Mecum Auctions, Dallas, Texas, November 2-5, 2016
Mecum Auctions’ regular early September Dallas date this year got pre-empted by the Convention Authority that governs the auction site at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
Moved back to the next available date in early November, it didn’t seem to make much difference.
The consignment was down 12%, but the sell-through was a remarkable 73.1%, an accomplishment of note for a ‘run what you brung’ consignment auction. The sell-through, though, was helped by 233 cars without reserve, 22.4% of the cars offered.
Several major collections peppered the auction with good (and a few not-so-good but still interesting) cars.
Andrew Newton on-site noted that the atmosphere here was markedly better than at Mecum’s Houston auction seven months ago and attributes it to a turnaround in the oil patch where gloom has turned to the dawning of a new drilling surge.
Most of the cars in Mecum’s Dallas auction (and Houston, too) seem to come from a radius of a couple hundred miles, indicative of a major hotbed of cars, collecting and interest.
It’s not to be ignored, either, that the roads of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas and New Mexico don’t know much snow, and even less road salt. The cars tend to be sound even if they’re aged, and it is reflected in the attitudes of collectors.
In the Northeast collectors say their ‘magnet is their best friend at the auction.’ In Texas it really isn’t necessary to have a magnet, only an eye for wavy, lumpy panels and bad fits. It’s a good place to find good cars, but it makes less-than-good ones stand out, as some of the cars reported here show.
Here are the numbers:
[table id=170 /]
On-site observations are by Andrew Newton; the editor is responsible for editing and comments.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report
Lot # F37 1959 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N M412106564; White, Pink/White, Silver leather with Gray cloth inserts; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $36,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $39,600 383/305hp, pushbutton automatic, wire wheels, Silvertown whitewalls, dual antenna, swivel seats, pushbutton radio. – Tidy but largely original engine bay. Good older paint and chrome. Passenger’s side door doesn’t fit flush with the body. Neither does the driver’s side door. Interior is very good and looks restored. Looks mostly original underneath. A straightforward cosmetic redo. – Sold for $47,300 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2008 and has been trying to recover from that magnanimous price ever since with an appearance at this venue in 2014 where it was bid to $30,000 and now this try where the seller prudently decided to take the hit, and the money. The best thing about this Sportsman are the colors (and the fins) and its condition will hold its own at local cruise-ins.
Lot # F39.1 1960 International (IHC) B Pickup 4×4; S/N SB129982B; Red, White/White vinyl; Truck restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $36,000 – 304/193hp V-8, 4-wheel drive, 4-speed, 3/4 ton, power brakes, hub caps, aftermarket air conditioning, spray-in bed liner, floor shift. – Body-on restored. Very good restored engine bay. Spotless restored frame. Wheels got a quick, cheap respray on top of the chipped original paint. Otherwise fantastic paint on the body. Very light discoloration on the seat but otherwise very good restored interior. A really neat truck, and recently done to very high standards. – Hammered not sold for $31,000 at Mecum Kissimmee in 2014 and it is somewhat amazing that the seller didn’t consider this bid sufficient to part company with it. International built working trucks and their 304 V-8 engines made torque (273 lb-ft), not horsepower. Most of them are used up and thrown away so finding one so thoroughly restored and presented is highly unusual but even then is worth little if any more than the price this one was reported bid to. Maybe it would do better in one of Mecum’s ‘Gone Farming’ auctions?
Lot # F50.1 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 0F91M510706; Yellow, Black/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $19,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,900 – 351/300hp, 4-speed, hood scoop, spoiler, Radial T/A tires, Hurst T-handle shifter, Philco radio, dash clock. – Reportedly 200 miles on rebuilt engine. Engine bay is clean and tidy. Underbody is original but very clean. Decent older respray and very good newer bumper chrome. Scratched original windshield needs replacing. Scratched window trim. Center of the steering wheel is coming apart. Very cloudy original gauges, but otherwise quite good original interior. It’s hard to say what to do with this car. It has plenty of cosmetic needs, but on the whole it’s too good to start all over and do a full restoration. – The 351 cubic inch Eliminators are worth way less than either the 302 or 428-powered cars, so this is an entirely appropriate result given this car’s motor and condition. Astute buyers should take note of the opportunity.
Lot # F100 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350 Fastback; S/N 67210F3A00117; Black, White side stripe/Black vinyl; Estimate $110,000 – $135,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $107,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $117,700 – 289/306hp, automatic, power steering, power brakes, 5-spoke Shelby wheels, pushbutton radio, center grille high beams, underdash Rally Pack gauges, woodrim steering wheel, roof scoop mounted side marker lights. – Represented as the numbers-matching engine. Rough old paint, blistered side scoops, cracked hood scoop, blistered rear deck. Sound interior and orderly but aged engine. Clean, dry underbody. An unusual, mostly original Shelby that needs paint but not much else. Found in a shipping container, where it had been for 20 years. Not much is distinctive about this car other than its age and preservation. – Not sold at Mecum Kissimmee in 2014 at a high bid of $140,000, then not sold again at Mecum Houston later in the year at a high bid of $150,000 and at Indy in 2015 where it was bid to $135,000. Then sold at Indy earlier this year for $121,000. Back again for another bite at the apple of dreams, there is no preservation premium in this result, nor any for its early 1967 configuration and unusual details, it is a sound value for the money for a Shelby enthusiast who wants a good GT350 for that can be driven without trepidation on tours and for showing off its rare features.
Lot # F107 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 136370B161954; Desert Sand, Black hood stripes/Antique Saddle vinyl; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $87,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $96,250 – 454/450hp LS6, M22 4-speed, 4.10 Positraction, cowl induction, power brakes, Firestone Wide Oval tires, bench seat, floor shift, factory radio, documented with two factory build sheets. – Body-off restored. Represented as the original matching numbers drivetrain. Clean, recently detailed engine bay. Hood pins. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Fresh and very pretty. – This is a surprisingly modest result for a documented, matching numbers, 4-speed LS6, widely appreciated as one of the pinnacles of the Muscle Car era, in impeccably, freshly restored condition. Although, it was noted when it appeared at Mecum’s Harrisburg sale in 2014 (where it was bid to $67,000) that it had a 3.31 Posi axle and was rotisserie (not body-off) restored, not consistent with its presentation today. It’s a sound value at this result.
Lot # F110.1 1955 MG TF 1500 Roadster; S/N HDP467691; Green/Tan vinyl; Tan top; Recent restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $31,000 – Painted centerlock wire wheels, store brand tires, rear-mounted spare wheel, luggage rack, woodrim steering wheel, tan leather boot cover. – Light pitting on all of the brightwork. Good, lightly used restored engine bay. Good older paint and interior. A good older restoration. Not perfect, but good enough to drive and enjoy. – The TF 1500 had a whopping 63 hp over the 1250’s 57 (10.5% more) and can command a premium of well over 10 percent. The bid here was reasonable; trying to hang on for a few bids more is not likely to be rewarding and only results in hauling the car home again. On a trailer the loss in mileage will swiftly eat up anything left on the table; on a transporter it’s worse: preservation of principle without economic benefit.
Lot # F112 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS Targa, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFWA20B000059935; Rosso Corsa, Black vinyl roof/Beige leather; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $48,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $52,800 – Michelin Pilot Sport tires, roof spoiler, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, Sony CD stereo with aftermarket speakers in the door and satellite radio, aftermarket alarm system. – Car card says km but the speedo is in miles. Excellent original paint. Very clean engine bay. Several long scratches on the left rear wheel. Upholstery is worn to a degree consistent with the 59,568 miles showing. A very usable example with gorgeous paint. A few modern convenience features, but nothing is in bad taste. – Is Dallas the right place to sell a 328? From this No Reserve result it would appear not to be. Despite the miles/km confusion this could have been a $70,000 car and even having to make excuses for it the new owner is well and truly better off for having stood up to buy it at this price.
Lot # F141 1969 American Motors SC/Rambler Hurst 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N A9M097X284638; White, Red, Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $50,000 – $65,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $41,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $45,100 – 390/315hp, 4-speed, Goodyear Eagle GTII tires, power brakes, hood pins, dual mirrors, Hurst T-handle shifter, Sun tach mounted on the steering column, transistor radio, heavy duty suspension, limited slip. – Used, partially restored engine bay. Long crack in the blue graphic on the hood. Otherwise very good older paint. Good older chrome. Restored underneath but done a while ago and there is wear and dirt. Lightly worn interior. An older restoration with light wear that takes little away from the charming outrageousness of this car. – It’s not the most potent of American muscle cars, but it is one of the most visible with its red, white and blue color scheme, and the SC/Rambler is competent, even over-achieving. Weighing in about 250 pounds less than a small block Chevelle, 315hp isn’t impressive, but the power/weight ratio is. Collectors are figuring this out and the successful collector in this transaction got a car to be proud to own for an advantageous price.
