Although Dana Mecum’s Spring Classic auction at Indianapolis is now consistently overshadowed by the January extravaganza in Kissimmee it is still a gargantuan presentation with a nearly unparalleled consignment of cars. There is, literally, something for everyone scattered among the Fairgrounds’ many buildings (some aptly named for their agricultural origins with designations like “Sheep” and “Swine”.)
It was possible to go home with real cars and trucks from $1,100 (a 1953 Maxim Fire Truck, surely 2022’s best value in dollars per pound) to $2.2 million (the Mario Andretti driven 1965 Brawner Hawk Ford V-8 Indy Car from Ray Evernham’s collection). There was a nearly endless variety of vehicles in between including a dozen bid to $1 million or more of which nine were sold bringing a total of $12,375,000.
But the Spring Classic is, after everything else is taken into account, a celebration of American muscle cars which are present in their bewildering variety, performance and history. It’s all here: Good, indifferent; bright, dull; shiny and fresh-from-a-barn. With so many cars it’s impossible to do more than skim the top, some pure gold and others barely dross, which Andrew Newton did at Mecum Indy this year while I was otherwise engaged in Monaco and recovering from the 43-hour trip home.
There are 79 cars reported here, a cross-section of the thousands offered and nearly two thousand sold. The overall numbers include many motorcycles and scooters, but not “Road Art”. Most of the described lots have pre-sale estimates (74 of the 79) which were posted on Mecum’s car card descriptions for the most valuable lots.
Unfortunately in a recent step back from transparency Mecum has declined to provide chassis numbers for the full auction docket. What you see here are the ones viewed on-site and reflected on the car cards. That also means that any late reruns couldn’t be identified by their VINs and are duplicated in the sale totals.
Here are the numbers:
| Year | Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ |
| 2022 | 1915/2333 | 82.1% | $58,545 | $33,000
[56.4%] |
$112,113,793 |
| 2021 | 1538/1965 | 78.3% | $59,988 | $35,200
[58.7%] |
$92,262,115 |
| 2020 | 1100/1457 | 75.5% | $53,536 | $26.400
[49.3%] |
$58,889,270 |
| 2019 | 1123/1719 | 65.3% | $56,504 | $30,250
[53.5%] |
$63,454,105 |
As noted, on-site observations are by Andrew Newton. Lots are sorted in day (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) order and by lot number.
Lot # T25 1994 Toyota Supra Mk IV Turbo Coupe; S/N JT2JA82L6R0020136; Super White/Black leather; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $140,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $154,000. – 2,997/320hp, 6-speed, Continental tires, no rear wing, power windows, air conditioning. – Showing 43,136 miles. Not much in the way of history represented, but this car stands out right away as being an unmodified turbo 6-speed manual Supra. Aside from a paint chip on the hood there’s not much to nitpick condition-wise, either. It’s clean top to bottom, inside and out. – With its grandma white paint, no rear wing and stock appearance, this car looks about as subtle as a Supra can get. And since it sold very early in the day on Thursday it wasn’t displayed prominently or heavily promoted. An unmodified Mk IV Supra Turbo is never going to fly under the radar, though. They’re too highly sought after among anyone who appreciates a piece of tuner car royalty. The top dollar price wasn’t surprising, but it was surprising that neither Mecum nor the seller made a bigger deal of it.
Lot # T122 1995 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 Coupe; S/N 1G1YZ22J0S5800077; Competition Yellow/Light Beige leather; Estimate $50,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $49,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $54,450. – 350/405hp, 6-speed, Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, glass and body color roofs, fire extinguisher. – From the Al Berman collection. Represented with 3,043 miles and as a one-owner car. NCRS Top Flight. One of 448 ZR1s built in the final 1995 model year and one of surely just a handful in these colors. A like-new collector-grade example. – With low miles, one owner, rare colors and late build date, this ZR-1 has essentially everything going for it. Even so, the Indy bidders didn’t get carried away. They bid top dollar, sure, but not beyond that. There were no fewer than five clean C4 ZR1s in Indy this year. They all brought prices from the mid-40s to the mid-50s, and that has been the going rate for super low-mile ZR1s for much of this year so far.
Lot # T127.1 2013 Cadillac CTS-V Station Wagon; S/N 1G6DV8EP7D0167830; Black Raven/Black; Estimate $50,000 – $65,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $65,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $71,500. – 376/556hp, 6-speed manual, red calipers, alloy wheels, Continental tires, sunroof, red/white/blue pinstripes, heated seats, service records. – Represented with 43,180 miles. Some light scratches, very small rock chips and minor scuffs on the nose and bottom front lip but otherwise well-kept paint. Very well kept interior. The wheels could stand a detailing. Moderately used. – Despite (or perhaps because of) being a car that does everything and does it well, 6-speed versions of the V wagon never really depreciated from their sticker price of around 63 grand and more or less became instant collectibles among fast wagon fans. Since GM ceased production of these five-door haulers in 2014, they’ve only gone up in value, and this price is about right for one in this condition with these miles. CTS-V wagons with an automatic can command around 15 percent less.
Lot # T135 1957 Volkswagen Beetle Oval-Window Sedan; S/N 1464726; Polar Silver/Red vinyl piped in White; Estimate $60,000 – $50,000; Recent restoration 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500. – 1,192/36hp, 4-speed, folding black cloth sunroof, rear window blinds, teakwood luggage rack, two-tone wheels with hub caps, Firestone whitewalls, dual wing mirrors, flower vase, original Blaupunkt radio, VDO clock, banjo steering wheel. – Excellent paint and chrome. Clean, straight body. Fantastic interior. Clean and fully redone underneath. Scratches on the original headlight covers are the only real flaw. Fitted with all the charming period goodies and restored to super high standards for a Beetle, even an early oval window car. It’s the best VW in Indy. – Beetles make great first classics. They’re simple, plentiful, fun, and they have a huge following. Up until fairly recently they were dirt cheap, too, but that’s changed in a big way over the past few years. And this car is a perfect example of that. Three years and 10 miles ago in Kissimmee, it sold for $42,900. That was a huge result at the time, and a $60,500 final price in 2022 is even more huge.
Lot # T144 1978 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Coupe; S/N 6L47S8Q276962; Arizona Beige, Demitasse Brown/Beige, Brown leather; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $39,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $42,900. – 425/180hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, sunroof, opera lamps, power windows, power seats, 8-track, digital clock. – Represented with 622 miles. There are a few scratches in the paint and the chrome looks a little tired. There is also a small dent in one of the wheel covers. Otherwise it looks like the time warp car it’s supposed to be with an immaculate interior and spotless chassis. – A huge price, about half of it going toward the three-digit odometer reading. With some looking you could buy a solid, drivable Biarritz that is visually almost indistinguishable from this car for about 20 grand.
Lot # T162 1966 Lotus Elan S2 Coupe; S/N 456145; Yellow/Black; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Enthusiast restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $29,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $31,900. – 1,558/115hp with dual Webers, 4-speed, Minilite alloy wheels, Toyo tires, racing belts, Momo steering wheel, later cassette stereo. – Old respray with mismatched shades of yellow. Loose fit on the front bumper. Dirty wheels. Clean, lightly worn interior. Uneven panel fit but the gaps were never good on these cars even when they were new. Dirt and grime but no signs of rust underneath. Clean, fresh-looking engine. A little rough around the edges but not a bad Elan by any means. It seems like it was set up for vintage rallies or autocrossing and it looks like a barrel of laughs just sitting here. – Cleaner examples have sold for this kind of money, but this car is set up for driving and that’s the whole point of an Elan, anyway, and if we’re talking thrills per dollar there are still few cars that offer better value than a well-sorted Elan.
Lot # T163 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 454 Coupe; S/N 138571B232656; Mulsanne Blue, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl, cloth; Estimate $75,000 – $90,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $93,500. – 454/365hp, automatic, power steering and brakes, Rally wheels, Firestone Wide Oval tires, bucket seats, console, horseshoe shifter, factory radio, factory air conditioning, power windows, window sticker. – Represented as one of 1,919 built for 1971. Very good paint and chrome. Tight roof vinyl. The rocker trim doesn’t fit evenly. Excellent interior. Clean wheels. Clean and restored underneath. Fully redone to high standards. Monte Carlos typically didn’t get this kind of attention until fairly recently. – Offered by RM at Auburn Fall in 2018 where it was a $47,500 no-sale, appreciation of this unusual Monte Carlo variant has increased in recent years, as it should have. This still is a generous price for a Big Block Monte Carlo but it bought a rare combination of personal luxury and performance that deserves collector attention.
Lot # T174 1974 Pontiac Ventura GTO 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N 2Y27B4W118912; White, Red, Blue side stripes and graphics/White vinyl; Estimate $40,000 – $55,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $33,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,300. – 350/200hp, 4-speed, Rally wheels, Firestone Wide Oval tires, shaker hood, tach, red seat belts, factory radio, console gauges, window sticker, PHS documents. – From the final but certainly not best year for the GTO and the only year for this body style, when it was based on the Ventura II (Pontiac’s version of the Nova). Showing 12,344 miles, which aren’t represented as original but would be believable if they were. Mildly aged original chrome. Solid original paint other than some cracking, mostly in and around the drip rails. Large chip on the left rear. Some dirt and scratches on the wheels. Very good interior that looks nearly new. These pieces of mustache muscle aren’t particularly special cars, but the fact that someone preserved this one so well is what indeed does make it special. – Ambitiously estimated, but $36,300 is all the money for this 200-hp Ventura GTO. Credit the impressive originality, the 4-speed, and the patriotic paint scheme.
