Mecum Auctions, Eddie Vannoy Collection, Jefferson, NC, June 29, 2020

Mecum Auctions has been stalled since its Glendale, Arizona auction in March.

Their business model is spectator- and bidder-dependent, a vast show with vendors and exhibitors. That doesn’t translate to online-only.

For the Eddie Vannoy auction Mecum created a hybrid: bidders and guests only at the venue in western North Carolina; an open online bidding platform from June 26, four days before the live closing on June 29, then live bidding with Mark Delzell, Jim Landis, Matt Moravec and Russ Conklin on the block.

As realized, it restored faith in the power of auctions to be exciting, vibrant and, in the online context, even more efficient.

Mecum closed 91 lots of cars, a few motorcycles and a golf cart, in 2 hours 41 minutes. That’s 1 minute 46 seconds per lot, an unprecedented 33 lots per hour sale rate.

The throughput was aided by logistical simplicity: the cars were sold from photos and didn’t have to be maneuvered onto the auction block. But even with that taken into account it was a virtuoso performance by the auctioneers.

The bid flow calls into question the long pre-bidding windows of online auctions, in this case four days of generally lackluster bidding that bore little relationship to the final bids while simultaneously selling vast amounts of “Road Art”.

Final bids ranged all over the lot from the opening bids on the morning of closing. The VW Transporter attracted no closing bids at all, closing as a no-sale at its Monday online bid of $17,500. On the other hand the Crosley Kiddie Fire Truck closed at $70,000 hammer (an astronomical price), 4,567% of its Monday opening bid of $1,500. The average final hammer bid was 99% more than where lots opened on Monday morning. As usual all the action was in the closing moments.

The 68 lots with pre-sale estimates had total low estimates of $3,995,000. The final hammer bids for these cars were $5,468,500, 136.9% of the low estimate, an unprecedented premium.

The inescapable conclusion is that early bidding was irrelevant and that the closing moments at Mecum’s Vannoy auction were brief, effective and intense.

Implicit in the factoids presented so far is the ultimate conclusion: There were no bargains at Mecum’s Vannoy auction. In fact, many of the cars were expensive both in relation to the prevailing market and to prices the same cars had brought in prior auctions. Some were eye-opening expensive.

Mecum Auctions’ Eddie Vannoy Collection sale was, by a significant margin, the most successful, exciting, informative and involving collector car auction of 2020. It deserves a closer look, not only as a template for auctions’ evolution in the near future when social distancing will continue for the foreseeable future, but also for a possible evolution into a new standard when the effect of pandemics continues to threaten.

Here are the numbers:

Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Sold < Low Est Sold > High Est Average Sale Median Sale Total $
78/83 94% 8.8% 41.2% $89,354 $77,000

[86.2%]

$6,969,600

Andrew Newton and I wrote up selected cars from the online descriptions and limited photographic documentation. There were no documentation attachments online, nor were there any condition observations. Photos are from and courtesy of Mecum Auctions (and probably should be credited to David Newhardt.)

25 lots are reported here, sorted in lot number order.


Lot # V1 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Sunliner Convertible; S/N 3Z69G104653; Raven Black,/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Estimate $50,000 – $70,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000. – G-code 406/405hp V-8 with three deuces, 4-speed manual, hub caps, dual mirrors, bucket seats, console, dash clock, factory AM/FM radio. – Not much in the way of history represented but is a claimed factory G-code car, and it presents well with a tidy interior and a clean, correct engine bay. Clearly restored at some point and still handsome, especially in triple black. – The 500 XL was the range-topping full-size Ford in 1963, and this one has a desirable engine, a 4-speed, and a soft top. Despite being the first car of the sale, it sold for a strong number and well within its estimate range, which set the pace for the rest of this largely very successful online auction.

Lot # V2 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 2-Dr. Hardtop Fastback; S/N 3N66R155281; Corinthian White,/Red vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,250. – 427-cid/425-hp, dual quads, 4-speed, 3.50 rear axle, bench seat, hubcaps, blackwall tires, pushbutton radio, heater. – Excellent paint and chrome. Flat panels except for slight waviness in the passenger’s rocker panel. Even gaps and flush fits aside from the hood closing slightly proud of the fender on the right side. The engine compartment is like new and spotless with no visible fluid seepage. The interior, gauges, dash, switches and trim are impeccable. Said to have been restored in 2015, looks like it was done yesterday. – Bid well into Mecum’s pre-sale estimate range, this is still a solid value for an R-code fastback and a car that should make the new owner happy to have been in early and ready to take advantage of slow initial uptake of the Vannoy cars. Had this car been twenty lots later it probably would have exceeded its high estimate (and it still wouldn’t have been expensive.)