Lot # F143 1941 Graham Hollywood Sedan; S/N 900053; Blue/Tan; Estimate $50,000 – $65,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $47,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $51,700 – 217/85hp, 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, front suicide doors, Unity amber driving lights, bench seat, column shift, dash clock, radio, plaid door panels, AM radio, heater. – Average quality old repaint with a run on the right front fender, a large chip right below the windshield and light orange peel on the roof. Older undercoated chassis. Good interior other than cracks in the steering wheel rim. A sound older restoration. – Sold at Auburn Fall in 2014 for $33,000, then a no-sale there in 2015 for $40,000 and sold at Ft. Lauderdale in April of this year for $42,900 but not sold at Mecum Monterey in August at a high bid of $40,000. This is a tale of trolling for a venue where the Graham’s style overshadowed its mediocre condition and finally hooked up with bidders willing to pay for the ex-Cord body panels. This is a generous result for a mediocre but attractive car.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Two
Lot # F150 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Fastback; S/N 9H15S591091; White, Blue/Light Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500 – 390/320hp, automatic, Dan Gurney appearance package, Polyglas tires, rear spoiler, hood scoop, hood pins, bucket seats, floor shift, console, power steering, power disc brakes, Philco radio, Marti report documented. – Purchased new in Ohio. Reportedly one of 54 Dan Gurney Specials left. Restored in the early 1990s. Tidy and correct but lightly used restored engine bay. Lightly scratched rear glass. High quality paint, but you can tell it wasn’t done yesterday. Stickers on the rear quarters are starting to come up at the edges. Good, lightly worn interior. High quality work, but it’s starting to show its age. – A rare car with many valuable features (other than the slushbox) with a restoration that has stood the test of time, this is a car to show proudly, drive with pleasure and own with confidence and pride in its value. It represents very good value for the money.
Lot # F153 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N F58S267740; Snowcrest White/Red vinyl with Red, Gray and Black cloth inserts; Estimate $50,000 – $60,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $39,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $42,900 – 345/250hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts advertised but not present, power steering, dual mirrors, AM radio, dash clock. – Very clean engine bay with correct replacement 348/250hp engine. Good older paint and chrome. Passenger’s side door doesn’t quite fit flush with the body. Good, lightly worn older restored interior. Straightforward, attractive older restoration with light wear. – Even with the replacement engine and general age, the reported high bid was short of what this ’58 Impala really deserved, which could have been over 40 grand.
Lot # F170.1 1976 Excalibur Series III Roadster; S/N 766475; Red, Black/Tan leather; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $31,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $34,100 – 454/215hp, automatic, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, Lucas driving lights, quadruple chrome horns, dual enclosed sidemounts with spares, wind wings, luggage rack with trunk, side curtains, Moto-Lita steering wheel, Stewart Warner gauges, Alpine CD stereo, power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, tilt steering column. – Brightwork is a little tired. Fairly dull but blemish free paint. Tidy underneath. Very good interior other than a worn steering wheel. One of 173 built in 1976. The light wear takes little away from this neo-classic. – An Excalibur, the vision of designer Brooks Stevens, appeals to a particular audience who appreciate its style and the practicality of its GM-based driveline and chassis. This is a fun car in sound condition for a representative price.
Lot # F181 1969 Pontiac Firebird 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 223379N109295; Cameo White/Blue vinyl; Estimate $80,000 – $110,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $74,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $81,400 – 400/335 Ram Air III, 4-speed, Radial T/A tires, Rally II wheels, Rally gauge cluster, power steering, power brakes, woodgrain console and dash, pushbutton radio, PHS documents. – Represented with mostly original paint, matching numbers and 11,978 actual miles. Recently detailed engine bay. Sound original chrome. Small dent at the bottom of the windshield frame. Fantastic blemish-free paint. Some wear to the steering wheel and door panels but otherwise fantastic original interior. A remarkable survivor. – A $50,000 car with a $31,400 premium for originality, and entirely deserved for its originality and condition.
Lot # F183 1984 Lamborghini Countach LP500S Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N ZA9C00500ELA12661; Black/Black leather; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $210,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $231,000 – OZ wheels, Pirelli P Zero tires, tinted windows, power windows, air conditioning, Alpine cassette stereo, backup camera added to help with that awful rear visibility. – Recent restoration finished last year with new paint, rebuilt drivetrain and rebuilt brakes. Paint looks a little older than last year but there aren’t any blemishes. There is dirt trapped under the marker light lenses in the front. Seats are original, but lightly worn and didn’t need replacing. Very tidy underneath. Switchgear and gauges are original as well. Not done over top to bottom, but enough to result in an attractive, reasonably fresh-looking car. – A disappointing, superficial restoration said to have taken 20 months, which by its appearance is about 10 months too long sitting around. Many oversights and shortcuts cosmetically cast the quality of the mechanical work in a negative light and resulted in a seriously good, if uncertain, value for the new owner. It is hard to cast the bidders’ reluctance to pay up by six figures more than this in any light other than uncertainty over the quality of the restoration, something the seller recognized in letting it go at this price.
Lot # F216 1957 MG MGA Roadster; S/N HDK4333739; Light Blue/Tan leather; Tan cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $40,000 – Centerlock wire wheels, Coker Classic whitewalls, luggage rack, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, tonneau cover, dual mirrors. – Body-on restored. Engine bay shows plenty of signs of use but it’s restored and tidy. Good older paint and chrome. Touch up on the right front fender. Door fit is erratic on both sides. Excellent top. Excellent interior. Well restored a while ago and lightly used since. It’s not going to win any shows, but from only a few feet away it looks like it could. – Sold at Auctions America Carlisle in 2013 for $31,900 and Ft. Lauderdale earlier this year for $40,700. It’s only done 500 miles since then 2013, and MGA values haven’t done much. There’s no reason this car should not have gone home at the reported high bid. The number was not only fair, it was generous.
Lot # F237 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 SportsRoof; S/N 9R02R147015; Aztec Aqua, Black/White vinyl; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 – 428/335hp Ram Air, automatic, Magnum 500 wheels, Cooper Cobra tires, spoilers, rear window slats, hood pins, dual mirrors, 3.50 Traction Lok, shaker hood, power front disc brakes, floor shift, Philco radio, dash clock. – Body-off restored. Very clean, very lightly used engine bay. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Rear upholstery is original as well as some of the switchgear but everything looks quite good. Spotless underbody. Even gaps. An attractive, fresh restoration in really pretty colors. – A sound, attractive (although undocumented, with no representation of the originality of the stuff under the car) Mach 1 that brought a price appropriate to the quality of its restoration and the attractive colors.
Lot # F247 1979 Toyota FJ55 Land Cruiser Station Wagon 4×4; S/N HJ45026885; Yellow, White roof/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,350 – Diesel engine. – Good older restored frame. Quick truck quality respray. Cracking weather stripping. Worn original switchgear but good newer upholstery. Wood in the back has been repainted. A truck restoration to off-roading standards. – There are so many good FJs out there that a quickly cosmetically restored one like this is quickly apparent and checked off by bidders. This is nothing more than a candidate for a quality restoration, or a sound diesel-powered import for utility use on a farm or ranch, and it brought a price appropriate to its condition.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Three
Lot # F51 2004 Pontiac GTO Coupe; S/N 6G2VX12G341291123; Yellow Devil/Black leather; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,100 – 5.7/350hp, automatic, Blaupunkt CD stereo, power windows, etc. – Cloudy headlight lenses. Several sizable chips on the nose. Big chip on the right front fender. Paint on the spoiler does not even come close to matching the body. Good, lightly worn seats and interior, although some suede is coming loose from the edge of the passenger’s side door panel. A used car showing 45,148 miles. – Your humble editor has one of these, a 2005 in Phantom Black with a six-speed, and it is one of the most enjoyable, satisfying, good-driving cars on the road. This one’s old 4-speed automatic can only be a disappointment, and the Yellow Devil paint counteracts the bland Holden Monaro design and invites the interest of State Troopers but for this price there is not much else that is so much fun to own and drive, even long distances.
Lot # S10 1975 International (IHC) Scout II XLC Pickup 4×4; S/N E0062EGD19333; Dark Blue, Cream grille/Brown vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 4 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $4,500 – 345/168hp V-8, automatic, Pirelli Norseman tires, roll bar, dual mirrors, console, aftermarket woodrim steering wheel, dash clock, aftermarket radio. – Terrible paint with microblisters all over. Dull brightwork. The hood sticks up on the right side. Radio antenna is loose and bounces around freely. Interior is rough with dust, dirt and scratches everywhere. Oxidation on the frame but nothing worse than surface rust. Doors stick out at the bottom. Unless you bought this to be the runabout on your cattle farm, this thing is really too tired to enjoy as-is, but it’s neat and restorable. – This is a Scout that needs fixing, so the buyer did well to put so little down on the purchase price, which is definitely on the cheap side for a Scout with these specs. It is relevant to compare it with a Land Cruiser which is comparable in terms of rugged build and off-road performance. The bidders here missed the opportunity, but the seller has options to make it better and still be in the money.
