SATURDAY AT BARRETT-JACKSON SCOTTSDALE: 25 STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
January 17, 2015
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
If you’ve been to Barrett-Jackson before, you’ll know that the final Saturday is always a blockbuster experience. But this year, Saturday at the 44th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction has so many extraordinary vehicles crossing the block that no single press release or eBlast can contain the news. Everywhere you look, historically significant and groundbreaking cars abound. While there are literally hundreds of tales to tell and every car is special, here are 25 storylines to keep in mind as the vehicles cross the block Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015.
ONE: Two of the most important Thunderbirds in the world are here: The first production Thunderbird and what is arguably the most rare performance-equipped bird of them all.
Lot #2523 (Above) – 1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible “Serial #005.” Produced at the Michigan factory on September 9, 1954, this car has been verified by Ford officials as the first production Thunderbird. It has captured the attention of writers, collectors and car buffs throughout the world.
Lot #5104 (Above) – 1957 Ford Thunderbird Phase One D/F Supercharged. This is one of 15 hand-built for Ford Competition at Ford Headquarters, and one of only eight known to survive today. The “Phase One” cars are considered to be even more rare than the coveted 1957 “F” Factory Supercharged Thunderbirds.
TWO: The incredibly rare and significant Futurliner will be auctioned for charity.
One of 12 built, the 1950 General Motors Futurliner Parade of Progress Tour Bus (Lot #2501, above) is a bona fide piece of American history. The GM design staff, under Harley Earl’s direction, created this self-contained display and transport vehicle. Its sale is made even more special by the generosity of Ron Pratte: 100 percent of the proceeds from the auction of this amazing vehicle will go to the Armed Forces Foundation.
THREE: One of the greatest concept cars in American history, the Bonneville Special, will cross the block.
Long before the Internet and mass media, the GM Motorama traveled from city to city to spread the word about the latest General Motors innovation: the jet-themed 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special Motorama Concept Car (Lot #2500, above). At the time, no GM car had ever carried the Bonneville name. This is one of only two ever made, and is certainly a contender for the best-remembered Motorama car.
FOUR: Not one, but three L88 Corvettes will be under one roof and for sale at the same time.
Lot #5035 (above) – 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible L88 Race Car. Built and raced by Don Yenko with co-drivers Peter Revson and Pedro Rodriguez, this special car has received the coveted NCRS American Heritage Award representing Corvette legacy. It’s a blue-chip collectible that can be vintage-raced.
Lot #5048 (above) – 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible L88 Race Car. The 22nd factory-production L88 ever built, the second built in the 1968 model year, and one of the first-ever L88s with “cabin heaters.” A Pole Winner, GT class, in the 1968 Daytona 24 Hours, it was campaigned by AIR, with late actor James Garner as its team principal.
Lot #5049 (above) – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88. This very rare L88 street car is one of 116 and had a body-off restoration by Nabor Bros. of Houston, Texas, and was then Bloomington Certified in 1990.
FIVE: Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale is one of only two places in the world where you can get a glimpse of the new Shelby GT350R.
Lot #3008 (Above) Fresh from the model’s unveiling at the Detroit International Auto Show, bidders will vie for VIN #001 of the new Ford Shelby GT350R Coupe, with all proceeds going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. You could view the GT350R in Detroit. You can own it here at Barrett-Jackson.
SIX: One of only three Franay-bodied short wheelbase Talbot-Lago T-26 Grand Sports will be crossing the auction block.
This 1949 Talbot-Lago T-26 Grand Sport Coupe Franay (Lot #5087, above) is also one of only eight built on the same short chassis used on their Grand Prix cars. It’s a one-off design and is the only T-26 Franay to be fitted with a sunroof. The fitted luggage is an exquisite feature from a bygone era.
SEVEN: The Ferrari F40 owned by Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, and built by Gas Monkey Garage is sure to generate some excitement.
