• Auctions America continued its Labor Day tradition, generating more than $21.55 million in sales, with 79 percent of all lots sold, at its flagship Auburn Fall Collector Car Weekend, August 31-September 4 at Indiana’s historic Auburn Auction Park. Top lots of the sale were a pair of Duesenbergs, a 1931 Model J Convertible Sedan selling for $880,000 and a 1933 Model J Sunroof Berline by Franay selling for $715,000.
• The RPM Foundation, a grant-giving organization that provides young adults with a pathway to careers in auto and marine restoration, has promoted its national director Diane Fitzgerald to president. The RPM Foundation is a member entity of America’s Automotive Trust (AAT), a not-for-profit cooperative that seeks to secure America’s automotive heritage and transfer the skills and knowledge necessary for the collector car pastime to continue to grow. Fitzgerald, who helped rebrand HEP as the RPM Foundation, has grown the organization’s presence in regions across the United States by building a community between vocational schools and restoration shops. For more information visit www.rpm.foundation.
• The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum has announced the appointment of Ron Spangler as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the award-winning collection of racing sports cars. Mr. Spangler is well-known in the collector car community as a Ferrari expert and broker of classic racing and sports cars, and brings with him more than 50 years of success as an entrepreneur, sales representative and marketing consultant.
• Renowned car collector Peter Gleeson has been named the 2016 Master Collector by America’s Car Museum (ACM), which will feature his collection at the Tacoma-based museum for guests throughout the coming year. The Master Collector exhibit opened to the public on September 11. Gleeson is a well-known member of the Seattle automotive community and an avid BMW road car and motorcycle collector. His 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile was recently the runner-up in the “100 Years of BMW” class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. For more information on current exhibits at ACM, visit americascarmuseum.org.
• Mecum Auctions’ first-ever Louisville classic and collector car auction brought $13.4 million in total sales throughout the three-day event with 440 vehicles hammering sold September 8-10. Top lots form the sale included: a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Convertible selling for $280,000; a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback selling for $255,000; and a 2005 Ford GT selling for $250,000.
