Since arriving in Houston in 2012 Mecum has made a splash, then settled down into a consistent $20 million sale. The “splash” came in 2014 when a single Ford GT40 s/n GT/104, brought $7 million hammer, 23% of that year’s total auction handle all by itself.
Over the years the consignment has steadily declined until this year’s 790 cars, 77% of the over a thousand cars crossing the block in 2014. After 2014, however, the average transaction has been within a thousand dollars while the median has fluctuated somewhat more.
Details aside, this is a major auction with some major collections being deaccessioned including this year’s Tim LaQuay collection of 50 cars and 13 cars from the collection of Curtis and Emalee Burton.
On the other hand, Mecum persists in presenting some cars again and again, 103 of the 790 cars in Houston, 13%, occur in my database two or more times before, many of them within a year of crossing the Houston block. In today’s stagnant price environment there is little or no possibility of buying a car at Kissimmee and flipping it at Houston for anything meaningful.
The poster child for repeated appearances is the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, s/n 16109, that has become a feature of Mecum auctions for the past year. A Daytona has drawing power – paying spectators like to see them – but as a collector car at auction this Daytona has become a joke. It’s time to put this poor Daytona out of its misery. The only people having fun with it are the Reliable Transport drivers who have probably become weary of documenting its chips and dings.
The numbers for Mecum’s Houston auction have been adjusted to eliminate a number of cars run two or more times across the block
Year | Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ |
2017 | 551/790 | 69.8% | $38,034 | $27,500
[72.3%] |
$20,956,976 |
2016 | 542/851 | 63.7% | $37,007 | $24,750
[66.9%] |
$20,057,785
|
2015 | 647/932 | 69.4% | $39,211 | $37,000
[94.4%] |
$25,369,779 |
2014 | 681/1025 | 66.4% | $48,625 | $30,240
[62.2%] |
$33,113,764 |
2014 includes Ford GT40 s/n GT/104 for $7 million hammer. |
On-site observations are by Andrew Newton; final comments and observations are my responsibility.
AND, there’s an aberration in calculating the buyers’ commissions. Mecum’s commission rate is $500 up to $5,000 hammer and 10% thereafter. For a cheap car, the $500 minimum buyer’s commission can be a mind-boggling percentage, which is what is automatically calculated.
Lot # T15 1984 Porsche 944 Coupe; S/N WP0AA0944FN454688; White/Burgundy leather; Unrestored original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $6,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,150. With Reserve. – White Fuchs wheels, store brand tires, rear window wiper, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning, sunroof. – Reportedly with the same owner for the last 29 years. Showing 108,674 miles. There are some light scrapes at the bottom of the front lip and the painted strip along the rockers is cracking heavily. The exterior plastic is also dull. The seat upholstery looks great, but the dash, switchgear, steering wheel and shift knob are all worn, corresponding to the high mileage. The engine bay is maintained but a little dirty. Very much a used car as most 944s are, and in no better than average shape for one of these cars. – In mid-1985, the 944 got a significant, mostly mechanical makeover that improved reliability, horsepower, handling and ergonomics, so the earlier examples like this are notably less desirable than post-1985 cars. 944s have gotten some surprisingly high prices at auction this year, but those have been for top-notch cars. This is not a top notch car, and it likely has some expensive Porsche shop bills in its future. The price paid was perfectly appropriate, although so was the $5,500 paid for it at Mecum’s Kansas City auction two weeks ago. The seller made enough to pay the entry fee and transportation cost.
Lot # T37 1958 Willys-Jeep L6-226 Station Wagon 4×4; S/N 5416832543; Turquoise/Gray vinyl; Truck restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $11,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,650. With Reserve. – 226/115hp six, 3-speed, Chromed wheels, dual mirrors, 4WD, bench seat, tow hitch. – The paint job is amateur with numerous runs on the roof and window pillars. The paint on the roof is also faded from the sun, as are all parts of the body that face up. The chassis was crudely undercoated. The interior is presentable and has newer upholstery. Given major attention, but given it quickly and on a budget. If the refrigerator magnets on the dash are any indication, this was just somebody’s around town or beach cruiser and that’s probably what the next owner will do with it. – Practical, utilitarian, nice enough to be driven with some pride but not so good that the owner will worry about parking it, doing some moderate off-roading or hauling wet kids home from a day at the swimming hole. It is a great vehicle for a vacation home at a reasonable price.
Lot # T156 1946 Lincoln Continental Coupe; S/N H151088; Black/Maroon leather with Tan cloth inserts; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $18,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,350. With Reserve. – Hub caps and trim rings, Firestone wide whitewalls, fender skirts, bench seat, column shift, dash clock, radio. – Displayed in a business until five years ago, but it’s not clear when it was first parked. Tired but presentable and blemish free paint and chrome. Very good interior with older redone upholstery and original dash. Undercoated chassis. It probably got a basic restoration at some point years ago then sat on display. – A CCCA Full Classic ™ that holds its own in style and quality, it probably has more needs than are apparent on the surface but the new owner got it for a reasonable enough price that meeting them won’t put the car underwater.
Lot # T165 1971 Jeep Jeepster Commando Pickup; S/N 870201751167; Red/Red vinyl; Black vinyl top; Truck restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $9,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $10,450. With Reserve. – 225/160hp V6, automatic, wheel covers, Hankook tires, 4WD, driving lights, bucket seats, console, rear-mounted spare. – Average quality recent paint with some orange peel and a chip on the right rear quarter. Pitted original brightwork. Very good newer top. Very good newer upholstery but the rest of the interior is old. Undercoated chassis. A truck restoration. – After not selling at a high bid of $10,000 at Mecum Dallas six months ago, the seller got the hint and let it go at a realistic if somewhat modest price for a fun but flawed Jeepster Commando.
Lot # T166 1959 Land Rover Series II 88 Station Wagon 4×4; S/N 144901302; Red, White top/Brown vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $17,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,250. With Reserve. – Wing mirrors, hood-mounted spare, winch, mud flaps, banjo steering wheel. – Paint is coming off of the wheels and rust is poking through there. Wavy bodywork. Paint is dull with lots of scratches and small chips. Underbody is dirty with surface rust on some of the suspension bits. Interior is sound and clean. This is definitely a worn old Rover, but it has a certain charm to it and doesn’t look out of commission. – The original Land Rovers are excellent off-road vehicles with a deserved reputation for rugged performance, some of which to judge by the condition has been utilized by this one’s prior owners. Even at that, though, it represents a very good value for money with a lot of potential for recommissioning to be a suburban landowner’s prized possession.
Lot # F24 1966 Chevrolet Nova SS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 118376N169990; Aztec Bronze, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $42,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $46,750. With Reserve. – 327/350hp, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Firestone narrow whitewalls, chrome valve covers and air cleaner, bucket seats, floor shift, radio delete. – Body-off restored. Represented as matching numbers. Very clean engine bay. Very good paint. Rocker trim is lightly scratched and doesn’t quite fit flush. Chip at the back of the driver’s door, the gaps on which are uneven. Very good interior other than light pitting on the transmission tunnel trim. Some stones were left unturned, but for a Nova this car pretty much got the royal treatment. – A very solid and eye-catching Nova SS, but sold at a bargain price that could have been a lot closer to 60 grand without being expensive. This is a muscle car rarity at a bargain price.
Lot # F35.1 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible; S/N 1G4EC33C0LB905914; Black/Gray leather; Black vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $2,000 plus commission of 25.00%; Final Price $2,500. No Reserve. – Falken tires, alloy wheels, power top, climate control, power seats, console, power windows, CD stereo. – Dirty, lightly scratched wheels. Numerous small scratches and chips on the hood and nose. The hood also looks to be a different shade from the rest of the car. Several big scratches on the front bumper. White pinstripe has come up in places. Wrinkled seats, and the driver’s side is worn through on the bolsters. A presentable, but unremarkable example of Buick’s high-tech oddball two-seater. – The Reatta had originally been planned to possibly have turbocharging and rear-drive, but it wound up being a rather cushy front-drive two-seater with only distinctive styling, hand-assembled construction and a digital dash to set it apart from anything else. Sold early in the day at no reserve, it’s a running and driving car basically bought for junker money. That’s a pretty good deal no matter what kind of car it is.
Lot # F53 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible; S/N 6R08C159299; Light Blue/Blue, White vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $28,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $31,350. With Reserve. – 289/200hp, 4-barrel added, automatic, aftermarket wheels, Radial T/A tires, power steering, power top, aftermarket air conditioning, Rally package, GT package, Pony interior, modern stereo. – Represented as the original engine and transmission. There is a small dent in the passenger’s door and a patch of microblisters on the trunk lid. Rocker trim doesn’t quite fit flush. Very good paint and bodywork otherwise. Excellent interior. Solid restoration of a loaded ’65 Mustang convertible. Better than your average driver in terms of both equipment and condition. – A charming and attractively presented early Mustang with lots of options, it couldn’t have brought more, or less, without being off the mark. This is a right price for a quality car.
