The RM/Sotheby’s “Hershey” auction, held each October at the Hershey Lodge, is now considered an official part of AACA’s Hershey week, although as far as I can tell, RM/Sotheby’s and AACA are separate entities with no financial entanglements. Still, given the consistent high quality of this auction’s offerings, I have no doubt it continues to be a significant draw for those who are at the Main Event over at Hersheypark.
I can’t speak to RM’s offerings at its other global auctions, but at Hershey, most of the cars are a sample of beautifully restored, pre-war and early post-war American classics. As has been the trend across all auctions in recent years, we continue to witness the disposal of private collections as older collectors age out of the hobby. This has the potential to present some “bargain” buying opportunities (“bargain” in this case defined as your personal amount of discretionary funds). But consider that of the 19 lots I have presented below, 16 were offered as No Reserve, which always motivates the waving of the paddles.
Let’s also quickly analyze the auction company’s pre-sale estimates, compared to the hammer results. Of these 19 vehicles, 11 sold BELOW estimate; 5 sold WITHIN estimate; and only 3 sold ABOVE estimate. Bidders may be passionate, but they aren’t dumb. They know all too well that at a No Reserve auction, high bidder gets the car, pre-sale estimate be damned.
I continue to hear chatter about the increasing lack of interest in pre-war cars, yet, 14 of my selections were model years 1941 and older. There continues to be an audience that desires these cars, and frankly, based on their styling, condition, and presence, I found them plenty desirable myself.
Sold prices below were gleaned from RM/Sotheby’s website, where I subtracted the 12% buyer’s premium (up from 10%) in order to show the hammer price. Lots are arranged in HAMMER PRICE order. Twelve of these lots hammered at $50,000 or less, a number I chose as that represents the current average transaction price of a new motor vehicle.
Lot 194, 1955 DeSoto Fireflite two door hardtop, pre-sale estimate $12,000-$18,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $11,000, below estimate.
Lot 369, 1939 Ford two-door coupe, pre-sale estimate $15,000-$20,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $19,000, within estimate.
Lot 340, 1932 Plymouth Roadster, pre-sale estimate $25,000-$35,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $20,000, below estimate.
Lot 338, 1931 Ford Model A, pre-sale estimate $25,000-$35,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $24,000, below estimate.
Lot 341, 1941 Lincoln Continental convertible, pre-sale estimate $35,000-$50,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $24,000, below estimate.
Lot 185, 1943 Fiat Topolino, pre-sale estimate $15,000-$20,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $27,500, above estimate.
Lot 423, 1934 American Austin Roadster, pre-sale estimate $25,000-$35,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $30,000, within estimate.
Lot 406, 1962 Triumph TR-4, pre-sale estimate $40,000-$60,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $32,500, below estimate.
Lot 360, 1934 Reo Flying Cloud Coupe, pre-sale estimate $50,000-$70,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $35,000, below estimate.
Lot 385, 1953 Packard Caribbean convertible, pre-sale estimate $60,000-$80,000, selling with Reserve
SOLD for $42,500. Note that it sold $17,500 below low estimate, even with a reserve.
Lot 219, 1940 Chrysler Highlander convertible, pre-sale estimate $60,000-$80,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $50,000, below estimate.
Lot 419, 1965 Sunbeam Tiger Mark I, pre-sale estimate $80,000-$100,000, selling with Reserve
SOLD for $50,000. Note that it sold $30,000 below low estimate, even with a reserve.
Lot 213, 1934 Ford 3-window coupe, pre-sale estimate $60,000-$80,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $65,000, within estimate.
Lot 353, 1941 Lincoln Zephyr coupe, pre-sale estimate $60,000-$80,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $82,500, above estimate.
Lot 346, 1939 Lincoln Zephyr coupe, pre-sale estimate $80,000-$110,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $100,000, within estimate.
Lot 364, 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I convertible, pre-sale estimate $150,000-$190,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $110,000, below estimate.
Lot 401, 1960 Chrysler 300-F convertible, pre-sale estimate $125,000-$175,000, selling at No Reserve
SOLD for $125,000, within estimate.
Lot 188, 1913 Fiat Speedster, pre-sale estimate $250,000-$300,000, selling with Reserve
SOLD for $150,000. Note that it sold $100,000 below low estimate, even with a reserve.
Lot 210, 1939 Packard Twelve Coupe, pre-sale estimate $120,000-$140,000, selling at No Reserve
I had been watching the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia on Cars & Bids all week. The day before the auction was scheduled to end, I drove to Stamford, CT, to test drive the car. The seller was extremely accommodating, suggesting that I drive the car for as long as I wanted that morning. My Alfa club buddy Bill, who owns a Giulia, accompanied me so that I would have a second set of experienced eyes on the car. Except for the color combo of blue over red, which I was still getting used to, everything about the car seemed right: RWD, limited slip diff, the best-looking 19” wheels, the red sport seats, Harmon Kardon sound system, a complete CarFax service history, and a transferrable extended warranty.
I knew all too well how these online auctions worked. Bring a Trailer had laid the foundation: seven-day auctions, plenty of photos, candid commentary from followers, and perhaps most importantly, the removal of any last-moment “sniping” by resetting the clock at each bid within the final few minutes. Unlike BaT which adds two minutes to the clock once any bids are placed within that final two-minute window, Cars & Bids resets the clock to add one minute, which is still plenty of time.
There were two or three bidders who were actively bidding on the Alfa during its final 30 minutes. By clicking on their user names, I was able to see their entire bidding history. Interestingly, these bidders had followed similar paths: they would bid several times, and would drop out well before the cars reached their final sale price. In other words, they were bottom shoppers who were bidding only on the chance that they could “steal” a car (provided the reserve was met). Discovering this about them boosted my confidence.
In the end, my competition was “aptwo” and “AJ2023.” Aptwo had bid on 28 cars, with zero wins, placing five bids on this Alfa, and bowing out at $17,250. AJ2023 had bid on 88 cars (!) with one win, a 1997 Audi A6. After his final bid of $20,000, he was gone. I bid $20,250 and thought the car was mine at that number. But I was wrong.
A new bidder, “RM512,” appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Quickly looking at his history, he didn’t join Cars & Bids until August of 2026, and this Alfa was the very first car he bid on. We were off to the races. Moving in either $250 or $500 increments, he kept pace with me. I bid $21,500 and told myself that was my limit. But when RM515 bid $21,750, I rationalized, “oh, what’s another $250?” But my $22,000 bid was topped again, and so it went.
Instead of being nervous, I was surprisingly calm, as if I were playing a game, convincing myself to hang in there. (This was helped in part by several buddies who were watching along, and sending me text messages saying, “YOU GOT THIS!”) I bid $22,500, he $23,000; I went to $23,250, he $23,500. When I bid $23,750, I allowed myself a new upper limit of $25,000, as once I was over that, I could find Giulias both newer and with lower miles. Watching the countdown clock descend past 30 seconds, then 15, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, there was nothing from RM512. The clock hit zero, and the screen read “SOLD for $23,750.” I won the auction. I was stunned; happily stunned, but stunned nevertheless.
It took a few days to sort through the paperwork (payment, bill of sale, title and tags), but about ten days after the auction ended, I picked up the car (with a big thanks to good friend Mike G who drove me to Stamford). The car was flawless on the drive back, and since then, I have had zero regrets.
This is one of the nicest Giulias I’ve ever seen, and in a very rare spec as well. In retrospect, I am so glad that an offer I made several months ago on a used Giulia at an Alfa Romeo dealer fell through. The car in my garage is so much nicer than that one. Patience paid off!
Carlisle Productions held its 2026 Spring Auction across two days, Thursday April 23 and Friday April 24, at their Expo Center in Carlisle, PA. As always, the auction was conducted in parallel with Spring Carlisle at the Fairgrounds across the street. I long ago stopped wandering the Fairground aisles, but I drove out a day early in order to preview the auction cars, and I personally observed 270 cars cross the block.
Volunteer drivers await their assignment
Any auction is a hit-or-miss affair, and this year, there were fewer cars that garnered my interest compared to the past several years. As has happened at previous Carlisle Auctions, some cars did not show up until the day they were scheduled to run, which limited the time for prospective bidders to perform their due diligence. Speaking of, this year Carlisle saw it necessary to hand out “due diligence” sheets as well as hang signs with the same message. The bottom line: the complete burden for verifying the condition of any car lies with the bidder and not the auction house. They’re not wrong, but this year they went further to ensure that you got the message.
I’ve previously written about the improvements these fine folks have implemented to improve the overall experience for consignors, bidders, and spectators. (My blog posts covering Carlisle Auctions goes back eleven years, to 2015.)However, stuff still happens. Friday especially was fraught with mishaps, miscues, and some general mayhem that made the show feel like Amateur Hour. At least four if not five times, a car arrived on the block with a Lot Number that did not match the run sheet nor the info on the large screens. It does happen that a consignor substitutes a different car than the one he registered; however, in these cases, the auctioneer and others on the block were caught completely unaware of the substitution. One time the auctioneer intoned, “the reserve has been met!” only to quickly retract his claim after being corrected by the owner. Another time, the auctioneer declared the lot “sold, for $6,000!” only to realize that he had accepted $6,000 bids from two different bidders, necessitating a rewind. Silly things like these usually don’t happen at Mecum, much less RM/Sotheby’s.
As I mentioned, I recorded the results for 270 cars, 170 of which sold, and 100 which did not meet reserve. This resulted in a 63% sell-through rate, decent, but not great, and about average for Carlisle. Their after-sale desk looked busy for the entire two days I was there. As of this writing, Carlisle’s website is showing about 150 vehicles still for sale(and helpfully, the high bid is shown as well, giving you a starting point for negotiations).
The sold lots listed below are the cars which I found interesting. As always on Richard’s Car Blog, they are listed in “hammer price” order, so that you can gauge the relative value of these cars compared to one another.
