Old Cars Auction Express: Kraft Indiana sale is a sell-out at two sites

B. Mitchell Carlson reporting

VALPARAISO, Ind. _ Kraft Auction Service, located just east of Valparaiso, Indiana on U.S. Highway 30, conducted its annual Antique and Collectible Weekend auctions this year over the course of the last two weekends in January, with four days of sales each weekend from Thursday through Sunday. While the vast majority of the sales were antiques and various genres of collectibles, the Jan. 30 segment was dedicated primarily to collector cars and automobilia. In addition to cars and trucks from several collections located here and selling remotely in Mount Airy, N.C., after the automotive segment, Kraft continued the auction with motorcycles plus motorcycle emphera and parts.

While the auction was conducted live at Kraft’s facility, due to the ongoing pandemic, attendance was restricted to approved bidders only. Auction organizers preferred bidders use phone bidding, absentee bids or one of the four auction platforms Kraft was utilizing.

After 18 lots of pedal cars opening the day’s auction at 9:30 a.m., the first automotive lot came on the block at 10:20 a.m. By 12:46 p.m., all of the cars that were on site in Valparaiso had been offered. After than the focus turned to the collection located in North Carolina, selling off the screen. While several states away, quite a few cars from that collection were bought by onsite bidders in Indiana — most of them dealers who would have to have their purchase shipped to them regardless. Over the course of the entire auction, online bidders from throughout the country, the Czech Republic, England, and Poland snapped up cars. All 128 cars and trucks were eventually called sold for a perfect sell-through rate. 

The high sale of the day was the most recently consigned car, a 1962 Jaguar XK-E convertible that was added during the week before the auction. It hammered sold to an online bidder for $125,000, returning to its homeland in England. One of the most engaging sales was for the newest car here – a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. The Torch Red with red interior coupe had only 18 miles on the odometer and was well equipped with the popular 2LT and Z51 packages — all for a $77,215 sticker price. With auctioneer Jonathan Kraft stating that the eighth-generation Corvette “was the only good thing out of 2020”, it opened online at $90,000 and was hammered two minutes later at $100,000 to a local bidder.

Overall sales were generally strong for the condition of the cars — a general trend since the pandemic drastically reduced the number of live auctions. With all the cars selling, the automotive segment of the big two-weekend sale was certainly a success for Kraft.

2-dr HT. Condition #3, sold for $13,000. The first-year Premier is one of the Lincoln’s highlights of the 1950s, and one of the more desirable cars of the decade. Helping this example was that it was equipped with factory optional air conditioning. Not helping was that is was a bit rough around the edges. The repaint, while weathered and cracking in a few places, was polished as much as possible. The chrome had lots of light to moderate pitting on a piece by piece basis, although the replated bumpers were quite presentable. Under the hood, the engine was repainted several years ago, and not authentically (heavy on the chassis black spray cans). Inside, the seats were worn and had a plethora of light cracks on the leather surfaces. All in all, you could make it a driver, but in the long run this solid body will be better served by a proper restoration. Here, it opened at $7,500 to an online bidder, eventually selling to a different onsite bidder. While it will need some work now (it’s really more of a No. 3- condition car) and in the future, it’s a car that’s high on the punch list of most 1950s car enthusiasts, so it’ll be one that should have a ready market when it comes time to sell it again.

2-dr conv. Condition #3, sold for $27,000. The undercarriage shows that the car was never professionally restored, but repainted and cosmetically redone as needed. The older repaint presents well, yet has some polishing scratches and would benefit from a professional conditioning. The chrome is still generally good. The reupholstery work has some light fading at tops of the seat backs. The top looks to be the most recently replaced component. This convertible was last sold at Mecum Auctions Indy Fall Special auction in late October, where it hammered sold for $18,000. Quite a good deal at the time, so its little wonder that the new owner looked to flip it here. Hammered for eight grand more with nothing done to improve the car at all (in fact it was filthy when we had a chance to inspect it). It sold with the title in transit; which is just as well, as the car will be in transit —it sold online to a bidder in South Carolina.