Lot # V4 1970 Buick GSX Sport Coupe; S/N 446370H277942; Saturn Yellow, Black hood and side accent/Black vinyl; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $128,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $140,800. – 455-cid/350-hp, 4-barrel, 4-speed, 3.42 Positive Traction axle, power steering and brakes, tilt steering column, bucket seats, styled wheels, G60-15 Polyglas GT tires, hood tach, gauge package, Hurst shifter, heater, Protect-o-Plate documented, ownership history. – Represented as the matching numbers engine, Muncie close ratio transmission and rear axle. Door, hood and trunk gaps look even and flush. The engine compartment is clean and orderly. The exhaust manifolds, hood hinges and some fasteners are lightly surface rusted appropriate to the restoration’s age. Upholstery and interior trim are sound although the driver’s door card is shrinking slightly away from the armrest. Represented as showing 31,756 miles, a number that the 4-owner history documentation may support as original. A 2007 restoration showing a little age but obviously done to high standards and well-maintained in near showroom condition. – Reported sold by Mecum at Indy in 2015 for $183,600 and at Kissimmee in 2019 for $126,500, the result here is helped by the spectacular Saturn Yellow paint and is generous but not excessive.

Lot # V5 1970 Buick GSX Sport Coupe; S/N 446370H277685; Apollo White, Black hood and side accent/Black vinyl; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000. – 455-cid/350-hp, automatic, Positive Traction axle, power steering and brakes, factory air conditioning, hood tach, buckets and console, tinted glass, pushbutton radio with 8-track, styled wheels, G60-15 Polyglas GT tires. – AACA National First Prize and Senior winner. Good looking older paint and chrome. The upholstery, dash, gauges and interior trim are very good although the driver’s door card is shrinking away from the armrest. The engine compartment shows some age but is clean and free of any visible leaks or dribbles. There is no representation for the drivetrain’s originality, nor how long ago it was restored, but it has clearly been carefully maintained and lightly used. – After a $70,000 no-sale at Mecum Indy in 2017 this automatic GSX was reported sold at Mecum Dallas four months later for $61,000 before recording an over-the-moon result at Barrett-Jackson in 2018 of $139,700. This below estimate result (uncommon among the Vannoy cars which saw 41.2% sold over high estimate) is appropriate for its equipment and quality condition.

Lot # V6 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe; S/N 1G1Y52D95K5800087; Black,/Red leather; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $170,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $187,000. – 6.2/755hp supercharged LT5 V-8, automatic, black Premium wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, heated/ventilated seats. – Just 140 miles and still practically a new car. – We usually think of high-performance Porsches as the cars that defy the laws of depreciation and get more expensive as soon as they roll out of the factory. Surprisingly, Corvettes can do it too. The 2019 ZR-1 carried a $125,000 MSRP and even Mecum’s presale estimate on this one topped out at $150,000. Another 2019 ZR-1, finished in white and showing 3389 miles (Lot V85), also sold for a more sensible $129,250 later in the day, so we can boil this $187,000 price down to a hefty low mileage premium even though this car is barely a year old. Bought as a like-new collectible, it will probably never see four digits on its odometer at this rate.

Lot # V8 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Coupe; S/N 124870L529400; Daytona Yellow, Black stripes/Black cloth; Estimate $45,000 – $65,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $65,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $71,500. – 350/360hp LT1 V-8, 4-speed manual, Goodyear Polyglas GT tires, power steering, power brakes, Winters aluminum intake, Hurst shifter, dash clock, spoilers. – Not represented as matching numbers and not much in the way of history represented. By the look of the engine bay and interior, however, it has received thorough refurbishment if not a full restoration. – Aside from the big-block L78-powered SS, the solid lifter LT1-powered Z/28 is among the fastest and most valuable second gen Camaros. This is a seemingly prime example with good colors, solid presentation and the RS package that substituted a more attractive split front bumper (and can add up to a 20 percent premium on top of a standard Z/28). Despite its murky details, it brought a top-of-the-market (but not stratospheric) price.