Lot # S16.1 1970 Datsun 1600 Convertible; S/N SPL31127898; Red/Black vinyl with cloth inserts; Black top; Enthusiast restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $16,000 – American Racing wheels, dual mirrors, black vinyl boot cover, console, factory pushbutton radio as well as aftermarket cassette stereo, dash clock. – Dirty, tired engine bay with hoses and lines cut to fit and tow straps holding the battery. Lightly scratched bumpers. Good older repaint. Dirty wheels. Road wear underneath. Rough interior with worn switchgear, foggy gauges, and material on the console is peeling off. Represented as restored, but it was superficial job done a while ago and on a budget. It’s currently in presentable driver condition. – Rarer, more valuable, and some would say better than the MGBs they look so similar to, these Datsun Roadsters are nevertheless still bargain classic sports cars, especially these earlier SPL cars. This example is far from perfect, and the reported high bid should have been taken if there was money close to it.
Lot # S18 1950 GMC FC101 Pickup; S/N FC10166730; Green, Black fenders/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $26,000 – 228/96hp six, 3-speed, hub caps, whitewalls, dual mirrors, wood bed, floor shift, later radio, factory fog lights. – Body-off restored five years ago. Good paint. Very tidy underneath. Good brightwork other than the mirrors, which have old rusty screws holding them on. Wood in the bed is a little dry and cracking. Very good interior. Not perfect, but still very attractive – Sold earlier this year at Barrett-Jackson in Palm Beach for $40,700, a result that is nothing if not a stupendous price for a truck restoration done a while ago. It didn’t come close to that here, nor did it deserve to, although it could have split the difference without being out of line.
Lot # S28 1963 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible; S/N 863P267885; Silver/Gray, Black vinyl; White vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $22,000 – 389/303hp, automatic, eight-lug wheels, narrow whitewalls, white vinyl boot cover, bench seat, column shift, factory air conditioning, Super Deluxe radio, dash clock, rear seat speaker. – Represented with ‘believed to be’ 98,532 miles and original interior. Fairly tired old repaint. Two large touch ups on the left front fender. Microblisters on the trunk lid. Small dents in the rocker trim. Lightly pitted rear bumper. Uneven gaps. A few spots of light oxidation on the frame. Boot cover is discolored, original interior is actually very good. You could probably enjoy this car casually as is, but it would be better to have a straightforward restoration, or at least give it new paint and chrome. – Even with the 8-lug wheels the reported high bid here is ample for the condition of this Bonneville and its seriously flawed paint. The trouble is that repainting it (correctly) is expensive and doesn’t address its other issues. Once started a cosmetic restoration by anyone other than the most conscientious owner will soon bring in so many other things that ‘should’ be addressed and costs will escalate out of control. This bid is parsimonious but recognizes the issues and is realistic.
Lot # S42 1971 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT Styleside Short Bed; S/N F10YNL61813; Light Green, Lighter Green/Dark Green vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,950 – 360/215hp, automatic, factory air conditioning, power steering, dual exhaust, column shift, factory cassette stereo. – Dull brightwork. Small dent in the left side of the hood. Some paint runs on the driver’s side front door edge. Gloppy, uneven finish in the bed. Remarkably clean and dry frame. Cracks in the steering wheel rim but sound, lightly aged interior for the most part. A mostly original truck with a quick and cheap respray. – A truck that can be driven (particularly with the scruffy bed) on weekend errands or will do yeoman service hauling a vintage race car, particularly with the rugged 360 V-8. The price it brought makes perfect sense for both the buyer and the seller.
Lot # S47 1969 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RM21J9A249020; Seafoam Turquoise Metallic, Black stripes and vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $90,000 – 426/425hp, 4-speed, hub caps, Goodyear red line tires, Sure Grip, power steering, power brakes, bench seat, Hurst shifter, factory radio, aftermarket tach, air grabber hood, broadcast sheet documented. – Well maintained and cleaned up but mostly original engine bay. Tidy and original underbody. Very good turquoise paint and chrome. Good roof vinyl other than the seam on the right side sticking up a bit. Both doors stick out a few millimeters at the bottom. Very good interior. Lightly pitted brightwork. A straightforward and attractive cosmetic restoration on a car that’s solid underneath. – Hammered not sold at Mecum Chicago in 2014 at a high bid of $65,000. While that result was way light for a documented Hemi Road Runner, the reported high bid here was pretty close and probably could have been taken without too much regret. Hemi-madness has tapered off and this is a realistic bid in today’s environment.
Lot # S58 1987 Buick Regal GNX 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 1G4GJ1175HP453168; Black/Black, Gray cloth; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $44,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $48,400 – Power windows, climate control, factory cassette stereo. – 100 miles on rebuilt engine. Various new interior trim. New weather stripping. Tidy used engine bay. Fairly dull original paint. Console is warped a little bit. Mostly good interior. Showing 63,292 believable miles. Definitely not the world’s best, but it’s sorted with recent refurbishment, and if you want one to drive rather than to collect, this would be a good choice. – Sold at the Leake OK City auction in February 2014 for $37,950, then hammered not sold at Mecum Houston a few months ago at a high bid of $42,500. The car still deserves quite a bit more, but the seller decided to let it go and the buyer wound up with a sound, usable GNX with a rebuilt engine for not much more than a good example of a regular ’87 Grand National.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Four
Lot # S64 1958 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer D500 Convertible; S/N LD314716; Paris Rose, Black/Paris Rose leather with Black cloth inserts; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000 – D500 360/305hp, automatic, wheel covers, Silvertown whitewalls, dual antenna, power brakes, power steering, AM radio, power windows, dual mirrors, fender skirts. – Used but tidy engine bay. Good, very lightly scratched older chrome. Fantastic paint, excellent interior. Tidy underbody. Restored a while ago and not super fresh, but still gorgeous and in colors that are impossible to ignore. – This result is all about ‘The Forward Look’ styling and sublime Fifties colors – and the D500 power. It is a ‘yuge’ car with gobs of eyeball appeal, totally excessive like an Eldorado, but far more rare. The restoration is above reproach and the bidders responded, giving it a premium result but one that is entirely understandable. A chance like this doesn’t come up very often.
Lot # S91 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N XX29L9B409057; Bright Red/Black vinyl; Estimate $250,000 – $400,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $242,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $266,750 – 440/375hp Magnum, automatic, Firestone red line tires, hood pins, 3.55 gears, power steering, power front discs, woodrim steering wheel, solid state AM radio, bucket seats, black wing. – From the Jim Fasnacht collection. Sold new in Alabama. Represented as a museum car until 2005, then in a private collection since. Restoration finished in 2010. The 16,001 miles showing are represented as actual. Sparingly used and still looks very fresh. – Daytonas are like hens’ teeth among rows of Superbirds and this must – aside from having a 440 Magnum – be one of the best ever. Thoroughly documented with a known history and negligible mileage, it brought a huge price, but one that is fully deserved by its configuration, color and history.
Lot # S93 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N BS23R0B272440; Tor Red/Black vinyl; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $260,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $286,000 – 426/425hp Hemi, 4-speed, Rally wheels with trim rings, Polyglas GT tires, Hurst pistol grip shifter, woodrim steering wheel, radio delete, 4.10 gears, power brakes, Shaker hood, fog lights. – From the Jim Fasnacht collection. Represented as unrestored, original and with 36,238 miles. Sold new in Canada and very carefully used since. Minor paint work on the right side only. Remarkably clean engine bay. Cleaned up, fantastic underbody. Mostly original paint is very good, and it’s hard to tell which parts are repainted. Good body with the exception of two small dents at the back edge of the driver’s side door and a few light scratches on the rockers. Fantastic original interior. It’s hard to believe this car is original, it’s that good. – This is an amazing survivor that brought a strong but still realistic price. It’s a car to be owned proudly and driven carefully although even a thousand or so careful miles won’t have much effect on its value. Try this on the Colorado Grand?
Lot # S96 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda 340 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N BS23H1B304593; Black/Black vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,250 – 340/275hp, automatic, Polyglas GT tires, 3.55 gears, power steering, hood pins, floor shift, factory radio, tinted glass. – From the Jim Fasnacht collection. All original other than a correct replacement exhaust. Several chips, fish eyes and scratches on the nose and hood but the finish of the original paint itself is remarkable and towards the back there are no blemishes other than some chips on the trunk lid. Big dent in the left front trim ring. Fantastic original interior, very clean underneath. Showing 46,307 miles. Almost looks restored. Not exactly the hot ticket in terms of equipment, but an amazingly, almost unbelievably well maintained car. – A big result for this car, almost entirely due to its preservation, although it’s still barely more than the $72,600 it sold for at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2009.
