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JANUARY 2013
CONTENTS
Via Mail, E-mail, Phone or Fax: Mecum Collector Car Auctioneers 445 South Main Street Walworth, Wisconsin 53184 Website: www.MECUM.com Office: (262) 275-5050 Fax: (262) 275-3424 E-mail: info@mecum.com
SELL A VEHICLE
AT A MECUM AUCTION
FEATURES PAGE
6 GRAND FINALE RESULTS
Kansas City December 2012 Auction Results
Download a “Request for Position” form today. Visit www.MECUM.com. Click on the Seller info tab at the top of the home page to fill out or download all forms. Be sure to fill out separate forms for each vehicle when requesting positions.
10 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW
A Look Back at a Record Setter
20 DECORATED SURVIVOR Highly Documented ZO6
28 BACK FROM THE DEAD
The Unrestored Entombed Corvette 32 THE ROAD TO ROAD ART Where and When at Kissimmee 36 SHARING VERDE CLASSICS Upcoming Museum Collection Auction
BUY A VEHICLE
AT A MECUM AUCTION
Mecum provides two ways to become a registered bidder and purchase vehicles at our auctions. In addition to conventional onsite bidding (recommended), we also offer absentee services to bid via the telephone. For complete bidder registration information, visit www.MECUM.com, click on the Bidder info tab at the top of the home page. For any questions contact the bidder department at 262-275-5050.
COLUMNS
1 5 THE DEALMAKER
www.facebook.com/mecumauction
Where The Cars Are
19 AT THE REDLINE Trending Themes
27 THE REAL BARN FINDS A Tractor and the Big Three 31 ROAD ART Sharp Dressed Service
Mecum Auctions has been specializing in the sale of collector cars for 25 years, and has become America’s largest Collector Car Auction Company offering more than 10,000 vehicles per year. With auctions spanning coast to coast, Mecum is able to provide the utmost in customer service while giving both buyers and sellers the greatest of options.
35 INSIDER’S SCOOP Location, Location
Copyright © 2013 Mecum Auction, Inc. All rights reserved.
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The Dealmaker
DANA MECUM
WHERE THE CARS ARE Hello and welcome everyone to Mecum Auctions 2013. Kissimmee, Florida is the place to be in January for car collectors and enthusiasts worldwide where Mecum will jump start the season by offering the largest selection of vehicles ever! Who would have thought that what began as a 30-car auction behind a laundry mat would have evolved into the world’s largest in 2013? Well, maybe I did. This year, buyers, sellers and spectators will see nearly 3,000 cars at Osceola Heritage Park and have the opportunity to be part of more than 100 hours of fast-paced action on the block. Mecum fans at home can catch a full 32 hours of live broadcast on the Velocity network and take advantage of the non-stop auction coverage on the live webcast at www.mecum.com. The New Year is here and Mecum Auctions will be working harder than ever as we continue to drive to new heights. We’ve experienced consistent record growth over the past five years and our team understands that it’s our service, quality offerings and results that have gotten our company where it is today. We are dedicated to continuing our great service, but more importantly we are committed to improving the Mecum customer experience wherever and whenever possible in the years to come. Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to seeing you all throughout the year at our upcoming events.