Lot # T197 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 Coupe; S/N SCEDT26TXBD003933; Stainless/Gray leather; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $52,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $57,200. – 2850/130hp, automatic, o store brand tires. Comes with original window ticker, books, and maintenance records. – Showing 4263 miles that are represented as actual. Some light to heavy scratching in the stainless finish that could likely be buffed out, but it requires a specialist to work on these bodies. The bodywork is also loose behind the doors and ahead of the engine cover. Speaking of the engine cover, it has a small chip in it. Rusty screws in between the headlights. The interior is well-preserved, but the driver’s seat has noticeable wear and a flat bottom, which calls that low mileage claim into question. Far from the world’s best DeLorean regardless of what the odometer says. And yes, it is possible to talk about one of these cars without a Back to the Future reference. –
Lot # T209 1976 Triumph TR6 Convertible; S/N CF54987U0; White/Red leather; Black top; Estimate $18,000 – $24,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700. – 2498/101hp, 4-speed, red line tires, luggage rack, wood shift knob, original radio. – Very clean recently restored engine bay. Lightly scratched luggage rack and bumpers but shiny, blemish-free recent paint. Excellent new (but not factory correct) seat covers. Clean switchgear and wood dash, but the shifter boot is loose. Redone to high standards for a TR6. Better than most, and needs nothing. – The gap in prices between very good and just OK TR6s has widened considerably over the past few years. This car skews toward the former, and this is a strong but fair price for it in the current market.
Lot # T209.1 1983 Rolls-Royce Corniche I Drophead Coupe, Body by Mulliner Park Ward; S/N SCAZD42A6DCX06300; White/Red leather piped in Black; Black leatherette top; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Unrestored original 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000. – 6,750/220hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, boot cover, Kenwood CD stereo, air conditioning. – From the Brian Kelly collection. Showing 18,468 miles and represented with new brakes and tires but no other service. Severely scratched weather stripping. Scratched and scuffed brightwork. Mostly good paint. Mildly worn steering wheel and switchgear but good upholstery. Light road wear underneath. Seems like a few too many question marks about this car to really bid with gusto. – That didn’t deter the Indy bidders, however, who gustoed into this Corniche with enthusiasm. Fairly it should be said that its condition and low mileage were reassuring. The new owner should only hope that the visual presentation is backed up by its mechanical condition, something only a competent R-R tech can determine.
Lot # T211 1977 Nissan Patrol Utility; S/N LG6067089; Orange/Black vinyl; Beige vinyl top; Estimate $18,000 – $25,000; Truck restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $32,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $35,200. – 4-liter six, 3-speed manual, dual wing mirrors, rear-mounted spare. – From the Brian Kelly collection. Second gen Patrol sold new in Colombia. Fully restored chassis but the exhaust looks ancient. Clean truck-quality paint. Newer replacement soft top with a few scuffs. Clean interior with restored gauges and new upholstery. A rarely seen and reasonably well restored Patrol that will stand out in a crowd of Land Cruisers. – And even at this strong, well above estimate result, it isn’t any more expensive than a South American Land Cruiser in this condition. An almost endless supply of these is hiding in the jungles of Central and South America, with more in Southeast Asia.
Lot # T226 1989 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer Wagon 4×4; S/N 1FMEU15H7KLB00463; Scarlet Red, Tan/Chestnut cloth; Estimate $50,000 – $75,000; Truck restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500. – 351/210hp, automatic, 3.55 limited-slip, polished aluminum wheels, BFG All-Terrain T/A tires, factory handling package, factory tow package, aftermarket JVC CD stereo. – Showing 79,216 miles. Good older repaint with a handful of scratches and touch ups. Tidy bumpers. New suspension and totally refinished chassis. New-looking weather-stripping. Excellent original interior. Has gotten a lot more restorative attention than just a repaint as the car card seems to suggest, and it has resulted in a deeply impressive later Bronco that left the factory with a lot of the most desirable options. – This Bronco has been cleaned up significantly since last March, when it was a $13,500 no-sale on Bring a Trailer (it was represented there with a replacement engine, which wasn’t disclosed here). The difference in condition is noticeable but that only goes most of the way in explaining the two very different dollar figures. Even in the context of all things Bronco being very expensive these days, this is a very big result.
Lot # T227 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III BJ8 ph2 Convertible; S/N HBJ8L32230; British Racing Green/Biscuit leather; Biscuit leatherette top; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $80,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $88,000. – 2,912/150hp, overdrive 4-speed, wire wheels, Nankang tires, boot cover, woodrim steering wheel. – Restored in 2010. The paint and chrome are starting to show their age but there are no major blemishes. Slightly erratic panel fit. Very clean chassis and stainless steel exhaust. Gorgeous interior with upgraded leather, although there is light discoloration on the boot cover. An older but quite well done restoration on a late Big Healey in classic colors. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2011 when it was quite a bit fresher for $79,200, then again for $77,000 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2017. Big Healey prices are historically rather steady even among the constant change elsewhere in the market, so this higher result after some age and 295 miles of use (based on the odometer reading) was a bit of a surprise. Expensive but not outrageous.
Lot # T260 1955 Studebaker Commander 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 8420103; Blue, White/Dark Blue leather; Estimate $50,000 – $75,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. – 259/185hp with factory high power kit, column shift automatic, wire wheels, whitewalls, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – Represented as matching numbers. Good quality paint and chrome with light to moderate detail scratching throughout. Fully restored underneath. Excellent fully redone interior with only the faintest wear on the leather. Rare to see a Studebaker this clean. – A Mecum veteran, this Studebaker sold here in 2011 for $64,660, at Kissimmee in 2012 for $63,600, no-saled here in 2014 at a magnanimous reported bid of $75,000, and sold here again in 2016 for $60,500. Interest in postwar domestic cars, particularly from long-defunct brands like Studebaker, has waned a bit. But not to the degree suggested by the massive difference in prices for this car between 2016 and 2022. It flew under the radar at no reserve, resulting in a serious haircut for the seller but a satisfying buy for the new owner.
Lot # F63 1966 Volkswagen Beetle Sunroof Sedan; S/N 116824318; Red/Cream vinyl piped in Red; Estimate $15,000 – $25,000; Older restoration 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,800. – 1285/50hp, two-time steel wheels with hub caps, Firestone wide whitewalls, sunroof, roof rack, Pioneer CD stereo. – Minor crunch in the bodywork near the right headlight and slightly wavy body sides. Decent older respray with some prep issues on the tail and fading on the roof. Heavily scratched rear glass. New weather stripping. Clean partially restored interior. Tidy underneath. Restored years ago to appropriate standards appropriate for a Beetle and what their prices were like at the time. – These days, though, Beetles are worth substantially more and this result is right in the neighborhood of what other #3 condition mid-’60s Bugs have been selling for recently.
Lot # F89.1 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 2K57T2A210513; Cardinal Red, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $73,700. – 400/250hp, automatic, Rally II wheels, Hankook narrow whitewalls, power windows, bucket seats, floor shift, console, factory radio. – Unrestored and the 3,659 miles showing are represented as actual. Original down to the exhaust, carefully stored, and never driven. There are only the faintest signs of age or deterioration. A time warp car in every sense of the term. Is it pretty? No. But it’s damn cool and very impressive. – It’s safe to say that this is a huge, magnanimous, over-the-top premium for preservation and low miles on a car otherwise worth half this much. Grands Prix of this era are luxurious and seriously big, almost as big as this price, but originality is its own reward and this Grand Prix Model J has originality in every aspect.
Lot # F98 2004 Acura NSX-T Targa; S/N JH4NA21674T00145; Formula Red/Tan leather; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000. – 3,179/290hp, 6-speed, original window sticker. – Represented with just 9,823 miles and presents like a new car. One of 197 built in 2004, the original NSX’s second-to-last model year, as sales of Honda’s mid-engined wonder were winding way down. – The NSX showed the world that you could daily drive a supercar and not break the bank every time it needed a service. NSXs never really got cheap so there are plenty of well-kept ones out there, but this one is still in impressive condition. And as collector attention has turned toward late model analog exotics, demand for original NSXs has only grown. This one sold here five years ago with 8,950 miles on the clock for $104,500. That was top dollar and appropriate for it in 2017, and $165,000 is top dollar and appropriate for it in 2022.
Lot # F103 1972 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N THPNMB02369; Black/Black leather; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000. – 351/330hp Ford Cleveland V-8, 5-speed, Campagnolo wheels, Falken tires in front, Avon tires in back, long tube headers, LeCarra steering wheel, later Kenwood stereo. – Mild scratching in the chrome. Good but older paint with some imperfect masking around the windshield. Clean, like-new wheels. Very good interior. A desirable, clean Pre-L Pantera that doesn’t look to have ever been cut up or modified. – They’re not as affordable as they used to be, but Panteras still make a whole lot of sense for people who love ’70s Italian high-performance wedges but would rather not pay Ferrari/Maserati money. Six figures is strong money for this one, but not excessive given its clean condition.
Lot # F111 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N XX29J9B383276; Dark Green Metallic, Black/Green vinyl; Estimate $1,100,000 – $1,300,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,320,000. – 426/425hp Hemi, 4-speed, hub caps, Goodyear red line tires, 4.10 Super Track Pack, Sure Grip, power windows, tinted glass. – One of 22 Hemi 4-speed Daytonas, and represented as the most highly optioned Daytona known to exist. Original drivetrain and factory equipment. Tiny scratch on the right headlight door but otherwise gorgeous paint. Light scratches in the window frames and rear glass. The nose rubber is a bit discolored and uneven. Pitting on the console trim but otherwise good restored interior. Could have been restored to more exacting standards given the value, but as a well-optioned Hemi Daytona it’s still an absolute star wherever it goes. – Dodge came up with the Charger to mess with NASCAR’s mind. They succeeded on super speedways with their wind-cheating streamlined nose cone and high mounted rear wing, then inspired Plymouth to try the same thing with the Superbird a year later, which also achieved its objective. But Superbirds are a dime a dozen compared with Charger Daytonas, a fact recognized by collectors who stand in line to own one. This is, however, a huge price even taking into account the quality older restoration. When it’s lined up in a row of Mopars with a dozen or more Superbirds very few onlookers will know the difference. This is a world record auction price, and by a good margin.