Lot # S97 1969 American Motors Javelin SST Mod Fastback; S/N A9C797X312437; Big Bad Orange, Black/Black vinyl; Estimate $50,000 – $75,000; Older restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $57,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $63,250 – 390/315hp, Go Package, Mod Package, SST, Borg Warner M-12 automatic, power steering, power brakes, roof spoiler, woodrim steering wheel, wood grain interior trim, floor shift, factory radio. – Formerly owned by Ed Buscis. Restored. Very good paint and brightwork. Even gaps. Nearly spotless underneath. Excellent interior. This car has just about all the equipment you’d want, and is in exceptional condition. It has to be one of the best Javelins that exists. Jim Fasnacht collection. – The Mod Package and the Go Package add significant premiums to the value of a Javelin, and this car has both. That combination and the stellar condition allowed the bidders to ignore the lack of a 4-speed and bid this car to a monumental price in the world of AMCs, knowing with a high degree of certainty that there is unlikely to be another one like it in the world.
Lot # S101 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible; S/N 1210409502307; White, White hardtop/Black vinyl; Tan cloth top; Estimate $110,000 – $120,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 – Hub caps and trim rings, Coker Classic whitewalls, VDO dash clock, Becker Europa radio, both tops. – Chips and scuffs at the bottom edges of the hardtop. Handful of small chips at the left edge of the hood, decent older chrome. Wiper scratches on the windshield. Good interior, but worn door panels. A little dirty underneath. An older restored driver with an incorrect VIN on the car card. – 190SL prices may have fallen off after their big surge, but this is downright cheap even for a flawed car. This is an attractive driver for project car money, but it is a huge hit for someone along the way, having sold at Gooding’s Pebble Beach auction in 2011 ($50-80,000 estimate) for a bank account draining $143,000 in a charity sale (donated by Sheryl Crow) for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
Lot # S104 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Dino Coupe, Body by Scaglietti; S/N 02950; Rosso Corsa/Tan leather with Black inserts; Estimate $325,000 – $375,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $300,000 – Cromodora alloy wheels, Michelin MWX tires, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, power windows. – Scratched up original chrome. Decent older paint with a bubble on the deck lid, light detail scratches, and some microblisters on the roof. Sound but significantly worn seats. Otherwise good, lightly worn interior. Tidy, maintained engine bay. Drip of red paint on one of the exhaust tips. A used but tidy unrestored car. – This undistinguished Dino could have been sold for the amount reported bid for it here and the seller gone home happy, even if not rejoicing. The Dino market is not what it once was and this bid reflects that reality.
Lot # S107 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124378N459913; Engine # GE869847; Matador Red, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Estimate $350,000 – $500,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $335,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $368,500 – 427/425hp, M21 4-speed, Rally wheels, Firestone red line tires, hood pins, Hurst shifter, Stewart Warner gauges, power brakes. – Reportedly one of 11 COPO 8036 Rally Sport Yenkos. Clean, restored but not overly detailed engine bay. Even gaps. Very good older paint, chrome and interior. Hard to fault. Restored in the 1990s, so it wasn’t done yesterday, but there’s nothing to pick on. – Offered by Mecum at Indy in 2013 with a reported bid of $500,000, then at Dallas four months later with a $450,000 bid and reported sold in an off the block private transaction for $486,000 at Houston in April 2014. It’s not a happy tale of COPO values but is a sound value at this price in the current environment.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Five
Lot # S107.1 1969 Maserati Ghibli SS Spider, Body by Ghia; S/N AM115S1005; Engine # AM115S1005; Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $900,000 – $1,200,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $860,000 – 4930/355hp, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin X tires, Ferrero leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, dash clock. – Used engine bay. Sound older paint and chrome. Driver’s side door sticks way out at the bottom, and doesn’t open easily. Excellent restored interior. Restored to high standards a while ago, but used plenty since. – Sold at Artcurial’s Rétromobile auction two years ago for $993,728, then made its way to Mecum Monterey in August of this year, where it hammered not sold at $850,000. Both of these Mecum results are perfectly appropriate and even generous given the car’s condition. If the consignor bought it in Paris the tea leaves are not telling a good story.
Lot # S114 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Convertible; S/N WDDAK76F28M001809; Black/Black leather; Estimate $395,000 – $425,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $325,000 – 5439/617hp, supercharged, automatic, carbon ceramic brakes, carbon fiber interior trim, carbon fiber seats, airbrake. – No visible wear to be found. Like new and showing only 2,047 believable miles. – This was a half-million-dollar car when new, and other recent results for these cars show them to still be depreciating. As a limited production supercar, though, it likely won’t take too long before SLR McLarens start selling for huge money alongside other 2000s exotics. It was reported bid to $230,000 at Auctions America’s Burbank sale in 2013, then sold by Russo and Steele in Scottsdale in 2014 for $338,800
Lot # S117 1938 Lincoln Model K Limousine, Body by Willoughby; S/N K9125; Blue, Black/Black leather in front, Gray cloth in back; Estimate $75,000 – $85,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 – Hub caps and trim rings, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares, greyhound radiator mascot, suicide rear doors, jump seats, wind-up division window with curtain, robe rail, dome courtesy lights, dash clock, intercom. – Very good, lightly worn interior. Scuffed up running boards. Tired old paint. Good older chrome. Older restored engine bay and underbody. Looks like it is leaking coolant. Door gaps aren’t quite even. Rare, magnificent chauffeur-driven Lincoln, but it’s best days are behind it and it’s due to be restored again. It will be a solid show contender when it is but until then it is no more than a project. – While this result is reasonable for this Lincoln’s exclusivity and luxury almost anything the new owner begins to do with it is going to end up being expensive. And when it’s done, it’s still a big, imposing limousine.
Lot # S120 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 Fastback; S/N SFM5018; Wimbledon White, Blue stripes/Black vinyl; Estimate $450,000 – $500,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $410,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $451,000 – 289/306hp, 4-speed, Shelby alloy wheels, Goodyear tires, hood pins, side exhaust, racing lap belts, woodrim steering wheel. – Formerly part of the Reggie Jackson collection. Trunk and passenger’s door gaps are uneven. Very good older paint and chrome. Excellent restored interior. Nearly spotless underbody. A very well restored car done a while ago but treated as a collectible since and nicely maintained. – While they offer fewer cubic inches than later Shelby Mustangs, the ’65 GT350s have the racing pedigree and are more rewarding to drive, which is something that collectors seem to have started appreciating over the past year. This car sold at Russo and Steele in Monterey in 2005 for $324,500, then at Mecum Kissimmee in 2015 for the huge, even benchmark sum of $480,600. While more modest, this result is still a strong price and no less than the car deserved.
Lot # S125 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 16109; Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $650,000 – $800,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $700,000 – 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. – Reported not sold in Kissimmee this year at a high bid of $800,000, then made its way to Mecum Monterey in August and hammered not sold again at a high bid of $650,000. Daytonas haven’t been getting much higher than mid-six-figures at auction in 2016, and the owner of this car is unlikely to get more than what was already offered (and refused) at Kissimmee at the beginning of the year. Toting it around the country in search of the right combination of environment and bidders has a declining probability of success. Its odometer has added 72 miles since Kissimmee.
Lot # S127.1 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Spider, Body by Scaglietti; S/N 06158; Red/Tan leather with Black inserts; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $300,000 – Cromodora wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, Becker Grand Prix radio, power windows, air conditioning. – Stated to be 12,554 miles from new with an engine-out service last year. Lightly scratched front bumpers and rubber rub strips don’t fit evenly. Originally finished in blue. Light detail scratches in the older paint but no major blemishes. Very clean, lightly used engine bay. The panel inside the door with the pull handles for engine cover, trunk and fuel door has come loose and is hanging on by a thread. Good original interior with light wear to the seats. – Sold at RM Monterey in 2014 for $440,000, huge money for a car in this condition at the time. Viewed on-site at Mecum’s Monterey auction 3 months ago but didn’t cross the block perhaps because of a transposition error in the chassis number. It would be unreasonable to expect this car to match the 2014 result, but it does deserve more than the reported high bid here.
Lot # S128 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Targa, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFXA20A3K0079491; Nero/Tan leather; Estimate $90,000 – $105,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $65,000 – Pirelli Cinturato tires, roof spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, Blaupunkt cassette stereo. – Tidy original engine bay. Recent partial interior refresh. New clutch. Good paint other than numerous small chips on the nose and several on the tail as well. Very good interior. Not the best, not the worst. Showing 30,448 believable miles. – This 328 was reported sold by Mecum in Monterey not even 3 months ago for $56,100 and what the consignor thinks about the 328 market is different from the opinion of the Dallas bidders. It is premature to call the end of the 328 fad, but this result adds another data point. The result here would have been a modest profit, which is better than hoping for lightning to strike.
