well, and most likely there was a car early on that shaped our
collecting tastes. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to work in one
of those classic hole-in-the-wall garages that fixed old cars. There
was always a parade of cool stuff coming through the door — in that
garage I was safe from the onslaught of Rabbits, Starlets, and K-cars
and surrounded by ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s cars. Sure, we were using
chicken wire and Tiger Hair body filler (the long strands of fiberglass
and “waterproof” material were thought to be far superior to Bondo)
to make new quarter panels, but regardless of how beat-up or rusty
they were, the cars were still cool. And because they were worth basi-
cally nothing, nobody was afraid to have fun with them.
FAST
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A V8 GREMLIN OR 440-POWERED
CHRYSLER THAT WAS READY TO ROCK FOR A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS?
125 mph for cents on the dollar
My favorite was my 1966 Chrysler New Yorker sedan — yes,
the cheapie with the door posts, not even a true hard top. But it was
a first-year 440-ci powered version with a four-barrel AFB carb and
727 TorqueFlite. Its red interior was pristine, and its body had been
given the full weight-reduction program thanks to rust. The best part
was that the 440 was an animal. I paid $200 for the car, rigged up dual
exhaust, tweaked the torsion-bar suspension, and put on a set of used
Pirelli P-7s taken off a fancy Mercedes at the garage. Yes, I know,
worst winter tires ever — but they were free. I also couldn’t resist
adding black Le Mans stripes over the top and a big ol’ Sun Tach on
the dash.
With its 2.73 rear gear, it had a top speed I still won’t mention for
fear of jail time. I will say I was busted once from the air by a sher-
iff’s airplane. When the deputy on the ground pulled me over, I tried
to get out of it by using the famous “it wasn’t me” defense teenagers
have perfected over many generations. The deputy looked at me and
said, “Kid, you’re saying there is another white Chrysler with racing
, I got the ticket.
66 New Yorker
y bulletproof,
how it always
imes, and even-
rth more in scrap.
as and rust buckets
om Wisconsin,
adillacs” —
ith an average
er $400, you
at a V8 Gremlin.
, even the 258-
i sixers were
etty stout. I did
atch one a guy
ore was faster
n reverse than
ing forward get
troyed when it
1971 Ford Maverick — if
you can find one, get a V8 in
there and go
d
d up into a telee
pole at extremely
peed. He may
e been right.
ow about
icks? With a 302
y were potent. If
ted to try to look
Page 37
cool in one you’d source a Grabber, but that carried with it the risk of
being teased for driving something called, well, a Grabber. 1970s V8
Novas were a great choice also, if, of course, they weren’t dog tracking
too horribly. But that was usually an easy fix.
There were lots of other great choices as well. It almost seemed as
if cheap and fast cars were everywhere, available at any moment for
virtually nothing. Heck, even V8 Firebirds and Camaros were cheap
if they weren’t a T/A, Formula, SS, or Z/28.
One buddy bought a 440 Six Pack, 4-speed Road Runner for $600
out in the country, and I was awfully jealous until I helped him open
the trunk. There wasn’t much trunk left. Or rear frame rails. Or leaf
springs. The whole car was supported by a pair of coil-over shocks
that looked like they came off an RV, and only the front part of the
original leaf springs were there, used as a locating device for the rear
axle. We ended up parting that rare muscle car out. I still have the air
cleaner on a shelf somewhere.
Dead or evolved?
Somehow, over the past 25 years, these cheap and fast cars have
become extinct. When was the last time you saw a V8 Gremlin, or a
big 440-powered Chrysler that was ready to rock for a few hundred
bucks?
During the 1990s, it appeared that 1980s VW GTIs, 5.0 Mustangs,
and Shelby Dodges had evolved into the cheap and fast cars of choice.
Fine, I will admit it; I had an Omni GLH Turbo that I absolutely loved
— and it was amazing in snow, too. But alas, I trust that it, too, has
returned to the earth, much to Lee Iacocca’s disappointment, I’m sure.
So the big question is, which cheap cars are available now that
1966 Chrysler new Yorker — an old favorite
have enough power and personality to hook tomorrow’s car collectors?
Are there fast and cheap, or even cheap and interesting, cars still
out there? Do kids even care about 5.0 Mustangs or third-generation
Camaros more than their iPhones or Facebook?
I want to know what you think — and I want to hear which cheap
and fast car got YOU hooked. Drop me a line at colin.comer@americancarcollector.com.
A
May-June 2013 39
Page 38
Corvette Market
John L. Stein
FOUR-GETabout it
HERE’S WHY THE “CURSE OF THE FOURS” IS A TRUNKLOAD OF BUNK
upgrade to discs and put the drums on the
shelf. So I say stop whining and enjoy a
cheaper example of one of the finest postwar
GM body designs.
Driver-quality car price (base model
coupe): $32,500, compared with the
$41,000 you’ll pay for a similar ’63.
1974: Baby buggy bumper
Corvette’s freefall from the Sting Rays
and mighty L88s of the 1960s was swift,
as regulatory quicksand dragged down
both performance and styling. And 1974
was clearly headed into the mire. The sleek
Shark body was fouled with plastic bumper
covers, and the standard engine’s 250 hp
would quickly sink to a wheezy 165-hp
low-point in ’75.
Does the Curse of the Fours apply here?
This 1954 model sold for $68,750 at RM auctions’ Grapevine, TX, sale in 2012
However, like many stereotypes and prejudices, while the Curse of
the Fours may contain a sliver of truth, it often fails to hold up under
close scrutiny. Here’s a decade-by-decade study of “4” model-year
Corvettes — revealing that while the Curse of the Fours does carry
a point or two, it’s largely bunk — these can be great cars for the
money.
C
1954: The Blue Flame Six
With only 300 hand-built 1953 models produced, the first Corvette
was destined to become collectible. But while 3,640 were built for
1954, they sold poorly, and the Blue Flame Six was outshined the next
year by the new 265-ci V8. Hence, the ’54 started to be dissed as not
worthy, and that started the Curse of the Fours legend.
But in reality, the inline-six is responsive enough, so the ’54
Corvette’s worst feature is really its two-speed Powerglide tranny.
You’re not going to win any races with a ’54 (except maybe against
another one), but who cares? The ’54s are both usable and unique.
Driver-quality car price: $67,500, down from the $148,500 you’ll
pay for a similar (but a lot rarer) ’53.
1964: Second-year Sting Ray
The Split-Window Sting Ray totally defined Corvette for 1963,
and in 1965 disc brakes and the big-block 396 took over. That left the
’64 as an in-between year that critics say brought nothing new to the
party. That’s nonsense.
Who cares if it has drum vs. disc brakes and no split window? It’s
true the later brakes are way better, but if you really care, you can
40 AmericanCarCollector.com
a 1974 sold for $22,140 at Silver’s arizona auction
onspiracy theorists just love jump-starting a good debate.
And among the most persistent for Corvette is the “Curse
of the Fours,” which holds that any model ending in the
year “4” is somehow undesirable or unworthy — and
like pirate Long John Silver, cursed with the black spot.
Yes, but not because of the “4” in the model
year. The Corvette was taking a deep dive
anyway. Count all 1973 through 1977
models as victims of the times.
Driver-quality car price (base model 1974): $11,000, down from
the $18,500 that the 1972s are bringing in the current market.
1984: Post-term C4
The new 1984 Corvette was so delayed that the ’83 model year
was completely missed. And when it did arrive, bone-shaking ride
quality prompted GM to begin a long series of fixes, tweaks and upgrades
that would accompany the C4 right through its 1996 finale —
the longest Corvette production run at 13 years. But first-year models
are always intriguing, and the 1984 Corvette, steeped in drama as it
was, is even more so.
I dig the ’84s, and give no credence to the Curse of the Fours on
this one. Make mine a Z51, please.
Driver-quality car price: $5,500. You’ll spend $500 more for an
’85.
1994: And on and on...
Thirteen years is a long model run, and a decade after the C4
debuted, Bowling Green was still cranking them out. Although the
Page 39
Driver quality car price: $24,500 — just $1k less than a similar
2005 C6.
2014: C7 blasts off
Covering 2005 to 2013, the C6 is the only Corvette generation
a 1994, sold for $12,190 at Mecum Kansas City 2012
tuned LT4 engine was still two years away, Chevrolet did offer the
300-hp LT1 or the ZR-1’s 405-hp DOHC 32-valve motor.
There is no Curse of the Fours at work here, although there’s also
little to differentiate the ’94 from the ’91–’93 or ’95 models, as the
C4 was essentially coasting while the ’97 C5 was gestating. I have no
particular love for the year, but there’s nothing much to dislike, either.
Driver-quality car price (base model): $11,000, compared with
$10,000 for a ’93.
2004: Last of the C5s
A funny old story about GM holds that it often makes its best cars
right before killing ’em off. This sure seems to be true for the C5.
With the Z06 in full song and the F55 magnetorheological suspension
working nicely, the bandwidth for Corvette had never been wider. So
it’s hard to define 2004 as being cursed in any manner.
In fact, the Z06 featured a new titanium exhaust system and the
Commemorative Edition a carbon-fiber hood as Dave Hill’s engineering
team exploited knowledge gained from the Le Mans-winning
C5-R racing program.
2014 Sting Ray: Does this look like a cursed creature?
Chad Tyson
without a “4” in the model year, forever escaping scrutiny by Curse
of the Fours theorists. This brings us to the upcoming 2014 Corvette.
Based on the pre-production coupe shown in Detroit last January
and the convertible shown in Geneva last March, the new C7 appears
poised to slay Corvette’s “old man” image while retaining its iconic
pushrod V8.
With way hipper styling and as strong or stronger expected
performance, there’s no way this new car can be anything other than
a blessing. And it’s definitely not a curse. As of this writing, the ’14
Corvette MSRP has not been announced, but suffice to say it’ll be in
the neighborhood of what you’d pay for a well-equipped ’13 Not a bad
deal at all. A
May-June 2013 41
Page 40
PROFILE CORVETTE
1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 283/283 FUELIE CONVERTIBLE
A ’50s performance icon
Destry Jaimes ©2013, courtesy of RM Auctions
For the
collector
looking for
the high
point in early
Corvettes,
the 283/283
Fuelie is the
car to have
VIN: E57S102825
by Michael Pierce
T-10 4-speed transmission, a Positraction rear axle,
a signal-seeking AM radio, and both a soft top and a
removable body-color hard top. A high-quality restoration,
performed in previous care, saw the car refinished
in Venetian Red over red upholstery, after which the car
was on display in a Corvette museum for some time.
The car is still very much as it was when the restoration
was completed, and it offers an unbeatable combination
of performance and good looks. To many, this
is exactly what the mental picture of a 1957 Corvette
describes: red on red, fuel injection, good options, both
tops, and ready to go to a new home.
T
42 AmericanCarCollector.com
42 AmericanCarCollector.com
ACC Analysis This Fuelie Corvette, Lot 117, sold
for $129,250, including buyer’s
premium, at RM’s Amelia Island auction in Amelia
Island, FL, on March 9, 2013.
Zora Duntov’s focus from the beginning of his time
with GM and the Corvette team had been the car’s
performance on the track. 1957 was the year he made
it happen, turning Corvette into the fastest production
car made in America. The ’57 283/283 fuel-injected
Corvette was also the first GM motor to achieve one
his 1957 Corvette is confirmed by its VIN
as having been delivered with the ultimate
“283/283” V8 with Rochester fuel injection
and high-lift cam, which still resides under
the hood today. It is also equipped with a
horsepower per cubic inch — a very big deal in 1957.
The ’57 Corvette was the last of the single-headlight
series and was offered with many new factory options.
They included 3:70s, 4:11s and 4:56s, all with
Positraction; HD brakes and suspension; CR 4-speed
transmissions; 26 color/trim options; 220-, 245- and
270-hp V8s with single or dual 4-bbl carbs; and the
injected 250-hp and 283-hp engines.
GM built 6,339 1957 Corvettes. 713 cars were
ordered with RPO 579B (11% of the cars built), which
was the option code for the 283/283 with mechanical
lifters, a high-lift cam and Rochester fuel injection,
like our subject car.
There was also an RPO 579E option, which featured
the same 283/283 Fuelie engine but with cold-air induction
and a mechanical tachometer on the steering
column. Those cars, known as “Airbox” cars, were the
top performance Corvettes available — they were race
cars in street clothes — but the additional options
increased their base price of $3,176 by almost 50%.
Only 43 were completed.
Today, original Airbox 283s are worth exponentially
more money than a standard 283/283 Fuelie — from
$375,000 to more than $500,000 — and finding one
for sale is next to impossible. For the collector looking
for the high point in ’50s Corvettes on a more realistic
budget, the RPO 579B standard 283/283 Fuelie is the
car to have.
Page 41
ACC
Digital Bonus
Detailing
Year produced: 1957
Number produced: 713
(RPO 579B)
Current ACC Valuation:
$74,500–$121,000
Tune-up cost: $350
Distributor cap: $50
Chassis number#: VIN on
frame and door pillar
Original list price: $4,060, as
equipped
Engine #: Assembly code on
engine pad
A good look
I was at the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton when this
red/red Fuelie crossed RM’s auction block for more
than $129k.
It was one of the first cars to go through the auction
and it was readily viewable prior to entering the
turntable in the auction room. March 9 was a clear,
sunny day on Amelia Island, and this Corvette showed
very well. The exterior paint quality was very good,
the interior, seats, dash, gauges and rugs all periodcorrect
and in excellent condition.
But there were a couple of noteworthy issues: The
fitment of the trunk was noticeably different from the
doors and hood. The engine block casting number and
date were appropriate for the car, but the stamp-pad
surface did not appear to be typical of factory production
— it could have been stamped much later. The car
also had a 4-speed close-ratio transmission and radio.
Mixed parts, minced words,
and the numbers game
The VIN number of this car is listed as E57S102825.
GM records show that it came off the assembly line
in St. Louis on or about March 14, 1957. That creates
a problem, as 4-speed synchromesh, close-ratio
transmissions were not available until several hundred
more 1957 Corvettes had been produced… sometime
in April. Based off that, I’m willing to bet this car
didn’t come with the 4-speed from the factory. It
should have been delivered with a 3-speed box.
And there were other issues as well. Re-read the
seller’s description. In part: “The 1957 Corvette offered
today is confirmed by its VIN number as having
been delivered with the ultimate 283/283…which still
resides under the hood today.” Corvette specialists
will tell you that there has never been a way to tell
what a Corvette’s horsepower was by its VIN number.
Additionally, does the seller mean that the original
283/283 is still under the hood, or is he saying that
the Corvette was originally fuel-injected? These are
important points for serious Corvette buyers.
The next sentence is also confusing: “…. The car
[was] refinished in Venetian Red over red upholstery.”
Does the seller mean it was redone in red on red
or was it born with another color combination and
refinished in his choice of colors? Nowhere does
the description mention anything about “original,”
“numbers matching,” or provenance. What are those
words worth?
Breaking down the sale
I talked with several experts about solid-axle
Corvettes, including NCRS Judging Chairman Roy
Sinor, Corvette race car expert/historian Jim Gessner
and the NCRS 1956–57 National Team Leader John St
Peter. We agreed that for the demographic attending
the Amelia Island Concours and its attendant RM
auction, this was a fair price for both the seller and
buyer. These are high-level, high-class events, and the
auctions often sell cars for a premium.
I have no way of knowing whether the bidders knew
about this car’s block-stamping inconsistency, cared
about the trunk fitment, transmission issue, or were
concerned about the seller’s relatively vague description.
And to the average buyer, depending on their
intent for the car, it may not really matter.
From the standpoint of originality and condition,
this car might not do well with NCRS or Bloomington
Gold, but in today’s marketplace, an undocumented
car with the right color and options, the go-fast look,
and FI badges can ring the bell just as easily as a
well-documented car — after all, it was a red/red ’57
Fuelie in great cosmetic shape. I can’t fault the buyer
for just wanting to own it.
At the end of the day, the price paid reflected the
buyer’s satisfaction with the car. And while it may not
set the judging field on fire, there’s great value in use.
My advice to the new owner: Drive the car. A
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.)
May-June 2013
43CC
43
Club: NCRS
More: www.ncrs.org
Alternatives: 1965 Corvette
396/425 convertible,
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
convertible, 1957 Ford
Thunderbird F-code
(supercharged)
ACC investment Grade: B
Comps
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
283/283 Fuelie
Lot S57, VIN: E57S103453
Condition: 2Sold
at $54,060
Mecum Auctions, St Charles,
IL, 6/22/2012
ACC# 202140
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
283/283 Fuelie
Lot 125, VIN: E57S104676
Condition: 2
Not sold at $135,000
RM Auctions, Plymouth, MI,
7/30/2011
ACC# 183012
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
283/283 Fuelie
Lot S21, VIN: E57S105728
Condition: 2
Sold at $84,800
Mecum Auctions, St Charles,
IL, 6/22/2011
ACC# 179619
Page 42
PROFILE GM
1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
A high-revving corner carver
Courtesy of Mecum Auctions
The Camaro
needed to
stomp the
Mustang
on the track,
and the
Trans Am
series was
the perfect
(and very
public) place
to do it
VIN: 124378N473439
by Chad Tyson
• Purchased from the original owner after being
in storage for over 30 years
• No rust and never wrecked
• Original body panels
• Received correct and complete restoration
• All engine, transmission and rear end components
are original and correct
• Original window sticker
• Original license plate
• Original Protect-O-Plate
• Owner’s manual
ACC Analysis This 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
Z/28, Lot F229, sold for $63,600,
including buyer’s premium, at Mecum’s Kissimmee
auction in Kissimmee, FL, on January 25, 2013.
There are a lot of important GM muscle cars,
but in terms of iconic status, there aren’t many that
can touch the first-gen Z/28. Built to take on the
Mustang, which was dominating the Trans Am race
series in 1966 and 1967, the Z was a low-production
high-winding street weapon that packed a punch from
3,000 rpm all the way to its astronomical 7,000 rpm
redline. It was a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners assault
on Ford’s Pony-car racing successes and street
sales, and it worked.
Target: Ford
Vince Piggins, manager of product performance for
Chevrolet Engineering in the 1960s, was no stranger
to factory racing — he was the man behind the
Hudson Hornet’s NASCAR victories in the 1950s, as
44 AmericanCarCollector.com
44 AmericanCarCollector.com
well as Chevrolet’s Black Widow NASCAR racer.
By the time the Camaro hit the streets in late 1966,
Ford’s Mustang had already sold more than 700,000
units, and it was cleaning up in SCCA competitions
across the country. In order to give Camaro’s image
and sales a boost, Piggins knew it needed to stomp the
Mustang on the track, and the Trans Am series was
the perfect (and very public) place to do it. But GM’s
ban on factory racing limited what could be done, so
Piggins and his team started using “heavy duty” and
“off-highway use only” descriptors to slide racing and
high-performance parts past GM bigwigs.
To build the powerplant for the Z, Piggins’ team
slid the crankshaft from the 283-ci V8 into the 327-ci
V8 block to create an over-square engine — ideal
for a high-revving race engine. The 4.00-inch bore
and 3.00-inch stroke created 302.4 cubic inches of
displacement, falling just under the 305-ci, SCCAimposed
limit. The camshaft was the same as the one
used in 1964–65 high-performance Corvette 327s.
Piggins pushed and met with Chevrolet manage-
ment — even taking then-new Chevrolet General
Manager Pete Estes for a drive in an early test car.
Estes loved the package and the idea of building
Camaro’s image in Trans Am, and he quickly gave
Piggins the green light on the project. Chevrolet’s racing
ban wasn’t lifted, but with the Z/28, GM OK’d the
production of racing parts for the first time since 1963.
Results came quickly. In 1968 Penske Racing
fielded a Sunoco-sponsored Camaro Z/28, driven
by Mark Donohue. He won back-to-back Trans Am
Manufacturer’s Championships in 1968 and 1969.
Page 43
ACC
Digital Bonus
What’s in a name?
“When it came down to having to decide, somebody
just said, ‘Hey, it’s RPO Z28. Let’s call it Z28. So
the name stuck,” Piggins said during a press day in
November 1966 at Riverside International Raceway.
What came in the Z28 Special Performance
s available for the V8 sport coupes
437. It included the solid-lifter 302-ci
ley carburetor, dual exhaust with
rs, special front and rear suspension,
diator, temperature-controlled fan,
:1) steering, 15x6 wheels, E70x15
e tires, 3.73 ratio axle and special
s on the hood and deck lid. The 302
d at 290 horsepower, but that’s as
te as saying Chevrolet had absolutely
g to do with racing. Most sources
e the actual horsepower rating closer
0.
l of the upgrades for the Z28 were
able for other Camaros except for
ems: the 302-ci V8 and the rear
Multi-leaf springs came standard with
amaro except the 327/210 and 327/275
s came with four-leaf springs — all
f cars came with five leaves.
28s were built for 1967.
The road to performance icon
ro in general, the 1968 Z/28 featured
nements over the 1967 model. Among
r engine journals and bearings for
greater high-rpm reliability, as well as staggered rear
shocks to prevent wheel hop under sudden and heavy
acceleration.
Chevrolet didn’t advertise the program during the
first year (many dealerships didn’t even know about
the package), but that changed for 1968 — the new
cars were given large Z/28 (with slash) emblems in
an effort to distinguish the package on the street. GM
initiated a marketing push intending to sell 1,000
Z/28s per month and sales boomed, although they
didn’t quite meet that goal. In total, 7,199 units were
produced in 1968.
Why didn’t they sell more? Because the Z/28 wasn’t
cheap. The option was more expensive than three of
the five SS engine options. Only the L78 SS 396/375
Detailing
Years produced: 1967–69
Number produced: 7,199
(’68 Z/28)
Current ACC Valuation:
$38,000–$57,500
Tune-up/major service: $200
Distributor cap: $14
Chassis #: Stamped on
plate attached to driver’s
side dash, underneath
windshield
Original list price: $3,355,
base ’68 Z/28
Engine #: Stamped on
passenger’s side front of
block, below cylinder head
Club: American Camaro
Association
More: www.americancamaro.
org
and L89 SS 396/375 (with aluminum heads) cost more.
In addition to the $400 Z/28 option, buyers had
to order a 4-speed ($184–$310) and power-boosted
front discs ($100). This was all on top of the $2,670
base price for the V8 sport coupe. Prospective buyers
were looking at a minimum entry of $3,354.70 — an
increase of nearly 26% over the base price.
The right stuff
When it comes to Z/28s, you have to do your home-
work before buying. There are a lot of fakes running
around out there.
There’s no special stamp or code on the trim tag
that explicitly states any 1968 Camaro is a Z/28.
The first indication is that a Z/28 VIN will start with
124378. The only way to verify a 1968 Z/28 is the 302
engine and supporting paper documentation. Our
Butternut Yellow car has that documentation, with
its original window sticker and Protect-O-Plate. It
doesn’t get much better than that.
Our subject car sat quietly for 30 years in dry
storage. It was never rusty or wrecked, so it was a
solid base for restoration. According to the seller, the
original body panels are still bolted and welded to
the unibody. It was then completely restored, and it
presented really well in Mecum’s auction photos.
Valuing a Z
1968 Z/28s are often considered less desirable
compared with other first-generation Zs, as there are
fewer 1967s and the 1969 cars have a more popular
body style. But that’s like arguing how you like your
porterhouse steak cut — you’re still getting a hell of a
meal.
Real-deal Zs have seen their share of ups and downs
in relation to the fluctuating muscle-car market, but
the current ACC Pocket Price Guide calls out the buy/
sell range of a good #2 car at $38,000 to $57,500. I’d
rate this car’s condition higher than a 2, and it did
have good history and the right docs.
All things considered, for just over $60k, our buyer
got a great piece of Pony car history, as well as a
fantastic example of one of GM’s all-time halo muscle
cars. Call it a fair deal for both buyer and seller. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Mecum
Auctions.)
May-June 2013
45CC
45
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Lot 39, VIN: 124378N426369
Condition: 2
Not sold at $50,000
Worldwide Auctioneers,
Atlantic City, NJ, 2/24/2012
ACC# 192984
Alternatives: 1968 Ford
Mustang Boss 302,
1969 Pontiac Trans Am,
1970 Plymouth AAR ’Cuda
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Lot S75, VIN: 124378L330683
Condition: 1-
Not sold at $65,000
Mecum, Kansas City, MO,
12/1/2011
ACC# 190197
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Lot 336, VIN: 124378L343659
Condition: 2
Sold at $58,320
Auctions America, The
Raleigh Classic, Raleigh,
NC, 12/7/2007
ACC# 47966
Page 44
PROFILE FOMOCO
1969 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302
A purpose-built street racer
Courtesy of Mecum Auctions
Production
for 1969 was
1,628 units.
