Car modifying is a multi-billion-dollar industry ranging from a simple sticker set to expensive, advanced engine changes and body kits. With so many choices out there, the only limiting factor is money. Most of the time, drivers need a lot of cash to turn an ordinary car into something special after it’s been modded.
Car fans love to see an adequately modified car. And many of those fans pay close attention to classic American cars that went through the hands of talented engineers and designers. That’s why we’re going to showcase our favorite American classic cars that are simply stunning when modified. These American classics set the template for so many enthusiasts around the world, so enjoy them here.
Photo Credit: Mecum
Yenko Stinger
Everybody knows about the fantastic Yenko 427 Camaros. But did you know about the Yenko Stinger, a race-prepared Corvair that won the SCCA championship? Even before the Camaros, Yenko produced at least 100 white Yenko Stingers with a special suspension, modified bodies, and 160-190 HP flat-six engines (via Hemmings).
Photo Credit: Silodrome
The cars proved to be very competitive and stable compared to other SCCA competitors. However, when the Camaro was introduced, Yenko turned to 427 conversions and the Yenko Stinger project was put on hold. Today, those white coupes are highly sought after by collectors.
Remember the early days of the new-generation Charger, its 2006 launch, and how much grumping people did over the idea that it wasn’t a coupe? Today, the modern four-door Charger has lasted longer than the original B-body coupes it shares a name with. It’s such a quaint argument today, in the face of its imminent demise.
The Widebody-equipped Charger Scat Pack, its 485-hp 6.4-liter naturally aspirated V-8, and its 3.5-inch-wider body have been around for a few years now. It’s changed little: 0-60 times in 4.3 seconds, 12.4-second quarter miles, an eye-opening .98 g on the skidpad. The extra width allows 305/35ZR20 Pirelli tires and 20 x 11-inch forged-aluminum wheels on all corners, along with six-piston Brembo front brakes (with two-piece front rotors) and suspension upgrades like Bilstein three-mode adaptive damping. The power is more than enough to put traffic in your mirror when the light goes green — even a gentle toe on the throttle will send you hurtling forth — and cornering is sharp enough to get around Grandma Ciera and her timid attempt at merging onto an on-ramp. The mandatory eight-speed automatic, left to its own devices, is happy to hold gears under WOT — but will spring through the first half of its gearset in seconds under gentler conditions.
Photo by Jeff Koch
It’s everything you’ve come to expect from a Charger. Comfy seats designed for large American frames. Brembo brakes that stop you dead from freeway speeds while behaving themselves around town. An exhaust note that’s actually pretty mellow at idle — unless you’re standing outside the car, like your neighbors who have suddenly stopped talking to you. The 121-inch wheelbase allows a near-limo-like ride over all but the most truck-rutted pavement (hello, SR95 South between Baghdad, Arizona, and Kingman, Arizona), and while you never don’t feel its heft in the corners, the notion that a car so big can feel so nimble remains a pleasure — and not a little astonishing.
It hasn’t changed much, maybe in part because it hasn’t had to. What’s here is terrific fun. Also, there are no other competitive domestic sedans to speak of: Ford stopped spitting out Crown Vics for grandpa in 2009 (and for the police in 2011), and the Holden-built Chevrolet SS split town half a decade ago. Dodge’s Charger — any Charger, from the basest V-6 to the hairiest Hellcat Redeye — is very much the last of its breed. Whether it’s any good or not is almost beside the point; luckily for the car-buying public, it is. The Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody Hemi Orange edition is a fun piece of four-wheeled hooliganism, backed by a payment plan and a warranty booklet.
