Mecum put the pedal to the medal in this year’s Kissimmee auction, further establishing themselves as one of the leading car auction companies in the country. The auction, which kicked off on Tuesday, started out strong, building momentum throughout the week. As the days counted down, the desirability factor of each car escalated, until Saturday when the big stars rolled onto center stage.
The Bar Was Raised on Friday
There wasn’t a shortage of exceptional cars on display at this week’s Mecum auction, but one that received much-deserved recognition for its place as one of the all-time greats of the muscle car era, sold during Friday’s auction. This yellow 1969 L88 Corvette, driven on stage by its original owner, raised the bar several notches for all the cars that followed. Previous cars had struggled to reach $100,000, but the L88 blew by $500,000, with no indication of slowing down. The final gavel fell at $610,000.
Saturday’s Auction
Saturday night is typically Mecum’s biggest auction night, and this year was no exception. As expected, bidding was intense, as each of the much-anticipated stars took to the spotlight. Although bidding for several vehicles reached six figures, only three passed the record previously set on Friday night by the L88 Corvette. Here are the three standouts from Saturday night’s bidding.
1929 Gar Wood Miss America VIII Twin Miller V16
The first bid that bested Friday night’s record was for a boat, not a car. The Miss America VIII was one of a series of boats built by Gar Wood to compete in the British International Harmsworth. Miss America VIII won the Harmsworth two times, and was considered by many, including Gar himself, to be the best boat of the series. Although the final bid on this unique piece of aquatic racing history did not reach the reserve price, one motivated buyer recognized its value by placing a bid for $700,000. See it here.
1961 Corvette Gulf Race Car
The historical significance of this race-bred Corvette made this car a sure bet to be a leading contender for top money at the auction. As the Corvette rolled across the stage, admiring fans gathered around the car- it was show time. Bids quickly increased, as the enthusiastic crowd encouraged the potential buyers to bid higher. The final bid came in at $850,000, making the Gulf Race Car the newest record holder for highest bid of the auction. However, because of the reserve, this bid was not sufficient to complete the sale.
1963 Shelby Dragon Snake
Any time there is an original Shelby Cobra in the field, you can expect it will be a contender for best in show. This Dragon Snake, which was one of only eight cars built with Shelby’s Dragon Snake package, has the most wins of any other cobra drag car. It’s no wonder that this cobra brought a high bid of $850,000, matching that of the 1961 Corvette Gulf Race Car. However, unlike the Corvette, this bidder wasn’t defeated by the reserve, making the Shelby the highest bid and the highest sale of the auction.
More Saturday Star Cars Receiving Bids of $200,000 or More
1970 Plymouth Superbird 440/390 HP 4-Speed – $200,000
1930 Packard 745 Waterhouse 3-Speed – $225,000
1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe 427/430 HP 4-Speed – $270,000
1930 Duesenberg Model J Limousine – $325,000
1941 Packard Darrin 180 Convertible Victoria – $220,000
1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt 427/425 HP Automatic – $200,000*
1957 Ford Thunderbird F Bird 312/300 HP Automatic – $200,000
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible 283/283 HP Automatic – $200,000
1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible 427/430 HP 4-Speed – $400,000*
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window Coupe 427/550 HP 6-Speed – $255,000
1937 Cord 812 SC Phaeton – $200,000
If the reserve wasn’t met, the final bid did not result in a sale. These bids are identified by asterisks. Sale prices do not include the buyer’s fee.
More About Mecum in Kissimmee:
Collector’s Shift Their Attention to Mecum in Kissimmee
Fun and Unique Vehicles at Mecum
Sources:
Author Attended Auctions
Mecum Auctions