Leake Auctions, River Spirit Expo, Tulsa, OK, June 7-10, 2018

Tulsa 2018 marked Leake Auctions’ third sale after January’s acquisition by heavy equipment auctioneer Ritchie Bros.

The change of ownership and process of integrating Leake Auctions into the much larger and technically sophisticated Ritchie Bros. organization is ongoing. There are hints of major schedule announcements, as well.

All that may have preoccupied the Leake team because the numbers for this year’s Tulsa auction were substantially off from prior years.

106 of the 452 lots offered, 23.5% of the docket, were newer than 25 years old, a large and somewhat pointless contingent of vehicles like pickups, luxury sedans and SUVs that hardly falls under the description of collector vehicles. Buyers usually go to Mannheim for things like Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, Tahoes and BMW 750i sedans.

What hasn’t changed, by all reports, is the underlying friendly, open and efficient Leake auction team. It’s just evolving with an eye to future growth and expansion.

Tulsa 2018 gives the team a modest baseline from which to measure future results.

Here are the numbers:

Year Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Average Sale Median Sale Total $ Total $ Change
2018 292/452 64.6% $21,739 $14,850

[68.3%]

$6,347,825 -21.3%
2017 356/512 69.5% $22,665 $17,050

[75.2%]

$8,068,775 -3.2%
2016 386/562 68.7% $21,593 $16,060

[74.4%]

$8,334,920 -25.7%
2015 506/672 75.3% $22,181 $16,060

[72.4%]

$11,223,785

Andrew Newton attended and provided the observations on these 42 cars. I edited the observations and comments so the responsibility for the final content is mine.

The vehicles described here are sorted by Marque, Model and Body Style for easier reference.


Lot # 3168 1970 Buick GSX Stage I Sport Coupe; S/N 446370H293600; White, Black/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500 – 455/360hp, automatic, Radial T/A tires, hood tach, horseshoe shifter, dash clock, factory AM-FM radio, bucket seats, console, power steering, power brakes, tilt steering column, tinted glass, GSX Historical Society documented. – Represented as matching numbers engine, transmission and rear axle. Claimed to be the only Stage I in existence with all matching serial numbers. Tired paint with lots of small chips, but all is forgivable since it’s original. Same goes for the brightwork. Used but tidy underneath. Fantastic original interior. A genuine Stage I in totally unrestored condition. Worn enough to give it lots of character but still thoroughly presentable, so it’s a pretty special piece of Buick muscle history. – There’s no originality premium at all in this GSX Stage I except a negative one. It’s too good to restore for many years to come although at some time the paint is going to need to be redone, which leads to the chrome, which leads to the engine compartment. In other words, it’s going to be very hard to stop at a preservation repaint. It is a very good value at this price, a car to be cherished and preserved (or taken to Monterey or Kissimmee in search of a generous buyer for a serious Buick.)

Lot # 3217 1965 Buick Riviera 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 494475H926481; Black/Black leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $39,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $42,900 – 425/325hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, console, factory air conditioning, pushbutton radio, power steering, power brakes, power windows. – Good but older paint and chrome. Lightly scratched and dinged window frames. Very good fresh leather. Some dull original switchgear but mostly very good interior. Fresh-looking underneath. A handsome but basic older restoration. – The ’65 Riviera is a seriously handsome and understated automobile with ample performance to go with its sleek shape. It looks great in black over black and obviously caught the attention of the bidders here in Tulsa to bring this handsome but not excessive price.

Lot # 2261 1966 Buick Wildcat Gran Sport 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 494876H905294; Maroon/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – 425/340hp, automatic, narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, console, column shift, power windows, factory AM/FM radio, power seats, tilt steering column, factory air conditioning. – Old paint with some scuffs and details scratches. Paint coming off the wheels. A little rough underneath with some oxidation. The fender lips don’t fit straight. Good interior that is original other than the seats and carpets. A basic driver. – But it brought a price that should have bought a much better example. The difference isn’t a lot in absolute dollars, but in percentage terms this car brought something like 50% more than it should have.

Lot # 3108 1974 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible; S/N 6L67S4Q409415; Red/Red leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $12,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $13,475 – 500/210hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, parade boot cover, bench seat, power windows, column shift, cruise control. – Represented with new top and tires. The power antenna does not work. The paint has been buffed to within an inch of its life, and there are some light chips and scratches throughout. The chrome is dull and lightly scratched up. The chassis was undercoated a while ago. The seats are lightly wrinkled but maintained and not torn or dry. Dull dashboard. A fine car for leisurely cruising, but not one to be particularly proud of. New paint and brightwork would make all the difference in the world. – A driver quality car bought for driver quality money, but at this price the new owner doesn’t have much room to address any of its bigger needs.

