Motoexotica/Manheim, Phoenix (Tolleson), Arizona, January 14-15, 2011
Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor Motoexotica is a specialty car dealer in St. Louis. In 2009 they held their first sale at the Manheim wholesale auto auction there. They added a second St. Louis sale, then one in Springfield, Missouri in 2010. This was their first appearance in Phoenix (actually in Tolleson) with a Friday-Saturday auction, January 14-15.
About 240 cars showed up for the first time sale, with a 40% sell-through and just over $1.5 million in total sales. It was well received by the participants and by Manheim Phoenix and will be back, next year on Saturday and Sunday with a kick-off party on Friday evening.
The Manheim facility is impressive, with 11 lanes for wholesaling used cars. The bathrooms are clean. The food is exceptional. The auction crew was first class, led by Brent Earlywine on the block and backed up by veterans Kenny Garmin and Marty Hill in the ring.
As the first in the series of so-called “Scottsdale” auctions the results are impressive – particularly for a first time sale with a mixed consignment – and a strong indication that the coming week will be very successful. As can be seen from the cars that follow, the quality was highly variable. Some, like the GTO and ’36 Ford coupe, would be proudly sold anywhere. Others, like the P1800ES and Reatta, were mangy derelicts looking for the truly brave and committed to rescue them. There were some gems, like the 300TD wagon with stroker Chevy power.
Motoexotica’s sale is a valuable addition to January’s schedule in the Valley of the Sun. It fills a void left by Kruse and ICA, and provides a needed place for consignors who don’t want to, or can’t, deal with the schedules and demands of the other auctions. Not much of an excuse is needed to justify two or three more days in Arizona in January. The Motoexotica/Manheim sale is more than sufficient reason, no excuses required. (See Reference – Auctions Explained, A Note on Conditions and Character). Motoexotica Phoenix 2011 Auction Results Lot # 114 1973 Volvo P1800ES Sport Wagon; S/N 1836364005605; Metallic Copper/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 4- condition; Hammered Sold at $5,800 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $6,148 – Automatic, A/C, no radio, steel wheels, trim rings, roof rack. Quick fresh repaint on an otherwise sound original car. Was Light Gold. Worn but sound original upholstery, torn door pockets. Grubby, worn carpets. New front bumper in rear compartment. Wheels not repainted. No-name radial tires. Rotten right sill. A scrofulous car that belies its description as having California movie company history. The buyer got no bargain in this quickly gussied up auction car, an unpleasant ownership experience in the making. Lot # 123 1990 Buick Reatta Coupe; S/N 1G4EC13C6LB907767; Silver-Grey/Grey leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,300 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $1,378 – Automatic, P/seat, P/W, P/locks, AM-FM-CD, cassette. Dirty, aged, cracked upholstery. Decent repaint but otherwise a neglected used car. There's a body of opinion (including mine) that Reattas will one day be regarded as collectible. That, however, assumes that among the thousands built the collectibles have led cherished, cosseted lives. This one hasn't, and will never be 'collectible', just despicable. Still, it’s worth the nominal price it brought. Lot # 128 1960 Nash Metropolitan Coupe; S/N E73325; Red, White/Black, White cloth, vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 4+ condition; Hammered Sold at $6,300 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $6,678 – Cracked steering wheel, radio, vinyl covered rear spare. Poorly masked old orange peely repaint and fuzzy upholstery. Thin, pitted chrome. Sound body, doors fit well with even gaps. A sound but aged car. The seller claimed some $9,000 spent on this Metro's mechanicals recently, a claim impossible to verify from its mediocre, neglected appearance. The body's not bad, though, and with some fairly simple work it could be a $15,000 car if the engine needs nothing. Call if fair to both buyer and seller at this price. Lot # 138 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL Convertible; S/N 10704412054152; Red/Saddle vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $10,400 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $11,024 – Sony CD stereo, alloy wheels, Michelin X blackwalls, hardtop. Good older repaint. Good original interior but grungy carpets. Very good chrome. Clean and very orderly underhood. A sharp, shiny, reassuring used car that looks if anything better than the 58,071 miles on the odometer. Benzes like this show up at every auction. They're wonderful performers for the money, let alone fast, comfortable, luxurious and exclusive. This is right money for this car's condition, but hardly an 'investment quality' acquisition if only because of the thousands built. Lot # 146 1976 AMC Pacer 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N A6A667A334396; Metallic Blue/Saddle vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $4,600 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $4,876 – Automatic, A/C, no radio, rally style wheels with trim rings. Quick old repaint, sound original upholstery with some cracks in interior trim panels. A generally sound and largely original, funky, old car. It takes a very secure personality to buy a Pacer, in this case a successful collector car dealer who, 'was looking for something fun to drive this week in Arizona.' He claimed the underbidder offered to make him whole come Monday-week, which pretty firmly establishes this price as representative of the Pacer market here in Arizona in 2011. Lot # 169 1982 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Modified Station Wagon; S/N WDBA893AXCN007485; Light Yellow/Tan vinyl; Modified restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $12,250 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $12,985 – 383 