2-dr conv. Condition #3, sold for $18,000. A car that is not often seen at auction, as only 5,294 were made, making it the rarest of any ’69 Delta 88 body style. This one was stated to have been in the care of its consignor for five decades, that the 40,279 indicated miles are actual from new, and that it’s mostly original. One thing that isn’t original is the paint, which was redone several years back to an average quality standard. It was also given an undercoating job at that time. The suspension sits rather low and is fitted with new radial tires. Nice original chrome and stainless trim. Nice original interior, yet with some moderate to heavier carpet wear by the door sills. Clean under the hood with a more recent engine repaint, yet not really detailed. Bidding started at $11,500 online, with most bidding activity being online and from a phone bidder, the latter ending up as the high bidder. Not all that bad of a deal if you really wanted one of these. It may be a long time before you have a chance to find anther one. Yet for someone who just wants a late 1960s rag top cruiser, this was about right.

4-dr sedan. Condition #4, sold for $5,000. Wears an ancient repaint, flaking off in about eight fist-sized places throughout the body. All formerly plated trim was painted silver (the only exceptions being the door handles and headlight rims). Broken period aftermarket radiator cap ornament. Lots of light dents on all four fenders. The leatherette top is splitting along the sides. Heavy fading, staining and tearing of the cloth interior. Good wood rim steering wheel. Dingy engine bay. Stated that it was last started and running a few years ago. Bidding opened at $3,500 online. A couple of bids later, a high volume collector car dealer on site added it to the bunch of cars he eventually bought here. If a dealer picks up a “Roaring Twenties” era four-door sedan — a car that some pundits claim there’s no demand for anymore, especially since it’s a restoration waiting to happen — there must be some market for it.

2-dr HT. Condition #4, sold for $9,500. The owner was working finishing up this Impala a bit at a time, but passed away before he completed it. Most of the body was repainted a few years ago. No Chevrolet badges on the whole car – not even a bowtie. Fitted with aftermarket alloy wheels and radials tires, with the left rear getting low. Heavily modified small- block V-8 under the hood. Stock dashboard blanked out for all aftermarket gauges, to include the speedometer. Stock bucket seats, restored in a modern cloth. Home-made center console with aftermarket drag racing shifter for the automatic transmission. Lowered suspension overall, with newer undercoating. Bidding opened at $9,000, selling to a high volume Midwest collector car dealer, probably thinking that there are still enough folks still staying at home and looking for a new project.

Tudor sedan. Condition #3, sold for $15,250. Older cosmetic restoration, a major part of that being a decent repaint. Chrome work, not so much. Most plating is lightly pitted or surface rusted, yet buffed out to looking passably brilliant. Both windshield wiper arms are way out of alignment — resting on the windshield frame. Bumper guards not well aligned either. Aftermarket spotlight. Engine incorrectly repainted red and very haphazardly wired. Modern aftermarket fuel pump and regulator mounted on the firewall over the steering column. Good painted woodgraining on the dashboard. Decent seat reupholstery work, done in vinyl. 1938 is one of the least popular years of pre-war era flathead Fords, due to a love-it or hate-it styling. If you love it, this was a reasonably good buy. If not, this was well enough sold.

2-dr fastback HT. Condition #3, sold for $17,000. Powered by a stock 302 V-8 with two-barrel carburetor, backed by a column shift C-4 automatic transmission. Factory optional air conditioning, along with power steering and power front disc brakes. Slightly lowered rear suspension, yet the car has an overall even, flat stance. Non-stock 16-inch American Racing TorqThrust alloy wheels and 245/50R16 performance tires. Rather good repaint, with new graphics and pinstripping – although the Cobra on the rear valance is blatantly non-stock. Good door fit and panels gaps. Odometer shows 49,410 miles, and judging by the original interior, it could well be actual. The Fairlane has always been in the shadow of the Mustang, although the occasional performance Torino or Cobra shines a light on Ford’s bargain midsized muscle car. Granted, a two-barrel 302 doesn’t make this a muscle car, but the onsite bidder who topped all other bidders got the next-best thing and can proudly drive it knowing they got it at a reasonable price.