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A GRAND FINALE TO RECORD-BREAKING YEAR Kansas City, Missouri, topped off a great year with an impressive $11.5 million in sales. With 520 lots sold from December 6-8 at Bartle Hall in the Kansas City Convention Center, a strong sell-through rate of 65 percent was reached for 2012’s final auction. Kansas City’s top-sale was a 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro (Lot S135.1). This purpose-built, factory
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drag car hammered at $140,000. The Twister Specials, built exclusively for the Ford Kansas City Sales District dealers, refused to be outdone in their own hometown and the 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister Edition 428 CI Super Cobra Jet (Lot S89) also brought in a $140,000 sale, tying for the top spot. Its “sister” Twister, a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister
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Edition 351 CI (Lot S90) came in close behind at $130,000. When combined, the top ten-selling cars brought in over $1 million in sales, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the three-day total. Kansas City was a strong close to the year, adding to the great success of Mecum’s 2012 auction season and keeping up with the high standards that will carry into 2013. M
AUCTION RESULTS TOP 10 SALES #
VEHICLE
DESCRIPTION
SOLD FOR*
LOT#
1. 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro 427 CI, Automatic $140,000 S135.1 2. 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister Edition 428 CI, 1 of 48 Produced $140,000 S89 3. 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister Edition 351 CI, 1 of 48 Produced $130,000 S90 4. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Touring 406/900 HP, 6-Speed $125,000 S74 5. 1968 Shelby GT500 Convertible 428 CI, 4-Speed $120,000 S68.1 6. 1935 Cadillac 355D Convertible 353 CI, Rumble Seat $117,500 S82 7. 1971 Pontiac GTO Judge 455 HO, Automatic $92,500 S111 8. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window Coupe 327/340 HP, 4-Speed $87,000 S76 9. 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV 400/370 HP, 4-Speed $82,000 S109 10. 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 1967 Conversion $81,000 S63 * ALL SALES REFLECT HAMMER PRICES MECUM.COM
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IT’s NEVER TOO LATE tO BECOME A REGISTERED BIDDER. Becoming a registered bidder at the auction is fast and easy. Simply visit the Bidder Registration Area located in the main lobby of Silver Spur Arena. For only $100, photo identification, and an authorization hold on a major credit card, you and a guest can gain access to the bidding arena and get into the auction action!
Registered Bidders can purchase the Kissimmee Thursday-Friday-Saturday 3-Catalog Set for $30. Gold Bidders receive these at no charge. Available for pickup in the lobby of the Auction Arena.
R U O y B A R G
. r a e g
Mecumize your wardrobe today with Mecum Gear, or grab some to surprise your family or friends!
Choose from a large selection of official Mecum high performance gear, from stylish and comfortable apparel to great novelty items all emblazoned with the trusted Mecum name. TM
mecumGear.com
2012 YEAR IN REVIEW
With yearend sales for 2012 boldly knocking at the door of the coveted $300 million mark, it was truly an incredible year for Mecum Auctions. We wrapped up yet another record setting season – the largest in company history with 16 auctions held across the nation and more than 12,000 collector cars crossing the block. Mecum is pleased to report that both yearly sales and vehicles offered have more than doubled in the last two years alone. And while $288 million in sales is quite an achievement, we haven’t earned our reputation solely by continuing to set and break records. We consistently build our business year after year by staffing the finest team, listening to our customers, and backing up our great service with results. We will carry on that tradition into 2013 with each and every auction, starting with Kissimmee this January 18-27.
HIGHLIGHTS
TOP 10 SALES #
VEHICLE
DESCRIPTION
2012 SOLD FOR*
1. 1972 Porsche L&M 917/10 Spyder ‘72 Can-Am Champion Driven by George Follmer $5,500,000 2. 1908 Simplex 50 Speedcar Roadster The Oldest Simplex Known to Exist $1,900,000 3. 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder 1 of 122 Produced, Only 21,185 Miles $1,050,000 4. 1974 Porsche 911 RSR IROC The Emerson Fittipaldi Car $875,000 5. 1963 Shelby Cobra Dragon Snake The Winningest Cobra in History $850,000 6. 1987 Porsche 962 Bob Akin’s Last 962 $825,000 7. 1932 Ford McMullen Roadster The World’s Most Iconic Hot Rod $700,000 8. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Chassis# 5500637, Matching Luggage $675,000 9. 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible 427/430 HP, 4-Speed $610,000 10. 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster CSX 2428, Highly Optioned Example $600,000 10. 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible 427/430 HP, 4-Speed $600,000 * ALL SALES REFLECT HAMMER PRICES
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AUCTION
LOT#
MONTEREY S123 MONTEREY S101 MONTEREY S151 MONTEREY S116 KISSIMMEE S220 MONTEREY S120 ANAHEIM S109 MONTEREY S128 KISSIMMEE F199 MONTEREY S139 INDY S188
Last year’s Kissimmee auction kicked off our yearlong 25th anniversary celebration while capturing the crown from Indy as the world’s largest collector car auction. The six-day auction broke the 2,000-consignment barrier and kicked off the year with a $60 million sale. What began as a small 30-car auction behind a laundry mat will now grow to host 3,000 cars in 2013. As the official mark of our 25th year in business, Dana Mecum’s 25th Original Spring Classic served as the perfect quarter-of-a-century celebration. The greatest muscle car auction on earth witnessed the best of the best in American Muscle cross the auction block as owners Dana and Patti Mecum burst from inside the huge Spring Classic cake to commemorate the occasion. The Daytime Auction in Monterey, California, comprised some of the most diverse offerings in Mecum history highlighted by the recordsetting sale of the 1972 L&M Porsche 917/10 Spyder CanAm Champion selling for $5.5 million and a stunning car from the Brass Era, the 1908 Simplex 50 Speedcar Roadster, the oldest Simplex known to exist, which sold for $1.95 million. MECUM.COM
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Two inaugural auctions were born into Mecum’s lineup in 2012, both of which were hugely successful. The April event in Houston achieved an astounding near 80 percent sell-through rate with more than 12,000 attendees. The Sterling McCall Cadillac Collection was met with intense bidding, and put the auction into a heated pace that never died. The November auction in Anaheim was the largest ever held in Southern California led by the record sale of the iconic Street Rod the McMullen Roadster, which hammered at $700,000.