Lot # V11 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda AAR 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N BS23J0B300464; Sassy Grass Green, Matte Black hood, strobe stripe and vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $115,500. – 340-cid/290-hp, Six Barrel, 4-speed, Hurst pistol grip shifter, power brakes, power steering, hood pins, side outlet exhaust, Rallye dash, rear-mounted antenna, Rallye wheels, Polyglas GT tires, heater, Broadcast sheet documented. – 2004 AACA National First Prize and Senior. Excellent paint, chrome and an engine compartment that looks good enough to eat dinner on. Flat panels, even door gaps and flush moving panel fits. The hood is slightly bowed. The interior is like new. A beautifully restored and maintained older restoration the looks barely used at all. – $105,000 hammer should buy the best AAR ‘Cuda in the world and while this one’s reception is helped by the High Impact Sassy Grass paint, this is all the money. It is a full retail acquisition but one that brought a highly satisfying ‘Cuda with all the equipment today’s collectors could ask.

Lot # V15 1995 Ford Bronco XLT Utility; S/N 1FMEU15H0SLC12845; Black,/Gray cloth; Estimate $25,000 – $40,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $72,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,200. – 351/210hp V-8, automatic, aluminum wheels, power steering, power brakes, limited-slip, power windows, air conditioning, factory CD stereo, trailer towing package. Comes with original window sticker. – Just 457 miles and looks showroom fresh. No word on whether it runs or has been started regularly over the years, but nobody is bidding on this thing so they can go out and drive it. – Sold by GAA three years ago for $37,450 with the exact same mileage represented. That was shocking money at the time, but in 2020 Mecum was reasonable to expect a similar result with its $40,000 high estimate. The bidders, on the other hand, threw reason out the window at the chance to nab one of the world’s best preserved fifth generation Broncos. Live bidding opened at 35 grand and just took off from there, quickly. The only way it’s worth this much is to a multi-store Ford dealer to use in promotion of the new generation Bronco, and then it’s rather inexpensive advertising to improve showroom traffic.

Lot # V19 1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible; S/N 1G1YY3254T5600705; Admiral Blue, White Stripe/Black leather; White top; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $62,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $68,750. – 350/330hp LT4 V-8, 6-speed manual. Comes with original window sticker. – One of 1,000 Grand Sports total and 190 convertibles built in 1996. Just 162 miles. Bloomington Gold certified and NCRS Top Flight. – With its limited production, upgraded performance and attention-grabbing paint scheme, the 1996-only Grand Sport had all the ingredients of a collectible Corvette straight away. That’s why most have very low mileage relative to other C4s, but even among Grand Sports 162 miles is exceptionally low. And the car brought an exceptional price, another huge result for another unbelievably low-mile car out of this collection. Another ’96 Grand Sport, a coupe with 177 miles and red interior, brought an even crazier $74,250.

Lot # V23 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup; S/N A673209; Rock Moss Green, Black fenders/Black leatherette; Cobra grain leatherette top; Estimate $20,000 – $30,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $49,500. – 201-cid/40-hp 4-cylinder, 3-speed, black wire wheels, single sidemount spare with mirror, wood bed rails, steel bed floor with an accessory trunk, MotoMeter. – Sound older paint with some small chips and paint loss in the body joints. Good interior and chrome. An early Model A with a Model-T style 4-spoke wooden steering wheel and the stock Model A engine. The engine compartment is orderly but aged with coolant leakage from the upper radiator hose and water pump housing and paint loss along the cylinder head joint. A competently restored Model A restored to car standards with better than truck paint. Done some years ago and showing its age. – Bidding was desultory during the runup to closing day, opening at $8,500 on Monday morning. That quickly changed when Jimmy Landis brought it up on the podium where it rapidly worked its way to this result. It’s a good example of a rare, early Model A, but it sold at Worldwide Auburn in 2012 for $25,300 ($23,000 hammer). This will be a high water mark in Model A Roadster Pickups for years to come and is a record price by a material increment.

