Under sweltering Florida temperatures, the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction wrapped up the weekend with the sale of the first retail production VIN 001 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray 3LZ and of a 2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition. These high-dollar supercar sales followed nearly a week of torrential rains that were so inundating they closed Ft. Lauderdale International Airport for more than two days.
That didn’t put a damper on the weekend events, though.
Celebrating 20 Years of the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction
This year marked the 20th Anniversary of Barrett-Jackson at the Palm Beach County Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, Florida. As in the past, there were sponsor and exhibitor displays, test drives, and more than 600 collector cars, trucks, and SUVs rolling across the block. Hemmings was there, too, looking for some highlights. Here’s what we found.
A Corvette for Charity
An eye-catcher, for sure, the 2024 Corvette E-Ray was shown in pre-production trim as it crossed the block. Chevrolet Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter told the crowd that the winning bidder could order production VIN 001 as they wished when the vehicle goes into production in late 2023. The winning bid was from automotive retailer and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick, who paid $1.1 Million for 001. One hundred percent of the hammer price will benefit DonorsChoose, an organization committed to education.
The other supercar pulling in a seven-figure haul was a 2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, it was delivered from the factory in the iconic blue/orange Gulf Oil livery commemorating its 1969 victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The one-owner car with 211 original miles sold for $1,457,500.
Restomods in abundance.
At Barrett-Jackson, the restomod is king. Palm Beach continued the trend, featuring some great examples. A right-hand-drive 1967 Volkswagen Beetle had undergone a full-restoration, refreshing the Bug and its 2,185cc four-cylinder engine. It rides on a lowered suspension with BRM Riviera alloy wheels, has a four-speed manual transmission, and is finished in emerald green over black. It sold for the bargain price of $12,210.
Other Volkswagens showed well, including several 23-window Microbus recreations.
A golden olive green 1962 Chevrolet Corvette custom convertible showed strong, selling for $401,500. Listed as a 1962 Pro Touring Corvette, it essentially is a C1 Corvette with the heart of a ZR-1. Powered by a 6.2-liter LS9 crate engine with Holley electronic fuel injection, it is mated to a Tremec five-speed manual transmission. The bodywork features custom vacuum-formed carbon-fiber fenders and door coves with custom rear bumpers.
A 1969 Ford Bronco custom pickup performed exceptionally strong on Saturday, bringing the hammer down with a winning bid of $143,000. A factory half-cab design, this 4×4 has seen a body-off-frame restoration and a complete engine transplant. This Bronco is now powered by a factory Ford Coyote 5.0-liter crate motor with a contemporary 6R80 automatic transmission. It’s a far cry from the 170-cubic-inch inline-six engine it originally came with.
Carrying on the off-road restomod theme was a 1992 Land Rover Defender 110, which hammered at $82,500. A left-hand-drive example, this Defender has less than 1,800 miles on the odometer since its restoration and build. It’s now powered by a 5.7-liter LS1 Chevrolet V-8 with automatic transmission. The interior includes black diamond-quilted leather with contrasting stitching, first and second row consoles, and third-row seating. It also includes a new climate control system and a complete coolant system modernization.
Strong numbers
Overall, 622 vehicles were sold at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction, all with no reserve. Combined with nearly $745,000 in automobilia sales, total auction sales came to $44.4 million.