This 1991 Ferrari F40 (Lot #5071, above) was built and upgraded by the “Fast ’N Loud” crew as well as Ferrari experts, and great attention was taken to make the chassis equal or better than a stock F40, and the HRE wheels are one-of-a-kind forgings. It’s a Hot Rod.
EIGHT: In very short supply worldwide, Barrett-Jackson offers a rare opportunity to own a 2014 BMW I8 Hybrid.
Bidders will have an opportunity to own one of the most sought-after and hard-to-get cars of 2014, the BMW I8 Supercar (Lot #1315, above). Only a few hundred were built for the U.S. market; this is one of less than 500 built.
NINE: Three Ford GTs, including an ultra-rare Heritage Edition and Serial #003, the lowest-production number 2005 vehicle, will cross the block. These cars continue to appreciate with no end in sight. They are also great cars to drive and own.
Lot #5072.1 (Above) – 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition, one of only 343 in the Heritage/Gulf paint scheme.
Lot #2508, Above – 2005 Ford GT Serial #003, the lowest production number offered to the public and the ultimate American sports car.
Lot #5066, Above – a 2005 Ford GT with a rare stripe delete and showing less than 3,500 miles on the odometer.
TEN: Two stars of the silver screen will have starring roles on the block.
This 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Custom “Fireball 500” (Lot #5058, above) is the only one in existence. It was built by Kustom King George Harris, also known for the Batmobile, and was the “car star” of the 1966 movie “Fireball 500” starring Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello and Fabian. The sale comes with photographs signed by George Barris as well as the stars of the film.
This 1955 Chevrolet Custom “Two-Lane Blacktop” (Lot #7003, above) is the original movie car driven by James Taylor and Beach Boy Dennis Wilson in the 1971 cult classic road movie “Two-Lane Blacktop.” The car’s original builder, Richard Ruth, will be on hand to celebrate the iconic car’s sale.
ELEVEN: The first-ever Corvette race car is sure to generate some excitement.
This 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster Race Car (Lot #5054, above) is the oldest-known Corvette race car, a Daytona Beach “NASCAR Unit” created by Chevrolet Engineering for Bill France, to be run in the 1956 Daytona Speed Week.
TWELVE: The legendary 1968 Lotus turbine-powered Indy race car will roar onto the block.
A marvel of automotive engineering, this iconic STP-sponsored #70 Lotus 56-3 Indy Race Car from 1968 (Lot #5069, above) houses one of the first turbine engines ever used in an Indy car. Racing legend Graham Hill found himself behind the wheel of this beast in 1968 after winning the Indy 500 in 1966, and he set a new track record with it: an average speed of 171.208 mph over four laps in qualifying.
THIRTEEN: A custom De Tomaso Pantera built by the Ringbrothers is likely to fetch the highest sale price for the Italian-built make and model. Of particular interest is that the car is a full-on custom, not a restored original.
This 1972 De Tomaso Pantera Custom (Lot #5072, above) combines Italian styling with American horsepower in a package full of modern features, including an LS3 pumping out a healthy 600hp through a ZF 5-speed gearbox. Cars like this Pantera epitomize modern day coach-building.
FOURTEEN: The president of Duesenberg’s personal company car will cross the block and it has a supercharger.
This was Lucius B. Manning’s company car, one of the perks of being Duesenberg president. This grand 1935 Duesenberg SJ Dual-Cowl Phaeton (Lot #5078, above) was designed from the outset to be the world’s finest car, and debuted at the New York Auto Salon on December 1, 1928, where its launch dominated newspaper headlines and halted trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
FIFTEEN: A car built for a U.S. president will motor across the block.
This 1929 Cadillac Fleetwood Transformable Town Cabriolet (Lot #5080, above) was a special build overseen for the president of Cadillac Motor Cars, Lawrence P. Fisher, who presented it to U.S. President Herbert Hoover and his wife as a gift.
SIXTEEN: A car valued for its ownership and unusual customization will be up for auction.