Lot # V24 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N XX29L9B405170; Charger Red, White wing and tail band/Black vinyl; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $210,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $231,000. – 440-cid/375-hp Magnum, automatic, buckets and console, woodgrain steering wheel, 3.55 Sure Grip, power steering, pushbutton radio, tachometer, remote outside mirror, styled steel wheels, red line tires. – Represented as the original matching numbers engine, Broadcast sheet and original window sticker documented. Impressively flat panels and even door gaps. The nose cone fit is erratic, not aligned of the right and left side and with a gap across the middle of the hood but it’s probably much better than when it came from the factory. Good chrome and interior. A thoughtfully restored and reassuringly documented Charger Daytona. – This result is rather surprising. The Charger Daytona is a one-year model built in a small fraction of quantities of its copycat Road Runner Superbirds. This one sold at Kissimmee in 2018 for $253,000 and is in essentially showroom condition. Despite the $210,000 successful bid being close to the pre-sale high estimate of $225,000 it could have brought more without being unreasonable and is a good value at this price.

Lot # V25 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RM23U0A169462; Alpine White, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $185,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $203,500. – 440/375hp V-8, 4-speed manual, Goodyear Polyglas tires, Hurst pistol grip shifter, bucket seats, factory AM radio. – Represented as a matching numbers, four-owner car. Fully restored at some point and still presents as a fresh and gorgeous car, at least in the limited photos. – Alpine White is arguably the most boring available color available on this otherwise outrageous car (there were seven available), but this one’s matching numbers, full restoration and 4-speed go a long way in making up for that. It sold for $165,000 in Kissimmee three years ago, but Superbird prices haven’t done much since then, as reflected in Mecum’s $150,000 high estimate. It’s a good but not exceptional car, so this price is seriously expensive.

Lot # V27 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124379N645982; Dusk Blue, White stripes/Black vinyl, houndstooth inserts; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000. – 302-cid/290-hp, 4-speed, cowl induction, power front disc brakes, Endura nose, console with gauges, AM-FM, Rally Sport covered headlights, Rally wheels with trim rings, Radial T/A tires, woodgrain steering wheel. – Represented as a factory-built Z/28 RS but with no representation for the originality of the drivetrain. Very good bodywork with even gaps and flush panels. The engine compartment is like new, as is the interior. There’s no reason this Z/28 couldn’t go from the auction block to a car show field. – There is also no reason for paying this much for it. Even though the pre-sale estimate range was notably conservative and the colors are gorgeous, this is 20% more than would have been appropriate.

Lot # V28 1958 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe; S/N 58F030075; Alpine White,/Blue, White leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $100,000 – $130,000; Recent restoration 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $130,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $143,000. – 365-cid/335-hp, 3×2 barrel induction, automatic, power windows, power bench seat, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, Wonder Bar radio, chrome Sabre wheels, wide whitewalls. – Mecum calls this Cadillac a “multiple award winner” without specifying what awards they are but that doesn’t detract from its impressively consistent body panels, excellent interior and sharp, dry engine compartment. Details like weak or pitted cast trim chrome that often disclose a compromised restoration on these cars are totally absent from the online photos. This is a superb example. – Sold for $104,500 at RM Hershey in 2016, this is a startling price even for an exceptional 335hp triple deuce intake Series 62 convertible with Eldorado-level equipment. The problem is that it isn’t an Eldo, and it is expensive.

Lot # V40 2008 Dodge Magnum SRT-8 Station Wagon Custom; S/N 2D4GV77398H169811; Tor Red,/Black leather with Gray cloth inserts; Estimate $35,000 – $50,000; Original, modified for competition or performance 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $40,700. – 6.1/370hp Hemi V-8, automatic, Lexani wheels, Hankook tires, Borla exhaust, sunroof, fog lights, lowered. – Represented with 31,962 miles but shows very few signs of use under the hood and almost no visible wear to the interior. From the final year for the Magnum SRT-8 and although it has some significant mods and mileage, it hasn’t been used and abused. – A Car and Driver piece summed up the Dodge Magnum nicely, calling it “big enough for your family, quick enough for your friends, and sturdy enough to impress.” The high-performance SRT-8 models are no longer depreciating but they still aren’t worth much, either, offering rear-drive Hemi performance and a big storage area for not much money. That’s why this price surprised us. Live bidding opened at 15 grand, then immediately went to 20 and took off from there. It wasn’t a fluke, either. The next two lots of the sale were modified Magnums as well. One brought $40,700 and the other brought $36,300.

