Hot Collector Car Auctions January 2023

This $80K S2000 shows that rare, perfect-condition cars are still commanding big bucks — Petersen Automotive Museum

PD August 8, 2024; MD December 13, 2022 3 months by Bill A. Graham

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Motor Trend

Hot Collector Car Auctions January 2023

Table of Contents

It’s that time of year again. January is when the auction houses light the fuse to a new auction year. Here’s a list of old car auctions scheduled for January of 2023.

MECUM KISSIMMEE: Jan. 4-15

KISSIMMEE, Fla. _ Mecum Auctions will return to Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee for the 18th annual edition of the world’s largest collector car auction.

With the recent addition of 50 investment-grade vehicles from the main attraction Rick Grant III Estate Collection, along with several other private collection offerings, Mecum was closing in on 4,000 consignments at press time. There will be live coverage of the event to be featured on MotorTrendTV and MotorTrend+.

This race-bred 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center Seat will cross the block at Mecum Kissimmee and figures to be one of the stars in a big month in collector car auctions.

Mecum

Headliners include a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center Seat, a 1936 Bugatti Type 57 and a 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra roadster from the Grant III collection. The impressive group also includes a variety of other well-preserved classic sports cars from Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Austin-Healey, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, MG and others.

Joining the Rick Grant III Estate Collection and the Chuck Cocoma Judge and GTO Ram Air IV Collection — headlined by a rare Orbit Orange 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV convertible — is a growing list of private collections featuring a wide selection of collector vehicles. Among them are The Gary Edwards Wing Car & MoPar Collection featuring 12 meticulously curated Dodge Daytonas and Plymouth Superbirds, along with four other mighty MoPars; another dozen vehicles From the Lindley Collection, including two other wing cars; nine vehicles offered at no reserve from The David Disiere Collection; nine vehicles From the Wendlinger Collection, including several benefiting from frame-off restorations; and six select vehicles from the famed Wellborn Musclecar Museum Collection.

– XM-Turnpike Cruiserheads to Kissimmee

The one-of-a-kind 1956 Mercury XM-Turnpike Cruiser concept car, which just completed a lengthy 3-1/2-year restoration in the hands of owner and restorer Tom Maruska, will be crossing Mecum’s auction block at Kissimmee, Fla., on Jan. 14.

Maruska purchased the long-hidden XM-Turnpike Cruiser in 2017 and soon began an extensive restoration of the Ghia-bodied concept car, which was covered extensively in Old Cars. The XM-Turnpike Cruiser was originally displayed with a matching Ford tractor and a trailer built with a turntable to display theconcept car, but only the car itself has survived.

The XM-Turnpike Cruiser was debuted byFoMoCo’s Mercury division at the 1956 Cleveland auto show, then appeared at the Detroit, Chicago and New York auto shows. It also paced the Daytona Beach Grand National Race on Feb. 17, 1957, by which time the 1957 Mercurys, whose styling it predicted, were in production. The XM-Turnpike Cruiser’s last public appearance was the 1957 Grand National Race, so very few people have ever seen the car in person since then. For this reason, among others, famous concept car collector Joe Bortz is expecting the XM-Turnpike Cruiser to fetch a staggering amount.

“I would expect it to certainly break into the seven-figure area,” Bortz said. “I think Tom Maruska took a car that was rough and through massaging it and everything else he did, certainly, in the pictures, it looks to be right on the money.”

Only time will tell what the final bid will be when the car sells at the Saturday climax of Mecum Kissimmee, which will run from Jan. 4-15.

For more information, visit www.mecum.com.

BARRETT-JACKSON SCOTTSDALE: Jan. 21-29

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. _ Barrett-Jackson will return to WestWorld of Scottsdale for its annual flagship sale. Saturday and Sunday will be preview days with bidding on automobilia starting Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. Collector car lots are scheduled to begin crossing the block every day at 10 a.m.

1940 Willys “Swoopster” custom

Barrett-Jackson

Among the collector cars set to cross the block with no reserve:

— 1926 Packard 443 phaeton

— 1931 Cadillac 335A convertible

— 1940 Willys “Swoopster” custom

— 1948 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

— 1957 Corvette 283/283 “fuelie” convertible

— 1963 Corvette “split-window” coupe

Also on the docket will be a large assortment of other Corvettes, Mustangs, trucks and muscle cars.

For more information, visit www.barrett-jackson.com.

RM SOTHEBY’S PHOENIX: Jan. 26

PHOENIX _ RM Sotheby’s returns to the grounds of the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa for its annual Arizona sale. The auction will feature a selection of top-quality vehicles, from prewar Full Classics to contemporary supercars.

1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra

RM Sotheby’s

Among the early consignments:

— 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra

— 1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT roadster

— 1956 Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster

— 1963 Apollo 3500 GT coupe by Intermeccanica

— 1969 Plymouth GTX Hemi convertible

— 1952 Allard K2 Special Roadster

— 1936 MG NB Magnette two-seater

A public preview will be held beginning at 10 a.m. on Jan. 25. Bidding will begin Thursday at 2 p.m.

For more information, visit www.rmsothebys.com or call 519-352-4575.

BONHAM’S SCOTTSDALE: Jan. 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. _ Bonham’s Annual Scottsdale Auction is set for Jan. 26 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. An impressive array of blue-chip American and foreign collector cars will be on the menu. Among the top early consignments:

1957 Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400

Bonhams

— 1958 BMW 507 Series II roadster

— 1953 Siata 208S spider

— 1957 Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400 show car

— 1954 Chrysler Ghia GS-1 coupe show car

— 1933 Packard Twelve Model 1005 coupe roadster

— 1972 Porsche 911 S Targa 2.4 coupe

— 1966 Porsche 911 2.0 coupe

— 1953 Buick Skylark convertible

For times and additional schedule information, visit www.bonhams.com.

MAG AUCTIONS PEORIA: Jan. 27-28

FORT MCDOWELL, Ariz. _ MAG Auctions will hold its event at the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort. Gates will open all three days at 9 a.m. with bidding starting with memorabilia at 10 a.m. and vehicles at 11 a.m.

Early consignments include