Lot 472, 2001 Jaguar XK8 convertible, 88,694 miles, V8, automatic, brown paint, tan top and interior, factory alloy wheels.
SOLD for $2,250. I see many first generation XK8 convertibles at auction. From recent memory, most of them have around this mileage, and most of them sell in the $7,500 to $9,500 range. Why was this car so cheap? It looked terrible. The cloth convertible top was worn through in various spots, the interior was filthy, and the driver’s seat leather was shot, none of which gave any confidence in the car’s overall condition.
Lot 103, 1996 Volvo 850 sedan, five-speed manual, 184,234 miles, blue/green paint, brown velour interior.
SOLD for $3,250. Car showed poorly, looked like it had been used and abused. At this price, choices are to just drive it until something breaks, or part it out.
Lot 118, 1980 Toyota Celica coupe, five-digit odometer shows 63,310, brown metallic with beige cloth interior. Four cylinder, five-speed manual, factory A/C converted to R134a. Alloy wheels, blackwall tires.
SOLD for $7,250. This car looked completely unrestored, and was in amazing condition for a survivor. Paint and interior looked original, interior wear was commensurate with shown miles. Tires were 13 years old, and some interior plastics no longer fit well, but those were the only issues I spotted. I had a long talk with the owner, an elderly man who had recently acquired the car from a neighbor. He claimed that he had driven it two hours from his home with no issues. Despite all this, Carlisle is not an auction that draws much interest in imports. I expected a hammer price closer to $6,000, so seller did well.
Lot 249, 1960 Ford Taunus two-door station-wagon, two-tone coral and white paint, color scheme carried over to interior. Four cylinder engine, three-speed manual. Dog dish hubcaps on black wheels with whitewall tires.
SOLD for $7,500. Ironic, just weeks after posting an article about my father’s Taunus postcards, I see one in the metal for the first time in my life. This German-built Ford was sold in the U.S. in very limited numbers. There are no price comps, so this under-ten grand result seems reasonable for a car which appeared to be surprisingly complete and unmolested.
SOLD for $8,000. It’s around this mileage that I see many Spiders go up for sale. Various loose and broken interior bits didn’t give me confidence in the car, and frankly, I expected it to sell for less. Eight grand should buy you a nicer Spider.
Lot 187.1, 1928 Chrysler Series 62 two-door convertible, light beige body, brown fenders, tan top, brown interior, rumble seat. Wood spoke wheels with whitewall tires. Inline six, three-speed manual.
SOLD for $12,500. I believe that this was the oldest car to sell at this auction. I know very little about pre-war Chryslers except that, as a convertible with a six-cylinder engine (instead of a four) and a rumble seat, $25,000 would not have been a surprise. Then again, how limited is the audience for pre-war cars like this?
Lot 402, 1967 Plymouth Sport Fury two-door hardtop, bronze paint, matching interior with bucket seats and center console, alloy wheels, raised white letter tires, 383 V8, automatic.
SOLD for $13,000. This car rolled over the block relatively early on Friday morning, and I spotted it for the first time about thirty minutes prior, so this was another case of a car showing up almost literally at the last minute, leaving no time for an inspection. 1967 was a big year for Plymouth as this was an all-new body, and a real looker, especially in comparison to some of the ugly ducklings of just a few years prior. The Sport Fury package lived up to its name. This was a very good buy. I need a bigger garage (I’m referring to the length, as this thing would not fit).
Lot 503, 1979 VW Beetle convertible, white paint and top, taupe interior. I did not record mileage, but Carlisle’s website states 45,000. Factory alloys.
SOLD for $13,000. This was the final year for the famed Beetle drop-top. Sold for almost identical money compared to ’76 Beetle convertible below, so “last year of production” did not bring a price premium.
Lot 439, 1976 VW Beetle convertible, four-speed manual, 59,827 miles, white paint, top, and interior, aftermarket wheels.
SOLD for $13,750. Car appeared to be in well-maintained original condition. Lots of top-down fun, just don’t be in a hurry to get anywhere.
Lot 096, 1984 Porsche 928S, 168,987 miles, white with dark red interior. V8, five-speed manual. Factory alloy wheels.
SOLD for $17,000. This was the very first automotive lot of the auction, and it was a charity sale with proceeds going to a local firehouse. Car appeared OK, but, not sure if odometer still worked as trip odo was stuck at 000.0 (common 928 problem). These cars are robust enough that they can reach this mileage, but staying on top of maintenance is a necessity. Manual is a plus, as most U.S. 928s were automatics.
Lot 484, 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, five-digit odometer shows 18,352. Bright blue metallic paint, white vinyl top, white interior with buckets, center console, floor shift. Factory alloys with whitewall tires.
SOLD for $21,500. This was the first year of the downsized “personal luxury” Grand Prix with the six-foot-long hood. This car was in decent shape, and price seemed fair for the condition.
Lot 421, 1962 Dodge Polara convertible, five-digit odometer shows 00396. Cream paint, white top, two-tone white and violet interior with power windows. 361 V8, push button automatic.
SOLD for $23,000. When I was a kid, I thought that the ’62 Dodges were ugly, and in the ensuing decades, that opinion has not changed much. However, this car’s outstanding condition made up somewhat for its unfortunate styling. Rare, and worth it for the diehard Mopar fan.
Lot 495, 1963 Mercury Marauder two-door hardtop, 390 V8, automatic, white with black vinyl top and black interior, factory wheel covers, whitewall tires. Five-digit odometer showed 70,349 miles.
SOLD for $23,500. I thought this was one of the nicest cars at the auction. May have been restored, or may have been a well-preserved original. Rare full-size performance car, sure to be a hit at any car show.
Attending collector car auctions is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the hobby. Compared to classified ads or car corrals, where sellers can shoot for as high an asking price as they dare, an auction result is a concrete data point: on that day, a seller was willing to sell a vehicle at a price that a buyer was willing to pay. This year, as I have done so many times in the past, I attended the RM-Sotheby’s auction at the Hershey Lodge, held on October 8 and 9 during Hershey week.
RM-Sotheby’s conducts auctions around the world, but at Hershey, they specialize in pre-war and early post-war American iron. There was a large collection of convertibles from the late ‘40s/early ‘50s, apparently from a single collection (another growing trend as older enthusiasts age out of the hobby). As you read the results below, you can presume that, at least cosmetically, most of these cars were in Number 2 or Number 1 condition, which is to say, they looked great. Mechanically, the best one can do is to observe the RM staff as they start and drive these cars up to and across the auction block.
A word about pre-sale estimates: every vehicle is given a price range, clearly displayed on the windshield placard. Savvy bidders know that this is just an estimate, and that the auction company, in an attempt to encourage bidding, might push the estimates a bit over expectations. I documented the sale of twenty cars, and the spread is interesting: of these twenty, eight sold below the low estimate; seven sold within the estimate range; and five sold over the high estimate. Were there deals? Possibly, provided that there weren’t too many hidden surprises once the new toy arrived home. I still maintain that buying a car at auction, while slightly risky, has the potential to reward the educated buyer who can bid with a level head.
As always on Richard’s Car Blog, results are arranged in sale price order from low to high, a detail that you will not find anywhere else. Sale prices shown are “hammer” prices, and do NOT include the 10% buyer’s premium owed to the auction house.
LOT 123, 1951 Pontiac Chieftain 4-door sedan, estimate range $15-20,000
SOLD for $15,500
Sold for only $500 above the low estimate. A rather ordinary car in drab colors, but in very nice condition. For the Pontiac collector who doesn’t have one.
LOT 124, 1952 Studebaker Commander convertible, estimate range $25-35,000
SOLD for $17,500
The red over red looked dashing. The top color was not noted. This car hammered for $7,500 under its low estimate, and was only $2,000 more than the Pontiac. I know which one of the two I would prefer.
LOT 136, 1930 DeSoto CF Eight roadster, estimate range $25-35,000
SOLD for $25,000
Sold right at low estimate, car looked ready to drive in the next local parade. A nice and somewhat unique alternative to a Model A Ford.
LOT 253, 1931 Dodge Six Series DH Coupe, estimate range $25-35,000
SOLD for $26,000
Sold a grand above low estimate. Car appeared to be in excellent condition, but: I could not get past the FIVE different exterior paint colors (including the wheels). The body was a lighter red over a darker red, the two colors separated by green. The fenders were black, and the red wheels, to my eye, appeared to be a shade of red different than the body. Someone liked it enough to bring it home.
LOT 131, 1950 Frazer Manhattan convertible sedan, estimate range $40-60,000
SOLD for $30,000
I can only guess that Frazers play to a very narrow audience. Still, this was a rare car in a rare body style. Winning bid was a full $10,000 below the low estimate.
LOT 262, 1953 Hudson Hornet Twin-H Club Coupe, estimate range $40-50,000
SOLD for $35,000
One of three Hudsons covered here, and the one which sold for the least, five grand below low estimate. The two-door body style looked sporty, and the yellow fog lights and windshield visor added to that sportiness.
LOT 129, 1950 Hudson Commodore convertible, estimate range $60-70,000
SOLD for $40,000
At a full $20,000 below low estimate, and only $5,000 more than the Hudson hardtop above, someone got a very nice immediate post-war droptop at a fair price.
LOT 301, 1940 Ford Deluxe convertible, estimate range $50-60,000
SOLD for $42,000
I follow these pre-war Ford V8s a little bit, and prices are certainly off their highs of several years ago. I would guess that five or six years ago, this car could have fetched $60,000. Someone took advantage to grab this car at $8,000 below low estimate.
LOT 258, 1939 Ford Deluxe convertible, estimate range $35-45,000
SOLD for $42,500
Just one year older than lot 301 above, and look at the difference in the estimate range. While the ’39s will never be as desirable as the ’40s, this was still a good-looking automobile. and actually sold for $500 more than the ’40.