Lot # 3164 1939 Cadillac Series 61 Convertible Coupe, 2/4-p.; S/N 8294332; Black/Maroon leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $26,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $28,600 – Hub caps, Firestone wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares, fog lights, column shift, dash clock, radio, factory deleted running boards. – Optional running board delete gives it a cleaner look. The dull old paint would greatly benefit from just a serious detailing. Tired brightwork with light pitting in places. Light discoloration on the top but it is in good shape. The leather and dash are pretty good, but the steering wheel has lots of cracks in it. Light road wear underneath. Restoration finished in the early 1990s but not exactly pampered since. Another round of restoration work is definitely in order for this stately but tired prewar Caddy. – This ’39 Cadillac has the look of a 60 Special but in a 2-door body with a folding top. It’s under the radar, has a great deal of potential to be improved with some cosmetic attention and is a serious value at this price.

Lot # 3186 1957 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe; S/N 5762014865; Red/White; White top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500 – 365/325hp dual quad Eldorado engine, automatic, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, boot cover, bat wing air cleaner, power brakes and steering, pushbutton radio, dash clock, power seat, power windows. – Tired and scratched, possibly original chrome. Tidy mostly restored engine bay other than heat rash on the exhaust. Slightly tired older paint. Old but maintained original interior. Looks undercoated underneath. Represented with lots of recent mechanical work. Never fully restored but far from original as well. – The Eldorado engine is a rare feature on a Series 62 and accounts for the moderate premium this example brought. An Eldorado without the glitz.

Lot # 3162 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS Sport Coupe; S/N 124379L503956; Azure Turquoise/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,550 – 396/375hp L89, 4-speed, Hooker headers, hub caps, Polyglas tires, Hurst shifter, dash clock, factory radio, power brakes, Positraction, Protect-O-Plate. – Represented as a genuine matching numbers L89 Camaro. Very good fully restored engine bay but not concours. A handful of light scratches on the front bumper. Excellent paint. Very good brightwork. Very good fully restored interior. A rare car with desirable equipment and a solid, fresh enough restoration. – This car was represented as matching numbers at Leake, but at past auctions it has been represented as an original L89 car with a replacement date-code correct engine. It hammered not sold at Leake Tulsa in 2015 at a $42,500 high bid, then again at Mecum Monterey last year at an $80,000 high bid before finally selling for $77,000 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale this year. The most recent numbers are fair for a non-matching numbers L89 in this condition.

Lot # 2145 1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Indy Pace Car Sport Coupe; S/N 2G1FP22P0P2111533; Black, Pace Car graphics/Black, White pattern cloth; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $10,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $11,000 – 350/275hp LT1, automatic, white wheels, Michelin tires, T-tops, power windows, air conditioning, factory CD stereo. – Good original paint. A handful of scratches on the left side of the body but they are small. Very good like new interior. Showing 9,083 miles but looks like a car with fewer. Not quite like new, but close enough to satisfy most collectors. – This is about what a standard 1993 Z/28 in this condition would expect to bring, so the Indy 500 package was essentially a free bonus. The Pace Car was just a cosmetic upgrade (which cost $995 in 1993), but only 633 were sold and they are quite a bit more valuable than the standard car, so this was a pretty serious bargain, especially after it was passed at the Spring Branson auction two months ago at a reported bid of $13,000.

Lot # 3139 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 Sport Coupe; S/N 138378A131776; Butternut Yellow, Black/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000 – 396/375hp, 4-speed, Cragar wheels, BFG Touring T/A tires, bench seat, Hurst shifter, AutoMeter under dash gauges, later cassette stereo. – Represented as matching numbers. Originally a 3-speed, which comes with the car. Good but older paint and chrome. Factory gaps. Tidy and restored underneath with light dirt. Very good interior. Fully restored a while ago to pretty high standards. Not a concours queen, but needs absolutely nothing. – Sold at Mecum Boynton Beach in 2013 for $28,050 and at Leake in Oklahoma City the same year for the same price. The car card poignantly noted, “Save this car from becoming another resto mod” but that’s not a serious risk for a car this good. It brought a 396/325hp price and nowhere does the owner claim it is more than that, except on the air cleaner cover. The softer engine would be more consistent with the original 3-speed configuration and in the absence of an engine number the bidders (and the seller) acted accordingly.

