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2004 Barrett Jackson Scottsdale Auction
By: Drew Phillips
Photos by the author
January 30, 2004

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Craig Jackson must have been a very satisfied man after the last car had rolled off the block for this year's Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. This was without a doubt the most successful auction in the thirty-three year history. There were a record number of people attending the show (185,000), a record numbers of sales ($38.5 million), and a record sales percentage (98%). In addition, several records were set for the selling price of individual cars, and over seventy cars were sold for over $100,000. "The success of this year's auction sets an on-going trend clearly demonstrating that the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction is the premiere event to buy and sell the finest quality cars on the planet," said Jackson in a press release issued by the auction company after the event.

Bidding on Thursday and Friday was relatively uneventful, and with the fantastic weather most people were outside walking through the lots of cars waiting to be sold. Saturday brought not only clouds and colder weather but also the feature cars of the auction, and thousands of spectators came to see them being auctioned on the block. The main tent was so crowded that just walking around became difficult.

The feature cars included a fantastic collection of Callaway. The four heavily modified Corvettes offered for sale by Callaway probably created more anticipation for the show than any other cars. Included in the collection was the legendary 1988 Sledgehammer Corvette (sold for $221,400) which was officially clocked at 254.76 mph with John Lingenfelter at the wheel. Only one Sledgehammer was created at the expense of $400,000. Nearly equally rare (and fast) was the Callaway C7R GT race car (sold for $216,400). The C7R features a full monocoque carbon fiber body. Only two were made, and the one offered for sale had a race history: it led its class in the 1997 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The other remains in Reeves Callaway's personal collection. The other two featured Callaways offered for sale were a 1997 C12 Corvette coupe (sold for $113,400) and a 1991 Superspeedster LM (sold for $189,000).

The Callaways weren't the only Corvettes going for six figure prices. A completely restored 1953 Corvette went for a total of $210,600. Several 1967 427/435 Vettes sold for high prices, the highest being a blue convertible that sold for $145,800. Other notable Corvettes include a 1969 L89 convertible ($210,600), a 1963 Split-Window ($148,500), and a rare 1972 ZR-1 coupe ($106,380). Excluding the Callaway collection, fifteen Corvettes sold for over $100,000. Buyers were paying a premium price for cars in excellent condition and matching numbers.

Another unique aspect to this year's auction was the large collection of Hemis being put up for sale. In fact, the collection of twelve Hemi cars was the largest ever to be offered at an auction. Buyers literally had the chance to buy the finest examples in the world. Lot #726 was a 1970 Plymouth Superbird - one of only ninety-three produced with the legendary 426cid engine. This amazing car only had 6,000 original miles, and the winning bid of $194,400 was a world record. Even more impressive was a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda claimed to be the "World's most perfect Hemi Cuda." The car had undergone a complete restoration to match all its original features and options. At least one bidder thought it was worth the $216,000 selling price. Other notable Hemi cars included a 1970 Charger R/T (sold for $170,100), another 1970 Hemi Cuda (sold for $159,300), and a 1969 Roadrunner (sold for $105,300).

It seems like Shelby cars are always trying to steal the spotlight, and the Barrett-Jackson auction was no exception. Only recently the newly created Shelby Cars has been producing "continuation" cars: authentic Shelby cars that are based off legendary vehicles like the Cobra and Shelby Mustangs. Last year a Shelby GT-500E was a major highlight of the show, selling for nearly $200,000. The GT-350SR model made its debut at this year's auction, and a brand new example sold for $151,200. A limited edition Phantom 427 Cobra, another one of Shelby's continuation models, rolled off the block with a winning bid of $137,700. Classic Shelby's were commanding high prices as well. An amazing black 1967 GT-500 with an authentic aluminum 427 V8 sold for $280,000.

Undoubtedly the most exciting moment of the entire auction was when two very persistent bidders decided they both wanted 1938 Lincoln Zephyr V12 Coupe Street Rod. The bidding slowly rose to $100,000 and then soared past $300,000. A phone bidder battled it out with a man on stage who fired back a $10,000 raise each time his bid was countered. He was so enthusiastic in his bidding that his competitor finally gave up at $400,000. As the auctioneer declared the car sold the crowd rose to its feet for a standing ovation.

There was something for everyone at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. Serious car collectors had a fantastic opportunity to purchase some of the finest cars in the world, and buyers with a smaller budget could still find a lot of car for the money. For example, a 1990 RUF CTR Yellowbird sold for just $58,500, and a 1997 Hennessey Venom 600 sold for only $57,450. Those just wanting to look had an awesome assortment of cars to drool over, and the constant babble of the auctioneer kept the bidding exciting. Credit also goes to Barrett-Jackson for constantly keeping the auction a pleasant experience for everyone present. Once again, Barrett-Jackson confirmed that they truly are the world's greatest classic car auction.