2-dr HT. Condition #3, sold for $10,750. Our “Pick of the Sale.” Little changed with Oldsmobile’s revolutionary Toronado in its second year of production; essentially just what was required for meeting the newly established Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for 1967. Which makes this year the year to have if you want to drive your Toro, with the reassurance of having dual master cylinder brakes and a collapsing steering column if needed. While some bemoan the 425 V-8 of these first two years, this example not only has a 1969 455 Olds under the hood, but is bored out to 465 cid. Better yet, it looks like a bone-stock 425, although it’s far from being detailed to show quality. The repaint looks black, yet it’s the stock Dubonnet, a very dark plumb. That matches the original Dubonnet vinyl and nylon bench seat interior. While it has some edge wear and soiling, the interior is pretty good for being 54 years old. There is some dry-rotting of the glass seals, the door top trim is loose, and some bonehead mounted the rocket upside down on the nose; but otherwise it’s a pretty decent example in a rarely seen color combo. Color me jealous, but considering that first-gen Toro’s have definitely established themselves as milestones of the history of GM, with plenty of collector interest (I was expecting this to bring about $15k), this was well bought by an online bidder from Texas on Live Auctions.com. Granted, we’d rather that it didn’t have the original black vinyl roof, but we’d get over it after some smoky burnouts — with the front wheels.

2-dr conv. Condition #3, sold for $7,000. The “what were they thinking?” Odd-duck of the Sale . Modified — putting it mildly. The only thing that’s VW Beetle is most of the body. At that, it’s a sedan with the roof cut off, not really a convertible as there’s no folding top. The body is fitted onto a highly modified Nova chassis, powered by a built-up 454-cid big-block Chevy V-8 under the (front) hood. Front bucket seats are from the donor Nova, while the stock VW dashboard has given way to a panel with aftermarket gauges. In back, where the 4-banger Beetle was, is a compressor and air tank for the air bag suspension and air horns. Somehow, the big block got stuffed into the frunk, and found room for a power brake booster and fitting the battery - so that may be the excuse for a very sloppy job of wiring. As such, it should be of no surprise that it has a state assigned VIN (in this case, from California). Bidding opened at $5,500 on site, eventually going to another onsite bidder. Well, it takes all kinds.

Valparaiso, IN - January 30, 2021
All 128 consigned cars and trucks were declared sold.
10% onsite and 15% online buyer’s fee not included in results below.
B. Mitchell Carlson reporting