In 1970, 7,013
were built,
which makes
our subject
car a lot more
desirable
given
tin-worm
attrition and
telephone
poles
VIN: 9F02G222646
by Dale Novak
• Believed to be 17,000 actual miles
• Boss 302 matching-numbers engine
• 4-speed transmission, 3.50 Posi rear end
• Documented by the invoice, Protect-O-Plate,
warranty card, Elite Marti Report, original
drive-out tag, metal dealership tag
• Acapulco Blue with black interior
• Power steering and brakes
• Argent Gray Magnum wheels, rear window
louvers
• F-60-15 Goodyear polyglas raised white-letter
tires
• All components still intact, smog system, blow-up
spare tire, shifter and ball, console, mostly
original paint, interior, chrome and stainless
• Last tagged in 1982, Boss 302 registry report
• Late-built car July 1969 and sold new in
September 1969, making it one of the last
’69 Boss 302s built
ACC Analysis This Boss 302, Lot S131, sold for
$71,020 including buyer’s pre-
mium, at the Mecum Kissimmee sale on January 26,
2013 in Kissimmee, FL. It was an unrestored car with
exceptionally low miles, fully documented with dayone
paperwork and finished in a desirable color. Most
of the original paint was intact, as was most of the
original equipment.
Let’s drive right into this. The muscle-car crowd
knows these cars — you simply can’t ignore them.
Odds are, if you don’t have one parked in your garage,
you’d like to.
46 AmericanCarCollector.com
46 AmericanCarCollector.com
Trans Am on the street
The Big Three all came out to play for the Trans Am
racing series in the late 1960s — GM with the Camaro
Z/28, Chrysler with the Challenger T/A and AAR
’Cuda and, finally, our subject car, the 1969–70 Ford
Mustang Boss 302. Trans Am homologation rules at
the time required that track cars be based on production
cars offered for sale to the general public.
In short, that meant that a manufacturer couldn’t
stack the deck with a car produced solely for racing
— something that would simply cost too much for
the average automotive enthusiast, or be too hard to
use on the street (although some guys wouldn’t mind
strapping into a race harness for their drive to work).
Further, homologation meant that a minimum sales
level had to be met to consider the Boss as a street
production vehicle.
GM to the rescue?
Ford ruled its classes in Trans Am in ’66 and
’67 with the Mustang, but rivals Chevrolet took the
crown in ’68 and ’69 with the Z/28. The ’69 Boss 302
was Ford’s no-expense-spared attempt at regaining
control of the winner’s circle. And in 1970, they did
just that.
The Boss was designed by Larry Shinoda, a former
GM employee. As the story goes, Shinoda, who also
wheeled his magical design pen with the 1963 and
1968 Corvette, code-named the project “Boss” with
respect to the new Ford top dog, Bunkie Knudsen.
Knudsen had recruited Shinoda from GM and tapped
him for the sole task of designing the purpose-built
Mustang.
Page 45
ACC
Digital Bonus
Detailing
Years produced: 1969–70
Number produced: 8,641
(1,628 in 1969, 7,013 in
1970)
Original list price: $3,720
Current ACC Valuation:
$32,000–$54,000
Tune-up cost: $200
Distributor cap: $25
VIN#: Driver’s side dash, visible
through the windshield
The 1969 redesign of the Mustang was a welcome
departure from the 1968 model. The car was in the
beginning throes of becoming stale and somewhat
predictable. The all-new-for-1969 Sportsroof model
(aka the fastback) looked fast standing still.
And in Boss 302 trim, they were fast. Power was
provided by a Ford Windsor block mashed up to
heavy-breathing Cleveland heads. A solid-lifter cam
offered higher revs, and the resulting package tossed
out 290 hp from 302 cubic inches. Not bad for a
small-block production car that was just about ready
for track duty with only minor modifications. On the
handling side, larger sway bars and heavier suspensions
came into play, and a 4-speed transmission with
a Hurst shifter came standard.
Production for the 1969 Boss 302 was 1,628 units.
In 1970, production rose dramatically to 7,013, which
makes our subject car a lot more desirable given tinworm
attrition and, well, telephone poles.
Twists and turns in the market
The Boss 302 market hasn’t been immune to the
twists and turns from an investment standpoint. Lesser
cars, meaning those without great documentation,
original equipment and questionable backgrounds,
can be found in the low-to-high $40k range. Like any
muscle car, it all comes down to condition and overall
appeal. Add a shaker hood and you’ll find a higher
score on the appeal-o-meter, which can kick up the
value respectably.
Mecum’s Kissimmee sale was big — really big.
Four Boss 302s were up for grabs: two 1969s and
two 1970s. A yellow 1969 that was reported to be
unrestored sold for $42,400, while a 1970 concoursrestored
trailer queen found $121,900.
Our subject car tipped the scales at $71,020 — not
in the middle of the pack, but not all that far away
from the middle, either. By the books, the number is
right in the proper range for a well-sorted Boss 302.
An unrestored deal
There are more than a few comparable Boss 302s
in the ACC database. First up, ACC# 213779, a
desirable Grabber Blue 1970 example, which sold for
$77,000. This is a great comp, as it only had 5,418
original miles and was reported to be in fine condition.
Second, ACC# 214154, another ’70 Grabber Blue
model, which stayed with the seller against a high bid
of $75,000. There’s also ACC# 209043, a bright yellow
’70 example reported to be in stunning condition,
selling for $106,700. Given that condition affects the
value in a significant way, all three cars found proper
bids based on the summary reports — and the current
market.
Our subject car was unrestored but reported to be
in very good condition. This is a distinctive notation,
as unrestored cars can be shabby on occasion and
will ultimately turn off some buyers who yearn for a
minty-fresh example. This car looked great, but I’m
certain it’ll fall flat when stacked up next to a nutand-bolt
restored example. After all, this car is now
44 years old. Added use that deteriorates the car’s
condition will cost the owner money.
Then again, cars like this are only original once,
and a lot of today’s buyers are now seeing substantial
value in that originality. So from a collecting and
investment standpoint, this car was a home-run
offering — the Mecum auction description was right
in calling it “a true dream machine for the Boss
Mustang enthusiast.”
Given the presentation, documentation, rarity and
glorious unrestored condition, I’d give this car a
huge attaboy along with a tip of the ol’ ball cap to the
buyer. Well bought. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Mecum
Auctions.)
1969 Ford Mustang
Boss 302
Other: www.boss302forum.
com
Club: Mustang Club of
America, www.mustang.
org
Engine #: Stamped inside of
engine block behind starter
motor; also on a tag affixed
to the coil mounting bolt,
which is usually missing
Alternatives: 1970 Plymouth
AAR ’Cuda, 1970 Dodge
Challenger T/A, 1969
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
ACC Investment Grade: A
Comps
1970 Ford Mustang
Boss 302
Lot 174, VIN: 0T02G137207
Condition: 2
Sold at $77,000
RM Auctions, Grapevine, TX,
10/20/2012
ACC# 213779
1970 Ford Mustang
Boss 302
Lot 369, VIN: 0F02G188056
Condition: 2+
Not sold at $75,000
Auctions America by RM,
Carlisle, PA, 10/5/2012
ACC# 214154
Lot 286, VIN: 9F026221365
Condition: 2Sold
at $99,000
RM Auctions, Amelia Island,
FL, 3/8/2008
ACC# 116105
November-December 2012
May-June 2013 47
47CC
Page 46
PROFILE MOPAR
1960 CHRYSLER 300F GT SPECIAL
The record-breaking letter car
Alejandro Rodriguez, courtesy of Gooding & Company
Chrysler’s
“letter cars”
have always
been strong
sellers, but
none come
close to the
legendary
performance
of the Gregg
Ziegler 300F
VIN: 8403110398
by Tom Glatch
• Very rare and historic Chrysler letter car
• 1960 Daytona Beach “Flying Mile” race speed
record holder
• A factory-developed high-performance, 400-hp
4-speed 300F
• Offered with original Goodyear Blue Streak
racing tires
• An incredibly important and original example
• Protected in climate-controlled storage for almost
50 years
• Includes extensive documentation
ACC Analysis This 300F, Lot 19, sold for
$236,500, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at the Gooding & Company Amelia Island auction
in Amelia Island, FL, on March 8, 2013.
Let’s take a quick ’50s automotive quiz:
Which U.S. automobile was the first to break the
magic one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch mark? Which
U.S. automobile was the most powerful of the 1950s?
If you answered “Corvette” to either question,
you’re not alone. It’s easy to assume General Motors’
famed flagship was the top gun of the ’50s. But
you’d be wrong. Actually, the 1956 Chrysler 300B
could be ordered with an optional 355-hp 354-ci
first-generation Hemi a year before the 283-hp 283-ci
fuel-injected Corvette was available. And the 1957
Chrysler 300C with the optional performance package
produced 390 hp, while the top Corvette generated
283 hp. Amazed?
Chrysler’s rare and beautiful “letter cars” were
amazing. Today’s Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG and
Cadillac CTS-V are spiritual brethren to the 1955–65
Chrysler 300s, which were living large in every automotive
sense of the word.
48 AmericanCarCollector.com
48 AmericanCarCollector.com
From showroom to winner’s circle
Chrysler called their 1955 300 NASCAR racers the
“world’s fastest stock cars” and backed it up with
championships on the NASCAR and AAA circuits.
They also tore through the Flying Mile on the sands
of Daytona Beach at 127.58 mph that year, faster than
the Corvettes or anything else that tried. The results
for the 1956 Chrysler 300B were the same; in fact,
Chryslers won 51 out of 101 races in NASCAR those
two years (Ford was next with 16 wins). And during
the Daytona Speed Weeks in ’56, NASCAR Champion
Tim Flock blasted a Chrysler 300B through the Flying
Mile at 139.37 mph.
Chrysler’s campaign at Daytona Beach those two
years was by Carl Kiekhaefer’s well-financed, factorybacked
NASCAR team. But the Big Three signed an
anti-racing agreement in early 1957, and all racing for
the next few years was by privateers (although some
factory support was still supplied covertly). In ’57 and
’58, Pontiacs nudged Chrysler from the top spot in the
Speed Week trials, while an Oldsmobile did it in 1959,
although Chrysler’s record of 1956 wasn’t surpassed.
The GM cars were smaller and at least a quarter ton
lighter, and ran in Class 6 (305 ci to 350 ci), so technically
Chrysler was still the king of Class 7 (over 350
ci), but the 300s were no longer the kings of Daytona
Beach.
One of those privateers was Gregg Ziegler, a
hardware-store owner from Elgin, IL. After Chrysler’s
performance at the Beach in 1956, Ziegler was so
impressed that he sold his Buick Century and bought
a 300B. He tried his hand at the Speed Weeks in
1957 in his year-old Chrysler, then returned in ’58
in a friend’s new 300D, where he finished 10th in the
Flying Mile.
Page 47
ACC
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Ziegler traded his 300B for a new
300E the next year, and grabbed 4th
spot in the Flying Mile. But Chrysler
discontinued the first-generation
Hemi for the 1959 model year, and the
new 300E had an image of being less
potent. Could that image be the reason
0E sales were a disaster?
special 300
e end of 1959, Gregg
ived a surprise phone
l from Chrysler engineer
rt Bouwkamp. Chrysler
s planning a full assault
ytona Beach for the 1960
d Weeks, and they wanted
ler to join them. But the
00F they offered Ziegler
was hardly standard issue.
Six 300Fs built in early
November were sent to the
ngineering garage at Chrysler’s Jefferson
nue plant. Engineering staffers installed
epared by the Jefferson Engine plant
ced 400 hp, and also fitted these cars
vy-duty 4-speed manual transmissions.
The gearboxes were manufactured in France
by Pont-a-Mousson (Chrysler did not produce a
4-speed until 1963), who made the transmissions for
the Chrysler-powered Facel-Vega, and the cars had to
be modified to accommodate the 4-speed, clutch, and
floor-shift.
The six cars were called the GT Specials, and
Ziegler and the other privateers had to purchase these
cars for full dealer price — about $6,800. Ziegler
also had to drive the car from Detroit back home to
Illinois, then drive it to Daytona a few days later.
Before heading to Florida, he took the GT Special for
a shakedown run on the Illinois Tollway. “I’d go 60 in
low, 90 in second, 120 in third. Lay in into fourth gear
and go right off the end of the speedometer,” he told
Collectible Automobile magazine.
On February 7, Gregg Ziegler crushed the five-
year-old Flying Mile record with a two-way average
of 144.927 mph, and all six GT Specials finished 1st
through 6th. The Chrysler 300 was again the “world’s
fastest stock car.”
Detailing
Years produced: 1960
Number produced: Nine
to 15
Original list price: $6,800
Current ACC Valuation:
$200,000–$275,000
Tune-up/major service: $150
Distributor cap: $11
Chassis #: VIN plate on the
driver’s side door hinge
post
More: www.chrysler300club.
com
Club: Chrysler 300 Club
International
Alternatives: None
ACC Investment Grade: A
Comps
The all-time record holder
Later that year, Ziegler sold his GT Special to
Robert McAtee of Bloomington, IL, so he could buy
a new 400-hp 300G for the ’61 Speed Weeks. Again,
Ziegler was the fastest through the Flying Mile but
fell just short of his 1960 record. 1961 would be the
last Daytona Speed Weeks on the sand, as residential
sprawl made the beach no longer suitable for racing,
and Bill France’s new Daytona Speedway became the
center of attention. That means Gregg Ziegler’s record
run will likely stand forever.
Along with the six Daytona cars, a few more GT
Specials were built, including one convertible. It is
estimated that only nine to 15 were made out of 1,217
300F cars in 1960, and just four are known to exist.
Robert McAtee kept Ziegler’s GT Special in climatecontrolled
storage for decades, and the car had just
11,000 perfectly preserved miles on it at the time of
McAtee’s death in 2007. Another Illinois collector then
purchased it.
Valuing the winner
Chrysler’s rare, unique “letter cars” have always
been strong sellers, but none of the other 300s comes
close to the legendary performance of the Gregg
Ziegler 300F. Mecum tried selling this car in 2010,
with bidding reaching $275k without hitting reserve
(ACC# 165763). It was offered again by Worldwide
Auctioneers in Atlantic City in 2011, where it was bid
to a then-insufficient $250k (ACC# 169025).
The lone GT Special convertible, another 11,000-
mile car, sold for $437,250 (ACC# 168371) at RM’s sale
of the Robson Collection in 2010. I would have loved
to have seen this 300F sell for at least as much, but
considering the car’s previous appearances at auction
and the soft values American performance cars have
been showing throughout the past two years, the price
Gooding & Company achieved here was correct in the
current market.
But for the history, condition, and desirability as
one of the best 300s out there, the new owner got a
lot of car for his money — a car that will always have
a spot at the top of the 300 hierarchy. I’d call it very
well bought. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Gooding &
Company.)
May-June 2013
May-June 2013
49
1960 Chrysler 300F GT
Lot 47, VIN: 8403110398
(profile car)
Condition: 2
Engine #: Pad on the right
side of the block to the rear
of the engine mount
Not sold at $250,000
Worldwide Auctioneers,
Atlantic City, NJ, 2/18/2011
ACC# 169025
1960 Chrysler 300F
convertible
Lot 217, VIN: 8403141816
Condition: 2Sold
at $437,250
RM Auctions, Gainesville, GA,
11/13/2010
ACC# 168371
1960 Chrysler 300F GT
Lot S132, VIN: 8403110398
(profile car)
Condition: 2
Not sold at $275,000
Mecum Auctions, Monterey,
CA, 8/13/2010
ACC# 165763
Page 48
PROFILE HOT ROD & CUSTOM
1932 FORD “GOLDEN ROD” ROADSTER
A real-deal period lowboy
Corey Silvia ©2013, courtesy of RM Auctions
Although
its color has
faded a bit, as
has the white
pinstriping,
and the gold
lacquer is
cracked here
and there,
this roadster
is a charming
time warp
VIN: SWO8036PA
by Ken Gross
the next town with one. I made a deal with him for
$75. I went to a hot rod show and got all enthused.
I thought about colors, and since gold was my trade
color, the idea of ‘Golden Rod’ just hit me.”
“I wanted a typical East Coast hot rod,” Lentz
T
50
AmericanCarCollector.com
recalled, “but smooth. That’s why the door hinges and
antenna are all frenched (molded in). The windshield
is a rear window from a car, cut and (mounted) upside
down.”
Jack Lentz kept and displayed the “Golden Rod”
for 15 years before selling it for $2,500. This car has
never been restored. Its Mercury flathead V8 engine is
modified with authentic period speed equipment. The
roadster remains totally original, just as it was built in
the 1950s.
It was displayed at the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance in the historic hot-rod class, and is offered
from the collection of racing legend Skip Barber.
ACC Analysis This Deuce roadster, Lot 157, sold
for $90,750, including buyer’s
premium, at RM’s Amelia Island auction at Amelia
Island, FL, on March 10, 2013.
This virtually original ’32 “lowboy” roadster is a
prime example of classic East Coast hot rodding. It’s
his little roadster was built in 1953 by Jack
Lentz after he returned from service in
Korea. “I built a new auto body shop in
Bedford, New Jersey,” Lentz recalled. “I
liked the ‘Deuce’ Fords. There was a guy in
an oft-told tale that when World War II ended, returning
GIs, with newly acquired mechanical skills, money
to burn, and a taste for excitement, found that even if
new Detroit models were available (there were long
waits for what were basically warmed-over 1942s),
they either couldn’t afford new cars, or they wanted
more style, performance and panache.
The American hot rod and its stylish cousin, the
custom car, born in California before the war, came
into prominence in the late 1940s/early 1950s. The
trend whirled across the land from car show to car
show and lasted until the advent of the muscle car in
the early 1960s.
All the ingredients were present: There was a
ready supply of handsome early Ford bodies, along
with their easily modified flathead engines. The ’32
Ford Model 18 chassis, incorporating a V8 from
the factory, was a perfect basis for fast-growing
performance equipment and accessory suppliers,
who advertised their wares cross-country in Robert
E. Petersen’s pioneering Hot Rod Magazine. Ed
Almquist in Pennsylvania, “Honest Charley” Card in
Chattanooga, Andy Granatelli in Chicago, and countless
more local speed shops stocked go-fast and “look
good” items.
How low can you go?
On the East Coast and in the Midwest, hot-rodders
frequently channeled their cars to achieve a low silhouette.
Channeling was a modification that two rea
Page 49
ACC
Digital Bonus
sonably competent guys with a torch could complete
in a weekend. The floor was cut out; the body was
dropped — usually the full width of the frame — a new
floor and body mounts were made, and the stitched-up
result looked very cool. There were no dry lakes on
the Right Coast, so if guys competed in their hot rods,
they most commonly went drag racing. The notion of a
highboy — a roadster whose body sat atop the frame
in the stock position — was far less common. Fenders
were removed (and tossed!); bodies were channeled
and that was that. Sometimes they didn’t even chop the
windshield.
The problem with a channeled car was that when
eight inches of floor space was torched away and lost,
the seat cushions had to be thinly padded squabs, and
the driver’s legs were positioned straight out, making
a channeled roadster very uncomfortable and hard to
drive for long periods of time. These aren’t cars for
tall dudes. That said, I never heard a complaint from
a guy with a channeled roadster. The cars looked
cool and most of the guys owned another car (usually
a customized Ford or Merc) for driving to work and
going on dates.
In the Boston area, where I grew up in the mid-’50s,
notable channeled ’32 roadsters owned by Norm
Wallace, Fred Steele, Sonny Mazza, Peter Seferian,
Mudd Sharrigan and many others were featured
in Rodding and Re-styling and other East Coast
magazines. Some of these cars even made it to the
West Coast books and were displayed in Hot Rod
Magazine and Rod & Custom — a feat we considered
a great honor. Arnie and Bernie Shuman’s wonderful
book, Cool Cars and Square Roll Bars, shows dozens
of channeled roadsters. Everybody wanted one.
Remarkably, several of these cars have survived. This
car is one of them.
Jersey boy
In 1953, a Bedford, NJ-based enthusiast named Jack
Lentz channeled his 1932 Ford roadster body some
eight inches over a Deuce frame, installed a dropped
front axle, then molded and filled everything from the
grille shell and windshield posts to the door handles
and the rear tail pan. A custom steering wheel,
Packard hubcaps, a louvered hood, and liberal plating
— not to mention a tuck-and-roll white Naugahyde
leatherette interior and 20 hand-rubbed coats of gold
lacquer — made the aptly named “Golden Rod” a
frequent show winner in its day.
Lentz dropped in a stock bore and stroke 255-ci ’49
Detailing
Years produced: 1932
Number produced: 12,597
roadsters
Original list price: $495
Current ACC Valuation:
$75,000–$300,000
(depending on history and
condition)
Clubs: Goodguys, National
Street Rod Association
(NSRA)
Merc flathead V8 with all the right stuff: Weiand finned
high-compression heads, an Almquist dual-intake
manifold with twin Stromberg 97s, Mallory ignition,
custom exhaust headers and more. The transmission
was a 3-speed Ford manual. Pontiac taillights, molded
exhaust tips, overhead-mounted “swung” hydraulic
brake and clutch pedals, and cycle fenders made
from spare tire covers were just a few of many custom
touches. There’s a wonderful panel of rare StewartWarner
instruments. Lentz’s cool little custom rod
won its share of trophies and starred in East Coast
magazines.
The “Golden Rod” passed through several own-
ers, all of whom thankfully resisted the temptation
to modify it in some fashion. Although its color has
faded a bit, as has the white pinstriping, and the gold
lacquer is cracked here and there, this roadster is a
charming time warp, and it’s still presentable. Skip
Barber, the seller, said: “I love this car’s originality,
right down to the cracks in the paint and the bubbles
in the tires. It’s never been restored.”
Time traveler
The recent Mecum sale of the ex-Tom McMullen
’32 roadster for $742k (ACC# 213966) was arguably
due to that car’s notoriety, as it was not even on its
original frame. Dr. Mark Van Buskirk’s channeled
’32, originally built by Jim Khougaz and restored by
Dave Simard, went for $385,000 when it sold at RM
Monterey in 2007 (ACC# 46256) and $214,500 when it
was resold at the RM/Ralph Whitworth auction at the
Petersen in 2009. Both of those cars were restored;
both had been shown at Pebble Beach, and they’d
received a great deal of complimentary ink.
Consider this: An old car is only original once,
and it’s even harder to find an historic hot rod in “asbuilt”
condition.
More of a custom rod than a racer, this car won’t
command top dollar in today’s market. But if you grew
up on the Right Coast, hankering for a channel job, it’s
pure nostalgia. It’s still just the way Jack Lentz built it.
I didn’t hear it run, but there’s no reason to suspect
the crusty old Deuce wouldn’t crackle to life and be
ready for a Saturday morning cruise or a trip to an
historic hot-rod event. Offered without reserve as
part of several cars from the Barber Collection, the
roadster found a home for just under six figures.
At that, I’ll call it decently sold and very well
1932 Ford Highboy roadster
Lot 111, VIN: R1845482M
Condition: 2
Sold at $154,000
Gooding & Company, Pebble
Beach, CA, 8/21/2011
ACC# 183150
Engine #: Stamped into top
flange of transmission
Tune-up/major service: $200
(estimated)
Chassis #: Stamped on top of
driver’s side frame rail
More: www.good-guys.com,
www.nsra-usa.com
Alternatives: 1932 Ford
5-window coupe, 1932
Ford 3-window coupe,
1932 Ford roadster pickup
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
1932 Ford McMullen
Highboy roadster
Lot S109, VIN: 18152025
Condition: 1Sold
at $742,000
Mecum Auctions, Anaheim,
CA, 11/14/2012
ACC# 213966
1932 Ford Khougaz roadster
Lot 241, VIN: 18155453
Condition: 1Sold
at $385,000
RM Auctions, Monterey, CA,
8/17/2007
ACC# 46256
bought.A
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.)
March-april 2013
May-June 2013
51
Page 50
PROFILE CLASSIC
1932 AUBURN 8-100A SPEEDSTER
Depression-era extravagance
Stephen Goodal ©2010, courtesy of RM Auctions
The Auburn
Speedster
was dramatic
and groundbreaking,
with
stunning
and flowing
integrated
lines. Only
84 were sold
VIN: 9288E
Engine number: GU73382
by Carl Bomstead
The 1932 Auburn 8-100A Speedster was the Auburn
Automobile Company’s most spectacular 8-cylinder
offering — an ideal Depression-era road machine for
those who could afford it. It offered outstanding performance
for a dashing couple, with the flexibility of a
2-speed rear axle providing a low ratio for city use and
a high ratio for open roads in all three gears. Today,
few Auburn products are more desirable.
This Speedster has been certified as Category One
by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club, as it has an
original 8-100A chassis, engine, transmission, axles,
body and all other major components. It is crucial to
note the originality of the body, which was built for
Auburn by Union City Body Company.
The present owner acquired the Speedster body
in 1989 and, with the goal of creating a perfect show
car, spent five years restoring it on an original 8-100A
chassis that was born with sedan coachwork.
It has subsequently been judged a Senior Grand
National winner by the Antique Automobile Club of
America, and it has reached Senior Premier status
in the Classic Car Club of America. The most recent
award was earned at the Concours d’Elegance of
America at St. John’s in 2012 — 18 years after the
completion of the restoration.
52 AmericanCarCollector.com
52 AmericanCarCollector.com
ACC Analysis This Auburn 8-100A Speedster,
Lot 158, sold for $330,000, includ-
ing buyer’s premium, at RM’s Amelia Island Auction
on March 9, 2013, in Amelia Island, FL.
Auburn would have most likely closed their doors
in the mid-’20s had it not been for the arrival of E.L.