LOT 151, 1931 Chrysler CD Deluxe Eight coupe, estimate range $40-50,000
SOLD for $45,000
Sold right in the middle of the estimate range, these early Chryslers are handsome and stately cars. This would be a nice ride for a Glidden tour.
LOT 134, 1932 Plymouth Model PB Sport roadster, estimate range $35-45,000
SOLD for $50,000
The first of our cars to have hammered above the high estimate (by $5,000), this droptop was striking in its two-tone blue and white. Even the wire wheels were white, lending a jaunty look to the car. This early Plymouth sold for more than both the ’39 and the ’40 Ford convertibles.
LOT 160, 1960 Ford Thunderbird convertible, estimate range $40-60,000
SOLD for $52,000
The optional Continental kit did nothing to improve the looks of this final-year Squarebird. I follow sales of the ’61 through ’66 T-Birds a bit, and I thought that the pre-sale estimates here were high, making it a surprise to me that this car hammered mid-estimate.
LOT 149, 1941 Packard Super Eighty 180 Touring sedan, estimate range $40-50,000
SOLD for $52,500
Packards of all ages remain very collectible, but values vary wildly based on year, powertrain, and body style. I found this car to have a certain appeal, but I’m not certain if the two-tone green was a factory choice. Interior was especially nice. The car sold for $2,500 above high estimate, which was still a fair price.
LOT 303, 1954 Packard Caribbean convertible, estimate range $60-75,000
SOLD for $55,000
There is usually one Caribbean at every high-end auction, and this one stood out for its rather plain colors (in two-tone rather than the more frequently-seen tri-tone). Values have dropped; that estimate range would have been more accurate several years ago. Sold for $5,000 below low estimate, and interestingly, only $2,500 more than lot 149 above.
LOT 269, 1966 Chrysler 300 convertible, estimate range $30-40,000
SOLD for $57,500
A non-letter 300, but still impressive in every way: size, power, comfort, image. I wasn’t in the room for the bidding, but I can only wonder if there was a bidding war, as this car hammered for an impressive $17,500 above its high estimate.
LOT 130, 1948 Chrysler Town and Country convertible, estimate range $70-80,000
SOLD for $70,000
A lot of Mopars at this auction! These woodie convertibles have always had a following. Like some other cars from this time, values are down. I remember when these were easily six-figure cars. Hammer price just reached low estimate, which looks fair to buyer and seller.
LOT 246, 1952 Hudson Wasp Twin-H two-door Brougham, estimate range $40-60,000
SOLD for $100,000
This was the only car of the several dozen I inspected which showed some serious paint and sheet metal defects (see lead photo), which made the hammer price a head-scratcher, until I read that this car was once owned by Steve McQueen (a fact surprisingly omitted from the windshield placard). In that light, I’m surprised that it didn’t bring more.
LOT 189, 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 hardtop, estimate range $125-200,000
SOLD for $100,000
I used to turn my nose up at these early Aston Martins, especially compared to the DB4, 5, and 6 cars, but over time my opinion of them has softened. Last October, RM sold a similar car for $160,000, making this one look like the bargain of the day at $100,000, twenty-five grand below low estimate. Let’s see, if I sold my Alfa….
LOT 162, 1965 AMC (Rambler) Ambassador 990 convertible, estimate range $40-60,000
SOLD for $102,500
The shock of the show! Yes, it had factory A/C, and was in excellent condition, and would be impossible to duplicate, but still …. This sale price, $42,500 above high estimate, handily beat most every other American ’50s-’60s convertible in this auction. Wow.
LOT 297, 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Cabriolet, estimate range $250-300,000
SOLD for $190,000
The 810 and 812 Cords of 1936 and 1937 will always be collectible. This one, in supercharged form, was in a stunning color combination. But here was a case where I think RM went overboard in its pre-sale estimates. Historically, the roadsters and cabriolets have sold between $150,000 and $200,000, making this hammer price market-correct.
This concludes the Hershey reports for 2025. I hope you enjoyed the articles and photographs.
Mecum Auctions returned to Harrisburg, PA, this year, scheduling their four-day auction to run from Wednesday, July 23 through Saturday, July 26, 2025. Mecum’s first Harrisburg outing was in 2014, and the event has only grown in size and stature since then. As is typical at most multi-day auctions, Day One is considered “bargain day,” while the final day (in this case, Saturday) is reserved for the vehicles predicted to bring the big bucks.
I’ve been in attendance most years since that inaugural event. The location is ideal for me: Harrisburg is halfway between Hershey and Carlisle, and is only a two-hour car ride. The location is ideal for Mecum as well, as this part of PA is chock full of classic car enthusiasts. I was in attendance both Wednesday and Thursday and sat through much of the live auction. One big improvement: there are now padded chairs and tables provided for registered bidders, and they’ve added this 21st century perk: the tables have a QR code which you can scan, allowing you to place a food and drink order to be delivered to your seat. I didn’t take advantage of the delivery service, but it was nice to know that it was there.
Tables and chairs!
During my two day visit, I watched 171 cars cross the block, and observed 106 of them declared “sold”, for a two-say sell-through rate of 62%, respectable, but not great. Breaking it down further, Wednesday’s performance was weak: 44 of 81 observed lots were declared sold, for a sell-through of 54%. Thursday’s number was better at 69% sold, and closer to what I typically see at Mecum. The relatively large number of no-reserve lots helped these results, but it is obvious that many sellers still set unrealistic reserves for their cars. As has been the trend, groups of no-reserve cars were announced to be “from so-and-so’s estate,” indicating that the ol’ collector has either departed or has decided to relinquish his horde, whereupon the family ships it off to be sold at auction for whatever they can get.
Whether the sell-through rate is 50% or 95%, someone needs to tackle the job of setting up, and it’s a huge job. As I entered the Farm Show Complex early on Wednesday, I was struck by how much effort and manpower it must take to run this show. The podiums, stage, TV screens, lights, cameras, and signs must all be carried in and precisely arranged. Hundreds of chairs and tables are placed in rows for bidders. A tent large enough to provide shade for hundreds of cars at a time is set up outside behind the main hall. A crew of drivers, pushers, detailers, and the like is on hand for the entire time that the event is open to the public. I’ve heard griping through the years about the amount of money Mecum rakes in with its 10% buyer’s commission, and of course this is a profitable undertaking. At the same time, their overhead costs must be considerable.
The “Bid Goes On” desk. As the sign says, “place bids here for unsold cars.”
The bread and butter at a Mecum auction consists of the most popular and collectible American-made cars and trucks of the last seventy years or so. Muscle cars, restomods, pickups, and everyone’s favorite models from the Big Three are in plentiful supply. However, my interests lean toward the orphans, oddballs, imports, and other rarely-seen automobiles. To my happy surprise, there was enough of that to keep me entertained, and I’ve reported on many of those lots below, whether they sold or not. I mentioned above that Day One is bargain day, and if you wanted to buy a car at auction and spend less than $5,000, you could do so here. To cite three examples: a 1995 Buick Roadmaster wagon with 175k on the clock hammered for $2,500; a 1999 Chevy Tahoe with 185k miles went for $3,500; and a 2007 Pontiac Solstice convertible (with an automatic) with 167k on it sold for $4,500. I did not personally inspect any of these, and make no promises that they were without issues. However, someone bought them and presumably, someone will find a way to make them useful.
Saturday’s cars, aka the cream of the crop, are kept insideWhere the action isTwo huge screens, large enough to be seen from the back of the room, flank the auctioneer’s podium
Auction lots below are broken out into SOLD units first, then NOTABLE NO SALES. As always on Richard’s Car Blog, lots are listed in SOLD PRICE order, the better for you to gauge what your dollars will get you. All numbers below are the hammer prices, and do NOT include the 10% buyer’s premium owed to Mecum.
SOLD LOTS
Lot T81, 1949 Packard Eight Club Sedan, two-door fastback, metallic blue paint, brown and grey interior, 327 straight-eight engine, three-speed manual transmission, large sunvisor on exterior above windshield. Paint looked just ok (not sure how correct the metallic was) but much of the chrome was pitted. A rarely-seen two-door bathtub Packard.
SOLD at no reserve for $6,500.In this condition, what do you do with it? It would need thousands to become any kind of show car. You could maintain it as is and drive it to cruise nights, where it might be the only Packard there. A car for the hardcore Packard enthusiast.
Lot T5, 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce, red paint, tan top and tan leather interior, 2.0L four-cylinder, five-speed manual, factory A/C, power steering, factory “phone dial” wheels. Paint looked ok, but strangely, much of the exterior chrome, such as the door handles, was very pitted. Underhood was not detailed. Spare tire well looked rusty from an undercar inspection.
SOLD at no reserve for $8,000. This Series 4 Alfa Spider was the model’s final iteration. To me, by this time, the car had gone soft. Items like the A/C and PS added weight and complexity, and detracted from performance. Of the four different series of Spiders, the styling on these is my least favorite. There were a few red flags on this one, but the price was fair if someone just wants a fair weather driver to use for a few thousand miles a year.
Lot W115, 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado, 455 V-8, automatic transmission, FWD (natch), silver paint, black vinyl roof, black interior. Odometer reads 11,000 miles, very likely on its second go-round. Front bumper dented, most of engine compartment has been sprayed flat black. A weekend detail would have done wonders for its presentation.
SOLD for $10,500. The ’69 Toro still used the original body shell from ’66, but with a massive front bumper replacing the initial design. Full-size American luxury for not a lot of money, and fingers crossed that the mechanicals are ok.
Lot T198, 1965 Ford Thunderbird two-door hardtop, rose beige paint, white vinyl upholstery with burgundy carpeting, 390 V-8, automatic transmission, factory A/C, power windows, power driver’s seat, wire wheels. Odometer reads 45,074. Aftermarket rub strips detract slightly from exterior styling. Body plugs imply that car received rustproofing at some point in its past.