Lot # F62 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 10th Anniversary Coupe; S/N 2X87Z9L181212; Silver, Pace Car graphics/Silver vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $21,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $23,100. With Reserve. – 400/220hp, 4-speed, Firehawk tires, glass T-Tops, WS6, 3.23 Safe-T-Track, air conditioning, power windows. – Really good paint and good, lightly worn interior. There are some light signs of age on the paint and underneath, but this does not look like a 40-year-old car with 57,087 miles on it. – Offered at Kissimmee in January where it failed to excite the bidders early in the week and fell short with a bid of $17,500, it lived up to its potential here and brought a realistic price.
Lot # F74 1968 Dodge Coronet Super Bee 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N WM21H8E163115; Gold, Black tail stripe/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. With Reserve. – 383/335hp, automatic, red line tires, bench seat, column shift, factory radio, dual mirrors. – Cosmetically restored with one repaint. Crack on the right front fender. Light road wear underneath. Older restored engine bay. Very good older restored interior. A straightforward lightly used cosmetic restoration. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas in 2011 for $27,500. Values have increased slightly for Super Bees since then, and this is something of a bargain for one in this condition. It could have brought another 5 grand without being expensive.
Lot # F79 1970 American Motors Rebel Machine 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N A0M190Y310949; White, Blue, Red/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $29,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $31,900. With Reserve. – 390/340hp, automatic, Eagle T/R tires, hood scoop, dual mirrors, hood tach, bucket seats, pushbutton radio. – Repainted in the early 90s. The paint has held up well but there are some microblisters on the right front and bubbling in the decals on the tail. The gaps are uneven. Underneath is original but very tidy. The interior is mostly restored and very good. Reportedly one of 1,000 built in this red, white and blue color scheme, it’s more than good enough to be proud of and certainly makes a statement. – The Machine had the most powerful V-8 that AMC ever put into a production vehicle and this in-your-face color scheme is appropriately flashy, but compared to mainstream muscle, these cars have long represented a pretty good value. If this modest result for a solid example is any indication, the Rebel Machine is still a serious muscle car bargain.
Lot # F88 1971 NSU Prinz 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N 5110460054; Light Blue/Dark Blue vinyl with Light Blue cloth inserts; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $5,500. With Reserve. – Hub caps, pushbutton radio. – The front bumper is heavily scratched up and the rubber strip is wavy. The rest of the brightwork is also a little beat up and the paint, while sound, is older and kind of tired. The seats have several rips. The engine bay and chassis are sound and clean. The car has a certain charm to it and it’s quite rare. It’s a good candidate for a straightforward restoration, but it’s too tired to be anything more than a casual driver. – NSU never varied from trying new things, not least this eccentric camshaft drive twin or the later Wankels. This Prinz’s condition is not encouraging, a project car for which there are few manuals. The reported high bid could have bought it.
Lot # F89 1951 MG TD Roadster; S/N TD9127; Red/Tan leather; Tan top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $21,000. With Reserve. – Hub caps, Dunlop tires, rear-mounted spare, tonneau cover, banjo steering wheel. – Once owned by a federal judge [does owning a TD show judgment?]. The engine bay is tidy and maintained. There are paint chips behind the headlights as well as uneven finish on the fuel tank as well as a crack on the left running board. Otherwise, the paint is shiny and sound. The interior is very good and fully redone aside from the gauges. The grille surround is covered in light scratches. Restored quite some time ago then enjoyed and reasonably well cared for. – The TD is the least valuable iteration of the venerable T-Series MG, but this bid was still pretty light for a car as sound as this. It was close to appropriate, though, and the costs will add up for the owner if he decides to make any more auction trips. It was rerun on Saturday as S201 and still went home on a bid of $22,000.
Lot # F90.1 1973 Lincoln Continental Mk IV Coupe; S/N 3Y89A917691; Green, White vinyl roof/Green vinyl with cloth inserts; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $7,000. With Reserve. – Wheel covers, Hankook narrow whitewalls, 8-track stereo, column shift, power windows, Cartier dash clock. – Represented as unrestored with mostly original paint. Arizona car. Showing 52,627 miles. Its condition endorses the claim with discoloration on the hood, a large touch up on the nose, lightly scratched up bumpers and grille, big chips at the back of the hood and dings on the mirrors. Very light discoloration on the roof vinyl. Recent major service. Very good original interior. Not perfect, but a pretty good well preserved car. – Maybe if gas went back to $4 a gallon, 7 grand would be an appropriate offer. But as it sits today, this car deserved another few bids and the consignor was reasonable to hold out.
Lot # F102.1 1969 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RM21J9A249020; Turquoise, Black/Black vinyl; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $72,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,750. With Reserve. – 426/425hp dual quad Hemi, 4-speed, hub caps, red line tires, power brakes, Dana 60 rear end, Bench seat, floor shift, Hurst shifter, factory radio. – Replacement block, matching numbers 4-speed. Body-off restored. Very good paint and chrome. Factory gaps. Very good interior. Unrestored dash and switchgear. Clean and restored underneath. Essentially done to like new. – This isn’t the poster child for Road Runner Hemis. It was offered at Mecum Chicago in 2014 with a high bid of $65,000, then at Dallas in 2016 bid to $90,000, Leake Dallas two weeks later bid to $72,000 and Mecum KC in December with a bid of $75,000. The seller got the message (after having it pounded into his head) and took the money here in Houston.
Lot # F108 1970 Shelby Mustang GT500 SportsRoof; S/N 0F02R483145; Grabber Blue/White vinyl; Black hood stripes top; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $84,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $92,400. With Reserve. – 428/335hp, automatic, Shelby wheels, Polyglas GT tires, Traction-Lok, power steering, power brakes, tinted glass, console, factory AM radio, Marti Report documented. – Restored 18 years ago. Tidy engine bay. Sound, shiny older paint and chrome. Very clean wheels. Very good interior other than some slight waviness to the dash top. Looks a lot more recent than an 18-year-old restoration. – This Shelby could have been bought at Mecum’s Spring Classic in 1991 for something little more than the reported high bid of $16,000 as it spewed exhaust smoke across the block and reflected rust pimples under its paint. It was hammered not sold at Mecum Indy last year at a high bid of $80,000 in vastly better condition and again at Mecum Kissimmee this year at a high bid of $85,000. The car probably deserves more, but the seller decided that the expenses of a fourth auction trip weren’t worth it and let the car go, which was realistic.
Lot # F110 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible; S/N VC57A187081; Matador Red/Red, Silver vinyl; White vinyl top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $66,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $72,600. With Reserve. – 283/220hp, 3-speed, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, dual antenna, Continental kit, power steering, power top, tissue dispenser, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – AACA Senior First Prize in 2007. The color on the hood does not match the rest of the body. The top is wrinkled and lightly discolored. There is a big scratch above the trunk lid and pitting on the spare wheel cover badge. Rocker trim doesn’t fit flush. Chips and cracks in the steering wheel. Otherwise good very lightly worn interior. Despite the show car credentials, this is just a used older restoration, although it’s still quite attractive. – Not sold at a high bid of $70,000 at Mecum Kissimmee this year and passed on here for a realistic price. As much as Old Guys love ’57 Bel Airs their days are over until a new generation begins to appreciate them as ‘classics’. Buy now, hold and enjoy.
Lot # F120.1 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194675S115097; Nassau Blue/Blue vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $57,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $62,700. With Reserve. – 327/300hp, 4-speed, centerlock alloy wheels, gold line tires, side exhaust, teakwood steering wheel, dash clock, factory radio, Vintage air conditioning. – Several scratches, chips and touch ups on the front fenders and around the boot cover. Sizable crack in front of the driver’s door. Otherwise sound older paint. Tidy unrestored engine bay. Light scratches on the exhaust surrounds. Very good chrome. Newer seats but the rest of the interior looks original, including the carpets. Largely unrestored, but far from original. – An average car bought for average car money, with appropriate premiums paid for side exhaust and power steering. It’s a result both parties can be happy with.
Lot # F122 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; S/N 194370S404556; Marlboro Maroon/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $27,500. With Reserve. – 350/350hp L46 engine, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, red line tires, Positraction, power steering, pushbutton radio. – Sound but tired older repaint with chips in the nose and a crack at the right edge of the hood. Chip in the right front fender and several big touched up scratches on the roof. Original switchgear is pretty tired and faded but the seats are new. A basic high performance small block 350/350, kept good enough to be presentable but never pampered. – Sold for $18,900 here in 2014. A solid price for a car in this condition that’s also finished in a somewhat boring color, but not excessive. Power steering and Posi make it an attractive driver and something more than a sound value at this price.