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2012
They say everything is bigger in Texas and Mecum’s Dallas auction was certainly no exception to the rule. The auction doubled in size in only its second year with more than 1,200 cars packed into the Dallas Convention Center and total sales surpassing $30 million. The first evening of the event featured the special, exclusive offering of The Cars of Hallbrook. Touting 82 low-mile originals, the collection was offered during the Wednesday live broadcast on Velocity, all crossing the block with reserves and achieving a jaw-dropping 90 percent sellthrough rate and $5.2 million in sales. Mecum’s “auction within an auction” format of offering a collection worthy of a standalone auction during a regularly scheduled consignment auction, proved to be a success.
YEAR IN REVIEW
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Mecum traveled to North Little Rock, Arkansas, June 16 to offer up the hailed Salmon Brothers’ Collection featuring more than 140 All-American automobiles that spanned the 20th Century – all at no reserve. The $7 million dollar stand-alone auction was one of three sales hosted in the span of just a week with one in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Bloomington Gold Corvette Auction both occurring on June 22 and 23. Mecum’s Fall Premier Auction saw another great year headlined by three classic GM muscle cars in as-original condition dubbed the “Red Cover Girls.” The 1970 models included a Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 LS6, an Oldsmobile 442 W-30 4-speed Sports Coupe and a Pontiac GTO 455 CI V-8 4-speed with SD internals which were all finished in GM code 75 Red and were all magazine-cover features. All three cars made the top ten sellers list for the $12 million sale in St. Charles, Illinois.
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2012
Venturing out to Kansas City for our Spring and Fall auctions brought another $20 million in sales and December saw the headlining Twister Specials sell at a premium in their hometown with a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister Edition 428 CI hammering at $140,000 and a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister Edition 351 CI hammering at $130,000.
YEAR IN REVIEW
It was a big year for Mecum’s Gone Farmin’ vintage tractor series which not only expanded to include three auctions, but also garnered a spot on live TV. The series hosted its successful debut auction in Iowa in November after forming a partnership with RFD-TV in May.
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Mecum did more in 2012 than host 16 auctions. We teamed up with the Curing Kids Cancer foundation last year, and starting at our Dallas auction, we began to gift Mecum “SOLD� neon signs to those who were willing to donate the most money to the not-for-profit foundation. Through the gifting of the signs, and of a motorcycle at Indy, we helped raise $202,750 to benefit the charity. Also in 2012, the Mecum Challenge was launched in partnership with Discovery Education to instill an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in students by hosting a unique field trip and scavenger hunt for middleschool-aged youth at five of our auctions.
