The Mecum Auctions Original Spring Classic 2014 sale will be staged May 13-18 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The six-day Indy auction will see nearly 2,000 classic and collector cars cross the auction block in Indiana.
Dana Mecum’s 27th Original Spring Classic auction will be held in the recently renovated 75-year-old grand Coliseum on the fairgrounds and will bring with it another wide-ranging selection of muscle cars the world on offer. Headline entries at the 2014 sale include the 1968 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro SS; 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28; 1963 Shelby Cobra 289; 1966 Shelby GT350 Fastback; 1963 Pontiac Catalina Swiss Cheese and 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda; among others.
Portions of the auction will be broadcast live on NBC Sports and Esquire networks with live segments also aired on Mecum.com.
For more information or to register as a bidder, visit Mecum.com or call (262) 275-5050.
1968 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro SS (Lot S152) – One of 64 Camaros modified by Don Yenko in 1968, this Yenko is documented as one of the first group of 20 cars. These first 20 cars were built without the COPO 9737 designation that included heavier-duty cooling systems, suspension and brake upgrades. In 1970 it was sold to drag racer and Memphis Rodders’ club member A.J. Lancaster, who prepared it for competition in the NHRA’s new Pro Stock class, removing and storing the Yenko engine and replacing it with a specially built dual tunnel-ram 427 CI unit for competition. Lancaster also removed and stored the original interior components and left the original body essentially stock, making the car’s restoration a relatively straightforward affair. That task was taken up by its present owner, Dr. Vance Shappley, who after acquiring it in 1991 refinished the car in its original Sequoia Green and reassembled it to its original configuration. It is once again as ordered with a Muncie M21 four-speed manual transmission and the original 427 CI engine installed by Yenko, which has been freshly detailed. Adding to its rarity is the fact that it accumulated most of its 1,304 miles a quarter mile at a time, making it one of the lowest-mileage Yenko Camaros in existence.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 (Lot F229) – This special-order example is one-of-a-kind, as unique as any vintage Z28 could be. Unrestored and original but for a single repaint, its original purchaser, Mr. Lyle Mader of Madison, S.D., was not only a knowledgeable buyer but a quite particular one as well. He specified the car to reach the Z28 package’s maximum potential, and to put his personal stamp on his new baby, Mader ordered Special Paint to match the color of his pickup truck. Listed as Light Blue on the Chevrolet and GMC Commercial Colors palette, it was more widely referred to as Carolina Blue for its popularity with North Carolina dealers. While it is impossible to know if any other Z28 Coupes were produced in the same color, it is almost certainly the only one in existence today and quite likely the only one produced with its full-length stripes continuing past the rear spoiler and down to the bottom of the rear valence. At 46,432 miles, the Z28 remains in original condition. Its documentation includes the original two-page retail sales order, window sticker, Protect-O-Plate, two-page rail shipper, loan and tax paperwork and key fob.
1963 Shelby 289 Cobra, CSX2135 (Lot S134) – Serial number CSX2135, this 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 is one of the first Cobras to employ rack-and-pinion steering and was used as a demonstrator to promote the new feature. After a year of such duties, the car was reconditioned for resale and spent 35 years in California with various caretakers. The original 289 CI engine as well as a set of 5.5-inch Shelby knock-off wire wheels are included. (See Full Profile)
1966 Shelby GT350 Fastback (Lot S161) – This 1966 GT350 was owned and raced by Swiss driver Herbert Müller from 1966 through the early 1970s. A European export model shipped to Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, England, it was modified with R-Model type racing equipment including a roll bar, oil cooler, 37-gallon fuel tank, fiberglass front valence, American Racing Torque Thrust “D” alloy wheels and a Weber-inducted GT40 engine built by Holman-Moody. Shelby serial number SFM6S342, the Müller GT350 remains configured as it was when delivered by Ford Advanced Vehicles, retaining the Holman-Moody engine. It is officially listed as an Independent GT350 Racer in the Shelby Registry and is offered with supporting documentation, including contemporary news articles, a copy of the invoice from Shelby American to Ford Advanced Vehicles and a copy of a letter confirming the Müller estate’s interest in selling the car.
1963 Pontiac Catalina Swiss Cheese (Lot S158) – This 1963 “Swiss Cheese” Catalina is perhaps the most famous of the just 14 that were built before GM’s racing ban. Sponsored by Packer Pontiac of Detroit, it was driven in 1963 by Packer employee Howard Maselles, who set the NHRA C/Stock class record with a 12.27 ET at 114.64 mph, a record that stood for several years. The car was discovered in the late ’70s by Pontiac collector Randy Williams, and was the first of several Super Duty Pontiacs that formed his collection. After years of collecting a vast treasure trove of Pontiac NOS parts and pieces, Williams and Scott Tiemann of Supercar Specialties in Portland, Michigan began restoring the car, completing the project in 2000. It is documented by the records and photographs compiled by Howard Maselles, including the original “For Sale” flyer created by Maselles to sell the car at the end of the 1963 season.
1971 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T (S168) – One of only 70 built in 1971 and one of 49 that exist, this 64,000 original mile example retains its original engine, interior, glass, seats, headliner and carpeting. The 426 Hemi engine was rebuilt in 2003 and is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission and the A34 Track Pack Dana 60 rear end with 3.54:1 Sure Grip differential. The Hemi Challenger comes complete with a known ownership history from new and a Chysler Registry report.
Additional notable offerings at the 2014 Mecum Indianapolis sale include:
- 1972 DeTomaso Pantera, Unrestored original condition, 1,561 original miles
- 1967 Mercury Comet 202 Sedan, 1 of 22 R-Code Comet 202 Sedans built in 1967 and 1 of 6 known to exist, Original and unrestored, 2,000 miles
- 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Le Mans Race Car, Finished 2nd in GTO class and 17th overall at Le Mans in 1982, Won GTO Class at Daytona and Sebring
- 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback, Restored by an MCA Gold Card Judge
- 1964 Ford Thunderbolt, 56th Thunderbolt built out of 100
Mecum Original Spring Classic 2014 – Schedule
Dana Mecum’s 27th Original Spring Classic
Indiana State Fairgrounds
1202 E. 38th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46205
May 13-18, 2014
Admission: $20 per person per day, children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission
Preview: Gates open daily at 8 a.m.
Auction: Vehicles start at 10 a.m. daily with Road Art an hour prior
TV Broadcast Schedule:
Wednesday, May 14
Esquire: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Live
Mecum.com: 6-7 p.m. Live
NBCSN: 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Same Day Delay
Thursday, May 15
NBCSN: 12-5 p.m. Live
NBCSN: 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Same Day Delay
Friday, May 16
NBCSN: 12-3 p.m. Live
Mecum.com: 5-7 p.m. Live
NBCSN: 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Same Day Delay
Saturday, May 17
NBCSN: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Live
Mecum.com: 5:30-7 p.m. Live
Sunday, May 18
NBCSN: 12-4:30 p.m. Next Day Delay
(All Times Eastern)
[Source: Mecum]