Lot # F123 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS 396 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124379N574583; White, Black/Black vinyl with Houndstooth cloth inserts; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $47,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $51,700. With Reserve. – 396/350hp, 4-speed, Rally wheels, Radial T/A tires, spoilers, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, 12-bolt rear end, power windows, floor shift, dash clock, factory radio, hidden headlights. – Very good paint and chrome. Even gaps. Excellent interior. Fully restored and loaded ’69 RS/SS with nothing to pick on aside from the fact that there is no representation of matching numbers. – This Camaro SS 396 would be worth much more if the seller could document its original specification. In the absence of that the Houston bidders handicapped the car with this parsimonious, but realistic, price. It’s a lot of Camaro – even if it’s not its real specification – at this price.
Lot # F125.1 1967 Dodge Dart GTS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N LP23H72329263; Yellow, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $20,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $22,550. With Reserve. – 383/325hp, automatic, Silvertown red line tires, 3.23 Sure Grip, bucket seats, console, floor shift, factory radio. – One repaint in the original color. Represented as matching numbers. Grille is dull and there are a few chips out of the front bumper. Wheels are a little dirty and scuffed up. Good, straight roof vinyl. Even gaps. Good paint. Very good interior. Unrestored but sound underneath. A very attractive driver, done to high enough standards for what it is. – These first year GTSs weren’t the tire-scorching monsters that the later 440-powered cars were, but they have enough grunt to have fun with and they’re fairly cheap in terms of muscle cars, as this condition-appropriate result shows.
Lot # F133 1972 Dodge Charger SE 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N WP29M2G158317; Powder Blue, White vinyl roof/Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $26,400. With Reserve. – 400/190hp, automatic, hub caps, narrow whitewalls, power steering, power brakes, factory air conditioning, bench seat, column shift, factory radio. – Represented as the matching numbers engine. Very good older paint and chrome. Factory gaps. Straight, clean, even roof vinyl. Excellent fully restored interior. The Charger was more show than go by ’72, but this car has a heck of a lot of show. It’s gotten the kind of attention that’s usually paid to much more valuable cars and just about looks new. – “Emasculated” applies to 1972 power ratings, and pretty much everything else in 1972. Gas prices and aggressive insurance companies combined to chill Detroit and encourage putting 2-barrel bored-out 383s into Chargers. It cut the heart out of performance and wouldn’t reappear for two decades when programmed fuel injection balanced economy with performance. This Charger SE looks good, but can’t back up its appearance with the performance of its 2-barrel matching numbers 400. The seller should be entirely satisfied with tins price.
Lot # F133.1 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N F585S257054; Red/Red vinyl with Red, Black and White cloth inserts; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $53,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $58,300. With Reserve. – 348/280hp Tri-Power, automatic, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts, power steering, power brakes with front discs, Vintage air conditioning, tinted glass, aftermarket vacuum gauge and tach, tissue dispenser, dual mirrors, rear seat speaker, dual antenna. – High quality but tired older repaint. Lightly scratched rear bumper. Driver’s door doesn’t fit flush. Good older restored interior. No representation of matching numbers. A lightly aged older restoration of a loaded first year Impala. – This Impala is configured to be an excellent driver with its front disc brakes and vintage air and it brought a price appropriate to its configuration and older restored condition.
Lot # F160 1972 Chevrolet C10 Cheyenne Super Fleetside Pickup; S/N CCE142S181030; Dark Green, Light Green roof/Green vinyl with Green houndstooth cloth inserts; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $22,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $24,750. With Reserve. – 350/175hp, automatic, narrow whitewalls, power steering, power brakes, bed rails, factory air conditioning, tilt steering column, tachometer. – The bed is heavily scratched up. Excellent original interior. Undercoated chassis. Lightly scratched up trim rings. Good repaint with several chips and scratches on the nose and hood as well as some rub through on the edges of the hood. Not fully restored but not original either, it’s nevertheless a gorgeous and loaded C10 that doesn’t look like it was ever used for serious work except maybe a few trips to the hardware store. – This is yet another example that solid, well-preserved vintage trucks are commanding high prices at the moment, and since most of these were worked to death back when they were new, they’re more rare today than might be expected. This one’s bed indicates it’s actually been used since it was restored and would benefit from a drop-in bed liner. With new trucks in mid-five figures there is practicality and pride of ownership at a moderate price.
Lot # F165.1 1954 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1 Roadster; S/N 1B213967M; Red/Black piped in Red; Black vinyl top; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $34,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $37,400. With Reserve. – Painted centerlock wire wheels, Pirelli tires, tonneau cover, overdrive, banjo spoke steering wheel. – Decent older paint and bumper chrome, dull brightwork. Scratch on the left front fender and chips around the door edges. Good older interior. The grille spears aren’t even. Uneven gaps. An attractive but no better than average driver quality Healey cosmetically restored a while ago and showing subsequent use and age. – Sold at Mecum Kissimmee last year for $33,000, offered at Kissimmee this year with a reported high bid of $35,000, both appropriate numbers, as is this. A concours restored 100/4 can be a six figure car, but good honest drivers can still be had by those on a budget. This is a sound value.
Lot # F170 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster; S/N 1B3B865E1TV100252; White, Blue stripes/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $36,000. With Reserve. – White wheels, hardtop, factory cassette stereo, air conditioning. – Later, more civilized version of the RT/10. No wear or blemishes visible anywhere. Looks like a new car. Showing 9,012 miles. – The reported high bid is a little over half what this car would have cost new, but it’s also roughly in line with what other well kept RT/10s typically bring. The car could have changed hands at this price.
Lot # F185 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Convertible Coupe; S/N 13695595; Santa Clara Coral/Pink, White; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. With Reserve. – 230/110hp, Fluid Drive, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, column shift, pushbutton radio, heater, pink vinyl boot cover, fender skirts included. – Represented as 45,595 actual miles. Cracks in the badges on the nose, a big touch up on the right side of the hood and another at the front of the passenger’s side door. Uneven gaps. Taillight gaskets are dry and cracking. Very good, lightly worn interior other than a heavily cracked steering wheel rim. Older restored underneath. Enjoyed quite a bit since being restored, but the car has a presence and really catches your eye. – Sold at Mecum Indy in 2014 for $20,250, then at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2015 for a resounding $41,800. This result was a lot more realistic, and appropriately only a few grand more than the nearly identical hardtop version offered from the same seller. The color is notable as being a wonderful Fifties hue. The six’s 110hp is comparable with offerings from Ford and Chevy in ’54.
Lot # F186 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe; S/N 13595149; Santa Clara Coral, White roof/White vinyl with Pink cloth inserts; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $26,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $28,600. With Reserve. – 230/110hp, 3-speed, overdrive, chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, fender skirts, power steering, column shift, pushbutton radio, heater. – Represented as 51,092 miles from new. Fully restored, but done a while ago. Uneven gaps and the body side trim doesn’t fit quite right. Big chip at the edge of the trunk lid. Very good interior other than a rough-looking steering wheel and paint coming off of the shifter. An attractive, basic driver. – Sold at Mecum Indy in 2014 for $13,230, then at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2015 with 9 fewer miles on the odometer for $24,200. Values for 50s cars like this in general have been dead flat, so this is a strong result. It was sold next to a nearly identical convertible version in the same condition and finished in the same colors, which added some charm.
Lot # F187 1955 Pontiac Star Chief Custom 2-Dr. Hardtop Catalina; S/N W855H12096; Metallic Brown, Cream/Brown, White vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,800. With Reserve. – 287/180hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, sun visor, dual mirrors, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – Finish is older and a little dull. Lots of blisters on the right front fender. Very good bumper chrome. The rest of the brightwork is lightly pitted, and there is a big dent in the rear fender trim. Unrestored but tidy underneath. Good older restored interior. A cosmetic restoration with single repaint, a decent driver, but nobody’s pride and joy. – An unusual and nicely equipped Pontiac from the days before the marque became noted for performance and was a fairly dull, chrome striped progression along GM’s aspirational path from Chevys to Cadillacs. It is of little note, having received the cosmetic restoration that is if anything more than its limited value can support. The result is appropriate for the car.
Lot # F188 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe; S/N C54J009411; Burnt Orange, White/Brown vinyl with White cloth inserts; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,800. With Reserve. – 235/125hp, Powerglide, wheel covers, whitewalls, windshield visor, fender skirts, pushbutton radio, dash clock, heater. – Light pitting on the hood ornament. Poor masking around the windshield visor. Paint is otherwise decent but older. A few blemishes on the rear bumper. Uneven door gaps. A little bit of discoloration on the white parts of the seats, but the rest of the interior looks very good. Paint is coming off of the steel wheels. Light road wear but restored underneath. An attractive but flawed older restoration after many years of enjoyment. – Sold at Auburn Fall in 2007 for $17,820, only $180 less than the successful hammer bid here ten years later. Everything would change a year later with the introduction of the smallblock V8, but this is a sound if aged example of the last of the “stovebolt six” era and someone got ten years of enjoyment out of it at no cost.