Lot # F113 1970 Ford Torino Cobra SportsRoof; S/N 0H38C108527; Yellow/Black vinyl; Estimate $400,000 – $500,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $350,000. – 429/370hp, automatic, hub caps and trim rings, Firestone double white line tires, dual mirrors, factory air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power windows, bucket seats, floor shift, console, pushbutton radio. – Unrestored with 838 miles. The only King Cobra with a production Torino VIN, documented with the original invoice to Bud Moore Engineering. Dull, scratched bumpers. Light paint cracking in front of the fog lights and chips elsewhere. Doors sticking out at the bottom. Very well-preserved interior and underbody. Very well kept and pretty. Only reveals any flaws upon close inspection. Kind of a goofy-looking, aardvark of a car, but very rare. – Its 429 may not have claimed the power of its Hemi competitors from Dodge and Plymouth but in the hands of NASCAR’s elite builders the King Cobra was competitive with them. This special road-going version sold for $577,500 at Mecum Kissimmee in 2016 and shows only three more miles (likely on and off Mecum transport trucks and puttering around auction venues) on its odometer today. The estimate on it in Indy was curiously lower ($400,000-$500,000 in 2022 vs. $500,000-$750,000 in 2016), and the even bigger surprise is that it didn’t even reach that. It does deserve more, but it’s also a bit obscure and has a more limited appeal than something like the Hemi Daytona that sold the next day. The right buyer just wasn’t here.
Lot # F116 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko Sport Coupe; S/N 124378N472062; Corvette Bronze, Black nose band/Black; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $370,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $407,000. – 427/425hp L72, 4-speed, COPO 9737, Rally wheels, Firestone red line tires, rear spoiler, Stewart Warner tach, Hurst shifter, factory radio. Retains early California emissions controls equipment. – From the Motor City Muscle collection. AACA National First Prize in 2005. Good paint, chrome and interior. Not beaming and fresh, but well and correctly restored years ago, shown, and carefully kept. – This is a choice COPO Camaro in a rare and distinctive color. Bought right in this transaction considering its older but superbly preserved restoration, the new owner can be rightfully proud of the car and the price paid for it.
Lot # F117.1 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Yenko 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 136379B394623; Butternut Yellow, Black/Black vinyl; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $220,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $242,000. – 427/425hp L72, 4-speed with Hurst shifter, Torque Thrust wheels, Goodyear Polyglas tires, radio delete, COPO 9737 and 8562, COPO Connection documented. – One of 99 built. Fully restored to standards fitting of a genuine Yenko Chevelle, and showing no flaws to speak of. – Half the price of a COPO Camaro of comparable vintage but appropriately price for its condition and comprehensive documentation, this is a sound buy in a sweet Chevelle.
Lot # F120 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Yenko Stinger Coupe; S/N 107376W131802; Ermine White, Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $57,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $62,700. – 164/160hp, 4-speed with Hurst T-handle shifter, electronic ignition, Radial T/A tires, roll bar, 3.55 Positraction, Koni shocks, rear spoiler, window sticker. – The 21st of 100 built to homologate the Stinger for SCCA racing. Some mild blemishes in the bumper. Some light scuffs, scratches and chips on the paint as well as some cracking on the roof and nose. The windshield is delaminating at the edges. Clean lightly run engine bay. Clean wheels. Very good interior. A Yenko Stinger is cool regardless of condition, and they’re so rare that you can’t be all that picky when shopping for one, anyway. – This could be a competitive and fun vintage racer or a very distinctive street car, and there really is no wrong answer. This is a strong price by the standards of other Stingers and about five times the $12,455 it sold for in 2003 at Fall Auburn, but given the serious rarity, the fun factor and the association with one of the most famous names in American performance, it’s still a of a lot of car even if the estimate range is ludicrous and the final price is generous for a Stinger.
Lot # F121 1979 International (IHC) Scout II Utility; S/N J0062JGD47824; Yellow, White/Black vinyl; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Truck restoration 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $22,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $24,200. – 196 cid four, floor shift 4-speed, bucket seats, heavy duty shocks, cassette stereo. – Originally exported to Europe. Looks mostly original underneath with dirt and oxidation but no rot or serious body repair. Very old respray with masking errors and a few blisters as well as serious orange peel on the roof. Tidy interior. Pitted tailgate latch and the aftermarket tint on the rear glass is bubbling up. An eye-catching but driver-quality unrestored Scout II, and although the European export makes for an interesting story, it doesn’t make this IH worth any more money and that four-cylinder will struggle to do much more than keep up with right line traffic on the Interstate. – Scouts were cheap workhorses until fairly recently, when they became more popular for their vintage style and loud colors in the same vein as early Broncos, Blazers and Land Cruisers. This price would have seemed preposterous just five or so years ago, but today it’s perfectly realistic for a driver-quality four-cylinder Scout II.
Lot # F123 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS Nickey Stage III 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124377N184950; Tahoe Turquoise, White nose band/Black vinyl; Estimate $450,000 – $500,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $390,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $429,000. – 427/435hp L89, M21 4-speed, stinger hood, hood pins, centerlock wheels, Firestone red line tires, rear spoiler, Hurst shifter, console, factory radio, Nickey spec sheet, dealer file and certificate of authenticity. – Believed to be one of three Nickey Camaros built with the aluminum-head Tri-Power L89 engine. Featured in numerous magazines and books. Restored a while ago to like new without overdoing it. A holy grail car for Camaro fans. – The era of dealer-converted big-block “supercars” from the likes of Yenko, Baldwin-Motion and Nickey Chevrolet (typically written with a backwards “k”) was brief, only lasting from about 1967 to the end of 1970. But it produced some of the fastest, most lusted after muscle and pony cars out there. The opportunity to buy a Camaro converted by Nickey Chevrolet of Chicago only comes up every few years, and this one’s options make it even more special. Restored in the ’90s, it was then sold by Mecum in 2000 for $67,000 and was a no-sale at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale the following year at $85,000. Mecum sold again for $446,250 at its St. Charles sale in October 2008, which was an odd time in the market since muscle car prices were in the middle of plummeting but top-spec cars were still bringing big money. The result here in Indy could have been a bit higher, but anybody on the lookout for a rare first gen Camaro there this year had so many choices, including a gaggle of 1967 Z/28s and three Yenko Camaros, so there was only so much attention and money to go around. The new owner got a prime COPO Camaro for a responsible price.
Lot # F135.1 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS Convertible Indy Pace Car; S/N 124677N194600; Ermine White, Blue/Bright Blue, White vinyl; Estimate $800,000 – $900,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $575,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $632,500. – 396/325hp L35, automatic, red line tires, boot cover, console, factory radio, rear bumper flag holders, Protect-O-Plate. – The original 1967 Indy 500 Pace Car, driven by three-time winner Maury Rose. AJ Foyt then turned it down as a prize for winning and it was used as a USAC pace car during the rest of the `67 season. Originally an L78 but converted to L35 spec for Pace Car duties. Wisely kept mostly original, although the engine looks repainted, the radiator looks new, and there are new hoses and wires throughout. The paint is delightfully original, with mild cracking on the tail but no serious issues. The interior also looks great. There are plenty of pace car replicas out there that are collectible in their own right, but actual Indy 500 pace cars are something else entirely, hence the estimate here, which puts this among the most valuable Camaros in the world. – Chevy’s pony car has paced the 500 more than any other automobile other than the Corvette, and this was the very first Camaro to have the honor. 55 years later, there is no better place to sell it than at one of the world’s largest collector car auctions held in the town that made the car famous. That’s why it’s hard to argue with this price. It might be well under estimate, but the seller realized there was never going to be an offer higher than this one and wisely took it.
Lot # F141 2020 McLaren Speedtail Coupe; S/N SBM23GDG1LW403087; Heritage Gloss Steel/Blue Silver; Estimate $2,800,000 – $3,000,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $2,500,000. – 3994/1035hp, Pirelli P Zero tires. – The 87th of 106 Speedtails built in 2020. Just 275 miles and looks like a new car. – This Speedtail sold for $2.7M at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction back in March. That made it the cheapest Speedtail sold at auction to date (if you can all $2.7M “cheap”), indicating that some of the freshness of these rare hypercars might be wearing off. Another Speedtail hasn’t sold at auction since, so it was understandable that it attracted a similar high bid just a few months later in Indy but left its Amelia buyer begging for more. Rare and hyperperformance both are good, but the appeal appears off when offered in close proximity.
Lot # F145 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W-30 Holiday Coupe; S/N 344870M262287; Aegean Aqua, White stripes/Pearl White vinyl; Estimate $190,000 – $220,000; Concours restoration 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $275,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $302,500. – 455/370hp, 4-speed, 3.42 Positraction, Goodyear Polyglas tires, pushbutton radio, tilt steering column, bucket seats, console, window sticker, Protect-O-Plate. – Body-off restored in 2020, including repaint in gorgeous Aegean Aqua, one of a handful of special order colors offered. Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals Concours Gold winner last year. AACA National Winner in 2021, Junior and Senior First Place. Represented as matching numbers drivetrain. The show history speaks for itself. This is a fresh, gleaming, gorgeous, better than new W-30 with no excuses. – One of the more exceptional cars in Indy this year condition-wise, this car brought one of the most exceptional prices. It blew past Mecum’s presale estimate, which wasn’t exactly conservative, to a price that the seller probably hadn’t even considered. It would have been a huge price even for a W-30 convertible. Not exactly an astute buy, then, but at least the new owner has a very much show-worthy and show-winning Olds which curiously has no description posted on Mecum’s website
Lot # F166 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback; S/N 5F7F116128; Pace Car White, Pace Car graphics/White vinyl; Estimate $75,000 – $85,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $72,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,200. – 260/164hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, power steering, original radio. – One of 185 Indianapolis Pace Car Edition Mustangs, rarer and less well known than the Camaro Pace Cars. Represented as one of just 20 thought to exist according to the registry. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Even gaps. Tidy underneath. Restored to high standards for what it is. Nothing all that remarkable about a 260-powered `64 1/2 Mustang, but in this case the decals make a big difference. – How much of a difference? In this case, the sale price is about twice what a normal 1964 1/2 Mustang notchback in this condition would bring. Considering the serious rarity, especially among early Mustangs where “rarity” is often defined by an arbitrary combination of options (“it’s one of one in Dusk Rose paint with an AM radio, air conditioning and an automatic!”) 70 grand doesn’t seem all that expensive. That said, the last time Mecum sold one of these cars at Indy 2020 it brought $79,750, so there’s consistency for you.