SOLD for $13,000. A Polaroid found on the passenger sheet showed that the car received a complete repaint in 2004. According to my source books, “rose beige” was a T-Bird-only color for ’65, and was striking in person. The driver’s power seat would only move the seat about halfway back, and was very uncomfortable to sit in. Peering underneath, I saw the seat foam had turned to powder and would need replacement. This may have also been causing the restricted movement. Still, this was a very attractive car in person, and I don’t think my photos do complete justice to its appearance. At this price, I had some regrets about not bidding.
Lot T174, 1974 AMC Matador two-door fastback, copper paint, white stripe, tan interior (with seating areas covered by clear vinyl covers), 232 inline-six, automatic transmission. Windshield sign claims 68 miles, implying that is original, but … sign also states “mostly original copper paint.” Front bench seat is twisted and bent backwards on driver’s side, and driver’s door window rubber very deteriorated. Air cleaner looks to be repainted, and several radiator hose clamps are aftermarket.
SOLD at no reserve for $14,000. I clearly remember when these were new, Car and Driver magazine put one on the cover and declared, “the best-looking new car of the year.” I was twenty years old and thought they were nuts. In fact, the magazine later tried to take back the praise. I would need to see more documentation about the mileage to believe it. If this was truly a 68-mile car, it may have been poorly stored. I thought this was pricey with the six; the hammer price might have made more sense with a V-8.
W257, 1999 Ford Mustang 35th Anniversary two-door coupe, 4.6L V-8, 5-speed manual, silver paint, silver and black interior, windshield sign claims 12,000 miles (unverified).
SOLD for $14,000. If the low miles are legit, this was a decent purchase that might retain some value as long as the owner isn’t adding another 10k a year.
W73, 1957 Hudson Hornet two-door hardtop, 327 V-8, automatic transmission, two-tone orange and white paint, black and white interior (clear covers on front seats), full wheel covers, whitewall tires, factory air conditioning, power steering and brakes. Windshield sign claims 57,000 miles (unverified).
SOLD for $18,000. I go to a lot of car shows and auctions, and I’ve seen 1957 Hudsons before, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ’57 Hudson two-door hardtop. My source books agree that only 266 “Super” two-door hardtops were built (as were 483 “Custom” models with slightly higher trim). Factory price was $2,911, with the following options available: automatic transmission for $232; power steering for $100; power brakes for $40; and air conditioning for $415. Together, that totals $3,698. The auction car was a good “ten-footer.” There was a lot of orange peel in the paint, the tires looked ancient, and one could only guess at the operating condition of the A/C. In its favor, the chrome looked decent, the engine compartment appeared to have been given some recent attention, and the interior was in very good shape. Definitely not a car for everyone, and I have no idea what Hudson values are, but for under 20 large, someone got one of the most interesting cars at this auction.
Lot W173, 1979 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds W30 two-door coupe, 350 V-8, automatic transmission, white/gold paint, tan cloth interior, five-digit odometer reads 16,000 miles which looks believable, T-tops, factory A/C, bucket seats with center console. Stainless band on C-pillar I’m told is not factory.
SOLD for $21,000. I was attracted to this car because of its overall size: it’s one of the smaller domestic cars from this era, yet doesn’t feel small to sit in, and in fact feels very comfortable from the driver’s seat (dare I say like an imported car?). I watched it cross the block where it was bid to $25,000 and declared a No Sale. Most of the time, Mecum will not announce the reserve, but in this case, the auctioneer said, “it will take $30,000.” That was on Wednesday. On Friday, while composing this blog post, I saw on Mecum’s website that the car was listed as “sold” for $23,100. Backing out the 10% buyer’s premium leaves us with a hammer price of $21,000. What’s up with this? I’m very suspicious, because I personally recorded a high bid of $25k. Was that a chandelier bid, since the house knew they were still $5k below the seller’s reserve? And I didn’t know that one could approach the Bid Goes On desk and bid an amount BELOW the previous high bid (but now I do). Caveat emptor indeed.
Lot T55, 1982 Datsun 280ZX two-door coupe, brown metallic, tan cloth interior, 2.8L inline-six engine, five-speed manual transmission, six-digit odometer shows 59,874 miles, T-tops, analog gauges, factory A/C, raised white-letter tires, factory sound system. Underhood shows “normal” accumulation of dirt; it’s the only area of the car, including underside, that does not present extremely well. A very attractive car overall, as long as one is ok with brown (which I am).
SOLD at no reserve for $22,000. Many prospective bidders were lingering around this car, including me. I happened to gain access to its Carfax report. The first entry is from 1982. Almost every entry cites either a registration renewal or a state inspection. There is almost no mention of any service or repair work. The car changed hands in 2006 at 57k miles (the owner from ’90 to ’06 added 36k miles in 16 years). This new owner sold it in 2024 with 59,600 miles on the clock, for a total of 2,374 miles over 19 years of ownership, working out to be 125 miles a year. As you know, that’s both good and bad; however, looking at the car, it was obvious that cosmetically, it was well-preserved. The hammer price was more than fair for condition, even if it might need come reconditioning of soft rubber parts.
Lot F112, 1970 Ford Ranchero Squire, metallic green, green vinyl roof, green interior, faux wood trim on exterior, 351 V-8, automatic on column, reported 62,000 miles (unverified). There were a lot of El Caminos at this auction but this was the only Ranchero I saw, and while the Country Squire look wouldn’t be my first choice, it fit the overall presentation very well. Vehicle was in strong #2 condition.
SOLD at no reserve for $23,000. This car sold on Friday and I got the hammer price from Mecum’s website. Perhaps slightly pricey for a Ranchero, but I found the period-correct look very appealing. This Ranchero was ready to hit the show circuit, it was that nice.
Lot T168, 1972 AMC Gremlin X, two-door hatchback, green paint, black interior, 4.2L inline-six, automatic transmission, claimed to be 13,000 original miles and looks it. Gold exterior trim, roof-mounted luggage rack, factory alloy wheels, raised white-letter tires. Offered at No Reserve.
SOLD at no reserve for $37,000. And who said Gremlins weren’t valuable or collectible?? The windshield sign said that this car was previously owned by Jeff Dunham, and I never heard of him, so that would not have influenced my bid any…. However, the car was featured on Jay Leno’s garage, which could account for a hammer price approximately three times what I would have guessed.
Door pocket held on with quarter-turn clipsPocket easily removed from car for carrying purposes
Lot T291, 1968 Olds 442 two-door hardtop, triple white, 400 V-8, automatic, windshield sign claims 10,000 miles (unverified), factory A/C, AM radio with 8-track player, sign states, “concours restoration,” yet hood hinges were so stiff that I was unable to lower the hood without fear of inflicting sheet metal damage.
SOLD for $43,000. All 1968 Cutlass models are special to me because of my Aunt Rita, who bought a new ’68 Cutlass S two-door hardtop, a car I loved. I don’t see too many ‘68s (but check my Spring Carlisle report from earlier this year where there were two). This one at Mecum was nice but not quite “concours”. The 442 model brought out the bidders.
NOTABLE NO-SALES
Lot W54, 1994 Jaguar XJS convertible, green paint, tan top and interior, 4.0L inline six cylinder, automatic. Six-digit odometer read 30,000 miles. Driver’s seat leather shows minor wear. An attractive car, especially with the six (as opposed to the V-12).
NOT SOLD at high bid of $8,000. I inquired at the “Bid Goes On” desk about the car, stating that I was unable to find it. The Mecum employee told me, “the guy checked out and took it home. I understand he’s not coming back.” I asked what his reserve was and was told, “$12,000.” Interesting marketing approach: Pay to enter the auction, and when the bidding doesn’t reach your reserve, take your ball and go home.
Lot W92, 1927 Cadillac 314 Imperial seven-passenger sedan, repainted black, yellow wood wheels with whitewall tires, interior is brown and allegedly original, 314 V-8, three-speed manual transmission. Three rows of seats: front bench seat, second row foldable jump seats, and third row bench with seat back against rear window. A stately-looking old thing with tons of presence.
NOT SOLD at high bid of $12,000. It’s very unusual to find any pre-war cars at a Mecum auction, and what a car this is! I did not get a chance to see or hear it run, so I can’t comment at all about that. From the outside, aside from two spare wheels without tires mounted at the rear, it appeared to be all there. The interior is a conundrum: it’s original enough that you might want to try to preserve it, but it’s deteriorated enough that it might deserve to be redone. The present owner left a notebook on the front seat, taking TWO pages to describe the procedure to start the engine and then drive the car. The auctioneer announced that at $12k, “it won’t take much more,” but I didn’t inquire. As of this writing, it’s still for sale on Mecum’s website.
No word on whether the Craftsman locking pliers are included with the sale
Lot T73, 1953 MG-TD Inskip Tourer Roadster, black paint, red interior, black top with side curtains, red wheels with small hub caps, whitewall tires, 1250cc inline-four, four-speed manual, odometer reads 31,535 (not verified). Supposedly one of twelve produced by J.S. Inskip, the NYC-based MG importer. They took an MG-TD, lengthened the chassis by ten inches, and added a rear seat. I never heard of this particular variant before, although I have heard of J.S. Inskip.
NOT SOLD at high bid of $22,000. I approached this car from the rear and had no idea what it was. Even from the front, which was not changed from the original TD, it looked quite different. To my eye, the extended wheelbase improved the car’s looks. With only twelve produced, there’s no easy way to assign a market value, but I can’t imagine that we weren’t far off at $22k.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Yes, kids, if you wanted a phone in your car in 1967, it still had a rotary dial
Difficult to believe now how much car styling used to change each year. Just three years separate the 1956 Chevrolet on the right from the 1959 Chevrolet on the left.
I have been attending auctions at Carlisle for over ten years (my oldest post covered the April 2015 event), which makes for plenty of observations about the comings and goings. I’ve always found the smaller and somewhat friendlier structure to be inviting, as the event has a “mom & pop” feel to it. Sometimes that’s good, and sometimes it’s not, and I felt that in 2025, it didn’t go so well for Carlisle Productions.
