Gallery: We Check Out All The Scottsdale, AZ. Auction Action

The cars indoor get all the glory...at a cost

One of the going things in Scottsdale, Arizona is that it has become the new Mecca of the old car hobby. “The West’s Most Western Town” may give the uninitiated images of a Southwest version of Beverly Hills, but it’s really a sprawling outgrowth of Phoenix that has its own thing going – car auctions!

However, you might be mistaken if you thought Barrett-Jackson was the only game in town – I managed to visit four auctions plus a car cruise. As your roving clunker correspondent, it is my pleasure to give you a first-hand account of the goings-on in Scottsdale during Auction Week in January, 2011, and whether spending $1.7 million for a 1970 Barracuda is whacked.

BARRETT-JACKSON
STEREOTYPE: More money than God
WOMEN: Aren’t you too old to dress like that?
CAR QUALITY QUOTIENT: Your right thumb – a 6-out-of-6

This is the 40th anniversary of Barrett-Jackson’s founding. These days it’s run by Craig Jackson, one of the founder’s sons. You’ve really got to hand it to Craig – he’s made their Scottsdale event an extravaganza that draws people from so many different directions.

This has brought Barrett-Jackson a lot of admiration…and consternation, some of it deserved, some of it not. What it comes down to is that the hobby is made up of us – the people – and the cars, and Barrett-Jackson provides the medium.

If you don’t like the  conglomeration of spectators, egos, and autos, then what keeps you begrudgingly interested? Like everything Hollywood or Las Vegas, it’s the lights, money, and action that’s the attraction.

So what about the cars anyway? There are some truly stellar examples, but don’t let the TV lens fool you – there are perfumed pigs too and everything else. Barrett-Jackson is only representing the collector car market in all its glory.

In 1954-55, it was possible to get a Corvette in something other than white

Modified 1969 Cougar, 1963 Thunderbird, and 1950 Ford Woody

Silver/red 1970 GTO Judge convertible and 1969 Liberty Blue hardtop

The unique grille of the 1968 Cougar GT-E. This was the only Ford product to receive the 427.

Fins with a purpose - Amphicar and 1970 GTO

The ladies on stage look classy

A hot rod on the stage for all to see

The M335 was Mercury's NASCAR motor in 1957

In mid-year 1971, the 340 was introduced for the Road Runner

Other Chrysler products had special hot rod models, but Dodge had an engine package

Is there a cooler '50s cruiser than a 1957 DeSoto?

The 1957 DeSoto Adventurer had 1 hp/cid . . . just like the Fuelie Corvette

1970 AAR'Cuda and Challenger T/A

1957 Dodge Sweptside shakes its rump at a Chevy Cameo

New for 1949, the Nash "Airflyte" had a very tidy rear end

The 1967 Buick GS400 came with this nifty air cleaner nicknamed "Star Wars"

White/red and Indian Fire/gold Mustangs can make you forget about Camaros

If you wanted a hot Chevy in 1960, you ordered a car with this engine

DeSoto also had its own version of the Airflow - this is a '35 version

There’s a lot more than cars at Barrett-Jackson, though. The arcade is full of representative from corporations (GM and Ford, for example), high-end companies peddling rich people toys (neon signs for the garage, stereos for the den, and other stuff you find advertised in Robb Report). Outside, amongst the cars and food stands – from funnel cakes to HUGE turkey legs – you’ll find car-related companies that practically is spillover from SEMA.

This was the first sighting of the brand-new Mustang Boss 302 for most of us

RUSSO & STEELE
STEREOTYPE: No rappers here – same green, less flash
WOMEN: There were women here?
CAR QUALITY QUOTIENT: Six-point-five

Yenko Chevrolet transplanted a Chevy engine in this Pontiac before GM ever did!

This fledgling auction house is run by Drew Alcazar, a former Barrett-Jackson employee and, more notably, a renown restorer of concours Mustangs. His niche was originally Italian exotics (Russo) and American Muscle (Steele); today, in their 11th year, it’s more than clear that muscle cars are the main attraction.

If you don’t believe that it’s impossible to overcome the Barrett-Jackson juggernaut, then meet the people attending Russo and Steele – there are big-name collectors and muscle car experts/restorers running around.

Its smaller size doesn’t overwhelm you, which is a nice change of place from Cirque de B-J. Quality of cars? The smaller size means less variance, but that doesn’t mean the perfumed pigs are not there – like Barrett-Jackson, the description of the cars online may belie the whole truth upon inspection. As the descriptions are supplied by the owners and not the auction house, it’s still a caveat emptor situation.

Virgil Exner's Chryslers is the reason for the 1959 Pontiac's existence

Mary Watt Yeadon has a knack for choosing the right cars and colors

Pontiac Parisienne Custom Sport has a 327 V8 from the factory

1958 and '57 Cadillac Eldorados

Cars line up to go on the block

Care to guess how much this HEMI ragtop went for?