Lot # 2206 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible; S/N 40967W221287; Red/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,975 – 164/95hp, 4-speed, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, later AM radio. – Excellent newer top. Budget respray with poor prep and particles throughout. Undercoated chassis. Maintained but not fully restored engine bay. Newer seats and carpets, but the rest of the interior is sound and original. A budget restoration on a solid 4-speed Monza. Just a driver, but more carefully applied paint would bring it up substantially. – Corvairs are usually pretty affordable, but this is a serious bargain for a 4-speed Monza. This price is not a whole lot more than project car money for a perfectly good driver.

Lot # 3176 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194677S118843; Marina Blue, Black stinger, Black vinyl hardtop/Bright Blue vinyl; Black vinyl top; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $135,000 – 427/435hp, 4-speed, Rally wheels, narrow whitewalls, two tops, power windows, 4.11 Positraction, F41 suspension, tinted glass, off-road exhaust, transistorized ignition. – NCRS Top Flight in 2015. Engine number not readable but is represented as matching. The mileage is represented as 15,073 from new. Maintained but unrestored underneath. Remarkably good chrome. The paint shows a little wear and there are two large scratches on the tail as well as some chips on the nose but since it’s original, it looks fantastic. Supposedly has five original tires. The hardtop looks practically new. Amazingly well maintained original interior. A gorgeous time capsule original car with lots of desirable options to boot and still has the original tank sticker in place. – There are eight prior auction transactions for this Corvette. Back in 1991 Mecum had it at Rockford showing some 14,000 original miles. It was a no-sale at $70,000. At Mecum Dallas in 2014 it sold for $226,800, then at Kissimmee in 2016 it sold for $214,500. It then began a series of no-sales at Monterey 2016 ($190,000), Dallas November 2016 ($190,000, now with 15.062 miles), Kissimmee 2017 ($190,000), Indy 2017 ($220,000), Kissimmee this year ($200,000) and Indy barely two weeks ago ($150,000). It’s a real time capsule that has had remarkable care over the years, but it is shopworn now and needs a rest or to take any realistic cash offer, which the high bid here is not.

Lot # 3178 1962 Chevrolet Corvette FI Convertible; S/N 20867S111326; Roman Red/Red; Black vinyl top; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $115,000 – 327/360hp, Big Brake fuelie, 4-speed, hub caps, blackwall tires, WonderBar radio, Positraction, F41 suspension. – Represented as the matching numbers engine. Very good lightly run engine bay. Very good but older paint and chrome. Excellent top. Very good interior. Body-off restored a while ago and not fresh, but has no real needs and the equipment sets it apart. – Sold for $143,000 at Mecum’s Indy auction last year, it’s now on a tour looking for more. No-saled at Leake’s Oklahoma City auction four months ago where it was bid to $130,000 (the hammer price at Indy), then at Indy three weeks ago where it was bid to $125,000. The odometer has added 8 miles since Indy 2017, the only thing that’s going up where this desirable Corvette is concerned.

Lot # 3165 1964 Chevrolet El Camino Pickup; S/N 45680B134215; Red, Beige vinyl/Beige vinyl; Unrestored original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $10,000 – 283/220hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, bed cover, power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt steering column, factory radio, dual spotlights, factory air conditioning (not connected). – Dirty original engine bay. Solid but rough underbody. Rough, crazed original paint and dull brightwork. The interior is much better, but still shows some light wear. Not really good enough as is to drive around without feeling self-conscious, but it is good enough that it would make a straightforward project. – This El Camino came back later in the auction as Lot #4179 and got even less respect when the bidders, sensing the seller’s desperation, bid it to only $7,250. It’s pretty nasty and needs to go away, although it’s not worth nearly enough even at this price to compensate for all the work it needs, just enough to bring it up to weekend truck errand-runner condition.

Lot # 3117 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 168376J229144; Marina Blue, Black vinyl roof/Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $19,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $21,175 – 327/230hp, automatic, power steering, power brakes, buckets and console, Rally wheels with trim rings, Radial T/A tires, floor shift, factory radio, factory air conditioning, dash clock. – Good older paint and chrome other than light detail scratching. Light blister on the trunk lid. Good roof vinyl. Kind of dirty underneath. Good, lightly worn interior. A basic older restoration done on an appropriate budget but enjoyed since. A good cruiser for what it is. – This is an attractive and usable Impala SS with style even if its drivetrain is nothing to write home about, a fine car for fair weather cruising that brought a nicely appropriate price for what it is.