Cord. Cord was a cocky but successful salesman,
and he was able to convince the AAC Board that he
was their only hope of recouping their investments. In
turn, he worked the deal in his benefit — he eventually
owned the company. He was then faced with an inventory
of more than 700 Auburns collecting dust on the
back lots and enough parts and pieces to assemble at
least that many more.
Streamlining the Auburn
He quickly strengthened the dealer network, and he
pushed forward on design, following his belief in “be
different if you can’t be the biggest.” Under that directive,
Auburn introduced the Model 115 Speedster in
1928. The car featured a steeply raked windshield and
streamlined boattail rear end. The Speedster design
was as much substance as style, as it eliminated the
ability for a competitor to draft in racing competition.
The new design, based on the 1927 Duesenberg
Model X Speedster, exuded momentum even when
Page 51
ACC
Digital Bonus
Detailing
Year built: 1932
Number built: 84
Original list price: $845
Current ACC Valuation:
$250,000–$350,000
Tune-up cost: $300
Distributor cap: $125
Chassis #: Left frame rail
Engine #: Left side of
crankcase
Club: Auburn-CordDuesenberg
Club
e stockour
on
a Beach.
un, to the
uburn
ated with
CC
Digital Bonus
Detailing
Year built: 1932
Number built: 84
Original list price: $845
Current ACC Valuation:
$250,000–$350,000
Tune-up cost: $300
Distributor cap: $125
Chassis #: Left frame rail
Engine #: Left side of
crankcase
Club: Auburn-Cord-
Duesenberg Club
e stock-
our on
a Beach.
un, to the
uburn
ated with
r
r a youthful
my, who
d as a
. At the
, his
e 1932
er was
breaking,
owing
t the
Great Depression was taking
its toll on the buying public,
and priced at $845, a mere 84
8-100 Speedsters were produced. The Auburn Model
8-100A custom model was equipped with a Columbia
dual-ratio rear axle, free-wheeling, Bijur chassis
lubrication system, ride control shocks, and a Startix
automatic starter.
Awards and issues
The 1932 Auburn 8-100A Speedster offered by RM
was stunning in red and black, and the chrome wire
wheels set off the entire presentation. The car had a
long list of awards and a Category One Certification
from the ACD Club. In short, it looked great, was extremely
well detailed, and it seemed to have all of the
provenance it needed. It was a very high-level package
with exquisite detailing. There were, however, a
few discrepancies.
First, the 8-100A chassis used in this particular car
was from a sedan. It had been married to this original
Union City Body Company speedster body in 1989.
Technically, since it was a rebody (even with an original
piece), the car wouldn’t qualify for a Category One
Certification, although a few others also slipped by as
the judging process was being refined. It does have the
certification, but it also has a story to go along with it.
The Auburn was also finished with urethane paint,
which while very well done, would be a serious deduction
in many judging circles.
And finally, there was a grille-fit issue. One of
the trickiest parts of restoring Auburns is fitting the
“pitchfork” grille molding into the lower splash pan
trim. This car’s pieces were not even close to lining
up — the owner readily admitted the deficiency. But he
had to — there really wasn’t any way to hide it.
The sum of its parts or more?
Does any of this suggest the $330,000 sale price was
out of line? I think not, as this is still one of the best
examples available of the most revered Auburn 8 from
the golden age of pre-war motoring. The grille trim
can be corrected for a couple thousand dollars, the
ACD Club can’t alter their certification without facing
potential legal issues, and the paint, while not periodcorrect,
will only be a concern if the new owner wants
to continue to show the car.
But since the car has already been to most of the
rodeos, why not just use and enjoy it? It’s a rare piece
no matter how you hash it, and it’ll literally stop traffic
wherever you take it.
Regardless of the car’s next step — be it show field
or open road — at the price paid, I’d call it both well
1931 Auburn Model 8-98
speedster
Lot 234, VIN: 89825629E
Condition: 3
Not sold at $275,000
Classic Motorcar Auctions,
Canton, OH, 9/17/2011
ACC# 185914
More: www.acdclub.org
Alternatives: 1929–34
Duesenberg Model J
(closed), 1934 Packard
Twelve Coupe Roadster,
1937 Cord 812 SC
Sportsman
ACC Investment Grade: B+
Comps
1929 Auburn Speedster
Lot S76, VIN: GRX26706
Condition: 4Sold
at $159,000
Mecum Auctions, Monterey,
CA, 8/21/2011
ACC# 184007
bought and well sold. A
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.)
1932 Auburn Model 8-100A
Speedster
Lot 985, VIN: 11146E
Condition: 2Sold
at $148,000
Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale,
AZ, 1/18/2007
ACC# 44136
May-June 2013
53CC
53
Page 52
PROFILE RACE
1967 PLYMOUTH RO23 BELVEDERE
Super Stock terror in street clothes
Courtesy of Mecum Auctions
Other than
the steel
bolt-on
air scoop,
the RO23
looks like
a bargainbasement
Belvedere
VIN: R023J71206022
by Tom Glatch
Plymouth upped the stakes, introducing a limitedproduction
lightweight drag-racing package for the
Belvedere known as the RO23.
Fifty-five 2-door hard tops were built to meet the
C
54
AmericanCarCollector.com
NHRA’s Super Stock/B class rules, all powered by
the 426 Hemi backed by either a 4-speed manual
transmission or a TorqueFlite automatic.
This RO23 Plymouth Belvedere lightweight from
the Joe Amato Collection features the correct and
recently rebuilt 426 race Hemi, equipped with dual
4-barrel carburetors and dyno-tuned to 544 horsepower.
ACC Analysis This 1967 Plymouth RO23
Belvedere, Lot S177, sold for
$79,500, including buyer’s premium, at Mecum’s
Kissimmee, FL, auction on January 26, 2013.
“Are Plymouths fast? Ask the man who didn’t own
one!” That provocative little advertisement was
placed on the inside cover of the 1967 NHRA Rule
Book. It went on to point out that Plymouths driven
by Jere Stahl (of Stahl Headers fame) and Shirley
“Drag-On-Lady” Shahan mopped up the Super Stock
competition at the major events of 1966. It was a brilliant
place for an ad that was essentially preaching to
the choir, and it made the point: Chrysler was serious
about drag racing.
ompetition in NHRA Super Stock racing
was at a fever pitch by the mid-1960s. The
factories continued to trade blows with
ever more radical specials to meet the
demands of their team drivers, and in 1967
Raising the B-body bar
Super Stock racing featured cars that were substan-
tially factory stock. The cars on the track were nearly
identical to the cars you could buy in the showroom,
and anyone interested in a really fast street machine
knew which dealer to go to. Plymouth’s performance
in ’66 was basically a repeat of the 1965 season, and
Chrysler was so intent on keeping the momentum
going in Super Stock in 1967 that they produced two
very special vehicles just for that competition: the
Plymouth RO23 Hemi Belvedere II and the Dodge
WO23 Hemi Coronet.
Just 55 of each were built; all were basic white with
black interiors, and all were built on February 12,
1967, at the Lynch Road plant in Detroit. Talk about a
special order — February 12 was a Sunday.
Racer-spec in a plain white wrapper
Keeping the weight to a minimum was critical, since
the NHRA Super Stock class determination was based
on a horsepower-to-weight ratio — for example, SS/A
required up to 6.99 pounds per advertised horsepower,
while SS/B required 7.00 to 7.69 lbs/hp — and
Chrysler was hoping to race these special mid-sized
B-body cars in SS/A or SS/B.
These cars were given no soundproofing or seam
sealer during assembly, no foam under the headliner,
and there were no heaters or radios. The front sway
bar was deleted, too. The base Belvedere came with
rubber mats instead of carpeting, and so did the RO23.
The battery was relocated to the trunk for better
Page 53
ACC
Digital Bonus
weight bias.
Under the hood was the stan-
dard 426-ci 425-hp Street Hemi.
The intake manifolds on the WO23
and RO23 cars were stock pieces
changed inside using the modification
pioneered by racer Arlen
Vanke, and the stock carburetors
were optimized for drag racing.
This, too, was important, because
Super Stock rules required factory
carbs only.
Automatic cars got the
A727 TorqueFlite transmission,
modified from stock with
manual valve body, and featured
heavy-duty clutches and bands
to handle 7,000-rpm shifts. The
A833 4-speeds were “slick-shift”
units — transmissions modified
by removing the synchros and
machining every other tooth off the
drive gears for easier full-throttle
shifting. That package was topped off with a Hurst
shifter.
The cars were delivered with the standard Street
Hemi oval air cleaner, but boxed in the trunk was a
special unit that fit the opening of the hood scoop — a
piece unique to these cars. The only wheels available
were painted 14x6.5 or 15x6 steel units. Final drives
were 4.88:1 gears in a bulletproof Dana 60 on 4-speed
cars, or 4.86:1 in Mopar’s 8¾-inch unit on automatics.
Other than the steel bolt-on air scoop, the RO23
looked like a bargain-basement Belvedere. At a cost
of $3,831, it was hardly a bargain (a basic Belvedere
I started at around $2,315) but the RO23 contained
everything top racers such as Sox and Martin and
many regional privateers needed to compete in Super
Stock — and with quarter-mile times in the low 11s at
over 120 mph, these cars dominated their class.
Evolution and rarity
Whereas Chrysler’s Super Stock cars for 1967 were
fast while looking bone-stock and showroom-fresh,
their race cars for ’68 evolved into something else.
By ’68, Super Stock racers were starting to look at
smaller compact and “Pony” cars (remember those
Detailing
Years produced: 1967
Number produced: 55
Original list price: $3,831
Current ACC Valuation:
$70,000–$95,000
Tune-up/major service: $150
Distributor cap: $22.58
Chassis #: VIN plate on the
driver’s side instrument
panel behind windshield
Club: Walter P. Chrysler Club
More: www.chryslerclub.org
Alternatives: 1967 Dodge
Coronet WO23, 1967 Ford
Fairlane R-code, 1967
Mercury Comet 202 Sedan
R-code
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
power-to-weight formulas), and Chrysler obliged by
stuffing Hemi engines in their A-body Dodge Darts
and Plymouth Barracudas.
The transformation of the new cars was so radi-
cal that they could not be built on an assembly line
(not even on a Sunday), so Chrysler turned to Hurst
Industries to build about 50 each of these mystical,
legendary racers. So in a sense, the RO23 and WO23
cars were the end of an era — the final purpose-built
Super Stockers to come directly from a Chrysler
production line.
Quarter mile to collectible
With just 55 built and an unknown number surviving,
it’s not surprising that RO23 Plymouths are rarely
offered for sale. In the past 10 years, only four have sold
at auction. The highest sale was $151,200 at RM’s 2007
auction in Fort Lauderdale. The Hurst-built ’68 Hemi
Darts and Barracudas typically bring more than that.
Although the Hemi compacts are just as rare as
the RO23s and were just as successful on the track,
they also have something else going for them: a nasty,
aggressive, ready-to-dominate look. The pedestrian
demeanor of the Belvedere is likely the reason the
RO23s usually sell for less.
Then there is our feature RO23. It had been
given a questionable restoration — the engine
has too much chrome, the unique air cleaner
is missing and the front inner headlights have
been removed (a violation of the ’67 NHRA
rulebook). All that should cause concern for
any potential buyer. The lack of documented
racing provenance does nothing for its value,
either, and name-dropping Joe Amato, the
most successful Top Fuel driver of the ’80s
and ’90s, isn’t enough to overcome this car’s
weaknesses.
There is nothing on this car that a little
time and money can’t cure, but the issues
are enough to drive down its value. That’s a
shame, since these fast and fascinating Super
Stock machines should really sell for close to
six figures. In this case, $79k is about right.
Well bought. A
(Introductory description courtesy of
Mecum Auctions.)
May-June 2013
55
1968 Dodge Dart Hemi Super
Stock
Lot 140329648904, VIN: N/A
Condition: 2+
Sold at $177,877
eBay Motors, June 2010
ACC# 162876
1968 Plymouth Barracuda
Hemi Super Stock
Lot 50, VIN: B029M8B390673
Condition: 1-
ACC# 192998
Engine #: Pad on the right
side of the block to the rear
of the engine mount
Not sold at $140,000
Worldwide Auctioneers,
Atlantic City, NJ, 2/24/2012
1967 Dodge Coronet 440
Super Stock
Lot S111, VIN:
WO23J71201846
Condition: 2+
Not sold at $130,000
ACC# 43759
Mecum Auctions, Kansas City,
MO, 12/1/2006
Page 54
PROFILE TRUCK
1970 CHEVROLET EL CAMINO SS 454 LS6
Muscle truck hauls in big money
The LS6
El Camino
was both
completely
irrational
and the
perfect
dual-purpose
machine,
depending
on how you
looked at it
VIN: 136800K158973
by B. Mitchell Carlson
• Totally restored to original factory specifications
• Restored by Jen-Jacs Restoration in Savannah, GA
• Original rebuilt LS6 454/450-hp engine
• M22 close-ratio 4-speed transmission
• 4.10 Positraction rear axle
• Rare factory-correct Tuxedo Black exterior
• Black bench seat interior
• Original partial build sheet found during
restoration
ACC Analysis This LS6 El Camino, Lot S166,
sold for $121,900, including buy-
er’s premium, at Mecum’s Kissimmee, FL, event on
January 26, 2013.
In the minds of most car guys, only a few cars can
compete for all-time top-dog muscle-car status. From
Mopar, that nod usually goes to the Hemi ’Cuda. From
Ford, it’s mostly the Shelby GT500 or Mustang Boss
429. And from Chevrolet, it’s the ’70 LS6 Chevelle.
You may never get agreement from brand-loyal car
fanatics over which of these was the baddest OEM
muscle car ever built, but GM person or not, you have
to agree that the LS6 is deserving of the reputation.
Horsepower was king in 1970, and the LS6 cars
were rated at 450, although some call that rating
conservative. Regardless, these A-bodies were just the
thing for brutal acceleration, endless doughnuts and
city-block-long burnouts. But what if you needed to
56 AmericanCarCollector.com
56 AmericanCarCollector.com
haul things every once in awhile? Bigger things than
would fit in that Chevelle’s trunk?
You could buy an El Camino. And you could still
have your LS6 engine, too.
Party in the front, business in the back
A documented original LS6 Chevelle isn’t something
you see every day. Only about 4,500 LS6 cars were
built in ’70. But even more rare than that was the LS6
El Camino, like our subject car. Some sources place
their build number at just over 500, and documented
examples are even more scarce.
It was part muscle car and part truck. With this car,
you were able to haul whatever you needed to haul
during the week, and on the weekends, you could head
out to the drags and run low 13s in the quarter mile. It
was both completely irrational and the perfect dualpurpose
machine, depending on how you looked at it.
A car with a truck bed
The genesis of the El Camino came from Australia,
where there was a market need for truck-like utility
as well as car-like comforts in the same vehicle. Ford
brought this concept to America with the Ranchero in
1957, and Chevrolet joined in by 1959 and ’60 with the
Impala-based El Camino.
When the El Camino came back from its threemodel-year
hiatus in 1964, it shared a platform with
Courtesy of Mecum Auctions
Page 55
ACC
Digital Bonus
Detailing
Year produced: 1970
Number produced:
Approximately 500 (LS6)
Original list price: $3,764
Current ACC Valuation:
$65,000–$89,000
Tune-up cost: $200
Distributor cap: $10
Chassis number: On top
of the dashboard on the
driver’s side
Engine number: Passenger’s
side of the block on the
front edge of the cylinder
head deck
the all-new Chevelle. As these coupe pickups were
both on station wagon chassis, component sharing
was all but necessary to justify the lower production
numbers of the open-back models.
While the Super Sport Chevelle existed since 1964,
there was no SS Elky until 1966 — the Mark IV bigblock
engine carried over into the El Camino, and the
SS 396 became a bona fide stand-alone El Camino
model that year. However, it’s also worth noting that
the 396 became a stand-alone engine option as a nonSuper
Sport in 1966. This continued into the restyled
1968 models. These big-block monsters had a reputation
of being fast, although they could be hard to
control under full throttle — drive one of these things
hard without being careful and your own rear bumper
will try to pass you.
For 1970, the El Camino was also available in two
Super Sport models — the SS 396 and SS 454, each in
two flavors of tune. And of course, the LS6 was the top
of the line.
The birth of the hot truck
It can be argued that the El Camino SS started
the hot-truck phenomenon. In the greater scope of
things, this was always considered a truck by not
only GM, but several state and province licensing
authorities. As such, not only did it wantonly borrow
from the Chevelle hot-rod parts bin, but with the
benefit initially of lower insurance rates as a truck.
In later years, this concept was also used to side-step
federal emissions standards for cars (most famously
in the case of the 1978–79 Dodge Li’l Red Express) to
surpass the performance of most cars.
What else could you want?
This example checks off most of the boxes that anyone
wanting an SS 454 LS6 (Chevelle or El Camino) would
want: a popular color (Tuxedo Black), M22 “Rock
Crusher” 4-speed, 4.10 Positraction rear end, Cowl
Induction hood, power steering and power brakes. The
only way to better it for equipment would be bucket
seats with center console. And perhaps Cranberry Red
paint.
For some, having the TH400 automatic behind the
LS6 is preferable. However, from what we’ve seen
at ACC Central, popularity and pricing between a
4-speed and an auto is essentially a dead tie. One of
the things that made the LS6 a street legend is that it’s
all but idiot-proof with an automatic — point it down
the street or strip, plant the long skinny pedal on the
right firmly onto the cowl, and hang on for dear life.
In the case of the El Camino, it can be argued to some
extent that it’s even easier to get better times than in a
Chevelle, as it’s easier to install ballast in the back if
needed (and generally it is needed).
Top option, top price
With any LS6 car, it’s almost a case of guilty
until proven innocent as far as fakes are concerned.
Perhaps even more so with the El Camino, as some
folks still think this is a phantom that didn’t exist.
While anything can be and is faked, the mortal
remains of the build sheet were enough to convince
the bidders that this car was the real deal. And at least
two buyers bid it up accordingly.
LS6 pricing in general is starting to come back
around after getting smacked around post-2008,
although this selling price was a touch strong when all
the factors are considered — even with the concoursquality
restoration.
I’m tempted to think that this is a sign of things to
come with rare, documented OEM muscle from the
high point in vintage American performance — but
we’re not there yet. This price could be hard to repeat
in the near future, so with that in mind, this was well
sold. But if the owner can hold out and keep from
damaging this car’s condition by using it, this may
have been a smart long-term buy. A
(Introductory description courtesy of Mecum
Auctions.)
More: www.vcca.org
Additional: ls6registry.
com, elcaminoregistry.
macswebs.com
Clubs: Vintage Chevrolet Club
of America
Alternatives: 1966–70 Ford
Ranchero GT coupe
pickup, 1970–72 Chevrolet
Chevelle SS 454, 1978–79
Dodge D-150 Li’l Red
Express pickup
ACC Investment Grade: B
Comps
1970 Chevrolet El Camino
SS 396
Lot TH220, VIN:
13680L121053
Condition: 2-
Not sold at $36,300
Russo and Steele, Monterey,
CA, 8/16/2012
ACC# 209592
1970 Chevrolet El Camino
SS 454 LS6
Lot F470, VIN:
136800B131181
Condition: 2-
Not sold at $48,000
Russo and Steele, Monterey,
CA, 8/14/2008
ACC# 117492
1969 Chevrolet El Camino
SS 396
RM Auctions, Dallas, TX,
4/19/2008
ACC# 116332
May-June 2013
Lot 210, VIN: 136809K431362
Condition: 2Sold
at $48,400
57CC
57
Page 56
MaRKeT OVERVIEW
For complete results of each auction
covered in this issue, scan this code
or go to http://bit.ly/YLyfw2
TOP 10
sales this issue
1. 1965 Shelby Cobra roadster,
$852,500—G&Co,
p. 96
2. 1966 Shelby Cobra roadster,
$836,000—RM,
p. 96
3. 1930 Stutz SV16 Monte
Carlo, $550,000—RM,
p. 90
4. 1932 Chrysler CL
Imperial convertible
coupe, $525,000—RM,
p. 98
5. 1931 Duesenberg
Model J convertible,
$462,000—G&Co, p. 90
6. 1931 Cord L-29 cabriolet,
$407,000—RM, p. 90
7. 1967 Chevrolet
Camaro Yenko coupe,
$350,000—G&Co, p. 91
8. 1932 auburn 8-100a
Speedster, $330,000—
RM, p. 91
9. 1965 Shelby GT350 fastback,
$242,000—RM,
p. 96
10. 1960 Chrysler 300F GT
Special 2-dr hard top,
$236,500—G&Co, p. 98
BEST BUYS
1. 1970 Plymouth
Superbird 2-dr hard top,
$166,420—Mec, p. 70
2. 1957 Plymouth Sport
Fury 2-dr hard top,
$46,750—Mec, p. 98
3. 1957 Lincoln Premier
convertible, $46,200—
Bon, p. 94
4. 1948 Willys Jeepster
convertible, $27,563—
McC, p. 89
5. 1978 Chevrolet Corvette
coupe, $12,650—Lke,
p. 76
58 AmericanCarCollector.com
1936 Lincoln Model K V12 collapsible brougham
sold for $143,000 at Leake OKC
American Iron dominates
CORVETTES, CLASSICS AND SHELBYS
TOP RECORD SALES ACROSS THE CONTINENT
by Tony Piff
for $225m in a single week. But you’d
be very, very wrong.
Y
n n n
Even before the last car crossed
the block in Arizona, Mecum’s wellestablished
Kissimmee sale was already
under way. This annual auction has
grown into a major East Coast event —
last year’s auction sold more than 1,500
cars over the course of six long days
for a total of $59m. For 2013, Mecum
did the unthinkable, expanding their
already massive sale to 10 days and 2,424 cars. 1,807 of
those found new homes for a record sales rate of 75%
and an overall $70.8m total. Sold cars averaged $39k,
but more than 100 surpassed $100k, with American
muscle handily securing the top three slots: A 1966
Shelby Cobra 427 sold for $779k, a 1968 Chevrolet
Corvette L88 convertible made $583k and a 1969 Ford
Mustang Boss 429 fastback found a new garage at
$442k. Notable Mopar sales included a 1970 Plymouth
Hemi ’Cuda sold at $339k and a 1970 Plymouth Road
Runner convertible at $207k.
n n n
Three weeks later, Leake held their best Oklahoma
City sale to date. 257 consignments out of 352 sold here
for $5.7m total, a 73% sales rate and an average price
of $22k. Each one of these figures represents steady
growth for this Heartland sale. Here, too, domestic iron
reigned supreme. A 1969 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro took
the top slot at $209k, followed by a 1936 Lincoln Model
K collapsible brougham at $143k and a 2010 Shelby
GT500 Super Snake at $99k. Mopars were few and far
ou might expect a lull in the
collector-car market after
the January feeding frenzy
in Arizona, where six
companies sold 2,263 cars
The “Hoosier Hell Drag Car” — one of two 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
COPO coupes that sold at Mecum Kissimmee for $137,800
between, but a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner convertible
came close to selling at a high bid of $42k.
n n n
Keith McCormick held his 54th auction that
same weekend in sunny Palm Springs, CA. This
sale, too, has seen steady growth for many years, and
February 2013 marked yet another record event. 407
cars sold out of 531 consigned, totaling $7.4m. That’s
well more than double the 180 cars and $2.3m from
10 years ago. A 1931 Packard 833 convertible sold
for $116k, earning high-sale honors, and a beautiful
1957 Buick Century achieved $95k. A 1964 Chevrolet
327/300 Corvette convertible in Riverside Red wasn’t
perfect, but it had no trouble selling for $39k, and a
1949 Hudson Commodore convertible fitted with the
famous “Twin H” dual carbs was well bought and sold
at $51k. A Hemi-powered 1955 Dodge Lancer Custom
Royale was bid to $17k but
failed to sell.
ACC 1-6 scale
condition rating
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:
Salvagable for parts
n n n
We conclude the market
reports with our ACC
Roundup. This month, we
feature highlights from
Gooding & Company
Amelia Island, RM Amelia
Island and Bonhams
Boca Raton, as well as
RM’s sale of the Bruce
Weiner Microcar Museum
Collection in Madison, GA,
and Mecum’s sale of Fran
and Ron Green’s Verde
Classics Museum Collection
in Boynton Beach, FL. A
Page 58
Anatomy of an ACC Market Report
A HANDY GUIDE TO HOW WE RATE CARS AT AUCTION
By B. Mitchell Carlson
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. To give a better appreciation of what our auction analysts look for when they cover cars for ACC, we
like to take a specific example and give you visuals of the details. This time, we’ll take a look at a ’56 Studebaker Golden Hawk that sold at
Silver’s Fort McDowell, AZ, auction in January:
Lot number
assigned
by auction
house.
General
description
of vehicle
as observed
by reporter,
with color
and mechanical
specifications
listed
first.
#278-1956 STUDEBAKER GOLDEN
HAWK 2-dr hard top. VIN: 6800251.
Mocha & Doeskin/beige nylon & vinyl.
Odo: 80,401 miles. 352-ci V8, 2x4-bbl,
3-sp. Excellent older repaint, with only light
chipping on hood sides from contacting
fenders. Older bumper replate looks good.