Lot # F204 1965 Pontiac LeMans GTO 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 237375K129222; Iris Mist/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $48,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $52,800. With Reserve. – 389/360hp Tri-Power, 4-speed, Firestone red line tires, power steering, power brakes, 3.23 Safe-T-Track axle, air conditioning, console, Hurst shifter, factory radio with a hidden AM/FM/CD stereo, PHS documents. – Unrestored, maintained engine bay. Blue paint is chipping off of the block and the carbs are discolored from fuel, but the hoses are all new, everything has been cleaned up, and there’s a new radiator. Beautiful, well applied paint in rare, gorgeous Iris Mist. Taillight brightwork is pitted and the chrome is older. Interior is fully restored apart from the gauges, console and switchgear. Unrestored but sound underneath. A well kept cosmetic restoration that just about anybody could be proud of. – Other than some evidence of age there is nothing not to like about this LeMans GTO, especially not at this price.
Lot # F212 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; S/N 194370S413806; Engine # 109413806; Donnybrooke Green/Dark Green vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $35,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $39,050. With Reserve. – 350/370hp LT1 engine, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Silvertown red line tires, pushbutton radio, power windows, Protect-O-Plate, tank sticker. – Represented as matching numbers. Oxidation around the brake cylinders and the exhaust manifold but otherwise the restored engine bay is a little dirty but well kept. Very good paint and chrome. The wheels are a little tired. Original but sound switchgear and steering wheel. The rest of the interior is restored. Not a perfect restoration, but pretty enough to be proud of. – A genuine LT1 in this condition should bring a lot closer to $50,000, so this was a solid buy but its price here was comparable with its sale at the Leake Oklahoma City auction in2014 for $22,000. Earlier in the day, a fresher and more highly documented ’70 LT1 coupe in Mulsanne Blue sold for $73,700, stealing this green example’s thunder a bit. The new owner should be highly satisfied with the LT1, and particularly with the price paid for it.
Lot # F223 1968 Pontiac Firebird 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 223378L101564; Turquoise, Black vinyl roof/Turquoise vinyl; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. With Reserve. – 400/330hp, automatic, Rally wheels, Silvertown red line tires, factory radio, PHS documents. – Represented as a one-owner, numbers matching California car. Recently finished full restoration in original colors. Pontiac badge on the nose doesn’t quite fit right. Very good paint and chrome. Roof vinyl is crudely and sloppily glued on at the edges. Fender lips don’t fit flush. Drip rails are a little beat up. Very good restored interior with only a handful of original bits. Corners were definitely cut and it’s no show car, but it’s good enough for someone to drive and enjoy, and it looks great in these unusual colors. – Firebirds are going through a strong streak and this example appears to have been rushed through a slipshod restoration process to catch the market. It made the show, and even with its overt shortcomings brought a price that is good for both the buyer and the seller.
Lot # F246 1996 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFXR41A9V0109360; Yellow/Black leather with cloth inserts; Original, with major mechanical repairs, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $43,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $47,300. With Reserve. – Potenza tires, 6-speed manual, power windows, air conditioning, factory stereo. – Rebuilt on LA salvage title, which is enough to make plenty of people walk away right there. Represented as 17,744 miles from new. Belt serviced 1,300 miles ago. Underneath, on top and inside, though, it looks like a new car. The salvage history will always haunt this car, but it was rebuilt professionally and looks as solid as any other 355 on the surface. – Sold at Mecum Kissimmee in 2015 for $44,280 then unsuccessfully flipped here in Houston a few months later for $34,560. It’s done 1,278 miles since then, so someone has at least been enjoying his bright yellow Ferrari and even made a decent return on a couple years of ownership.
Lot # F255 1966 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Roadster; S/N 1E14183; White/Black leather; Black top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $95,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $104,500. With Reserve. – Dual Zenith-Stromberg carbs, stainless steel exhaust, centerlock wire wheels, red line tires, black cloth boot cover, woodrim steering wheel, Clarion cassette stereo. – Represented as matching numbers, but has dual Zenith-Stromberg carbs instead of the triple SUs that a Series I should have. Headlight gaskets are a little wavy. Hood doesn’t quite fit flush to the body. Very good paint and chrome. Trunk gaps are uneven. Some scratches on the driver’s seat. Very tidy and restored underneath. No show car, but good enough to use and enjoy, and look good doing it. – The Strombergs may aid drivability but they add nothing to the value or appeal of this Jag and the seller should be pleased indeed to get this much for it.
Lot # S10 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe; S/N 1G1YZ23J9L5800188; Red/Gray leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $25,000. With Reserve. – Z51 handling package, power seats, air conditioning, power windows. – Reportedly ordered new by Drew Lewis, transportation secretary under Reagan. Represented with 1,500 miles. Very slight wrinkling to the seats. That’s the only sign of age inside, and there are three small scuffs on the hood. The wheels could also stand to be cleaned, too, but otherwise it looks like a new car. – Whether or not ties to a cabinet member add any value to this car is really up to whoever’s in the room bidding on the car, but a low-mileage ZR-1 that’s as well kept as this deserves another few bids, not even taking into account that it sold for $33,480 at Kissimmee two years ago.
Lot # S11 1992 Porsche 911 America Roadster; S/N WP0CB2961NS460970; Zermatt Silver Metallic/Dark Blue leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $68,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,800. With Reserve. – Wide body, factory cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning, snorkely brake light, cross-drilled rotors. – Rare America Roadster, essentially a turbo-bodied Carrera Cabriolet with Turbo suspension and brakes. Clear bra on the nose and fenders has kept the original paint fantastic other than a small scratch on the engine cover, which won’t stay open. Very good interior with almost no wear. Showing 30,287 miles, but it’s been babied like a 911. – Porsche only made a few hundred America Roadsters, so for such a rare and good example to go for this kind of money means a serious bargain, at least in today’s market. It could have brought another 30 grand without being expensive.
Lot # S29 2003 Ferrari 575 Maranello Coupe; S/N ZFFBV55A730131554; Blu Pozzi/Red leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000. No Reserve. – Fiorano handling package, Fiorano two-piece wheels, P Zero tires, power Daytona-style seats, factory fire extinguisher, Tubi exhaust, power windows, air conditioning. – From the LaQuay collection. Reportedly the only US-market car in this color. Lightly wrinkled seats are the only real sign of age on this loaded and gorgeous 10,075-mile 575. If only it had a manual. – This price is probably a little more than half of what this car cost new with these options, but it’s right in line with the other 575 prices out there. 6-speed cars, meanwhile, can currently be worth twice this much.
Lot # S29.1 2005 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S55Y400288; Black, Silver stripes/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $245,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $269,500. No Reserve. – All four options (BBS wheels, stripes, McIntosh stereo, painted calipers), tinted glass. – From the LaQuay collection. 3,885 miles. Lots of detailing scratches on the nose, so it’s not perfect, but close. That almost makes it a rough car by GT standards. – A bit light for a GT, but the feverish interest in these cars has waned since collectors realized that ultra-low-mileage examples aren’t all that hard to find. A good value, but not a steal.
Lot # S31 1931 Oakland 301 Custom 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N V321325; Light Green, Dark Green/Gray cloth; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. No Reserve. – 251/85hp V8, painted wire wheels, hub caps, dual sidemount spares with mirrors, radiator mascot, suicide rear doors, window shades, flower vases, dome courtesy light, luggage trunk. – From the LaQuay collection. From the final year of Oakland production. Large chip just beside the right front fender and a few small chips off of the painted wheels. The rest of the paint is pretty good, though, and was of high quality when it was done a while ago. The interior still looks fantastic. A car fully restored to high standards and lightly enjoyed since. It would make a solid, interesting driver as it sits, or could be a show car after another round of light restoration work. – Yes, there were V8s before Henry’s flathead, and the Oakland engineers avoided Henry’s fundamental mistake of routing the hot exhaust through the block. A rare car in decent condition, no one should argue with the price it brought.
Lot # S32.1 1937 LaSalle Series 37-50 Sport Coupe; S/N 22339072233907; Burgundy/Tan; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $29,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $31,900. No Reserve. – Hub caps and trim rings, Denman wide whitewalls, radiator mascot, amber driving lights, banjo steering wheel, dash clock. – From the LaQuay collection. Former AACA winner, but judging by the badge on the grille that was back in 1975. The paint is mostly blemish free other than a chip on the right front fender, but the finish is dull and it does indeed look 40-plus years old. The whitewalls are discolored. The interior looks great other than some chips in the steering wheel cap. A usable and unusual LaSalle Coupe, but it needs at least another paint job if you’d want to do anything other than just drive it around. – Sold by RM at Ft. Lauderdale in 2007 for $27,000, it probably has sat since then and the new owner can anticipate some work before it is a reliable car for weekend jaunts and tours but it has style and flair that is up to the price it brought.
Lot # S33 1936 Packard Super Eight-Series 1404 Coupe 2/4 passenger; S/N 958B209; Engine # 757283; Black, Blue coachline and wheels/Gray cloth; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $41,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $45,100. No Reserve. – Wire wheels, hub caps, wide whitewalls, cormorant mascot, rumble seat, suicide doors, rear-mounted spare, dash clock, golf club door. – From the LaQuay collection. Bodywork is all straight. Gaps are slightly uneven. Underbody is clean. Paint is older and lightly aged but presentable. Wood and interior are very good, although the 8-ball shifter has got to go. A sinister-looking car that’s easy to love with this coupe bodywork. It’s aged, but the car has a lot of eyeball. – This is serious style and quality in an unusual body style that calls to mind gangsters and frat boys. The quality of the car is matched by the quality of the old restoration and both contribute to making the price a reasonable one.
