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Dallas Mecum Auction

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  • Clark K.
    Expired
    • January 12, 2009
    • 536

    Dallas Mecum Auction

    I attended all three days of the recent Dallas Mecum Collector Car Auction. What an experience! I was on TV every day on the newly-named Velocity cable channel (the old HD Theater).

    As a member of the Lone Star Corvette Club (LSCC), the club the Mecum organization had asked to furnish auction block drivers, I volunteered to drive some fabulous automobiles. I was told that the reason Mecum chose the LSCC was since many of us own vintage Corvettes and know the procedure to start them. I would think that they would have called the Texas Chapter NCRS but we don't have 800 members.

    Of course, the most memorable cars were the Corvettes, especially the Red/red LS1-engined '62 "tribute Corvette" built on a C5 chassis that sold for $91,000, I think. Another was a red '59 Corvette that had a distinquished visitor. While I was sitting in the car waiting for the call to move the car, Terry Michaelis, well-known auction attendee and an expert/collector/seller of vintage Corvettes, came by to look at the car. He was very kind to shake my hand when I introduced myself as one of his customers.

    I also got to speak to Bill Stephens of the cable show "What's My Car Worth" and a Corvette collector. He was very kind to take the time to speak to a fellow collector while waiting to inform the TV audience of the 1990 ZR-1 that was his immediate interest.

    I guess since this is the NCRS Forum, you won't want to hear about the '67 Mustang "Boss 557", the 1950 Cadillac, or the '69 Yenko (427) Camaro that I drove across the stage. Or, the '56 Chevy Bel Air that sold for $70,000 and the

    I came away from this, my very first collector car auction with a profound sense of disgust for many of the owners of vintage automobiles. About half of all the cars I drove those three days would not turn over. When jumped, many of these would not fire up. Some that would fire up would not stay running and had to be pushed across the entire auction block.

    One owner, of a '71 BMW 2002 sedan I drove, blamed me for the car not starting on stage. I later found out that he spent half an hour trying to start it after I parked it in the "not sold" lot. I was told it never fired up for him, either.

    The condition of some cars was appalling. I drove one '81 Camaro that many guys were drooling over. It was filthy inside and out and had quite a few inside trim pieces missing. The steering wheel was so sticky, I had to wash my hands as soon as I parked that pig in the "sold lot". It sold for $3,500 to the "lucky owner".

    Mecum was very impressed with the numbers of cars and the total dollars. They will be back next year. But, I hope they find another venue since the City of Dallas has too many restrictions on cars in the Dallas Convention Center.

    All cars had to have less than one-quarter tank of fuel and their batteries disconnected. This caused Mecum to have to tow each car via golf cart, to the block, connect the batteries, and push them to the stage. Only then were the drivers allowed to fire up the engines. Cold engines, stale gasohol, imperfectly connected battery cables, and gummed up carbs conspired against half of the cars.

    If you plan to put a collector car in a televised auction, please run some fresh fuel through her, check the condition of the battery, and take her for a spin. Too many of these cars had problems that can only be explained as owner neglect. I would never buy one of these cars since you cannot drive them before you buy them. I guess that is why I had so many bidders come up to talk to me about the car right before I drove it onto the stage.
    -Clark
  • Paul H.
    Very Frequent User
    • September 30, 2000
    • 682

    #2
    Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

    Sounds like a great experience. I watched all of it and really enjoyed it. Bill Stephens is a good guy and hails from my neck of the woods, Cape Cod, Mass. I remember him as a disc jockey on a local radio station in Hyannis, Mass. He's always been a car guy. He's owned alot of Corvettes and, last I knew, owned a nice Factory Five 427 Cobra replica.

    Comment

    • Nicholas L.
      Very Frequent User
      • November 1, 1982
      • 341

      #3
      Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

      I saw the 1969 unrestored black L88 went for almost $600,000.
      Bill Stephens grew up in Somerville, MA. He makes a lot of references on tv to places in the Boston area that only locals would know about.
      Seems like a nice guy.

      Comment

      • Michael J.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • January 27, 2009
        • 7122

        #4
        Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

        I watched the Mecum Dallas auction, as I do most all of Mecum's and BJ's. I loved the '69 L88 that went for, what $585,000? I also think it interesting how many cars seem to have to be pushed or towed onto the block. Many had a yellow tow rope attached to the front frame. I suspect many of the cars sold at the auctions have the same problems, they are either "trailer queens" that have hardly ever been run or started, or they are ones that have just sat around a garage collecting dust when the owner either loses interest in them or is afraid to drive them for various reasons. I suspect the later is the most common situation, that is why they are being sold anyway.

