Barrett-Jackson 2005

Barrett-Jackson Auction
Scottsdale, Arizona

Warren Madsen 2/2/05



While most people watching Speed Channels coverage of this years Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale saw fast paced bidding and old cars finding new owners, standing amongst that mayhem left one feeling lost. Give credit to the T.V. crew and their producers for creating a seamless show and feel lucky you saw highlights while enjoying the comforts of home.

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at the sprawling “Westworld” compound that Barrett-Jackson calls home was the stench. Horses probably spend more time here than desirable autos and rightly so. It’s basically a giant fairground disguised with towering tents and rent-a-cops. Security on hand deterred people from slipping through the back door and avoiding the $20 charge to get in. Once inside the main hall of automobilia you can see that this event has turned into more than just an auction. Vendor booths fill half of the show with everything auto related for sale. From original oil paintings featuring F1 champ Michael Schumacher to vintage gas pumps in their entire neon splendor. It was like being at an upscale flea market without finding a single bargain. Everything was rare, old or heavy (in the case of the life-size bronze “prancing horse” sculpture- all three)…and everyone who was selling knew their stuff.

Maybe the bargains were going to be found at the auction block and after all, this is what everyone came for. More people than you’d find at a Warriors NBA game sat in the small stadium of chairs, eagerly awaiting another purchase. Strange seeing a crowd basically cheering for someone buying an old car, but there I was, applauding for “the guy buying the Cadillac.” The bid goes up, crowd cheers, the higher the bid- the louder the applause. Camera zooms. The bidder gets another chance to be the hero…another $5,000 head nod…it’s a vicious cycle.

The heated competition at Barrett-Jackson has been attributed to the fact that, thanks to Speed, the world is watching and it’s your chance to become a star. Last year a Plymouth Road Runner sold for just over $100,000 at Barrett-Jackson, resold at low-key Pebble Beach for $70k and just sold again for $105k at this years Barrett-Jackson. Apparently Scottsdale and Pebble Beach are two very different places to buy a hot rod and to sell one too.

The star and surprise of the entire sale was the Oldsmobile F88, a one-off prototype show car envisioned by the famed GM designer Harley Earl. Basically a rebodied Corvette, the car was never put into production. Before the bidding began, I pegged it somewhere between $750k to $1 million, a high estimate considering the previous top sale of the day was in the $300k range but this car warranted a premium based on its historical significance. I am not sure that it qualifies as historical premium or just another bidder paying the price, but the hammer fell at over $3 million. This is the high water mark for any car at Barrett Jackson, and I think I can safely say, a world record for any Oldsmobile.