Lot # S37 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible; S/N E7FH240214; Thunderbird Bronze, White hardtop/Bronze vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500. No Reserve. – 312/270hp E-Code dual-quad engine, automatic, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, porthole hard top, fender skirts, later cassette stereo, added Selectair AC, power steering, power brakes. – From the LaQuay collection. Fully restored Arizona car. High quality but older paint with a long scratch by the hood. Headlight bezels don’t fit straight. Microblisters on top of the doors. The doors also don’t fit flush with the body. Very good restored interior. Light road wear underneath. A used top notch restoration of a desirably equipped E-Code Baby Bird in a great color. – The result here doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. This car sold at Leake Dallas in 2013 for $61,600, and prices for good E-Code Baby Birds have only gone up since then. If Mecum put a pre-sale estimate on this car, somewhere close to six figures wouldn’t have seemed unreasonable, but at no reserve the car brought what a pretty rough example with this equipment would normally bring.
Lot # S38 1969 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Coupe; S/N 194379S716263; Engine # 19S716263; Tuxedo Black/Black; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $59,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $64,900. No Reserve. – 427/435hp L71 engine, 4-speed, Rally wheels, side exhaust, Firestone tires, aftermarket stereo. – From the LaQuay collection. Tidy older restored engine bay. Fine paint cracks at the front of the hood. Microblisters on the right headlight door. Otherwise very good older paint and chrome. Good newer upholstery but worn original switchgear. Original underbody. Noteworthy for its equipment but in unremarkable older partially restored condition. – A strong price for a decent car. Bidding didn’t get carried away, but the new owner has nothing left over at this price to address the car’s minor but notable needs. It was a no-sale at the Leake Dallas auction last November at a reported high bid of $58,000, essentially the same as its successful hammer bid today.
Lot # S40 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster; S/N E54S004584; Polo White/Red; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $84,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $92,400. No Reserve. – Spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, WonderBar radio. – From the LaQuay collection. NCRS Top Flight in 1994. Owned for 40 years by a dealer. Very clean engine bay. Cracking in the right taillight lens. Gaps are uneven on the driver’s door and fuel filler door, but it probably came from the factory like that. A few chips in the steering wheel and a few chips off of the painted wheels and wheel covers. Not fresh, but still gorgeous. – 54 Corvettes have all the look of a ’53 but come at a fraction of the price. This was a bit on the steep side for such an old restoration, but it wasn’t excessive.
Lot # S40.1 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; S/N 194375S112304; Engine # 5112304; Nassau Blue/Black leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $61,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $67,100. No Reserve. – 327/350hp L79 engine, 4-speed, centerlock alloy wheels, red line tires, teakwood steering wheel, power steering, power brakes, AM/FM radio. – From the LaQuay collection. Represented as the matching numbers engine. Uneven door gaps. A few small chips on the vents and a few cracks right above the rear windows, but otherwise very good older paint and chrome. Excellent interior. Body-off restored and not done yesterday, but done well and doesn’t really need anything. – This is a straightforward, perfectly appropriate result for a mid-year Vette with this equipment and condition and the high performance smallblock is a refreshing change from Corvette collectors’ nearly single-minded devotion to big blocks.
Lot # S43 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N VC57A196582; Black/Red vinyl with Black cloth inserts; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $33,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,300. No Reserve. – 283/220hp, 3-speed, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, power steering, WonderBar radio, dash clock, column shift, dual mirrors, heater. – From the LaQuay collection. Represented with one repaint but it’s so old that it looks original. Lots of crazing on the front and rear fenders. Microblisters on the doors. Pitted door handles, otherwise lightly scratched but presentable chrome and brightwork. Clean unrestored engine bay. Very good, lightly worn original interior. A solid, well kept car for which new paint would do wonders. – Since the paint is just old, not original, nothing is lost by giving it a new coat. Nothing, that is, but the cost which done properly will still not make this car expensive.
Lot # S46 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 SportsRoof; S/N 9F02Z198927; Royal Maroon/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $325,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $357,500. No Reserve. – 429/375hp, 4-speed, KK #2014, Magnum 500 wheels, Radial T/A tires, 3.91 Traction-Lok, power steering, power brakes, competition suspension, hood scoop, console, Philco radio. – From the LaQuay collection. One repaint, otherwise represented as highly original and with the matching numbers engine. Engine bay has had major work done. Very good older repaint other than a chip just below the right side of the windshield. The steering wheel, seat belts and woodgrain trim are pretty worn, but the rest of the interior is very well kept. This is a very solid, attractive car that was never restored because it never needed to be. – There is some premium in this price for originality, but not a lot.
Lot # S50 1968 Mercury Cougar GT-E 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 8F93W537798; White, White vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $99,000. No Reserve. – W-Code 427/390hp, automatic, Radial T/A tires, 3.50 rear axle, power steering, power brakes, tilt steering column, tinted glass, AM radio, bucket seats, console, Marti Report. – Light discoloration on the vinyl roof. Some light chips and cracks on the nose. Cleaned and maintained but used engine bay. Newer upholstery but sound original dash. Originally a dealer demonstrator. A car that’s been mostly left alone but isn’t totally original. Unremarkable condition, but the 427 side oiler makes this one of the more interesting cars in the auction. It’s one of about 600 Cougar GT-Es with that engine instead of the tamer 428/335hp. – Cougars are usually bargains in the pony car world, but this is serious money for one. Then again, this is a serious car that has both performance and rarity going for it. It sold here in 2013 for $74,250, but the result here is still sound value and not far off what some Cobra owner might pay for a properly date-coded 427 side oiler block.
Lot # S51 1967 Ford Fairlane GTA Convertible; S/N 7H43C102707; Green/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Enthusiast restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500. No Reserve. – 289/225hp upgraded from the original 200hp 2-barrel engine, automatic, store brand tires, 2.80 rear axle, power brakes, bucket seats, floor shift, dash clock, modern Audiovox cassette stereo. – From the LaQuay collection. Maintained and tidy restored engine bay. Bent radio antenna. Very good paint and chrome other than some small chips around the doors. Excellent top that looks brand new. Padding around the A-pillars is coming loose. Newer seats and carpets, but the rest of the interior is original. A mix and match of restored and original, resulting in an attractive but imperfect driver. – If it were better and had less work done it would qualify for an originality bonus, but that’s not due here and this is a generous price for a flawed Fairlane GTA convertible.
Lot # S54 1969 Plymouth GTX Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RS23J9G223732; Blue, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500. No Reserve. – 426/425hp Hemi, automatic, power steering, power brakes, air grabber hood, Radial T/A tires, bucket seats, console, factory radio, Sun dash-mounted tach. – From the LaQuay collection. Apparently one of 98 Hemi GTX hardtops with an auto. Unrestored but clean and maintained engine bay. Bumpers and brightwork are a little tired. Rocker trim bends outward at the back of the driver’s door. Factory gaps. Newer seat upholstery, but the rest of the interior is original and sound. Older paint is very good. Another car from this collection that isn’t fully restored, but is so well kept and presents well enough that it might as well be by looking at it. – Sold at Mecum’s Dallas auction in 2014 for $54,000, this is a rare GTX Hemi with an automatic and power assisted steering and brakes that make it attractive even as a regular driver and it brought a representative price appropriate to its equipment and condition.
Lot # S55 1969 Dodge Dart GTS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N LS23M9B300686; Blue, White tail stripe/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $74,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $81,400. No Reserve. – 440/375hp, automatic, hub caps, Silvertown red line tires, 3.54 gears, bucket seats, console, pushbutton radio. – From the LaQuay collection. Genuine M-Code car. Body-off restoration finished in 2010. Nearly spotless, lightly used engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. Factory gaps. Spotless trunk. Excellent fully redone interior. Restored seven years ago but it might as well have been restored seven days ago. That said, they resisted the temptation to overdo things. It’s just right and a rare car with the 440/375 engine. – Sold at Leake Dallas 2013 for $69,300. These cars were 383 Darts shipped new to an aftermarket company to be fitted with 440 engines. Made for drag racing in mind, many of them were used as such and modified, so seeing a correctly done one like this is a rare treat. This one sold at Leake Dallas in 2013 for $69,300, and even at this higher result it’s still a sound value when it comes to rarity and performance.