2012 YEAR IN REVIEW
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Mecum made its first foray into sponsoring a car in the Indianapolis 500 when we proudly placed our signature Mecum “SOLD� sticker on the No. 22 Panther DRR machine piloted by Oriol Servia. Servia and the No. 22 car achieved a career-best fourth-place finish at the 96th running of the Indy 500 while sporting the Mecum name. We brought a grand close to 2012 by opening the Mecum Gallery in December at our headquarters in Walworth, Wisconsin. The 8,000-squarefoot space can comfortably display around 20-30 vehicles for pre-auction inspection. The first collection to grace the space is a special group of original and unrestored Corvettes and Muscle Cars belonging to car enthusiast John Justo, all set to cross the auction block in Kissimmee this January 2013. M
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At The Redline JOHN KRAMAN
TRENDING THEMES
During the past decade, the Resto Mod and Pro Touring themes have become two of the most popular segments in the collector car market. Each build strategy typically blends a high level of restoration quality along with a modern powertrain, updated suspension/wheels/tires, improved braking, plus comfort upgrades to a vintage vehicle, all while retaining a traditional stock appearance. While pony cars, 1955-‘57 Chevy vehicles, mid-size cars and Corvettes are the most commonly utilized platforms for Resto Modding, we are now seeing compacts and full-size vehicles
transformed too. In addition, pick-up trucks from all eras are the latest category to see growth. Certainly the aftermarket and MECUM.COM
even the OEM companies have embraced this trend and have answered the call by providing a huge variety of upgrade choices that are relatively easy to install and surprisingly low in cost. The Pro Touring theme takes the Resto Mod concept to an even higher level of performance and appearance, utilizing the latest state of the art components along with body and interior modifications. If you are a seeking a classic driver but require a higher level of modern capability, comfort and safety than stock, please take a look. You will always find a big selection at Mecum! M MECUMMONTHLY
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DECORATED
SURVIVOR by
KANE ROGERS
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Lot# S128 from the Rick Davis Collection is scheduled to cross the Kissimmee block on Saturday, January 26 at approx. 2:40 p.m.
One of 199 produced, this unrestored and original, matching numbers 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 coupe is the car that Chevrolet featured in its promotional literature relaunching the Z06 fixed roof coupe in 2001. It was purchased on August 14, 1963 from Jack Schwirtz Chevrolet by Tom Atchison of Elizabeth, Illinois, who owned the car for an astounding 43 years. Amazingly, this was Atchison’s second 1963 Z06; he ordered the first one, a Riverside Red coupe, in October of 1962 and took delivery in March 1963. Two weeks later, during a long drive home late on Good Friday, he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed, totaling the car; his life was saved by the seat belts he had ordered at a cost of $18.55.
By then it was very late in the 1963 production schedule; after the imposition of an internal racing ban by GM management, Chevrolet had stopped taking orders for the Z06 in February. Atchison sent a letter to Chevrolet telling them of his misfortune and his wish to replace the written-off Corvette with another. After an agonizing wait with little hope of fulfilling that wish, in early July 1963 Atchison’s phone rang; Lady Luck was calling. Remembering the moment in a June 2002 Vette Magazine feature article, Atchison told author Rob Wallace III, “In July, I received a call from Jack Schwirtz saying that General Motors wanted to know if I would like to have another Corvette, and of course I said yes!” Even better, it was to be another Z06, identical
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to the first and, as fortune would eventually have it, built on Tom’s birthday, July 23. Just a few weeks later Tom Atchison was in Rockford, Illinois one afternoon when he spotted an automobile transporter rolling through town carrying a Riverside Red Sting Ray coupe. Thrilled by the sight and certain of its destination, Atchison followed the car to Jack Schwirtz Chevrolet in Elizabeth, even helping to unload it. It was virtually identical to his first Z06. According to collector Rick Davis, Atchison wanted to add a set of 2-bar knock-off aluminum wheels, but the early production pieces had proven to be porous and were dropped from the factory option list. Atchison was disappointed but persistent,