Photo by Jeff Koch
Our Scat Pack Charger started at $47,385 — less than $100 per horsepower — but was optioned up to $64,635 including the $1,595 delivery charge. How? The Scat Pack Widebody package is $5,995 (pricing unchanged since the package launched on Challengers in 2018, so… bargain?) and seems worth it; other Chargers look base and naked and narrow and tall without the flares. Pirelli tires are included in the package, but our test car’s three-season P-Zero 305/35ZR20 rubber is an additional $695 — they felt great when the sun was out, but we felt slightly adrift driving in the rain as we hydroplaned our way out of town. The worthwhile Plus Group gathers a bunch of interior-convenience options, from ventilated seats to a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, for $2,095. Adding $1,595 for the Carbon/ Suede interior package (just a suede headliner and a handful of “Real Carbon Fiber interior accents”) remains a less convincing way to spend your cash. The $890 Driver Convenience group, complementing the HID headlamps with a set of locking lug nuts, just sounds silly. For $995, the Navigation and Travel Package also includes five years of Sirius/XM, and we’d have to have a car without the 19-speaker Harmon Kardon Audio Group to determine whether it’s worth the $1,795 asking price. Battleship grey paint — sorry, “Smoke Show” — was $95. (Really?) A bunch of the spiffs listed in the Hemi Orange package already came in the Plus Group: ventilated power front chairs with two-way lumbar for the passenger, heated rear seats, and rear-seat armrests with illuminated cupholders from the Plus group. You’re essentially paying $1,500 for orange stitching and accents, plus the over-the-top stripe. It’s not numbered — the big 392 on the instrument panel and front fenders doesn’t count. Will Dodge build few enough that it’s worth it, either now, or 30 years down the road through the Hemmings classifieds?
Photo by Jeff Koch
It may not be a bad play. I’ve gotten more thumbs-up in this pavement-grey Charger than I did in either of the two poppin’ blue Hellcat-powered Chargers I had previously. All of those thumbs were attached to 50-plus-year-old hands, save for one 12-year-old boy who called this Dodge his dream car. Are they aware it’s going away? Are they responding to some sort of a statement that, in the face of imminent automotive electrification, I’m throwing my weight behind good old-fashioned dino-juice power? Do they know? Do they care? Or did the old duffs throwing thumbs-up simply like the orange stripe and badges?
The shame of it all is that the Charger isn’t disappearing because it’s not selling well. Rather, as Stellantis (Dodge’s latest international conglomerate of an owner) keeps its eye on 2030 — just seven years away now — when new internal-combustion cars will stop selling in Europe, it needs to develop electric-powered vehicles and get them ready for prime-time. Presumably the assembly process isn’t flexible enough to handle both electric and internal-combustion cars on the same line, or else surely these cash cows would continue until they were legislated out of existence.
Regardless, all of the angry message-board posts and hand-wringing over the Charger being a sedan is suddenly a little beside the point when 1) there’s a Challenger to suit the two-door need, 2) Dodge somehow did just fine with a Charger sedan, and 3) they’re both going away at the end of the model year. Shame it took killing the platform to do it.
The Shelby Cobra is one of the world’s most recognizable cars, but there’s a good chance the original AC Ace would have faded into obscurity beyond the British Isles if it wasn’t for the efforts of a certain Texas chicken farmer. If you’re not among the Cobra cognoscenti, you may not know that the archeology of the Shelby Cobra is documented and nuanced, with many variations due to running changes and need. No matter your knowledge level, all enthusiasts would relish the opportunity to own this 427-powered 1966 Shelby Cobra CSX3195 that will be auctioned on AutoHunter from February 3-13, 2023
The AC Ace was first produced in 1953 with a home-grown OHC straight-six and, later, a Bristol straight-six. When Bristol discontinued its six in 1961, Carroll Shelby just so happened to approach AC with the idea of using a V8 in the Ace chassis. AC liked the idea so Shelby approached Chevrolet with the proposition, but Chevrolet didn’t feel the need to create competition for the Corvette.
Ford, however, embraced the idea and happened to have the perfect engine for it: a modern, thin-wall “Windsor” small-block V8. The first cars came with a 260ci engine but, for 1963, Ford bored the engine to measure 289ci. Soon, a solid-lifter 271-horsepower 289 High-Performance was introduced for the Fairlane, and this is the engine that would truly create the Cobra legend. Around that time, a running change with the steering (now with rack and pinion) was made. These Cobras, called Mark II, were phased in just after the introduction of the 289.
Click the images to view the listing on AutoHunter
Few cars are afforded a legend on top of a legend, but the Shelby Cobra became one of those vehicles starting in 1965. A new chassis design was used with four-inch chassis tubes (an increase of an inch), and the suspension was changed from leaf springs to coil springs. Then Shelby dropped in the big-block 427 and, as the Mark III, a new legend was born. What may be a surprise to anyone but Cobra enthusiasts is that a handful of Cobras were built with the 428, an engine in the same series but without the racing heritage of the 427.