Howard Hughes’ historic 1953 Buick Roadmaster (Lot #2503, above) has only 5,339 original miles and was found in Hollywood, California, stored on blocks. It was customized to accommodate Mr. Hughes’ idiosyncrasies, including a complex germ filtration system. One of the richest men in history, Billionaire Howard Hughes drove a Buick.
SEVENTEEN: The first car Carroll Shelby ever raced.
This 1949 MG TC Roadster (Lot #2510, above) is an incredibly significant automobile. Carroll Shelby’s entire automotive and racing career started right here behind the steering wheel of this car. Having never driven in an automobile race before, Carroll Shelby hopped into this little MG and crossed the finish line first using sheer will, beating much faster cars.
EIGHTEEN: As if traveling forward through time, ultra-low-mile classic cars are in high demand.
A selection of ultra-low-mile collector cars will cross the block today, including a 1988 Ferrari Testarossa (Lot #5092, above) with only 280 miles and a 1969 Corvette L89 (Lot #5050) with only 352 miles. Because the Corvette has never been titled, the high bidder will technically be the original owner.
NINETEEN.:“America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod” 2014 winner will motor across the block.
A 1936 Dodge Brothers Touring Sedan (Lot #5006, above), this is The Goodguys Rod and Custom Association’s 2014 “Americas Most Beautiful Street Rod” winner. The seemingly flawless beauty is powered by a late-model HEMI and has a show quality paint job.
TWENTY: At least five ultra-low production, late-model Shelby automobiles will be up for auction.
Coming out of the Pratte Collection, the offering includes Serial #000 GT500 KR (Lot #2526, above), the only 2008 example equipped with a glass roof, and a 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, Serial #001 (Lot #2527), with a supercharged 5.8L DOHC V8 making an extraordinary 882 horsepower.
TWENTY-ONE.:A one-of-a kind offering will be up for auction: Bunkie Knudsen’s personal Corvette Styling Car.
As general manager for Chevrolet, Bunkie Knudson had the clout to order a one-of-a-kind show car for his own personal use. This flashy 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Styling Car (Lot #5051.1, above) was penned by design legend Larry Shinoda, who later worked for Ford. Valuable features include fuel injection and many one-off design cues, including the steering wheel.
TWENTY-TWO: One jet-turbine powered car is not enough for the Barrett-Jackson docket.
The second turbine car, a 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Jet Turbine-Powered Custom (Lot #5070, above) is one you can drive on the street. It does 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. The engine revs to 37,500 rpm. Make sure you’re cleared for take-off before dropping the hammer on this baby. The consignors have been rolling the car outside of the main tent and lighting off the turbine just for fun.
TWENTY-THREE: The tradition of starting the Salon Collection Sale with a 300 SL Gullwing continues.
Each year, Barrett-Jackson kicks off the Salon Collection sale with a Gullwing. This year, we have a beautiful matching numbers example, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (Lot #5075, above), which spent a significant portion of its life in Central America. It features rare Rudge wheels and fitted luggage.
TWENTY-FOUR: Two cars from the Pininfarina Museum will cross the block.
The first Pininfarina automobile is an extremely rare 1952 Alfa Romeo 1900 C Sprint (Lot #5042) with Pininfarina coachwork. The second is a design study spearheaded by Batista “Pinin” Farina himself. The unusual 1960 Pininfarina “X” car (Lot #5043) has four wheels, but they are arranged in an unusual diamond layout with one wheel at the front, another at the rear and wheels at either side. The X is a running and driving car that you can enjoy with your friends. It is truly a one of a kind collectible.
TWENTY-FIVE: Carroll Shelby’s personal, one and only Super Snake 427 Cobra will rock the house.
The only one of its kind, Carroll Shelby built this over-the-top 1966 427 Cobra (Lot #2509, above) to blow off steam and generate attention for the Shelby brand. With two superchargers and 800hp, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own the ultimate 427 Cobra roadster. Owned and driven by Carroll Shelby himself.