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and the original license plates; he also kept most every part that was ever removed from the car, including the original headlights, water temperature gauge and spare tire lock boot, most of which were replaced under warranty. In addition to appearing in the 2001 Z06 promo materials, the Tom Atchison 1963 Z06 was displayed at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky through 2000 and 2001. It is highly decorated, winning Bloomington Gold and Survivor Certification in 2010, the NCRS Top Flight Award in 2002 and the Chevy Vettefest Bowtie Award in 2000. M and he soon reached a compromise with Schwirtz, who supplied a one-off set of nickel-plated steel wheels with custom two-bar spinner center caps, a distinctive feature that, along with the dealerpainted White racing stripe, has remained with the car ever since (the original painted wheels and spinner wheel covers appearing in the accompanying photos were installed for an NCRS judging event). Delivered a full 6 months after the February 1963 production cut-off date, Tom Atchison’s Z06 is quite likely the last one built and is also most certainly the most thoroughly documented. Not only did Atchison keep virtually every piece of paper generated by the car during his ownership, including dealer invoices, trade-in and financing agreements, letters from GM, the owner’s manual packet, complete maintenance and fuel fill-up records (the latter including the price of gas on the day of each purchase!), period photographs, even parking receipts 24
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ZO6 Conceived by Chief Engineer Zora Arkus Duntov as the ultimate version of the new-for-1963 Corvette Sting Ray coupe, the Z06 Special Performance Equipment package added nearly one-half the base price to the cost of the Split Window coupe, but that was hardly enough to deter the hard-core racer looking for a no-holds-barred factory race car, especially one powered by the fuel-injected L84 solid-lifter 327/360 HP small block V-8. More than just an engine package, the Z06 drew on Duntov’s racing experience with a full range of heavy duty components. A brawny close-ratio Muncie 4-speed replaced the standard Borg Warner T-10 in concert with a Positraction rear end, and standard springs, shocks and sway bars gave way to much stiffer pieces to handle the rigors of high-speed competition. The Z06’s drum brakes were crucial to the car’s performance. Mounted on ventilated backing plates with external cooling scoops, the Z06’s large cast iron finned drums contained segmented sintered metallic linings, forward self-adjusters and unique 24-blade internal cooling fans; a unique dual-circuit Kelsey-Hays master cylinder and Delco-Moraine vacuum booster controlled their operation. Chevrolet put a premature end to the Z06, but not before it became one of the most hallowed of all Corvettes. As Duntov himself put it, “Suitably equipped and set up, the new Corvette promises a potential that is hard to equal or surpass by even the world’s costliest cars.”
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TractorS. SignS. Farm RelicS.
3rd Annual Spring Auction April 6, 2013 • Davenport, Iowa BROADCAST LIVE ON
Time to Consign! Spring Auction Featured Attraction: tRACTORS FROM The Jeff cormany collection
PREVIEW AN AUCTION
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The Real Barn Finds
A TRACTOR and the big three
General Motors purchased the Samson Siev-Grip Tractor Company in 1918 at the urging of Billy Durant; the founder of GM. “The Boss” started buying stock in Samson with his personal funds in 1917 and convinced GM directors to complete the $10 million investment in early 1918. Mr. Durant led GM into the farm machinery business with the sole ambition to go head-to-head with Henry Ford. Billy was obsessed with the competition of his rival Ford and there would be nothing better than to “lick Henry Ford in the manufacture of agricultural equipment”. The argument within GM to get into the farm machinery business split the company from the start. Walter P. Chrysler headed the Buick division - the most profitable of GM, producing half of the company’s earnings tractor division was - and the spending it faster than they could
CHRYSLER
make it. Billy Durant didn’t believe in statistics, he believed in imagination and intuition. He was completely unpredictable and would change course in an instant. Walter Chrysler saw him as impossible to work with, and the tractor argument was the turning point in his future with the company. In 1920 Mr. Chrysler resigned and went on to found the Chrysler Corporation. When the Samson Company was finally dissolved, it was estimated that GM had lost nearly $33 million on the venture. This was a staggering figure for the time when a “buck was a buck.” It would be safe to say that the tractor venture directly led to the foundation of the Chrysler Corporation which otherwise may never have been started.