Taillight housings are lightly frosted, potmetal
trim lightly pitted. 1960s Standard
Performance Products decal in windshield.
Sagging doors, seals poorly glued. Tidy
engine bay, modern aftermarket air
cleaners. Non-stock dual rear antennas.
Authentically reupholstered seats and door
panels. Optional wire wheel covers.
Cond: 3+.
a price
listed in
green
indicates
that the
vehicle sold.
A price in
red denotes
a no-sale.
Commentary
in which
reporter sums
up factors
that may have
affected the
sale and notes
whether it was
a good buy.
NOT SOLD AT $32,500. 3-speed with
overdrive was the basic transmission in
the top-of-the-line-for-1956 Golden Hawk.
And while it was the only Studebaker to
use a Packard V8, the dual-quad intake
is strictly a 1955–56 Packard Caribbean
item. This was an interesting “what if” from
the Studebaker-Packard merger era, when
lines were getting blurry between the two.
The $35k reserve seems about right for it,
but not a penny more.
This symbol indicates vehicles noted by the reporter as
exceptionally well bought. Five are called out per issue.
CONDITION RATINGS Condition: ACC uses a numerical scale of 1 to 6 to assess a vehicle’s overall condition:
1. Perfect: National show standard
2. Excellent: Club show-worthy, some small flaws
3. Average: Daily driver in decent condition
60 AmericanCarCollector.com
4. Meh: Still a driver, but with visible flaws
5. Questionable: A problem-plagued beast that somehow manages to run
6. Lost cause: Salvagable for parts
BEST
BUY
Page 60
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
Mecum Kissimmee
THE “ENTOMBED” 1954 CORVETTE SPENT 27 YEARS
LOCKED IN A BRICK VAULT BUT FAILED TO SELL AT $100K
Report and photos
by Dale Novak
Market opinions in italics
S
$15m
$30m
$45m
$60m
$75m
0
62 AmericanCarCollector.com
even auction houses sold more
than 2,000 cars at the January
Arizona auctions in 2012, followed
immediately by more than 1,500 at
Mecum’s weeklong Kissimmee sale
on the opposite coast. Surely, we all thought,
that represented a saturation point for auctions
and collector cars.
So when Dana Mecum announced that he
was growing his marathon auction to 10 full
Mecum Auctions
Kissimmee 2013
Kissimmee, FL
January 18–27, 2013
auctioneers: Mark Delzell, Jimmy Landis,
Bobby McGlothlen, Mike Hagerman, Matt
Moravec, John Hummer, Jeff Knosp, Russ
Conklin, Steve Holt
automotive lots sold/offered: 1,807/2,424
Sales rate: 75%
Sales total: $70,760,568
High sale: 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 roadster,
sold at $779,100
Buyer’s premium: $300 on the first $5,499,
$500 from $5,500 to $9,999, 6% thereafter,
included in sold prices
Sales Total
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
days for 2013, the industry raised its collective
eyebrows in disbelief.
But the results silenced all doubters. Sales
grew from $58.5m last year to $70.8m, with
75% of cars successfully finding new homes.
A press release from Mecum stated that over
75,000 people attended the event.
A 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 roadster sold
for $779k, taking high-sale honors. A 1968
Chevrolet Corvette L88 convertible also
broke the half-million mark, selling for
$583k. 121 more cars surpassed $100k,
including a 1968 Shelby GT500 KR at $175k
and an excellent 1970 Plymouth Superbird,
equipped with V-code 3x2-barrel 440,
4-speed and full documentation, at $166k —
one of the best buys of the sale.
The “entombed” 1954 Corvette that spent
27 years locked in a vault was far from mint,
but with just 2,332 miles on the odo, its
claim to fame as the “lowest-mile unrestored
Corvette in the world” is not likely to be chal-
lenged. It drew much attention but failed to
sell at a high bid of $100k.
By contrast, a like-new 1994 Corvette
with under 12,000 miles on the clock looked
like a wise and lucky purchase at $18k.
One of the first Mustang convertibles
built, a 1965 known as unit #212, sold for a
fair $45k.
Along with the automobiles, 700 lots of
memorabilia and road art accounted for one
full day of the auction.
Mecum’s General and Operations
Manager Harold Gerdes said, “To put this
event on is like putting on a professional
basketball game and a rock concert at the
same time and doing it every night, 10 nights
straight.”
Looking at the behemoth that Mecum’s
Kissimmee sale has become, it’s hard to believe
that just 104 cars changed hands here in
2004. And in that context, one has to wonder
what we’ll be saying a decade from now. A
The “entombed” 1954 Corvette roadster failed to sell at $100,000
Page 62
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
GM
#W34-1966 BUICK SKYLARK Gran Sport
2-dr hard top. VIN: 446176H240074. Blue/
blue vinyl. Odo: 49,727 miles. 401-ci V8,
4-bbl, auto. Great color and mostly original
throughout. Body putty found in door-bottoms.
Trunk is out. Chrome and trim appear
original. Scuff on the bumper. Seats are
very soft and bottom out quickly. Water
noted on floormat on passenger’s side.
Some touch-ups of interior painted parts.
Clean, driver-grade engine bay. Matching
numbers. Cond: 3-.
White/red vinyl. Odo: 68 miles. 427-ci V8,
4-bbl, 4-sp. Small fisheyes noted in the
paintwork, but very nice overall. Trunk out
at rear deck. Passenger’s door way out at
bottom. Clean and tidy engine bay with the
proper overspray on intake manifold. Paint
marks, tower clamps look correct. Horns are
sprayed black over some grungy prep.
Cond: 2+.
the documentation. A rare car that needed
more to get the deal done.
#S71-1969 OLDSMOBILE 442 Hurst/Olds
2-dr hard top. VIN: 344879M370903.
White/ black vinyl. Odo: 61,129 miles. 455ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Fisheyes noted throughout
the paintwork. Door jambs could have
been done much better. Some microblisters
noted, too. Driver’s door out, hood tight to
cowl. Musty interior. Tear in driver’s seat,
crack in package shelf. Undercoating
sprayed under the hood with a tidy engine
bay otherwise. Cond: 3+.
NOT SOLD AT $16,000. The GS was the
sporty rendition of the Buick Skylark and a
great entry-level car given the condition presented
here. Mostly solid all around, with
fresh paint that was done well. The high bid
was solid money for a GS in this condition,
and the owner isn’t likely to find more any
time soon.
#T237-1966 CHEVROLET IMPALA convertible.
VIN: 164676F128104. White/white
vinyl/turquoise vinyl. Odo: 50,029 miles.
427-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Sanding marks noted
in the finish. Good top fit. Trunk sits a bit
high. Driver-grade chassis but overall a
solid car. Intake is painted silver and looks
tacky. Poorly done 4-speed shifter plate.
In-dash tach. Clean under the hood but only
a driver. Fitted with the 427/425, 4-speed
and 12-bolt rear end. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $137,800. An original COPO
(Central Office Production Order) that was
actually used for its intended purpose.
Known as the “Hoosier Hell Drag Car” and
once the IHRA B/Stock record-holder, this
car not only presented well but was also
heavily documented. Seen here a year ago
at Mecum Kissimmee 2012, no-saling at
$112k (ACC# 199392). One year later, the
market speaks more clearly. These trade in
this range, so well bought and sold, with the
racing history as a plus for the buyer.
#F278-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
coupe. VIN: 124379N636361. Green/white
houndstooth cloth. Odo: 7,604 miles. 302-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Reported as a one-owner
car. Trunk sits high. Sanding marks and
some dust in paintwork. Some small markings
on the door panels. Rare JL8 brakes.
Rosewood steering wheel. Clean and tidy
engine bay with some light rust showing on
exhaust manifolds. Chassis is very well
done and looks great. Reported to be numbers-correct
and fully documented. Cond: 2.
NOT SOLD AT $75,000. I was on the cusp
of giving this a #2, but the undercoating
sprayed on the underside of the hood
dragged it down. That’s not going to be
much fun to remove, and it will need to be
done as it stands out in an egregious way.
You couldn’t give these cars away back
when they were simply old used cars. That
story has flipped, but high bid should have
been enough to get the deal done.
#S166-1970 CHEVROLET EL CAMINO SS
454 LS6 pickup. VIN: 136800K158973.
Black/black vinyl. Odo: 78,656 miles. 454-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Super-rare LS6 El Camino
finished in black-over-black with M22 gearbox
to row though the gears. Reported to be
running the original LS6 mill. Fresh interior
remains in excellent condition. Some
scratches noted in tailgate trim. Near-mint
engine bay, without question better than
factory new. Light pitting on door handles.
Very nice paint, great prep over laserstraight
body. One small spot in the paint
that wasn’t buffed, but hard to detect.
Cond: 1-.
NOT SOLD AT $40,000. This was not an
SS model, but it reportedly came asequipped
with the street-pounding 427 and
the 4-speed transmission—which makes
this a somewhat rare sleeper. I would suggest
dear old dad headed into his Chevrolet
dealer back in the day and told his wife he
ordered a nice family convertible for Sunday
drives. Given the rare build and condition,
the high bid was a tad light, but not by
much.
#S162-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO
COPO coupe. VIN: 124379N666906.
64 AmericanCarCollector.com
NOT SOLD AT $100,000. This Z/28 came
with some great documentation including
paperwork by noted Camaro expert Jerry
MacNeish, the original Protect-O-Plate, bill
of sale and more. The JL8 4-wheel disc
brakes are rare and desirable. One owner
from new and fully numbers-matching by
SOLD AT $121,900. If you wanted a “right”
example, this was one to raise your hand
on. Partial build sheet found during the restoration.
Great car in excellent condition,
most likely ready for national judging. Rare
but still not as sought-after as its LS6
Page 64
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
QUICKTAKE
1966 Chevrolet Nova SS L79
SOLD at $219,950
Mecum Auctions, Kissimmee, FL, January 26, 2013, Lot #S185
The SS (Super Sport) edition of the Nova hit the streets in 1963 with a paltry
6-banger under the hood. I
guess it was sporty, meaning
small, so the SS moniker
worked well enough.
In the mid-1960s,
Chevrolet took notice of the
modified cars showing up at
quarter-mile tracks across
America and knew they had
a hot machine in the works
— one that could be easily
tweaked to spark more sales.
Enter the L79 mill. The
small block that was such a
hit in the Chevrolet Corvette was now available in the compact Nova. The tight 327 made 350
horses. The car was just about track-ready right out of the box — especially when mated to a
Muncie 4-speed. Add that two-fisted punch to a car that tipped the scales at under 3,000 pounds,
and you had an instant winner.
In 1966, 5,481 Novas came equipped with the L79, and of those, 3,547 were SS models. Plus,
our subject car came fortified with the original Protect-O-Plate, which decodes the car as built
with the exception of a color change to black.
Plus, this black-on-black SS coupe had been completely restored with all period-correct
components and retained its complete matching-numbers drivetrain. Kudos include plenty Best
of Shows.
These are desirable machines, but this sale was a huge number. Barrett-Jackson sold one
in 2008 for $100,100, which to my knowledge was a world record at the time. In general, these
tend to trade in the low $50k to high $90k
range — not cheap, but also not $200k. But
a willing seller and willing buyer create
the market.
I’m going to stick my neck out and
suggest this sale was a combination of the
red mist and some auction magic. It was
one of the best L79s in the world, but I do
think the price was out in front of the market.
With this result, it’s a sure bet more
of these spunky Novas will be hitting the
market in the coming months. For now,
well sold — but I’ll be watching to see how
the others do. A
—Dale Novak
66
66
SOLD AT $49,820. Nice car, very close to
#2 territory, with only a few nits to drag it
down a grade. Super Dutys are fairly rare,
with only 943 produced in 1974. This would
be a very nice driver and a guaranteed
crowd-pleaser with the muscle-car gang.
Price was just about spot-on given the condition
and presentation, with advantage to
the seller.
AmericanCarCollector.com
Chevelle cousin. Well bought and sold.
(See the profile, p. 56.)
#S152-1970 PONTIAC GTO The Judge
2-dr hard top. VIN: 242370R127202. Polar
White/red vinyl. Odo: 98,480 miles. 400-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. A high-level presentation
with little to fret over. Small runs in the paint
with some fisheyes noted. Driver’s door out.
Hood tach. Fresh interior presents well.
Chassis is well done and presents well.
Cheater battery topper. Clean engine bay
just a notch below show-condition. Very
rusty exhaust manifolds. Claimed to include
all the documentation, including the original
shipping records, insurance application,
registration and more. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $84,800. Unusual Polar White
over a red interior (most Judges you see
are finished in Carousel Red or Orbit Orange).
The documentation was key here, as
it included just about every piece of paper
one could want, not to mention the Ram Air
III 366-horse mill lurking under the hood.
This was a market-correct result with a
slight advantage to the new owner.
#F44-1974 PONTIAC TRANS AM SD 455
coupe. VIN: 2V87X4N167750. Red/black
vinyl. Odo: 41,869 miles. 455-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Restored in 2006. Heavy paint on
nose; some small runs or sags in the paintwork.
Small crack in hood and some small
bubbles forming at bottom of passenger’s
door. Hood sits high at cowl, front spoiler is
badly warped. Some masking issues. Interior
is nice, presents well, but no longer
crisp and tight. Seatbelt is worn. Cond: 3+.
Page 66
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
#G158-1975 PONTIAC VENTURA Sprint
coupe. VIN: 2Z17H5L102812. Blue/white
vinyl. Odo: 32,034 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Paint remains in good condition but by
no means anywhere near show. Black exterior
trim has been sprayed and looks fairly
fresh. Carpet faded. Some plastic trim inside
cabin is brittle and deteriorating. Kick
panels heavily scuffed. Door jambs in poor
condition. Engine bay looks to be all there
but it is soiled and grimy in areas. Lots of
documentation included. Cond: 4+.
I suspect this sale price will bring a few
more out to play. Well sold.
CORVETTE
#S187-1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
“Entombed” roadster. VIN: E54S001147.
White/tan cloth/red vinyl. Odo: 2,332 miles.
235-ci 150-hp V6, 3x1-bbl, auto. Described
as the “lowest-mile unrestored Corvette in
the world,” sealed in a brick vault for 27
years. Well weathered everywhere you
look—although it’s an unrestored original, it
will take a special buyer to fall in love with it.
Heavily blistered paint, hood sits high, body
seams showing all over the car along with
the fiberglass matting. A time capsule.
Cond: 5.
Claimed to have only traveled about 39k
miles from new, and it looked the part. So
well, in fact, that I spent far more time going
over the car looking for items to pick on.
About as good as it gets for an unrestored
car and certainly one to consider for the
avid Corvette collector. Sold for about $20k
more than a comparable restored car in the
same condition, so what’s that tell you?
Well sold, but impossible to replace.
#F98-1970 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LT-1
convertible. VIN: 194670S405774. Silver/
black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 9,204 miles.
350-ci 370-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. A Bloomington
Gold Survivor, Silver-Certified in 2009.
NCRS Top Flight in 2010. Total survivorstyle
presentation with a well-weathered
appearance in most regards. A real LT-1
with plenty of documentation that goes with
the car. Cond: 4+.
SOLD AT $14,310. Last seen at Mecum St.
Charles 2011, selling for $13,515 (ACC#
189353). The Ventura was Pontiac’s interpretation
of the Chevrolet Nova, and the
Sprint editions are somewhat rare given that
only 1,478 were produced. Still, you see
them for sale from time to time, and most
are planted squarely in the $10k–$20k
range. The miles were stated to be original,
so with that I’ll call it a fair deal, even though
the car showed plenty of needs.
#K100-1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
coupe. VIN: 1Q87L9N620806. Black/tan
cloth. Odo: 12,969 miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl,
4-sp. Reported to be original miles with original
tires still mounted. Some blemishes
noted on exterior vinyl stripes with some
sun-fading. Some paintwork noted in areas.
Trim is beat up in spots. Cloth interior with
basket-weave-style fabric. Driver’s seat
slightly soiled. Dash and steering wheel
look near new. Pioneer stereo adds to the
period look. Cond: 3-.
NOT SOLD AT $100,000. Unrestored and
totally original: yes, please. Condition and
presentation: no, thank you. If you love originality
and didn’t mind the overall presentation
and the fact that you really can’t drive it
(given the low miles), this was the Corvette
for you. I think it will take a special buyer to
appreciate the opportunity. Bid to $100k
and went back home to its tomb.
#F287-1968 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. VIN: 194678S405776.
Silver/silver hard top/black vinyl. Odo:
38,937 miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl,
4-sp. A Bloomington Gold Survivor with
notes from the judges commenting on the
overall condition of the car. Very nice condition
overall, and so well preserved you’d
think it was restored. Claimed to be original
paint, interior and engine bay. Some small
areas of paintwork noted but hard to find
unless you really know what you’re looking
SOLD AT $57,240. Last seen at Mecum St.
Charles 2008 as a $70k no-sale (ACC#
117051). Prior to that, it sold at Mecum Kissimmee
2008 for $73k (ACC# 49022). Compared
with past records, the condition has
softened a bit. The LT-1 market has been
squirrely as of late with #3 drivers changing
hands for about $35k. This car was well
sold given the condition.
#G63-1994 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 1G1YY22P7R5106200. Red/
light gray vinyl. Odo: 12,000 miles. 350-ci
300-hp fuel-injected V8, auto. Miles stated
to be actual. Interior still smells like new,
showing only some very light soiling. Wide
driver’s door fit is most likely a factory build
issue. Nose gap is a tad wide as well, most
likely from shrinkage in the plastic body
panel. Overall, nearly showroom-new.
Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $31,800. Lots of documentation
from day one. The paint on this Z was reported
to be original, but I noted some areas
of paintwork. The low miles looked
authentic, based on the balance of the presentation,
but the vinyl graphics on the hood
were in pretty lousy shape. There were 10
other 1976–81 Camaros up for grabs here,
and one other low-mile example bid to the
same $30k went home unsold (Lot K153).
68 AmericanCarCollector.com
for. Engine bay looks totally authentic; interior
is almost too good to be true, given the
1968 build. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $83,740.
SOLD AT $18,020. Not much to pick on
here. I’m a pretty big fan of these cars since
they offer so much bang for the buck. The
performance and handling are fantastic, and
addressing maintenance issues under the
Page 68
MECUM AUCTIONS // Kissimmee, FL
hood is fairly simple. Just about every era of
Corvette was unloved at some point in time,
and perhaps these will start to see some life
in the market in a few years. Until that time,
examples like this one offer a lot of car for
the money. For that reason, well bought.
FOMOCO
#F237-1965 FORD MUSTANG convertible.
VIN: 5F08F100212. White/blue vinyl/
blue vinyl. Odo: 56,560 miles. 260-ci V8,
2-bbl, auto. Paint somewhat amateur in presentation.
Crack in paint on hood. Small
dent in the door. Lots of orange peel noted.
Fitted with the Rally Pac. Convertible top
hinges pitted. Driver’s door out. Newer top.
Interior a mix of old and new. Cheater battery
topper. Rusted exhaust manifolds. One
of the first Mustang convertibles built and
known as unit #212. Cond: 3-.
der the road grime and dust, and the engine
bay and chassis showed very well. These
were hot rides back in the day and could be
fitted with the stout 390 or the fire-breathing
427. Bid was about right, but obviously the
owner felt otherwise.
#F96.1-1966 FORD THUNDERBIRD
coupe. VIN: 6Y83Z149891. White/red vinyl.
Odo: 25,467 miles. 390-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Quicky “scuff and shoot” looks pretty bad up
close. Driver’s door out. Trim lacks luster
and is generally dull. Front end may have
been smacked at some point. Underhood is
tattered and fluffed up. Nice interior, door
jambs still show original paint. Interior trim is
pitting; balance of the interior is #3 driver
quality. Cond: 4-.
#F258-1970 MERCURY COUGAR Eliminator
2-dr hard top. VIN: 0F91Q510719.
Green/black & gray vinyl. Odo: 73,026
miles. 428-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Very poor
hood fit; needs to be removed and reset
right away. Chip on hood in gap. Blemish in
paint along with some sanding marks.
Slightly weathered gauges. Sail panels are
moldy. Both doors out. Tape is coming
loose. Fender has fitment issues. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $44,520. Last seen at Mecum
Indy in May 2012 as a no-sale at $39k
(ACC# 205684). The early production cars
are referred to as 1964½s by enthusiasts
and have their own pricing category. Only
the early-production cars came fitted with
the 260, with the 289s available soon afterward.
About market-priced given the overall
condition. Fair deal for buyer and seller
alike.
#T331-1966 FORD FAIRLANE GT 2-dr
hard top. VIN: 6A40S16464. Black/black
vinyl. Odo: 36,956 miles. 390-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Nice, straight body with well-applied
paint; some dry-spray noted. Chrome shows
lots of pitting and deep scratches. Some
glass is scratched. Interior in good-to-average
condition with a mix of OEM and new.
Miles believed original. Chassis and engine
bay show very well with not much to pick
on. Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $9,500. The miles on this car
were stated to be original, but most of the
car looked worse than expected. Probably a
decent driver and one of those classics you
can drive until the wheels fall off, as it’s not
worth restoring. Market-correct, but I think
the same money could buy a better example.
#S174-1966 SHELBY GT350 H fastback.
VIN: SFM6S1004. Red/black vinyl. Odo:
87,657 miles. 289-ci supercharged V8,
auto. Paxton supercharged edition. Trunk
high on passenger’s side. Antenna bezel
missing. Weatherstripping coming loose.
Fisheyes noted in paintwork. Rockers very
wavy. Door fit is poor. Lots of thick and
plastered-on undercoating. Underside of
hood is poorly painted. Supercharger is
freshly painted (restored), contrasting the
balance of the engine bay presentation.
Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $90,100. Last seen at Mecum
Indy 2012, selling there for $64k (ACC#
205942). The hood fit was so poorly done
that you really couldn’t close the hood without
being extremely careful, which explains
some of the chips in the paint. Other issues
were fairly minor. It was well bought the last
go-round and properly bought this time,
yielding a tidy profit for the seller.
MOPAR
#S115-1970 PLYMOUTH SUPERBIRD
2-dr hard top. VIN: RM23V0A166219.
Orange/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 85,341
miles. 440-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Great gaps
given the factory build quality. Limited
chrome and trim remains in good condition.
Paint and body well done with great prepwork
and excellent paintwork. Wheels in
excellent condition. Interior shows some
light use and wear but still looks fantastic.
Horn emblem is weathered, back glass
shows some light scratching. Knocking on
condition #1’s door, with only some minor
nits. Includes build sheet and Govier documents
confirming matching numbers.
Cond: 2+.
NOT SOLD AT $35,000. This car had probably
just arrived when I looked at it, as it
was pretty grimy. It looked at first like a
beat-up old driver, but it was quite nice un-
70 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $174,900. A true Hertz Edition,
some of which were rented on Fridays and
returned on Monday with the original engine
swapped out with an ordinary 289 dressed
out to look like the original. Believed to be
one of only 12 ordered in red/gold. Given
the condition and overall presentation, I’d
call this one well sold.
SOLD AT $166,420. Strong presentation
with little to fault. It doesn’t get much better
than a true “V-code” triple-deuce 440 coupled
with the 4-speed transmission. The
engine bay was well done and probably a
bit better than when brand new. I’m a Mopar
guy, and this one was done right and ready
to roll. Given the quality, documents and
4-speed, I’d call this one well bought. A
BEST
BUY
Page 70
LEAKE // Oklahoma City, OK
Leake Oklahoma City
A ’69 YENKO CAMARO, A ’36 LINCOLN MODEL K
AND A 2010 SUPER SNAKE TOPPED THIS $5.7M SALE
Report and photos
by Phil Skinner
Market opinions in italics
K
$1m
$2m
$3m
$4m
$5m
0
72 AmericanCarCollector.com
icking off their first sale for
2013, Leake Auctions hit a home
run with their annual two-day
event in the capital of the
Sooner State. The enthusiasm
for this sale was unprecedented, as both
days of auction action saw the bidding arena
packed to capacity with standing room only.
Interest in collector vehicles is strong in
the OKC area, and this is the only major sale
to come to this industrial city each year. In
just a few years, Leake has grown this sale
Leake Auction Company
Oklahoma City 2013
Oklahoma City, OK
February 22–23, 2013
auctioneers: Jim Ritchie, Brian Marshall,
Jeff Knosp
automotive lots sold/offered: 257/352
Sales rate: 73%
Sales total: $5,697,340
High sale: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko
coupe, sold at $209,000
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold
prices
Sales Total
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Two lanes of action at Leake’s OKC auction
from a one-day event to a two-day sale, with
two lanes running on Saturday just to handle
the number of vehicles consigned.
“We have had to turn away cars the past
couple years here in OKC,” said Richard
Sevenoaks, president of Leake Auctions.
“We didn’t have any room to keep them
all inside. This year a third building was
opened, and so with the improved storage
and display area we are going to start running
two lanes on both days of the sale, and
with a new exhibition building opening in
2015, we might even go to three days.”
The auction started off strong, with
quick deals helped by Leake’s “No Seller’s
Commission Friday.” As auctioneer Jim
Ritchie told the crowd, “We aren’t having to
ask the owners to lift their reserves, we are
meeting them.”
