Lower-priced gems highlight Mecum Minnesota event

B. Mitchell Carlson, Roy Velander & Jerry Barber reporting

For many years, Mecum Auctions has conducted an auction concurrent with the Minnesota Street Rod Association’s Back to the 50’s show. This year, there were nearly 12,000 pre-1965 cars in attendance on the grounds at the Minnesota State Fair grounds. The auction had 171 consignments — with 87 finding new homes. While rather warm and sticky for the three-day weekend of BTT50’s, both events could be considered a success.

While it has also happened in the past, this year both Back to the 50’s and Bloomington Gold were occurring on the same weekend, with Mecum committed to auctions at both venues. There hardly seemed to be any glitches with less Mecum staff on site. Indeed, things seemed to flow like normal for a Mecum auction — helped in no small part to the regularity of being at this venue.

One thing that was different from past years was that it was more of a buyer’s market. It might just be signs of the market stabilizing, but consignors in the under $20K market were in the mood to sell and bidders were more keen on being buyers. While this market segment had been a bit off over the last couple years, it was doing brisk business at this sale.

The cars overall were a pretty good mix of the collector car market, ranging from a bone stock 1930 Chevrolet farm truck through a bone stock 2004 Audi A6 wagon. In between, there was something for everyone.

The one that perhaps meant the most to someone was a 1941 Willys street rod coupe. This pro-street machine found a new home at $85,000. More down to earth was our “Pick of the Sale,” a 1953 Hudson Hornet. The step-down Hudson was from the deep south, so it was very solid, and best of all, it was equipped with Twin-H Power dual carburetion. This blast from the past was hammered sold at a reasonable $6,500.

Mecum Auctions
Back to the 50’s
St. Paul, MN, June 22-23
Roy Velander reporting
Vehicles listed were declared sold. Reportedly, 87 were offered.

Price Condition

1958 Buick Special Riviera, 2d, HT $11,000 4
1965 Buick Wildcat, 2d, Conv $24,000 2
1966 Buick Riviera, 2d, HT $8,500 3
1979 Buick Riviera, 2d, HT, 30,000 mi $4,100 3
1983 Buick Special Riviera, 2d, HT, Lead Sled $18,000 3

1950 Cadillac 61, 2d, HT $15,000 4
1995 Cadillac Deville, 4d, Sed, sunroof $11,000 3
1930 Chevrolet Universal, 2d, 1T, Stake $9,500 2
1932 Chevrolet Special, 4d, Sed $32,500 2
1947 Chevrolet Stylemaster, 2d, Cpe, NOM, 261-cid GMC $8,000 3
1950 Chevrolet 3100, 2d, 1/2T, PU, 4-spd $23,000 2
1952 Chevrolet 3100, 2d, 1/2T, PU $21,000 2
1953 Chevrolet 3100, 2d, 1/2T, PU $18,000 3
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, 2d, HT $27,500 3
1956 Chevrolet 150, 2d, Sed, Mod $19,000 3
1956 Chevrolet 150, 4d, Sta Wag, Mod $13,000 3
1957 Chevrolet 210, 4d, Sta Wag, Mod $11,250 3
1958 Chevrolet Bel Air, 2d, HT $11,500 3
1958 Chevrolet Biscayne, 4d, Sed, Mod, NOM 350-cid $8,500 3
1960 Chevrolet Bel Air, 2d, HT, Mod, 348 V8 $13,500 3
1966 Chevrolet Corvair, Monza, 2d, HT $3,600 3
1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-396, 2d, HT, 350-hp, 4-spd $30,250 2
1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-396, 2d, HT, 4-spd $17,000 3
1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 2d, HT, NOM 350-cid $21,500 3
1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 2d, HT, Mod $13,500 3
1968 Chevrolet Corvette, 2d, T-top, Cpe, 427-cid, 400-hp, 4-spd $21,750 4
1968 Chevrolet Impala, 2d, Conv, 307-cid $7,250 3
1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 2d, HT, 350-cid, AT $26,500 3
1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS, 2d, HT, 350-cid, 300-hp, AT $24,250 3
1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 2d, HT, 350-cid, 4-spd $16,250 3
1970 Chevrolet Nova SS, 2d, Sed, NOM 396-cid, 4-spd $20,000 3
1970 Chevrolet C-10, 2d, Mod, 1/2T, PU, Longbox $10,500 3
1980 Chevrolet Corvette, 2d, T-top, Cpe, 4-spd $11,500 3
1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, 2d, Cpe $8,000 4
1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, 2d, Cpe $9,000 3
1987 Chevrolet Silverado C-10, 2d, Mod, 1/2T, PU, Shortbox $9,750 3
1987 Chevrolet El Camino, 2d, 1/2T, PU $5,500 3
1988 Chevrolet Iroc Z-28, 2d, FBk, HBk $8,250 3
1990 Chevrolet Corvette, 2d, Cpe $10,000 3
1994 Chevrolet Corvette, 2d, Conv $14,000 3
1994 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 2d, Cpe $21,000 3
1994 Chevrolet S-10, 2d, Mod, PU $5,250 3
1996 Chevrolet C-1500, 2d, Mod, 1/2T, PU, Shortbox $8,500 3