Lot # 3144 1974 Chevrolet K10 Blazer Cheyenne Sport Utility Vehicle 4×4; S/N CKY184F194231; Orange, White/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $22,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $24,200 – 350/160hp, automatic, front-mounted spare, bucket seats, console, factory air conditioning, tow hitch. – Represented as matching numbers. Decent original paint with scratches here and there as well as light dulling. Cloudy and scratched windows on the hardtop. Dull but presentable brightwork. Original but tidy and well maintained underneath. Excellent newer seats. The rest of the interior is original but well kept. A well preserved but not babied original early Blazer. It has a lot of eyeball and is arguably too good to restore. – And at this price, it’s arguably too expensive to restore. Strong money, but Blazers appear to be on the rise following trends set by increasingly expensive Ford Broncos.

Lot # 2204 1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N FAA425669; Green/Tan cloth; Older restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $8,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $9,350 – 217/90hp, hub caps, whitewalls, column shift. – In a museum for 20 years. Dull brightwork. Tired older paint. Plastic over the seats. The rest of the interior is tired with faded gauges. Tidy underneath but looks original. Looks like it has sat for a while, and it has. A basic car in driver condition. – Sold at Branson Spring a year ago for $6,820 and it looks like it’s done absolutely nothing but sit around since then, so this was a tidy profit for little effort. It has a good chance of turning into a street rod.

Lot # 2230 1968 Datsun 1600 Convertible; S/N SPL31121068; White/Blue cloth; Black vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600 – Alloy wheels, factory radio, dash clock, console. – Can’t get the hood open. Bad old paint with dull finish as well as lots of large cracks and chips. Dull brightwork. New seat covers, but the rest of the interior is original and rough. Uneven gaps. No major rust underneath, but it’s original and a bit ratty. These are inherently charming little sports cars, but this one needs a lot in the way of cosmetics. – Sold at Leake OKC in 2013 for $7,040, and it doesn’t seem to have had much attention since. Compared to a similar MGB, an old Datsun Roadster is a little quicker and more interesting, but the following is smaller and parts aren’t as easy to find. The Datsun is also worth more, but this tired car has a lot of needs. At least at this price, the new owner has money left over to fix a lot of the car’s issues and hopefully actually will fix them, unlike the previous owner.

Lot # 3212 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 Coupe; S/N SCEDT26T4BD001174; Stainless Steel/Black; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $20,000 – V-6, automatic, power windows, air conditioning, factory radio. – Showing 38,408 believable miles. The doors open as they should and all the interior lights work. There is some light scratching here and there on the body as well as some very light dents on the roof. The plastic trim around the tail lights is a little dull. Sound but lightly aged and used interior. A good all original DeLorean. Not a time warp example, but good to drive around and enjoy. – Even a bad DeLorean is a $20,000 car these days, and this car is a lot better than that. Refusing the high bid was perfectly understandable.

Lot # 3220 1956 DeSoto Firedome 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N 55294202; Light Blue, White/Light Blue vinyl with Gold cloth inserts; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $15,800 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $17,380 – 330/230hp, automatic, wheel covers, Goodyear whitewalls, hood ornament, pushbutton automatic, pushbutton radio, dash clock, dual mirrors. – AACA National First Prize winner. Very clean restored engine bay. Light road wear on a restored underbody. Slightly uneven gaps. Good chrome and brightwork. Good but older and slightly faded paint. Good, lightly worn interior which is represented as original. It’s rare to see a Firedome, but to see a sedan in such good shape is pretty special, particularly in better than average driver condition. – The price this Firedome brought represents a reasonable premium for this example’s preservation and restoration, a cool old thing in characteristic 50’s Mopar colors.

Lot # 2273 1969 Dodge Charger R/T SE 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N XS29L9B133633; Dark Bronze, White vinyl roof, White tail band/Camel; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $44,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $48,400 – 440/375hp Magnum, automatic, bucket seats, floor shift, console, factory radio. – Huge touch up on the top of the nose. Otherwise decent but old paint. Lightly scratched up chrome. Light discoloration on the roof vinyl. Good newer seats. The rest of the interior is original but good. Looks original but sound underneath. Mostly muted ’70s colors and decent but unremarkable original condition. – The R/T and SE combination is rare and in terms of value more than makes up for the rather mundane cosmetically restored condition. Even with that, the buyer recognized a good value and took it home at an advantageous price with more than enough headroom to make it better without having more than it is worth invested in it.

