Re: [FWDLK] Billings Auction - "The Rough and Rare"

["Ron Waters" <Ronbo97@xxxxxxxx>]

Daniel -

Thanks for the on-location report.

Since 'rough' is a relative term, especially for us northeasterners, how
rusty were the  bodies ?  Were they rust buckets like we're used to here, or
could they have been brought back with minimal effort ?  Also was the chrome
pitted or shiny ?

Ron

----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel Davids <ddavids@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 2:18 AM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] Billings Auction - "The Rough and Rare"


> I flew to Billings and attended the Wilkens auction on 8/26.
> Here's what I found:
>
> One building with 20 fully restored cars inside and a field with 180
mostly
> non-running cars. The cars outside distinguished themselves only in that
the
> majority were 2 door hardtops with (usually) a desirable engine option.
> Mopar guru Galen Govier was in attendance and seemed to be generally
> endorsing the accuracy of what was for sale; at least re the restored
cars.
> I estimated there were between 300 and 400 people in attendance, their
cars
> filling up most of the back 20 acres of Larry Wilkens' field at peak
> attendance. The highest bidder number I saw was a little shy of 200; a
> pretty decent turnout. Here are the highlights, in descending final bid
> amounts:
>
> "Maverick" true aluminum lightweight drag car (verified original).  $
65000
> The car went to a museum in Murdo, South Dakota (or is it North?)
>
> 58 Fury w/ original 350, immaculate paint and interior.   $27000
> I lost the bid on this car to a couple that flew in from Dallas
specifically
> to buy this particular car. I got in at 18k and outlasted several other
> bidders, until it was down to just me and one other guy going back and
forth
> from around 24k to the end. I think he would have paid 35k. There was no
> hesitation in his bidding toward the end, whereas I was already a couple
> thousand over my pre-established max. Beautiful car, though it could still
> use some correcting/detailing of wiring in the engine compartment. Wilkens
> bought this car in the 60s, sold it, bought it back in the 70s and has
owned
> it ever since.
>
> 64 Polara 4-speed 426 wedge, red.   $ 22750
> Probably a 98 point car, but you'd still have to overhaul the original
> engine, which was included in the sale, replacing the 440 installed.
Again,
> it went to a guy who flew in just for this specific car. The word was he
had
> one just like it back in the sixties and wrecked it.
>
> 70 Challenger R/T Plum Crazy 440  $ 19,500    Looked nice, but I don't
> really know what to look for when it comes to pony cars.
>
> 64 Polara Convertible  $17000
>
> 65 Satelite bucket set/console automatic, red.   $ 14500
> As close to a 100 point car as I (or Mitch Silver, the auctioneer) have
ever
> seen in Moparland. Simply stunning. Probably cleaner than it came out of
the
> factory.
>
> 56 Lincoln Continental Mark II  $11,750
>
> 64 Chrysler 300K long cross-ram, white.   $ 10500
> I was surprised this car pulled so much, as these don't usually do this
well
> at regular (multi-brand) auctions. The concentration of Moparholics no
doubt
> contributed to its inflation.
>
> 66 Coronet 500  $6250
>
> And now a few words about the cars outside. These were all project cars,
to
> be sure. Walking among them before the auction started, I heard universal
> disappointment expressed by the attendees. The three Dodge Sweptsides? All
> junk in most people's opinion, except for the most dedicated of restorers
> among us. Certainly none of them ran, and they haven't run in a loooooong
> time. I'd estimate that one in 10 cars ran. They had a nifty rig set up in
a
> utility trailer pulled by an ATV where they could pump filtered fuel into
> the carb inlet (having disconnected the regular fuel line), hot wire
> ignition and starter relays, jump the battery, and press a remote starter
> button. Of course, many cars didn't even have engines in them. Here are a
> few notable sales:
>
> 55 Royal Lancer 2dr ht pink/white hemi  $4,750
> The story I heard was that a guy drove from Florida to get this car. Since
> it ran and seemed to drive capably, it was promptly loaded and headed
> eastbound on a trailer behind the guy's RV in less than an hour's time.
> There were still 170 cars to be sold. (Yes, they sold over 30 cars per
> hour!)
>
> 56 Imperial 2 dr ht  $3,900  engine ran, drove minimally, brakes
(doubtful)
>
> 56 New Yorker r dr ht  $3,200     "
>
> 57 Sierra wagon D500  $2,750  The engine did start, but the car needed a
> total restoration. It did look like like all the basic pieces were there.
> How much will it cost to restore, and what will it be worth in the end ???
>
> The vast majority of the remaining cars went for between 50 and 1200
dollars
> apiece, with a median around 350. This is an indication of how rough they
> all were.
>
> Oh, there were some Edsels, and some AMC Javelins/Matadors, and handful of
> other Lincolns. Three or four 49/50 Mercs were no doubt headed for
> hotrodders. But the best buy of the show, in my opinion, dollar for
dollar,
> was a sleeper. A 63 1/2 Mercury Marauder S55 solid lifter 390 2 dr ht. It
> drove away in a young fellow's hands for $2,000. All it really needed was
> new paint, some tlc, and detailing. Richard Petty knows how fast this car
> was.
>
> I hope I provided at least a little insight into the goings on in smokey,
> dusty Montana this last weekend.
>
>  - Dan Davids
> Seattle
> (still on the lookout for nice original 58 Fury 350)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > From: N/B Nichols <3nichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Reply-To: 3nichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 18:43:26 -0700
> > To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [FWDLK] Billings Auction, 8/26
> >
> > So did anybody go to this auction!  If so, what did those '56 and '57
> > Fury's go for?  Were most of the cars in good shape, or was the whole
> > thing a waste of time?    Nick Nichols      San Francisco, CA
> >
>