Lot # S130 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 Evo Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZTS394062; White/Black; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,750,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $950,000 – 3.6/600hp, twin turbos, 6-speedBBS wheels, Michelin slicks, cross-drilled rotors, Recaro seat, Sabelt harness, full roll cage, fire system. – Two scuffs on the bottom lip. Otherwise very good paint and everything else. Looks like a new race car. One of 11 993 GT2 Evos built for GT1 racing, and just about the ultimate air-cooled 911 in terms of specification. – Not sold at Mecum Monterey this year at a high bid of $1,350,000. Given that RM just sold a 1995 GT2 for $2.4 million at their London sale, the owner of this car can’t be blamed for wanting more, although Mecum bidders have spoken twice.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Six
Lot # S130.1 1947 Studebaker M5 Pickup; S/N 1M30499M530422; Cream/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – Hub caps and trim rings, wide whitewalls, wood bed, dash clock, floor shift. – Apparently owned by Don Johnson at some point. Older restored. Numerous paint runs on the grille. Two cracks below the hood. Uneven door gaps. Tires are old and dry. Paint coming off of the wheels, light wear on restored frame. Lightly pitted rear bumper. Good wood. Heavily worn steering wheel. Otherwise good interior that is claimed to be original. Interesting for what it is, but restored to barely truck standards, and that was years and many miles ago. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2003 for $15,660 and in essentially the same condition today as it was then and the price is up by less than inflation (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation Calculator it would have to have brought $20,550 here to buy the same amount of groceries.)
Lot # S131 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda Hemi 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N BS23R0B179117; Blue Metallic, Black stripe/Blue vinyl; Estimate $160,000 – $185,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $112,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $123,750 – 426/425hp dual quad Hemi, automatic, hub caps, Polyglas GT tires, power steering, power brakes, hood pins, Rallye instruments, woodrim steering wheel, pushbutton AM radio. – Spotless like new engine bay with a ‘warranty replacement block’ and ‘date code and model correct 727 automatic. Excellent paint. Even gaps. Excellent interior. Fully restored to very high standards and looks barely sat in. – It is telling to compare this meticulous, high quality restoration of a ‘Cuda Hemi with the meticulously preserved survivor ‘Cuda Hemi that sold on lot number S96 earlier today for $286,000. Therein lies the value of originality, preservation, the original engine and a 4-speed.
Lot # S133.1 1960 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Cabriolet; S/N 12803010002722; Dark Gray, Light Gray/Red leather; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $102,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $112,750 – 2195/134hp, 4-speed, wheel covers, Coker Classic whitewalls, Hella driving lights, column shift, Becker Mexico radio, VDO dash clock. – Restored in 2003. Dull bumper chrome. Good older paint. Doors do not fit flush with the body. Good top. Interior wood is scratching in several spots. Frankly, this restoration looks older than 2003. It is a gorgeous car for what it is, but could stand to be restored again to fully appreciate it. – Definitely on the low side for a cabriolet, but if the seller is the same person who bought the car at Mecum Monterey in 2014 for $97,200, then letting it go at this price won’t feel too bad even though the result doesn’t beat inflation after paying the entry fee and seller’s commission.
Lot # S136.1 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 9955; Engine # 9955; Rosso Corsa/Tan leather; Estimate $650,000 – $700,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $575,000 – Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, power brakes, Becker Europa radio, Veglia dash clock, factory air conditioning. – 1,000 miles on rebuilt engine. Excellent upholstery done in 2013. The rest of the interior is very good and without major flaw but older. Engine bay shows plenty of signs of age and use. Very good, not show-stopping paint. Some road dirt on the underbody and pitting on the exhaust. Represented as 45,966 miles (45,798 when cataloged), restored in the late 1990s and enjoyed. Really just a driver, but a pretty one. – Hammered not sold at Mecum Kissimmee earlier this year at a high bid of $600,000 and at Monterey in August on a $550,000 bid. 330 GTCs aren’t 275 GTBs, but they are sleek – in the Superamerica/Superfast sense – and comfortable. The consignor was reasonable to expect more in Kissimmee and Monterey for this car, and he still is here in Dallas.
Lot # S138.1 1950 Mercury 0CM Station Wagon; S/N 50LA43119M; Everglade Green, Wood/Dark Brown, Tan leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $80,000 – 255/110hp, 3-speed, Wheel covers, wide whitewalls, heater, oil bath air cleaner, hood ornament, pushbutton AM radio, enclosed rear-mounted spare, three-row seating, column shift. – Tidy restored but used engine bay with some fuel on the carb and top of the engine. Very good paint and chrome. Inevitable wood issues with a handful of cracks and uneven panel gaps, but overall it’s very good. It’s very good on the inside as well. Quite hard to fault and a rare early station wagon with real wood panels to boot. – There’s room inside for a platoon of friends or a large family. Fold down the rear seats and it’s a fabulous surf wagon. It isn’t hard to see how this consignor sought more, but how much more? The bid here wasn’t unrealistic and the consignor may have trouble finding a more receptive audience except on the California coast.
Lot # S139 1987 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFSG17A8H0070755; Rosso Corsa/Black leather; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $100,000 – Goodyear Eagle VR50 tires, dual mirrors, electric seat belts, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning. – Recently serviced. Represented as 12,634 miles from new. There is a handful of tiny chips in the nose and a small scratch in the left side of the tail, but otherwise very good original paint. Very good, lightly worn interior. A well maintained, low-mileage car represented to have a ‘recent extensive service’ and provided with service records. – This is a solid Testarossa and it could have brought more without being out of line, but not a lot. There is an argument for taking the money and not looking back.
Lot # S141 1968 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 11487; Silver/Beige leather; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $220,000 – Centerlock wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, woodrim steering wheel, Clarion stereo, power windows, power steering, air conditioning. – Delivered new in Switzerland but came to the U.S. in 1980. Maintained but tired engine bay with black paint peeling off the valve covers, lots of scratches on the air cleaner and a big rip with insulation coming out on the underside of the hood. Fairly dull original chrome. Sound older repaint. Oxidation in the wheel centers. Four big, deep scratches on the right front fender. Big crack in the left rear fender. Front seats were replaced a while ago and are lightly worn, while the back seats are original and show light cracking. The rest of the interior is original and quite good. A strong candidate for a straightforward restoration. – The Dallas bidders were astute to recognize this as a fairly worn driver quality car and offer fairly worn driver money for it. There’s no reason for it not to have sold at this price which was ample and maybe a little bit more for its condition.
Lot # S142 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (big tank) Coupe; S/N 30837S108672; Engine # 3108672 FI25RE; Sebring Silver/Black vinyl; Estimate $500,000 – $650,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $500,000 – 327/360hp fuel injection, 4-speed, centerlock alloy wheels, Firestone tires, 36-gallon fuel tank, 3.70 Positraction, dash clock, radio delete. – Bloomington Gold certified and NCRS Top Flight. One of 63 big tank Z06s. The engine number recorded on-site was ‘RE’, but we’ll give the car the benefit of the experts and call it an ‘RF’ 360hp Fuelie. Fully documented history. Clean but not overly detailed engine bay. Some road dirt and peeling stickers. Excellent paint, chrome, interior and underbody. Only a small touched up chip right behind the driver’s side door. A gorgeous car. Not overdone and lightly used, but used and aged. – Sold at RM in Ft. Lauderdale in 2007 for $216,000, then post-block sold at Mecum Houston in April of this year for a beyond-market $605,000, it was a no-sale at Mecum Monterey in August at a high bid of $525,000. Having paid beyond-premium money in April there’s no easy way not to lose $100,000.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Seven
Lot # S144 1965 Sunbeam Tiger Mk IA Convertible; S/N B9473518LRXFE; Carnival Red/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Estimate $95,000 – $115,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $75,000 – 260/164hp, 4-speed, wheel covers, woodrim steering wheel, wood dash, power brakes. – Nut and bolt restoration in 2014. Represented as matching numbers engine. Very clean engine bay. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Some scratches and cracks in the original steering wheel rim, but otherwise looks like a new car. Correct and not overdone. – A fresh, correct, matching numbers Tiger like this one was a six-figure car when it sold at Kissimmee in 2015 for $101,520. It wasn’t when it sold at Mecum Monterey in August of this year for $77,000 and it isn’t gathering strength. It may be hard to accept buyers’ judgment, but if the seller wants to get out from under the August purchase it’ll be a while. This was a realistic offer in November 2016.
Lot # S145 1975 Maserati Bora 4.9L Coupe, Body by Giugiaro; S/N AM117496S930; Engine # AM1071149930; Dark Blue, Stainless steel roof/Gray leather; Estimate $160,000 – $190,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $110,000 – Campagnolo wheels, Michelin tires, Ansa exhaust, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, power windows, Veglia dash clock. – Tired, dull plastic front and rear bumpers. Lots of scratches, chips and fish eyes on the nose and front fenders. Heavily scratched up stainless steel roof and brightwork. Wheels are in need of restoration. Sound interior other than lightly worn switchgear. Reassuringly, the car is represented with a hydraulic system service this year and two mechanical services in 2014 and 2015. – Although the reported high bid could have seen the car sell without too much regret, the consignor wouldn’t budge and seemed to want to hold out for a few more bids, which just didn’t come. It is not a great car; this is a good offer for it.