The calm before the storm
This year, the Spring Auction was held on Thursday and Friday, April 24 and 25. It was one of the more disappointing outings, especially based on the sell-through rate. I personally recorded 81 cars crossing the block on Thursday, and an additional 121 vehicles on Friday. On both days, the sell-through percentage was 45%, possibly the lowest I’ve seen anywhere. (By comparison, other auctions I’ve attended through the years have had sell-through rates between 60 and 90%.) A successful auction requires three elements: quality consignments, reasonable reserves, and a motivated room full of bidders. In general, I found the quality of the cars on the ground was poorer than in previous years. Very few cars were labeled “No Reserve,” and based on high bids, I felt that owners’ reserves were unreasonably high. Nevertheless, some cars did sell, and below I report on fourteen which did, plus another four cars of interest which did not meet reserve.
A few select cars are displayed inside
Carlisle allows the consigners to set their own reserves. I personally don’t think that is healthy, because almost always, the owner has an unreasonable expectation of their car’s value. At Carlisle, the auctioneer will sometimes announce the reserve if the car doesn’t meet it. Some examples: a BMW “Alpine” was bid to $20k, with a $30k reserve; a Ford Falcon restomod wagon was bid to $9k with a $20k reserve; a 2012 Mustang Shelby was bid to $37k with a $46k reserve; and a Dodge Super Bee was bid to $65k with a $80k reserve. The point I’m trying to make with these examples is the large gap between high bid and reserve. If the gap was within 10% perhaps, there would be room to negotiate a close. That is a much more challenging prospect with these large gaps.
Other observations: cars sometimes crossed the block out of lot number order; more than once, the auctioneer lost track of where the high bid was; on one occasion, the auctioneer misread the reserve price and mistakenly declared that the reserve had been met when in fact it had not; and too often, the car’s owner was not present so the auction team was unable to determine if the high bid would be accepted. If I had been an active bidder in any of these situations, I would have been frustrated. Let’s hope these were one-off issues which will not become the norm.
As we’ve done for years on Richard’s Car Blog, the sold cars are arranged in HAMMER PRICE ORDER, so that you can better gauge what your money could buy for you.
SOLD LOTS
Lot 181, 1985 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham, 2-door sedan, sign claims 38,000 original miles, one family owned. Gold paint, gold vinyl half-roof is split and flaking, beige cloth upholstery. In storage and not driven since 2009, sign says “car needs some love.”
SOLD for $4,500. May need full reconditioning after 16 years of storage.
Lot 245, 1953 MG TD. Black, off-white roof and interior. Black painted wheels, small hub caps, blackwall tires. Wood dash is cracked, aftermarket passenger door safety strap does not inspire confidence. Nasty looking thing.
SOLD for $7,250. Don’t know if it runs, presume it will need everything.
Lot 429, 1978 AMC Matador “Barcelona” 4-door sedan. Two-tone red, red vinyl roof, red plush interior. Odometer reads 32,798. Appears to be all-original and untampered with.
SOLD for $9,000. The car for the AMC fanatic.
Lot 128, 1987 VW Cabriolet, white paint, white convertible top, black and white interior, 5-speed. Sign on car claims California car with no rust, also lists much recent work done after storage period. Six-digit odometer reads 95,657.
SOLD for $10,000. While sitting in car, was unable to adjust seat height, mechanism seemed jammed. These VWs have their fans.
Lot 563, 1957 Ford Thunderbird, red paint, white soft top, red interior, no hard top included, automatic, power steering and brakes. Sign claims new paint three years ago. Car is in overall terrible condition, car is filthy inside and out, paint looks bad, possible signs of rodent infestation by driver’s seat. passenger door trim was removed and is lying inside car, trunk full of junk, underhood a mess. One of the biggest messes at the auction.
SOLD for $10,500. Someone very ambitious sees an upside to this that I do not.
Lot 455, 1963 Ford Falcon convertible, black paint, white top, red interior, buckets and console. Six cylinder automatic. Cursory look-see shows and honest car with no glaring needs.
SOLD for $10,750. This is the next-best thing if you can’t afford that first-gen Mustang convertible.
Lot 458, 1965 Chevy Corvair convertible, light green paint, black top and interior, 4-speed with 110-hp engine. Sign claims full restoration six years ago.
SOLD for $13,250. Fair price for both buyer and seller, remembering that buyer will need to pay 8% commission of $1,060.
Lot 142, 1968 Olds Cutlass S convertible, white, black top and interior. Bench seat with column shift. Very poor repaint with lots of overspray, interior redone with non-original material, was unable to open passenger door with window up because of interference with convertible top. An overall poor example.
SOLD for $15,000. Nineteen-sixty-eight Olds Cutlasses are rare as-is, and this was one of two ’68 convertibles at this auction. I was surprised bidding got this high. No comparison with the other Cutlass S, covered below.
Lot 447, 1963 Buick Riviera, dark blue, black deluxe interior, factory A/C. Odometer reads 75,483. Raised white-letter tires look out of place. Power seat inop, glove box door came off in my hands. A solid-looking car that will need attention to detail.
SOLD for $19,500. It’s rare to see a first-gen Riv sell for under 20 large, so even with the needs, this may have been a little bit of a deal.
LOT 157, 1958 Studebaker station wagon, dark green and white paint, green and black interior, odometer reads 40,844, “bathroom scale” speedometer beat the Toronado to the market by eight years. Somewhat modified with 5-speed floor-shift manual, A/C, wire wheels, tachometer.
SOLD for $21,000. Impossible to complain about the price because you’ll never find another. Drive it to South Bend, IN and you’ll be an instant celebrity.
Lot 438, 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J, green paint, black vinyl roof, green interior which SCREAMS 1970s. Hood-mounted tach, five-digit odometer reads 02188, with presumption that it has rolled over once. Cosmetically hard to fault.
SOLD for $23,500. Maybe one of the very few cars that I would have liked to take home at that price. Would need to measure the garage first.
Lot 183, 1967 Dodge Dart GT convertible, white, black top and interior, bumble bee stripe at rear, buckets, console, automatic, engine size not indicated.
SOLD for $24,500. Almost identical to the one I owned 35 years ago, but mine was a factory 4-speed (and in much worse condition than this one). Lots to like here for the Mopar fan.
Lot 416, 1967 Chevy Camaro hardtop, first year for the model, gold paint, black vinyl top and interior, other than aftermarket wheels, car looks original and unmolested. Engine is 327 V8 with Powerglide. Odometer reads 84,581. Passenger door would not open for me, handle pulled loose from body.
SOLD for $32,000. Price seemed high to me, but I don’t follow the Camaro market. Readers: was this a fair price?
Lot 504, 1968 Olds Cutlass S convertible, dark red, black top and interior. Buckets and center console, manual tranny with floor shifter. No A/C.
SOLD for $41,000. May seem pricey, but based on rarity and condition, was worth it. No comparison with white Cutlass convertible.
NOTABLE NO-SALES
Lot 119, 1940 LaSalle four-door sedan. HIGH BID $4,500
Looked promising on website, but in person, obvious that car needs a total disassembly and restoration. What are the owner’s plan? Probably should have cut it loose.
Lot 206.1, 1949 MG TC, HIGH BID $17,000
Stood out as one of the better restorations at the entire event. But has the audience for these gone away? A bid in the mid-twenties would not have surprised.
Lot 191.1, 1959 Triumph TR3 HIGH BID $17,500
Like the MG above, a very nice but not perfect restoration, something sorely lacking at this auction. A hammer price in the low twenties might have done the deal.
Lot 536, 1983 Ferrari 308GTBi HIGH BID $60,000
Carlisle is not the best place to sell a Ferrari; for European cars, this audience wants to see late-model German cars. This one stood out for me because of its Berlinetta (fixed roof) body style as opposed to the Spider (removable top) style which is more prevalent. Car probably worth twenty grand more than high bid.
The RM Sotheby’s auction is an integral component of the Hershey experience, and RM’s own website lists it as “The Official Auction of the Eastern Division AACA National Fall Meet”. It’s always held at the Hershey Lodge, which is where I stayed this year, making my access to the cars super convenient.
The two-day auction was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, October 9 and 10, and 100% of the vehicles were arranged on the hotel’s grounds, allowing free access to the public during the preview. By my estimation, at least half of the lots were pre-war American classics, a category in which RM specializes. Perusing the information labels on each lot also showed that many of the cars were to be offered without reserve, guaranteeing an exciting auction.
Two collections were of special interest to me. A fellow AACA member informed me that his brother-in-law was selling his collection of FoMoCo woodies, all at no reserve. (It was from this friend that I was able to procure passes to attend the auction.) There were 10 vehicles, 9 Fords and 1 Mercury, ranging in model years from 1933 through 1951. In this post I’m covering 8 of the 10, omitting the 2 resto-modded models.
The second, more modest collection was the final 3 vehicles from the estate of Dennis Nash. Dennis and his wife Ann Marie were long-term colleagues of mine from Volvo Cars of North America, and because of their deep interest in the hobby, were also dear friends. (It was Dennis who recommended me to the body shop which restored my Isetta.) Both Dennis and Ann Marie have passed on, and their 3 daughters were in attendance to watch their dad’s Jaguar, Morgan, and Volvo cross the block at no reserve. (The Jag and Volvo are discussed in more detail below.)
I sometimes forget how civilized and “professional” a so-called catalog auction as run by RM can be, compared to the 3-ring circus which is Mecum or Carlisle. The auctioneer enunciates every word, and there is never any doubt where the current bid is and what bid he seeks to acquire next. I recorded results for 86 cars on Wednesday and 50 on Thursday. Each day’s event took about two and a half hours to complete, and the time flew by. By contrast, at Mecum I’ve sometimes waited over 3 hours just to see a car of interest to me reach the block. Of course, Mecum is pushing quantity while one could argue that RM is pushing quality. Each has its place in the hobby.