Dart-built GM engine, 700R4 automatic, Nakamichi CD stereo, P/S, P/B, emissions equipment, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, chrome alloy wheels, A/C, self-leveling suspension, cruise control, sliding sunroof, BFG T/A blackwalls. Very clean and orderly underhood. Good paint, chrome and interior. Impressively done, maintained and presented. This M-B was one of the gems of the auction, a particularly attractively maintained and presented and highly unusual vehicle that needs absolutely nothing to be driven with pride. Better yet, it'll run the pants off just about anything else on the road, a real grocery-getting sleeper. It's a particularly good value at this price. Lot # 311 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 2B3CJ7DWXAH134904; Metallic Blue/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $32,250 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $34,185 – 6-speed, 425hp Hemi. 30th Anniversary with 2,152 miles, in the current version of 'B5 Blue'. Loaded with options including a killer stereo. Pristine and essentially unused. Bought for over $10,000 off sticker, a bargain in a daily driver. Lot # 312 1930 Ford Model A Coupe; S/N 388328; Beige, Black fenders and accent/Beige cloth; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $10,500 – Yellow wire wheels, blackwall tires, rear-mounted spare, windshield visor, quail radiator cap, turn signals, dual outside mirrors. No rumble seat. Good paint, chrome and upholstery. Chassis and engine show use and age. A presentable and usable older restoration. The sellers wanted over $16,000 for this Model A, a reasonable expectation ... for a roadster. They would have been well advised to take the money. Lot # 320 1973 Stutz Blackhawk Coupe; S/N 2K57T3A245482; Silver/Grey leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $29,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $31,270 – Sony CD changer, A/C, Nardi steering wheel with woodgrain spokes, sunroof, chrome wire wheels. Good paint and chrome. Very good interior. Lightly used and well maintained. Odd, but a legitimately collectible automobile despite its bell bottoms and paisley shirts aura. The dealer-buyer figures it'll sell to Europe for a modest profit, a reasonable expectation at this price. It would look great on Carnaby Street (but given its size might incur an extra 'congestion zone' payment to enter central London.) Lot # 327 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad 2-Dr. Wagon; S/N VC56S043259; Red, Beige/Red velour; Original, with non-original appearance items, 4+ condition; Hammered Sold at $23,250 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $24,645 – B&M shifted automatic, Keystone Klassic alloy wheels, Radial T/A tires. Modified engine, custom interior with front seat only. Awful paint, worse bodywork, peeling chrome. A project car that needs everything. This is a rat, a car with no happy surprises in its new owner's future. The underlying vehicle, however, is worth the price it brought as the basis for a custom project. Its originality is seriously, and probably fatally, compromised. Lot # 329 1952 Cadillac 62 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N 526237644; Light Green, Dark Green roof/Light Green, Dark Green cloth; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $11,300 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $11,978 – Automatic, WonderBar radio, P/W, Autronic Eye, P/S, P/B, sombrero wheel covers, wide whitewalls, skirts. Fair old repaint, good new carpets and upholstery, good original dash and door panels, good redone chrome. Sound body. Nice car and unusually well preserved. This Cadillac is an exceptional, largely original and very sound and solid survivor. It should never have any more done to it that it already has and can be driven and enjoyed with pride and confidence. An exceptional find and worth every penny of its price here. Lot # 340 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 344870E151803; Red, White stripes/Parchment vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $22,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $23,850 – Dual gate shifter, AM-FM, cold A/C, tilt column, Ram Air hood, P/S, power front disc brakes. Fair paint erratically finished, sound interior. Cracks at upper windshield corners. Clean unrestored underbody. A bright Red driver in 'auction car' condition, but sound and usable. Gussied up for the auction, or for an owner who cared little about quality, this is all the money and then some for this unremarkable 4-4-2. Lot # 348 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N J58S104178; Engine # F113OQ; Black, Black coves/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $40,280 – 283/230hp, 4-speed, hardtop only, 'Cougar' cassette stereo, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls. Poor old repaint, diamond tufted seat upholstery. Fair chrome, wiper scratched windshield. Good chrome. Disorderly but good enough to drive, with serious reservations. The OQ engine suffix on this Corvette matches nothing in the books for a '58, and it's definitely an 'OQ', not a 'CQ' stamped there. So many Corvettes have ended up like this during their 'middle years', it's intriguing to see one turn up in pre-restoration condition. It needs attention just about everywhere, and won't be a cheap date. At this price, however, it didn't start out as a cheap date, either. The seller should be very happy with this result, the buyer less so. Lot # 352 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster; S/N 194675S118610; Engine # 5118610 F0518HJ; White/Blue vinyl; White vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $40,280 – 327/300hp, 4-speed, P/B, A/C, alloy centerlock wheels, narrow whitewalls, AM-FM, woodgrain steering wheel. Described as 350hp, but that's not what's on the engine block ('HJ', the code for a 327/300hp, manual, A/C engine.) Mediocre repaint over old paint, sound and usable upholstery, some thin trim chrome. Mostly original and in sound, usable and presentable condition for its age. A 'bank-owned' car. The bidders didn't seem to be confused by the description and paid an appropriate 300hp A/C price. This will be an enjoyable car in its present condition, with the potential for a progressive restoration to remedy its shortcomings in cosmetics without going underwater. It is a sound value at this price. Lot # 357 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Cloke 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 36370K141160; Cortez Silver/Black vinyl; Facsimile restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $25,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $27,030 – 454/360hp, automatic, CD stereo, tilt column, Rally II wheels, Radial T/A tires, cowl induction hood, P/S, P/B, headers. