Category Archives: Auctions

Auctions, Car show

Drag-U-La Selling at Russo and Steele

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If you are a certain age, you’ll remember the TV hit- The Munsters. This comedy featured some famous bits and even some neater cars, like the Drag-U-La. It seems strange that the producers would allow purpose built cars that would last for only a few episodes. But we’re glad they did.DragULa Front End

Drag-U-La

The story line was that Grandpa had to build a dragster to race and win back Herman’s “The Munster Koach”. So Hollywood had George Barris produce the car/casket vehicle. While Barris has been known for claiming credit for builds that are barely linked to his firm, this one was designed by Tom Daniel under his auspices. Richard Korkes took on the build and used an actual coffin for the “body”.

The original car moved among sellers after the series and a movie ended. At one point it was owned by Planet Hollywood. The Volo Car Museum had it for a while before flipping it. By then it had a 302 engine and an automatic transmission.DragULa Passenger Side Close Up

Drag-U-La Recreation

So why are we talking about a custom car from the 60’s? Because auction house Russo and Steele has a recreation of the Drag-U-La on their docket for this weekend. We had a chance to part the crowds at a recent Cars and Coffee and check it out on the flat bed tow truck.

Drag-U-La’s Design

This version has the reliable 350 ci engine and a two speed PowerGlide automatic transmission. With such little weight, only functional rear brakes were installed. Just like the original, the exhaust pipes sweep up to look like a church’s organ pipes. The seller claims plenty of “vintage” car parts but also indicates the have “custom made vintage air cleaner”.DragULa Passenger Front

This front engine coffin will certainly be a crowd pleaser when you pull up, but the single seat does limit the ability to hop onto the HOV lanes. Hopefully this is a car you would “die for?”

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Auctions, Car show

Gas Monkey Garage AWOL at Barrett-Jackson

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Gas Monkey Garage, Where Are You?

At the January, 2018 Barrett-Jackson Car Auction held in Scottsdale, AZ there are over 1700 cars and trucks ready to sell. But the venerable Gas Monkey Garage, with Richard Rawlings and Dennis “I need my name on every shirt I wear” Collins are nearly invisible.GMG GT350 Decal

Gas Monkey Garage

As mentioned previously the most recognizable Gas Monkey Garage selling vehicle is the 1956 Nomad that Rawlings did for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mountain Dew. It has drawn some interest under the tent and it will be interesting to see what it brings.

Gas Monkey Garage’s GT350

As for Gas Monkey Garage, there is a nearly new 2016 Shelby GT350 Mustang that was on the Fast N’ Loud series on the Discovery channel. Rawlings drove it onto the track when he was building a car for Kurt Busch. From the seller’s description it indicates the car “was personally owned by Richard Rawlings of gas Monkey Garage”. So it is anybody’s guess if the seller is actually Richard Rawlings.GMG GT350 Low

For the car itself, it has less than 200 miles on the Mustang. It is black inside and out along with a vivid red racing stripe. Not sure why the seller hasn’t taken care of a recall for an engine oil cooler tube assembly replacement yet. After all it wasn’t on the road that much.

The Shelby Mustang is the 5.2 V8 engine with the six speed manual transmission. It sells on Friday (the seller couldn’t even get a Saturday docket number?) So if you were expecting a fleet of Gas Monkey Garage cars at the auction his week, you might be disappointed.GMG GT350 Rear End

So do you think the GT350 will sell for above retail? After all it is nearly new and hardly abused?

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Auctions, Car show

Gas Monkey Garage at Barrett-Jackson Auction Scottsdale 2018

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Gas Monkey Garage at Barrett-Jackson Car Auction

At this week’s Barrett-Jackson Car Auction, the presence of Gas Monkey Garage is sparse. A 56 Nomad done for Mountain Dew and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a can’t miss green and silver color scheme is the most obvious car linked to the Gas Monkey Garage crew.Gas Monkey Garage 1956 Nomad Side View

Gas Monkey Garage

For a spell the bar outside the auction stage was a Gas Monkey Garage theme, but that has dropped out. I suspect that Richard Rawlings might show up since he’s selling his 2016 Shelby Mustang GT350R with only a scant 200 miles clicked on the odometer. But who knows for sure? That Mustang is slated to sell on Friday.