As stated earlier, most of the lots sold at no reserve. Of the cars I watched, only two failed to sell, which speaks highly to the talents of the team at RM Sotheby’s to bring together the vehicles, owners, and prospective bidders to make this happen. Below are some details of the cars which I found interesting. The 8 woodies (in model year order) are listed first, followed by the remaining cars, again in model year order. All sold prices shown are hammer prices, which exclude the 10% buyer’s premium.
Lot 315, 1933 Ford V8 station wagon
SOLD at $33k, below pre-sale estimate of $40-60k
It’s interesting to look at this ’33, with its wire wheels and side curtains, and take in how quickly vehicles continued to evolve through the decade of the ‘30s.
Lot 308, 1937 Ford Deluxe station wagon
SOLD for $38k, within pre-sale estimate of $30-40k
The auction write-up claimed that this was a well-preserved original vehicle.
Lot 316, 1939 Ford Deluxe station wagon
SOLD for $65k, below pre-sale estimate of $120-140k
I liked this wagon a lot, with its front-end styling “almost” as nice as the 1940 models. Was this a steal? If the pre-sale estimates were anywhere near accurately based on recent sales, then yes.
Lot 314, 1940 Ford Deluxe station wagon
SOLD for $45k, within pre-sale estimate of $45-55k
Many hobbyists, myself included, consider the front-end styling of the 1940 Fords to be a highlight of the entire pre-war era. This wagon looked sharp yet just squeaked up to its low estimate.
Lot 310, 1942 Ford Super Deluxe station wagon
SOLD for $77k, above pre-sale estimate of $50-65k
A 1942 anything is a rare car. This was the only woody to exceed its pre-sale estimate.
Lot 313, 1946 Mercury station wagon
SOLD for $$33k, below pre-sale estimate of $40-60k
The only non-Ford in the collection, and undoubtedly a rare car. I’d surmise that a hard-core woody collector would be thrilled to have this in their collection.
Lot 317, 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman convertible
SOLD for $92.5k, below the pre-sale estimate of $130-150k
The highest-priced sale of this collection still missed the lower mark by almost forty grand.
Lot 311, 1951 Ford V8 Custom Deluxe Country Squire station wagon
SOLD for $32k, below pre-sale estimate of $40-50k
It was announced that this was Ford’s last year for woody wagons, and this was the first Ford to wear the “Country Squire” model name. I’d say that the combination of the two makes this a bargain at $32k.
Lot 160, 1934 Ford “Edsel Ford Speedster Recreation”, copy of one-off styling study done by Henry Ford’s son Edsel. Mechanicals are from a 1934 Ford.
SOLD for $80k, below pre-sale estimate of $100-120k.
I overheard comments along the lines of “this is a lot of money for a kit car”, but it wasn’t a kit car. Someone put significant effort into recreating this iconic vehicle (although I did not perform a side-by-side photographic comparison to verify its accuracy). It’s an interesting piece of history, and owning it means that you’ll never be able to stop explaining what it is (and isn’t).
Lot 335, 1936 Cord 810 Phaeton.
SOLD for $112.5k, below pre-sale estimate of $150-200k.
This Cord, a non-supercharged model, was a Phaeton, with a small rear seat. This one hammered quite a bit below its pre-sale estimate, and in my opinion, was a bargain deal for someone looking for a Cord drop-top.
Lot 173, 1936 Ford Model 68 Cabriolet, with rumble seat.
SOLD for $39k, within pre-sale estimate of $30-40k.
This one almost reached the top estimate, and I thought it was a good buy; however, checking recent sales on Bring a Trailer, these ‘30s flat head Ford convertibles do sell in this range, so the price here was fair to both buyer and seller.
Lot 129, 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton.
SOLD for $145k, within pre-sale estimate of $100-175k.
Compared to Lot 335 above, this car was supercharged, which attributes somewhat to its higher price.
Lot 131, 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Cabriolet RECREATION
SOLD for $56k, within pre-sale estimate of $50-70k.
Typically, RM Sotheby’s is 100% forthcoming in its lot descriptions. However, in this case, I give them 2 demerits by failing to make it obvious that this car was a recreation, done in South Africa by a builder who formed a new body to fit over Cord mechanicals. The less-than-authentic nature of the car was not lost on the bidders, yet the sale price still reached within the pre-sale estimates.
Lot 378, 1940 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet
SOLD for $52.5k, over pre-sale estimate of $30-40k.
The car looked stunning in black, and its V12 sounded smooth and quiet, at least at auction block speeds. This was one of the few cars in the two-day auction to exceed its estimates.
Lot 180, 1949 Allard L Type, car appeared to be original, unrestored, and complete
SOLD for $45k, over pre-sale estimate of $30-40k.
This one charmed me with its original patina bursting out at every seam. Allard is a relatively unknown marque here in the States. They were built in Britain with locally-sourced parts for the chassis, but the engines were always American-sourced. I know that they were raced in period. Given that there are new Allards being built again today, starting around $200k, I think that this one would be a blast to have at $45k.
Lot 379, 1953 Jaguar XK-120 Fixed Head Coupe.
SOLD for $65k, within pre-sale estimate of $60-80k.
This was one of three cars being sold from the estate of the late Dennis Nash. Dennis was a long-term colleague of mine from Volvo Cars of North America, and I’m proud to say, was also a very dear friend. His wife Ann Marie, who predeceased him, also worked for the company and they were known to many of us Volvo employees. Dennis was a true Car Guy, and his taste in cars ran toward British makes, although I knew him to have a few American cars (as well as the Volvo which is covered a little later here). I was not aware that he owned this XK120, which looked very clean and straight (with the possible funny exception of its dash-mounted Volvo radio). I thought the car might hammer closer to $80k, but I think the final price was fair.
Lot 178, 1954 BMW 501-6 four-door sedan
SOLD for $25k, below pre-sale estimate of $30-40k.
These are so rare in the States that I can recall only ever seeing one other of these rather unattractive cars. The short history that after the Allies had bombed BMW’s factories in WW2, the company struggled to get back to its feet. This overweight and underpowered design was their unsuccessful attempt to compete with Mercedes-Benz’s luxury sedans. In 1955, the Isetta brought in the revenue to fund the engineering of modern cars (the “Neue Klasse”), while these “Baroque Angels” as they were called languished in the showrooms. This car would be desirable only to a fanatical BMW collector.
Lot 161, 1954 Nash-Healey LeMans Coupe
SOLD for $40k, within pre-sale estimate of $40-50k.
The convertible version of this model is seen regularly enough (there was one at this auction), but the coupe is rarely spotted. Perhaps surprisingly, I find the coupe slightly more attractive than the drop-top. This one sold right at the bottom of its estimate, and it’s a handsome, usable, and unusual car for $40k.
Lot 332, 1956 Jaguar XK140 roadster
SOLD for $135, within pre-sale estimate of $130-160k.
My photos do not do justice to the quality of this restoration, which struck me as one of the stars of the auction. It’s a beautiful design in any color, but the red over beige was particularly appealing. Another $20-30k added to its hammer price would not have surprised me, so I’ll call this one well-bought.
Lot 181, 1957 BMW Isetta 300 Sliding Window Coupe
SOLD for $25k, within its pre-sale estimate of $15-25k.
Let’s face it: ALL BMW Isettas are “cute”, and that’s been a big factor in their enduring appeal. But prices are way off their highs of a dozen years ago, as more Isettas came onto the market. This one must have looked great to the casual observer, but wow, there were so many incorrect details. Look at those ridiculous hub caps! The front turn signals were incorrect, the interior was ghastly (the biggest boo-boo was covering the VIN plate with carpeting), and the colors were not the best choices. Frankly, I’m surprised at the sales result; I expected it to struggle to get out of the teens.
Lot 374, 1958 Aston-Martin DB2/4 Mk III
SOLD for $160, withing pre-sale estimate of $100-175k.
While the DB2’s and DB2/4’s never did much for me, I really liked this one in white over red. It also sounded incredible when driven across the block. You can’t touch a running, driving DB4 or DB5 for much under half a million, so getting a 6-cylinder DB for well under 2 looked like robbery to me. In fact, checking recent BaT sales, other DB2/4 Mk IIIs have sold in the $200k range, making this sale all the sweeter.
Lot 184, 1963 Lincoln Continental sedan
SOLD for $30k, below its pre-sale estimate of $45-60k
That pre-sale range looks more appropriate for the 4-door convertible, not the fixed-roof sedan. This was a smart-looking car, and for $30k, one got a “Kennedy-era Lincoln” while avoiding the complexity of that convertible top.
Lot 152, 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider
SOLD for $37.5k, below its pre-sale estimate of $50-70k.
Even I, a card-carrying Alfa owner, get confused about the switch from the Giulietta to the Giulia, as it occurred on a rolling basis in the early sixties. This convertible body style was introduced around 1955 as the Giulietta. When the completely redesigned Giulia sedans and coupes came out, the mechanicals were upgraded. But the new Spider (the Duetto) was still a few years away, so the Giulietta Spider was renamed the Giulia Spider. It was announced on the block that this car was born a “Normale” (Normal, or low-spec engine) but had been upgraded to Veloce (“fast”) mechanicals. This is what is known in Alfa circles as an “Abnormale”. In spite of the faster engine bits, this was a sloppy presentation, with the car looking worn and unkempt. Its cosmetic appearance did not inspire at all, so someone bought a ‘60s Giulia Spider at a bargain price, presuming that it will respond to some elbow grease.