Lot # S149 1957 Ford Ranchero Pickup; S/N A7KF144268; Red, White/Red, White vinyl; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Modified restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $45,000 – 312 in place of the original 223 six, automatic, wire wheels, whitewalls, dual mirrors, power steering, power windows, air conditioning, factory radio, dash clock. – Body-off restored. Good older chrome. Rocker trim doesn’t quite fit flush. Very good older paint. Clean, detailed engine bay. Very good restored interior. An attractive, fresh car. – But with the wrong engine. It sold for $117,700 here in 2013. The seller has discovered the mistake (and maybe the wrong springs and shocks from the lighter six) and adjusted expectations. Buyers seem to have noticed and turned away from it. Despite its shortcomings it wouldn’t be a bad buy at a little less than the reported bid here.
Lot # S151.1 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 9F91R568219; White, Black/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $79,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $86,900 – 428/335hp, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Polyglas tires, rear spoiler, 3.50 axle, competition handling package, power disc brakes, bucket seats, Hurst T-handle shifter, Philco radio, dash clock, Marti report. – Represented as a matching numbers California car. Very clean restored engine bay. Lightly pitted exhaust. Good chrome. There are a few light scratches and touch ups around the radio antenna, otherwise a good repaint. Scratched up rear glass and windshield. Very good, lightly worn interior. A sound car with cosmetic work but never fully restored. One of 206 Cougar Eliminators with the 428 engine. – Sold for $64,200 at Mecum Kansas City in 2013. Cougar Eliminators have gained appreciation in recent years relative to their Mustang counterparts, so this result can actually be considered something of a bargain.
Lot # S152 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Convertible; S/N 194677S118843; Marina Blue, Black stinger, vinyl hardtop/Bright Blue vinyl; White top; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Detailed to restored, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $190,000 – 427/435hp L71, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Uniroyal narrow whitewalls, 4.11 Positraction, F41 suspension, power windows, tinted glass, AM/FM radio, off-road exhaust, two tops. – Aged but clean original engine bay. Four or five small chips in the nose as well as a few more behind the radio antenna. The bumper chrome is a little tired, but this is an all original car, right down to the old tires. On the outside it looks like a two-year-old Corvette showing 15,062 careful miles. Phenomenal original interior. An amazing survivor, and loaded with desirable equipment. – Offered by Mecum in Rockford in 1991 where it was bid to $70,000 and was in essentially the same condition as it is today with a claimed 14,000 original miles. Sold here two years ago for $226,800, then at Mecum Kissimmee earlier this year for $214,500 and no-saled at Monterey in August on a bid of $170,000. Given this car’s preservation and equipment, the owner isn’t unreasonable to expect over $200,000, but the trend isn’t encouraging. The contrast between this beautifully maintained, low miles, original 427/435 and the egregious prices being paid for crusty, dirty Porsche 356 Speedsters is hard to understand.
Lot # S153 1953 Porsche 356 “Pre-A” Coupe, Body by Reutter; S/N 50451; Silver/Blue vinyl with Gray cloth inserts; Estimate $130,000 – $160,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000 – Hub caps, Telefunken radio. – Restored in the 1990s. Three big chips on the right side of the front bumper. Microblisters in front of the passenger’s side door and two scratches behind it. Scratch on the passenger’s side drip rail. Tidy used engine bay. Older restored underneath. Driver’s door fits erratically. Good, mostly original interior. An attractive example and inherently cool as a Pre-A 356, but not a show car. – Gee, one that can actually be driven without sullying a six-figure restoration. What a concept. These early Porsches have a distinctive purity in their design as Porsche worked hard to make the best of bad times, a long way from today’s technological triumphs. This is a sound and attractive car that brought a price fair to both the buyer and the seller.
Lot # S153.1 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible; S/N 5762110253; White/Red, White leather; Estimate $85,000 – $115,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $99,000 – Bat wing air cleaner, white parade boot, power steering, power brakes, power seats, power windows, power top, WonderBar radio, power top, Sabre wheels, whitewalls. – Very tidy older restored engine bay. Chrome is lightly scratched on the top of the front bumper just underneath the grille, but otherwise very good. Rear bumper is lightly pitted. Doors stick out a few millimeters at the bottom. Good older paint. Lightly worn seats, but otherwise good interior. Restored to more or less average standards a while ago, and casually enjoyed since. An eye-catching car, but no show stopper. – Sold at the Leake Dallas auction in 2005 for $50,760, at Auburn Fall in 2013 for $90,200 and in 2014 for $82,500, it no-saled here a year ago for $85,000 and did a little better today so the seller should be reasonably happy with the result.
Lot # S163 1970 Jaguar XKE SII Roadster; S/N 1R11868; Green/Beige leather; Estimate $50,000 – $60,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 4+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $36,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $39,600 – Wire wheels, woodrim steering wheel, Philips pushbutton radio, factory air conditioning. – Rebuilt original engine and new seat upholstery, but otherwise original, tired and dirty. Cracking, crazed paint. Dirty underneath. Worn switchgear. Not completely tired given the mechanical attention that it has received, but not an attractive car. – The new owner of this Series II XKE will almost immediately head for the body shop but being there runs the risk of falling into the pit of ‘while we’re at it’ and turning into an unproductive and financially challenging full restoration, even at this moderate acquisition cost.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Eight
Lot # S165 1959 BMW-Isetta 600 Limousine; S/N 130676; Red, Gray/White vinyl with Red cloth inserts; Estimate $30,000 – $50,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $42,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $46,200 – Hub caps, Falken tires, dash clock, Zenith carb. – Sound older paint and brightwork. Engine bay is a little dirty. Small scuff on top of the dash and a few small scuffs on the front seat but otherwise good older interior. Straightforward older microcar restoration. No show car, but plenty good enough to enjoy and attract attention. – Sold in 2014 at Mecum’s Chicago auction for $34,560, the attraction here is the longer wheelbase and second door of the ‘limousine’ body style with room for the family (or the family goat) in the back. 582cc and 20hp may not be up to the challenge of the extra capacity, however. The price is generous but not outlandish and reflects the rarity and utility of the limousine body.
Lot # S171 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe; S/N WP0AC2997TS376230; Midnight Blue Metallic/Midnight Blue leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $130,000 – Bridgestone Potenza tires, cross-drilled rotors, red calipers, sunroof, rear window wiper, power heated seats, Porsche cell phone, factory CD and cassette stereo. – Very good paint. Very lightly worn seats. Showing 24,759 miles. Looks like a two year old car, although the optional dash-mounted Porsche cell phone screams that this car was made in the 1990s. – Not sold at Mecum Monterey this year at a high bid of $155,000. Both bids are light for a car in this condition, and even with the recent softening of 911 prices, the owner can still hope for better numbers than these although running the risk of chasing a softening market down and not catching up until values bottom out.
Lot # S177 1998 Aston Martin DB7 Convertible; S/N SCFAA4125WK201948; Solent Silver/Dark Blue leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $27,000 – Bridgestone Turanza tires, wood dash and console trim, power windows, air conditioning, Alpine stereo. – Headlight lenses are a little dull. Paint is excellent. Seats have about as much wear as the 27,906 miles would suggest. Used but clean engine bay. A used car, but a lightly used one. – Although this was a six-figure car when new, it’s still in the curve of depreciation. And Aston Martins depreciate a lot. Even so, the seller was reasonable to at least expect over 30 grand for a quality, lightly used DB7 and can’t be judged harshly for declining the reported high bid. It’s a lot of car for the money, even in the $30’s.
Lot # S181 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS Targa, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 28725; Fly Yellow, Black vinyl roof/Black leather with Beige inserts; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $60,000 – Store brand tires, power windows, air conditioning, Alpine CD stereo. – Large cracks at each edge of the plastic front bumper. Decent original paint. Weather stripping between the windshield and roof is dry and cracking. Paint is coming off of the door handles. Tidy but used engine bay. Fairly tired interior, at least by Ferrari standards. Not a great example, and showing 67,207 miles. – Not sold at Mecum Monterey this year at a high bid of $62,500. Both high bids were perfectly appropriate for a driver 308, a descriptor which certainly applies to this car. The consignor is unlikely to find a higher offer at another venue. [And didn’t, taking it to the Leake Dallas auction two weeks later and getting exactly the same $60K bid.]
Lot # S187 1959 Mercedes-Benz 220S Cabriolet; S/N 180030N7551500; White/Tan leather; Brown cloth top; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $45,000 – 3-speed (?) manual transmission, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, driving lights, column shift, later cassette stereo, VDO dash clock, wood dash and door trim. – Recent mechanical service and new brakes. Lightly pitted bumpers. The rest of the brightwork is fairly dull. Decent older paint. Heavily pitted door handles. Passenger’s side door sticks way out at the bottom. Uneven trunk gaps. Rocker trim isn’t on straight. Discoloration on the underside of the top. Sound, lightly worn interior. Plenty of dirt and wear underneath. A thoroughly enjoyed older restoration that’s on the verge of tired. – The car card says this 220S has a ‘desirable 3-speed manual transmission’, a claim that is hard to buy since, ‘desirable’ or not, there is no evidence of M-B ever putting anything other than a column-shifted 4-speed in the 220S. The bidders looked at the used, neglected condition of this 220S and concluded it had more problems than they wanted to assume.