While 343 Shelby Cobras were built with the big-block, not all coil-sprung Cobras are equal — there were variations for the street, competition and the combination of the two (semi-competition or “S/C”). There also was the Dragon Snake drag car and the Super Snake, a supercharged S/C. This particular 1966 Shelby Cobra CSX3195 is a street version that, at some point along the way, was updated to S/C specs. According to the selling dealer, it has been driven by Carroll Shelby, and owned and track-driven by Jim Farley, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company.
Of course, power comes from a 427 “side-oiler” that was reportedly previously modified (to the tune of 13.5 compression, no less) for track use by Bob Corn of Roush Industries. However, the engine was recently rebuilt, with the compression ratio lowered to something more street-friendly (runs on 93 octane) yet still produces approximately 550 horsepower at the rear wheels. Of course, a four-speed “Toploader” manual gearbox handles all that power and torque.
Though originally black and then painted red, the aluminum body has worn the signature dark blue and white paint scheme since 2012. It’s accented with a pair of yellow banners, white rondels with the number 96, and Goodyear, Koni and Autolite logos. Out back, the trunk contains a fuel cell, Odyssey Extreme battery and the tank for a Firebottle Racing fire suppression system.
Peer into the cockpit and you’ll find Smiths instrumentation consists of counter-clockwise 180-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the oil pressure, coolant temperature, oil temperature and fuel level; amps are displayed on a Lucas gauge. Other features include a wood-rimmed steering wheel, AC-monogrammed metal pedals and dashboard-mounted rear-view mirror. The black vinyl buckets currently installed are substitutes for the well-worn originals, which will be included with the sale along with the racing buckets used when Jim Farley owned it. The five-digit odometer currently shows 725 miles, though the true mileage on this Cobra is unknown.
If you’ve always wanted a Shelby Cobra, CSX3195 will be auctioned to the highest bidder — you! — starting on Friday, February 3, 2023. Its sale includes documentation, owner’s manual, logbook, tool roll, driving gloves, a Shelby Cobra calendar, a vintage racing book and automotive magazines. Just so you don’t miss your opportunity on owning a 1966 427-powered Shelby Cobra, be sure to add it to your watch list pronto because you would really, really hate yourself for missing out on the opportunity, right?
Click the images to view the listing on AutoHunter
A 1912 Simplex Torpedo Tourer blew all other Bonhams’ sales out of the water at the Scottsdale Auction on Saturday, January 28. Hammering down at $4,845,000, the explosive auction doubled its initial dollar estimate and set a world record for brass era vehicle sales.
The car represents the pinnacle of early U.S. sports cars with its original coachwork and dramatic styling. Its performance, including a ground-pounding 50-hp, surpassed most vehicles even decades later. It was first owned by legendary pre-war American sportswoman Eleonora Sears, one of the first women to drive a race car and the first woman to contest a speeding ticket. During her 25-plus year ownership and into the present day, the history-rich Simplex is held in high regard by collectors.
The five-passenger Eleonora Sears 1912 Simplex Torpedo Tourer was the top lot to cross the auction block at Scottsdale. Nipping at its tires as the top supercar sale was a 2006 Maserati MC12 Corse, the ultimate track day car modeled after the GT1 race car and one of only a dozen Corse models produced. Barely touched since it rolled out of the factory, this like-new 123-mile example sped away at full-throttle for $4.1 million.
1957 Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400 concept carMatthew Litwin
The late John White’s prestigious Ramshead Collection also captivated Bonhams bidders, collectively selling for $3 million. Commanding attention in the collection amongst three other mid-century Chrysler Ghia show cars was a futuristic one-off 1957 Super Dart 400 concept. The fin-adorned four-wheeled space shuttle brought $819,000, while its stablemates, a 1954 Chrysler Ghia GS-1 Coupe (one of five survivors) and a 1962 Chrysler Ghia L6.4 sold for $802,000 and $577,000 respectively.
1953 Siata 208S SpiderMatthew Litwin
Another highlight from the weekend’s auction was a 1953 Siata 208S Spider sporting a superb factory-correct restoration, which earned numerous class awards at prestigious events such as the Pebble Beach and Amelia Island Concours. This stellar example of the revered Etceterini classic, the 18th of just 33 Motto-bodied Spiders built, sold for $1.5 million.
The above sales set off Bonhams’ U.S. season opener at Scottsdale with a bang. A total of $30 million in auction earnings crossed the block, with 84% of the 140 lots sold, 97% by value. “This has been a promising start to the year,” said Rupert Banner, Bonhams Group Motoring Director, “We were proud to have presented such a strong sale, of such high-quality material spanning pre-war material to supercar content.”