Gas Monkey Garage Past Offerings

We’ve kept a close eye on Gas Monkey garage’s offerings even before the series became a monster hit.  Remember this hot rod from the early years?

As for the Nomad, who wouldn’t remember that bright green custom wagon? The current owner has a neat set of sunshades on the rear windows. Gas Monkey Garage 1956 Nomad Rear Window ShadeThe wagon has a 350 CI Chevy ZZ4 crate motor, TH350 automatic transmission, air conditioning and all the trick goodies. This video shows the wagon in action.

Gas Monkey Garage Season 4 Fast N’ Loud

Gas Monkey Garage built the car in 2013 during their fourth season on Discovery and of course they had an impossible deadline to beat. This car was used as a promotion for Mountain Dew, one of Earnhardt’s sponsors and hence the color on the 56 Nomad. Of course fans of Richard Rawlings know that his favorite color is green. Both for cars and for money.Gas Monkey Garage 1956 Nomad Passenger Side 2

The car had previously been offered for sale on eBay at $78,500 nearly four years ago. It also was offered on the internet at $69,500. So it will be interesting to see what the car fetches on prime time Saturday. Any guesses?

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Auctions, Car show

1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 Sells Soon

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GT350 Mustang

We recently wrote on another site about the revival of the 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R. At next week’s Barrett-Jackson Car Auction, a 1966 Shelby GT350 is being offered for sale with a reserve. Few cars at the Barrett-Jackson auction come with reserves, but this one does. the car will cross the stage on Saturday, January 20, 2018 in Scottsdale, AZ. That is prime time for selling car during the week of auctions in Arizona.GT350 front end

Reserve Auction

With a reserve car, the seller has a predetermined price that he wants to get and otherwise it won’t sell. Now that price is unknown to the potential buyers normally, so if the reserve is met, the bidders know for sure the car will sell and often more bidders will enter the auction. And if the price, doesn’t reach to the reserve? You can bet the house representatives will get with the seller trying to get him to lower the reserve and make a deal (and of course get the house the commission).GT350 left rear

GT350 Prototype

What makes this special is it was Carroll Shelby’s first 66 Mustang and was used as a prototype. Of course it came with a 289 and the Borg Warner T-10 four speed. But it also bears some unique features. It comes with a vinyl roof that was considered and then discarded as a feature. Good call Carroll. It came from the factory with a ton of options including the “Pony” upholstery. Restored in 2011 and has been shown at Pebble Beach.GT350 vinyl roof

The pedigree of this Mustang is above reproach and it will be interesting to see how the bidding goes on this Wimbledon White “K” code two door pony. After all you can only have one #1 serial number and prototype in the year. So what would you bid for the car? A million plus? Will it reach reserve? I’d be willing to bet it will.GT350

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Auctions, Car show

FAST at Barrett Jackson Changes Meaning Here’s Why

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FAST at Barrett-Jackson Car Auction

FASTAt the Barrett-Jackson Car Auction, FAST usually 2018 at all of Craig Jackson’s car auctions, FAST will have a totally different and potentially lifesaving meaning.

FAST PSA

For the first time Barrett-Jackson will focus for the whole year on heart disease as a public service message with the American Heart Association. The auctions have always been known for their charity car sales which now approaches almost $100 million in donations. But for 2018 Craig Jackson explained that they will be sending out a heart safe message to their participants.FAST Craig Jackson

FAST

FAST also stands for the warning signs of a heart attack.