Lot # F170.1 1970 Ford Mustang SportsRoof; S/N 0R02F137360; Grabber Orange, Black/White vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $55,000. – 302/220hp, automatic, power steering, power brakes with front discs, Magnum 500 wheels, Bridgestone tires, Philco radio, factory air conditioning, tinted glass. – Sold new in Arizona. Completely unrestored other than new seat foam, supposedly. Faded paint that has been buffed through in a lot of spots. Faded, cracking decals. Dull chrome and brightwork. Some pitting to the interior trim but the upholstery and gauges look great. Considering the age and 98,978 miles showing, it looks reasonably good underneath but it’s dry and oxidized down there. The level of patina is at a good level and kind of cool if you’re into that kind of thing, but not a particularly remarkable if you consider the basic equipment. – Despite the Grabber Orange paint and Black accents this is a base Mustang with an automatic. It looks like a high performance Mustang, but it isn’t. This a huge price for a $20,000 Mustang even as nicely preserved as it is.
Lot # F171 1970 Ford Mustang Grande Coupe; S/N 0F4F156812; Medium Lime, Green and Black vinyl houndstooth roof/Ivy with houndstooth cloth inserts; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700. – 302/210hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, power steering, factory air conditioning, AM radio. – Represented as unrestored with 39,250 actual miles. Sold new in Oklahoma. Faded but presentable original paint but some heavy scratches and dings, buffed through spots on the fenders, and large chips on the mirrors. Light dent in the driver’s door. Tidy and maintained underneath. Excellent original interior. Decent original brightwork. Rarely was a somewhat pedestrian Grande model as pampered as this, which makes this car impressive, as do the unusual but attractive colors. – Pampered, however, does not translate into value when the pedestrian specifications of this Mustang Grande are taken into account. It would not have been a bargain at less than half this price, even with the low mileage and preservation.
Lot # F176 1940 Ford Deluxe Convertible; S/N 185529727; Maroon/Maroon; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $47,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $51,700. – 221/85hp, column shift 3-speed, power top, hub caps and trim rings, fender skirts, Firestone wide whitewalls, dual mirrors, boot cover, dash clock, original radio. – Formerly in the Wayne Davis collection, and the 44,732 miles showing are represented as accurate. Old paint with some light scratches on the front, around the windshield and on top of the passenger’s door. Chips around the edges of the doors, which stick out a bit. Very good, lightly worn interior. Scratches on the hub caps. Older-looking tires. Tidy underneath. A good older restoration, great for a sunny day. – Sold way back in 1993 at the World Classic (formerly Rick Cole) sale in Newport Beach for $21,000, then sold out of the Wayne Davis collection in 2008 for $63,800. It was a fresher car in 2008, and prewar Ford prices haven’t exactly been the most dynamic part of the market in the years since, so it’s reasonable for it to have depreciated a bit. This is a reasonable hit for a solid but aged ’40 Ford convertible.
Lot # F183 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 3U66R147404; Wimbledon White/Turquoise vinyl; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $135,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $148,500. – 427/425hp, dual quads, 4-speed, spinner wheel covers, Firestone blackwall tires, bucket seats, console, heat/defrost. – Factory R-code. Very good older paint and chrome. Dull, scratched window frames and body side trim. Very good interior other than some pitting on the steering wheel trim. Tidy and older restored underneath. Top notch equipment and only mild age on this R-Code Galaxie 500XL. – Reasonably estimated by Mecum but the bidders threw caution to the winds and pursued this rare Galaxie 500 XL with the thunderous 427/425hp engine and 4-speed to this magnanimous result. The restoration is showing its age and this result could have been half as much without being unreasonable. Sometimes there is no reasonable explanation but by any realistic standard this is an expensive result.
Lot # F191 1969 American Motors SC/Rambler Hurst 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N A9M097X289426; White, Red, Blue/Charcoal vinyl with red/white/blue headrests; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $93,500. – 390/315hp, 4-speed with Hurst T-handle shifter, Sun tach, hood pins, Twin-Grip, 3.54 axle, window sticker. – “A” paint scheme. Restored to like new condition. Nothing to nitpick. – In creating one of the most outrageous cars in an era chock-full of automotive excess, American Motors (AMC) smashed the biggest V-8 available into the smallest, lightest body in its lineup. Produced in conjunction with Hurst Performance Products and aimed at NHRA F-Stock drag racing, the SC/Rambler was also cheap, and just about the only car you could buy for less than three grand that had over 300-hp and could pull mid-14s. Although AMC only planned to build around 500, the company ended up selling over 1500. About 80 percent of buyers chose this loud and proud “A” paint scheme with the red body sides and ludicrous hood decals instead of the more conservative (but still flamboyant) “B” paint scheme. Buyer preference apparently still lays with the “A” scheme since this car sold for over $10,000 more than the “B” painted car out of the same collection, but both brought huge results that put them among the most expensive SC/Ramblers ever sold.
Lot # F192 1970 American Motors Rebel Machine 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N A0M190Y191760; Frost White, Red, Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $100,000 – $130,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $132,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $145,750. – 390/340hp, T10 4-speed with Hurst shifter, Twin Grip differential, factory air conditioning, hood tach, AM radio, tinted glass. – From the AMC collection. Represented as matching numbers. One of 2,326 built. Lovely paint, chrome, and interior. Clean, even decals. Some blemishes on the window frames and light pitting on the “Rebel” trim on the tail. Some big scratches on the rear window. Very good interior. Nearly spotless underneath. Cool, ridiculous, gorgeous. – The one-year-only Rebel Machine isn’t quite as outrageous as the SC/Rambler, but that’s sort of like saying Canada is colder than Finland. The Machine is still a bold piece of multicolored muscle with a gaping hood and plenty of decals. Developed by Hurst, it’s essentially a Rebel SST with 390/340hp and 4-speed as well as hood tach, heavy-duty suspension, Twin-Grip differential, and power disc brakes. Just 2,300 were built, but even though these AMCs are loud and proud, they’re on the obscure side and traditionally haven’t commanded as much money as similar Big Three muscle cars. This car is an exception to that. A big exception. Sold in front of a receptive crowd of bidders who knew AMCs and recognized not just the car’s flair and flamboyance but also its high quality, it brought a world record price. In fact, it’s the first one we’ve seen break six figures and it did so by a wide margin.
Lot # F193 1969 American Motors SC/Rambler Hurst 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N A9M097X299072; White, Red, Blue/Charcoal vinyl with Red/White/Blue headrests; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500. – 390/315hp, 4-speed with Hurst T-handle shifter, 3.54 Twin-Grip, Sun tachometer, dual mirrors, hood pins, blue wheels, Goodyear red line tires. – From the AMC collection. Rare “B” paint scheme that’s more conservative but still nothing you’d call subtle. Fully restored a while ago and showing nothing but light general age. No major flaws. – Sold twice in rather unimpressive condition in 2007, once at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale for $49,500 and once at Mecum Rockford for $47,250. Cleaner and more valuable now, it still brought a bit less than the louder and prouder “A” painted SC/Rambler out of the same collection, but this is still a strong number.
Lot # F195.1 1971 American Motors Hornet SC/360 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N A1M061P106532; Blue, White stripes/Dark Blue vinyl; Estimate $50,000 – $70,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000. – 360/285hp, 4-speed with Hurst shifter, dual exhaust, hood scoop, tach, AM radio. – From the AMC collection. Partially restored engine bay showing some dirt, grime and electrical tape but nothing out of whack. Decent older paint with some prep issues on and around the roof. Lightly scratched but presentable chrome. Good interior. The driver’s door does not want to close all the way. Plenty of corners cut and flaws to nitpick, but it’s still fantastic for an AMC Hornet, and when was the last time you saw one of these? Then again, given the lofty estimate, it’s not as easy to forgive all the flaws. – And at this sale price one could justify a more thorough and exacting restoration, but when this car was restored nobody probably thought it would ever be worth this much.
Lot # F196 1974 American Motors Gremlin X 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N A4C465H406912; Black, White side stripe/Black vinyl; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. – 304/150hp, automatic, BFG Radial T/A tires roof rack, bucket seats, pushbutton radio, air conditioning, floor shift with B&M shifter. – From the AMC collection. Very good older paint. Cracked right rear bumperette. Light scratching throughout the rear glass. Pitting and scratches on the rear spoiler. Good partially restored interior and underbody. Redone to very high standards for a Gremlin. – A “performance” Gremlin is an exercise in opposites. This was, after all, AMC’s compact car entry hyped as “the Wide Small Car”. The challenge is obvious in the moderate price this rare car bought: It’s rare, but few people care.