Barrett-Jackson supercharged the collector car hobby by kicking off the 2023 auction calendar with their flagship Scottsdale Auction, January 21-29 at WestWorld of Scottsdale. In dynamic and trendsetting fashion, the historic event featured a diverse docket of 1,907 No Reserve collectible vehicles totaling more than $184.2 million in auction sales and surpassing 200 world auction records. Leading the charge was the 1989 Ferrari F40 (Lot #1405.1) that sold for $2.75 million. Over 1,100 pieces of authentic automobilia were also auctioned for more than $6.41 million, bringing total auction sales above $190.6 million.
Paying homage to its charitable roots, Barrett-Jackson also sold five vehicles for charity, with 100 percent of the hammer price from each vehicle benefiting its respective nonprofit initiative. Led by the 2024 GMC HUMMER EV Edition SUV VIN 001 First Retail Production (Lot #3002) that hammered for $500,000, the five vehicles raised $1.89 million for charity. To date, Barrett-Jackson has helped raise more than $151 million for charity, surpassing the $150 million milestone on Friday in Scottsdale.
“Barrett-Jackson continues to electrify the collector car hobby with our true automotive lifestyle events,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We saw a spectacular docket bring incredible sales and set more than 200 world auction records. We also welcomed a record number of enthusiasts to WestWorld, setting the tone for an exciting event season in Arizona. I am especially proud of the additional funds and awareness we built for several deserving charities as we surpassed the $150 million mark raised to date.”
The top 10 auction vehicles that sold during the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction included:
The nine-day automotive lifestyle event kicked off with record attendance over its opening weekend, beginning with QT Family Day, when children 12 and under received free admission and included an interactive STEM Fest supported by Ford Motor Company, Lucid Motors and Safe Haven Defense, as well as the Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby. Barrett-Jackson also teamed up with the Driven Project once again to provide supercar therapy to 12 children battling serious illnesses and heavy life challenges.
The following day played host to the Future Collector Car Show presented by Meguiar’s as the event welcomed a young, diverse crowd of enthusiasts celebrating the collector car hobby of tomorrow and featured over 100 future collectibles. The first weekend concluded with the Opening Night Gala, an annual celebration that signifies the beginning of Barrett-Jackson’s auction week. The Gala, a renowned ultimate automotive lifestyle event, featured 56 airmen and women in a salute to Arizona’s Luke Air Force Base and presenting of colors, as well as acclaimed live entertainment from Emerald City Band and DJ Munition, gourmet food and signature cocktails.
“The ‘Barrett-Jackson Magic’ once again made Scottsdale the ultimate place to enjoy the automotive lifestyle,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “Our docket perfectly catered to every type of collector and met the demand for professionally built Resto-Mods and original, numbers-matching muscle, as well as the industry-leading selection of quality 4x4s. I’m also proud to celebrate our charity efforts over the years. Together with our collector car family, we’re lifting people’s burden so they can focus on healing mentally, physically and spiritually.”
Several of the most powerful moments during the 2023 Scottsdale Auction featured a vibrant arena of generous bidders and the sales of five charity vehicles that together raised $1.89 million. The charity vehicles that sold during the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction included:
2021 Shelby Super Snake Count’s Kustoms Edition (Lot #3000) – $350,000 to benefit Camp Freedom
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning 4×4 Super Crew Pickup (Lot #3001) – $275,000 to benefit Fighter Country Foundation
2024 GMC Hummer EV Edition SUV VIN 001 First Retail Production (Lot #3002) – $500,000 to benefit Tread Lightly!
General Colin L. Powell’s 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (Lot #3003) – $200,000 to benefit America’s Promise Alliance
2024 Ford Mustang GT Fastback VIN 001 (Lot #3004) – $565,000 to benefit JDRF. The Mustang hammered for $490,000 and received an additional $75,000 in donations from generous guests on the auction block.
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association (AHA), joined Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson and President Steve Davis on the podium to mark the five-year anniversary of the Driven Hearts campaign. The Driven Hearts campaign has reached millions and raised millions to benefit the American Heart Association.
