US auction giant Mecum’s first foray into Texas bust the $20m mark after the sale house got more than three-quarters of its 645-strong lot list away at its 6-8 October fixture in Dallas.
The $20.5m total was buoyed by the $562,500 taken for a highly original (including delivery stickers, paint and tyres) 1969 Corvette L88 Coupe (above), one of only three black examples made.
The second-biggest classic earner was a 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt (above) – one of 100 lightweight 427cu in-engined Fairlanes built by Ford for its top drag-racing customers – which pulled in an impressive $245,000, while a 1971 Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible (below) wasn’t far behind at $217,300.
Other standouts included a 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Lightweight at $200,000 and a 1955 Porsche Speedster that sold for a healthy $167,000, with a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda hot on its heels at $160,000.
Also impressive were the sale’s fundraising efforts: a customised 2011 Camaro convertible (below) raised $366,000 for Operation Mend, a charity in aid of injured US servicemen. The total was boosted by $13,000-worth of donations from the saleroom audience and a further $10,000 from sale partners Reliable Carriers and Cinema Vehicle Services.
Boss Dana Mecum was delighted with the inaugural event: "The excitement and enthusiasm expressed by everyone who participated was very positive.
"We had nearly 3000 registered bidders, more than 1200 of which were attending a Mecum Auction for the first time!”
Mecum’s next sale is in Kansas City from 1-3 December. See Mecum for more.