Lot # V47 1980 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40V Utility; S/N FJ40318320; Mustard Yellow, White roof/Tan; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Recent restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $49,500. – 4230/125hp L-6, 4-speed manual, power steering, power brakes. – Restored within the last few years and shows few signs of use. Lightly run engine bay. Very clean interior. No visible issues with the paint. An attractive but not overdone late FJ40. – This Land Cruiser sold for $41,800 at Barrett-Jackson’s Northeast auction three years ago and for $55,000 at Palm Beach in 2018. We rated it in #2- condition at the time, and we can assume it’s in the same shape today. The different prices are more down to different bidders than any big swings in the classic FJ market, and this is a solid result for a truck sold sight unseen. Both of the other vintage FJs in this auction (the next two lots), also sold quite well.

 

Lot # V49 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43 Utility; S/N FJ43110111; Olive Green,/Tan; Tan vinyl top; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Recent restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500. – 4230/125hp L-6, 4-speed manual, aluminum radiator, power steering, added air conditioning. – Fully restored foreign market longer wheelbase FJ43. Represented with Olive Green paint but it looks light brown in the photos. Either way, the quality of the work throughout looks very good and there are no visible issues to nitpick here. – This FJ43 sold for $55,000 in Harrisburg two years ago, and we rated it in #2- condition at the time. It went back to the Farm Show Arena a year later where it sold for a reasonable $38,500. It recovered, and then some and is a bit of a surprise given the setting, but we can still call it deservedly strong while not over-the-top.

Lot # V55 2004 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Coupe; S/N 1G1YY22G045113482; Millennium Yellow,/Black leather; Estimate $35,000 – $50,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $47,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $51,700. – Automatic, full road equipment, CD stereo, track safety lights, heads up display, polished alloy wheels, Daytona 500 Pace Car, one of 3 built. – Essentially like new with lightly creased seats and 410 miles from new. The 2004 Daytona 500 was won by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – This car sold for $86,400 at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach in 2005, then at Mecum Kissimmee in 2014 for $58,320. Continuing loss of interest is apparent in this result even within three bids of its high estimate. It will probably just sit in a collection somewhere until it shows up at a future auction with another four miles on its odometer (it had 406 miles at Kissimmee 2014) and take another value hit.

Lot # V62 2018 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Coupe; S/N 1FA6P8JZ9J5500251; Oxford White, Blue stripes/Black; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $72,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,200. – 5.2/526hp V-8, 6-speed manual, Magneride damping, 3.73 Torsen differential, carbon fiber wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, transmission oil cooler, air conditioning. Comes with window sticker. – 7 miles with plastic still on the seats. – Although not as overtly racy as the original GT350R from the 1960s, the twenty-first-century version does add carbon wheels, better aero, stickier tires and some handling upgrades over the regular GT350. It is also almost universally praised for being a great car to drive, but it’s unclear if the new owner will ever actually take this one for a spin. It was bought for less than a brand new GT350R costs, so there would be no shame in yanking off the wrapper.

Lot # V71 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Coupe; S/N 2C3CDZC95FH700007; Lime Green, Matte Black hood/Black leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500. – 376/707hp supercharged V-8, automatic, Pirelli P Zero tires. – Just 51 miles. Special order paint as a promotion for the seventh “Fast and Furious” movie. Serial number 00007 from the first year of Hellcat production. – The Challenger SRT Hellcat’s 707 horsepower is still an insane figure, but not as insane as it was in 2015 when the Challenger Hellcat first debuted. A lot of the hype has worn off (in part thanks to Dodge’s own 808-horsepower Demon and 797-hp Hellcat Redeye) and prices have dipped over the past year, but this one’s low build number, low mileage, special order paint and 8-speed automatic brought it an above-market result.

Lot # V72 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Callaway 25th Anniversary Coupe; S/N 1G1YS2DW3C5110225; Cyber Grey,/Ebony leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $62,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $68,750. – 376-cid/620hp supercharged/intercooled V8, 6-speed, power sport seats, power windows and locks, power steering, red Corvette calipers, carbon fiber hood bulge and all the other stuff expected today, black chrome Callaway 8-spoke alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, carbon fiber details, #19 of 25 (+ one pilot car) built. – Based on the 2012 Corvette Grand Sport. 1,560 miles and like new. – A $50,000 car with 190 more supercharged, intercooled and tuned horsepower, one of 26 Callaway 25th Anniversary editions. In 2012 620-hp was a big deal, but later Corvettes from Bowling Green overshadowed the performance boost, as shown by other Corvettes in the Vannoy auction. It has certain bragging rights, though, as a leading edge introduction into the supercharged Corvettes that would later come from Chevrolet. Oh, and more power than most mortals can manage.

