Barrett-Jackson briefly scaled back from their 1,000-plus-car extravaganzas of yore, but they’re back to strength now and my do they get the cars. B-J’s size and market penetration allow them to pull in consignments and consignors that others can’t, which leaves room among the Pro Touring Camaros, celebrity-edition Lamborghinis and Car-Nosaurii for truly interesting cars.
There look to be about 1,100 consignments right now, in fact, so the best I can do is pick out a few things I like. There are dozens more I’d take home, and literally hundreds of others which will end up being real bargains.
To start, here’s a great ’62 Studebaker Lark, absolutely basic six-cylinder transportation in four-door post sedan configuration. The auction listing has some important details wrong (blame the consignor, not the auction house), calling it a two-door hardtop, which may help confuse, and thus depress, bidding. It’s described as a “completely original survivor;” only close inspection will confirm that. But seriously – tell me this car is going to be overbid. I don’t think so.
Now I do have an obligation to include some B-J oddballs – this one is so odd I have never heard of it. It’s a 1984 Honda Zoe. The listing says, “These were given away as prizes on The Price is Right,” and it appears to be lawnmower-equipped, with 49cc of mind-crushing power. Where else are you going to find one?
Just a few lot numbers down from the Zoe, you’ll find Barrett-Jackson’s 1977 Leata Cabalero. Once described as the “Most Beautiful Car Ever Built In Post Falls, Idaho” – there’s a Chevette under there somewhere, albeit one with period modifications giving it a $10K window sticker. Will it scale that height in Scottsdale?
We put an Airflow on the cover of Hemmings recently, and, to my surprise, at least, that issue did great. Does that mean there’s a more of a market for them than I thought? Check out that Hemmings buyer’s guide if you’re interested. Theirs is a sweet 1936 De Soto, and appears to be correctly restored.
At a guess, Barrett-Jackson has more trucks than any other auction, and there are some models you’ll pay for. With heavier trucks, however, it’s more of a crapshoot. Will it be a multi-million dollar Futurliner, or go home from the dance with the first boy to pony up a nickel for a beer? While I can’t think the 1948 Diamond T (sold as a single lot with a Farmall Cub) will go into big dollars, it’s hard to imagine something this appealing selling cheap.
In the end, no matter what your feelings, Barrett-Jackson brings out very cool cars, and not all of them are bank-breakers. The auction runs January 17-23, and the best deals will come in the first three or four days.