Lot # S55.1 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 136370K170578; Cortez Silver, Black stripes/Black vinyl with cloth inserts; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $72,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,200. No Reserve. – 454/450hp LS6, automatic, Polyglas tires, F41 suspension, power brakes, 3.31 Positraction, power steering, aluminum intake, AM radio, tinted glass, bench seat, column shift, hood pins, Protect-O-Plate, two build sheets. – From the LaQuay collection. Represented as the matching numbers engine. Sound older interior. Original dash and door panels. Very much maintained and clean but not fully restored engine bay. Lightly scratched original rear glass. Good older paint other than discoloration at the bottom back edge of the driver’s door. Not fully restored but very well kept and got major attention when it needed. – Sold at the Leake Dallas auction in 2013 for $72,600, the result here is essentially the same, with another buyer’s commission added on. It’s a lot of Chevy Muscle for the money.
Lot # S56 1970 American Motors AMX Fastback; S/N A0C397P242361; Big Bad Blue, Matte Black hood/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $47,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $52,250. No Reserve. – 360/290hp, automatic, side exhaust, hood scoop, power brakes, console, pushbutton radio, MSD ignition, Go Package. – From the LaQuay collection. Painted over chips at the front edge of the doors. Door gaps are uneven. Lightly scratched original rear glass. Pitted taillight surround. Sound but slightly tired original gauges and woodgrain dash. Carpets look original but very good. The seats look brand new. Not painstakingly restored, but more than good enough for what it is. – AMXs are not an uncommon sight at auction, but they frequently fly under the radar and sell for less than what comparable mainstream muscle cars do. This is a major exception, with a pretty good but unremarkable automatic base car selling for what a loaded and freshly restored 390-powered car would ordinarily go for. It was sold by Russo and Steele in Arizona in 2006 for $24,310, at Branson Spring three months later for $27,030 and at Dan Kruse’s sale of Dick Burdick’s collection in 2012 for $40,700. That said, this result probably has plenty to do with the fact that it ran across the block as part of a large no reserve collection with tons of bidders in the room, and it would be premature to call AMXs out as the next hot thing.
Lot # S57 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds Pace Car 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 3J57U2M204112; White, Hurst graphics, White vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $40,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $44,000. No Reserve. – 455/275hp, automatic, Radial T/A tires, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, bucket seats, center console, His’n’Hers shifter, W25 air induction hood, tinted glass, dash clock, AM/FM/8-track player, Protect-O-Plate. – From the LaQuay collection. Original but sound underneath. Lightly pitted bumpers. Tidy maintained engine bay. Older paint is crazing badly on top of the front fenders. Vinyl roof is slightly discolored but sound. Gold stripes are faded. Tiny rips in the driver’s seat. Otherwise very good original interior. This car is a 20-footer. It looks great at first glance and really is quite good, but it reveals all its flaws up close. – Sold at Leake Dallas in 2013 for $35,200. This result was similarly appropriate for a car that, while not as desirable as earlier 4-4-2s and W30s, is nevertheless still a desirable piece of American muscle.
Lot # S59 1967 Pontiac Firebird 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 223377U142317; Montego Cream/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $32,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $35,750. No Reserve. – 326/250hp, automatic, Rally wheels, Silvertown red line tires, power steering, power brakes, factory AM radio, bucket seats, column shift, factory air conditioning. – From the LaQuay collection. Very good older chrome and brightwork. Two small chips on the hood and a touched up scratch on the left front fender. Paint is cracking in the drip rails. The paint is pretty flat and tired but looks good from a distance. Engine bay is maintained and recently detailed but unrestored. The interior, meanwhile, has been restored apart from original steering wheel and gauges. A base first year Firebird in older cosmetic restored condition, but a solid example. – You just don’t see early Firebirds as often as the equivalent Camaros, but they aren’t worth any more and for base cars like this they actually tend to command less. This is a strong, but not excessive result for a base car in this condition with factory A/C.
Lot # S64.1 1978 Chevrolet K10 Blazer Cheyenne Sport Utility Vehicle 4×4; S/N CKR188F125924; White, Woodgrain/Beige vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $43,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $47,300. No Reserve. – 400/175hp, automatic, Michelin tires, 4WD, power steering, power brakes, power windows, air conditioning, roof rack, Motorola AM/FM radio. – From the LaQuay collection. A little bit of oxidation behind the rear bumper. Light scratches and pitting on the front bumper. Very good paint that looks original. Interior is very good other than some scratches on the console. Light road wear, but dry and sound underneath. Engine bay is tidy. Showing 16,742 believable miles. How or why someone would keep a 40-year-old Chevy truck in such great condition is a mystery, but here it is. – You’d be hard pressed to find a better ’78 Blazer than this, even a restored one. This one is both loaded and almost totally original as well as in fantastic shape, but even taking that into account it’s still hard to explain the huge result here. This is huge money, but two people in the room must have really, really wanted this old truck and paid a curve-setting price to get it.
Lot # S71 1971 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Coupe; S/N 228871N104442; Blue, White, Black/Blue vinyl; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $44,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $48,400. With Reserve. – 455/330hp, automatic, snowflake wheels, Radial T/A tires, factory air conditioning, power windows, factory radio, PHS documented. – Represented as the matching numbers engine. Body-off restoration finished last year. Pitted exhaust manifold. Mostly restored but not thoroughly detailed engine bay. Very good, slightly older paint. Lightly pitted door handles. Driver’s door sticks way out at the bottom. Slight discoloration on the carpets. Seats are very good. Dash looks almost new. Not restored to the most exacting standards on earth, but good enough to enjoy and be proud of. – This Trans Am deserved better treatment than it got, but no more money than it brought.
Lot # S77 1978 Toyota FJ 40 Land Cruiser Hardtop 4×4; S/N FJ40278513; Yellow, White/Gray leather; Truck restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $32,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $35,750. With Reserve. – Weber carburetor, aftermarket distributor, power steering, power brakes, rear-mounted spare, incorrect seats from a later Toyota. – New radiator and battery. Quick uneven respray with cracks around the creases and edges in the bodywork. Several large cracks at the front of the white top. Masking errors around the windows. Chassis was undercoated at some point, although the exhaust looks rusty. The interior looks great apart from those incorrect seats. Valve cover has been repainted or replaced, but the rest of the engine bay is unrestored, just cleaned up and maintained. This is an FJ that looks ready to tackle some terrain rather than get shined up for a show. – Not sold here last year at a high bid of $22,500, but this result in 2017 is right on the money for a solid FJ in driver condition.
sLot # S85 1960 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe; S/N 01837F116056; Tuxedo Black/Red vinyl with Red houndstooth cloth inserts; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $48,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $52,800. With Reserve. – 348/250hp, 4-speed, wheel covers, whitewalls, bench seat, floor shift, factory radio. – Replacement date-code correct engine. Slightly uneven door gaps. Very good paint and bumper chrome. The rest of the brightwork is unrestored but sound. Spotless detailed engine bay. Mostly original interior looks very good for its age. A car restored to high standards for what it is and looks great. Not the original color or engine, though, so it’s for the driver rather than the collector. – Not sold at Mecum Kissimmee this year at a high bid of $43,000. It isn’t even stated if this was originally a 348-powered Impala, but it has serious eyeball appeal in Tuxedo Black over Red. The restoration could have paid more attention to details, but that may appeal to collectors who want to crow about originality. In any event it brought a realistic price that both the seller and buyer can live with.
Lot # S86 1956 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N E56S002632; Cascade Green, Shoreline Beige coves/Beige vinyl; White vinyl top; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $80,000. With Reserve. – 265/225hp dual quads, 4-speed, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, dual quads, WonderBar radio, heater. – Represented with 576 miles on a body-off restoration and apparently the top has never even been down. Very good paint and chrome, although not all of the brightwork was restored. The interior looks brand new and so does the top. Engine bay looks fairly fresh, as does the underbody. Recently done to like new standards. – The reported high bid was a bit modest for such a fresh 265/225hp, but it’s only going to take another auction trip or two worth of fees to make up the difference between this bid and what the car is arguably worth. The offer could have been taken without too much regret, especially with the replacement of the original transmission with the more enjoyable but incorrect 4-speed..
Lot # S87.1 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350 Fastback; S/N 67200F7A03000; Lime Gold, White stripes/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000. With Reserve. – 289/306hp, 4-speed, hood pins, Shelby wheels, Goodyear Speedway tires, power steering, power brakes, factory radio, Stewart Warner under dash gauges, grille-mounted driving lights, Marti Report documented. – Restoration finished in 2010. Very clean engine bay other than pitted exhaust manifold. Very good paint and chrome. Factory gaps. Very good interior. A straightforward, attractive and recently enough done restoration. – Sold for $115,500 at Mecum Kissimmee this year, which was a spot-on result. That makes this result a bit light, but it’s fair money and the seller shouldn’t have too much regret even being something like $25,000 out of pocket on the trade.
Lot # S92 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N BS23V0B207703; In Violet, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $68,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,800. With Reserve. – 440 Six Barrel, 4-speed, hood pins, shaker hood scoop, Radial T/A tires, spoiler, power brakes, power steering, 3.54 axle, Track Pak, Rallye gauges, Pioneer stereo, Hurst pistol grip shifter. – Tidy older restored engine bay. Crack in the right front fender. Otherwise very good paint, chrome and interior. The roof vinyl fits tightly. The back window has some scratches. The engine has been fully redone. The underbody has new exhaust and has been mostly, redone although the shocks are old and oxidized. No representation of matching numbers. – Sold at Russo and Steele Scottsdale this year for $59,400. That was good value for a quality, fun-looking car in a high-impact color, but this higher result fully values even this combination of colors and equipment.