        I entered my '67 L71 and my '68 Shelby GT500KR into a very fancy car show near my house called the Santa Fe Concorso. I was in the "American Iron" category, muscle cars. I drove my 'Vette on the mountain road tours, rallies, etc. the whole weekend, then parked it on the field for the show and judging. Needless to say, I didn't win anything, the trailer queens who had to be towed into place after being unloaded from the big Reliable 18 wheelers (one Yenko Camaro owner told me he couldn't start or run the car as it would discolor the exhaust maniflods) are the ones that won of course. That is why I am proud of NCRS when they give people incentives to drive these cars, maybe they should do more even. I would never buy a car at aucton that doesn't run, I am surprised so many do, but I guess some want pristine, museum pieces or ones that need a lot of work, not me.
        Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico

        Comment

        • Philip A.
          Expired
          • February 26, 2008
          • 329

          #5
          Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

          What is the story behind all the blue painter's tape on the gas caps?

          Comment

          • William L.
            Very Frequent User
            • December 1, 1988
            • 944

            #6
            Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

            Originally posted by Philip Arena (48654)
            What is the story behind all the blue painter's tape on the gas caps?
            Not sure if this is the case in Dallas but most City Fire codes require a locking gas gap or it to be taped closed at indoor showes
            Bill Lacy
            1967 427/435 National Top Flight Bloomington Gold
            1998 Indy Pacecar

            Comment

            • Rick A.
              Extremely Frequent Poster
              • July 31, 2002
              • 2147

              #7
              Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

              yepper - at National in Novi, gas gauge and/or depth of gas in tank was checked to ensure less than 1/8 tank of gas and then gas cap was "taped" before you could drive you car into the convention center
              Rick Aleshire
              2016 Ebony C7R Z06 "ROSA"

              Comment

              • Tim G.
                Extremely Frequent Poster
                • March 1, 1990
                • 1375

                #8
                Re: Dallas Mecum Auction



                Comment

                • Erv M.
                  Very Frequent User
                  • February 21, 2007
                  • 445

                  #9
                  Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                  Originally posted by Clark Kirby (49862)
                  I attended all three days of the recent Dallas Mecum Collector Car Auction. What an experience! I was on TV every day on the newly-named Velocity cable channel (the old HD Theater).

                  As a member of the Lone Star Corvette Club (LSCC), the club the Mecum organization had asked to furnish auction block drivers, I volunteered to drive some fabulous automobiles. I was told that the reason Mecum chose the LSCC was since many of us own vintage Corvettes and know the procedure to start them. I would think that they would have called the Texas Chapter NCRS but we don't have 800 members.

                  Of course, the most memorable cars were the Corvettes, especially the Red/red LS1-engined '62 "tribute Corvette" built on a C5 chassis that sold for $91,000, I think. Another was a red '59 Corvette that had a distinquished visitor. While I was sitting in the car waiting for the call to move the car, Terry Michaelis, well-known auction attendee and an expert/collector/seller of vintage Corvettes, came by to look at the car. He was very kind to shake my hand when I introduced myself as one of his customers.

                  I also got to speak to Bill Stephens of the cable show "What's My Car Worth" and a Corvette collector. He was very kind to take the time to speak to a fellow collector while waiting to inform the TV audience of the 1990 ZR-1 that was his immediate interest.

                  I guess since this is the NCRS Forum, you won't want to hear about the '67 Mustang "Boss 557", the 1950 Cadillac, or the '69 Yenko (427) Camaro that I drove across the stage. Or, the '56 Chevy Bel Air that sold for $70,000 and the

                  I came away from this, my very first collector car auction with a profound sense of disgust for many of the owners of vintage automobiles. About half of all the cars I drove those three days would not turn over. When jumped, many of these would not fire up. Some that would fire up would not stay running and had to be pushed across the entire auction block.

                  One owner, of a '71 BMW 2002 sedan I drove, blamed me for the car not starting on stage. I later found out that he spent half an hour trying to start it after I parked it in the "not sold" lot. I was told it never fired up for him, either.