Lot 205, 1981 Volvo 262C
SOLD for $11k, within pre-sale estimate of $10-15k
This is the second of the two Dennis Nash cars included in my report. (The third car, a Morgan, was not covered by me.) About 20 years ago, Dennis called me about this car, and asked me, as a favor to him, to check it out, so I did. The owner, a widow, told me it had been her husband’s car, but she didn’t drive it. It was stored indoors and had seen very little recent use. Aside from some dust, the cosmetics appeared ok. I was not crazy about the aftermarket sunroof, but once one of those is installed, removing it is a big job. The big news was the replacement of its PRV (Peugeot/Renault/Volvo) aluminum V6 engine with a Volvo B21F 4-cylinder job. This can be construed as either this car’s biggest positive, or biggest negative. I reported my findings back to Dennis, and he bought the car. It seemed to get a lot of attention in the tent outside, and I think the final price was fair to both parties.
ADDENDA: The Cord 810/812 cars
Three of the seven Cords which sold at Hershey this year are covered above. To many, the most desirable Cords are the final models, which were produced only for two model years: 1936 and 1937. There were four body styles: the Winchester 5-seat sedan; the Beverly 4-seat sedan; the 2-seat Cabriolet; and the 4-seat Phaeton convertible. All ’36s were model 810, and all ‘37s were model 812. In 1937, a supercharged engine was available as an option. From the outside, these are clearly identified by the stainless-steel exhaust pipes exiting through the hood on either side.
I’ve followed the Cord market in a peripheral way through the years, and at least up until recently, I’ve noted that the four-door cars have tended to sell in the $60-80k range, while the convertibles fetched much higher prices, closer to $125-175k.
In 2002, I attended the annual Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg reunion in Auburn IN, and posted about it here.
While I cannot recall the exact date that I was introduced to the Bring a Trailer website (www.bringatrailer, from hereon referred to as BaT), I can recall the person and the setting. I had been transferred back into HQ at Volvo Cars North America (VCNA), where I finished my career, working there from 2006 to 2009. My boss’s boss, Chris Dauerer, asked me if I had heard of BaT and when I replied in the negative, he suggested that I needed to visit their site immediately. At that time, BaT did nothing more than republish links to interesting cars found for sale on other sites, like eBay and Craigslist. Since then, BaT has grown into one of the largest online collector car auctions, with gross sales numbers placing it at or near the top among competing auctions.
Since that introduction by Mr. Dauerer, I’ve had a daily addiction to the site, and have used it as a barometer of car values. (Compared to “for sale” ads which only tell you asking prices, completed BaT sales give you up-to-date transaction prices.) But BaT has perhaps become too big: the website now closes between 100 and 150 auctions a day! So I’ve pulled back, and have chosen to follow only a handful of makes and models which interest me.
One of those cars I follow is quite unique: the Autozam AZ-1, a Japanese kei car (limited in size and engine displacement by national regulation). While there are other kei cars and trucks, the AZ-1 distinguishes itself further with its mid-engine placement and gullwing doors. These turbocharged 3-cylinder marvels show up on BaT several times a year, and when one appeared a few weeks ago located in NJ, I decided to join the fun. Previous auction results pinned these Autozams in the low-to-mid 20s, but the NJ car had been repainted a non-factory yellow, which I thought might hold the price back. With the current market a little soft, I fantasized that this one might sell in the mid-teens. So now it can be told: for the first time ever, I placed a bid on BaT, throwing my hat into the ring at $7,500. I was quickly outbid, and I raised my bid to $8,100. When that bid held for over 24 hours, a minor panic came over me, as I wondered if I’d remain the high bidder! It was time to see the car in person.
Luck was on my side here. The family was vacationing in Cape May, and I was headed home for several days just to check into things at home. The car was located near Cherry Hill, about halfway between Cape May and home. I made an appointment with the dealer, and arrived at his place about 11 a.m. on a Friday. There was the car, even smaller than I imagined. The dealer, a friendly and accommodating young man named Eli, invited me to look over the car. The size was not an issue (you’re looking at a guy who used to drive a BMW Isetta on the street), but the gullwing doors were something else. While incredible to look at, the high sills made ingress and egress most awkward. Once in the car, room was limited. From the driver’s seat (RHD), the non-adjustable steering wheel was offset to the left. The seats slid back and forth but the seat backs were fixed.
Eli offered to let me drive, but I demurred, and suggested that I would ride while he drove. He had many JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) vehicles on his lot and seemed completely at ease with the RHD. Off we sent, with the cold A/C cranking the entire time. We went onto the highway where I saw 120 kph (75 mph). The car ran well, but there was a loud clunk with every shift, possibly normal for a remote shifter. Aside from the interior access (my wife would never put up with it!), the biggest issue was the driver-quality paint job. I liked the yellow, but didn’t care for the application of it.
I thanked Eli for his time, and concluded that my automotive lust for an Autozam AZ-1 had now been satisfied. I had no reason to worry about the bidding as the car sold for $20,151, five grand higher than I predicted but five grand below other recent sales. It was fun to be a bidder on BaT, as they make the process almost too easy. For me, the real bottom line is that online auctions give you great exposure to a wide variety of vehicles, but I would still greatly hesitate to purchase any vehicle sight unseen.
Carlisle Events held its annual Spring Auction this year on Thursday and Friday, April 18 and 19. For as long as I can remember, the Spring (and Fall) Carlisle Auctions have been held inside the Expo Center, across the street from the Carlisle Fairgrounds. I believe that the building was erected about 10-12 years ago specifically as an auction site. This year, the shelter was welcomed, thanks to the changeable weather (cool temps, occasional drizzle) I experienced on both days.
I eyeballed the lots on the Carlisle website in the days leading up to the event and found it disappointing that compared to previous years, nothing I saw on the screen got me very excited. For the most part, that remained true during my in-person inspections as well, although there were a few cars sold for what seemed like almost-bargain prices, which drove me to go inspect them post-sale. This year, I found the patience to sit through much more of the actual auction, and the big news here was the incredibly low sell-through rate.
On Thursday, I watched 71 cars cross the block and 31 sold, for a 43.7% selling percentage. Friday’s numbers were almost identical: I saw 139 cars in live-action bidding, and 62 found new homes, for a 44.6% sales rate. Combined, I witnessed 210 cars reach the block with 93 trading hands, for an abysmal two-day sell-through rate of 44.3%. (I have witnessed percentages at Mecum and RM Sotheby’s closer to 70%-90%.) Carlisle, unlike some other auction companies, makes no effort to negotiate reserves with sellers, which leads some consignors to slap unreasonably high reserves on the cars. Additionally, many bidders are dealers who are not going to pay above wholesale prices. This accounts for this end result.
This wasn’t for lack of effort on the part of the auction staff, all of whom kept themselves actively engaged with the audience (a bit thin on Thursday, and much more crowded on Friday). During introductions, I learned some new job titles. The men who stand out front and/or wander into the audience to make eye contact with bidders, barking at the auctioneer when they get a live one, are “Ringmen”. And when the vehicle owner is required to stand next to the auction block, an employee known as the “Grinder” is there to persuade him/her to lower their reserve. I presume the job title relates to their expertise at grinding the owners down until they relent.
An amusing trend this year was the number of cars with personal items left inside which should have been removed during prep. Cell phone holders, garage door openers, music tapes, and spare parts were found in numerous cars. Had I pinched them, no one would have been the wiser (but I’ve long had no reason to own an 8-track copy of “Goat’s Head Soup” by the Rolling Stones).
Below are details on 9 cars which sold; a few other cars which failed to meet reserve are included as well. Prices are hammer prices and do not include buyer’s fees. As always on Richard’s Car Blog, entries are listed in ascending sale price order. While I personally found the overall selections lackluster, I still maintain, as I have for years, that an auction offers a possible opportunity for a collector who’s open-minded to score an interesting toy for not too much change. Let me know if you see anything below that you would have bought for the sale price had you been present.
Lot 102, 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class convertible
SOLD FOR $3,250
Silver paint, black convertible top, black leather interior, chrome factory wheels, trunk lid lip spoiler. Digital odometer reads 134,257 miles, not outlandish for an 18-year-old German car. Biggest notable flaw: driver’s seat-mounted side air bag has deployed and has not been repaired. If this car runs and drives (it was driven across the block), the buyer will fix the seat and flip it for a profit.
Lot 105, 2001 Jaguar XJ8 sedan
SOLD FOR $4,500
This lot was declared unsold at a bid of $3,750 and was sold post-block. Medium blue metallic, light beige interior, 5-digit odometer reads 68,595 miles (could that be 168,595?). No obvious defects spotted during cursory look. Whether this is a good deal or not greatly depends on a Carfax or similar clarifying the car’s true mileage.
Lot 525, 1994 Ford Mustang convertible
SOLD FOR $8,250
Red paint, tan top and interior, factory alloys, 5.0 V8 with automatic, 6-digit odometer reads 082,496. Sign on car claims it was Texas car and that everything works. This new style Mustang which debuted after a very long run of the Fox-body was not a big favorite with the Mustang crowd. Nevertheless, the combination of eight cylinders and top-down motoring for under 10 grand puts this one in the Win column.
Lot 520, 1984 Nissan 300ZX
SOLD FOR $8,500
Red paint, grey cloth (velour) interior, T-tops, V6 with 5-speed, 6-digit odometer reads 112,849 miles. Sign on car claims one-family owned since new. I thought this may have been the deal of the day among the cars I watched cross the block. The car was very clean overall and very difficult to cosmetically fault in any way.
Lot 132, 1940 Buick sedan
SOLD FOR $8,750
Black paint, wide whitewall tires, beige mohair interior. Drivetrain not noted but presumably straight-8 with 3-speed manual. Rear-hinged rear doors. Paint looks decent, glass is all good, interior looks new, biggest glaring fault is a badly cracked steering wheel. This car proves that there is still interest in pre-war cars, and this vehicle would be an excellent entry in a Glidden Tour.
Lot 176.1, 1965 Chevrolet Corvair convertible
SOLD FOR $11,000
Yellow paint, black convertible top, full wheel covers, whitewall tires. black vinyl interior. Six-cylinder engine with four 1-barrel carbs, four-speed manual transmission. Based on what I have seen Corvairs sell for on Bring a Trailer, someone got a very nice 2nd gen Corvair convertible for a very good price.