GM
SAMSON MECUM.COM
DAN MECUM
The Samson deal started with the founder of GM, took its design and inspiration from Ford and led to the formation of Chrysler. Samson truly weaved its way through the history of the big three. While still in business, Samson produced a one-of-a-kind Cane M tractor, thought to be the first high crop tractor ever manufactured. High clearance tractors are rare, specialty tractors that serious collectors consider to be some of the most desirable. In fact, the tractor that garnered the topsale of the 2011 Gone Farmin’ auctions was a 720 John Deere Hi Crop which hammered at $117,500. I am happy to say that I will have the rare and exciting opportunity to offer a true museum-worthy piece at auction with the Samson crossing the block April 6 at the third annual Gone Farmin’ Spring auction in Davenport, Iowa. M
FORD
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by KANE ROGERS
This particular 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster is the famous “Entombed” Corvette removed from a brick vault inside a Brunswick, Maine, grocery store once owned by local businessman Richard Sampson. A successful and somewhat eccentric man who built a chain of 33 grocery stores, ran for governor and served as a senator from Maine, Sampson bought the car new in 1954 and drove it until 1959, when he took it to the construction site of a new store in Brunswick and had workmen enclose it in a brickand-mortar vault. He originally left orders in his will that the car remain sealed in brick until the year 2000, but later voided the will before passing away in 1969. The car first came to the public’s notice when automotive writer Ken Gross wrote about 28
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it in Special Interest Autos Magazine, thinking he would have to wait 25 years to tell the rest of the story. But in 1982 the building was purchased by Brunswick auto dealer Frank Goodwin with the proviso that the car be removed by the expiry of the existing lease in 1986. When the time arrived, the Corvette was liberated once again by Sampson’s daughter Cynthia, who watched as workers removed the outside wall brick by brick. Although the moisture in its enclosure had caused the car’s Polo White paint to yellow and blister over time, the tires still held air and the chrome, top and interior were still in remarkably good condition. Cynthia Sampson then moved the car, by then a celebrity in the MECUM.COM
Corvette community, to her home in Daytona Beach, Florida, where it remained in her living room for the next 10 years until its purchase by a Corvette collector who pledged to preserve it rather than restore it. In 1996 the car made its first appearance in the Bloomington Gold Special Collection in Springfield, Illinois, where it was displayed in honor of Richard Sampson, Sr. with Cynthia Sampson in attendance. Today this amazing piece of Corvette history remains probably the lowest-mileage, unrestored Corvette in the world, still with the 2,331 miles that were on the odometer when it finally again saw daylight 27 years after its entombment. M
Lot# S187 is scheduled to cross the Kissimmee block on Saturday, January 26 at approx. 4:50 p.m.
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The Reliant Center - Houston, Texas
APRIL 4-6, 2013
The Reliant Center • Houston, Texas
APRIL 4-6, 2013
IT’S TIME TO
CONSIGN CONSIGN A VEHICLE BROADCAST LIVE ON
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Road Art
Bob Sain
SHARP DRESSED SERVICE
Now a brand of the past, the Lincoln Engineering Company of St. Louis, Missouri, was an innovator of its time, quick to corner a brand-new and growing market in the 1940s with its portable “Engineered Lubricating Equipment.” The equipment was intended to perform useful and necessary tasks within a commercial garage setting while also having the ability to “build customer-confidence, add impressive eye-appeal… and promote complete service to the car owner,” as stated in an advertisement for the product published in 1946.
There are pieces such as the one pictured still in existence but most reflect the years of use and abuse they’ve endured in various garages across the country. This particular piece was housed in the Oklahoma area and has been restored under the Dodge Chrysler name in a Mopar motif – a gorgeous yellow and red finish to highlight its original high-end, art-deco design. The piece features the standard storage cabinets on either side of the work bench with two smaller cabinets tucked below, which once would have likely held a parts washer along with a built-in blow gun and air hose. The light above MECUM.COM
the glass-topped work bench is completely functional, as are all four cabinet doors. Also included with the cabinet are a matching spark plug cleaner, a grease machine and a fan for the “service manager.” Lincoln Engineering Co. may have built these to dress up commercial garages over half a century ago, but this particular one can now serve to dress up any home garage or gallery. Set to cross the block at our Kissimmee, Florida, auction on “Road Art Monday” as lot number M188, this piece will be offered after 1 p.m. on January 21. M MECUMMONTHLY
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THE ROAD TO
ROAD ART IN KISSIMMEE
Road Art is not simply our catchy name for memorabilia, it’s also part of the process and our way to signify special items or segments during the auctions. In Kissimmee, we will offer both entrylevel items (auction starters) and Road Art (high-quality collectibles) throughout the 10-day event with Monday, January 21st totally dedicated to Road Art and memorabilia.
ad Ro an m ap Ch
AUCTION BLOCK BIDDER RESERVED SEATING
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All lots designated with an “M” preceding the number will be offered on Road Art Monday, January 21st in the Road Art building located near the vehicle staging area. The auction will begin at 11 a.m. with auction starters. Feature items follow starting at 1 p.m.