Lot # F198 1970 American Motors Javelin Mark Donohue Edition Fastback; S/N A0M797X210394; White, Black C-stripes/Black vinyl; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000. – 390/325hp, Isky cam, Sidewinder exhaust, 4-speed with Hurst shifter, Goodyear Polyglas tires, AM radio. – From the AMC collection. Rare Mark Donohue Edition Javelin, one of 2,501 sold to homologate a rear spoiler designed by Donohue for Trans Am racing. Clean older restored engine bay. Old paint with some small blemishes throughout as well as significant fading on the tail and rear spoiler. Lightly scratched chrome and exhaust surrounds. Light pitting and fading on the badges. Very good interior. A straightforward older restoration with forgivable age given the rare equipment and that it’s a treat to see any Javelin close to this good anymore. Still a very cool car. – Every car out of this collection was exceptional for an AMC and all had a lot of eyes on them in the days leading up to their trips across the block. The concentration of AMC interest in a live auction setting meant that almost every single one brought at worst strong or at best record-setting money. Although the result for this one is below estimate, it’s big money even for a Mark Donohue Edition car and the seller should be more than satisfied. It’s hard to imagine the car bringing a higher price elsewhere and at Mecum’s Harrisburg sale in 2014 that’s exactly what happened when it sold for $37,800.
Lot # F199 1973 American Motors Javelin AMX Pierre Cardin Edition Fastback Coupe; S/N A3M798Z205653; Trans Am Red, Gold/Pattern cloth; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $95,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $104,500. – 401/255hp, 4-speed with Hurst shifter, Goodyear Polyglas GT tires, rear spoiler, bucket seats, console, Weather Eye heat and defrost, original books and documents. – From the AMC collection. Rare Pierre Cardin Edition Javelin and restored to higher standards than the vast majority of AMCs out there. Nearly spotless fully restored engine bay. Excellent paint other than some imperfect masking between the red and black areas of the tail. Even gaps. Very good interior. A highlight of this collection that should get any AMC man excited. – “Only Pierre Cardin can make upholstery look so elegant, door panels so classy, and a headliner so chic,” says a period ad promoting this special designer edition Javelin, which predated the better known Designer Series Lincolns by several years. “So that the Beautiful People can buy a lot of class. Without worrying about clash,” the ad continues. But like most AMCs, late Javelins, even special editions like this, haven’t traditionally gotten auction paddles to wave frantically. This very car for example, sold at Mecum St Charles 10 years ago for just $36,040. Sold out of a large AMC collection in front of a receptive crowd, however, Indy 2022 was this car’s time to shine and it brought an absolutely massive, perhaps unrepeatable price.
Lot # F201 1969 American Motors AMX California 500 Special Fastback; S/N A9C397X87302; Big Bad Green, Black stripes/Tan; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $52,000. – 390/315hp, floor shift automatic, side exhaust, Goodyear red line tires, air conditioning, pushbutton radio, console. – From the AMC collection. Very rare California Special model. Represented as one of approximately 23 built to mark the AMX’s role as pace car at Riverside International Raceway. Nearly spotless fully restored engine. Very good paint and chrome. Light scratches on the side exhaust surrounds. Clean interior with light wear on the steering wheel and simulated wood console as well as a scuffed driver’s seat bolster. Body-off restored to appropriate standards and, as AMXs go, this one is near the top of the heap. – Another collection of rare-spec metal from American Motors was offered about a year ago through an RM Sotheby’s “Open Roads” online auction, and included in it was another California 500 Special in similar condition to this one in Indy and with the same equipment. It brought $94,600. It would have been reasonable, then, to expect at least that amount out of this car at Indy, but for whatever reason the bidders didn’t pay it much mind. It was reasonable to hold on to it and seek higher offers elsewhere.
Lot # F205 1978 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle Station Wagon; S/N J8A17NN078778; Brown, Golden Eagle graphics/Tan leather piped in Brown; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $74,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $81,400. – 360/175hp, column shift automatic, tan Levi’s interior with Levi’s buttons, air conditioning, bronze wheels, roof rack, later radio. – From the AMC collection. Unrestored but maintained engine. Grimy chassis but no major rot or rust. Scratched bumpers. Good older repaint. Heavy track scratches in the power rear window. New-looking seats but the rest of the interior looks original. Very cool `70s Cherokee that isn’t totally original but hasn’t been restored either, really. – The absence of rot is a big deal with these Cherokees which seem to have begun to rust before leaving the assembly line. This car’s condition is not encouraging but it is rare both when new and to have survived in generally good condition. The bidders appreciated it more than its condition warranted.
Lot # F205.1 1976 Jeep Cherokee Chief Station Wagon 4×4; S/N J6A17MN004553; Firecracker Red, White/Black vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Recent restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $51,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $56,100. – 360/195hp, Edelbrock carburetor, aluminum radiator, column shift automatic, 4-wheel drive, narrow whitewalls, roof rack, bucket seats, console, later Pioneer stereo, air conditioning. – From the AMC collection. Rebuilt/salvage title. Clean restored engine bay and underbody. Good paint with some orange peel on the white areas. Faded Cherokee script on the tail. Uneven door gaps. Very good interior. Restored to higher standards than it needed to be given the title situation and an attractive, rarely seen vintage Cherokee. – Sold for $36,300 at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach in 2019 and turned around here at a handsome price for its neglected condition and salvage title.
Lot # F206 1964 Porsche 356C Coupe; S/N 130547; Signal Red/Black leather; Estimate $140,000 – $160,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $120,000. – 1,582/75hp, 4-speed, chrome wheels, Continental tires, power sunroof, headrest seats, original Blaupunkt radio. – Tidy, correct, restored engine. The “C” badge on the tail is loose. Heavily scratched original rear window. Scuffed front bumperettes and otherwise average brightwork with light scratches and light pitting in places. Decent older paint. Very good interior with lightly worn steering wheel. Body-on restored a while ago, likely before 356s were worth so much dough. – Nicely equipped with the power sunroof but the reported high bid here is more than ample for the specifications and condition. Declining to accept this bid, if there was money behind it, was not reasonable.
Lot # F222 2002 Chevrolet Camaro Dick Harrell Widebody Sport Coupe; S/N 2G1FP22G322163554; Red, Gold/Beige leather with suede inserts; Estimate $175,000 – $200,000; Unrestored original 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $117,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $129,250. – 427/630hp, 6-speed manual, carbon fiber air lid, chambered exhaust, Eibach lowering springs, Koni adjustable shocks, 1LE sway bars, ported throttle body, 4.10 gears, gold anodized Fiske wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, roll cage, Dick Harrell script on the seats. – Represented as one of just 30 Dick Harrell Widebody Supercars built, the only one in this color, and as a one-owner 51-mile car. Built to a final price of $122,651. Condition-wise it looks like a new car that, sadly, nobody has properly spanked or truly enjoyed in all its 630hp/600 lb-ft glory. But as fourth gen F-bodies go, this is about as extreme as it gets. – The price could have been more extreme, but none of the four tuned fourth gen Camaros in Indy this year did particularly well, with two of them failing to sell and the 2002 Baldwin Motion car hammering at half its low estimate.
Lot # F225 2002 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Phase 2 Baldwin Motion Sport Coupe; S/N 2G1FP22G922158861; Gray, Black stripe/Black leather with Gray suede insert; Estimate $140,000 – $170,000; Unrestored original 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000. – 346/475hp, 6-speed, 3.73 Positraction, chambered side exhaust, Eibach lowering springs, Penske Racing shocks, 1LE control arms, Corvette magnesium wheels, Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, Brembo brakes from a Z06, Hurst short throw shifter. – Represented as the sixth of 69 ZL1 Supercars built and as the only Baldwin Motion ZL1 built. Signed by Joel Rosen on the dash. Original sticker price was $75,885. Just 203 miles and presents like a new F-body. – Like the Dick Harrell Widebody also offered in Indy, this car was expensive by fourth gen Camaro standards but nevertheless only sold for about what it cost new 20 years ago despite the rarity, low miles, and performance. It is reported to have been passed after a $90,000 high bid at Kissimmee four months ago, a missed opportunity that illustrates that your first offer is often your best.
Lot # F230.1 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Convertible; S/N 194677S114755; Goodwood Green, White stinger/Black vinyl; Estimate $280,000 – $300,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $220,000. – 427/435hp L71, M21 4-speed, 3.70 Positraction, turbine wheels, Uniroyal narrow whitewalls, hardtop, soft top delete, window sticker, Protect-O-Plate documented. – One owner car until last year. Bought new by a Remington engineer in Connecticut who lived in his mother’s house and kept the Corvette there until he died in 2021. It reportedly never even left the state during his ownership. Obsessively maintained and kept remarkably clean. The paint is original but looks only a few years old and was recently detailed. No rust or leaks anywhere. Fantastic interior. Any Corvette this obsessively preserved is a gem, and the top notch options are icing on the cake. – This impressive Corvette was a $190,000 no-sale in Kissimmee this year. A $200,000 winning bid, then, is surely less than what the seller was hoping for, and Mecum’s $280,000 low estimate seems perfectly reasonable given the car’s equipment and history. Even so, rather than chasing every last bid on the Mecum tour the seller, who found the car last year, wisely decided to let go. He still likely made a very handsome profit on it and the new owner should be pleased both with the car and with the price paid for it, a sure prize winner at Bloomington Gold and a benchmark car for Corvette restorers.
Lot # F243 1989 Ford Taurus SHO Sedan; S/N 1FABP54YXKA165994; Light Titanium/Gray leather; Estimate $15,000 – $20,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,400. – 182/220hp Yamaha-built V-6, 5-sleed, alloy wheels, power windows, air conditioning, factory cassette, Marti Report documented, owner’s manuals, books. – From the Waterford collection. First year for Ford’s BMW fighter, and represented as a two-owner California car from new with 47,000 miles. Impressive original paint with no major flaws or fading. A few scuffs on the wheels. Clean trim and weather stripping. Appears tidy and maintained underneath. Negligible wrinkling to the leather. Recently detailed and gorgeous (at least as gorgeous as a Ford Taurus can be) considering the age, mileage, and relatively low value of these cars. – One of the fastest four-doors in the world when it was new, the Taurus SHO (Super High Output) was the result of an unusual fling between Ford and Yamaha, and targeted the kind of driver who had Mustang dreams but lived more of a minivan lifestyle. Indeed, the SHO came with just 5hp less than a Mustang 5.0 GT of the same year and had nearly as high a top speed (143 mph) as a BMW 535i, which cost twice as much. Up until recently, early SHOs were four-figure cars all day, and although their values have shot up among the Radwood crowd in recent years, they’re still not exactly expensive. This one sold for $12,600 last October on Bring a Trailer, where cars like this tend to shine. And this result in Indy can be considered top of the market.