For condition rating explanation CLICK HERE

1978 Alfa-Romeo Spyder 2d conv. #3 condition  $6,000 
1987 Alfa-Romeo Spyder Veloce 2d conv. #3 condition  $8,500
1977 AMC Pacer 2d wag. condition #3  $4,750 
1977 AMC Pacer 2d hbk fbk. condition #3  $5,500 
1979 AMC Pacer DL 2d wag. condition #3   $4,750
1952 American-Lefrance Coe 2d ft Detroit Dsl 6-71/4spd. condition #5  $1,600 
1959 American-Lefrance Coe 2d fire truck 6cyl Gas/4spd. condition #5 $1,000 
2001 Aston-Martin DB-7 Vantage 2d conv V12/6spd/56K mi. condition #3  $21,000 
1988 Bentley Eight 4d sed. condition #3  $9,000 
1957 BMW Isetta 300 1d cpe S/R project. condition #5  $9,500 
1960 BMW Isetta 300 1d cpe S/R. condition #4  $16,000 
1979 BMW 633CSI 2d cpe 4spd S/R. condition #4  $1,900 
1995 BMW 740I 4d sed S/R. condition #4  $700 
1975 Bricklin SV-1 2d cpe. condition #5  $2,300 
1930 Buick 40 2d cpe. condition #3  $15,500 
1950 Buick Sup 4d sed 42K mi. condition #3  $16,000 
1971 Buick Riv GS 2d HT. condition #3  $20,000 
1981 Buick Riv 2d HT 15K mi/5.0L Olds V8. condition #3 $8,500 
1974 Cadillac Eldo 2d conv. condition #4  $12,500 
1977 Cadillac Eldo 2d wag mod $6,250 4
1988 Cadillac Allante 2d conv w/both tops. condition #4  $2,500 
1993 Cadillac Allante 2d conv w/both tops. condition #3  $5,500 
1937 Chevrolet 2d 2T fuel tanker. condition #3  $14,000 
1946 Chevrolet HP 2d 1/2T panel street rod/NOM 415cid/AT. condition #3  $28,000 
1954 Chevrolet Bel Air 2d HT NOM Sbc/AT. condition #3  16,000 
1957 Chevrolet 150 2d sed Del mod/Bel Air trim/NOM SBC/AT. condition #3  $22,500 
1957 Chevrolet 210 4d sta wag 6cyl. condition #5  $3,000 
1958 Chevrolet Impala 2d HT 348cid/3X2bbl/AT. condition #3 $28,500 
1964 Chevrolet Corvette 2d cpe 327cid/250 hp/3spd. condition #3  $40,000 
1965 Chevrolet Impala 2d HT mod/NOM SBC/AT. condition #4 $9,500
1967 Chevrolet Corvette 2d cpe 327cid/300 Hp/4spd. condition #3  $37,000 
1976 Chevrolet Corvette 2d T-Top cpe L48/AT. condition #3 $9,000
1984 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28 2d T-Top fbk 5.0L/AT/10K mi. condition #2  $15,500 
1986 Chevrolet Corvette 2d conv 55K mi. condition #3  $7,500 
2020 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 2d cpe 18 mi. condition #1 $100,000 
1925 Chrysler B-70 2d 3W cpe. condition #4 $6,000 
1973 Citroen DS19 Pallas 4d sed Euro Spec/5spd. condition #2 $57,500 
1987 Citroen 2CV SPL 4d sed S/R. condition #3 $15,500 
1979 Datsun 280Zx 2d hbk fbk 5spd. condition #3  $8,000 
1982 Datsun 280Zx Turbo 2d hbk fbk T-Tops/5spd. condition #3 $14,000 
1936 Desoto Airflow 4d sed. condition #3  $21,000 
1955 Desoto Fireflite Sportsman 2d HT A/C title error. condition #5 $6,000
1938 Dodge D8 2d bus cpe. condition #4  $14,500 
1938 Dodge D8 4d sed. condition #5  $3,750
1911 Ford T open rds. condition #3  $125,000 
1923 Ford T 2d rds T-bucket sreet rod/SC/SBC/4spd. condition #3 $18,000
1926 Ford T 2d sed INOP/title error. condition #4 $4,000 
1927 Ford T 2d 1/2T PU. condition #3  $6,750 
1929 Ford A 2d cpe. condition #3  $12,500 
1929 Ford A 4d phae. condition #3  $12,500 
1930 Ford A 2d 1/2T PU. condition #3  $15,000 
1930 Ford A 2d 1/2T PU. condition #3  $15,000 
1930 Ford A 2d cpe R/S. condition #3 $14,500 
1931 Ford A 2d 1/2T stake mod/NOM 200cid I-6. condition #4 $9,500
1931 Ford A 2d cpe R/S. condition #3  $11,000
1931 Ford A 2d 1/2T PU. condition #3  $17,000
1931 Ford A 2d sed. condition #3  $11,000
1936 Ford Del 4d conv sed. condition #3  $23,000 
1938 Ford Del 2d sed. condition #3  $15,500 
1940 Ford Del 2d conv. condition #3  $27,000
1941 Ford 11C 2d 1/2T Pu. condition #3  $27,000
1947 Ford 8N open tractor. condition #4  $2,100
1948 Ford F-4 2d 1 1/4T 6cyl/4spd/Badger-Omaha stake body. condition #2  $12,000
1950 Ford Cus Del 4d sed. condition #3  $6,500 
1954 Ford Country Sq 4d sta wag AT. condition #3  $21,000