Lot # V77 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Sunliner Convertible; S/N C9GC163940; Red, White/Red, White, Black vinyl; White vinyl top; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $47,500. – 292/200hp, automatic, power steering, padded dash, chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, chrome skirts and rear fender shields. – Pitted vent window frames and hood emblem. Good paint, chrome, interior and top. Very good engine compartment, not fresh but clean and dry. Restored a while ago and showing its age but still a satisfying driver. – Sold for $25,300 at Auburn Fall 2014, then $33,000 at Mecum Kissimmee in 2016 and $44,000 at Kissimmee 2017. It is static in collectors’ perception and the reported high bid here should have been enough to separate it from its current owner

Lot # V80 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N BS23N1B188477; Curious Yellow, Black billboards /; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $120,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $132,000. – 383ci/300hp, automatic, Slap Stick shifter, power brakes, power steering, shaker hood with lockdown pins, Rallye Gauges, Polyglas tires, rear window slats, Rallye wheels, Polyglas tires, elastomeric bumpers, road lamps, AM/FM. – Very good paint other than cracks and a chip on the corner of the rear elastomeric bumper. Very good exterior brightwork. Detailed engine compartment but there is some surface rust on the brake cylinder and battery bracket. The interior is in very good condition. A well restored and lightly aged 1971 Plymouth Cuda with the factory correct GY3 Curious Yellow paint, added shaker hood, and backlight louvers. – Reported sold at Kissimmee five months ago for $123,750. The $8,250 difference in five months is insignificant. It was expensive at Kissimmee and remains so here even with the High Impact color and comprehensive equipment. This is 440 money.

Lot # V82 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-Dr. Hardtop Custom; S/N C54B069599; Red, White roof and accent/Grey, Red vinyl, cloth; Modified restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $49,500. – 235-cid six, dual downdraft carburetors on an Offenhauser intake, Fenton headers with split exhaust, chrome valve cover, 12-volt alternator, 3-speed, column shift, pushbutton radio, windwing air deflectors, skirts, heater, wheel covers, whitewalls, dual outside mirrors, bumper overriders. – Thoroughly and carefully restored with added performance parts visible on the outside and possible duplicated where they can’t be seen. The cosmetics are solid although with some light orange peel and a small crater on the right rear fender. The engine compartment is very good with some seepage and gasoline staining on the rear carburetor. The body panels align well, with even gaps and good fits. Chrome is uniformly bright and smooth. A quality restoration that has been maintained in excellent condition and driven minimal miles. – I have to ‘fess up that I like this car with its 3-speed and the performance upgrades. I liked it at B-J Palm Beach in 2019 when it sold for $35,200, noted then as an “essentially boring car boosted beyond that status by the caliber of its restoration and the subtle but effective performance enhancements.” It was a sound value then but here? The reserve was met at $35,000 and the following $10,000 in bids to the $45,000 hammer were… optimistic. It is an expensive car at this result, but one that will be a rewarding driver for the new owner. It will have to be driven to recover the premium paid for it.

Lot # V86 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Callaway 25th Anniversary Coupe; S/N 1G1YS2DW4C5110220; Cyber Grey,/Ebony leather; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000. – 6.2-Litre/620hp supercharged/intercooled V8, 6-speed, power sport seats, power windows and locks, power steering, red Corvette calipers, carbon fiber hood bulge and all the other stuff expected today, black chrome Callaway 8-spoke alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, carbon fiber details, #16 of 25 (+ one pilot car) built. – Based on the 2012 Corvette Grand Sport. 277 miles and like new. – One of two 25th Anniversary Callaways offered today, both of them 6-speeds with plenty of options and negligible miles (although the other one had 1,560 miles on the clock and this one has only 277 miles.) Bidder fatigue didn’t seem to affect the result, however, and this brought a low miles premium of a modest $8,250, an advantageous purchase.

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