Variety is one thing that you can expect
to find at a Leake auction, even at the top
end. A verified 1969 Chevrolet Yenko
Camaro, fitted with a period-correct replacement
block, sold at $209k, making it the
high sale in OKC. At the other end of the
collector-car spectrum was a 1936 Lincoln
Model K collapsible brougham, bodied by
Brunn and originally purchased by Richard
Ringling, son of Alf Ringling of circus
family fame. It went to a new home for a
sale price of $143k and was the second-mostexpensive
transaction of the day. A 2010
Shelby GT500 Super Snake came in just shy
of the six-digit mark, selling for $99k.
Several very nice trucks and off-road
vehicles looked ready to work or cruise, such
as two Ford Broncos, sold at $9k and $21k,
a 1950 F-1 pickup, sold at $15k, and a very
nice 1951 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe, very
well bought at $32k.
There were a variety of early T-birds to
choose from, including a 1955 with red hard
top for $24k and a 1957 E-code for $76k. I
thought the one-family 1978 Corvette with
sidepipes was a tremendous buy at under
$13k.
Leake Auctions remains a family-owned
business, with the daughter of late founder
Jimmie Leake Sr. running the company.
She and her entire crew always cater to the
customer first.
The 257 cars sold this weekend translated
to a 73% sales rate, a $5.7m total and a $22k
average price per car. By every measure, it
was Leake’s most successful OKC sale to
date.A
Page 72
LEAKE // Oklahoma City, OK
GM
#168-1951 CHEVROLET STYLELINE DELUXE
convertible. VIN: 5JKL3941. Trophy
Blue/light blue Colortex/dark blue vinyl.
Odo: 5,488 miles. 216-ci I6, 1-bbl, 3-sp.
Well appointed with factory radio, heaterdefroster,
clock, full wheel covers, back-up
lights and a very rare original Impala hood
ornament. Some swirling in paint due to dry
dusting. Some side bright trim not properly
attached. Glass in decent condition. Doors,
deck lid and hood all have good gaps; doors
close with relative ease, although driver’s
side needs minor adjustment. Retains 6-volt
system. Cheap convertible boot. Cond: 3+.
net another $50k in front of the right crowd.
Well bought for condition.
SOLD AT $16,500. This car had a few
needs such as the inoperative a/c, blue
smoke from the exhaust and noisy brakes.
That said, looking at values for other luxury
cars from this era in excellent condition, this
was a pretty safe buy. I’m not too fond of
the colors, but they are correct for the period.
SOLD AT $32,175. I can’t remember the
last time I saw an early ’50s Chevy in such
nice condition. I think the buyer got what he
paid for: a solid, rather attractive convertible
with basic mechanics and a potential to
grow in value. The engine had almost as
much power as a Ford V8, and with better
mileage. Very well bought.
#171-1963 CADILLAC SERIES 62 convertible.
VIN: 673F046395. Palomino
metallic/tan Colortex/saddle leather. Odo:
65,109 miles. 390-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Older,
high-quality repaint in original color. Minor
chrome pitting. Good glass all around. Metal
straight all around, doors open without sag.
Underhood clean, but proper detailing
needed. Replacement top with glass backlight.
Equipped as you would expect of a
luxury car from this era: power steering,
brakes, windows, seats, antenna and top,
deluxe AM radio, Twilight Sentinel, Autronic
Eye and even a/c. Original 1963 California
black license plates. One wheel cover missing.
Offered at no reserve. Cond: 3-.
#471-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO Yenko
coupe. VIN: 124379N614994. Fathom
Green/black vinyl. Odo: 34,729 miles. 427ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Certified, real-deal COPO
9561, described by the owner as a decent
driver. Paint, chrome, glass and trim all very
good. Very light scuffing of some bright trim.
No sign of accidents. Bodywork at or above
factory. Reportedly a period-correct replacement
engine. Underhood very well detailed
and looks nearly new. Interior is the weakest
spot, with possibly original trim looking a
little worn. Rally wheels look clean and
fresh, rubber now shows signs of aging.
One of estimated 35 in Fathom Green.
Cond: 2+.
#502-1970 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE SS
454 2-dr hard top. VIN: 136370K189495.
Black & white/black vinyl. Odo: 143 miles.
454-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. A top-shelf restoration.
Not numbers-matching, but still done
well. Bodywork clean and straight. Deep,
lustrous paint and chrome. Underhood tidy
and ready for show. Power steering, disc
brakes, factory AM/FM/8-track, seat belts,
SS wheels, proper power-bulge hood with
hold-down pins. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $66,000. A lot of skill and expertise
went into this car’s creation, and it
couldn’t be duplicated for this price. For the
person who wants a good-looking muscle
car that will probably hold its value but won’t
be going up, this was an appropriate buy.
CORVETTE
#2466-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. VIN: E57S104740. Black &
silver/black hard top/red vinyl. Odo: 50,402
miles. 283-ci 270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 3-sp. Restoration
at least a decade old, some patina
of time starting to show. Micro-scratches
from dry dusting. Fitted with typical radio,
heater, clock, tach. Wears spinner wheel
covers and proper-size whitewall tires.
Doors open and close as they should, but
gapping is a bit wide on the leading edges.
Underhood clean and in order, to localshow
standards. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $209,000. This car had great
documentation, good condition and a desirable
color. Some deep detailing would
make it even more appealing and possibly
SOLD AT $73,700. The car hadn’t been
driven much in recent years, but with a little
safety-proofing, it looked ready for the road.
Not quite nice enough to be a trailer queen,
but too nice to modify or alter. Price shows
the low current value of straight-axle models,
meaning the time to buy is now.
#477-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 194677S103862. Eng. #
7103862. Black & red/black vinyl hard
top/black vinyl. Odo: 54,598 miles. 427-ci
74 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 74
LEAKE // Oklahoma City, OK
435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. Professional-level
restoration with little to fault. Engine numbers
match chassis sequence, paint
matches build plate. Body lines up well. Undersides
just as nice as up top. No soft top,
no radio, no worries. Redline tires and red
stinger are a great combo. With power
steering and brakes. Cond: 1-.
workmanship could have been better, big
chrome wheels add to the cartoon-come-tolife
feeling. Not for the faint of heart.
Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $84,700. Another Corvette that
has been around for a while with an asking
price of up to $150k. He wanted something
north of $100k here, but he took the real
money when it was offered. The buyer got a
good deal, but as much as the car has been
shopped recently, I doubt there is immediate
profit to be made.
#179-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 1Z37L6S408420. Orange
Flame/buckskin vinyl. Odo: 88,640 miles.
350-ci 180-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Decent overall.
Older repaint is filled with microscratches
and prep issues; gray primer
overspray in wheelwells. Darker hue to rear
fascia than rest of car. Glass looks clear.
Factory tilt, power steering, power disc
brakes and a/c. Aftermarket cruise and audio.
Engine bay has been cleaned but not
detailed. Wheels from 1978 or later.
Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $17,600. Custom Corvettes from
the mid-’70s are plentiful. This car had documentation
to back up performance claims
and lots of receipts. One could not put it
together for the final price. Seller was looking
for something closer to $25k, but when
the reality of cold, hard cash came to him,
he took the money and ran. Fair price.
Black/white vinyl. Odo: 37,935 miles. 350-ci
220-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Very well maintained
coupe, reportedly a one-family car.
Used in recent years only for “show car”
duties. With alloy wheels and Kenwood stereo,
sidepipes, lots of chrome under the
hood. Body in good condition, paint professionally
laid down. Soft trim looks mostly
original. Pedal wear suggests miles are
probably from new. Car runs out well.
Loaded with a/c and the usual power goodies.
Original engine. Cond: 2.
#2427-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 1Z8748S424911.
SOLD AT $9,350. While late C3s retain the
basic styling born in 1968, the drivetrains
were watered down. Still, for the era, they
were good performers, and as Gen-X starts
to come of age, they may look back on
these with the same nostalgia as the Baby
Boomers looking at muscle cars. Well,
maybe not the same exact feelings, but values
for pristine examples will go up, and the
time to buy something like this car is now.
#2478-1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. VIN: 1G1YY32G8X511918.
Silver/black cloth/black leather. Odo:
126,526 miles. 5.7-L 345-hp fuel-injected
V8, auto. Loaded car with usual power
steering, power seats, windows and locks,
disc brakes, amenities such as tilt, dualmemory
climate control, a/c, upgraded
Kenwood stereo, and functional Active
Handling. CARFAX states miles not actual,
but no accident indicated. Some bodywork
and overspray from a repaint. Driver’s seat
still firm, leather in good condition, pedal
wear is lighter than the odometer indicates.
Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $10,670. The no-chrome, coupeonly
C3s are still a pretty good buy, as seen
here. People have been waiting for prices to
jump, but for run-of-the-mill examples like
this one, it will be awhile. Price paid was all
the money in the world, but buyer should
get plenty of enjoyment out of it.
#213-1976 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 1Z37L6S421561. White/tan
vinyl. Odo: 88,650 miles. 454-ci 585-hp fuelinjected
V8, auto. Not stock, but fast and
loud. High-riser hood needed for induction.
Paint good but not perfect. Interior with upgraded
stereo, complete gauge package,
original seats. Underhood pretty sanitary for
a custom install. No major body issues,
76 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $12,650. I don’t know what show
this was displayed at, but it was well presented,
and did come in fairly close to the
pre-sale reserve. The upgraded engine
might make this a worthwhile starting point
to take it back to stock and shoot for an
NCRS Top Flight award. Again, these later
C3s are starting to come up in value, and
prime examples like this will lead the way.
Well bought.
#2422-1980 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 1Z878AS434691. Dark
Claret/black vinyl. Odo: 38,439 miles. 350-ci
190-hp V8, 4-bbl, auto. Decent-looking
driver in typical color combination. Mirror
tops fitted. Full power, plus functioning factory
a/c, original AM/FM radio. Polished
proper wheels and tires add to eye appeal.
Everything looks right for a driver. No stress
cracks, glass all good. Engine cold-hearted
at first but runs out well when warmed up.
Miles could be real. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $15,950. This was about as plain
and simple as your could hope for with no
needs, and the seller didn’t try to conceal
anything. Strong interest pushed it above
the market. Well sold.
FOMOCO
#466-1936 LINCOLN MODEL K V12 collapsible
brougham. VIN: K5686. Eng. #
K5686. Tan/black leatherette/brown leather
& broadcloth. Odo: 39,542 miles. Said to be
number two of 10 built by Brunn in this
rather eccentric bodystyle. Original owner
was Richard Ringling, son of Alf T. Ringling
of circus fame. Cosmetic restoration 25–30
years ago. Plain paint with no pinstriping.
Interior looks mostly original with some updates
and repairs. Fitted with enclosed sidemount
spares, rear-compartment clock,
BEST
BUY
Page 76
LEAKE // Oklahoma City, OK
jump seats and trunk rack. Showing its age.
A full restoration is in order. A CCCA Full
Classic. Cond: 3.
packs. Original Merc-O-Matic swapped for a
built C4 with shifting moved to the floor, using
an awesome top-hat-wearing skull for
the knob. Interior is sweet. Original instrument
cluster, a bit cloudy to read. Nosed
and decked old-school fashion. Body is
solid. Lancer spinner wheel covers. Not
sure when, but claimed to be a magazine
cover car. Cond: 3+.
and nothing changed from factory except
wheels and accessory upgrades. Basic twotone
paint scheme plays well. Power steering
and brakes, Signal Seeking radio,
heater-defroster. Aftermarket windshieldwiper
motor and some underhood chrome.
Missing padded dash panel. Headliner, trim,
and chrome all completed. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $143,000. Last sold for $51k at
RM’s 2005 Rochester, MI, sale (ACC#
38791). This car has been shopped around
quite a bit. Nice to know the original owner,
but I don’t think it added a red cent to the
value. With the right amount of money invested,
this could be a high-level concours
car worth about $250k on a really good day.
In this condition, price paid looked correct.
#177-1950 FORD F-1 pickup. VIN:
97HC297595. Red & black/red-stripe woven
cloth. Odo: 98,149 miles. 226-ci I6, 1-bbl,
4-sp. At first glance, looks like a truck to
take home. Nice paint, straight and complete,
but closer inspection shows tired
paint that might revive if properly polished,
lots of scuffing on bright trim. No broken
glass or stress cracks in the metal. Spray-in
liner protector for the bed, but it still has the
original tailgate with script logo. Interior with
fading gauges. No radio, but has an economy
heater in place. Wears hubcaps and
trim rings. No underhood or underside detailing
attempted. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $26,950. While customs are a
personal thing, this car had some pretty
strong appeal for a couple of bidders; its
workmanship was really decent and there
were no flaws to be spotted. Not a concours
car in total presentation, but it did have an
interesting eye appeal for those who liked
this kind of vehicle. Not sure if it will do better
at another venue, but it might earn a few
more bucks if offered to the right person.
We think the sellers were pretty happy with
bid, but this was a better buy than a sell.
#184-1956 FORD FAIRLANE 4-dr hard
top. VIN: M6DF202833. Sunset Coral &
Colonial White/white vinyl. Odo: 79,480
miles. 292-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. First year for a
4-dr hard-top Ford. Economy restoration,
but it was a real Coral and white car from
the factory. Front bumper looks good; rear
painted body color. Side trim complete but
has minor issues. Thrifty interior re-do, but
still has factory AM radio, heater-defroster
and clock. Aftermarket “Brodie” knob and
fuzzy dice. Steering wheel wrapped. Cheaplooking
wheel covers. Engine starts easily,
but transmission takes a moment to start
moving forward. Cond: 4+.
SOLD AT $14,575. This truck had a nice
look, and the little wooden rails added to the
appeal. I think this one has a $35k potential,
and that in the right hands could maybe
exceed even that, except for one thing: no
V8. The L-head six of the day was nearly as
powerful as an eight, and saved more in
gas. Ford was pretty much the only company
to offer a V8 in a pickup at this time.
Done up right, this might top $20k.
#900-1953 MERCURY MONTEREY 2-dr
hard top. VIN: 53LA19281M. Satin blue
metallic & silver/white tuck-and-roll vinyl.
Odo: 78,355 miles. 256-ci V6, auto. Talk
about a lot of fun! Engine was professionally
assembled and sounds strong with Offy
intake, Edelbrock carb and heads and glass
78 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $46,750. Best of all, the top went
up and down as it should, as so skillfully
demonstrated while on the auction block.
Retractables have always been soughtafter.
Finding one like this that is fully sorted
with good eye appeal is a rare thing. Any
alterations to this car were reversible but
would help the everyday motorist. Well
bought.
#454-1957 FORD THUNDERBIRD convertible.
VIN: E7FH243584. Starmist
Blue/white fiberglass/white vinyl. Odo:
80,250 miles. 312-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, auto. Well
appointed, restored to match original data
plate. Paint well laid, looks deep and fresh.
Sheet metal lines up better than factory,
especially those pesky rocker panels. Driver’s
door needs minor tweaking. Tachometer,
power steering, brakes, seats and
windows. Hard top. Stock turbine wheel
covers. Underhood neat and tidy. All numbers
check out. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $14,300. Offered at no reserve,
this was actually a very fair price for the car
offered. It needed a lot of love. In Europe,
American cars with four doors are quite
popular, and this one could bring twice the
final bid if advertised properly. Well bought
and sold.
#496-1957 FORD FAIRLANE 500 Skyliner
retractable hard top. VIN: D7FW228319.
Inca Gold/Colonial White/white vinyl & black
cloth. Odo: 82,482 miles. 312-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Decent restoration, not over the top
SOLD AT $76,450. If this car also had a
soft top and was just a touch nicer, it had
$100k potential. But as presented, the final
price was at top edge of wholesale or the
bottom edge of retail. Seller did the right
thing, buyer did too. Quite a nice car at
quite a nice price.
#152-1960 MERCURY COMMUTER 4-dr
hard top wagon. VIN: 0W37N509887.
White/red & silver vinyl. Odo: 88,618 miles.
383-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Appears to be original
paint. Pretty much untouched, save for
the chrome reverse wheels and baby-moon
hubcaps. Decent metal with no sign of major
incidents and no rust bubbles. Exterior
chrome complete, some tarnish and minor
pitting. Fitted with period dealer a/c, AM
Page 78
OURCARS
1964 Ford Galaxie
custom sedan
Owner: Cassie Sellman, ACC Administrative
Assistant
Purchase date: March 2013
Price: $1,500
Mileage since purchase: 100
Recent work: Regular tune-up, lowered the
front end, removed 90% of the rust from front
bumper
LEAKE // Oklahoma City, OK
radio, clock. Power steering, side windows
are crankers, rear-window electric. Interior
done on the cheap; chrome inside fairing
worse than outside. Never a roof rack. Original
fuel cap gone. Cond: 3.
lot of performance in a fairly desirable car,
and the seller’s asking price of $30k isn’t
too far out of line.
I grew up in a world that was stuck in the
1950s and ’60s. Every weekend, I would listen
to my grandparents’ jukebox or hang out
with my grandpa in his shop while he worked
on classic cars. It didn’t take long for me to
realize that I was born in the wrong decade.
After my brother and I were both out
of my parents’ house, my father started a
collection of old cars, too. I worked on them
with him, and taking them to car shows
became our thing.
It was second nature for me to follow in
the footsteps of both my grandfather and my
father, so it was only a matter of time before
I purchased an old car of my own.
I bought this 1964 Galaxie after spending
countless days searching through Craigslist.
I knew it was the one for me the moment
I saw it because it was one of my favorite
years, the body was straight and it was the
right price.
That evening, I went to look at it. Much
to my surprise, even though it’s 49 years old,
it ran and drove like a dream. Everything
is original, from the radio to the generator.
The only modification from stock was a
transmission swap — a previous owner
ditched the original three-on-the-tree for an
automatic.
This is the first car that I have purchased
without my dad by my side and I was nervous
to show him the car. I knew he would
either be proud of me or he’d tell me I made
a huge mistake. He looked the car over, told
me it was solid, and said he’s very proud of
me. He loves the fact that I now have pride
in a car that we can enjoy together. A
80
AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $20,350. First thing I’d do is pull
off those wheels and put something stock in
their place, but they didn’t hurt bidding here.
This was a very strong price, above even
what the seller was looking for. Wagons
performed well in OKC, and I heard this one
went to a good home.
#498-1967 FORD MUSTANG GTA coupe.
VIN: 7R01S229306. Acapulco Blue/blue
vinyl. Odo: 3 miles. 390-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Very well-done restoration. Paint well applied,
sheet metal factory-straight. With
power steering and brakes, push-button AM
radio, simple heater-defroster, all-original
emissions equipment, windshield washers,
etc. Marti Report confirms the car’s heritage.
Tire choice distracts, even with those
proper GT wheels and hubcaps. Pre-sale
detailing is good but not perfect. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $25,300. Initially unsold across
the block; this deal came together later. A
SOLD AT $14,850. A lot of interest in this
four-door pillarless station wagon. Wagons
continue to gain momentum, and I think
oddities like this will do well, especially if
restored back to stock configuration and
made as pretty as possible. Just add original
wheels and wheel covers and a set of
whitewalls, and it would be ready for preservation
participation. Well bought.
#2432-1963 FORD COUNTRY SQUIRE
wagon. VIN: 3U76Z125934. Raven Black &
faux wood/red vinyl. Odo: 45,408 miles.
390-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Decent mild custom
wagon. Original engine and transmission,
factory a/c, power steering and windows.
Upgraded charging system to alternator
from generator and front discs, Coddington
wheels, etc. Body straight. Off-the-shelf
Di-Noc wood. Interior from the factory, most
nooks and crannies detailed. Underhood
needs a little detailing. Engine runs out well,
and all the toys work. Cond: 3+.
#490-1969 FORD MUSTANG Mach 1 fastback.
VIN: 9F02R102484. Silver Jade/black
vinyl. Odo: 70,242 miles. 428-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. One of the stars of the show, restored
to high level all around. Ordered new by
Ford for press reviews and testing. With
power steering, disc brakes, the all-important
Drag Pack, Magnum 500 wheels, highback
bucket seats, factory AM-only radio
and simple heater-defroster. Still wearing
original California black plates. Excellent
panel alignment, paint application. Underhood
and undercarriage well detailed. Includes
Marti Report and invoice. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $78,100. Previously no-saled
twice, for $45k at Mecum’s 2011 St. Charles
sale (ACC# 189043), and for $57k at
Mecum Indy in May 2012 (ACC# 205649).
Seller knew he had a good car and was
looking for something around $80k, which I
thought was high. But money started coming
from four different directions, and the
reserve was lifted at $60k. The right venue
for the car, clearly.
#441-1971 FORD BRONCO SUV. VIN:
U15GLK23723. Red/white fiberglass/white
vinyl. Odo: 63,776 miles. 302-ci V8, 2-bbl,
3-sp. An eye-catcher. Paintwork is recent
and fairly well done, with a couple of minor
orange-peel issues. Hard-to-find wheel covers
look new. Bodywork is very good. Easy
to open and close doors. Glass and trim
Page 79
LEAKE // Oklahoma City, OK
all look factory-fresh. Underhood needs minor
detailing but is in order. Proper storage
of restored jack and tools. Has some addons
like period a/c and under-dash gauges.
Seats and floor-covering look fresh and
proper. Surprised at the heavy wear on the
brake and clutch pedal. Cond: 2-. SOLD
AT $21,450. Broncos, even when not perfect,
continue to do well in the Texas-Oklahoma
region, as well as other parts of the
country. They often have fresh cosmetics
on an otherwise mediocre package. This
was a slight step above that, as evidenced
by the rather strong interest from multiple
bidders. Well sold. One of my favorites this
year in OKC.
MOPAR
#2471-1935 DODGE SIX sedan. VIN:
3862944. Eng. # DU110033. Burgundy/
brown cloth. Odo: 1,068 miles. Top-shelf all
the way. Excellent body fit and finish, doors
open and close just like a Kelvinator. Interior
is as pretty as a first-class railroad lounge
car with bud vases for the roses. Instrument
panel finished as-new. Underhood probably
tidier than the day it was born. Runs out
well. New glass all around. Artillery wheels
complete the picture. Titled with the engine
number. Cond: 1-.
No clock or tach. On Magnum 500 wheels
with proper raised white letters. Engine bay
clean and neat with fender tag proudly in
place. Cond: 1-. NOT SOLD AT $42,000.
Five years ago this offer would have been
an insult, but in 2013, it was a fair wholesale
price, just slightly low. Seller wants something
closer to $45k, and considering the
car sold at Mecum’s Monterey 2012 sale in
August for $44k (ACC# 213163), that’s
probably doable. The seller should take the
car home and do a little more promotion
before it crosses the block one more time.
AMERICANA
#206-1931 WILLYS SIX Model 98D coupe.
VIN: Eng. # AY763727. Two-tone green/tan
canvas/dark green mohair. Odo: 45,807
miles. Quite an attractive car, with all the
looks of a cabriolet but really a rumble-seat
coupe. Looks like a 1970s re-do, which held
up for close to 40 years but needs a complete
makeover today. Body shows no sign
of rust, damage or fatigue. Interior getting a
little dicey. Glass is good. Top material
starting to age. Sidemount spare with strapon
mirror that is totally worthless. Car was
titled with engine number. Cond: 3.
parently starting with a fairly solid car. Factory
glass all around. Finish not top-shelf,
but plays well. Chrome has a bit of patina,
with a few dings on the hubcaps.
Underhood so-so at best. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $21,450. At least four bidders
went toe to toe on this. Offered at no reserve,
first bid was above pre-sale estimates,
and the race was on. A private
collector decided he had to have it. Would
be a $12k–$13k car in any other situation,
but I talked with the new owner, and he
bought this one as a keeper.
#405-1960 STUDEBAKER LARK VI sedan.
VIN: 60S45872. Parchment White/blue
vinyl. Odo: 68,157 miles. 170-ci I6, 1-bbl,
3-sp. Bare-bones basic transportation with
heater-defroster and no other options. Older
economy repaint in origonal color, some
minor scratches and dings, nothing major.
Outside brightwork a bit dull and hazy. Minor
rust bubbles. Sparse interior, not even a
cigarette lighter. Heavy-duty deluxe vinyl
has held up well through the years. Seats
and floor clean, no issues with the headliner
or glass. Engine starts and runs out well.
Cond: 3.
NOT SOLD AT $24,000. Nice to see vintage
metal like this. The car probably has
real value in the $25k range, but you can
bet the seller has lots more invested in it
than that. Finding another owner ready to
pony up more money than offered here
won’t be easy.
#2472-1969 PLYMOUTH ROAD RUNNER
convertible. VIN: RM27H9G2188735. B5
Blue/white vinyl/blue vinyl. Odo: 2,186
miles. 383-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Paint above
average, panels line up with proper gaps.
Soft trim looks brand new. Top clean and
snug in raised position. Car sits level.
Equipped with AM radio, manual windows
and seats, power brakes and steering, a/c.
SOLD AT $22,000. To see one of these at
auction is rare. In top condition, this should
be in the $30k–$40k range, but when are
you going to see another one? I think the
seller did right in letting go. New owner has
a conversation piece at a pretty good price.
