Anyone going to watch the Barrett - Jackson auction?

[chrisntam]

I like to watch it, I generally tape it and fast forward through what I don't want to look at.  Supposed to be 40 hours on air....I definitely watch the Cadillacs.  There never seem to be any '70s that cross the block.

How about you?

[David Greenburg]

I'm pretty much the same; record and then FF through the ads, Mustang and Camaro restomods, and everything after mid-70's.  Shortens viewing time considerably.

[oldcarguy]

Yep, actually going to Phoenix tomorrow. Used to live there and my son still does and being a 'car' guy, he and I are going for the day on Saturday.
Never to buy [little too rich for me] but we sure get a charge outa looking !
Don Ford

[stzomah]

I watched it on DVR last night.  I am a big fan of Mecum Auctions.  I record and watch them a lot.  I too bore easily with the grand parade of Muscle Cars!  I stop for some but tend to FF through...  Mecum has some VERY rich blood auctions...  fun to watch someone blow a few million on a car.  Nice to have money...and garage space?

[cwbbear]

I have gone to BJ in Phoenix for the past 5 years.  Work travels and life got in the way this year and frankly I will not miss the over crowded areas and actually Trying to watch the auction is much nicer at home.  It could be the wine I have at home is cheaper and much better & I have a comfy chair and not the rare chance to sit on an metal bleacher just is more inviting. 

You do have to gone at least once,  you can walk thousands of cars in the tent and then the "special tent" with the exceptional cars.   I do have a good time when I have gone,  again except actually watching the auction itself  that is better at home.

[Bill Ingler #7799]

I have lived in Scottsdale since 93 and have been to many Barrett Jackson auctions. If you have never been to the Barrett Jackson, definitely go if you have the opportunity but if you do not like crowds, then go to one of the other 6 auctions in the valley. I previewed the Bonhoms auction this morning and Goodings and RM on Friday. What I have seen so far is an over abundance of Ferrrari, Mercedes, Porsche and sport cars and few Cadillacs.   Bill

[chrisntam]

I've been to two Mecum auctions here in Dallas, just to look at the cars.  I agree about actually watching the auction, it's in sloooooow motion.  In '15, I went on Saturday morning, after the Wed, Thurs & Fri cars were done.  I went to the sold area to actually see the ones sold and they had the sales price on them.  I liked that part of it.

When I went last year, they wouldn't let non buyers in the area where the sold cars were.  They said things had been stolen from the cars so they locked the non buyers out, which is a bummer.

Don't know that I would go again because of that, unless I went on Wed or Thurs to see all the cars prior to the auction.  They are generally a lot nicer in person than on TV.

[Dan LeBlanc]

I find it's best watched on mute.  Last night when I first tuned in, there was a 63 Continental convertible on the block and they were going on about how it had the standard straight 6 engine.  Next breath they were talking about how the car on the block had the 430 V-8.

[David Greenburg]

Good deals today on Eldo. drop tops.  A '55 for $49k IIRC, and a '60 for $75k.

[TJ Hopland]

Since some people have actually been there could someone sort of lay out the schedule of how it  all works out?   There is always some sort of a catalog right?   And that has an approximate schedule so if you want to bid on a car you know when you or your buyer has to be there?     Do some people sit there for the whole thing?   Is it in 8 hour chunks?   Then what happens when its not the official auction time?   Its it just a party then?  Or do they kick everyone out?

When do you actually get to look at the cars?  How about touch them?  Drive em?   

How cheap do cars get at a show like that?

Just thinking about the logistics of all the cars and people is kinda hard to imagine.   

[76eldo]

I went to the one in West Palm Beach several years ago.
Unless you register as a bidder which involves a lot of stuff like a letter of credit from your bank and filling out some papers, you cannot get into the area where the actual auction is and sit down anywhere.

You were able to view all of the cars outside that we're going to be auctioned and there were lots of vendors selling stuff in the arena and outside.

It looks like the Scottsdale venue is 10 times bigger.

