All posts by Route 66 Pub Co

Chandler AZ Car Show

Each February in downtown Chandler, Arizona a group of folks throws a nice laid back car show.  Taking advantage of paved parking lots on both sides of Dr. A. J. Chandler Park in downtown over 250 cars spread out for a fun, sunny day.

This year organizers also blended in a set of displays with a science technology bent for visitors to review and children to engage with.

Downtown Chandler

While parts of the country are still fighting blizzards, the big dilemma was finding shade in downtown Chandler.  The surrounding merchants get into the mood and help promote their local businesses.

Batmobile

And for the second year the owner of the first original Batmobile brought out the car for all to admire.  It’s nice to see the owner supporting a local event and the benefiting charities.

BatmobileHere is a link to our previous post on the Batmobile

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George Barris – a different take

Here is a different view on Hollywood’s George Barris.

Fronte end of Batmobile
Batmobile Front View

http://news.boldride.com/2014/02/master-fabricator-wherein-george-barris-takes-credit-for-everything/43891/

George Barris

George is always around the car scene when the cameras pop out.  His gold jacket stands out even amongst the eccentrics at SEMA.  He sure got some publicity and ca$h when the Batmobile sold last year at Barrett-Jackson.   And as I’ve said before he had a great publicist.  But Dean Jeffries was the catalyst for a lot of memorable TV and Hollywood cars, as I mentioned here.

I guess careful wording can avoid some legal heartaches!

Batmobile Interior
Interior of Batmobile

Tow Truck Survivor Sold

 

GMC modified tow truck
Sold at Barrett-Jackson’s 2014 auction

Happened to run across this survivor – real patina- tow truck at the Barrett-Jackson auction and contributed an article for our Canadian friends at My Star Collector Car.

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-bannerOwner has quite a story

Turns out that the original owner had no idea it was being auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson and I suspect he was a little sad to hear it was moving away from Sacramento.  Read more on this original truck at …

http://www.mystarcollectorcar.com/3-the-stars/star-truckin/2204-january-2014-a-survivor-1949-gmc-tow-truck-crosses-the-auction-block.html

Snakebit F100 56 Ford Truck sells at Barrett Jackson

1956 Ford F100 Truck
1956 Ford F100 Custom

Here’s a link to My Star Collector Car and an article we recently contributed

http://www.mystarcollectorcar.com/2-features/editorials/2209-snakebit-f-100-a-56-ford-truck-with-a-carroll-shelby-heart-defines-a-canadian-province.html

Snakebit

The truck was a high seller to raise money to build a children’s hospital.

Barrett-Jackson’s Five Highest Selling Cars

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-bannerAt the Barrett-Jackson auction held this month in Scottsdale, Arizona the top five highest selling cars were just awesome.  Whether you had a chance to see them on TV, in person during the eight days of the show or before all the ropes were in place (like us), you just knew these were drop dead perfect cars.

The cars were all awesome vehicles and had the right history and look to become stars.   Now what will become of these cars and how often the public might chance to see them again is anybody’s guess.

Remember the prices reported here include the buyer’s commission of 10%.  So when you heard the auctioneer gaveling the car sold at $3.5 million dollars, Craig Jackson collected a quick $350,000 in addition from the new buyer.  Plus from the selling price he collects a similar ten percent from the seller, so he grossed a commission of $700,000 on one sale.  Nice gig, huh?

Number Five

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-shelby-2

The fifth highest selling car was this 1963 Shelby Cooper Monaco King Cobra, sold for $1,650,000.  While “Cobra” is in the name, it ain’t a Shelby Cobra.  This was a purpose built sports race car, one of six, that Carroll Shelby developed off the English Cooper Monaco for SCCA’s Fall Series (later known as Can Am).  Ironically these cars were only competitive for the first year, before others figured out tricks to outpower the Cooper.  This unit is claimed to be the only original surviving factory team car in existence

Number Four

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-f300

The fourth highest selling car was the 1998 Ferrari F300 which went for $ 1,870,000.  It brings over 750 horsepower from a nearly 3 liter V10 engine, seven speed paddle shifter, and four wheel disc brakes.  Ironically this car never raced in F1 competition.  It was Ferrari’s test car.  Hence why it is so expensive to have a racing team/s in any series.  Still it is a beautiful and rare car.

Number Three

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-gullwing-3

The third highest selling car was 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing which went for $2,090,000.  Dang, we love all variations of gull wings!  It has a 3 liter inline six cylinder and historic direct port fuel injection.  The design speaks for itself and is timeless.

Number Two

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-rebel

The second highest selling car was the Corvette, “Rebel” selling for a cool $2,860,000.  This was one of four made by Chevrolet with the racing specs.  After a great history of racing it was scrapped in 1972 and disappeared before Kevin Mackay, a well known restorer, found it.  It came with a L88 engine with open chamber heads, a rock crusher Muncie M22 4 speed and a dual disk clutch

Number One

top-5-at-barrett-jackson-67-l88-2

And the highest selling car at the Barrett-Jackson Auction w as the 1967 Corvette L88 that sold for $3,850,000.  For the limited production freaks, there were only TWENTY L88’s made in 1967 and this was the only red on red model.  Perhaps more surprising is, the odometer is only showing 11,800 miles on the odometer!  The seller is a well known name in Corvette circles and he certainly brought a real award winner to Barrett-Jackson.

