Hello all,
Was wondering if any had any past experience with Mecum auctions, the reason I am asking is that the Indy auction in May is only a couple hours from me. The vehicle I want to sell is a 1970 Skylark GSX Replica. The paint on the car is about 10 years old, not near as nice as what you see on TV but still pretty good looking, the thing is that it has been heavily modified for drag race use with a 489 BBC, (13.5 compression, race gas) Turbo 400 Trans with brake, 9 inch rear with spool and 4.30 gear, roll bar, line lock, wheelie bars, 10 X 15 Buick rally wheels and MT Drag radials & 5 X 15 in frt. etc, etc.
I had the car appraised on line with "whats my car worth" 8 years ago, they said the value was $15,000 and replacement value of $18,000. Shoot I bet I got close to 35 to 40,000 invested in this car in just parts. I put it on racing junk 1 time and did not get very good response asking 28,000, not even any offers.
I was thinking about e-bay but not being a Chevy I don't know how many would see it being in the Buick classification. I looked on e-bay at some of the chevelles and it seems they are getting some good money.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
K.P.
Mecum auction
Moderator: Team
Re: Mecum auction
Well I took my car and went to the Mecum Spring Classic in Indianapolis, they scheduled my time on Tuesday (the first day of the auction). The weather sucked and first thing I notice is
that they didn't have enough tent space or buildings to keep all the car out of the rain. I took the car through the check in lane after unloading it and immediately saw that they had hired a bunch of numbskulls to move these cars to individual parking places after check in confirmation. I guess a ordinary car wouldn't be a problem but my car is not ordinary with a kill switch in the tail light, fuel pump, water pump and fan switches inside, big cam. etc. I had to baby sit the guys parking the car. They told me with the number of cars that they had mine should roll through the auction about 2 to 3:00 Tuesday afternoon.
Got a hotel room Monday night and showed up at the auction about 9:00 am. My car was pulled into a building where bidders could see it when I arrived but had acid rain water spots all over it. I tried to clean it up with cleaners and such but not much helped !! I was sort of pissed about it as I watched other people trying to clean their cars as well. Finally 2:00 arrives and my car rolls up as I coached another driver on how to start it and use the shifter and such. The last few cars going into the auction get pushed onto the stage as you see on TV.
You have to stand in a certain spot next to your vehicle as it gets pushed up, soon as my car was in position one of the auctioneer guys comes over to me and asked if I would take 13,000 to 14,000 for it if it came to that price. I had a 20,000 reserve on it. I said no but I might think about 19,000, keep in mind that you give Mecum 10% plus the 350.00 entrance fee if it's sold. I don't think he liked that to well and without much fanfare and no help from the auctioneer the largest bid was 12,000. They put a sticker on the windshield that said highest bid 12,000 and told me I should leave it there through the weekend so other potential buyers would see it and bid on it. They said if they get a offer on it they will call me on my cell at home after i leave. REALLY!!! I said no way, where's the office so I can get my title and go home! At the office it took another 45 minutes took get my title, I loaded up and went home!
I saw some 70,71 unrestored Chevelles with big blocks and 4 speeds going for 35 to 45,000 but far as I was concerned the rest of the cars going through was over priced junk.
Well I will chuck this up as a experience, not a good one none the less! At least the car did not get damaged or blown up from over revving!
Maybe this will help somebody else out down the road, Thank you for letting me vent!!!
K.P.
that they didn't have enough tent space or buildings to keep all the car out of the rain. I took the car through the check in lane after unloading it and immediately saw that they had hired a bunch of numbskulls to move these cars to individual parking places after check in confirmation. I guess a ordinary car wouldn't be a problem but my car is not ordinary with a kill switch in the tail light, fuel pump, water pump and fan switches inside, big cam. etc. I had to baby sit the guys parking the car. They told me with the number of cars that they had mine should roll through the auction about 2 to 3:00 Tuesday afternoon.
Got a hotel room Monday night and showed up at the auction about 9:00 am. My car was pulled into a building where bidders could see it when I arrived but had acid rain water spots all over it. I tried to clean it up with cleaners and such but not much helped !! I was sort of pissed about it as I watched other people trying to clean their cars as well. Finally 2:00 arrives and my car rolls up as I coached another driver on how to start it and use the shifter and such. The last few cars going into the auction get pushed onto the stage as you see on TV.
You have to stand in a certain spot next to your vehicle as it gets pushed up, soon as my car was in position one of the auctioneer guys comes over to me and asked if I would take 13,000 to 14,000 for it if it came to that price. I had a 20,000 reserve on it. I said no but I might think about 19,000, keep in mind that you give Mecum 10% plus the 350.00 entrance fee if it's sold. I don't think he liked that to well and without much fanfare and no help from the auctioneer the largest bid was 12,000. They put a sticker on the windshield that said highest bid 12,000 and told me I should leave it there through the weekend so other potential buyers would see it and bid on it. They said if they get a offer on it they will call me on my cell at home after i leave. REALLY!!! I said no way, where's the office so I can get my title and go home! At the office it took another 45 minutes took get my title, I loaded up and went home!
I saw some 70,71 unrestored Chevelles with big blocks and 4 speeds going for 35 to 45,000 but far as I was concerned the rest of the cars going through was over priced junk.
Well I will chuck this up as a experience, not a good one none the less! At least the car did not get damaged or blown up from over revving!
Maybe this will help somebody else out down the road, Thank you for letting me vent!!!
K.P.
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1989TransAm
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- Location: Cypress, California
Re: Mecum auction
Interesting report. That is the problem with those auctions. I have never been to one but I have friends that have and they have reported pretty much what you said.