Lot # S94.1 1970 Porsche 911S Coupe; S/N 9110300331; Sepia Brown/Brown leatherette; Older restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $120,000. With Reserve. – 2195/200hp, 5-speed, chromed Fuchs wheels, Bosch fuel injection, Blaupunkt AM/FM radio. – 1,000 miles on body-off restoration. Porsche CoA documented and represented to be the original engine and transmission. Good paint and chrome. Window frames are a little dull and scratched. Exterior plastic is a little dull. Very good interior. Competently restored, but not to show car standards. – This car hasn’t had much luck at auction. It didn’t sell at RM Monterey in 2013 at a high bid of $120,000, then came to Kissimmee in January 2014 where it was bid to $130,000. At Kissimmee this year it failed to sell at a high bid of $160,000 and did far worse here in Houston. It’s only done 942 miles since 2013, so it’s essentially in the same condition, and its value theoretically should have shot way up given what has happened with 911 values since then. The seller is now flogging the car around, leaving it to the Reliable drivers to enjoy its performance instead of enjoying it him/herself, while desperately searching for someone to match the ignored Kissimmee 2017 bid. Lot of luck.
Lot # S97.1 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Speedster; S/N WP0EB0914KS173247; Guards Red/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $160,000. With Reserve. – Black Fuchs wheels, snorkely brake light, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, climate control. – Original owner until 2012. Showing 8,986 miles. Original. Very good paint and interior. Looks like what it is: a 9,000-mile Carrera Speedster. – Like quite a few of the 800 Carrera Speedsters originally sold in the U.S., this car has appeared at auction before in recent years. It was hammered not sold at Mecum Monterey in 2015 at a high bid of $175,000, then sold at Motostalgia’s Amelia Island sale last year for $185,000 before hammering not sold again at Mecum Monterey last year at $160,000. This is a light offer for one of these cars, but it’s a number that’s come up twice now and demand looks like it has softened after so many came to market over the past few years. If there’s money, it’s time to take it.
Lot # S101 1974 DeTomaso Pantera L Coupe; S/N THPNPU07350; Red/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $110,000. With Reserve. – 351/266hp, 5-speed, Campagnolo wheels, Goodyear tires, AM/FM radio, power windows, window sticker documented. – Represented as unrestored with original paint and as a two-owner car. Front bumper is dull. Original paint is sound and presentable but aged. Fantastic interior. Showing 10,940 believable miles. A remarkably well preserved, unmolested later Pantera. – Sold at Mecum’s Portland auction in 2016 for $110,000 and taken immediately to Mecum Monterey two months later where it got a high bid of $100,000, the same as it got at Mecum Kissimmee this year. Those were fitting offers for even a time-warp Pantera L like this, and this offer was even more fitting. Whatever the owner is holding out for, it’s too much.
Lot # S107.1 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible; S/N 556227233; Red/White, Red leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $95,000. With Reserve. – Wire wheels, Firestone wide whitewalls, fender skirts, white vinyl boot cover, dash clock, pushbutton radio, aftermarket under dash air conditioning, power windows. – Represented as an AACA Grand National winner and looks like it. Very good older paint and chrome. Lightly wrinkled older seats. Left taillight is loose. Mostly a gorgeous older restoration let down by a handful of issues that come up with age and straightforward to put right. – Sold by Barrett-Jackson at Palm Beach in 2005 for $93,960, then by RM in Arizona three months ago for $88,000. While accepting the reported high bid here would result in a loss after paying the seller’s commission this bid is 8% more than the price it brought three months ago and would have been almost 20% more if it had sold at the high bid. That is, even at the best of times, unrealistic to expect in the space of three months. If there was money even close to the reported high bid it should have been taken with alacrity.
Lot # S108 1969 Pontiac GTO Convertible; S/N 242679B168375; Gold/Brown vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $55,000. With Reserve. – 400/350hp, automatic, Rally wheels, Radial T/A tires, power steering, power brakes, power top, tilt steering column, power seat, 8-track stereo, Protect-O-Plate, PHS documents, owner’s manual, warranty book. – Represented as a matching numbers three-owner car. Spotless engine bay. Excellent paint aside from two tiny chips at one edge of the hood. Very good, mostly original interior with newer upholstery. Thoroughly but not completely restored at some point and carefully enjoyed since. – The top goes down and more than makes up for the pedestrian engine (at least in the hierarchy of GTO values) under the hood. This is a car that can be enjoyed proudly while also being confident of the price paid.
Lot # S113 1970 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396 Coupe; S/N 124870N555457; Forest Green/Dark Green vinyl; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $44,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $48,400. With Reserve. – 396/350hp, automatic, hub caps, Radial T/A tires, power steering, power brakes, console, factory radio. – Fully restored in 2015 and represented as the full matching numbers driveline. Very clean and fully restored but not overly detailed engine bay. Excellent paint. Shiny new rubber. Very good chrome. Fully restored interior other than the console and seatbelts. Essentially done to like new but not beyond, which is ideal. – Generously priced even with all matching numbers, the seller did well for the amount of effort and money put into the restoration.
Lot # S117 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Convertible; S/N 2G2FV32G522124214; Yellow, Black/Black vinyl; Black cloth top; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $33,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,300. With Reserve. – 346/325hp, 6-speed, Collector Edition package with WS6, Hurst shifter, power windows, air conditioning, CD Stereo, build sheet, window sticker and owner’s paperwork documented. – 119 miles showing. Showroom fresh. The engine doesn’t even look run. – The result here is just about exactly what this Collector Edition Trans Am would have cost new, not counting for inflation, registration, insurance and maintenance. What’s the point, then, of keeping a fun car like this sealed away and sitting if you’re just going to lose money on it, anyway?
Lot # S118 1988 Lamborghini Jalpa P350 GTS Coupe; S/N ZA9JB00A7JLA12386; White/White leather; Unrestored original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $74,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $81,400. With Reserve. – OZ alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, Alpine stereo, power windows, air conditioning. – Euro car showing 29,499 km. Represented with recent service and tune up. The paint is very good and so is the interior, with only slight wrinkling to the seats. But there is big damage to the left rear flared fender from some kind of impact. It’s nothing structural but something crunched it fairly bad and lots of the paint is cracked. Repair costs covered by Mecum, meaning the damage happened either during transport or while moving the car around during the sale. – While repairs were promised courtesy of the auction company, it’s still hard to bid enthusiastically on a damaged car. The result here was decent money, but it was a number that would ordinarily buy a notably worse example.
Lot # S122.1 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Coupe; S/N WDDAJ76F86M000955; Silver/Black, Red leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $235,000. With Reserve. – 5,439/617hp V8, 5-speed automatic, Pilot Sport tires, tinted glass, power windows, air conditioning, red and black steering wheel. – Loaded and looks new because it pretty much is with 4,666 miles. – Not sold at a high bid of $220,000 at Mecum Kissimmee this year. It may be a tough pill to swallow for McLaren SLR owners, especially when peers like Carrera GTs can go for over 600 grand and Enzos for way into seven figures, but these cars are still changing hands for well under their half-million dollar MSRP, and the Mecum bidders have now spoken twice as to what they think this example is worth.
Lot # S123.1 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFFF60L870154019; Grigio Silverstone/Tan leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $135,000. With Reserve. – F1 transmission, Yellow calipers, Daytona-style seats, Challenge wheels, carbon fiber interior trim. – No signs of wear to be found. Looks like a new car. – This is the appropriate offer for an F1 gearbox 599 GTB, even with all the expensive trim bits laid on its first owner’s checkbook.
Lot # S125.1 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello Coupe; S/N ZFFZR49A6V0108955; Giallo Modena/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $170,000. With Reserve. – 6-speed, Potenza tires, Speedline wheels, power windows, air conditioning. – Sold new in Houston. Belt serviced seven months ago, 9,800 miles from new. Several small cracks in the front lip and a small chip in the nose. Headlight gaskets are a little wavy. Very good interior that looks and smells new. Babied like a Ferrari for the most part. The loud color is great, but the open-gate manual is what makes this a noteworthy car. – Auctions America sold a similar 6-speed 550 Maranello last week in Ft. Lauderdale for a hammer bid of $160,000. Although it had roughly 6,000 more miles and was red the reported high bid here for this yellow example was at a level where it would have made sense for the consignor to take off the reserve and hope it generated some excitement. This is a decellerating market and any reasonable money is turned down at the seller’s peril.