Lot # 3222 1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N WM21V0A156550; Light Blue, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $40,000 – 440/390hp Six Pack, automatic, Radial T/A tires, hood scoop, Sure Grip, bucket seats, floor shift, console. – Replacement engine. Clean, tight roof vinyl. Pitting around the taillight trim. Large touch up on the trunk lid. Several more on the hood. Otherwise the paint finish is good. Pretty fresh-looking undercoating and tidy engine bay. The console is original but the rest of the interior looks restored. An attractive enough older restoration showing some age and use – It’s reasonable turn down a bid that is barely two-thirds of what the car is worth, even with the replacement engine.

Lot # 2236 1970 Ford F-250 Custom 4×4 Pickup; S/N F26YKK07754; Red/Red vinyl; Truck restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – 351, 4-speed, 4-wheel drive, hub caps, spray-in bedliner, bench seat, floor shift, factory radio, Bosch under dash gauges. – Undercoated underneath but used. Dull older respray, very good more recent bed liner. Rechromed bumpers. The grille trim is dull and lightly scratched. Uneven gaps. Good mostly restored interior. A standard truck restoration. – Despite the incorrect engine and budget restoration work, this F-250 had enough eyeball and was too big to ignore, so it brought a surprising number of bids and a very strong price. It is a big, practical truck that will be useful, but needs a good-sized barn to house it in between trips to Tractor Supply.

Lot # 3170 2005 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S95Y401766; Midnight Blue Metallic, White stripes/Black; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $240,000 – BBS wheels, grey painted calipers, BBS wheels. – Represented with 6,608 miles. There are a few tiny chips on the nose and a scratch on the right headlight. Otherwise it looks like a new car, but by Ford GT standards that handful of flaws and the odometer reading seem to make it sub-par. – Not sold at a $250,000 high bid at Leake Dallas back in April, and unfortunately it had worse luck in Tulsa. Both of the bids seem light, but at the same time it’s only the super-low-mile like-new GTs that bring big money.

Lot # 3136 1934 Ford Model 40 Deluxe Roadster; S/N 1095819; Green, Black fenders/Beige vinyl; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $33,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,300 – 221/85hp Flathead V-8, hydraulic brakes, fiberglass fenders, black painted wire wheels with hub caps, whitewalls, amber fog lights, dual chrome horns, wind wings, rumble seat, suicide doors, floor shift, Sunpro temp gauge, rear-mounted spare. – Flathead with three on the floor. Pretty badly pitted brightwork. The paint looks good from a short distance but there are several chips on the front fenders as well as some cracking on the hood and chips at the back of it. Very good newer upholstery. Pretty dirty and dull underbody. Restored in the 1970s and certainly showing its age. It’s nevertheless nice to see a well-equipped ’34 Ford that has escaped the hot rodders unscathed. – A ’34 Ford Deluxe Roadster can bring astounding money when it’s restored to the nines, but this result reasonably reflects the condition of this car, including its composite reproduction fenders. The juice brakes are a departure from stock condition but in its present driver-quality condition they are a worthwhile safety consideration.

Lot # 3147 1938 Ford Model 81C 1/2 Ton Pickup; S/N 184713260; Lime Green/Black; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $27,000 – Hub caps and trim rings, Firestone wide whitewalls, single sidemount spare, wood bed, 12-volt electrics, floor shift, Flathead V-8 with Offenhauser heads, custom headers, dual glasspack mufflers, Eddie Meyer air cleaner over dual two-barrel carbs. – Very good paint. Light scuffs on the tires. Slightly uneven gaps. Fresh wood and straight bed. Very good interior. Nearly spotless engine bay. A very neat and tastefully done vintage Ford pickup with lots of period correct hot rod goodies. The engine is described as a “later model” and why go to all the trouble with anything less than an 8BA or similar. – Rerun as lot 4148, also unsuccessfully with a bid of even less: $25,000. It was unsold at Mecum Kansas City on April 2015 with a reported bid of $33,000, then at KC December of last year where the reported bid was $35,000. On the basis of its condition and the choice selection of speed equipment it’s a desirable truck. But it has the late 30’s unattractive Ford pickup grille. The seller undoubtedly has far more in it than any of these bids, but the market’s message is undeniable.