F              Facial drooping

A             Arm weakness

S              Speech slurred

T              Time to call 9-1-1

 

1988 Corvette Charity Car

As part of the year-long notification, Jackson had his personal Bugatti Veyron wrapped in red and silver with the #DRIVEN HEARTS hast tag splashed across the sides. FAST Veyron Front Left ViewPlus at next week’s Scottsdale, AZ auction he will be donating the sale of his 1988 Chevrolet Corvette to help fight heart disease. Ironically this sports car had been given him by long time auction consignor and car dealer, Dave Ressler. Ressler recently died from heart disease so this re-gifting is so suiting.FAST 88 Corvette

In addition Barrett-Jackson is sponsoring a special Arizona license plate theme, with $17 of the state yearly fee going to the American Heart Association. FAST AZ license plateSo there are several ways that Barrett-Jackson will help benefit the hearts of car fans!

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Auctions, Uncategorized

Silver Auction in Arizona Changes Hands

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Silver Auction has been a presence in the Phoenix, AZ region for years. They typically hold three auctions a year at the Fort McDowell Casino and Hotel. They run a low key affair and have friendly staffing. The cars they consign are nice, vary from current models to classics and generally are more affordable than other high end sites. So the cars might have some blemishes or flaws but are still solid pieces of steel.

We have monitored the auctions for years and spotlighted some of their offerings.

Selected Silver Auction Coverage

Green Day’s Impala

Green Day’s Ford Panel Truck

Silver Auction Process

 If a car is offered at auction on reserve and doesn’t sell, the auctioneers typically hint at what the bid price might need to be to buy the car. Frequently the deals are made after the car rolls off the auction block.

If the bidding for a car meets the reserve the auctioneers are quick to announce the fact, a multicolor “disco” light turns on and the crowd gets energized knowing the car will sell.

Silver Auction Trading Hands

Now Mitch Silver has sold off the Arizona portion of his auctions to Emmett Rice. Rice is a car dealer from Amarillo, Texas, owning Vintage Autohaus & Imports. Rice has staged his own auctions there and is ready to take on the Arizona scene. Joining him will be Andy Stone, who formerly worked at Leake Auctions, and Jason Rose from the Barrett-Jackson  powerhouse.

Next Silver Auction

Their first auction will fire up after Thanksgiving on November 24-26, 2017. Here’s hoping they continue the success that Mitch Silver struck in Arizona.

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Turbos Are Old School Like 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire

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Turbos

While car manufacturers have been releasing new models with turbochargers as power adders, they have actually been around for quite awhile. Recently turbos were added to the Ford Focus and Fiesta engines, and even the trucking F-150. Turbos gain their power by using the exhaust gases to spin a turbine to help compress the incoming air to the engine. The denser the air, the more power the engine can make.

With the right engine, today’s shade tree mechanic could add their own turbocharger to easily increase the power. Completely spec’d kits are available, or you could piece out the individual parts.

Grand National TurbosBuick Grand National Turbo

Buicks made a case for the turbos with their 1984 Regal Grand National and gained quite a following, until they stopped production in 1987. Another early innovator was the Corvair, that offered a turbo in 1962 to help polish their “sporty” image. The turbo charged Spyder engine made 150 horses as an option for the Corvair Monza coupes and convertibles.1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Club Turbo

Jetfire Turbos

But Oldsmobile rushed out their Jetfire to be the first turbocharged engine offering to the American motoring public in 1962. The Jetfire was a spin off on the F-85 Oldsmobile hardtop. It came with a 215 CI V-8 engine with a Garrett turbocharger making 215 horses (one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement). To avoid deadly detonation, the owners had to blend in a water and methanol mixture of “Rocket Fluid”. The other performance engine from Olds, without the turbo, was the same 215 CI engine but with just a four barrel carburetor. it could only offer up 185 horsepower.1962 Oldsmobile Turbo Jetfire

A 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire was recently offered on eBay and the red exterior mimicked the sales brochures from the day. The owner indicated it is a ground up restoration but with a few items still needing a look at. The owner installed a new turbocharger and added in air conditioning for comfort.Jetfire Turbo Engine

So when your neighbor pops the hood on his Ford Fiesta ST and brags about his beastly turbo on his three cylinder engine, you can tell him that turbos are old school too.