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Chassis and engine show age and use. Front inner wheel wells missing their dust flaps. An attractive driver that has been used for exactly that purpose. With no representation of matching numbers or correct original drivetrain, this Chevelle has to be treated as a made-up car. Thoughtfully but less than thoroughly done, it brought a reasonable price for what it is. Lot # 362 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N H8NV118076; Black/White vinyl, Black cloth; Older restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $32,000 – 352/300hp, automatic, P/S, P/W, Town & County radio, skirts, Continental kit, wheel covers, wide whitewalls, single antenna on rear deck. Good paint, chrome and interior. Not pristine or like new but very nice. This is this car's fourth auction in the last 12 months. Fourth auction that I know of, that is; it's probably seen many more than that. The seller is probably sick of it and may have more money in consignment fees and transport costs that the car will ever bring. It's time to go away. Lot # 370 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster; S/N E54S002301; Pennant Blue/Beige vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $56,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $59,890 – Bullet-style air cleaners, WonderBar radio, wheel covers, wide whitewalls. Fair older restoration now aged, with paint cracks and some chips around the cockpit. Trunk mat torn. Aged but clean underhood. It's hard to imagine a '54 Corvette as a 'driver', but that's what this is and it brought strong money for its condition. It was reportedly bid to $71,000 at the Kruse auction in Las Vegas in 2007, a value that's hard to support even four years fresher than it is today and in a different market environment. This is all the money for a '54 Corvette in this condition. Lot # 373 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Seville 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 5762037043; Dusk Rose; Beige vinyl roof/Two-tone Beige vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $19,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $20,670 – Chrome Sabre wheels, whitewalls, Autronic Eye, A/C, Sun 'driving-gage' (vacuum gauge) on driver's windshield post. Fair repaint, sound upholstery, weak trim chrome, dull rear bumper, thin front bumper chrome. Clean repainted underbody. Usable as is but aged and doesn't present well. A rare and intriguing car in attractive colors appropriate to the period. It will not be cheap to restore, but at this price will probably make some money for an efficient shop. It is a very good value for its condition and originality. The Sun 'driving-gage' is a neat touch. Lot # 377 1965 Pontiac LeMans GTO Convertible; S/N 237675B105906; Engine # 277019WS; Maroon/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $64,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $68,370 – 389/360-hp Tri-Power, 4-speed, Rally wheels, trim rings, redline tires, console, pushbutton radio, heater, 3.55 Safe-T-Track, woodgrain steering wheel. PHS documented as a Tri-Power GTO. Excellent paint, chrome, interior and top. Engine and chassis indiscriminately squirted matte black all over but otherwise hard to fault. Reported sold at Russo and Steele in Scottsdale in 2006 for $77,000. Today's result is a good value in the current market, which still under-values GTOs like this compared with similar muscle cars of the period. Lot # 378 1956 Dodge Coronet 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N 35143351; Metallic Blue, White/Blue cloth, white vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $12,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $12,720 – 2-barrel Red Ram V-8, pushbutton automatic, heater, dual rear antennas but no radio, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, no P/S or P/B. Fuzzy headliner, gaudy colors, weak chrome inside and out. Superficially cosmetically restored but definitely eye-catching. This Coronet has been freshened up cosmetically since it sold for $11,110 at Auburn in September. Its price here reflects its condition and the underlying appeal of its rarity, tempered by the flashy colors. The result is fair to both the buyer and the seller. Lot # 400 1936 Ford 5-window Coupe; S/N 3213274; Light Grey/Burgundy cloth; Modified restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $23,250 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $24,645 – Flathead with Offenhauser heads and Offenhauser dual intake, oil filter, alternator, underdash gauges, tach in dash, enclosed rear spare, red steel spoke wheels, trim ring, wide whitewalls. Good paint, chrome and interior. Attractive stock appearing coupe, nicely done and well-maintained. Not fresh but very clean and attractive. Sure, it would be worth more if the top folded down, but the appearance, condition and appropriate period speed equipment make this a very attractive car and a good value at the price.
[Source: Rick Carey]
Motoexotica is a specialty car dealer in St. Louis. In 2009 they held their first sale at the Manheim wholesale auto auction there. They added a second St. Louis sale, then one in Springfield, Missouri in 2010. This was their first appearance in Phoenix (actually in Tolleson) with a Friday-Saturday auction, January 14-15.
