4 minute read
HemmingsAuctions.com
from Big
by Thomas Swift
HEMMINGS AUCTIONS IS OUR LIVE, ONLINE AUCTION SITE STAFFED BY customer service professionals ready to help bidders and sellers with any questions. A wide variety of classic and specialty vehicles from all eras are up for bid. Auctions run for two weeks, and qualified bidders place their bids electronically. Once a vehicle is accepted into the auction, the seller pays only a $99.95 listing fee. The winning bidder is responsible for a 5-percent fee on all completed auctions. The following are examples of auctions that transpired during the month leading up to press time. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, email Director of Auction Operations Terry Shea: terryshea@hemmings.com.
BY MARK J. McCOURT IMAGES COURTESY OF HEMMINGSAUCTIONS.COM
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1959 MERCEDES-BENZ 190 SL
Reserve: $175,000 Selling Price: $210,000
Recent Market Range: $170,230-$206,350 This beautiful 190 SL, restored by a noted specialist in Germany, turned out to be a big bell-ringer at auction. Showing a mere 25 miles on its odometer, the Mercedes-Benz was little used after its 2014 restoration and presented like new from every angle. Its paint, top, and leather-trimmed cabin looked showroom fresh, with period-fitted luggage adding an upscale touring touch. Per the seller, the sole interior demerit was a faulty fuel gauge. The rebuilt, factory-installed four-cylinder and four-speed manual looked as they should, and the undercarriage was spotless. Intense last-minute bidding on this baby SL caused six time extensions.
LEGEND 1977 FORD BRONCO
Reserve: $43,000 Selling Price: $53,025
Recent Market Range: $47,120-$69,220 The reintroduction of the historic Ford nameplate on a vehicle that recalls the original in looks and spirit has sparked full-blown Bronco fever in America. This 4x4 dates from the last year of first-gen Bronco production and was said to retain its factoryapplied finishes and components, from the paint and Special Décor Group graphics to the interior vinyl and removable hard roof. The 302-cu.in. V-8 had 52,120 miles on it, and demerits included minor rust in the front fenders, a bit of failed seat foam and scuffed vinyl, and surface corrosion on underbody surfaces. The seller responded to bidder questions, and bidders prompted no fewer than 10 extensions of the auction action.
1932 MARMON 8-125
Reserve: $25,000 Selling Price: $53,025
Recent Market Range: $23,220-$36,250 Survivors of the low-production, high-end Marmon marque are few and far between, especially late examples like this 1932 8-125 convertible coupe, which its seller claimed was one of five known to remain. The car benefitted from ongoing refurbishment that included a fully rebuilt 125-hp straight-eight engine, restored instrumentation, and a replacement wiring harness. Its paint and interior appeared older, with good chrome but chipped lacquer, minor surface corrosion, tired carpeting, and split rumble-seat upholstery. This regal Marmon is prime fodder for a comprehensive restoration, and it sold after an impressive 56 bids, raking in more than double its reserve.
1950 FORD F-1
Reserve: $23,500 Selling Price: $39,375
Recent Market Range: $22,750-$34,140 A beautiful blue brute, this early postwar F-1 pickup was said to have enjoyed a factorycorrect body-off restoration more than 20 years ago and was kept in top condition since. The paint was noted to contain only minor blemishes, while the trim remained in fine shape and the bed was lined with finished red oak. The interior presented as original, with an unmarked vinyl bench seat and working heater. The undercarriage contained recently replaced shocks and tie-rod ends and looked virtually spotless, although the bias-ply tires were of indeterminate age. This truck caught people’s attention, with bidding extended seven times for a great result.
1935 DE SOTO AIRFLOW 1952 MG TD
Reserve: $15,000 Selling Price: $19,005 Recent Market Range: $16,750-$25,900 Reserve: $13,500 Selling Price: $26,250 Recent Market Range: $12,150-$19,420
De Soto’s streamlined Art Decomasterpiece, the Airflow, was a slow seller, and few remain. This handsome four-door example had an older refurbishment, which appeared to have held up fairly well. Its factory engine was replaced with a rebuilt one of the correct type and mated to a driveline with minor fluid leaks. Some of the original paint was still present, though rust had bubbled up in spots. The interior, redone in 2018, looked very nice in pictures, and most fascinating was the first owner’s trunk graffiti, which noted where and when the car was originally purchased. The seller responded to bidder inquiries, and the Airflow changed hands for a sum in the middle of its value range. It’s not often that a car enjoys seven decades of careful stewardship with a single owner, but that’s what this little MG roadster boasted. It was treated to a ground-up restoration in the late 1990s and continually maintained since, with rebuilt SU carburetors and new tires installed two years ago. The paint was described as “very good to excellent, ” although a small crack in the windscreen was noted. The interior received a custom wood dash and steering wheel, and its leather and carpeting remained in fine shape. The drivetrain had a mysterious oil leak, but a video showed the engine springing to life after a cold start. Bidders appreciated this TD, which nearly doubled its reserve.
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BARRETT-JACKSON.....................................3 BIRD NEST..................................................69 BOB’S SPEEDOMETER ...............................61 CLASS-TECH ..............................................57 COKER TIRE..................................................1 COVERCRAFT INDUSTRIES........................35 CUSTOM AUTOSOUND MFG.......................39 GOVMINT......................................................9 THE GREAT RACE.......................................25 THE HAMILTON COLLECTION ....................19 HILL’S CLASSIC CARS................................39 HYDRO-E-LECTRIC.....................................39 IDIDIT..........................................................39 J.C. TAYLOR AUTO INSURANCE.................15 JOURNEY HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE...........17 KEYSTONE REGION CHAPTER ...................57 LUCAS CLASSIC TIRES ..............................11 MID-OHIO FORD CLUB...............................41 NATIONAL PARTS DEPOT......... BACK COVER ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP ...........................67 RM AUCTIONS..............................................5 ROBERTS MOTOR PARTS...........................43 ROCKAUTO, LLC.........................................41 RPM FOUNDATION .....................................51 SMS AUTO FABRICS...................................69 STAUER.................................................13, 21 STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS.....................41 SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT .....................7 TP TOOLS ...................................................43 UNIVERSAL VINTAGE TIRE ...........................4 WALDRON’S EXHAUST...............................57