1959 Dodge Coronet, 2d, HT $11,000 3
1965 Dodge Coronet, 2d, Conv, 361-cid V-9 $14,000 3
1995 Dodge Viper, 2d, Rds $28,000 3

1931 Ford Model A, 2d, Rds $29,000 2
1934 Ford , 2d, V-8, Rod, Cpe, 3-window $31,000 2
1934 Ford , 4d, V-8, Sed, Rod $34,000 3
1948 Ford F-1, 2d, Mod, 1/2T, Panel $10,000 3
1949 Ford F-1, 2d, Mod, 1/2T, PU $16,000 2
1950 Ford Custom, 2d, Cpe $12,250 4
1952 Ford F-1, 2d, 1/2T, PU $16,250 3
1955 Ford Thunderbird, 2d, Conv, HT only $22,000 3
1955 Ford Fairlane Victoria, 2d, HT $12,750 3
1965 Ford Mustang 2+2, 2d, FBk $24,000 3
1966 Ford Mustang, 2d, Conv $27,000 3
1966 Ford Mustang 2+2, 2d, FBk, 45,000 miles, 289 V-8, 225-hp $16,750 3
1968 Ford Mustand, 2d, FBk, Mod $26,000 3
1969 Ford Torino Cobra, 2d, FBk, 428 Cobra Jet $23,000 3
1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport, 2d, HT $9,500 3
1979 Ford Ranchero GT, 2d, PU, w/topper $6,500 3
1999 Ford Lightning F-150, 1/2T, PU $18,000 2
2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1, FBk $18,000 2

1982 G.M. Caballero, 2d, 1/2T, PU $7,000 3
1953 Hudson Hornet, 4d, Sed, Twin-H power $6,500 4
1990 Jaguar XJ-S, 2d, Conv, V-12, 7,000 mi $19,000 2
1990 Lincoln Mk VII LSC, 2d, Cpe $3,500 4
1937 Lincoln-Zephyr , 4d, Sed, V-12 $23,500 3
1949 Mercury Eight, 2d, Cpe, Lead Sled $13,750 3
1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds, 2d, Cpe $5,600 3

1973 Plymouth Sebring, 2d, HT $4,600 3
1960 Pontiac Bonneville, 2d, Conv $21,000 3
1970 Pontiac GTO, 2d, Replica/The Judge $24,500 2
1977 Pontiac Firebird T/A, 2d, Cpe, 403 V-8 $14,000 3
1978 Pontiac Firebird T/A, 2d, Cpe $15,000 3
1980 Pontiac Firebird T/A, 2d, Mod, Cpe, NOM 496-cid, 5-spd $42,000 2
1988 Pontiac Fiero, 2d, Mod, Cpe, NOM 383-cid, V-8, 5-spd $15,500 3
1997 Pontiac Firebird Formula, 2d, Conv, 350-cid V-8 $14,500 3

SPCN MG-TD, 2d, Rds, Replica MG-TD $4,200
1932 SPCN Ford, 2d, Rds, Replica M:-Boy, rat $54,000 2
1978 SPCN Cobra, 2d, Replica Cobra, Rds, 302-cid V-8 $10,500 4
1971 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-40, 2d, Mod, SUV, 4x4 $10,250 3
1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle, 2d, Conv $6,000 4
1978 Volkswagen Super Beetle, 2d, Con $8,000 3