Lot # 2260 1984 Ford Mustang SVO Hatchback; S/N 1FABP28T2EF104479; Silver/Gray vinyl; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $5,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $5,500 – 2.3/175hp Turbo, 5-speed, alloy wheels, Falken tires, power windows, air conditioning, cassette stereo. – Pretty dull paint with some discoloration on the hood, some long scratches on the nose, a small dent on the roof and another on the hood. Dry weather stripping and some small dents in the window frames. A little dirty underneath. Showing 84,737 miles but well-kept all things considered. Rare special Fox-bodies are a bit collectible, but this is no better than a driver. – Showroom fresh Fox-body Mustangs have been surprisingly expensive at auction this year, but in the real world of used examples sub-10-grand Mustangs abound. SVOs are relatively rare, interesting and collectible but most people who are interested in them want a good one, or at least a better one than this and it is not a surprise that it changed hands this cheaply.

Lot # 2148 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible; S/N D7FH289266; White/Blue, Light Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $26,400 – 312/245hp, automatic, wire wheels, whitewalls, porthole hardtop, fender skirts, power steering, power windows, dealer added air conditioning. – Grubby but complete engine bay. Very tired older paint with bubbling near the hood as well as crazing and scratches throughout. The fender skirts don’t fit right and are a different color from the rest of the car. Good interior other than a cracked steering wheel cap. Represented as restored, but that was long enough and enough miles ago that it presents like a tired original car. It needs a lot of attention. – This is a generous price for a T-bird with ordinary equipment and in such well-used condition. The seller should be very satisfied with this result.

Lot # 3122 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Station Wagon 4×4; S/N 1JCNJ15U4JT143293; Silver, Woodgrain/Maroon leather with cloth inserts; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $20,000 – Marchal fog lights, Hankook narrow whitewalls, roof rack. – All the interior lights work. Fake wood is peeling off on the tail. Grille trim is lightly scratched. Good paint, likely not original. Lightly wrinkled seats but mostly very good original interior. Tidy underneath. It’s showing 76,236 miles which are represented as actual, but it’s rare to see one of these in such good shape. Not perfect, but few Grand Wagoneers are and this one shows no signs of the tin worm infestation so common on these. – The seller has high expectations, but if they’re much higher than the reported high bid here, they’re also a bit unrealistic. Prices for good Grand Wagoneers have grown noticeably over the past couple of years and this is certainly a good one, but the money offered wasn’t far off.

Lot # 3175 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Roadster; S/N ZHWGU22N17LA04634; Giallo Midas/Nero; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $92,500 – 6-speed, yellow calipers, Pioneer navigation, rear camera. – Clear bra on the nose. Some flatness to the seats and low but significant mileage (24,463 represented), but like new for the most part. Still arguably more used exotic than collectible, but the 6-speed also arguably makes it a sure thing in the future in terms of collectability. – Even paddle shift Gallardo Spyders are still asking past six figures, so refusing the high bid here seems reasonable.

Lot # 3224 1966 Lincoln Continental Convertible Sedan; S/N 6Y86G423203; Burgundy/Cream leather; Gray vinyl top; Enthusiast restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $24,000 – 462/340hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, factory radio, dash clock, air conditioning (not charged). – Average quality respray with particles in it. Scratched and dinged up brightwork, particularly on the windshield frame. Good newer top. Wrinkled, cracking seats plus tired-looking switchgear and steering wheel. Tidy and lightly restored but not perfect underneath. Represented as a recent restoration, but the work seems to have been limited to a budget paint job and new soft top. Not a good car. – This is a good car to pass on, but if there was money anywhere close to the bid reported here the seller should have given it serious consideration, even if just to clear out the storage space for something better.

Lot # 2138 1967 Morris Minor 1000 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N MA2S5DL1161843; Blue/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $9,900 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $10,890 – Hub caps, Michelin X tires, dual wing mirrors. – Represented with a 998 engine, even though this model should have a 1098. Very good paint. Small chip on the rear bumper. A few chips around the door edges. Cracked steering wheel cap but otherwise very good restored interior. Clean and tidy underneath. Fully restored recently enough and doesn’t have any needs. Not perfect, but Morris Minors are generally never worth enough to put a lot of money into so this one is gorgeous. – Appropriately discounted for its smaller engine but given enough attention for the quality of its restoration. A Morris Minor never fails to charm, and this is a lot of character for the money.

