It's about more than speculation at auctions - especially regional ones

Rose Backs acts as a spotter for her husband, Matt, as he works to sell a 1922 Hudson limousine in Portland, Oregon for Silver Collector Car Auctions. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

 

If you're the type of automobile enthusiast who wants to simply buy a collectible automobile to drive, rather than attend an "automotive event" or flip a car in six months to make a grand or so, the market for affordable collectors cars has returned; or so it seems. There are more auctions with cars below the $35,000 thresh-hold, such as a recent auction conducted by Silver Auctions at the Portland Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon.

Of the 190 vehicles, that included several motorcycles, 123 sold. If you wanted to buy a 1920s limousine, or any of several General Motors mid-size muscle cars or even a 1950s British sedan with an updated Nissan drivetrain, you could do so for well under $25,000, in most cases. Call it an auction of irregular autos for regular guys.

Consider the 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe four door sedan that sold for a bid of $12,250.

This Chevrolet was one of a million sold in the model year, 1941. In fact, the 1941 model year is sometimes referred to as the "year Chevrolet got everything right." Powered by a smooth-running, overhead valve six cylinder engine displacing 216.5 cubic inches that produced 90 horsepower, it rivaled the Fords of its time. The exterior design was pleasing to the eye and is likely another reason that the Special Deluxe, introduced half-way through the model year, sold 84,000 units; despite the abbreviated production run due to the start of the Second World War.

If someone wanted an interesting vintage British automobile, albeit with some modifications to make it easier to use as a daily driver, there was a 1950 Hillman Minx sedan retrofitted with an engine and transmission from a Datsun series 1600 convertible sports car.

Hillman automobiles don't show up at auctions in the United States very often; so a lot of people in the audience weren't quite certain what it was. Nonetheless, they came up and looked at it. The purists seemed a bit put off by the drivetrain, which wasn't original. Bidding stopped at $4,900 on the docket; however, a short time later, a winning offer of $5,100 was tendered and the deal was done.

Towards the end of the second day's auction activity, a turquoise 1969 Dodge Polara 500 two-door convertible came onto the docket. Completely original and unrestored, it had been parked in the garage of the original owner from sometime in 1979 until 2009. A flyer showed the original owner, Arch McKeever and his wife, June, with the car, earlier this year. (Mr. McKeever is 94.)

The Polara was equipped with a 330 horsepower, 383 cubic-inch V8 engine, a posi-traction rear end with gearing that had a 3:23 final ratio and a heavy-duty suspension package. It also was one of just 573 Polara 500 convertibles reportedly ever built. That all helped it to garner a best bid of $13,500; however, the current owner, who'd driven it down from Seattle - a journey of about 165 miles - refused to drop the $18,500 reserve. -- Terry Parkhurst

Recommended website: to see an in-depth auction report on this particular auction, consider Collector Car Market Review magazine, available in print or in digital format at http://www.collectorcarmarket.com/

 

 

 

Comments

[Ramona White]

I live in Vancouver, Washington and we have a 1974 AMC Javelin. It belonged to my dad, hasn't been restored, and hasn't even been driven in at least 30 years. Dad always hoped someone would take it on as a project. Now that he's passed on it seems a shame for it to continue to go downhill sitting in the driveway. Any idea who I'd contact in my area to find someone who'd love this car? Thanks!

[Terry Parkhurst]

Well Ramona, you might want to call Silver Auctions about the auction they're having, just across the river in Portland, Oregon, on September 21 and 22, at the Portland Exposition Center. The toll-free number to call (they're headquartered in Spokane) is 1-800-255-4485.

The latest edition of the NADA Classic, Collectible, Exotic and Muscle Car Appraisal Guide - I'm on the advisory board - shows this range of values for a 1974 AMC Javelin:
$3,825 (low)- $8,150 (average)- $17,200 (high).

There's an add-on for larger displacement engines with more horsepower: Add five percent for a 220 hp, 360 cubic inch V8; add five percent for a 235 hp, 360 cubic inch V8; add 15 percent for a 235 hp, 401 cubic inch V8; add 15 percent for a 315 hp, 401 cubic inch V8.

Perhaps because of some additional options, the value range for a 1974 Javelin in AMX trim is different (more):
$6,200 (low); $12,650 (average); $24,800 (high).

Please note that those values are suggested ones, based on input from the approximately 200 people on the advisory board for this book. What any car sells for at auction, depends on how many people are in the audience and what sorts of autos, trucks or motorcycles they want or covet (personally, or in the case of collector car dealers, professionally).

American Motors autos have a niche, within the American muscle car scene, as you know; but they are getting attention from people other than just folks in the AMC Owners Association (whose contact info is: 1615 Purvis Avenue, Janesville WI 53545-1556; telephone: 608-752-8247.)