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ALL DAYS
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All lots designated with an “X” preceding All lots designated with a “Z” preceding the number are considered auction the number are considered high-quality starters and will be offered prior to collectible Road Art and will be offered vehicles each day. during vehicle run hours. Z100-Z199 Friday 1/18 X100-X199 Friday 1/18 Z200-Z299 Saturday 1/19 X200-X299 Saturday 1/19 9 Thursday Catalog Cars Tent 1 Collections Tent Z300-Z399 Sunday 1/20 X300-X399 Sunday 1/20 10 Tent 2 Friday & Saturday Catalog Cars, Z400-Z499 Tuesday 1/22 X400-X499 Tuesday 1/22 Auction Office, Media Room, Z500-Z599Exhibitors Wednesday 1/23 X500-X599 Wednesday 3 Tent 1/23 Z600-Z699 Thursday 1/24 X600-X699 Thursday 1/24 11 Lot Tent 4 Z700-Z799 Friday 1/25 X700-X799 Friday 1/25 Lot 12 Tent 5 Z800-Z899 Saturday 1/26 X800-X899 Saturday 1/26 13 Display Tent 1/27 6 Z900-Z999 Sunday 1/27 X900-X999 Sunday 7
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Arena
BIDDER REGISTRATION
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Here is a breakdown of when and where items will be offered during the Kissimmee auction to help give you an idea of where to be to get your hands on the next decorative piece to complement the collection: MONDAY 1/21
NON-BIDDER SEATING UPPER LEVEL
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Tent & Misc. Tent
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Display
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Lot
Indiana State Fairgrounds - Indianapolis, Indiana
CONSIGN A VEHICLE BROADCAST LIVE ON
MAY 14-19, 2013
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REGISTER TO BID
1961 Ford Galaxie Sunliner
Red with Red Interior, Black Soft Top, Continental Kit
FRAN FRAN & & RON RON GREEN’S GREEN’S M CT TIIO ON N MU US SE EU UM M C CO L L E C
FEBRUARY 22-23, 2013 Boynton Beach, Florida
All Offered at NO RESERVE Includes Over 1000 items of Road Art & Memorabilia!
PREVIEW COLLECTION
Florida License #AB1919
Mecum.COM 262-275-5050
REGISTER TO BID
LOCATION, LOCATION
Insider’s Scoop
by DAVID NEWHARDT
To borrow a phrase from the real estate business, it’s all about location. Whether you’re selling acreage or automobiles, the overall “look” of the product can make or break a sale. When Mecum Auctions works to market a vehicle, the background in promotional photos can be almost as important as the subject itself when it comes to presentation. The key is agreement between the two. Different types of vehicles require different types of backgrounds. Parking a muscle car on grass in a park setting is wrong on so many different
levels. The only reason a muscle car should be on a lawn is because its driver lost control. But place a 1932 Ford on turf, and the backdrop becomes period appropriate. Inversely, positioning that old Ford in front of an industrial structure will cause confusion for viewers. A muscle car parked in front of the steel mill appears far more fitting. Here is a pair of photos featuring images of two radically different automobiles in two radically different settings. The photo of the 1970 Baldwin Motion Camaro is gritty, raw and ominous, mimicking the
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qualities of the muscle car and giving the overall “look” of the photo a certain cohesive quality. Compare it with the shot of the 1947 Ford Sportsman strategically parked in front of the historic Walworth, Wis., train station. We have another image that places its subject in an appropriate setting, one that draws the viewer in. And when a viewer is drawn into a photo, they are studying the vehicle. That draw translates into increased interest at auction time. Like selling a house, the more eyeballs on the item, the more money changes hands. M
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SHARING THE VERDE Fran and Ron Green’s Verde Classics Museum Collection includes over 75 collector cars and other vehicles and more than 1,000 pieces of Road Art and memorabilia. All are set to be auctioned off at No Reserve during the February 22-23 auction at the couple’s private museum in Boynton Beach, Florida. Both lawyers by profession, Fran and Ron Green married in 2004. Fran had earlier been a Maryknoll sister and lived in Japan. The two first met working as partners in the Manhattan
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office of the National law firm of Epstein Becker & Green. “I’ve always had a passion for the automobile,” Ron explained. He raced stock cars as a young man and was later trained by The Jim Russell School in the Mohave. There he earned his SCCA license and went on to race Formula Ford, Formula V and Formula Atlantic. Fran also has an appreciation for cars and even graduated from the Bob Bondurant Racing School. Ron has since reluctantly given up racing, and together, he and Fran have taken up the car collector’s
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hobby to fulfill that desire to remain surrounded with the artful world of cars. “I decided to go into collecting cars even though I couldn’t race them anymore, and for the last 25 years or so we’ve been collecting cars and related automobilia,” Ron said. The Greens’ shared love of everything automotive led the two to create a place where they could display and share with everyone that “extraordinary visual experience,” and thus the Verde Classics Automotive Museum, 121 Commerce Road, Boynton Beach, Florida, was born.