Lot 512, 1961 Mercury Comet S22 2-door sedan
SOLD FOR $11,500
This car was a no-sale at a top bid of $7,500 and was sold post-block. Black paint, red vinyl interior, buckets, center console. Inline 6, 144 cubic inches, automatic. Sign on car claims 31,214 original miles, and appearance could support that. I loved this car for its rarity and its cheeky no-nonsense appearance. I have not seen one of these since my college roommate drove one in 1975! Despite its overall condition, I thought that the $7,500 bid I witnessed was “all the money”, but someone thought enough of it to step up to the owner’s reserve.
Lot 547, 1985 Nissan 300ZX 2+2
SOLD FOR $15,000
White paint, red velour interior, T-tops, rear window louvers, factory alloys, 6-digit odometer reads 067,553 miles. Very clean overall, but the extended wheelbase of the 2+2 severely detracts from the styling. Compare this to the ’84 300ZX Lot 520 described above, and 520 now looks like even more of a bargain.
Lot 519, 1972 Plymouth Barracuda
SOLD FOR $38,000
White, black side stripes, black vinyl top, black vinyl interior, trunk lid spoiler. Engine is 340 4-barrel backed by 4-speed manual. Five-digit odometer reads 65,609. This was the only E-body Mopar at this auction, and sold for more than I expected, although I am out of touch with these ‘70s muscle car prices.
NOTABLE NO-SALES
Lot 250, 2000 Ford Mustang convertible
BID TO $7,250, NOT SOLD
Dark red metallic paint, black convertible top, light grey interior. Engine is 3.8L V6, with 5-speed manual. Six-digit odometer reads 025,391, and Carfax report which I obtained backs that up. The car did not have a nick, scratch, or door ding on it. The front bumper remained undrilled for a plate. Driver’s seat bolster showed slight wear. I had a chance to speak with the consignor, who told me that the car had been owned by an elderly gentleman who never drove it in the rain and always garaged it. When he passed away the consignor bought it to bring here. The auctioneer announced that the reserve was $10,000 which, even in this condition, is a bit rich given that one can get V8 convertibles for that money. Still, I found this one of the most intriguing cars at the auction.
Lot 530.1, 1986 Mazda RX-7 coupe
BID TO $7,500, NOT SOLD
Blue metallic paint, grey cloth interior, factory alloys, front bra, six-digit odometer reads 105,542 miles. Sign on car claims original owner, “quality repaint” in 2008, and new tires. Aftermarket items include new stereo and exhaust. These 2nd gen RX-7s have taken off in recent months, and I agree that the high bid was a little light. My guess is that 10 grand would have taken it home.
Lot 215, 1970 Cadillac Eldorado
BID TO $16,000, NOT SOLD
Green paint, black vinyl top, green cloth interior, full wheel covers, whitewall tires, 5-digit odometer reads 91,251 miles, 500 cubic inch V8, 3-speed automatic, FWD. Some paint bubbling near vinyl roof, water stains on driver’s seat upholstery. The 1967 Eldorado was another smash hit for GM, and with the exception of the headlights now being fully exposed, this 1970 model was essentially unchanged. I don’t see this generation Eldo at auctions too often; I feel that the consignor could have accepted the high bid as a reasonable price considering its condition and moved on.
Lot 529, 1965 Plymouth Satellite 2-door hardtop
BID TO $28,000, NOT SOLD
Gold metallic paint, black painted roof, gold wheels with dog dish hubcaps, two-tone gold interior. Underhood is 426 wedge V8 with 3-speed 727 automatic. Sign on car claims power steering, power brakes, power windows, Plymouth AM radio. These cars are rare in any condition and this one looked very well sorted. The Mopar interiors of this time period are light, airy, and have an almost delicate appearance to them compared to their domestic competition. Given the high-quality look to the restoration combined with the high-horse powertrain, I agree that the bid was light; but what is it really worth?
The auction company RM Sotheby’s continued their October tradition by hosting a collector car auction at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey PA during the AACA Fall Eastern Nationals. RM (for Rob Myers, company founder), based in Canada, is one of the premier automotive auction houses, hosting events around the world; their appearance here is one of the few times they’re on the East Coast. Hershey Lodge is less than 2 miles from Hersheypark, where the AACA was holding its flea market/car corral/judged show (more about that in Parts 2 and 3). When Hersheypark decided to extend its open weekends into October, they forced the AACA to move its agenda back by a day (so the judged show, which for 50+ years had been on Saturday, is now held on Friday). RM similarly adjusted its two-day schedule to coincide, so their auction is now on Wednesday and Thursday.
RM Sotheby’s continues to attract consignments which are what I describe as pre-war and immediate post-war American classics, with a smattering of European cars. Despite pundits’ predictions that the ageing of the hobby would eliminate all interest in the classic cars of the 1910s – 1930s, that has not occurred: interest in well-restored examples of fine cars remains strong, even if prices have leveled off or dipped somewhat. By my casual observation, RM’s strength in filling their lots with high quality machinery at reasonable reserves results in a very strong sell-through rate. Of the dozen cars that I report on below, all sold. This is helped of course by the no reserve status of most of them, so high bid takes the car home. At the same time, RM’s published pre-sale estimates tell an interesting story: most of these cars sold below their estimates, at numbers which in some cases strike me as relative bargains.
My report covers only cars listed on the RM Sotheby’s website as “sold”. As I was not in attendance during the auction, sale prices are taken from their website; they include the 10% buyer’s premium which is backed out by me, so my numbers are “hammer” prices. Cars are listed in sold price order from low to high.
Lot 453, 1962 Volvo PV 544, grey paint, two-tone blue interior, dual outside mirrors. Appears well-restored on the outside, interior shows some wear. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $12,000 – 16,000
Sold: $19,000; one of the few cars reported on here which sold above its high-end estimate. Seemed a bit pricey for an old Volvo.
Lot 456, 1957 BMW Isetta, two-tone light blue & white, off-white interior. Relatively rare European-spec version of the Isetta: no front bumper overriders, small headlights, large amber “repeater” lights, original style tail lights. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $30,000 – 40,000
Sold: $20,000; This is under other recent sales by $5,000-10,000, and the keen Isetta observer will enjoy its uniqueness compared to the much more common U.S. versions.
Lot 457, 1949 MG-TC, green, tan interior, tan top, silver-painted wire wheels. RHD as all TC’s are. This is the model vehicle credited with igniting the sports car craze in the U.S. when WW2 vets returning from the UK brought some of these back with them. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $30,000 – 40,000
Sold: $25,000; a slight bargain compared to what some TC’s sell for on sites like Bring a Trailer, and possibly sold for less than what it cost to restore.
Lot 196, 1959 Fiat 600 Multipla, two-tone red & white, red interior, very rare in the U.S. This was Fiat’s successful attempt at building a really (really) small 6-passenger vehicle. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $30,000 – 40,000
Sold: $27,000; some recent examples have sold on Bring a Trailer for $50,000+, so buyer did well here.
Lot 213, 1953 Lincoln Capri convertible, red, grey/black/red interior, black top, wide whitewall tires. Lincoln styling was beginning to enter the modern age; note the futuristic dash design. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $30,000 – 40,000
Sold: $27,000; CPI has a #3 car at $35,000, so advantage to the buyer here.
Lot 452, 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible, red, white top, two-tone red interior, buckets & console like all Starfires. Second year for the model. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $35,000 – 45,000
Sold: $28,000; Only a grand more than the ’53 Lincoln, and with much more “modern” driveability compared to that car.
Lot 228, 1968 Olds 442 convertible, dark blue paint (looks almost black), light blue interior, white top, white stripes on front fenders, 4-speed stick shift, buckets, console, RWL tires. First year for this generation Cutlass body style. This car stood out for its less-than-stellar presentation. Paint looked slightly dull, some chrome pitted, interior looked unkempt, driver’s seat showing wear. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $35,000 – 45,000
Sold: $32,000; bidders ignored condition and bid based on model and equipment.
Lot 221, 1961 Olds Starfire convertible, triple red: red paint, red interior, red top. First year for Starfire, and all were convertibles. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $40,000 – 50,000
Sold: $33,000; five grand more than the ’62, and there are those who prefer this year’s styling.
Lot 216, 1959 DeSoto Adventurer Sportsman Coupe, black paint, black/white/gold interior, Chrysler’s Forward Look styling still holding up despite some additional fussiness; certainly compares well next to some GM offerings of that year. Getting near the end for DeSoto. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $45,000 – 55,000
Sold: $45,000, right at low end of estimate. DeSotos of this decade continue to be strong sellers.
Lot 419, 1937 Cord 812 Custom Beverly 4-door sedan, black paint, red interior, FWD & V8 engine like all Cord 810/812 models. According to RM’s website, the “Custom” models were built on a 7-inch-longer wheelbase for increased rear seat room. No reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $50,000 – 60,000
Sold: $67,500, above high estimate, and deservedly so, for condition and rarity.
Lot 442, 1956 Imperial Southampton two-door hardtop, black paint, white/grey interior, chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, “gun sight” tail lights, optional record player mounted under dash. At this time, “Imperial” was its own make, separate from Chrysler. Offered with unrevealed reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $75,000 – 90,000
Sold: $69,000, 6 grand below estimate; only 2,094 two-door hardtops built for ’56, this one was for the true Imperial enthusiast.
Lot 237, 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, white paint, stainless steel roof, suicide rear doors, grey & white interior. The Eldorado sub-brand featured exclusive styling in 3 different body styles: the 2-door hardtop Seville, the 2-door convertible Biarritz, and the 4-door hardtop Brougham. This was one of America’s most expensive cars when new, costing over $13,000 when a ’57 DeVille 4-door hardtop could be had for $5,188. Offered with unrevealed reserve.
Pre-sale estimate: $90,000 – 120,000
Sold: $92,500, just clearing its low-end reserve. This distinguished car will always have value, and will always have a following.