                  The condition of some cars was appalling. I drove one '81 Camaro that many guys were drooling over. It was filthy inside and out and had quite a few inside trim pieces missing. The steering wheel was so sticky, I had to wash my hands as soon as I parked that pig in the "sold lot". It sold for $3,500 to the "lucky owner".

                  Mecum was very impressed with the numbers of cars and the total dollars. They will be back next year. But, I hope they find another venue since the City of Dallas has too many restrictions on cars in the Dallas Convention Center.

                  All cars had to have less than one-quarter tank of fuel and their batteries disconnected. This caused Mecum to have to tow each car via golf cart, to the block, connect the batteries, and push them to the stage. Only then were the drivers allowed to fire up the engines. Cold engines, stale gasohol, imperfectly connected battery cables, and gummed up carbs conspired against half of the cars.

                  If you plan to put a collector car in a televised auction, please run some fresh fuel through her, check the condition of the battery, and take her for a spin. Too many of these cars had problems that can only be explained as owner neglect. I would never buy one of these cars since you cannot drive them before you buy them. I guess that is why I had so many bidders come up to talk to me about the car right before I drove it onto the stage.
                  -Clark
                  I bought the 1990 ZR1

                  Comment

                  • Walter G.
                    Very Frequent User
                    • May 31, 1989
                    • 166

                    #10
                    Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                    As an attendee of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction the past two years I agree with your comments re driveability and condition of many of the vehicles. For the most part, it seems like the Corvettes offered for sale are prepared/detailed better than a lot of the other makes, irrespective of model year. Some obvious restoration inaccuracies show up on a casual walk through and I'm sure many more would surface once you really scrutinize the cars. What I really like is when the '60's Impalas exit the stage with either one complete side or other combination of brake lights not working on a car that has just fetched $50,000! Overall, the B-J may draw some better cars than the Mecum events, but both have their share of questionable ones. Like you, I personally would not prefer to buy something I have not been given the opportunity to drive to check basic braking, transmission, and alignment.

                    Comment

                    • Bryan H.
                      Expired
                      • August 31, 2004
                      • 120

                      #11
                      Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                      thanks gentlemen for the insight it certainly looks different watching the tube,,,

                      Comment

                      • Joe R.
                        Extremely Frequent Poster
                        • July 31, 1976
                        • 4550

                        #12
                        Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                        Originally posted by Erv Myers (46978)
                        I bought the 1990 ZR1

                        Need a fuel pump?

                        JR

                        Comment

                        • William F.
                          Extremely Frequent Poster
                          • June 9, 2009
                          • 1363

                          #13
                          Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                          Can't see why anyone would call these auctions a "wonderful experience" with all the crappy, put together cars. I agree with a friend of mine who has been dealing with (correct) collector cars for 40 years who says" the same people who put on these auctions also put on professional wrestling."A lot of junk these days.A coat of paint can cover up a multitude of sins. Caveat emptor!

                          Comment

                          • Michael J.
                            Extremely Frequent Poster
                            • January 27, 2009
                            • 7122

                            #14
                            Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                            Originally posted by William Ford (50517)
                            Can't see why anyone would call these auctions a "wonderful experience" with all the crappy, put together cars. I agree with a friend of mine who has been dealing with (correct) collector cars for 40 years who says" the same people who put on these auctions also put on professional wrestling."A lot of junk these days.A coat of paint can cover up a multitude of sins. Caveat emptor!
                            I would agree with all that,the best place to buy is a reputeable dealer you have known, or a good friend, or to use a good car inspection service. Unfortunately, many people just don't seem to have the time to do all that these days . They prefer the quick gratification of the exciting win on national TV, or in front of a big crowd.
                            Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico

                            Comment

                            • Steve B.
                              Extremely Frequent Poster
                              • March 1, 2002
                              • 1190

                              #15
                              Re: Dallas Mecum Auction

                              Originally posted by Michael Johnson (49879)
                              I would agree with all that,the best place to buy is a reputeable dealer you have known, or a good friend, or to use a good car inspection service. Unfortunately, many people just don't seem to have the time to do all that these days . They prefer the quick gratification of the exciting win on national TV, or in front of a big crowd.
                              I knew of a car that was for sale for two years and the high bidder and underbidder knew about it. The final price was tens of thousands more than the asking price. It just seem that people do not want to conduct private sales which is mind boggling to me. Most want to beat up an owner to get a deal and will pay up for a car only if their hand is forced at auction.

                              Comment

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