He should make a list of maladies and
tackle them one by one.
#2476-1950 STUDEBAKER CHAMPION
coupe. VIN: 591511. Gray metallic/gray
vinyl. Odo: 577 miles. 169-ci I6, 1-bbl, 3-sp.
One of my favorite cars in the sale. No accessories,
just plain-Jane as can be: no
radio, clock, cigarette lighter—not even a
heater! Frame-on cosmetic restoration, ap-
CAR COLLECTOR
AMERICAN
SOLD AT $5,225. This car had eye appeal
with basic wheels, blackwalls, hubcaps and
no useless trim. This type of “stripper” has a
place in the collector world, and with growing
interest in unrestored, unmolested cars,
this was one of those unique preserved vehicles.
The price paid was actually a bit of a
bargain as long as issues like the minor rust
can be held in check. Well bought. A
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Keith Martin’s
Page 80
MCCORMICK // Palm Springs, CA
McCormick Palm Springs
THE GLEAMING WILLYS JEEPSTER HOT ROD THAT STARTED
AS A CRUMPLED RUST BUCKET SOLD FOR $28K
Report and photos
by Jack Tockston
Market opinions in italics
eymoon was a cross-country drive starting
south along the Pacific Coast, left turn at Los
Angeles for Palm Springs (where we met
while vacationing in 1959), and on to Penn
State for graduate school. We were driving
my 1962 Corvette towing a small U-Haul
trailer containing our meager possessions,
and we arrived in Palm Springs at 9:45p.m.
M
$10m
$2m
$4m
$6m
$8m
0
82 AmericanCarCollector.com
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
McCormick’s
Palm Springs Collector Car Auction
Palm Springs, CA
February 22–24 February, 2013
auctioneers: Frank Bizzarro, Jeff Stokes,
Rob Ross
automotive lots sold/offered: 407/530
Sales rate: 77%
Sales total: $7,448,388
High sale: 1931 Packard 833 convertible,
sold at $115,500
Buyer’s premium: 5%, included in sold
prices
Sales Total
1948 Willys Jeepster convertible — sold at $27,563
to find the air temperature over the century
mark. (Corvettes had no air conditioning
back then.)
It was just a desert resort town in
1965, mostly catering to weekenders from
Hollywood and upscale L.A. suburbs. With
an almost five-decade lapse, we didn’t
recognize a thing except Palm Canyon
Drive — still the main artery, which we
mostly followed to McCormick’s dealership
and nearby auction site at the Spa Resort
Casino’s palm-dotted parking lot.
Demographically, the city remains
a weekend getaway for L.A., now with
thousands of homes and condos added for
American and Canadian snowbirds and
semi-affluent retirees seeking sun. This results
in hundreds of collector cars in pristine
condition on offer.
Now in 27th year, McCormick’s 54th
collector-car auction was a company recordbreaker
with $7.4m in sales, a sell rate of
77% and an average price of $18k. This
family-owned operation, headed by Keith
McCormick, puts on large, friendly, efficient
events with eclectic, rust-free dockets in the
(mostly) affordable category.
Tri-five Chevys and ’60s Mustangs were
in abundance, with excellent choices in
the $30k–$50k range. A stunning red 1957
Buick Century brought $95k. A lovingly
restored 1970 Ford Torino GT sold for a fair
$29k.
The gleaming Willys Jeepster hot rod
that sold for $28k was a good deal for the
quality of workmanship. What made it even
cooler was its photo-documented transformation
from a crumpled rust bucket.
If you were looking for potential future
collectibles in your crystal ball, you might
have considered the mint silver 2005
Cadillac XLR, built on the Corvette platform
and powered by the Cadillac Northstar
engine. An excellent example on offer here
sold for $26k.
Rust Belt readers should consider saving
time, money and iron oxide frustrations by
visiting McCormick’s biannual sale. Their
55th auction will be November 22–24,
2013. And now that we’ve experienced a
McCormick event, we’ll not wait another 47
years to return to Palm Springs! A
y wife and I visit Palm
Springs regularly — every
47 years. Our last was July
1965, after our wedding in
Vancouver, B.C. Our hon
Page 82
MCCORMICK // Palm Springs, CA
GM
#292-1954 CHEVROLET 3100 pickup.
VIN: J54J024041. Green/green vinyl. Odo:
75,795 miles. 216-ci I6, 2-bbl, 3-sp. Excellent
new paint in original hue. New rubber
seals, chrome and oak bed. Body-color
wheels, wide whites, sidemount spare, all
with poverty hubcaps. Interior redone in
green vinyl, metal surfaces sprayed white to
match outside accents. Underhood is showroom
1954, except for seeping carburetor.
Chassis downgraded for the rusty exhaust
pipe broken off where muffler should be.
Perhaps rushed to auction with minor work
left for a new owner. Cond: 2-.
liked Bill Mitchell’s styling when new. A silver-on-silver
example is fairly rare, and this
was a good one. Winning bid was close to
top estimate and worth it. Well bought and
sold.
#127-1965 CHEVROLET CORVAIR convertible.
VIN: 107675L100285. Burgundy
metallic/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 28,801
miles. 164-ci H6, 4x1-bbl, 4-sp. Wonderful
prep and paint includes jambs. Excellent
gaps and panel fit. New convertible top.
Steel wheels painted black, newish tires, full
original hubcaps. Chrome, trim and emblems
appear new. Complete and correct
repro interior, perfect dash, correct floor
shifter knob. Engine compartment detailed,
all-original equipment, correct finishes.
Cond: 1-.
stock except for the aftermarket alloys,
which set it off nicely. Pickups have become
sought-after at auctions in recent years, and
this conservative example attracted lots of
eyeballs in the lot. The result here seemed
market-correct based on experience at recent
auctions. Well bought and sold.
#85-1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS 2-dr
hard top. VIN: 124379L502412. Blue/black
vinyl. Odo: 90,296 miles. 396-ci V8, 4-bbl,
auto. Striking presentation, appears to be a
fairly recent build. Paint close to factory
quality. White hockey-stick stripes. Panels
and gaps good, except left door sticks out at
back. Front clip scratched. COPO appearance
package. Brightwork and glass excellent.
Steel wheels in body color, poverty
hubcaps, white-letter Polyglas tires. Wellfitted
repop black vinyl interior, SunPro tach,
shifter in console. Stock-looking engine
compartment dusty. Correct orange paint on
block. Power steering. No reserve.
Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $17,850. Walking up to this rig,
you might have believed it was a lovingly
preserved original. It looked and smelled
new, had everything visually in the right
places, and transported you back to 1954.
But when the driver’s door wouldn’t close,
2013 reality intervened. With a couple of
weekends’ fettling, this truck would be ready
for the show field. The hard work was done,
and bidders pushed the winning bid well
above what I expected for a nice, basic
pickup. I’ll put this in the well-sold column.
#510-1963 BUICK RIVIERA 2-dr hard top.
VIN: 7J1020796. Silver/black leather. Odo:
20,467 miles. 425-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Straight and rust-free, factory gaps, heavy
doors go “thunk.” Just one very good windows-in
respray in original silver. Excellent
glass, stainless, and chrome. Hood ornament
missing. Jambs scratched. Nice factory
alloys, recent rubber. Clean silver
leather interior presents as new, mint steering
wheel, nice dash with clear lenses. Engine
compartment not detailed, stock. All
power accessories plus a/c. Detail the engine,
and enjoy between frequent fill-ups.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $13,913. I haven’t seen a Corvair
this nice in two decades. Rust and ding-free
drop-top, authentic restoration and 4-speed
check all the right boxes. While most comps
seen at auction bring low four-digit numbers,
finer ones can go into the high teens.
There was nothing more the seller could
have done to enhance this car’s presentation,
and a low mid-teen high bid took it
away. The true winner is the one with the
keys.
#52-1967 CHEVROLET C10 stepside
pickup. VIN: CS147S193541. Blue
metallic/brown cloth. Odo: 54,933 miles.
250-ci I6, 2-bbl, 3-sp. Recent restoration of
a former government-owned truck. No rust
or body repairs found, panel fit per GM.
Some bits removed for very good respray,
others neatly masked. Glass and weather
seals fresh. Demerits for micro-pitted door
handles; new oak bed has some bolts missing.
Interior presents as new and stock,
save for Kenwood CD head unit. Original
and detailed 250-ci six stands proud in
clean compartment. Two-wheel drive.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $30,975. Nicely restored and
showing minimal signs of enjoyment. Owner
claimed 450 hp with no explanation for the
extra ponies. Result for this looker was correct
for condition. Well bought and sold.
#133-1970 CHEVROLET EL CAMINO
pickup. VIN: 136800L161787. Maroon
metallic/black vinyl/gray vinyl. Odo: 1,182
miles. 350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Excellent recent
metallic maroon on straight panels,
factory gaps. New windshield, show chrome
includes all SS badges. Black-painted Rally
wheels with trim rings. Mint cargo box has
gloss black bedliner. Attractive and complete
custom interior in gray vinyl with contemporary
French stitching. Dash and
instruments present as-new. Engine has
light dust, Holley carb, chrome air cleaner,
Accel wires, rusty master cylinder. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $21,000. Even the Europeans
84 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $11,288. The rig looked new and
SOLD AT $12,075. These muscle trucks
have an avid following across the country,
with customized and restored examples
found at every auction. This one was of very
Page 84
MCCORMICK // Palm Springs, CA
nice overall quality, and it wouldn’t take
much to make it show-worthy. Last bidder
astutely grabbed this clean one for just
above the $11.5k low estimate, so I’m putting
this transaction in the “well bought” column.
#56-2005 CADILLAC XLR convertible.
VIN: 1G6YV34AX5S602555. Silver/black
leather. Odo: 72,950 miles. 4.6L fuel-injected
V8, auto. Unblemished despite miles
traveled. Seats barely creased. 80% left on
tires. Silver paint with black interior looks
smart and will never go out of fashion. Magnetic
Ride, navigation, and Bose tunes standard.
Ed Welburn-designed with edgy
Cadillac styling. Hard top folds neatly into
the boot. A Bowling Green product for opera
and country club. Cond: 2.
power steering and brakes, no a/c. Sits right
and looks ready. Miles since restoration.
Cond: 2. SOLD AT $38,588. Nice C2s continue
to climb in value, and even slushbox
examples are getting more interest. Price
paid was appropriate for condition. Seller
and buyer should be pleased.
#326-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 4D867S5105864. Riverside
Red/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 33,863
miles. 327-ci 300-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Partial
repaint in original red, obvious tape line on
nose, some orange peel (as delivered).
Good convertible top. Brightwork very good.
Factory alloys, sidepipes, good panels and
gaps. Inside, nice teak wheel, knuckle dents
in glove box door, aftermarket radio with
cassette, console arm rest. Horn button pitted,
remainder looks good. Stock and undetailed
underhood. No power steering,
brakes, or a/c. Odo on its second lap.
Cond: 2-.
ing it runs out correctly, it could be a rewarding
driver for L.A. traffic with its
slushbox and working a/c. Bidders thought
so, too, with unhurried bidding to exactly
low estimate. Fair all around.
FOMOCO
#248-1939 FORD STANDARD coupe. VIN:
6793. Red/gray cloth. Odo: 99,999 miles.
Looks “stock as a stove” with lowered
stance. All steel, excellent glass and bright
red paint with no flaws noted. Chassis not
detailed. Single bench seat and panels in
gray mohair, mint dash and instruments,
rubber flooring. Underhood dusty. Flathead
appears to be later 239-ci vintage with Offenhauser
finned aluminum heads and intake
with dual 2-bbl carbs. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $25,988. Though not (yet) a collector
car, and only eight years old, I include
this example because it uses the Corvette
C6 platform. With its Cadillac aluminum
Northstar engine, and birthplace in Corvette’s
plant, a potential contender for those
in the used Corvette market. MSRP was
$75k, with current market values directly
comparable to a 2005 Corvette convertible.
The Left Coast has the right demographic
for these, and winning bid pegged high estimate.
Well bought and sold for a pristine
drop-top.
CORVETTE
#509-1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 40837S109383. Silver Blue/
white vinyl. Odo: 7,758 miles. 327-ci 300-hp
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Very good Silver Blue paint
on factory panels. Door jambs nicely done,
headlight buckets slightly misaligned. Very
good chrome and emblems. New front clip
suspected but not verified. Rarely seen
white interior is clean, driver’s seat beginning
to split at heat-pressed seams, mint
teak steering wheel. Stock underhood. With
SOLD AT $38,850. The friendly young
seller offered me the key to start her up and
hear the sidepipes. It’s red, a drop-top and
loud—what else matters? Sold below low
estimate, so buyer should be pleased with
the outcome. Seller can purchase a fun replacement.
#111-1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
coupe. VIN: 1Z87L85433596. Red/red vinyl.
Odo: 2,687 miles. 350-ci 185-hp V8,
4-bbl, auto. Recent repaint in original color
with casual masking and minor blemishes
that distract. No chips or dings. Steel Rally
wheels with correct caps and rings. Aluminum
targa band with Corvette emblems
gives off a strong JC Whitney vibe. Interior
clean, newer seat coverings. Underhood
dusty and stock save for chrome valve covers.
Odometer probably on second lap.
Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $36,750. This came off as a better-than-average,
period-correct driver. My
first car was a flathead-powered ’51 Ford
Country Club coupe, and I still carry a fondness
for them. Dual water pumps and hoses
with generator sitting top-center is part of
the charm. This was the right crowd for such
a piece, and it brought a surprising amount
of money, considering that it was far from
show-ready (especially compared with Lot
443, which no-saled at $25k). Well bought.
#269-1947 FORD WOODIE wagon. VIN:
799A1635596. Black & wood/black vinyl/
brown vinyl. Odo: 108,016 miles. Everything
painted black is good, except small dent on
left rear fender. Chrome and trim excellent,
glass good. Wood complete, no rot, looks
more aged on left side than right. Interior is
choice, perfect dash and plastic inserts,
three bench seats. Clean, stock flathead
V8, 12-volt conversion, 75-amp alternator,
pusher fan fronts radiator, dual exhaust.
Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $10,500. This appeared to be a
clean offering, although purists would cringe
at the tacky add-on targa band. But assum-
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Page 86
OURCARS
1975 Ford F-350
with a Porter
Ready-Built Wrecker
Owner: John Gunnell, ACC Contributor
Purchase date: July 2011
Price: $4,500
Mileage since purchase: 500 miles
Recent work: Fixed rusty cab, redid
dashboard and seat, replaced power steering
pump, replaced all studs on right rear wheels
MCCORMICK // Palm Springs, CA
NOT SOLD AT $51,000. Finding a rare
woodie that’s not rotted or rodded is an
event. This one got lots of looks from the
Left Coast crowd, but bidding came up
short. This could do $30k better with the
right crowd, so seller was right to hold on.
#149-1965 FORD MUSTANG convertible.
VIN: 5R08A174113. Blue metallic/white
vinyl/blue & white vinyl. Odo: 49,990 miles.
Show-quality silver-blue paint, arrowstraight
panels, factory gaps, excellent
glass, GT package. Styled chrome wheels,
fresh tires with one-inch whitewalls, show
chrome and jewelry, new white top that fits
perfectly. Mint Pony interior, air conditioner
under dash, correct column-mounted GT
gauges. Showroom-stock underhood, dual
exhaust with Flowmasters. Note says,
“5,338 made.” This is perfection with capital
“P.” Cond: 1-.
“My Baby” is a 1975 Ford F-350 with a
Porter Ready-Built Wrecker. I purchased
this truck early in July 2011 from Nicolasse
Stephens of Republic, MO. I bought it
to use primarily as an advertisement for
my Gunner’s Great Garage (www.gunnersgreatgarage.com)
auto restoration shop
in Manawa, WI.
The truck came with a hand-written note
from Nicolasse saying that it had been the
first demo unit made by Porter’s Ready-Built
of Kansas City. He said that the maker drove
the truck to Springfield and then to different
shops to show it off. Lee Robinson, who
owned Lee’s Service center in Springfield,
MO, told the Porter people that if they
wanted to sell him a truck, he’d take the
factory demonstrator. Lee owned the truck
from 1975 until Nicolasse bought it in 2008.
Together they put 39,160 miles on it.
Nicolasse also included two scans of old
photos showing the truck in use at race
tracks in 1979. One showed it at Bolivar
Speedway. In the other it was pushing a race
car at the Springfield dirt track with Lee
Robinson driving and John Porter standing
in the rear.
The truck is a Ford F-350 Custom Cab
model with a big-block 390-ci V8 and a
4-speed manual transmission. The hoist
is a mechanical design and the truck has a
Calvin’s vehicle lifting system, a wheel dolly
and all of its other equipment. I cleaned all
this up and painted each piece of equipment
a different color. That way, if I actually tow
something and need equipment, I can tell
helpers to give me the “orange thing” or the
“blue thing.”
I had a sign-painter friend letter it up with
the yellow logo of Gunner’s Great Garage
on the doors. On the back we lettered the
slogan, “Hooked on Classics.” A
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AmericanCarCollector.com
non-functional hood scoop, vinyl accents,
and air dam for a performance vibe. A lot of
work went into presentation, and it had lots
of eyeball under the sun. Buyer obtained a
special car at a fair price. Well bought and
sold.
MOPAR
#97-1937 PLYMOUTH coupe. VIN: P27694637.
Red-orange/tan vinyl. Odo: 51,830
miles. An eye-grabbing street rod. All-steel
body has subtle and extensive custom work
including filled seams, frenched rear license
plate, bumper bracket holes filled, moldedin
running boards. Lowered stance on 18inch
Foose chromed alloys. Camaro front
end. Dusty 350 SBC of unstated origin and
power, 700R4 automatic transmission;
Edelbrock intake, carb, and valve covers;
Mallory ignition, stock headers. Tan vinyl
interior shows as new. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $47,250. ACC’s Price Guide says
the market value range for a ’65 convertible
is $22,500–$30,500, with 101,945 made.
This was a beautiful car, but for a nonK-code
Mustang, it seems seller made a
home run based on quality. Buyer got a
great-looking vert, but I wonder if there was
a bit of auction “red mist” at play in bidding.
Well sold.
#284-1970 FORD TORINO GT convertible.
VIN: OH37M123006. Grabber Green/
white vinyl/white vinyl. Odo: 84,236 miles.
351-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Excellent repaint in
original green. Straight panels and factory
gaps, minor demerits for casual masking in
places. Vinyl yellow reflective “laser stripe”
on sides. Stock wheels and caps, Firehawk
rubber with yellow lettering. New and wellfitted
convertible top and interior. Excellent
chrome, brightwork, glass. With a/c, power
brakes, power steering. Ford built 3,939
Torino GT convertibles in 1970. Offered by
an ACCer who is probably right when he
states, “One of one built this way.” Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $21,525. An impressive ride with
an old-school vibe. The single wiper
wouldn’t do in rainy regions, but would be
just fine in this sunny desert climate. For
workmanship and presentation, it looked
more valuable than $20k, so I’m calling this
one well bought.
#513-1989 SHELBY CSX-VNT hatchback.
VIN: 1B3BP94A9KN644938. Red/gray
cloth. Odo: 30 miles. Driven 30 miles. No
storage rash, flawless inside and out.
Bronze Fiberide wheels unblemished, Colorado
temporary registration tag on rear. Inside
has stock Recaro cloth seats, delivery
card in place. Smells new because it is.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $29,400. The long-hood, shortdeck
styling was emphasized for 1970, with
SOLD AT $17,588. The feeding frenzy for
“Shelby” anything continues. Here’s a Kcar-based
hatchback interestingly modified
and marketed as a Shelby. With a 2.2-liter
four fed by a zero-lag Garrett variable-nozzle
turbo, 5-speed manual, and low curb
Page 87
MCCORMICK // Palm Springs, CA
weight, it could easily shame emissionschoked
muscle cars of the period. With 500
made in 1989, they’re rare, and I found no
comps. Original MSRP was $16k, and what
it brought today is market-correct today.
Well bought and sold, but every new mile
will cost.
AMERICANA
#393-1948 WILLYS JEEPSTER convertible.
VIN: 46356016. Yellow & metallic
blue/ blue vinyl. Odo: 4,911 miles.
350-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Radical custom with
handmade everything, from frame to
stretched cowl. All steel. Flawless bright
yellow paint topped in metallic blue. Electrically
raised hood and tonneau. High-zoot
sound system in pickup-style box. Boyd
Coddington chromed alloys, coil-over suspension.
Hand-formed interior in marine
blue vinyl, using modified Subaru buckets.
Full-dress Chevy 350, dual alternators and
batteries. Incredible. Cond: 1-.
binnacle, but the abundant faux-wood trim
and chrome fittings reminded me of a period
Hacker-Craft cabin cruiser. I recall seeing
this listed online in January 2012 for $50k.
Seller easily got his price at this sale. Well
bought, well sold.
#160-1960 WILLYS JEEP sedan delivery.
VIN: 5426711665. Red/ gray cloth. Odo:
296 miles. 226-ci I4, 1-bbl, 3-sp. Windowsin
economy red paint on seemingly rust-free
panels, overspray on unprepared jambs and
underhood. Relatively straight panels, industrial
grade gaps, scratched bumpers,
chrome trim pitting. Steel wheels painted
red, poverty caps. Interior has cloth buckets
of unknown origin, rest is original, with more
fresh red paint. Stock, driver-quality
underhood. (Lots of room for a small block
V8.) 2-wheel drive. Cond: 3-.
veyances, and this one reeked of fresh
paint. Brought from Portland, OR, this rattler
could be a fun toy or shop truck. Price paid
seemed like all the money.
#234-1962 STUDEBAKER GRAN TURISMO
HAWK coupe. VIN: 62Y24673. Light
blue/blue & gray vinyl. Odo: 73,858 miles.
289-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Older light blue
respray, dark blue roof trim. Panels straight,
door fit slightly off. Excellent chrome and
stainless. Black sidewall radials mounted on
non-original wire wheels. Windshield pitted
and scratched. Interior appears mostly original
with good dash and seating. Under-dash
a/c. Engine compartment clean, appears
all-original. One of 9,335 this year. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $27,563. Called “The Jeepster,”
this radical custom started as a crumpled
rust-bucket found in the desert. Its photodocumented
transformation to show-car
perfection was a heroic feat. Without peer,
the best custom at this event by far. Well
bought for the quality of workmanship and
the cool story.
#383-1949 HUDSON COMMODORE convertible.
VIN: 492125262. Gold/tan cloth/
maroon leather. Odo: 903 miles. 262-ci I6,
2x2-bbl, 3-sp. Straight and tidy outside, excellent
paint, dazzling chrome (with a few
pot-metal bits lightly pitting). Windshield
visor, tan ragtop looks new. Nice leather
bench seating with fold-down arm rests,
chrome steering column, electric windows,
unusual dual gloveboxes at left and right
extremes. Underhood showroom-clean, with
famous “Twin H” dual carbs (introduced in
1951), fresh decals. Second year of Hudson
“step down” design. Marvelous. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $15,225. By contemporary standards,
these Willys products are crude con-
NOT SOLD AT $23,500. Industrial designer
Raymond Loewy penned the original version
on which this ’62 was based. There’s a
hard-core group preserving them, and
maybe they’ll snap this one up some day.
But today the offer was turned down, even
over the $20k low estimate. A
SOLD AT $50,663. I thought this interior
had a strong yachting vibe. No compass
May-June 2013 89
BEST
BUY
Page 88
GLOBAL
ROUNDUP
Selected Sales Combined in One Comprehensive Report
American highlights
at five auctions
CLASSICS
3
32515. Tan & brown/tan vinyl/tan cloth.
Odo: 5,016 miles. Said to be one of only
three Monte Carlos produced on the SV16
chassis and at a cost of $4,495 in 1930.
Unique fabric body. Acquired from the A.K.
Miller Collection in 1974. Restored by RM in
2000. Winner of a number of significant
awards. Cond: 1-.
#132-1930 STUTZ SV16 Monte
Carlo. VIN: M854CD27S. Eng. #
SOLD AT $550,000. A low and stylish sedan
that will turn heads at every outing. Incredibly
attractive with a sleek design far
ahead of its time. Price paid was well within
reason, so all should be happy here. RM
Auctions, Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
The crowd gathers at Mecum’s Fran and Ron Green’s Verde Classics Museum
Collection in Boynton Beach, FL
Mecum Auctions
Fran and Ron Green’s Verde Classics
Museum Collection
Boynton Beach, FL — February 22–23, 2013
auctioneers: Mark Delzell, Jimmy Landis, Mike
Hagerman
automotive lots sold/offered: 81/81
Sales rate: 100%
Sale total: $3,609,320
High sale: 1961 Chrysler 300G convertible, sold
at $143,000
Buyer’s premium: $300 up to $5,499; $500 from
$5,500 to $9,999; 6% thereafter, included in sold
prices
Report and photos by Adam Blumenthal
Gooding & Company
amelia Island 2013
amelia Island, FL — March 8, 2013
auctioneer: Charlie Ross
automotive lots sold/offered: 69/71
Sales rate: 97%
Sales total: $28,163,500
High american sale: 1965 Shelby Cobra 289
roadster, sold at $852,500
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Donald Osborne
RM Auctions
amelia Island Concours d’elegance
amelia Island, FL — March 8, 2013
auctioneer: Max Girardo
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AmericanCarCollector.com
automotive lots sold/offered: 81/88
Sales rate: 92%
Sales total: $26,854,600
High sale: 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ
convertible, sold at $4,510,000
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Carl Bomstead, select
images courtesy of RM Auctions
Bonhams
Boca Raton Concours d’elegance
Boca Raton, FL — February 23, 2013
auctioneer: Rupert Banner
automotive lots sold/offered: 46/55
Sales rate: 84%
Sales total: $3,669,050
High sale: 1930 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo
phaeton, sold at $698,500
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Carl Bomstead
RM Auctions
The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum
Collection
Madison, Ga — February 15–16, 2013
auctioneer: Max Girardo
automotive lots sold/offered: 200/200
Sales rate: 100%
Sales total: $8,093,850
High american sale: 1959 Crosley Farm-ORoad
prototype, sold at $32,775
Buyer’s premium: 15%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Burt Richmond
#152-1931 CORD L-29 cabriolet.