Oh by the way.  Think Craig Jackson doesn’t know his cars and the market?  Four of these five cars were among the cars featured on the inside pages next to the front and rear cover of the Salon Collection catalog!

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Backup Pickup by Galpin Auto Sports

backup-pickup-3Galpin Auto Sports brought out the Backup Pickup to their display at Barrett-Jackson Auctions in Scottsdale, AZ this month.  This recreation was also seen last year at the SEMA Show and our friends at Hot Rod magazine highlighted it on both their blog and in the March, 2014 print issue.

Backup Pickup

This is a pretty wicked ride and was a crowd pleasing wheel stander, back in the day.   Outwardly the Ford Econoline looks okay with an awesome 60’s paint job.  But look closely and you’ll see the driver’s seat is on the right side and facing to the rear!

Paint

The paint job is a real trip and probably took weeks to plan and execute.  The truck sports a 427 stacked injected engine that puts out just shy of 1,000 horsepower.  Apparently Galpin has yet to put it on the track for a full out wheel stand, but that would be sight to see.  Back in the day, the driver actually had to peer out the right side of the truck to watch the track.  Hard to believe that this was all done in only twelve weeks!  (Although HRM said it was six months).backup-pickup-2

Up Next

Enjoy the pictures and subscribe to this blog to learn about the Mach IV Mustang that Galpin also touted at Barrett-Jackson.

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Gas Monkey Garage’s Ferrari at Barrett Jackson Auction

Gas Monkey Garage

The fun loving folks at Gas Monkey Garage are connected to three cars selling at the Barrett-Jackson Auction this week.  Funny how things can quickly change.  Last year a car, previously featured on Gas Monkey’s “Fast N’ Loud” TV reality show,  sold with little fanfare or publicity.

Camaro

Since then, Richard Rawlings sold a COPO Camaro at the Reno auction.    And he is now selling a CRC Camaro ready for the dragstrip.

Ferrari

Now the 1991 Ferrari F-40 that arrived at Gas Monkey Garage as a wreck; was fixed on the TV show and sold to Dennis Collins, his business partner, is a featured car on Saturday night in Barrett-Jackson’s Salon Collection.

F-40 Repairs

The folks at Gas Monkey Garage knew their limitations and imported some hired guns to help out on the frame and body work.  The Ferrari has less than 7,200 miles and is no longer a stocker.  The car was repainted black, rather than keeping it the original red.  The turbos are changed out (or enhanced), new shocks added and new seats were added, along with custom 18″ wheels in satin black.   The original aluminum V8 engine is intact with 2.9 liters displacement.

Given the rising fame of Richard Rawlings and Gas Monkey Garage it’ll be interesting to see what this thirteen year old car fetches.  Will the purists despise the mods or will a buyer want the car featured on Fast N’ Loud.

Tell us what you think!

 

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Bruce Willis’ Nomad has some humor

At any car auction, sellers are quick to point out the car’s connection to a celebrity.  While some stars are known for their affection to cars for others the connection is loose or weak.  It seems every few years Jodie Foster’s VW Bug runs through the auction, but really?  Jodie Foster?

Barrett-Jackson

So at this week’s Barrett-Jackson Auction, you wouldn’t be surprised that some cars come out with a connection to stars.  Simon Cowell is selling his Bugatti, while Gene Simmons is selling a Ford Truck that was first premiered at the SEMA Show.

Bruce Willis

But this Nomad’s seller shows he has a sense of humor – or a great copywriter. This 55 Chevrolet Nomad was previously owned by actor Bruce Willis.   The seller mentions he has a written note from Bruce stating ”the car brought me many years of fun, and happy memories”

1955 Nomad

The car has a Skyline Blue and India Ivory interior, and for some reason the engine was replaced with a 1966 Corvette L79 engine with a three speed automatic.  The hero card mentions Bruce’s association to the car seven times.

But the humorous addition?  See what the car comes with in this pic!

55 Nomad Bruce Willis

 

Afterburner Ford Fairlane by Ring Brothers at Barrett-Jackson

Ring Brothers 1964 Ford Fairlane “Afterburner”

The 1964 Ford Fairlane dubbed “Afterburner” and built by the Ring Brothers debuted at the SEMA Show in 2009.  It was eye-popping and showed the exceptional skills and vision continuously displayed since by the two boys.  We loved it then and love still today.

In the interim the Ring Brothers have continued to make a name for themselves and have produced a great number of jaw dropping cars.

Barrett Jackson

Now it is auctioning off at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Auction.  This beauty is a work of art and has less than 1,000 miles on it since first built.  The Ford Windsor engine with a bored out 427 is spectacular.  The body modifications made by Ring Brothers is exceptionally eye pleasing.  Here’s hoping that more than one bidder falls in love , like we did five years ago.

What do you think it’ll bring on Saturday?

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Corvettes at Barrett-Jackson Auctions

Corvettes Rule

The number one manufacturer offered for sale at Barrett-Jackson?  Consistently, year after year – Chevrolet.  The number one model – no contest – the Corvette!

The Barrett-Jackson Auction starts on Tuesday, January 14th, and over the six days of car sales , with over 1400 vehicles offered up for sale – 136 will be Corvettes!  Hands down the Corvette will be the number one model sold.  Of course it doesn’t hurt that the Corvette, covering seven generations (or model changes), has been around since 1953.  But this is still a huge tribute to the American sports car.

Here are just a few pictures to whet your appetite – enjoy the sneak preview and let us know which is your favorite.

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