Lot # S193 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo 930 Coupe; S/N WP0JB093XJS50308; Nougatbraun Metallic/Mahogany Brown leather; Estimate $150,000 – $175,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000 – Black Fuchs wheels, whale tail, rear window wiper, power sunroof, power windows, air conditioning, Blaupunkt cassette stereo. – Excellent original paint and exterior plastic. Very lightly worn seats and otherwise like new interior. Beautiful, well kept late 930 showing 26,388 believable miles. – This is a downright bargain in the context of abundant recent high-dollar 930 sales, although this is about what the car could have expected to bring just two years ago. There’s something to be said for getting out in front of a declining market but this is far in front. Maybe it’s the color.
Lot # S195 1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N WM23N0G174367; Yellow, Black tail stripe/Black vinyl; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $31,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $34,100 – 383/335hp, 4-speed, Cooper Cobra tires, hood pins, Solid State radio, Rallye wheels, bucket seats, Hurst pistol grip shifter. – Very tidy, mostly original engine bay. Represented as matching numbers. Dull, probably original chrome. Good older repaint. Lightly scratched window frames. Cracks around the driver’s door handle. Good original interior trim with newer upholstery. Well maintained, but never restored because it never needed to be. – Sold by Mecum here a year ago for $38,500 and there is little or no reason why it shouldn’t have brought closer to that result ($35,000 hammer) this year making this an advantageous purchase of an attractive (and appropriately colored) Super Bee.
Lot # S198 2002 BMW Z8 Roadster; S/N WBAEJ13442AH61795; Silver, Silver hardtop/Black leather; Estimate $200,000 – $225,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $198,000 – Alloy wheels, hardtop, power windows, air conditioning. – Represented with new windshield. Several small rock chips in the nose, a big scrape in the paint and a big crack in the material of the bottom front lip, probably from hitting a curb. Wheels are a bit dirty. Lightly worn seats but otherwise like new interior. Used and showing 13,894 believable miles. – Z8s are bringing consistently superior prices well over their original $128,000 MSRP after being overlooked for several years. Some are pristine but this one despite showing under 14,000 miles has been used like a car, not like a precious artifact. The price is generous for its condition.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Nine
Lot # S206 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 Coupe; S/N 9114400260; Engine # 6341472; Bitter Chocolate, Gold Carrera graphics/Brown; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $70,000 – Black Fuchs wheels, store brand tires, duck tail spoiler, air conditioning, Bosch fog lights, Koni shocks, oil cooler, air conditioning. – Found in California painted black, then painted original Bitter Chocolate. Showing 81,527 miles. Paint is recent and very good. Recent service on brakes and new clutch. Very good original interior. A sorted, very good car, but never fully restored because it never needed to be. – The colors may be rare but the car isn’t and the reported high bid here is anticipating some staggering value in the future. The seller’s expectations should be adjusted to somewhere under this bid.
Lot # S211 1937 Morgan F4 Roadster; S/N F373; Green, Black fenders/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $16,000 – 933/36hp Ford side-valve engine, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, Coker tires, dual wing mirrors, modern lap belts, original Smiths speedometer, later Smiths oil pressure gauge, banjo steering wheel, side exhaust. – Rear wheel looks cocked to one side. Dull old paint and brightwork. Lots of scratches on the hood. Plenty of dirt and wear underneath. Lightly worn inside as well. In driver condition, and bordering on being in need of restoration, even though it is represented as having a body-off redo in 2001. Still looks like a barrel of laughs, though, even if the speedo only goes up to 70. – Sold at Branson Spring in 2014 for $21,330 and no better here for the passage of time. While the sidevalve four doesn’t have the appeal of the vee twin motorcycle engined Morgans it will get its owner into the same events and the model even has proved itself on track. Unsold here, the seller took it to the Leake Dallas auction two weeks later and let it go for $19,500 hammer, $21,450 with commission, essentially the same price it brought two years ago in Branson, but a barrel of laughs in the meantime.
Lot # S212 1974 Jensen Interceptor III Convertible; S/N 23111492; Metallic Burgundy/Light Brown leather piped in Dark Brown; Brown top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $50,000 – 440/230hp, automatic, Michelin all season tires, brown leather boot cover, wood dash and console, dash clock, air conditioning, power windows, Pioneer CD stereo. – Old repaint with several blisters and cracks around the front and edges of the hood. Several small touch ups on the right front fender. Paint coming off of the wheels. Tidy underneath but unrestored. Some fine cracks in the interior wood. Lightly worn switchgear. Very good, lightly worn original upholstery. An inherently cool cruiser with livable but noticeable flaws. – Sold by Barrett-Jackson in 2001 for $18,425 and at the Kruse Phoenix auction in 2005 for $22,410. Interceptor convertibles can be worth twice as much as coupes, but even so, the reported high bid was entirely appropriate for this car’s somewhat tired condition and should have seen the car go to a new home if there was money close to it.
Lot # T19 1993 Cadillac Allante Convertible, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 1G6VS3397PU100033; Mary Kay Pearl Pink/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,750 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $4,125 – Power windows, climate control, factory radio, two tops. – A Mary Kay Pink Allante, apparently one of 17 known to exist. Initially these were lease cars and a lot of them went back to Cadillac for color change. Brightwork is dull. Paint is sound and has no blemishes but has lost a lot of its luster. Fine cracks in the taillight lenses. Lightly worn seats but otherwise good interior. Wheels are tired. A bit gender specific, and really tired and not in great shape. Too bad Barbie already has a Corvette. – Hammered not sold at Leake Tulsa last year at a high bid of $6,250, which now looks like a missed opportunity. The car got a deserved knock for its used condition, but got another one since most of the folks in Dallas weren’t secure enough to bid on a tired pink car.
Lot # T31 1965 Mercedes-Benz 190C Sedan; S/N 11001010067150; Red/Beige vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $8,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $9,075 – 1897/90hp, 4-speed, hub caps but no trim rings, store brand narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, column shift, VDO dash clock, aftermarket air suspension. – Chassis was undercoated at some point but has seen a lot of use since. Tired old respray with several chips and crude touch ups on the hood. Dirty wheels and tires. Cracked window gaskets. Scratched up window frames. Dull, scratched brightwork. Very cracked steering wheel rim. A few small stains on the beige carpet. A humble sedan in humble condition. – And bought for a humble (but appropriate) price. This is the base for M-B’s 190SL Roadster which even off the top of its market still commands serious money. Put a couple of Webers and a strong camshaft on this 190 sedan and enjoy all the thrills of a 190SL with room for the kids and grandkids for one tenth the price.
Lot # T47 1972 MG B GT Coupe; S/N GHD5UC273539G; Green/Tan leather; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $13,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $14,850 – 1798/95hp, 4-speed, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, wood dash, Pioneer CD stereo. – Represented with new engine and transmission. Wood interior trim is incorrect but attractive. Recently undercoated chassis. Decent older chrome. Sound older paint with some light detailing scratches and a masking error under the right rear quarter window. Lightly scratched rear window. Lightly worn seats, but otherwise the restored interior is fantastic. Not a showstopper, but better than the vast majority of B GTs on the road. – A spot on, straightforward result for an attractive, sorted car with a few flaws but which has the promise of being well sorted, looked after and satisfying.
Lot # T119 1956 Heinkel 153 Coupe; S/N 301325; Blue, White/Gray vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $31,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $34,650 – Wheel covers, folding vinyl top, 4-speed plus reverse. – Tired old paint and brightwork with lots of small chips, cracks and scratches throughout. Cracking window gaskets. Very worn interior with lots of paint coming off of the steering wheel. A little grimy underneath but no rust or anything. Largely original and tired but unusual and interesting little three-wheeled microcar. – Sold at Kissimmee in 2014 for $29,160 then no-saled in December 2014 in Austin on a $17,500 bid, this Heinkel is cute, but maybe not as cute as this price suggests.
Lot # T123.1 1968 Chevrolet El Camino SS 396 Pickup; S/N 138808Z160725; Black, Black vinyl roof, Red nose stripe/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700 – 396/325hp, automatic, Rally wheels, red line tires, dual mirrors, bench seat, column shift, factory radio, factory air conditioning. – Represented as body-off restored three years ago with matching numbers engine. Tidy restored engine bay. Good, not excellent paint and chrome. Factory gaps. Very good new roof vinyl. Lightly scratched up bed. Very good interior with new seats and carpets. Dash and gauges are original but good. – The auction history of this car calls the ‘restored three years ago’ representation into question. It was sold at Barrett-Jackson in 2005 for $29,700, then at Ft. Lauderdale in 2012 for $23,100. If it was restored since Ft. Lauderdale the seller took a huge loss. If it wasn’t this is a realistic price for a decent El Camino that doesn’t meet the definition of ‘restored’.