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Auctions, Uncategorized

Alumatub by Boyd Coddington Sells at Barrett-Jackson

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Alumatub, Boyd Coddington’s third all aluminum build sells at the Barrett-Jackson auction this week.  This was the third in a series of aluminum bodied customs that Coddington produced.  The top can come off to allow for a roadster feel. Alumatub Passenger Side

Alumatub Specs

This one is powered by a Chevy small block 350 and sends power to the back through a Chevrolet TH350 transmission with a quick change rear end.  The body work was done by famed master Marcel‘s Custom Metal and is hard to believe this was hand formed and not stamped out on a press.  Our friends at Hot Rod sure loved it.Alumatub Driver's Side

Alumatub Build

This hand crafted Boyd Coddington build was showcased on his TV show, “American Hot Rod” TV series which can still be seen on the Discovery Channel. After Coddington’s untimely death, it was thought that his builds would increase in value as his output was now finalized. Alumatub Rear End

Alumatub Prices

Alumatub first sold at Barrett-Jackson in 2005 to Ron Pratte with a listed price, including commissions, of $170,500.  He sold it ten years later for $187,000 in 2015.  The current owner is selling this year and it’ll be interesting to see what it sells for.

Any guesses?

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Auctions

Hennessey Venom GT Selling at Barrett-Jackson

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Steven Tyler’s 2012 Hennessey Venom GT convertible is selling next week at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, AZ. Tyler, from American Idol and Aerosmith fame, bought the first convertible that Hennessey built and is donating the proceeds to a child abuse group- Janie’s Fund which he created.

Hennessey Venom GT Spyder

The Hennessey VENOM GT convertible holds the top speed record for convertibles at 270.49 mph, set in 2014 at the Houston Space Center. 0-60 times is a scorching 2.7 seconds while the 0-200 mph time is a “sedate” 14.5 seconds.Hennessey Venom GT Front View

Hennessey Specs

How did Hennessey created such a speed demon? Take a 7 liter V-8 (Gm’s 427 ci LSX engine) and add twin turbos to created 1244 horsepower. Craft the mid-engine convertible out of carbon fiber, sitting on a composite/aluminum monocoque frame so it weighs in at 2,743 pounds. It is actually based on the Lotus Exige.

The car has a Ricardo 6 speed manual transmission, Brembo six piston brakes, electric assisted rack and pinion steering and adjustable coil overs. The car even has a JL Audio system.Hennessey Venom GT Rear view

It’ll be interesting to see what this supercar sells for at Friday’s auction spot.  What’s your guess for the hammer price on this Hennessey Venom GT?

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Auctions, Uncategorized

Gordon Apker – RIP to a classy car collector

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Gordon Apker

It was announced by Sports Car Market that Gordon Apker died yesterday, February 3, 2016 in Scottsdale, AZ. Apker was a classic car collector and had developed quite a collection. Ironically this past month, the Barrett-Jackson Auction had helped sell some of his automobilia. Gordon Apker, in Barrett-Jackson’s press release was quoted that he wasn’t getting out of the collections and only selling a portion of his collection.

Gordon Apker and Shakey’s

You might not have known Gordon Apker by name but he was the former owner of the Shakey’s Pizza chain. In fact he was so proud of his business that some of his classic cars bore the secondary license plate with Shakey’s logo.Shakeys and Gordon Apker

Gordon Apker’s Classic Cars

Apker’s cars focused on mid 50’s Detroit steel and he exhibited cars at the Arizona Concours d’Elegance

It would seem fitting to recognize Gordon by highlighting the cars he brought out there for the last two years.

Just last month, he brought out his 1957 Oldsmobile, Ninety Eight convertible. This black beauty had the famed Rocket V-8 engine, a 371 cubic inch with three carburetors. I loved the red accent line on this convertible.Gordon Apker 57 Oldsmobile

Last year Gordon Apker showed this green 1952 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight two door hardtop. Not surprisingly both cars took home awards each year from the show.Gordon Apker 52 Oldsmobile Side View

Safe journeys, Gordon Apker.

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