B-J Auction in LV

[studegary]

The first day of the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas was yesterday (10/3/19).

A restored 1955 Champion Conestoga sold for $19,000.

A 1983 Avanti that was excellent (either restored or well maintained original) sold for $12,000.

The next car after the Avanti was a 1994 M-B 420 sedan that was owned by Frank Sinatra and then by Angie Dickenson. It sold for $12,000 (same as the Avanti). This was followed by a restored tri-tone 1956 Dodge Lancer four door hardtop that sold for $10,000.

[t walgamuth]

Some of those prices seemed low to me.

[Silverplate]

I attend many auctions a year representing a couple of different clients. While there are a few very nice cars at auctions the majority are not even close to what they look like on broadcasts. The true nice looking car only comes out after crawling around looking under it with a flashlight, looking down in doors with windows down, under the dash at wiring, etc. do you find nice cars. They are far and few between, but look great on tv and even a face value. Auction bought cars keep many restoration shops very busy.

[PackardV8]

I agree with your voice of experience; most cars look better from fifty feet away.

However, there seemed to be some real bargains there. Also noticed there were very few in the audience in the early days. Sellers whose cars went through then were really shortchanged.

jack vines

[2R5]

Oh there were lots of people there , most were looking at cars or doing stuff like riding in a 700+ hp car by your right you wouldn’t want your car to cross the block on Thursday morning . You could of bought the 1st 3 cars all for under 10 K

[Green53]

With B-J all the regular cars are no reserve. They pick the time slot creating a bad situation for the seller. I have seen sellers really get burned when the big money buyers are not in the audience .

[studegary]

With B-J all the regular cars are no reserve. They pick the time slot creating a bad situation for the seller. I have seen sellers really get burned when the big money buyers are not in the audience .

ALL of the cars in that auction were No Reserve.

[studegary]

I should mention that they showed the Conestoga on their chassis cam and the bottom of the wagon looked better than new.

[8E45E]

I agree with your voice of experience; most cars look better from fifty feet away

This example was one of those cars: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub....-horror-story=

Craig

[sweetolbob]

I think that's the way with most auctions from cars to local ones. The inexpensive stuff starts first, building up to the bigger and better stuff in prime times. If you have a $12000 vehicle or fairly common streetrod, you are on your way to low prices. I've watched enough of these TV auctions to know better than to place a common vehicle in them. If the sellers don't know that they haven't been watching.

The folks that really get beatup are the folks that put the early years streetrods in expecting a killing and getting $20-30K. If Coddington or another big named builder did them they go for a lot more but they cost a King's ransom to build initially also.

Truly seller beware here. Great for the buyers however! I 'd never build a streetrod, I'd keep looking at these auctions until I found a few that peaked my fancy and go get a bid paddle at B-J, Mecum or a few others of the usual suspects.

Bob