I watched several hours on TV yesterday and it seemed like the prices on really nicely restored cars were lower than I would expect and that the resto mod cars were bringing the most money.

A totally restored 1968 Hemi Charger went for $137,000.  A 1965  VW bus went or $275,000 because it had a beautiful paint job and a few custom touches by Dave Kendig.  A 56 Eldo Biarritz did not break $100,000 and that was the only Cadillac I saw but I am sure there were more.

With some of the low prices in sure that a lot of sellers were disappointed. They expect to get a moon shot because they are at Barrett Jackson but if the bidders don't pony up they take a huge loss.

Lots of cars were sold for prices that couldn't have covered even half of the restoration cost.

[Series75]

The Antoinette Blue 1941 series 67 division window limousine was beautiful and I recall selling at the bargain price of $40,000.00.   Tom CLC 6866

[TJ Hopland]

I think the restomods are taking off because people are finding out that is a way you can have a cool looking car that you can actually drive.  People have got used to even 'crappy' cars being fairly comfortable.  The least expensive new car in the last 10 years is a more comfortable to drive than even the best stuff from 40 years ago and in many case they are not talking about the best stuff.   

The 'hot' cars are not Chrysler, Lincoln, and Cadillac which did have a level of comfort.  The hot cars are the bottom or near the bottom the lines for each make.   I can really see the appeal of basically putting an old body on a much newer chassis.     When many of those guys were 20 all they cared about the suspension was how well did it 'hook up'.  30-50 years later not rattling the teeth out of your head becomes important.

Another factor is a lot of those cars got beat pretty hard so there were not many that survived at all much less with original engines.   I have heard that some of the most valuable parts for those late 60's muscle cars are the smog stuff.  95% of that stuff apparently got ripped of and thrown in the trash the day they got drove off the lot so its very hard to come by.   Without the original motor with its original smog parts you can only get to a certain value.   Yet another factor is since these were crappy cars to start with the fit and finish was not very good so you run into serious questions on a restoration.   If you make it perfect that isn't how they came from the factory.   How many want a $100,000+ car with miss aligned door gaps and a little orange peel and over spray in the paint?   Restomod solves those issues.     

There is for sure a place and market for original cars but I think for many people that can only afford one 'toy' they want something they can really drive.

[chrisntam]

Looking back (after spending $10k to $12k on the engine/transmission rebuild and all that is associated with that) I have thought how it may have been better (in the long run) to put a crate motor with fuel injection and a 4 speed auto in the car.  It would likely have cost more that the amount I spent and I would have had to "farm out" a lot more of the work, which for me,(working on the car) is half the fun.  Prior to buying the Cadillac, I had no idea of how much of a gas hog it is.  Engines and transmissions are just better engineered today than those of yesteryear.

But I'm happy where I'm at with it and if I did do a crate motor, it would not likely have been a Cadillac motor.  And, I wouldn't have gotten to know all you folks either, I would have had to hang out at the MCLC place and not here.

[TJ Hopland]

Ya the modern engine swap game has really changed.   People used to be scared of them because of what a hassle it was to try and pull and modify a harness from a donor and make it fit in your car and then another hassle if the 'tune' isn't right.    Now you can pretty much buy bolt and plug in kits to put a modern engine and trans in all the popular old cars so in many ways swaps are easier than they used to be.   The modern stuff is the only way to get performance and economy in the same package.   With the old stuff it was always trade offs.   

As always Cadillac not so much aftermarket support but most of the world isn't collecting and restomodding Cads.   

[35-709]

  And, I wouldn't have gotten to know all you folks either, I would have had to hang out at the MCLC place and not here.

I hang out at both places and enjoy both.  I have, or have had, both original cars (one took a first in Class P-25 at the Boston GN) and resto-mods.  The resto-modded '35 I have now will be up for judging at the Washington, DC GN this summer --- and it will be driven there from Florida and back again.  I enjoy both originals and resto-mods for what they are.  I really don't get your remarks at all.