Lot # T133 1968 Jaguar XKE SI.5 Coupe 2+2; S/N 1E78821; Primrose Yellow/Black leather; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $33,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,850 – Centerlock wire wheels, Vredestein Sprint Classic tires, aftermarket ignition, woodrim steering wheel, Pioneer pushbutton radio. – Sound, lightly faded 1980s repaint. Wiper scratches on the windshield. Tidy but used engine bay. Lightly worn replacement upholstery, but the rest of the interior is original and fairly worn. Represented with recent mechanical and cosmetic restoration 1,000 miles ago, but that’s using the term restoration loosely. It’s a car that’s gotten intermittent restoration work and been recently gone over, but has never been thoroughly restored and today is a driver. – A driver bought for driver money, and a transaction both parties can be satisfied with.
Mecum Dallas 2016 – Auction Report Page Ten
Lot # T138.1 1960 Steyr Haflinger 700 AP Utiline Pickup 4×4; S/N 5311881; Light Gray/Black vinyl; Tan cloth top; Truck restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,400 – Cub Cadet V-twin engine, jump seats in the back, LED headlights, locking diffs front and back, dual mirrors. – Body-off restored. Lightly used underneath. Tidy used restored engine bay housing the little air-cooled engine. Decent but quick respray with crinkle paint on most of the bodywork. Done to truck standards and looks ready to take out on the trail. A neat little Austrian-built off-roader, like a one-third scale Pinzgauer, that would be great for somebody with some land – Definitely unusual and a precursor, and alternative, to modern four-wheeler lightweight utility vehicles. No one could argue with the price it brought whether it is as an oddity or as a practical workhorse around the farm or ranch. Beats the heck out of gussied up golf carts in retirement communities, too.
Lot # T147 1967 Triumph TR4A Roadster; S/N 67CT65381L; Triumph Racing Green/Black vinyl piped in White; Beige vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $23,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $25,300 – Centerlock wire wheels, luggage rack, dual mirrors, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, wood dash, heater. – Delivered new in San Francisco and has been in Texas and California most of its life. Then got restoration work but has never been fully done. Rebuilt engine and brakes. Good newer top with a few dirt spots. Represented with new wheels but the lobes on the locks all have lots of hammer marks on them. Engine bay is cleaned up but tired with a pitted exhaust manifold, paint coming off the block and dirty carbs. Good older chrome. Decent older paint with some blisters on the right side of the hood. Upholstery up front is new and very good. Upholstery in back is sound and original. Cracked steering wheel rim. Worn original switchgear and cloudy gauges. A driver. – This result isn’t unreasonable for a fun weekend classic, but is full retail for this one’s condition.
Lot # T150 1994 Porsche 968 Cabriolet; S/N WP0CA2965RS840726; Red/Black leather; Black cloth top; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $16,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $17,600 – Power windows, power top, air conditioning, aftermarket Kenwood CD stereo. – Lightly discolored top and cloudy plastic rear window, but otherwise very good exterior with no chips or scratches. Very light wrinkling to the seats but otherwise the interior looks new. It’s a 968, but it has been taken care of like a 911 and looks like a car with much fewer miles than the 67,508 that it shows. – The 968 was an update of the 944, but so many of the parts were new that Porsche deemed it a separate model. Like most Porsches, these have jumped in value, but this excellent example was a bargain. It easily could have brought another five grand without being expensive. Unfortunately it is a car no one knows about, and fewer people care about. Market timers might call this ‘the right time to buy a 968 before many people discover their appeal’ others might argue that the 968 epiphany may never come.
Lot # T163 1953 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup; S/N H53K009484; Mint Green, Metallic Charcoal/Brown leather; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $46,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $51,150 – 216/92hp six, 3-speed, hub caps, Lester wide whitewalls, dual mirrors, Amber driving lights, sun visor, wood bed, column shift, factory radio. – Spotless, freshly restored engine bay. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Hickory wood bed is immaculate. Spotless underbody. Body-off restored and done to the nines. An absolutely gorgeous truck in unusual but attractive colors. – Very few trucks get this kind of attention and the often-stated but rarely realized admonition to ‘buy the best you can afford’ applies to it: this is the best. While the price is by any objective standard too much for a ’53 3100, any overage is more than made up by the quality of the restoration.
Lot # T196 2005 Lotus Elise Roadster; S/N SCCPC11115HL30353; Starlight Black Metallic/Black; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $21,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $23,100 – Black wheels, Dunlop Direzza tires, Momo leather-wrapped wheel, Kenwood radio. – Represented with 21,000 miles. Decent original paint with two touch ups on the nose. Light scratches on the roof and tail. Very worn seats. Worn down to the fabric on one corner of the driver’s seat. A used car, possibly tracked given the tires it has on it. – Not sold at a high bid of $27,000 at Mecum Kissimmee this year, then not sold again at Mecum Houston three months later at a high bid of $26,000. Further evidence that Mecum is becoming a used car auction. The seller finally got the hint and realized that this isn’t a $30,000 car. Three auctions, three entry fees, three transport bills: the only parties who made any money on this Lotus are Mecum Auctions and Reliable Carriers. Oh, and maybe the buyer here who got a sound if used Elise for a modest price.
Lot # T244 1971 Plymouth Valiant Scamp 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N VH23G1R253498; Orange, Black hood/White vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,250 – 318/230hp upgraded with a 4-barrel, automatic, Cragar wheels, Radial T/A tires, hood pins, rear spoiler, bench seat, column shift, factory air conditioning, later Pioneer stereo, owner’s manual, original purchase order. – Black hood has lots of light detail scratches. Orange paint is mostly good, but the color on the trunk lid does not match the rest of the body. Some chips around the edges of the driver’s side door as well. Very good roof vinyl. Lightly discolored seats but mostly very good interior. Old undercoating underneath. Just a car. – This Valiant Scamp is significant, but only because so few of them have survived in any condition at all, let alone this good. The price it brought here should have bought the best one in the world. This one is far from that and is expensive.
Lot # T261 1971 Dodge Coronet Super Bee 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N T1113161; Yellow, Black stripes/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $12,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $13,750 – 318/270hp, 4-speed, Mexican built car with speedo in km. Cooper Cobra tires, bucket seats, console, floor shift, factory radio. – Dull old paint. Black parts have orange peel. Tired, dull brightwork. A few small dents in the grille. Uneven gaps. Wheels are a little dirty. Perfect, brand new seat upholstery but the rest of the interior is original and quite tired. Original underneath. An oddball car and kind of interesting, but nothing to take too seriously both in terms of condition and what it is. – This is, simply put, an astounding price for a neglected, aged, scabrous Super Bee with a mundane (even with the 4-speed) drivetrain. It would not have been a good value at half this much.
Lot # T266 1994 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 25th Anniversary Coupe; S/N 2G2FV22P4R2239097; White, Blue stripe/White leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,350 – 350/275hp, automatic, spoiler, power windows, air conditioning, factory cassette stereo. – Represented as just 2,872 miles. Excellent original paint and wheels. Almost no wear to the interior or underneath. An ideal car for the collector rather than the driver. – While this is a like-new example, the 25th Anniversary car was just an appearance package and fourth generation Firebirds aren’t on the radar of a lot of collectors yet. It could have been happily sold at the reported high bid.
Lot # W88 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 4-4-2 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 338177M213834; Silver/Black vinyl; Estimate $18,000 – $22,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $19,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,900 – 400/350hp, automatic, Rallye wheels, Cooper Cobra tires, power steering, power brakes, cruise control, bucket seats, floor shift, console, factory radio, factory air conditioning. – From the Ron MacWhorter collection. Tidy and maintained but aged original engine bay. Dirty original wheels. Older repaint with several big scratches on the right rear fender, a big chip on the trunk lid and several large scratches on the right side of the body. Wear on the steering wheel and switchgear. Long, straight rip in the driver’s seat but otherwise sound original upholstery. Key lock for the trunk is missing. This is a driver. – And this is a driver price for it.
Lot # W128 1989 Avanti II Convertible; S/N 12AAV2228K1000450; Burgundy/Maroon leather; Burgundy vinyl top; Estimate $8,000 – $10,000; Unrestored original, 4+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $10,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $11,550 – 305/155hp, automatic, Michelin narrow whitewalls, power steering, power brakes, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, cruise control, air conditioning, power driver’s seat. – From the Ron MacWhorter collection. Absolutely terrible original paint that’s either fading, cracking, crazing, peeling or scratched on just about every square inch. Dirty original top, and the rear window so cloudy that you wouldn’t be able to see out of it. Dirty underbody with leaves and twigs sticking out from various spots. Surprisingly sound interior, but there’s a thin coat of dust on most of it. For a car built in 1989 with 13,682 miles on it, this despicable condition is hard to excuse. It looks like it was left outside for well over a decade. – One of the 400 or so Avantis built during the company’s time in Youngstown, Ohio, and the majority of those were coupes. It’s unusual as well as interesting, and is solid and complete enough for an Avanti fan to restore. This result was about what the car deserved.
[Source: Rick Carey]
Another marvelous report. Keep up the wonderful reportage.
Agreed. I love reading these as I learn a bunch each time while I enjoy a good number of laughs.