VIN: 2929758. Eng. # FF4653.
Maroon/tan fabric/gray leather. Odo: 342
miles. Restored to exacting detail in early
2003. A class winner at 2006 Pebble Beach,
as well as Best L-29 at Auburn. Woodlite
headlamps and parking lights. Engine bay
sparkles. Interior done to perfection.
Cond: 1.
6
SOLD AT $407,000. Simply the best. An
aggressive price for a standard L-29, but I
doubt there is one better. Price paid was a
touch light, if anything. Well bought. RM
Auctions, Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
J338. Red & burgundy/tan canvas/red
leather. Odo: 58,439 miles. Stunning presentation,
albeit in a very bright color
scheme. Very good panel fit, excellent paint
shows two tiny stone chips. Very good
chrome. Very good seats, some dirt in instruments,
staining inside top. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $462,000. Convertible sedans
sell at a discount to other models in the
same condition, thanks to their user-unfriendly
tops in the post-chauffeur world.
As a way to get a superbly restored
5
#31-1931 DUESENBERG MODEL
J convertible. VIN: 2350. Eng. #
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Duesenberg, very well bought—but the discount
coming in will likely be passed along
going out. Gooding & Co., Amelia Island,
FL, 03/13.
#158-1932 AUBURN 8-100A
Speedster. VIN: 9288E. Eng. #
GU73382. Red & black/black fabric/red
leather. Odo: 275 miles. Body from an original
Speedster, married to a sedan chassis
in 1989; suffix in chassis number changed
to “E.” Finished in urethane paint. Exceptional
interior. Engine clean and tidy. Grille
molding poorly fitted, but correctable. Numerous
awards to its credit. Thought to be
one of only 84 produced in 1932. Cond: 2+.
8
SOLD AT $97,900. You couldn’t miss this
car, no matter how hard you tried. Literally,
it sat on the museum floor just past the registration
area. Figuratively, it was a monster,
scaling finned Chevys and Fords along the
wall to Matchbox size. It sold for $94k at
RM’s Rochester, MI, sale in 2007, then in
#2 condition (ACC# 46025). The reporter
went on to say, “Quite a lot of money, even
for a hard-to-find and well-optioned example.”
The same holds true five years later.
Well sold. Mecum Auctions, Boynton
Beach, FL, 02/13.
#107-1957 CHEVROLET BEL AIR 2-dr
hard top. VIN: VC57K143492. Onyx Black/
silver vinyl & black fabric. Odo: 45,613
miles. 283-ci fuel-injected V8, auto. A surface
restoration with window rubber worn
and numerous paint issues. Interior very
presentable. Equipped with dealer-installed
Rochester fuel-injection mated to a 2-speed
Powerglide—a combination that would not
have been available from the factory.
Cond: 2-.
penny considering the recent work and
stunning presentation. Well bought, but also
well sold. Mecum Auctions, Boynton
Beach, FL, 02/13.
#S66-1964 CHEVROLET CORVAIR Monza
Spyder convertible. VIN: 40667W162745.
Red/white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 53,420 miles.
164-ci turbocharged H6, 4-sp. Wavy, driverlevel
paint. Dull chrome and bright work.
Clean-but-drab interior with weathered
seats. An average driver. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $25,300. Last sold at Mecum’s
Kissimmee sale for $13k in 2009 (ACC#
119499). Zero miles traveled since. Fresher
appearance than reported four years ago,
but issues remain. Phone bidder paid double
for a car in slightly better condition. Well
sold. Mecum Auctions, Boynton Beach,
FL, 02/13.
SOLD AT $330,000. Original Boattail
Speedsters continue to attract attention,
and this was no exception. Even with the
issues noted, the price paid was realistic.
See the profile, p. 52. RM Auctions, Amelia
Island, FL, 03/13.
GM
#S46-1957 BUICK CABALLERO 4-dr hard
top wagon. VIN: 6D4024794. Red & white/
red & white vinyl. Odo: 66,499 miles. 364-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. A well-executed over-thetop
wagon. Superb paint with impeccable
matching two-tone interior. Brightwork glistens.
Very little to fault—just stand back and
admire this hulking symbol of late ’50s
American splendor. Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $57,750. As a factory Fuelie, this
could have pushed six figures. But as a
non-original made-up car, the strong price
paid here was rather surprising. The new
owner will be forever explaining the 2-speed
Powerglide. RM Auctions, Amelia Island,
FL, 03/13.
#S25-1959 PONTIAC CATALINA convertible.
VIN: 159P20416. Cardinal Red/red
vinyl/white, red & silver leather. Odo: 57,349
miles. 389-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. First year of
the Pontiac “split grille.” Restoration completed
in 2012. Gorgeous paint. Excellent
chrome abounds: dual wind deflectors, wire
wheels, outside mirrors and factory Bonneville
side trim accents. Custom interior trim
chromed to high standard. Silver-speckled
carpet continues in trunk. Light staining on
backseat. Clean underhood with high detailing.
Power steering and brakes. Manufactured
in Canada. Cond: 1-.
#325-1967 CHEVROLET CAMARO convertible.
VIN: 124677N162345. Black/black
vinyl/black & gray leather. Odo: 45,990
miles. 454-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Custom Camaro
known as “Black Widow.” Exceptional
paint, rides on Coddington rims. Attractive
two-tone custom leather interior. Fitted with
new black vinyl top. Big-block 454 under the
hood has been bored .030 over. Catalog
description states, “Dead dinosaur juice is
sucked through a new Holley 750 pump...”
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $24,200. The dramatic auction
description aside, this car sold for a song. It
must have cost at least twice the high bid to
build, and considering the exceptional condition,
the seller took a bath. At least the
buyer is happy. Bonhams, Boca Raton,
FL, 02/13.
SOLD AT $63,800. A visual feast. Very
strong money for any Cat, but worth every
N229158. Ermine White/black vinyl. Odo:
25,378 miles. 427-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Very
good panel fit and chrome. Excellent paint
and interior. Rally Sport trim. Restored by
specialist Dave Tinnell. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT
$350,000. One of 10 said to remain of 54
7
#14-1967 CHEVROLET CAMARO
Yenko coupe. VIN: 124377-
May-June 2013 91
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high-performance modified Camaros built
by Don Yenko, with 427/450 engine, Holley
4-barrel carb, aluminum intake and Muncie
M21 gearbox. Documented with original
paperwork, and stunningly restored by a
Camaro master. Sold post-block for this
strong-but-correct price. Gooding & Co.,
Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
#S28-1967 OLDSMOBILE 442 convertible.
VIN: 338677M316164. Midnight Blue/
parchment vinyl/parchment vinyl. Odo:
9,950 miles. 400-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Older
restoration over a five-year period is a
“looker” from any angle in deep blue and
contrasting white stripes. Passenger’s
rocker panel not aligned. Power antenna
and chrome door-handle nail guards not
original. Interior tidy. Hurst 4-speed, MSD
ignition, and in-dash tach. Trunk lining
ripped, exposing rust underneath. “Ultra
High Compression” V8 (10.5 to 1) with a
high-flow Rochester 4-bbl. Clean underhood
with chrome detailing. Cond: 3+.
a bit of bleed from black to gold on hood
scoop openings. Excellent chrome. Interior
as-new. Well optioned, with Hurst shifter
and Tic-Toc-Tach. The distinctive red fender
liners of this model go beautifully with the
Saturn Gold paint. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT
$189,750. Said to be one of 32 4-speed
1971 W-30 convertibles. This car was very
well restored and beautifully presented. Previously
offered by Mecum at their May 2010
Indianapolis event, where it no-saled at
$170k (ACC# 164151). It didn’t bring significantly
more here, missing the $225k low
estimate by more than $30k. Well bought
and sold. Gooding & Co., Amelia Island,
FL, 03/13.
#34-1973 PONTIAC TRANS AM SD 455
coupe. VIN: 2V87X3N140028. Cameo
White/black vinyl. Odo: 57,369 miles. 455-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Very well presented in
spectacular condition. Variable panel fit, per
factory. Excellent paint, very good chrome
except for slightly damaged left-side A-pillar
trim. Interior is superb. Correct replacement
455-ci engine fitted; original block accompanies
the car. Said to be one of 72 4-speed,
455 SD cars. Cond: 1-.
liberal list of power controls. Interior is clean
and inviting. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $14,300. A
nice (although dated) Z/28. Sold squarely in
the middle of the $11,500—$17,500 range
of the ACC Pocket Price Guide for a market-correct
price. Mecum Auctions, Boynton
Beach, FL, 02/13.
CORVETTE
#117-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: E57S102825. Venetian Red/
white vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 2,602 miles. 283ci
283-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp. An older
restoration properly maintained, having
been stored in a Corvette museum. A few
minor paint touch-ups noted. Panel fit exceeds
factory spec. Interior in good order.
Both tops. A very desirable 283/283 Corvette.
Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $42,900. The all-business color
combination drew me in. The only real negative
was the scruffy trunk, but it looked like
an easy fix. Mecum sold a ’67 442 convertible
in “3-” condition for $24k at their Anaheim
sale in November 2012 (ACC#
213973). Strong money here, but looked
right given its terrific condition, appealing
color combination, low mileage and power.
Mecum Auctions, Boynton Beach, FL,
02/13.
#59-1971 OLDSMOBILE 442 W-30 convertible.
VIN: 344671M174960. Saturn
Gold/black vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 27,859
miles. 455-ci V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. Very good
panel fit. Excellent paint let down only by
SOLD AT $165,000. Previously offered at
Mecum Indy in May of 2010, where it went
unsold at a high bid of $140k (ACC#
164413). The owner was right to hang on
then, as this was more along the lines of
what it should bring. Just imagine if it still
had the original block installed... Gooding
& Co., Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
#S12-1993 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
Indy Pace Car Edition coupe. VIN: 2G1FP22P4P2106397.
Black & white/black &
white cloth. Odo: 13,628 miles. 350-ci fuelinjected
V8, auto. Said to be one of 633
produced. Powered by the LT1 V8 introduced
in the Corvette the previous year.
Straight and clean. Special paint scheme
with multi-colored ribbon graphics has held
up well with no discernible faults. Z/28 Pace
Car Package goodies include special whitepainted
16-inch aluminum wheels and a
SOLD AT $129,250. This was last seen at
Barrett-Jackson’s January 2008 auction,
where it sold for $165k (ACC# 51840),
which we called a market-correct price. The
market ebbs and flows, and today we will
call the price paid here market-correct as
well. (See the profile, p. 42.) RM Auctions,
Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
#131-1960 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 00867S108726. Sateen Silver
& white/Sateen Silver hard top/white
soft top/red vinyl. Odo: 68,336 miles. 283-ci
270-hp V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Recent five-year
restoration using all rebuilt or N.O.S. parts.
Power soft top, removable hard top and T10
4-speed. Engine has correct ignition shielding.
Minor wear to seats. Original Wonderbar
radio. A very attractive dual 4-barrel
Corvette. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $137,500. Seller paid a substantial
premium but now has a very high-point
Corvette. A restoration to this level would
cost at least the money spent here, and this
one is ready to go. No worries. RM Auctions,
Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
#S38-1962 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 20867S101734. Rosso
92 AmericanCarCollector.com
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Corsa/tan vinyl/red leather. Odo: 80,573
miles. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected V8, 4-sp.
Last year of the C1. Full body-off eight-year
restoration completed in 2007 to high standard.
Looks like it hasn’t covered many
miles since. Original Roman Red paint redone
in stunning Ferrari Rosso Corsa.
Matching red Italian leather pristine (but not
original). Includes original Owner’s Guide.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $106,700. Documented ’62s in
above-average condition are approaching
the six-figure mark, but I’ll call this one, with
its custom all-red scheme, well sold, just
slightly. Mecum Auctions, Boynton
Beach, FL, 02/13.
#141-1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 30867S121099. Sebring
Silver/silver hard top/black vinyl. Odo:
May-June 2013 93
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32,307 miles. 327-ci 360-hp fuel-injected
V8, 4-sp. Restored in 2008. NCRS Top
Flight winner. Slight scratching on trim with
excellent panel fit. Optioned with tinted
glass, wood-grain steering wheel and AM/
FM radio. Engine block, transmission and
fuel-injection numbers are date code-correct.
Offered with both tops. A solid presentation.
Cond: 2+.
Hat” car. Equipped with numbers-matching
L71 big block with J56 Big Brakes. Documented
with tank sticker and Protect-OPlate.
Once owned by Rick Hendrick.
Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $148,500. Heavily
optioned, but lacking air, which would add a
bunch to the total package. Sold under the
$160k low estimate, but price paid was market-correct.
RM Auctions, Amelia Island,
FL, 03/13.
SOLD AT $107,250. Price paid here was
most reasonable for a solid L84 fuel-injected
Sting Ray. Another $10k would not have
been out of line, but I will call this well
bought and well sold. RM Auctions, Amelia
Island, FL, 03/13.
#332-1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 194675S114412. Ermine
White/black cloth/blue vinyl. Odo: 47,076
miles. 396-ci 425-hp V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. An
older restoration to very nice standard and
still presents well. Born wearing Nassau
Blue and with something other under the
hood than the current 396/425. Excellent
panel alignment. Interior in good order.
Underhood clean and tidy. Cond: 4.
SOLD AT $170,500. It looks like what it is:
A nicely maintained, properly used car.
Stunning. Below the $175k low estimate,
but a strong price today for a C2. Well
bought, given the documentation and condition.
Gooding & Co., Amelia Island, FL,
03/13.
SOLD AT $55,000. Last seen at the Kruse
Fort Lauderdale sale in January 2007,
where it no-saled at $85k (ACC #43869).
Driven only 1,300 very expensive miles
since then. Bonhams, Boca Raton, FL,
02/13.
#115-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 194677S122767. Rally Red/
black hard top/red leather. Odo: 39,742
miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp.
NCRS 2008 Top Flight Award. Florida sun
brings out a few swirls in the finish. Heavily
optioned and thought to have been a “Brass
FOMOCO
#157-1932 FORD MODEL B “Golden
Rod” roadster. VIN: SW08036PA. Gold/
gold & white vinyl. Odo: 9,393 miles. An
unrestored ’50s East Coast street rod with a
Mercury flat motor under the hood. Original
condition with expected patina and signs of
age. Extremely well maintained. Appeared
at 1999 Pebble Beach Concours. From the
Skip Barber Collection. Cond: 3+.
#45-1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE convertible.
VIN: 194677S105574. Eng. #
T0425JE7105574. Sunfire Yellow/black
vinyl hard top/white vinyl. Odo: 39,836
miles. 427-ci 435-hp V8, 3x2-bbl, 4-sp. A
well-optioned and documented original L71,
said to be a one-of-one in this color combo.
Very good panel fit. Original paint is still
presentable, with clear evidence of touch-up
in door jambs, polish burn-through on sharp
edges and high surfaces. Very good interior
with expected wear and aging on center
console. Bloomington Gold Survivor certified.
Cond: 3+.
roadster show. A piece of hot-rodding history
with all the East Coast treatments that
were popular at the time. Price paid was
totally reasonable considering the history of
“Golden Rod.” See the profile, p. 50. RM
Auctions, Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
#168-1949 FORD CUSTOM “The Foose
Ford” coupe. VIN: CA750456. Phantom
Green/tan fabric. Odo: 49,974 miles. 302-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Modern custom designed
by Hot Wheels designer Harry Bradley and
built by Sam Foose. Now showing a bit of
age. Top chopped 2½ inches, and windshield
laid back six. Powered by GT40 302ci
crate motor. Featured on the cover of
February 1999 Rod and Custom. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $77,000. A clean and crisp design,
and the Foose name certainly adds to
the package. Price paid was less than expected,
but older customs can be a tough
sell. RM Auctions, Amelia Island, FL,
03/13.
#S26-1957 FORD FAIRLANE 500 Sunliner
convertible. VIN: D7EC225609. Colonial
White/black vinyl/black & white vinyl. Odo:
32,428 miles. 312-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Restoration
completed in 2009. Beautiful exterior
and interior with all the material and trim bits
there. Small chip on driver’s rear fin. Attractive
gold bodyside accents. Chrome dualexhaust
tips, front bumper guards and
side-sill stone guards. Chrome headlight
covers swivel. Custom Kelsey-Hayes
chrome wire wheels sparkle; spare in trunk.
New York State Inspection sticker for ’62
and ’63 on windshield. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $42,900. Buyer paid a fair price
plus a slight premium. Then again, these
rarely come to auction, and you’d be hardpressed
to find another in this condition.
Well bought and sold. Mecum Auctions,
Boynton Beach, FL, 02/13.
SOLD AT $90,750. This will be a hit at any
94 AmericanCarCollector.com
#328-1957 LINCOLN PREMIERE convertible.
VIN: 57WA20832L. Huntsman
Red/black vinyl/red leather & black fabric.
Odo: 86,522 miles. 368-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
BEST
BUY
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Restored by Hibernia in 1996 and only minor
signs of use since. New for 1957 were
the Quadra-lite headlamps and dramatic
canted rear-blade tail fins. Expensive at
$5,381, only 3,676 were produced. “Robotic”
power top was also new for 1957.
Cond: 2+.
209569). Sold under the $850k low estimate,
looking like a good buy, but not a bad
return on the seller’s seven-month investment.
Gooding & Co., Amelia Island, FL,
03/13.
SOLD AT $46,200. This was last seen at
Bonhams’ June 2012 Greenwich auction,
where it no-saled at an undisclosed amount
(ACC# 208175). Price paid here was most
reasonable, as another $10k–$15k would
not have been out of line. Well bought. Bonhams,
Boca Raton, FL, 02/13.
#S59-1960 FORD THUNDERBIRD convertible.
VIN: OY73Y157838. Monte Carlo
Red/tan vinyl/tan leather. Odo: 32,784
miles. 430-ci V8, 3x2-bbl, auto. Excellent
preparation inside and out. Brilliant red paint
virtually flawless. Great chrome and trim
accents. Power leather seats look contemporary.
Power steering, brakes, windows.
Fully disappearing top. Engine bay not
given as much attention as rest of car. Said
to be equipped with the 430 Thunderbird
Special, but VIN codes out to a 352. TriPower
intake. 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic auto.
Cond: 2+.
#S14-1965 SHELBY COBRA 427 Replica
roadster. VIN: 8N62Y105446. Silver/black
leather. Odo: 20,585 miles. 302-ci V8, 4-bbl,
5-sp. Created by Factory Five, titled as a
1968 Ford. Straight exterior in sharp paint.
Bumpers, luggage rack, headlight screens,
twin roll bars, and quick-fill fuel cap all
chromed to high standard. Wind deflectors
unblemished. All-business interior features
Corbeau buckets, AutoMeter gauges, Alpine
stereo and Simpson harnesses. Engine
has been carefully maintained.
Cond: 1-.
SOLD AT $242,000. Last seen at RM’s
September 2000 sale, where it realized
$66k and was described as the bargain of
the sale (ACC# 10625). Thirteen years later
that statement was proven very accurate.
Market-correct price in today’s world. RM
Auctions, Amelia Island, FL, 03/13.
#142-1966 SHELBY COBRA roadster.
VIN: CSX3259. Red/black
leather. Odo: 127 miles. 427-ci V8, 2x4-bbl,
4-sp. A stunning example, finished to perfection.
Restored in 2008 at a documented
cost of $315k by Stewart Hall. 427 side-oiler
kicks out 520 horsepower. Engine compartment
highly detailed. Cond: 1-.
2
SOLD AT $836,000. I watched this sell at
RM’s January 2011 sale for $644k (ACC#
168714), and prior to that it was a no-sale at
$600k at Bonhams’ 2010 Carmel event
(ACC# 165564). What a difference a couple
of years makes, as the price paid here was
market-correct. RM Auctions, Amelia Island,
FL, 03/13.
SOLD AT $64,900. Tip-top condition, but
with a possible engine swap, this was
strong money. Well sold. Mecum Auctions,
Boynton Beach, FL, 02/13.
#50-1965 SHELBY COBRA roadster.
VIN: CSX2538. Eng. # 00041.
Red/black leather. Odo: 84,176 miles. 289ci
V8, 2x4-bbl, 4-sp. Out of sight for 29
years until 2008; original engine said to be
confirmed. This late-production 289 was
well restored five years ago and presents
well, but it lacks some detail crispness. Very
good panel fit, except right rear door slightly
twisted. Excellent paint and chrome. Seats
are superb, instruments show fading. Woodrim
wheel. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $852,500.
This car was the high sale of the auction
when it sold recently at Russo and Steele
Monterey in August 2012 for $781k (ACC#
1
96 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $50,600. A “looker” with very few
needs. Another 1965 Cobra replica sold for
$32k at Mecum Dallas in September 2012
(ACC# 213120), making this transaction
seem pricey. Well sold, but the buyer can
look forward to years of waving at admiring
passersby who think it’s the real thing.
Mecum Auctions, Boynton Beach, FL,
02/13.
#139-1965 SHELBY GT350 fastback.
VIN: SFM5S226. Wimbledon
White/black vinyl. Odo: 82,608 miles. 289-ci
V8, 4-bbl, 4-sp. An older restortion returned
to “stock” configuration by seller. Documented
in Shelby Register. One of 562 produced
in the first year. Fitted with Hi-Po 289
with Tri-Y headers that produces 306 horsepower.
Cond: 1-.
9
SOLD AT $45,100. Immaculately presented
and hard to fault until closing time, when
auction staffers couldn’t get the car started.
I wondered if the proud new owner was
standing by to watch them push it outside.
Still, multiple awards plus its significance in
the collection pushed the winning bid way
north of the $21k–$27,500 ACC Pocket
Price Guide range. Well sold. Mecum Auctions,
Boynton Beach, FL, 02/13.
#S15-1967 FORD MUSTANG convertible.
VIN: 7R03A119751. Wimbledon White/black
vinyl/red vinyl. Odo: 95,367 miles. 289-ci
V8, 4-bbl, auto. Lovely A-code Pony. Fran
Green’s first collector car. MCA Grand National
winner and three-time National First
Place winner (two trophies in backseat).
Older restoration shows well with no major
flaws. White/red color combo is a knockout,
tinted windshield is crystal-clear. Stylized
wheels heighten impression of performance.
Dual exhaust, factory a/c, power steering
and front disc brakes, AM radio. Cond: 2+.
TOP 10
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GLOBAL
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MOPAR
4
#161-1932 CHRYSLER CL IMPERIAL
convertible coupe. VIN:
7803368. Eng. # CL1067. Two-tone green/
tan fabric/green leather. Odo: 373 miles.
Known as “The Denver Car,” as it rolled
over into a ditch when involved in a bank
robbery chase. Restored in early 2000 and
numerous awards since including at Pebble
Beach. Car still shows exceptionally well,
although the color does not do it justice.
Powered by “Red Head” I8. Cond: 1-.
ber of years ago to driver level. Very good
panel fit. Shiny paint has just a bit too much
orange peel and some sinkage. Good
chrome. Good interior with nice patina on
seats, very good dashboard, autographed
by Daytona Beach race driver Gregg
Ziegler. The 1960 Daytona Beach speedrecord
holder, at 144.9 mph. Cond: 3-.
E147958. Orange/orange & black vinyl.
Odo: 24,237 miles. 383-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto.
Born a 6-cylinder Satellite. $45k later, it’s a
383 Road Runner, complete with Wile E.
Coyote decals. Engine compartment highly
detailed. Orange paint shows only minor
issues, but is sure to attract attention of local
authorities. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $525,000. Last seen at RM’s
2008 Meadow Brook sale, where it realized
$660k at the top of the market (ACC
#117386). Seller took a bit of a hit, but price
paid here was in line with current conditions.
RM Auctions, Amelia Island, FL,
03/13.
#S51-1957 PLYMOUTH SPORT FURY
2-dr hard top. VIN: 16320179. Sand
Dune White & beige/white & brown vinyl.
Odo: 61,143 miles. 318-ci V8, 2x4-bbl, auto.
Newer full restoration presents very well
inside and out. Sand Dune White paint only
color available in ’57. Beautiful finish marred
by major chipping at back of hood. Color
nicely highlights the original gold, spearshaped
trim and anodized gold-colored upper
grille. A very clean car with few flaws.
Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $236,500. The record is an impressive
feat, given the size, weight and
aerodynamics of this large “Forward Look”
coupe. Offered and unsold twice recently: at
Mecum Monterey 2010, with a high bid of
$275k (ACC# 165763); and at Worldwide
Atlantic City 2011, at $250k (ACC#
169025). An important piece of American
speed history. Well bought. See the profile,
p. 48. Gooding & Co., Amelia Island, FL,
03/13.
#S19-1962 DODGE POLARA 500 convertible.
VIN: 5422104441. Vermillion Red/
white vinyl/white & red vinyl. Odo: 6,689
miles. 383-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Minor paint
chips, scratches. Decent chrome dulling in
places. Whitewalls look new. Dual exhausts.
Striking two-tone interior looks like it rolled
off the assembly line yesterday. Locking
center console. Push-button TorqueFlite
transmission. Tidy engine compartment.
Power steering and brakes. Acquired from
the Cars of Dreams Museum. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $22,000. You’ll never recoupe
your money invested in building a “tribute,”
but you will have the cool car that you always
wanted. The buyer got a good deal on
someone else’s labor of love. Well bought.
Bonhams, Boca Raton, FL, 02/13.
AMERICANA
#288-1949 CROSLEY FARM-O-ROAD
prototype utility. VIN: N/A. Green/tan vinyl.
Paint generally good, but the tops of both
front fenders have substantial bubbling and
pitting, which appear to be chemical imperfections
vs. paint over surface rust. Interior
very clean and orderly. With dual rear
wheels shod with tractor tires, and both
front and rear power take-offs, this Farm-ORoad
looks ready to get to work on the land.
Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $46,750. As these are notoriously
prone to rust, good surviving examples are
rare and don’t often appear on the auction
block. So I was a bit surprised this wellmaintained
Sport model didn’t send bidding
over and above the market-correct price.
Well bought. Mecum Auctions, Boynton
Beach, FL, 02/13.
8403110398. Eng. # P411231. Black/tan
leather. Odo: 11,311 miles. 413-ci V8, 2x4bbl,
4-sp. Unrestored, but repainted a num-
10
#19-1960 CHRYSLER 300F GT
Special 2-dr hard top. VIN:
98 AmericanCarCollector.com
SOLD AT $63,800. Well bought, but also
well sold. After tanking in the midst of the
recession in 2009, Polara prices have rebounded
and continue a steady climb. Collectors
appear to be warming to this
chronically unloved Mopar. RM recently
sold a 1960 Polara D-500 hard top for $86k
at their Staluppi Cars of Dreams sale in
North Palm Beach, FL, in December 2012
(ACC #214292). Could this convertible with
significantly lower mileage achieve a sixfigure
result in the near future? Mecum
Auctions, Boynton Beach, FL, 02/13.
#352-1971 PLYMOUTH ROAD RUNNER
replica 2-dr hard top. VIN: RP23C1-
SOLD AT $32,775. Powell Crosley manufactured
some of the earliest radios in
America. He became obsessed with building
a small economical car, introducing a
2-cyl model in 1939. His firm won the contract
to produce a general-purpose car for
the Army but lacked production capacity to
meet the military demands. In the late ’40s
a 4-cyl 724-cc OHC engine made it into sedans,
station wagons and sports cars; the
Farm-O-Road was introduced shortly before
Crosley production ceased in 1952. This
prototype will be the pride of a Crosley collection.
Priced fairly. RM Auctions, Madison,
GA, 02/13. A
TOP 10
BEST
BUY
TOP 10
Page 98
The Parts Hunter
Chad Tyson
Big-money parts and
accessories from eBay Motors
# 121070666594—Ardun Flathead
Overhead Valve Cylinder Heads. 11 photos.
Item condition: Used. Monterey, CA.
“Never installed on a block. These heads
were reproduced by Don Orosco’s shop
15 years ago. Valve seats and guides
installed, as well as spark-plug tubes. One
of the cylinder heads actually has spark
plugs installed. Several other miscellaneous
Ardun components are also included in this
auction, but what you see is what you get.
Exact duplicates of original Ardun heads,
so any missing parts are interchangeable
with original Ardun OHV setups.” 19 bid.
Sold at $7,500.
So these heads aren’t original Arduns,
but part of a run of 30 from Orosco’s shop
produced during the 1990s. A company
bearing the Ardun name started reproducing
these heads in the late 1990s. Their
conversion kit costs $14k. Originally, in
1950, Ardun head conversions sold for
$479—more than one-third the cost of the
Ford Deluxe four-door sedan. Now these
incomplete reproductions are selling for
more than that whole car. Well sold.
# 230915738571—426-ci Hemi
Exhaust Manifold. 5 photos.
Item condition: Used. Carlsbad,
CA.
“Original passenger’s side
exhaust manifold for a 426
Hemi. I lost track, but I believe
it came off of my 1971 Road
Runner 426 4-speed car (long
gone — sorry). Casting Number
2780508. Casting date 9-13-67.
There are no cracks or repairs,
no welds, etc. I ran a tap down
the heat riser and the threads
look fine. The flapper valve
has been removed, but the rod is still present (no retainer spring). A perfect piece for that
numbers-matching installation.” 6 bids. Sold at $511.51.
A passenger’s side repro piece can run almost $900. The buyer got a good deal here,
especially if they were searching for a correct, original part. Well bought.
# 121071738298—1937–38
Chevrolet Fender Skirts. 11
photos. Item condition: Used.
Whittier, CA.
“Pair of original fender skirts for
a 1937–38 Chevrolet. The original
stainless steel moldings are
in excellent condition. The skirts
can be found, but usually they
are missing the moldings or the
moldings have major damage.
You can run these on an original
car or repaint if you are restoring
a car.” Buy It Now. Sold at $4,500.
Is there a better way to spiff up a 1930s or ’40s car than with a pair of skirts? Probably, but
these won’t hurt. Originals are difficult to come by, but the price paid here is exponentially
more than I’ve seen before. However, they are the best condition, original set I’ve ever seen.
The buyer apparently had to have them (with the Buy It Now), making these well sold.
# 190794457772—1956 Mercury Power Window Setup. 8 photos.
Item condition: Used. Sauk City, WI.
“This setup has been reconditioned. All four regulators have been
sandblasted and are in excellent condition. All four motors work great.
Master switch is clean and used with nice bezel. The master switch
retainer is in near mint condition and needs nothing. All three single
switches have new bezels and new retainer plates. Gear boxes are all
cleaned and re-greased. Four small relay boxes that bench-test fine.
Unfortunately, I only have one of the door jamb wire protectors. One
was missing off the parts car.” Buy It Now. Sold at $1,600.
Piecing together a kit takes a lot of time and effort. And money. I
found pairs of just regulators for $1,300. Well bought, even if it is for a
four-door.
100 AmericanCarCollector.com
Page 99
# 321084750789—Cadillac Sabre 15x6
Wheels by Kelsey-Hayes. 1 photo. Item
condition: Remanufactured. Portland, OR.
“Excellent set of Cadillac Sabres restored
by the experts in the field—Valley Wire
Wheel Service in Van Nuys, CA. Restored
10 years ago, and still in excellent shape.
The centers are aluminum and must be
separated from their steel rim to be rechromed.
These wheels will fit any 1955–56
Cadillac—1957–58 models will require a
spacer on the front wheels to clear the drum.
These wheels were standard on Eldorados
and optional on other models.” 1 bid. Sold at
$4,500.
These are the wheels to put on any mid1950s
Cadillac. These jumped up in price
during the past couple of years, however. I
found other sets of these for $900 and individual
ones starting around $150. Of course,
none were completely restored like the set
featured here. Still, well sold.A
The most valuable tool
in your box
AmericanCarCollector.com
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May-June 2013 101
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American Car Collector Magazine is not responsible for any omissions, erroneous, false
and/or misleading statements of its advertisers.
GM
1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88
coupe
1971 Chevrolet K10 4x4
shortbox pickup
S/N 194675S112000. Rally
Red/red. 2,200 miles. L79
327/350hp, 4-sp. Teak, side
exhaust and repro knockoffs.
All numbers match. Protect-OPlate.
2,200 miles since frame
off. $60,000. Contact Grant,
623.980.0014, Email: gpavolka@gmail.com
1965 Chevrolet Corvette
coupe
S/N 194671S121082. Sunflower
Yellow/saddle. 350/330,
4-sp. Just-completed, professional
body-off restoration.
Top Flight 2012. M-21, 4:11
rear, perfect PO2’s. Partial
build sheet. Full restoration
pictures. $62,500. Contact
Mark, Ridgetop Restorations,
715.385.3341, Email: daddy19581955@yahoo.com
FOMOCO
1950 Ford woodie wagon
843.384.4801, Email: ray@
beach-property.com Web:
www.forsale60corvette.com
(SC)
1965 Chevrolet Corvette
convertible
Email: gratt@videotron.ca
(CAN)
1971 Chevrolet Corvette
convertible
Black/gray. V8, 3-Spd Automatic.
Bubble-trunk coupe.
Restored original. 303 Rocket
V8, Hydramatic, 12-volt, wide
whitewall radials, dual exhaust.
$28,500 OBO. Contact
Trent, 708.447.2442, Email:
trent1940@gmail.com (IL)
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
replica wagon
S/N KE141Z645465.
Orange/black. 82,676 miles.
V8, Automatic., Fully restored.
Rebuilt 350-ci engine, transmission
and transfer case. Fresh
Hugger Orange paint on a rustfree
body, brand-new wheels
with Nitto mud-terrain tires. Just
in from Arizona and only going
up in value. $29,995. Iowa Auto
Outlet, 515.896.0902, Email:
aarons@iowaautooutlets.com
Web: www.iowaautooutlets.
com (IA)
CORVETTE
S/N 136460K137846.
Blue/blue. 53,361 miles. V8,
Automatic. 400 V8 engine w/
supercharger, power steering,
power disc brakes, dual
exhaust, retro stereo, factory
air conditioning. This is the SS
wagon Chevrolet should have
made but never did. Done right.
One-of-a-kind family cruiser!
$29,995. Iowa Auto Outlet, 515896-0902,
Email: aarons@iowaautooutlets.com
Web: www.
iowaautooutlets.com (IA)
102 AmericanCarCollector.com
1960 Chevrolet Corvette
custom convertible
Red/red. 5,500 miles. V8, 3-sp
auto. Miles since restoration,
new engine, automatic, power
windows, a/c, disc brakes.
$110,000. Contact Ray,
S/N 194679S731477. Daytona
Yellow/black. 100 miles.
427/390, 4-sp. Completely
researched and restored. Finished
in 2012. Car even has
correct production-month tires
and proper under-dash clips for
wires. Everything was properly
restored. Only 269 ever produced
for Canada, only 11 in
Daytona Yellow. $69,900 OBO.
Contact Richard, 514.457.6101,
S/N 194375S116394. Glen
Green/green. 94,634 miles.
396/425, 4-sp. Nicely optioned
with power windows, tinted
glass, teak/telescopic wheel,
leather, knockoff wheels.
High-quality correct restoration.
Excellent throughout. Fast
and fine. Financing available,
trades welcome. $99,800. Contact
Steve, Motorcar Gallery,
954.522.9900, Email: contact@
motorcargallery.com Web: MotorcarGallery.com
1969 Chevrolet Corvette
convertible
All-original wood refinished
by Nick Alexander a few years
ago. Painted once and still
show-quality. Flawless body.
Never rusted or damaged ever.
100% original interior and absolutely
immaculate. 61,000
original miles. Recent complete
and documented engine rebuild
by Ford V8 guru. $75,000 OBO.
Contact Matthew, Matthew L.
deGarmo LTD, 203.852.1670,
Email: Matt@deGarmoLtd.com
Web: www.deGarmoLtd.com
(CT)
1979 Ford Mustang Indy
Pace Car
Pewter/black. V8, 4-Spd
Manual. 5.0-L, restored. Rare
factory a/c, very early production
car. One of few correct
examples left. Buy this for
much less than you can restore
one. $16,000 OBO. Contact
Steve, 586.291.1100, Email:
slapp15@yahoo.com
Page 101
Showcase Gallery
r1999 Shelby Cobra replica
oadster
S/N 4KCDAK128XF000264.
British Racing Green/black.
6,600 miles. V8, 5-spd manual.
Classic Roadsters/Fargo, ND,
professional build by Hensley
Performance, 5.0 Ford with full
Cobra FI, 427 hp with many
race and custom features on
engine and suspension. Over
$50k spent in build. Email for
full description and pictures.
$32,750. Contact Morgan,
Email: morgan_smith@vanhornmetz.com
(PA)
2011 Shelby GT350 fastback
S/N 1ZVBP8CF1B5116751.
White/4,000 miles. V8, 6-sp.
White with Guardsman Blue
stripes. Shelby started with a
new GT premium package (all
options) and went through the
entire car to create #60 of this
special, limited-edition GT350.
Interior leather package, pil-
lar w/gauges, supercharged
aluminum engine, Shelby/Ford/
Whipple supercharger w/520hp,
19-inch Cragar wheels, 6-piston
Baer brakes, Shelby/Ford Racing
suspension for a complete
performance package, Shelby/
Borla center exhaust. Light and
fast with razor-sharp handling,
perfectly balanced and powerful.
One owner, never raced, all
manuals, records and promo
materials. Ambient lighting,
Shaker 500 audio system.
Break-in done correctly. Kept
in an air-conditioned garage
in FL. Like new. Contact Dan,
508.561.8616, Email: drourke@
aol.com (FL)
MOPAR
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A
2-dr hard top
black/black. 572-ci Hemi,
5-speed. Pro-Tour T/A. New/
nearing completion (5,000+
hours on build) “Old School”
with PERFORMANCE DOCTORIAL.
Aluminum Indy Maxx
Hemi 572-ci 1,000-hp plus
400-hp reserve (NOS). Liberty
max-torque/overdrive 5-speed,
dual-disc power clutch/Lakewood
B-House, carbon-fiber 4”
driveshaft, Air Ride coil-over/4link
suspension, Dana 60; 4:10
gears, 35-spline axles, Wilwood
14” Hydroboost 6-pot discs.
Carbon-fiber Kevlar interior,
10 Auto-Meter gauges, power
everything, 2,400-watt I.C.E.,
front-rear radar/laser jammers/
cameras/nav/cruise-control
(too much kick-ass stuff to
list!). Mopar at its very best.
Make reasonable offer. Contact
Thomas, 715.839.9129, Email:
olsongearhead@aol.com Web:
www.lcars.com
S/N JH23GOB160608. Satin
1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE
2-dr hard top
S/N XS29U0G173576. Eggshell
White/black. 93,000 miles.
440 Magnum, auto. Stunning
presentation of one-of-one R/T
SE Charger in rare Eggshell
White. Total body-off restoration,
with photos. Unheard-of
option list for R/T. All numbers
are matched, including
alternator and carb. Leather
bucket seats, cruise control, air,
rear-window defogger, deluxe
interior package. Build sheet
is original. Perfect mechanicals,
Tic Toc Tach. New glass,
chrome, floors, trunk, interior,
vinyl roof, etc. $45,000 receipts.
Never hit. Rare class and
muscle. Let the other guys all
get orange. $45,000. Contact
Mark, 816.830.2391, Email:
tallsound@yahoo.com (KS)
AMERICANA
1949 International K-B2
pickup
It’s so
easy!
We’ve made
uploading your
Showcase
Gallery listings
online easier.
as an added
bonus, we
now feature
multiple
images for our
web listings.
www.americanCarCollector.com/classifieds
May-June 2013 103
S/N 71519. Maroon/tan. 233
green diamond, Frame-off,
ground-up restoration completed
spring of 2012. Engine,
transmission and brake systems
rebuilt. New glass, seals,
engine mounts, floor mat,
chromed windshield, hubcaps
and bumpers. All emblems
re-chromed; all instruments,
gauges, speedometer and
switches N.O.S., rebuilt or restored.
Original color. Tan seats
and sun visors, oak body, floor
and siderails spar varnished
with stainless strips and fasteners.
125 miles since restoration.
$42,500. Contact Dan,
207.985.9850, Email: dan@
rushlaw.us A
Page 102
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Put your company in the ACC Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 Ext. 211,
or email advert@americancarcollector.com
Auction Companies
Auctions America, 877.906.2437,
5540 CR llA Auburn, IN 46706.
Home of the 480-acre Auction
Park in Auburn, IN, where the annual
Labor Day Auction is held in
conjunction with the Auburn Cord
Duesenberg Festival.
www.auctionsamerica.com. (IN)
Mecum Auctions. 262.275.5050,
445 South Main Street, Walworth,
WI 53184. Auctions: Anaheim,
Kissimmee, Kansas City, Houston,
Walworth, Indianapolis, St. Paul,
Bloomington Gold, Des Moines,
Monterey, Dallas, Chicago.
Nobody Sells More Muscle Than
Mecum. Nobody.
www.mecumauction.com. (WI)
Russo and Steele Collector
Automobiles. 602.252.2697,
602.252.6260. 5230 South 39th
St., Phoenix, AZ 85040.
info@russoandsteele.com;
www.russo-andsteele.com. (AZ)
Silver Auctions. 800.255.4485,
2020 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA
99205. silver@silverauctions.com.
www.silverauctions.com. (WA)
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)
Classic Car Transport
Intercity Lines, Inc.
800.221.3936, 413.436.9422.
Rapid, hassle-free, coast-tocoast
service. Insured enclosed
transport for your valuable car at
affordable prices. State-of-theart
satellite transport tracking.
Complete service for vintage
races, auctions, relocations.
www.intercitylines.com. (MA)
to-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 Parts &
Restoration
County Corvette. 610.696.7888.
Sales, service, parts and restoration.
When it must be right.
www.countycorvette.com. (PA)
Mid America Motorworks.
800.500.1500. America’s leader in
1953–2008 Corvette parts and accessories.
Request a free catalog
at www.mamotorworks.com. (IL)
AutoBahn Power. Performance
+ Looks + Durability + Comfort
= Autobahn Power! Autobahn
Power is a veteran of vehicle
modifications, parts and accessories.
Our specialty has been to
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.
Corvettes for Sale
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 new C6, only
Corvette Central has it all.
www.corvettecentral.com. (MI)
Passport Transport.
800.736.0575, Since our founding
in 1970, we have shipped thousands
of treasured vehicles door-
104 AmericanCarCollector.com
County Corvette. 610.696.7888.
The most modern and bestequipped
Corvette-only facility in
the nation.
www.countycorvette.com. (PA)
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 one million
dollars, with terms extending up to
84 months visit www.putnamleasing.com
or call 1.866.90.LEASE.
(CT)
Mustangs Unlimited. Since 1976,
Mustangs Unlimited is YOUR
best source for 1965-present
Mustang, 1965-1970 Shelby, and
1967-1973 Mercury Cougar Parts.
Call or visit our website to receive
a full-color catalog full of the parts
you need with the best prices in
the industry. With two fully stocked
warehouses, we have the largest
“in stock” selection of parts.
Visit us online at www.mustangsunlimited.com
or join us
on Facebook or Twitter for the
latest buzz in all things Mustang.
Customer Satisfaction is goal #1.
Phone: Connecticut 888.398.9898
Georgia 888.229.2929. A
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
selection anywhere. Offering
investment-quality Corvettes and
Chevrolets for over 30 years!
503.256.5384 (p) 503.256.4767 (f)
www.thechevystore.com. (OR)
Insurance
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.
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)
Leasing
Museums
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, world class 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. 253272-2336
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)
Part—General
Page 103
WHAT’S YOUR
CAR WORTH?
FIND OUT AT
NOW FREE! The world’s largest collector car price
guide based on over 500,000 sold transactions
from
. Updated weekly.
www.collectorcarpricetracker.com
Advertisers Index
American Car Collector ........................81
Auctions America .................................15
B & T Specialty Classic Car Auctions...61
Bennett Law Office .............................105
Bloomington Gold ................................25
Blue Bars ..............................................97
Camaro Central ....................................65
Carlisle Events ......................................75
Chevs of the 40’s .................................74
Chubb Personal Insurance ...................19
Collector Car Price Tracker ................105
Corvette America ..................................87
Corvette Repair Inc. .............................11
Corvette Specialties .............................97
County Corvette .....................................2
Dealer Accelerate .................................79
Freedom Road Rally .............................39
Genuine Hotrod Hardware ...................23
Grundy Worldwide ................................87
GTC ......................................................93
Hagerty Insurance Agency, Inc. ...........35
Hot August Nights ................................37
Infinity Insurance Companies .............108
Iowa Auto Outlet ..................................4-5
JC Taylor ..............................................73
Jim Meyer Racing Products Inc. ..........97
L.A. Prep ...............................................63
Law Offices of Bruce Shaw ................105
Leake Auction Company ....................107
Lucky Collector Car Auctions .................9
Lutty’s Chevy Warehouse ....................85
Mac Neil Automotive Products Ltd ......89
Mershon’s World Of Cars .....................77
Mid America Auctions ..........................83
Mid America Motorworks ...............27, 69
Mustangs Unlimited .............................99
National Corvette Homecoming ...........95
National Corvette Museum ...................95
National Corvette Restorers Society ....95
Paramount Classic Cars .......................67
Park Place LTD .....................................17
Passport Transport ...............................71
Petersen Collector Car Auction ............99
Putnam Leasing ......................................3
Reliable Carriers ...................................59
Russo & Steele LLC..............................13
Silver Collector Car Auctions ...............29
Sports Car Market ................................97
St Bernard Church................................93
The Chevy Store Inc .............................85
Thomas C Sunday Inc ..........................97
TYCTA ................................................105
Volo Auto Museum ...............................21
Zip Products .........................................41
May-June 2013 105
Page 104
Surfing Around
Carl Bomstead
Automobilia on eBay
Carl’s thought: A 148-year-old baseball card featuring the Brooklyn Athletics amateur baseball team was recently sold at a rural Maine
auction for $92,000. It was discovered at a yard sale and was in a photo album that was acquired along with some old Coke bottles and an oak
chair for $100. The Brooklyn Athletics were the league champions in 1861, 1864, and in 1865, so I guess they were a big deal. Not a bad return
on a yard-sale find. Here are a few other recent sales that grabbed my interest.
EBAY #121051215057—
1963 WESTERN AUTO
TONKA PICKUP TRUCK
TOY. Number of bids: 27.
SOLD AT: $1,136.11. Date
sold: 1/22/2013. This new-inthe-box
toy was only offered
at Western Auto Stores and
had the look of a ’63 Ford,
but there were no markings
on the toy. It was complete with the box and wrapping paper. Condition
is king and this had it all, thus the exceptional but not unrealistic
price.
EBAY #181053679666—OILZUM
ONE-QUART MOTOR OIL
CAN. Number of bids: 45. SOLD
AT: $480. Date sold: 1/6/2013.
Oilzum was the brand name
for the White and Bagley Oil
Company, and the Oilzum man
was their popular logo. The early
versions are very collectible, and
while quart cans are off their high
of a few years back, “picture”
cans in good condition still bring
the bucks.
EBAY #300820628525—
1964 CORVETTE PROMO
MODEL. Number of bids: 24.
SOLD AT: $1,825. Date sold:
11/25/2012. This 1/24-scale
1964 Corvette was finished
in silver with a red interior.
It was in exceptional condition
and was complete with
the original box and tissue.
The majority of promos go
for a couple hundred bucks at most, but this one attracted a couple
dozen bids with an over-the-top final result.
EBAY #271124987862—
PONTIAC SALES AND
SERVICE DEALER SIGN.
Number of bids: 36, SOLD
AT: $2,023. Date sold:
12/25/2012. This fiberglass
sign, which measured 36
inches by 60 inches, was
106 AmericanCarCollector.com
stated to have hung in a Pontiac dealership, but the seller also
stated the date of creation was unknown. The paint was barely dry,
and I’m willing to bet the fiberglass was no more than a few weeks
old. A lot of money for a questionable sign.
EBAY # 300830245734—FILCOOLATER
’50s “BEEHIVE”
OIL FILTER. Number of bids:
19. SOLD AT: $383. Date sold:
1/6/2013. This finned aluminum
oil filter also functioned as an
air-cooled heat exchanger. They
were featured in the 1953 Bell
Auto Parts Speed Equipment
catalog. The original plating was
bubbling here and there, so a trip
to the chrome shop is in order
before mounting on your period
hot rod.
EBAY #2008541165210—
CALIFORNIA AAA CLOISONNE
BADGE. Number of
bids: 59. SOLD AT: $1,025.
Date sold: 12/2/2012. The
California State Automobile
Association was founded
at a meeting in 1900 at
San Francisco’s famed Cliff
House restaurant. They
joined the AAA in 1907. This
badge, with the California Bear, was in wonderful condition. A lesser
example sold for a couple hundred dollars a few weeks earlier, so
again we observe that condition is key.
EBAY #150964898349—
VALVOLINE OIL COMPANY
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
OIL ONE-GALLON CAN.
Number of bids: 50. SOLD
AT: $3,651. Date sold:
12/23/2012. This is one of
the most desirable one-gallon
cans, and with 50 bids,
it attracted a bit of attention.
The condition of the can was
exceptional, and as such, the
price paid was not out of line.
A