Lot # F245.1 1987 Ford Escort GT Hatchback; S/N 1FAPP23J5HW309875; Medium Red, Gray cladding/Medium Gray cloth; Estimate $10,000 – $15,000; Unrestored original 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600. – 114/108hp, 5-speed, alloy wheels, power steering, air conditioning, factory cassette, tinted glass. – From the Waterford collection. All original and showing 83,266 miles. Dull plastic trim and headlights. Aged paint with plenty of scratches and flaws. Cracked weather stripping. Well-kept interior. Dirt and oxidation underneath. Very much a used car but let’s face it, this is still probably one of the nicest 1987 Ford Escort GTs in the world. – In 2022, $6,600 for almost anything with a running engine, four wheels, decent tires and a clean title can be considered a bargain. And for something you can take to Radwood and make “cheap Escort” jokes about, it’s an even better value. One of the few examples of truly cheap fun in Indy this year.
Lot # S13 1947 Dodge Power Wagon Pickup; S/N 83903992; Sea Wolf Green, Black/Brown leather; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Recent restoration 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $93,500. – 230/102hp inline six, 4-speed, Braden MU2 winch, dual ratio transfer case, sidemount spare. – Fresh paint. Straight body. New wood in the bed. Tires look brand new. Spotless freshly refinished chassis. An always awesome Power Wagon recently redone to slightly better than new. – While this is an attractively and thoroughly restored Power Wagon there are a few magnificently over-restored and obscenely modified Power Wagons out there that suck attention away from competently restored examples like this. The attention converts into desire and contributes to the result of this Power Wagon which is disappointing, at least based on Mecum’s pre-sale estimate range.
Lot # S36 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Convertible; S/N P857H3724; Caribbean Coral, White/Coral, Dark Gray vinyl; White vinyl top; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $82,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $90,200. – 347/270hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, power steering, power brakes, power top, fender skirts, boot cover, dual mirrors, dash clock, pushbutton radio. – Very good paint, chrome, and interior. Slightly uneven door gaps. Some of the body side trim doesn’t fit flush. Very good almost completely restored interior. Mild pitting on one of the wheel covers. Older restored underneath. Solid older restoration with lots of style. We’ve heard of pink Cadillacs, but there are pink Pontiacs too. – And even pink De Sotos, not all of them with a Mary Kay Cosmetics connection. This result is appropriate to this car’s condition and equipment but still slightly lower than a comparable ’57 Bel Air convertible. At least Chevys didn’t offer pink.
Lot # S62 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS Sport Coupe; S/N 124377L158125; Engine # 7L158125 V0325MP; Mountain Green, Black stripes/Black vinyl; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $220,000. – 302/290hp, M21 4-speed, 3.73 Positraction, Rally wheels, Goodyear red line tires, California smog equipment, console, Hurst shifter, factory radio. – Represented as matching numbers drivetrain. Number 167 in the official 1967 Z/28 National Registry, and a highlight out of a collection of 1967 Z/28s offered at this auction. Not done yesterday, but restored to appropriately high standards and gleaming top to bottom. The window frames are the only real sign of age. Great colors and options. – Colors have an amazing effect, because that’s the only thing distinguishing this Z/28 from hundreds of others in more common colors that are $100,000 cars. The new owner placed a huge bet on the visual distinctiveness that will be difficult to recoup.
Lot # S105 2015 Ruf RT12 R Coupe; S/N W09BB0383FPR06197; Green/Black, plaid cloth; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,500,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,100,000. – 3.8/730hp twin-turbo, 6-speed manual, carbon-ceramic brakes with yellow calipers, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, rear wing, power windows. – Represented as one of just 13 RT12 RS produced and one of just two with rear-wheel drive. Driven just 276 miles. Looks pretty much brand new. Note that the VIN is not a Porsche number, it is Ruf-specific. – This RUF may not have cost seven figures to build, but given its serious rarity and crazy performance, it’s unsurprising that someone would throw out a seven-figure bid for the privilege of owning it. With fees, though, the reported high bid would have put the price close enough to the low estimate and it probably could have gone to a new home if there was really money that close.
Lot # S108 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series Coupe; S/N W1KYJ8BA8MA041938; Magnabeam, Carbon fiber/Black; Estimate $550,000 – $600,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Post-block sale at $500,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $550,000. – 3,982/720hp twin-turbo, AMG Speedshift 7-speed DSC, black forged wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon rear wing, carbon front splitter, dual zone climate control, power heated seats. – 32 miles. One of 1,700 built in 2021. An essentially new and certifiably badass AMG Black Series finished in an appropriately loud color, which was an appropriately expensive ($9,900) option. Still with its interior protective plastic wrappings. – Hammered not sold at $480,000 on the block but later reported sold for $550k, and frankly either number should have the seller feeling satisfied since the window sticker (which is from just last year, remember) reads $346,045. It’s a car built for the track (the Nürburgring, specifically), but at this inflated price it’s unclear if this one will ever actually hit the track in anger or just remain a coveted piece of garage art.
Lot # S117 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko RS/SS Sport Coupe; S/N 124377N228327; Butternut Yellow, Black/Black vinyl; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $485,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $533,500. – 427/450hp, YS707 upgrades, M21 4-speed, red line tires, side exhaust, Positraction. – Represented as one of a handful of Yenko cars breathed on by Dick Harrell to the tune of 450hp vs. the 425hp in other L72 Yenko Camaros. Very good paint, chrome, and interior. Lightly run restored engine bay. Light scratches on the side exhaust trim. Not overrestored. Genuine Yenko in appropriately loud colors. – Yenko Camaros are rare enough by themselves so when one of just three reported upgraded by Dick Harrell shows up it is logical that it will command an even higher price, like this. A car with both bragging rights even among other COPO Camaros and seriously stunning performance.
Lot # S119 1935 Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster; S/N 33220E; Engine # GH5863; Black/Red leather; Estimate $950,000 – $1,100,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $900,000. – 280/150hp supercharged eight, 3-speed, chrome wire wheels, BFG Silvertown wide whitewalls, mascot, Unity spotlight, dash clock, golf bag door. – Good older paint and chrome with some light scratches here and there but nothing serious. Mild signs of use underneath with some red paint chipping off but nothing serious. Lovely interior. Straight body. Restored in the 2000s and not a concours winner but still a lovely car in great colors, and a usable example of one of the greatest, most coveted Art Deco American automobiles. – In the apparent absence of an inspection and attestation from a recognized authority, specifically the A-C-D Club, getting bidders to offer this much for an Auburn Speedster is ambitious, particularly where the car was owned for years in Europe and restored in Portugal or Spain only recently.
Lot # S120 1966 Ferrari 330 GT Series I Coupe 2+2, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 5755; Red/Black leather; Estimate $200,000 – $240,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $185,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $203,500. – 3,967/300hp, 4-speed, Borrani wire wheels with non-stamped knock-ons, Pirelli P4000 tires, Ansa exhaust, Blaupunkt radio, power windows, air conditioning. – Delivered new in Switzerland. Represented as the matching numbers engine. Ancient paint with numerous scratches and large cracks. Uneven rocker trim. Pitted door handles. Worn, dry leather but there are no major rips or cracks. Dirty wheels. Tidy and apparently maintained underneath. Rare to see a driver-quality Enzo-era Ferrari, even one of the unloved models like the quad-headlight 330. A usable car for long distance driving in style, and unlike some 2+2s the back seats in this car aren’t a complete joke. – A project car that no self-respecting owner will own without starting on the endless process of addressing its many, many needs, a project that knows no limits short of a complete restoration that will in the end cost many dollars more than the car will be worth when it is done. This is an appropriate price in today’s market highlighting that “hope springs eternal….”
Lot # S124 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster; S/N 1980427500233; Black/Black leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,500,000; Cosmetic restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,250,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,375,000. – 2,996/250hp, 4-speed, chrome hub caps, Goodyear tires, body color hardtop, Talbot Berlin mirror, Becker Mexico radio. – Sold new in the US. Very good paint and chrome other than some scratches on the taillight bezels. The windshield is delaminating at the edges. Small rip in the soft top. Clean wheels. Even gaps. Tidy and lightly used underneath. An older body-on restoration. Looks ready for the Colorado Grand. – Offered by RM in their 2020 “Monterey-Shift” online auction when it was still red and was reported bid to $870,000. It’s had some needed attention as well as a color change repaint since then and the 300SL Roadster market has strengthened since then making this a reasonable result for a usable and attractive car.
Lot # S129 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N JS23R0B204037; Hemi Orange, Black vinyl roof, Black side stripes/Black; Estimate $550,000 – $600,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $325,000. – 426/425hp Hemi, 4-speed with pistol grip shifter, A34 Super Track Pack, Rallye wheels, Goodyear Polyglas GT tires, hood pins, tinted windshield, Musicmaster AM radio, Dave Wise report, window sticker, broadcast sheet documented. – Unrestored and showing 6,346 miles that are represented as original. A dealer demonstrator (a 4-speed Hemi dealer demonstrator but with the appropriate Y13 options code and loaded with options?) that reportedly sat in a barn in Iowa from 1972 to 2021. Dirt and oxidation underneath but recently detailed and looking quite great. Nothing to pick on, and a real gem. Surely one of the great Mopar barn finds. – An interesting challenge, the preservation of this ’70 Challenger Hemi is remarkable but at least the dirt and surface rust underneath substantiates the story it sat in a barn for almost 50 years. The observed mileage also is appropriate to the story. Now: value? Taking the story at face value (and we always do, right? Uh huh) it’s worth a major bump over an otherwise comparable R/T Hemi. And the amount offered for it in the reported high bid isn’t much more than it would bring as a freshly restored car. The pre-sale estimate, however, is looking for 1/3 more than freshly restored, comprehensively documented and perfect, which is a stretch. This is a first-time impression auction car and strikes me more as a “price-discovery” auction trial than as a serious attempt to move it on. It won’t be a surprise to see it at auction again in the near future with a more modest estimate, like $400,000-$450,000.