Lot # 2209 1995 Nissan 300ZX Turbo T-Roof; S/N JN1CZ24D1SX570470; Pearl White/Black; Unrestored original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $5,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $5,500 – 3 Liter/300hp Twin-turbo, 5-speed, painted wheels, T-tops, power steering, air conditioning, Kenwood stereo, aftermarket exhaust. – Fairly dirty engine bay. Good paint, possibly a respray. Represented with new tires. Showing 198,870 miles, and showing plenty of wear on the seats and shifter. Not perfect and very high mileage, but mostly clean and mostly unmolested, which is increasingly rare for these tuner favorites. – With mileage this high and no service history represented, this car is bound to have needs, but at this rock-bottom price the new owner has plenty of options, whether it’s serious restoration work or a custom build. It is a sound value at this price no matter what the new owner wants to do with it.

Lot # 3140 1930 Packard Standard Eight-Series 726 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N 303961; Burgundy, Black fenders and coachline/Burgundy cloth; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,800 – Disc wheels, wide whitewalls, suicide rear doors, Goddess of Speed mascot, amber fog lights, dual mirrors, Jaeger dash clock, robe rail, rear window curtains, pop-out windshield. – Sound but older paint bubbling up a bit on the coach line. Good interior. Clean with very light road wear underneath. Light discoloration on the tires. Spent most of its life in California and Nevada before being restored about 10 years ago. Done to high standards, but driven a bit and certainly not a concours car. – Maybe not concours, but it’s a Packard the new owner will with some pride display at the end of a day’s touring while feeling good about the appropriate price paid for it here.

Lot # 3173 1967 Plymouth GTX Hemi 2-Door Hardtop; S/N RS23J77181216; Bright Blue Metallic, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $63,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $69,300 – 426/425hp Hemi, 4-speed, red line tires, bucket seats, column shift, factory radio, documented with the original build order punch card and two original fender tags. – Represented as the original Hemi engine. Clean lightly used engine bay. High quality but older paint and chrome. A few chips around panel edges. Factory gaps. Light pitting around the tail lights. Original dash and lightly pitted steering wheel, but mostly very good restored interior. A genuine Hemi GTX that has been restored but was done a while ago and would now be more suited to cruising and tire-spinning. – Reported sold at Mecum’s Houston sale in 2014 for $68,040. Its nearly identical price today is a good indicator of Hemi prices over the past four years.

Lot # 2271 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 20th Anniversary Coupe Pace Car; S/N 1G5FW2177KL251915; White/Tan leather; Unrestored original, 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $33,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,300 – 231/250hp turbo V-6, automatic, Goodyear Eagle tires, alloy wheels, T-tops, factory cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning, fully documented. – 173 miles and still has the original plastic on the seats as well as the original window sticker, offered by the original selling dealer. Showroom fresh and destined never to be driven, but this is exactly the kind of car that has been getting bidders excited lately. – This is not a bad buy considering what similar low-mile ’80s domestics have done at auction lately and there is little if any premium for originality in this price.

Lot # 2513 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Collector Edition Coupe; S/N 2G2FV22GX22146039; Yellow, Graphics/Black; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $20,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $22,000 – 350/325hp LS1, T-tops, automatic, power driver’s seat, factory CD stereo. – Daytona 500 Pace Car graphics. Represented with 15,489 believable miles. Lightly used engine bay. Good but not quite like new original paint. A few chips on the mirrors. Well-kept interior with wear on the seats commensurate with the mileage. A lightly used but inherently collectible fourth gen Firebird. – There weren’t any official pace car replicas for the 2002 Firebird, but decals could be purchased and this car has them. Otherwise, it’s a normal but already collectible 2002 Collector Edition coupe, which in this condition is arguably a $20,000-plus car, and that’s what it brought. It came back later in the auction as the seller tried to recoup the weekend’s expenses but brought a bid of only $17,000, rendering that plan obsolete.