CLASSICS EXPERIENCE “It’s been extraordinary to have the museum and to share this very special collection,” Fran said of the experience. “I think the most wonderful thing to me about the collecting of cars is the people you come in contact with and you meet. The collector community is a terrific community and we have really been blessed to be a part of it,” she added. When the couple chose to open
the museum doors to visitors, they decided not to charge an admission fee, asking instead that all proceeds be donated to the Wounded Warrior Charities Military Recovery fund. The couple said the charity, along with the Homes for our Troops Charity, is close to their hearts as Ron himself had served in the Army and they each have had many friends and family members serve in the military as well. While open for tours, the museum featured investmentgrade and collectible autos,
Fran and Ron Green
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bicycles, motor scooters and mopeds, as well as a wide variety of Road Art, sports, music and movie memorabilia, all originating from the 1950s through the ’70s. Guests were treated to a nostalgic walk through the large space decorated with a grouping of movie and television memorabilia from the early- to mid-post war era, including the “James Bond” series, “Casablanca,” and TV commercials and movies centered on the miracle of the auto. The experience continued with pieces that conjured memories of some of history’s most beloved legends like Elvis, the Rat Pack, “The Beatles” and many others. The sports and racing theme was strong throughout as well, featuring motoring icons like Steve McQueen and Michael Schumacher along with other sports stars like Muhammad Ali, the 1970s Knicks, Larry Byrd and Magic Johnson. Most of the vehicles in the couple’s collection are high performance convertibles, though the variety is impressive. The gallery houses an array of wellkept muscle cars, everything from a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster to a 2002 Aston Martin Convertible, all of which will cross the block at the upcoming auction. The collection contains a pairing of particularly rare Chrysler letter cars including a 1961 Chrysler 300G, one of only 338 produced, and a 1962 Chrysler 300H, one of only 135 produced. Both feature power MECUMMONTHLY
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convertible tops and windows, air conditioning and push button transmissions. The ’61 300G was the recipient of the 2002 AACA first place award and the 2004 AACA Grand National prize. Ron also has three Corvettes that are particularly significant to him. He personally commissioned the restoration
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of what he refers to as his three “Ferrari Red” Corvettes, which all feature Italian glove-soft leather interiors. Ron has owned the 1963 for over 20 years, commissioning the restoration in 2005. The 1962 went through a complete, body-off nut and bolt restoration, which after eight years was completed in 2007. Finally, the Green’s
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1954 Corvette has been with the museum for more than 10 years and was also the subject of a special restoration, with extreme attention paid to detail in all aspects of the Roadster’s construction. From race car drivers, to museum curators, to down-right car enthusiasts, Fran and Ron Green have made their love of automobiles a consistent part of
their lives. With each carefully selected and collected piece offered at no reserve, the two will now spread their coveted collection among other car enthusiasts, leaving them with a clean slate, perhaps to begin again. “Most things have their time and it’s time that we retire,” Ron explained. “My wife is retiring from the practice of law this
year, I will follow soon. We’ve had a wonderful partnership with Wounded Warriors Project and Homes for Our Troops…” he continued. “We’ll keep cars that are dear to us at our upstate New York farm but no longer maintain the museum with all the responsibility that entails.” Ron was quick to add that the couple won’t be leaving the car world completely stating
that, “I’m sure we’ll continue to collect some cars, just not on the scale that we have over the years.” The chance to experience the Green’s collection first-hand is fast approaching. Register as a bidder for the February 22-23 auction at www.mecum.com for the opportunity to take a piece of this grand collection home. M
FRAN & RON GREEN’S MU US SE EU UM M C CO OL LL M LE EC CT TIIO ON N
FEBRUARY 22-23, 2013 Boynton Beach, Florida MECUM.COM
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445 South Main,Walworth,WI 53184
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Florida License #AB1919
Osceola Heritage Park - Kissimmee, Florida
All Offered at NO RESERVE Includes Over 1000 items of Road Art & Memorabilia! Florida License #AB1919
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JANUARY 18-27, 2013
FRAN & RON GREEN’S MUSEUM COLLECTION
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