Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we're so glad you can attend, come inside, come inside. So goes the Emerson, Lake, and Palmer song, but you can't escape the feeling of a big-tent revival when attending the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.
For the past 33 years, the B-J organization has quietly built up quite a following in the Arizona desert, offering the people what they want: a chance to own the car of their dreams. At one time, all it took was a sharp eye and some cash. But nowadays, the Barrett-Jackson auction has become something else wholly: an extravaganza.
With huge white circus tents popping up out of the desert floor, reminiscent of a Southern Baptist field meetin', the call of the amplified auctioneer sounds like a passionate evangelist intent on spreadin' the word. The gathered crowd is enthusiastic and close to the action, and, as the bids get higher and higher, they get caught up in the sights, sounds, and smells of beautiful cars rolling across the auction block. Large amounts of money will do that to people.
When one of the cars exceeds its pricing expectations, the people begin to applaud and offer up shouts and whistles when the sold hammer finally falls. The auctioneer sounds like he's speaking in tongues--a rapid-fire method of driving up the prices while spotters work the crowd like someone possessed, arms flailing about and with quick, jerky moves, all in an effort to translate the potential buyer's offer back up to the stage.
There are several ways to determine if an auction is considered successful, and the Barrett-Jackson auction hits on all eight cylinders. The total dollar amount for cars and paraphernalia sold (878 lots this year) was $61,687,526, with one car, a '54 Oldsmobile F-88 Motorama show car, selling for a cool $3,240,000. The event is televised on cable, and the show is immensely popular, and followed even by those without a thin dime to spend on a car.
That non-car buyer can be found in the thousands at the auction, as the event has become a "must-attend" for many. Overcrowding is now a real problem for the show, as parking lanes in and out of the event are constantly cram-packed. But once inside, there is much to see and do, even if you don't have a bidder's badge.
Many kit and replicar builders and manufacturers attend this event, some with booths to show their wares. And the ones we spoke to went away happy, as the amount of money flowing through this venue is nothing short of astonishing. With cars on the block selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars, many in the crowd didn't think twice at dropping $80,000-100,000 for a replicar built to their particular tastes.
Once the domain of the Duesenberg and Packard crowd, the auctions now attract 50- and 60-year-olds with a large amount of disposable income. They don't want their father's cars, they want musclecars, and are willing to set spending records to get what they want. And the Cobra, Daytona, and Vette kit builders were more than happy to discuss future customers' wish lists with them.
It's hard not to get caught up in the moment, either. If you sell a car there, they automatically give you a voucher for that amount so you can possibly spend it sometime during the show. And, by getting 8 to 10 percent of the sale from both the buyer and seller as commission, the Barrett-Jackson organization must now be drowning in cash.
But you gotta take your hat off to auction owner Craig Jackson. He's figured out a way to make it important to attend his show, and you feel you'd be a sucker if you tried to sell your car anywhere else. After all, who else can offer a 100-percent sales guarantee?
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Anthem Motors is the authorized Roush dealer in Arizona, and its booth featured several high-horsepower motor packages, as well as this Superformance coupe, prepped and built by Dennis Olthoff. |
Armond Caprio from California Cobras in El Cajon, CA, was one of a few replicar builders who had a booth at B-J. Armond says he was really happy with the response to his cars (he offers Backdraft Racing cars and his own '32 roadster design) as he sold four cars there and had a handful of inquires, too. |
Though titled as a '53 Jaguar coupe, this roadster kit was built in England by Heritage Engineering. The engine is faithful to the original: it's a 4.2L Jag with triple sidedrafts, and the car sold for $48,000... |
...On one side of the large auction block/stage, there is an equally huge projection screen that showed a photo of each car while it was on the stage, plus a breakdown of monies in different currencies (U.S. dollars, Yen, Euros, Pounds, and Canadian). |
Kirkham Motorsports also attended the show and manned a sales booth, too. The company showcased its completed aluminum-skin cars as well as one of its chassis. |
Inside the vendor tents you could find nearly anything you can think of automotive-wise. These original neon signs sure looked great, but they weren't cheap. Nothing, it seems, is cheap at the Barrett-Jackson auction. |
Mike Walker, of Walker Vettes and Street Rods, only had one of his '59s on display (the same one featured in the Mar. '05 KIT CAR). He reportedly sold a few cars at this event, too, and hopes to be back next year. |
How 'bout a '52 Allard J2X? This was the real deal--an aluminum LeMans factory lightweight car with only two previous owners (the first having owned it from 1953 to 1989!). It sold for $399,600. |
Looking for a new Ford GT? Not normally seen in a blue shade, this completely stock '05 was sold on the block for $302,400--twice what a Ford dealership is supposed to be asking. |
This '69 Maserati Ghibli was originally a dark green, but was repainted when recently restored. A rare car (only 1,100 or so were made between 1967 and 1970) and seemingly a good bargain as it only fetched $49,680 at the auction. |
Many artists have their work on display at the B-J auction, including Steve Posson, who usually works in bronze. This piece, a Talbot-Lago, was unfinished (still needed the wheels added) but was still a stunning bit of art. You can see more of Steve's work at www.possonart.com. |
How much for a '52 Glasspar G2? This one was once owned by actor James Garner, and earlier was featured in the 1954 Tony Curtis film Johnny Dark. Powered by a 239 Ford Flattie, the 'glass roadster sold for $31,320. |
Sold at Barrett-Jackson's auction Palm Beach, FL, in 2004 for $44,000, this fiberglass copy of a '54 Maserati A6GCS sold at this show for $66,000. Not a bad profit for less than 12 months, especially if you're only in it for the money. But it would look great in the garage, though, don't you think? |
Another Allard J2X sold for $216,000, not as much as the other in the show, mainly due that this one is a steel version, not an aluminum LeMans car. Still, this did have some '50s-era racing history and was recently restored to prime condition. |
Sold for $194,400, this '58 Echidna vintage race car uses a Devin body and is powered by a 283 bored to 339 cubes. Raced with great success "back in the day," the car was still recently competing at the Monterey Historic Races in California. |
One report said there were only 79 of these Apollo 5000GTs produced. This one was fitted with a 300-inch Buick (most had a 215) and sold for $33,480. |