Lot # S132 1938 Packard Twelve-Series 1608 Convertible Sedan, Body by Murray; S/N 11532026; Cream/Burgundy leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $150,000. – 473/175hp V-12, 3-speed, red wheels with hub caps and trim rings, BFG Silvertown wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares with mirrors, cormorant mascot, Trippe Safety Lights, division window, robe rail, wood window trim, rear luggage rack. – CCCA Full Classic (TM). Old paint with discoloration in spots, several scratches and cracks, and a few chips at some body edges. Much of the trim shows pitting, and the bumper chrome is faded. There are several dents and dings in the hub caps as well. Some discoloration on the top. Good, lightly mellowed interior other than some light scratches on the driver’s seat. The windshield is delaminating at the edges. Little representation of any kind of history, and although a Packard Twelve Convertible Sedan is a stately and imposing motorcar in just about any condition, this one is very far from a show car. – It is a sound but aged and used older restoration that doesn’t look like it has had much attention or use in recent years. Thorough mechanical commissioning is in order but then it will be ideal for tours and events. The reported high bid recognizes the costs inherent to its successful enjoyment on the road and is reasonable. Much if any more than this bid is dependent on a thoroughly refreshed restoration.
Lot # S133.1 1998 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe; S/N 1B3ER69E8WV401659; Viper Red/Black leather; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000. – 488/450hp, 6-speed, chromed wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, power windows, air conditioning, stainless steel exhaust, Alpine CD stereo. – Showing just 9,829 miles and mostly looks quite clean, but there is some odd microblistering in the paint on top of the passenger’s door. Hard to believe that it’s been repainted but that’s not impossible and the description as “unrestored” doesn’t rule out the possibility of a partial repaint. – Twenty-four years ago the whole idea of a road car with 450hp was astounding and keeping one garaged and looked after while putting on only a few miles (just over 400 per year) made a certain kind of sense. So does paying this much for such a well-preserved Viper GTS.
Lot # S138 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 R Fastback; S/N SFM5R530; Wimbledon White, Blue stripes, Black graphics/Black; Estimate $800,000 – $1,000,000; Competition restoration 2- condition; Reserve; Withdrawn $0 plus commission of; Final Price. – 289, 4-speed, side exhaust, Goodyear tires, hood pins, woodrim steering wheel, roll bar, fire extinguisher. Original mag wheels included. – One of five GT350Rs exported in period to Peru. Driven by Bratzo Vicich to the 1973 Peruvian and South American championships. Since restored, vintage raced, and regularly shown. Scratched and clouded plastic rear window but mostly more than presentable enough for a historic race car. – Viewed on-site but reported by Mecum as Withdrawn before crossing the block.
Lot # S139 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 H Fastback; S/N SFM6S449; Wimbledon White, Blue side stripes/Black vinyl; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $195,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $214,500. – 289/306hp, 4-speed, Magnum 500 wheels with Hertz badges, Goodyear Polyglas tires, hood pins, dash-mounted tach, woodrim steering wheel, factory radio. – From the McCarter collection. One of only about 1,000 of these Hertz Rent-a-Racers total and represented as one of 20 Hertz prototype “brake test cars” used to test a power brake booster in an effort to alleviate issues on the road with the standard GT350’s race-oriented metallic-lined brakes. Other than the wheels it has no Hertz branding anywhere. Represented as “delivered new to Hi-Performance Motors in El Segundo, California,” so presumably it never entered the rental fleet, and then was restored in 2015. Showing some age on the chrome and a scuff above the windshield but mostly solid paint. Original glass, seat belts, upholstery, and door panels. Correctly redone underneath with few signs of wear. Not overdone and a very rare car thanks to its early specs, colors (not black and gold), and its original 4-speed. – Given a mild premium here for its 4-speed and its small part in the Hertz/Shelby story, this same car sold for at Worldwide Scottsdale two years ago for $156,750. It’s a big difference in just three years, but Indy is a bigger and (for a car like this) better venue and the market-wide heat-up over the past 24 months certainly hasn’t missed historic Shelbys.
Lot # S141 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR Convertible; S/N 8T3R21335804084; Candyapple Red, White side stripes/Black vinyl; White vinyl top; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $245,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $269,500. – 428/335hp, 4-speed, Shelby wheels, Goodyear tires, interior decor Group, factory air conditioning, 3.00 Traction-Lok, AM radio, Marti Report documented. – From the McCarter collection. Replacement but date code correct drivetrain. Light detail scratching and water spots in the paint. Mild wrinkling and discoloration to the top. Uneven gaps. Clean wheels and tires. Tidy underneath. Very good restored interior. A solid older restored KR, slightly better than the fastback next to it. – Even with the A/C and 4-speed this price should have bought a better restored and better maintained KR with its original drivetrain. It will be a delight to own, but not when contemplating the price paid.
Lot # S142 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR Fastback; S/N 8T2R205272; Wimbledon White, Blue side stripes/Saddle vinyl; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000. – 428/335hp, 4-speed, stripe delete, 3.00 Traction-Lok, Shelby wheels, Goodyear tires, factory air conditioning, tilt steering column, AM radio, Marti Report. – From the McCarter collection. Replacement but date code correct drivetrain. Older paint with some big cracks behind the bumper and a few touch ups. The rocker trim is a little beat up on both sides and there are small dings on the wheels. Very good interior that might be original other than the seats. Looks older restored underneath. Usable and an older restoration that can be driven with pleasure. – The distinction between “numbers-matching original” and “date-code correct” is gradually losing significance and this ’68 GT50KR should have been marked down by a meaningful amount for the replacement driveline. It wasn’t (except in Mecum’s sensible pre-sale low estimate) and the bidders got too enthusiastic for it, paying an irrelevant premium for a pretty but not as-built car.
Lot # S147 1993 Ford Mustang 5.0 SVT Cobra Hatchback; S/N 1FACP42D5PF155611; Black/Gray leather; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $59,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $64,900. – 302/230hp, 5-speed, Goodyear Eagle tires, fog lights, sunroof. – From the McCarter collection and owned by him since new. Also showing just 12,057 miles. The paint shows more wear than the odometer would suggest, with plenty of light scratches and lots of small chips on the nose and hood. Very tidy underneath, however, and the wheels/tires look perfect. The interior also shows hardly any age. Paint flaws are easy to forgive on a one-owner car that is otherwise fantastic. – The clean history and low miles on this car are the kind of thing that deep-pocketed Fox-body fans go nuts over. They were more measured in this case, however. This is a lot of money for a Fox-body, yes, but there was no wild bidding war or gotta-have-it mentality here. It was more caution than we’ve become accustomed to seeing lately on cars like this. While the result is expensive, it isn’t excessive.
Lot # S155 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194675S123186; Nassau Blue, Nassau Blue hardtop/Blue vinyl; Black vinyl top; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $102,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $112,750. – 396/425hp L78, 4-speed, spinner wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, hardtop, Protect-O-Plate, original books, also has a set of NOS tires. – From the McCarter collection. All original first-year big-block car and showing 37,878 miles (not represented as actual). Reportedly repossessed by the bank three months after it was purchased by an Ohio State University student. The paint is buffed through and scratched in spots and there are a few touch ups, but from a short distance the finish still looks quite good. Scratched but presentable chrome. Faded paint on the hardtop. Excellent interior. A few small dents in the wheel covers. All original but maintained underneath. Far too good to restore now and should be a survivor class star. – Surprisingly not afforded any real premium for its fantastic level of preservation or its desirable combination of equipment. Sure it got repoed by the bank, but that was 57 years ago and at this point it should just be a fun footnote in the car’s history. Either way, this is much closer to fair than the $70,000 no-sale it brought at Mecum Denver 2019, and was good buy for the new owner here in Indy.
Lot # S156 1956 Chevrolet Series 3100 NAPCO 4×4 Suburban Carryall; S/N V3A56K011035; Red, Beige/Black vinyl; Estimate $50,000 – $75,000; Truck restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $65,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $71,500. – 265/155hp V-8, 4-speed, NAPCO 4-wheel drive, hub caps and trim rings, Dunlop Radial Rover A/T tires, heat/defrost, folding front seat, AM radio. – Restored in 2010. Scratched up chrome and brightwork. Attractive but flawed paint with imperfect masking around the doors, a few runs, and a few scuffs. Small ding in the right rear wheel. Light dirt and wear on the older restored frame. A few cracks in the steering wheel but otherwise gorgeous interior. Restored before vintage trucks really started to come up in value, this Suburban nevertheless got a solid refurb with appropriate attention to detail. And the powertrain, while not represented as factory original, is the ideal combo. – Sold for $26,675 at Leake OKC 2010, but vintage trucks have of course come a long, long way since then and in Indy it was afforded an appropriate premium for its rare NAPCO (Northwestern Auto Parts Company) 4-wheel drive.
Lot # S162 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 242379A122958; Matador Red, Judge graphics, Black vinyl roof/Black; Estimate $325,000 – $375,000; Recent restoration 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $290,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $319,000. – 400/370hp Ram Air IV, 4-speed with Hurst T-handle shifter, power brakes, Rally II wheels, hood tach, Goodyear red line tires, window sticker, books, PHS documents. – Represented as the original drivetrain and as one of 239 Ram Air IV Judge hardtops with 4-speeds built in 1969. Clean recently detailed engine bay. Very good paint and brightwork. Even gaps. Newer glass. Excellent interior. A fresh and gorgeous recent restoration with great options. – A sublime Ram Air IV GTO Judge 4-speed restored to the highest standards and impressively documented, despite the aspirational pre-sale estimate range this also is a seriously expensive example whose value has nowhere to go but down as its restoration ages or it is driven. It is rewarding to see the best muscle cars of the Sixties coming back into vogue.