With over 1,100 authentic pieces of automobilia auctioning for more than $6.41 million, the top three sales included:
1942 17-foot Chris Craft Special Runabout “Wood” Boat Bar (Lot #9484) – $120,750
Large Ferrari Dealership Sign (Lot #9391.4) – $95,450
A highly anticipated moment on Saturday was the announcement of the winners in the Barrett-Jackson Cup presented by Castrol. Nearly 50 incredible custom vehicles were hand-selected for the competition. Hot-rod builder Bobby Alloway and automobile designer and builder Troy Trepanier selected the Top 5 finalists and the Ultimate Best of Show winner. Taking the coveted and prestigious Ultimate Best in Show Award, and a $20,000 prize, was a 1969 Pontiac Firebird built by Troy Gudgel at BBT Fabrications and owned by Brad Sather. A 1964 Buick Riviera built by Cruzer’s Customs, LLC., received the People’s Choice Award, which was chosen by thousands of passionate Barrett-Jackson’s fans who voted online.
Believe it or not, just two V-12 engine designs have powered 60 years of Lamborghini supercars. Having recently built its last non-hybrid V-12 road car, the automaker is taking a look back at these two epochal engines.
The first engine was introduced in 1963 in Lamborghini’s first production car—the 350 GT—and stayed in production until 2010. During its long life, this engine underwent many modifications, growing form 3.5 liters in the 350 GT to 6.5 liters in later versions of the Murciélago, the final Lamborghini to use it.
Lamborghini’s first V-12 started out with a front-engine configuration in the 350 GT, and got the same installation in the later 400 GT and Espada. It switched to a transverse mid-engine configuration in the Lamborghini Miura, before switching to a longitudinal mid-engine layout for the Countach, Diablo, and Murciélago.
1964 Lamborghini 350 GT
This engine was also used in the Lamborghini LM002, the automaker’s first SUV. A one-off LM002 was built using a 7.2-liter version of the V-12 designed for offshore powerboat racing, and churning out 700 hp.
Launched with an aluminum crankcase, cylinder heads, and pistons to keep weight down, as well as dual overhead cams, the V-12 made the switch from carburetors to electronic fuel injection in 1986 to meet stricter U.S. emissions standards. Aiming to improve throttle response, Lamborghini then introduced individual throttle bodies for each cylinder with the 1998 Diablo GT.
Now under Audi’s stewardship, Lamborghini introduced a 6.2-liter version making 580 hp in the Murciélago for that model’s 2001 debut. In one last update, the engine was later enlarged to 6.5 liters, and output was increased to 670 hp.
Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae
After 47 years of production, the original V-12 was finally replaced with a clean-sheet design. Introduced in 2011 in the Aventador, the second V-12 initially produced 690 hp from 6.5 liters. While it didn’t last nearly as long as the original V-12, this engine saw a lot of use powering numerous Aventador variants and limited-edition specials, including the Aventador Superveloce and SVJ, and the track-only Essenza SCV12.
The Lamborghini Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae launched in 2021 is the automaker’s final production car powered purely by a V-12 with no electric assist. In this application, the 6.5-liter V-12 produces 769 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque, with peak power delivered at a screaming 8,500 rpm.
With the final Aventadors delivered, it’s the end of an era at Lamborghini. An Aventador successor is expected soon with a V-12, but now as part of a hybrid powertrain. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann in 2021 confirmed the V-12 will be entirely new, making it just the third V-12 in Lamborghini’s history.
Reminiscent of the dreamy sports car posters that adorned countless bedroom walls, this Porsche 933 currently for sale is the real deal. It lives up to its stance as a childhood hero with the rare WLS 2 package, only offered from the factory for 1998. The WLS 2 package, or Works Performance Increase 2, equips this 933 with larger K24 turbochargers, an additional oil cooler, and GT2 technology to match the Turbo S output of 450-hp. Just 20-25% of the approximately 550 933 Turbo models were equipped with this package, which makes the 933 Turbo WLS 2 one of the rarest models from the 933 series. It is arguably one of the most exhilarating cars in air-cooled history.
There’s no feeling like being pushed back into the driver’s seat when throttling out in an air-cooled 911 Turbo, but when fast-spooling twin-turbos kick in, it really shifts the driving experience into gear. Porsche integrated twin-turbochargers for the first time with the 933 model by installing a turbocharger in each cylinder bank instead of depending on one larger turbo to kick up the boost. The 933 also marks the last air-cooled model offered by Porsche. While it represents the end of an era, this car is ready to start a new chapter for another lucky owner.