1955 Ford F-100 2d 1/2T PU mod/NOM Chrysler 440cid V8/A. condition #3 $29,500 
1957 Ford T-Bird 2d conv 312cid/3spd/both tops. condition #3 $28,000 
1960 Ford T-Bird 2d HT project. condition #5 $3,000 
1962 Ford T-Bird 2d conv repl Sports Rds. condition #3 $18,000
1962 Ford T-Bird 2d conv mod. condition #3  $9,500
1964 Ford Galaxie 500 2d HT 289cid/4spd. condition #4 $9,500
1966 Ford T-Bird 2d conv Spts Rds Tonneau. condition #3 $15,500
1969 Ford T-Bird Landau 4d sed. condition #3  $7,500 
1970 Ford Fairlane 500 2d fbk 302cid/AT. condition #3 $17,000
1950 Hudson Commodore 6d 4d sed. condition #4  $5,000 
1953 International L-110 2d 1/2T PU LWB. condition #3 $10,500 
1958 Jaguar XK-150 S 2d cpe. condition #2  $60,000
1962 Jaguar XK-E 2d conv 44K mi. condition #3  $125,000
1970 Jaguar XK-E 2d conv. condition #3  $50,000
1987 Jaguar XJS-V12 2d cpe. condition #4  $2,500
1989 Jaguar XJS-V12 Rouge Ed 2d cpe 48K mi. condition #3 $7,000
1954 Kaiser Manhattan 4d sed SC/AT. condition #4  $10,000
1956 Lincoln Premier 2d HT. condition #3  $13,000
1966 Lincoln Cont 2d HT. condition #3  $13,500
2004 Mazda Rx-8 4d cpe 6spd/52K mi. condition #4  $3,750
1962 Mercedes-Benz 190D 4d sed. condition #5  $3,000
1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 2d HT S/R. condition #4  $1,400
1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SL 2d conv w/both tops. condition #3 $9,000 
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 2d conv w/both tops. condition #3 $14,000 
1960 Messerschmitt KR200 1d cpe. condition #3  $29,000
1960 Messerschmitt KR200 1d cpe NOM Honda eng./no title. condition #6 $3,250 
1959 Metropolitan 1500 2d cpe mod. condition #3  $8,000
1959 Mg A 2d rds. condition #2  $29,000
1974 Mg B 2d conv. condition #3  $6,500
1995 Mitsubishi 3000Gt 2d hbk fbk 5spd. condition #4  $2,500
1957 Nash Metropolitan 1500 2d cpe. condition #3  $85,000
1957 Nash Metropolitan 1500 2d conv. condition #3  $10,250 
1957 Nash Metropolitan 1500 2d cpe project. condition #5 $1,600
1966 Oldsmobile Toro 2d HT. condition #3  $10,000
1967 Oldsmobile Toro 2d HT NOM 465cid V8. condition #3 $10,500
1969 Oldsmobile Delta 88 2d conv 40K mi. condition #3 $18,000
1948 Packard Eight 2262 4d sed 3spd. condition #3  $11,000
1966 Pontiac 2+2 2d HT NOM 3X2 bbl/AT. condition #3 $26,000
1984 Pontiac Fiero IPC 2d cpe AT. condition #3 $8,000
1973 Porsche 914 2d Targa cpe. condition #4 $7,500 
1979 Porsche 924 2d hbk fbk 5spd. condition #5  $650 
1984 Porsche 928 S 2d hbk fbk AT/SR. condition #3  $5,000
1958 Rambler Sup 4d sed AT. condition #3  $9,250 
1958 Rambler Sup 4d sed AT. condition #3  $6,000
1959 Rambler Cus 4d sed 11K mi/AT. condition #3  $8,000
1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II 4d sed. condition #5  $8,500
1927 Studebaker Commander Big 6 4d sed. condition #4 $5,000
1962 Studebaker GT Hawk 2d HT 4spd/AC. condition #3 $9,250
1962 Studebaker GT Hawk 2d HT AT. condition #4  $8,000
1967 Sunbeam Alpine 2d conv. condition #4 $6,750
1949 Tatra Tatraplane T600 4d sed. condition #2  $60,000
1964 Triumph TR-4 2d conv. condition #3  $12,000
1968 Triumph GT-6 2d hbk fbk. condition #4  $8,750
1978 Triumph Spitfire 2d conv. condition #3  $4,500
1978 Triumph Spitfire 2d conv w/both tops. condition #4  $4,600
1963 Trojan 200 1d cpe RHD. condition #3  $16,000
1963 Trojan 200 1d cpe RHD. condition #4  $14,000
1972 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia 2d cpe. condition #3  $12,000
1973 Volkswagen Beetle 2d conv mod. condition #3  $7,000
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia 2d cpe. condition #3  $14,000
1974 Volkswagen Sup Beetle 2d conv. condition #3  $7,000
1977 Ward-Lafrance Coe 2d Fire Cummins Diesel/AT. condition #5 $900
1982 Zimmer Golden Spirit 2d cpe Neo-Classic/30K mi. conidtion #3  $12,250

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