Lot # S163 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Hemi Convertible; S/N WS27J77116834; White/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500. – 426/425hp Hemi, column shift automatic, red line tires, bucket seats, factory radio, Stewart Warner oil pressure gauge. – Represented as one of three 1967 Hemi Coronet R/T convertibles and the only automatic. Sold new in Pennsylvania. Mostly original sheetmetal and 29,313 miles from new. Very good older paint and chrome. Small scuff on the tail. Light pitting around the taillight trim. A few scuffs and mild stains on the top. Very good interior that is represented as original. Older restored underneath. A very rare and technically unique Hemi. – Hagerty Price Guide puts the value of a ’67 Hemi Coronet R/T Convertible at $81,100 to $208,000, so what’s wrong with this one? On one hand it appears to be a competently Dave Wise documented car but on the other it is cheap like a K-Code 440. What the bidders saw, and the consignor recognized in accepting the reported high bid, is not apparent in our view.
Lot # S166 1965 Brawner Hawk Ford “Dean Van Lines Special” Race Car; S/N N/A, sold on bill of sale; White, Blue/Black; Estimate $1,600,000 – $1,800,000; Competition restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,000,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,200,000. – 255 cid DOHC Ford V-8, Hilborn fuel injection, Halibrand 2-speed manual transmission, Girling disc brakes, Halibrand magnesium centerlock wheels, Firestone tires. – From the Ray Evernham collection. Campaigned by owner Al Dean and prepared by Clint Brawner and Jim McGee. Based on a 1964 Brabham Chassis. Engine built by Joe Boghosian. Ex-Mario Andretti, driven to nine wins in Indy car competition, including his first, and Indy championships in 1965-66. Andretti finished third and won Rookie-of-the-Year in this car at the 1965 Indy 500. Shown at Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, and the Pinehurst Concours. Some scratches on the paint, scuffs on the exhaust and faded decals, but more than clean and well-presented enough that the flaws don’t matter. It’s all in the history. – Mario Andretti is probably the most famous race car driver in America, and is still a household name even among non-car people decades after his retirement. That this car helped launch his career and brought him much early success were enough to make it the star not just of Ray Evernham’s impressive collection of race cars but of the whole Indy auction this year. Even though the opportunities to use an old Indy car are more limited than they are for vintage F1 cars or other circuit racers, it deserved to be the most expensive lot of the auction on history alone. There was another car claiming the same history at auction years ago. Ray Evernham found it, recovered its original pieces and put them together to create this largely authentic and historic example, the right way to remedy a mixed history and it deserves to be celebrated.
Lot # S175 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Coupe; S/N WP0AC2A86GK191546; Guards Red/Black; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $115,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $126,500. – 3.8/385hp, 6-speed manual, black wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, Sport Chrono package, PCM with navigation, Light Design Package, Smoking Package, fire extinguisher, aftermarket tint. – From the Ray Evernham collection. Transmission replaced under factory warranty. Represented with 11,958 miles. Mild chips and scrapes on the nose and the bottom front lip. Small chip on the left side of the windshield. Otherwise very good paint and interior but could use an attentive detailing. A headline-making car when it was new and still a potent track day weapon. Lightly used and still ready for fun. – Priced above the Cayman GTS but well below a 911 GT3, the original Cayman GT4 made a big splash when the first one arrived in 2015. Although they technically started at under 90 grand, everybody wanted one of these driver-focused dream cars, so they never depreciated and then started changing hands on the used market in the low-$100k range. And despite Porsche introducing newer and quicker versions of the Cayman/Boxster GT4, the first series cars are still selling in that range, as this result shows.
Lot # S177 1969 Mercury Cyclone Cale Yarborough Special Fastback Coupe; S/N 9H15M565932; Wimbledon White, Red, Black/Red vinyl; Estimate $65,000 – $85,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $72,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,200. – 428/335hp Cobra Jet, column shift automatic, 3.25 rear axle, Goodyear Polyglas tires, rear spoiler, bench seat. – From the Ray Evernham collection. Built to celebrate Cale Yarborough’s 1968 Daytona 500 win, similar to the Dan Gurney Edition Cyclone Spoiler, one of which is offered out of the same collection and in similar condition. Older paint with spots of discoloration on both front fenders. Large touched up chip on the edge of the hood and a few smaller blemishes throughout. Lightly scratched rear glass. One of the side stripe decals is peeling up at the back. Mild waviness to the dash top. By contrast, the engine bay and underbody look fantastic. An outrageous Muscle car in the best way, let down only by age and small details. – Sources vary on just how many of these special edition Cyclones were built, but there were only ever a few hundred and they are more common than the Dan Gurney version. The Indy bidders placed an ever-so-slightly higher value on the Gurney name and/or colors with an $82,500 final price, but both cars brought strong, reasonable money.
Lot # S213 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 Quattrovalvole Coupe; S/N ZA9CA05A0JLA12332; Black/Black leather; Estimate $450,000 – $475,000; Unrestored original 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $545,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $599,500. – 5,167/420hp, 5-speed, factory gold OZ wheels, Pirelli P Zero tires, rear wing, Pioneer CD stereo, window sticker. – From the Sheikh collection. Built in the second-to-last year in the Countach’s incredible decade-and-a-half production run. Unrestored, showing 16,021 km (9,955 miles). Plenty of scratches, both in the paint on the nose and in the bulky US-spec plastic front bumper. Several blisters and blemishes in the rear wing. The badges on the tail don’t quite fit tight on the body. Good, lightly worn interior. Represented with service records. Cool colors. Certainly not the worst Countach out there, but certainly not the best. – You might think it was the world’s best by seeing this price, however. For a slightly better than driver-quality Countach, this is seriously expensive and a big bonus for the seller. According to Mecum this car is a match to a poster that seller Asi Sheikh had on his wall as a child, so we can only assume that the new owner had the very same poster. It was offered at Mecum Monterey in 2016 where it was bid to $325,000 but not sold; apparently no one there had the poster.
Lot # S216 2004 Ferrari 360 Modena Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFYU51A740137228; Champagne/Cream leather; Estimate $150,000 – $170,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $127,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $140,250. – 3586/400hp, paddle shifters, Bridgestone Potenza tires, Scuderia shields, books and tools. – From the Sheikh collection. Represented with 283 miles. I’ve never seen this color combination on a 360 and this one looks brand new, as it should. – At this price you’d think this 360 had a 6-speed, but no, it has paddles. Instead, the possibly unique colors and the three-digit odometer reading made all the difference in this result.
Lot # S224 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo 930 Cabriolet; S/N WP0EB0933HS70136; Grand Prix White/Crimson Red leather piped in Black; Black cloth top; Estimate $220,000 – $240,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $198,000. – 3,299/282hp, 4-speed, Slantnose, white Fuchs wheels, whale tail, snorkel brake light, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, power windows, power top, air conditioning, power seats, limited slip, white Fuchs wheels. – From the Sheikh collection. Factory slant nose, one of barely 100 cabriolets sold new in the US. Showing a claimed 67,920 miles. Good paint for the age and mileage. The rubber on the whale tail is a little wavy. The Porsche crests on the wheels are faded. Good interior with light wrinkling to the seats. Some small rock chips on the windshield. Appropriate wear for the age and mileage. A solid used 911. – Given a healthy but fair premium for the factory slant nose. 930 values had been sliding for several years after their massive spike in the mid-2010s, but that slide appears to have leveled off
Lot # S251 1970 Chevrolet Nova Yenko Deuce 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N 114270W349789; Forest Green, White stripes/Black vinyl; Estimate $135,000 – $150,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $125,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $137,500. – 350/360hp LT1, M21 4-speed, F41 suspension, 4.10 Positraction, Atlas mag wheels, Firestone Wide Oval tires, Hurst shifter, Yenko-branded hood tach, bench seat. – Represented as one of 175 built. Replacement engine. Absolutely spotless under the hood and under the body. Mostly good exterior but there are some paint prep issues with bubbling on the roof and some particles in the finish on the hood. The rear bumper also looks older than the front. Spotless trunk and very clean interior. Rare, fast and mostly well restored Yenko Deuce. The replacement engine is only a shame if you obsess over the details. It takes nothing away from the experience. – It’s not all that difficult to take an inexpensive, regular old Nova and turn it into a Yenko “tribute” with stripes and a big engine, so a lot of people have. This is the real deal, though, so a six-figure result was predictable. It’s more expensive than it should for one with a replacement drivetrain, but not excessive for a real Yenko Deuce.
Lot # S261 1947 Allard K1 Roadster; S/N 71K559; Black/Red leather; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Post-block sale at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000. – 239 Ford Flathead with “period correct” McCulloch supercharger, Dunlop Racing tires, roll bar, rear-mounted spare, Smiths gauges, engine-turned dash, aero screens, alternator. – Sold new in Uruguay, later restored in Europe. Not much clear history other than that, but it did the Mille Millie Storica in 1993. Forgivable scratches and chips in the paint. Wrinkled, scuffed leather seats and door panels. Tidy underneath. Not a beautiful car by any means (almost no Allard is), but a very rare early model that is set up and eligible for some of the best driving events around. – This car sold here in 2009 for $100,700, and with that number surely in mind the seller refused the high bid here in Indy 2022, which was reported at $110k. But Allards, particularly the earlier fat-fendered and Flathead-powered cars, have held steady in their values for years despite all the fluctuations elsewhere in the collector car market. Mecum worked a deal after the fact and the seller came to reason, accepting this still perfectly fair price.