1968 Impala SS427 going through the "tunnel" to the stage

If you're from Jersey, perhaps you're familiar with the Sun-Kissed 'Cuda?

They call it Hugger Orange for the Camaro, but it's Monaco Orange for this 1969 COPO Chevelle

RM AUCTIONS
STEREOTYPE: Does everyone here live near Pebble Beach?
WOMEN: Is the RM rep single?
CAR QUALITY QUOTIENT: Almost a full set of fingers

Canadian in origin and focusing more on the pre-war classics, exotics, and pedigreed hot rods, this company tends to have the biggest concentration of quality of the bunch. But how could you not when you’re peddling a Marmon V16 and Ferrari Superfast?

Post-war American car lovers are not left out, though, as the most desirable convertibles, Corvettes, and finned creations are their style too. You’ll even find American Muscle on occasion, such as a 1966 Impala Super Sport convertible with a 4-speed 427 and the one-and-only ’64 Dodge HEMI Charger show car.

Highlight this year was “The British Are Back,” which was playing off last year’s “The British Are Coming.” If your thing has names like Jaguar, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, or Bentley, then you would be pleased. If you are of the Arnolt MG persuasion, then ditto too.

This one is always a pleasure to attend.

To introduce the 426 HEMI in 1964, Dodge created this concept car

1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast almost reached a million bucks

Along with Cadillac, Marmon was the only other American brand to have a V-16

1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Phaeton

This hot rod was made famous in the movie "The Lively Set"

This Olds was a stellar specimen modded by D'Agostino

1953 Cadillac Eldorado has two 1946-47 Chryslers

GOODING & COMPANY
STEREOTYPE: Savile Row in all but dress
WOMEN: Older, wiser
CAR QUALITY QUOTIENT: Like RM with some “survivors” scattered about

'35 Auburn 851 Supercharged Cabriolet

This was my first time attending this event, which is comparable to RM’s in quality and scope. Certainly more of a hoity-toity affair than either Barrett-Jackson or Russo and Steele. I felt it a little stuffy, making me think that this was a British auction house even though it’s American through and through.

My favorite car of the weekend was here: the Fiat 8V “Supersonic” by Ghia. Cost? A cool $1.7 million. This car has been in Detroit its whole life, and it was there in all its unrestored glory.

Those looking for entertainment will be disappointed unless the British accent on the PA system is your form of fun. I predict this is the auction house to watch in a year or two.

This is the Fiat 8V "Supersonic" built by Ghia

Aston Martin, '57 Oldsmobile, and Ferrari Dino make good company

1941 Chrysler Newport by LeBaron sold for over a million

Chrysler Imperial goes on the block. Check out the details in the video screen.

Unrestored 1948 Tucker waits for its new owner . . . and transformation

Interior of 1917 Packard Twin Six Runabout

1956 Nash Rambler "Palm Beach" show car

PAVILIONS CAR CRUISE
STEREOTYPE: Groundlings and spillover from Barrett-Jackson
WOMEN: Do you like tatts?
CAR QUALITY QUOTIENT: For a local car show, stellar, but it’s still middling

'55 Chrysler from the back, DeSoto from the front

Every Saturday, you can find car nuts gathering at this shopping center at Indian Bend Road. However, what may pass for a great car show to Snow Belt sufferers is just another weekend for thousands of metro Phoenix car nuts. Like Louis Farrakhan, I’m not an expert at estimating crowds, but there’s perhaps over 200 cars at any given Saturday?

But during Auction Weekend, there’s gotta be 500+ of all kinds: muscle cars, hot rods, sun-roasted Southwestern jalopies, California-style Vee-Dubs, and anything else that will strike someone’s fancy.

While a deejay spins stale Oldies and people line up at McDonald’s waiting to use the bathroom, you’ll realize there is a mood that this is really where it’s at – we are here for the cars, and it is we who are the hobby (even if it seems half the cars there are for sale!).

Check out the "Bambu" top of this '53 Kaiser Dragon!

The "Bambu" interior (and seat covers!) of the 1953 Kaiser Dragon

A French hybrid, the Facel Vega, had Mopar power

1932 Ford hot rod

This '61 Ford Starliner had a SOHC transplant

Mechanical complexity at its finest!

1958 Edsel wagons had unique taillights

Notice the red '61 Dodge Dart has the accessory taillight

1948 Olds was one year short of Rocket V8 power

This is what it looks like, folks!

About the author

Diego Rosenberg

Diego is an automotive historian with experience working in Detroit as well as the classic car hobby. He is a published automotive writer in print and online and has a network of like-minded aficionados to depend on for information that's not in the public domain.
Read My Articles

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