This stunning Glacier White 933 Turbo is a rarity in terms of condition, history, and added upgrades over the years. A dealer-fitted GT rear spoiler and iconic Porsche Classic II wheels enhance the childhood hero poster appeal. Although the original cassette stereo is in working order, the driver will likely prefer to take in the sounds from the car’s upgraded full RUF exhaust. According to the seller, the interior is re-conditioned like new, and the car received a recent oil change. It runs on premium gasoline and parts are still readily available, making this exceptional vehicle an ideal candidate for sports car enthusiast.
When American Motors introduced the redesigned Rebel in 1967, it was the only new intermediate in the American marketplace. All other mid-size cars looked old in comparison. The head start was something that AMC was not used to when competing toe-to-toe with the Big Three, which was its strategy at the time. Today, Rebels are somewhat ignored except by Rambler folks, which is a good reason why we choose this 1968 Rebel 770 four-door sedan as our Pick of the Day. It is being sold on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in southern New Jersey. (Click the link to view the listing)
The Rebel series featured a monocoque body and included the base 550, mid-level 770 and top-line SST. The 770 was available as a four-door sedan and a two-door semi-fastback hardtop. AMC considered the 770 “chromier, plusher, lusher” than the 550; extra features as part of the the 770 included rear ash trays, rear arm rests, Custom steering wheel, glove box lock, dual horns, and cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl seats. Nifty features like recessed door handles were a distinguishing feature compared to the Big Three.
A 232 six was standard, with a 290 and 343 V8 with up to 280 horsepower as options (a 315-horsepower 390 was introduced later in the year). A four-speed manual was available for the V8s, and gears as radical as 4.44:1 were available from your local AMC dealership. Some trivia: not only were the Rebel 550 and SST convertibles AMC’s final intermediate droptops, but they also were the final AMC convertibles, period.
This 69,000-mile 1968 Rebel 770 four-door sedan features the 290 two-barrel engine backed by an automatic transmission. Seller says it has power steering and a limited-slip rear, the latter which is quite unusual. “Extremely solid,” (s)he says, though also admits “some rust on passenger dog leg.” The original owner’s manual and owner’s card are included.
As this is written, Barrett-Jackson’s auction in Scottsdale is going on. There are a lot of expensive vehicles out there, but there’s a lot of affordable cars to be found and enjoyed. Maybe this isn’t a Carrera GT, but it’s a solid American sedan that is not often seen. For $6,995, don’t you think this 1968 AMC Rebel 770 four-door sedan is worth a look?
Following an exhilarating Super Saturday at Barrett-Jackson’s 2023 Scottsdale Auction, the excitement continued at WestWorld on Sunday, January 29, with a docket of amazing cars and automotive-related memorabilia.
More than 150 cars crossed the block on the ninth and final day of the record-breaking 2023 Scottsdale Auction. Muscle cars, pickups and SUVs drove sales, with several vehicles surpassing the six-figure mark. The day’s top sales included Lot #1593, a 1979 Chevrolet K10 pickup for $165,000; Lot #1632, a 1941 Willys custom coupe, for $126,500; Lot #1568, a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am for $123,200; Lot #1604, a 2024 Bentley Continental Flying Spur for $106,700; and Lot #1581.1, a 1971 Chevrolet K10 pickup, for $100,100.
More than a dozen sales records were set during the afternoon. Trucks and SUVs were bidder and fan favorites throughout each day of the auction, and Sunday was no exception, with just less than two-thirds of the day’s record-breaking sales belonging to the rugged vehicles.
Sunday started with another exciting look at the past, with more than 100 authentic pieces of history getting their turn on the auction block. From tin advertising signs and pinball machines to gas globes, soda machines and much more — there was something for everyone. A crowd favorite was Lot #9586.4, an ultimate custom pickup go-kart. It was restored by a 10-year-old boy who joined Automobilia Director Rory Brinkman on the block to share details of the restoration and bang the gavel on the $17,250 sale. Other top sales included Lot #9597.3, a large Ferrari Light-Up sign, for $57,500; Lot #9599.1, a 1950s Dairy Queen neon porcelain sign for $37,950; Lot #9598.7, an early 1960s Gulf Oil porcelain with animated neon sign for $34,500; Lot #9593.2, a large Porsche dealership sign for $29,900; and Lot #9584, a vintage Kentucky Derby coin-operated kiddie ride for $28,750.