Lot # 2234 1958 Pontiac Star Chief 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N K858H7444; Turquoise, White/Blue vinyl with cloth inserts; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $9,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $9,900 – 370/285hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, dual mirrors, pushbutton radio, dash clock, heater. – Dull, chipped original paint. Tired original chrome. Newer but scuffed up tires. Dirty underneath but solid. Sound and presentable but slightly musty original interior. Right on the line between good enough to enjoy the patina as-is or prime for restoration, so there’s not really a wrong answer as to what to do with this car. Either way, it’s a preserved but tired 60-year-old Pontiac. – An honest, sound, usable old Pontiac that needs nothing to be enjoyed and will reward its owner with many economical ways to enhance its appearance and usability. It brought a price that is fair to both the buyer and the seller.

Lot # 2299 1985 Porsche 944 Coupe; S/N WP0AA0947FN471758; Garnet Red Metallic/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $12,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $13,200 – 5-speed, black painted Fuchs wheels, sunroof, air conditioning, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, sport seats, documented with the original window sticker, owner’s manual, receipts and restoration history, clean AutoCheck and CarFax. – Showing 30,220 believable miles. Tidy, seemingly maintained engine bay. Pretty good original paint for the most part, but there is an odd run down the nose where it looks like something spilled and ate into the paint. Good interior commensurate with the miles. Not represented with a service history, which is definitely a red flag with 944s, but the mileage is low, it looks to have been carefully kept and the thorough documentation is reassuring. – Bid to $10,750 on the block and closed later with this result. The mileage is low on this car, but not remarkably so and it’s one of the early models known for having less power and more issues. 944 values have flattened out after a sharp rise, so while there’s little upside in value at this price, it should turn out to be a satisfying driver.

Lot # 3179 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Coupe; S/N WP0AC2A88GK191614; Rhodium Silver/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $87,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $96,250 – 3.8/385hp, 4-speed, red calipers, fire extinguisher, larger fuel tank, Sport Chrono, air conditioning. – One owner, 520 miles and like new. – One of the ultimate track toys of the last few years, the Cayman GT4 has never really depreciated and after coming out with an MSRP of about 85 grand, asking prices have hovered around the low 100s in the classifieds ever since. This was the first one to come to public auction, and it seems like a fair result for both parties.

Lot # 3167 1968 Shelby Mustang GT350H Fastback; S/N 8T02J149391-01190; Lime Gold, White side stripe/Black; Modified restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $81,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $89,100 – 302/250hp built up to 347ci, later overdrive automatic, Shelby wheels, strut tower bar, MSD ignition, R134 air conditioning, aluminum radiator, coilover front suspension, 4-bar rear suspension, tilt steering column, woodrim steering wheel, factory radio. – Neat build with tasteful upgrades, but of course not correct even though it is represented as the matching numbers engine. Nearly spotless engine bay. Lightly scratched up front bumper. Very good paint. Factory gaps. Very good, lightly worn interior. An older restoration with light upgrades that will put some purists off, but aren’t apparent from the outside. – While this is a generous price for a modified Shelby someone is going to get miles and miles of enjoyment out of the car’s excellent condition, its performance and handling and that is a bonus that makes it, at least to the right subset of collectors, a good value.

Lot # 3124 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43 Soft Top 4×4; S/N FJ43110072; Nordic Blue/Gray; Gray vinyl top; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $34,000 – 4.2/125hp six, 4-speed, power steering, power front disc brakes, rear-mounted spare, aftermarket CD stereo. – Tidy and lightly but not fully restored engine bay. Dull older respray. Restored but used underneath with a slightly rusty exhaust. Restored interior. Light pitting on some of the brightwork and hinges. A desirable late FJ43 (long wheelbase) soft top, but a bit lackluster in its presentation. – Not sold at a $45,000 high bid at Mecum Houston back in April, a number that could have been taken in light of this much lower result and given its somewhat disappointing presentation. The transport and consignment fees will only continue to get more noticeable from here and it’s time to take real money or bite the bullet, take out a home equity loan and bring it up to today’s standards.

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Comments

  1. Reply

    Great report as always, Rick. We seem to be seeing more 4-door sedans come to market. Is that in recognition that all old cars eventually become collectible, or is it a way to feed those who are looking for lower-priced entry-level hobby cars?

      • rickcarey1
      • June 19, 2018
      Reply

      Good observation.
      It’s two things, both of which you have identified.
      A good but mundane old car will be collectible if it survives, and you don’t have to own a GTO Judge to be in the hobby.
      Driving this old Pontiac to Cars ‘n’ Coffee will be pretty special and not a lot of cars in the parking lot will have spectators saying, “My uncle owned one like this.”

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