Lot # S139 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 16109; Yellow/Black leather; Older restoration, 3 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $625,000. With Reserve. – Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, Simpson lap belts, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, factory air conditioning, power windows, later Alpine cassette stereo. – Fully restored in the 1990s and 8,000 miles ago. Very good paint other than a chip at the back edge of the hood and two more small ones at the back edge of the passenger’s side door. Lightly scratched window frames. Very light wear to the steering wheel and seats but otherwise very good interior. Lightly used but tidy underneath. Well restored in the first place and quite well kept since. – Over the course of 2016 and 2017, this Daytona has made appearances at Mecum auctions a grand total of five times and it hasn’t sold once. It’s been bid to $800,000, $700,000, and to $650,000 twice. The car probably deserves more than this bid, but it’s unlikely to get it at another Mecum sale and might be better off on the private market. Mecum keeps describing it as “48,760 miles since new” but that was a while ago and the odometer now shows 48,847, on and off trailers for the most part. It’s a crowd draw for Mecum but is becoming rather silly.
Lot # S139.1 1989 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFSG17A3K0082237; Rosso Corsa/Cream leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $162,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $178,750. With Reserve. – Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning. – Showing 1,505 miles. No history represented, but the paint is blemish free, the interior is spotless and it looks every bit the 1,505-mile Testarossa it’s advertised as. – This is a perfect example of how far the TR has come in terms of gaining appreciation in the classic car market. It sold at this sale just four years ago for $84,800, then was reported sold at the Motostalgia auction in Houston seven months later for $115,500. It changed hands today for nearly twice as much as four years ago.
Lot # S140.1 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 Fastback; S/N 67410F4A00341; White, Blue side graphics/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $135,000. With Reserve. – 427/425hp side oiler, automatic, store brand tires, 10-spoke Shelby alloy wheels, hood pins, MSD ignition, grille-mounted driving lights, power steering, Stewart Warner underdash gauges, pushbutton radio. – An original car except for one repaint represented with 27,439 miles from new. Engine bay is unrestored but clean and maintained with what looks like pretty recent hoses and wires. Paint is a little tired and there is cracking around the scoops. The Shelby caps are missing from the wheels. Very good original interior with barely any signs of wear. Originally built as a company car but instead delivered to an amateur racer who had the original 428 replaced with the present 427 side oiler at Shelby American [the SAAC Registry says it was owner-installed.] – Offered at Kissimmee in January where it was reported bid to $130,000. With the result here in Houston the collective wisdom of the market has been reinforced as giving little or no value to the side oiler 427 under the hood. If the “installed at Shelby” legend is to have any effect it needs to be supported by more than the seller’s parole history. Until then this is what it’s worth.
Lot # S147 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet; S/N WP0EB0912JS171687; Guards Red/Black leather piped in Red; Black cloth top; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $39,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $42,900. With Reserve. – Black Fuchs wheels, Potenza tires, whale tail, snorkely brake light, wide body with side intakes, wide body, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, factory cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning, power top, cruise control. – No big chips or scratches, but the finish of the original paint is pretty dull and tired. The middle of the rub strip on the driver’s body side is loose. Paint is chipping off of the edge of the top frame. Tidy engine bay. Very good interior. Showing 54,987 miles. A neat Turbo-look cabriolet, but in used car condition and not represented with any service history. – Sold for $34,100 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale this year. Successfully flipped here for an appropriate result, but nobody got rich off of it.
Lot # S149 1960 Dodge Dart Phoenix 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 5302173465; Satin White/White vinyl with Blue pattern cloth inserts; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $36,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $39,600. With Reserve. – 318/255hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, bench seat, pushbutton automatic, pushbutton radio, power steering. – Clean but used restored engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. Excellent restored interior other than light pitting on the original steering wheel. Passenger’s door sticks too far into the body at the bottom. These are little things, though. This car wasn’t restored yesterday, but the work was thorough and the car needs nothing. – Sold at Mecum Kansas City in 2015 for $37,800, then hammered not sold at Leake OKC two months later at a $37,000 high bid before selling here two months after that for a remarkable $51,300. The market has spoken three times with almost exactly the same number and one outlier, so it’s safe to say that this is what this very good Dart Phoenix is worth.
Lot # S152.1 1987 Porsche 924S Coupe; S/N WP0AA0922HN452147; Silver/Black vinyl with cloth inserts; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $21,000. With Reserve. – Blaupunkt cassette stereo, dash clock, power windows, air conditioning, rally timer. – Represented with recent service. A few small scratches and chips in the nose and hood as well as a tiny scrape on the left rear fender. Otherwise, the original paint looks great. The engine bay is clean and maintained. The interior is very good and lightly worn. – This car just sold for $19,800 at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction less than a month ago, which was a monumental price for a 924 in used condition. It’s been driven 411 miles and further spruced up since then, but to think you can buy a car at RM and then flip it at Mecum for a big profit shows a peculiar sense of the collector car market. If there was money at the reported high bid, or anywhere close to it, the consignor should have grabbed it as a rare gift.
Lot # S166 2004 Panoz Esperante GTLM Convertible; S/N 1P9PB47344B213002; Black/Black leather; Black cloth top; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $45,000. With Reserve. – Supercharged SVT Ford Modular V-8, Tremec 6-speed, chromed alloy wheels, Yokohama tires, Alpine stereo, GPS, power windows, air conditioning, carbon fiber interior trim, power top. – Rare, supercharged GTLM model. Quite a few small rock chips in the nose. Touch up behind the passenger’s door. Scuff on the rear spoiler. Plastic rear window is lightly scratched up. The interior, by contrast, is very good. In lightly used condition with unspecified mileage. – An aluminum and carbon fiber sports car hand-built in America is not something you see very often and really has to be applauded, even if the Esperante isn’t the prettiest car in the world. This car would have cost well over $100,000 when new, and while these are still in used and unfamiliar exotic territory and not full-blown collectibles yet, the owner can’t really be blamed for refusing less than half the car’s original purchase price.
Lot # S178 1995 Ferrari F355 Spider Convertible, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFPR48A5S0103167; Rosso Barchetta/Tan leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $50,000. With Reserve. – Potenza tires, 6-speed, power windows, air conditioning, factory radio, aftermarket mufflers, tan leather boot cover, Challenge rear grille, service record file, books and tools. – Clear bra on the nose fenders and mirrors has kept the paint blemish free but it doesn’t look brand new, either. Interior is good and very lightly worn. Engine bay is tidy. Represented with a service in 2015, but Ferrari recommends a service every three years. An attractive but used 355 manual Spider, looking good in Rosso Barchetta, which is a deeper, richer red than the standard Rosso Corsa. – F355s have officially gone from used exotic to collectible car, and extra emphasis on the word ‘collectible’ when it comes to 6-speed cars, which can add something like 50% to the price tag. This car deserved more than the reported high bid, and probably won’t have much trouble finding it elsewhere.
Lot # S180 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194377S114949; Engine # 114949; Yellow, Black stinger/Brown leather; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $97,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $106,700. With Reserve. – 427/435hp L71, 4-speed, alloy wheels, Firestone red line tires, stinger hood, side exhaust, power brakes, Tri-Power, radio, dash clock, order copy documented. – Body-off restored. Matching numbers engine. Tidy and maintained but used engine bay. Very good older paint and chrome. Very good older fully restored interior. Not done yesterday, but it was a top notch job and it doesn’t need anything, plus it’s ideally equipped with the 427/435, side pipes and a great color. – Sold at Worldwide Atlantic City in 2012, before restoration, for $71,500, then hammered not sold at Mecum Dallas in 2013 at a high bid of $160,000 and hammered not sold again at Mecum Houston in 2014 at a high bid of $130,000. This is a downright bargain for such a good restored L71. The seller seems to have just wanted to move on, and the new owner won out big time.
Lot # S183 1957 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible; S/N 579M31379; Black/Black, White, Silver leather; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $51,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $56,100. No Reserve. – 371/300hp Tri-Power, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts, Continental kit, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power top, tinted glass, WonderBar radio, column shift. – Tidy restored engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. The body side spears are lightly scratched. Very good newer top. Very good, lightly worn older upholstery. A lightly used older restoration that you’d be happy to be seen in. – Bid to $55,000 at Worldwide Hilton Head in 2008, then sold at Mecum Kissimmee in 2011 for $79,500. That result was too much, and this result is too little. It deserves closer to what it sold for in 2011 and is a strong value for the new owner.
Lot # S184 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner; S/N C7DC209870; Willow Green/Light Green, Dark Green vinyl; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $57,000. With Reserve. – 292/212hp, automatic, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, dual mirrors, green vinyl boot cover, aftermarket underdash air conditioning, factory radio, dash clock, power steering, heater. – Body-off restored 140 miles ago by Jerry Miller. Spotless detailed engine bay and chassis. Very good paint and chrome. Doors don’t quite fit flush with the body. Excellent fully restored interior. Very well and recently done. A stunner in eye-catching colors. – Sold by Mecum in Dallas in September 2014 for $86,400 which was a huge price for what it was. This result undervalues an essentially perfect Sunliner restored by one of the best specialists in the country, but doesn’t undervalue it a lot.