M C VICAR ESTATE CLASSIC AUCTION
There is no doubt that auctions of any sort are unpredictable. This especially applies to classic car auctions. The environment, even the weather on the day, has an effect on the buyers’ mood and on the prices paid.
All of this and more was evident on Saturday, 13 October, when Turners auctioned 30 cars from the Mcvicar estate collection. Brisk bidding was on right from the start with lot 1A, a 1910 horse-drawn buggy, bringing in $4350. This was followed with a winning bid of $5700 for a children’ssize outdoor railway train and carriages.
Then came the first car, a 1927 Stutz 8, a big four-door saloon. This ex-australian, possibly unique, wedding car sold for $111K. Like any auction, you only need two people determined to bid on an article and away goes the price. This was certainly the case when it came to finding the new owner of a 1936 Dodge D2 Cabriolet, lovely in brick red, with whitewall tyres, and finished off in tan leather trim.
Two men bidding, with nudging from their wives, brought the final sale price to $80K.
The second highest price of the day was $92K for a 1931 Chrysler Series Six OM cabriolet. The colour choice was stunning: red, gold, and cream. A real Hollywood star car in its time.
My favourite was the 1951 Packard 250, a left-hand-drive two-door convertible. Restored in the States, this looked classic ’50s–’60s rock ’n’ roll in its teal paintwork. A redeeming feature was its prominent factory-fitted bonnet mascot — you would never get a warrant with that on your bonnet today! A lot of enjoyment for $66K.
It’s a pity that the 1936 Cadillac Convertible did not initially find a new home. The restoration of this car had not quite been completed. Perhaps the black colour, lack of interior, and uncompleted assembly did not inspire bidders over the reserve. It was passed in at $51K but sold later after negotiation with the highest bidder.
Lot 15 was a 1965 Cadillac de Ville convertible. I don’t think the colour of metallic red was an original option but, nevertheless, it looked really smart. Part of the information in the brochure read: “Just the coolest, especially if you like to buy your ride on the basis of its square footage. Thumb your nose at the Greenies and hit the highway with a touch of all-american class”. It sold for $26,500. In my opinion, this car was the buy of the day.
Next came another convertible. This 1969 Rolls-royce Corniche would look a million dollars cruising the backcountry sealed roads on a sunny day with the hood down. In dark blue with light blue top, this Sunday cruiser looked like it was worth triple the selling price of $26K — I wish it were mine.
Lot 19 has an interesting history. It was purchased by the late Gary Mcvicar, on one of his many trips to the States, to become part of his collection. This 1941 Cadillac 62 V8 was first registered in India to an Indian royal family. A relatively rare car, especially in right-hand-drive configuration, it sold for $29K.
Lot 21 was the 1928 Auburn 88 Speedster Boat-tail Roadster. This was undoubtedly the star attraction of the auction. I wrote an extensive article on the history and restoration of this car in this publication many years ago. Very briefly, speedway rider Charlie Blacklock brought the car to Christchurch from England in 1932. Christchurch-based Jonathan Chaston undertook the full restoration and rebuild over a 10-year period. The expected selling price was in the vicinity of $400K. Bidding was initially brisk around the $220K mark and quickly rose to $241K, at which stage it stalled, and so the car was passed in.
Bidding was still brisk towards the end of the auction. A 1980 Ferrari 400i in Rosso Corsa red with tan leather sold for $64,500. Another car that appealed to potential buyers was a white and blue 1981 Cadillac Seville. This very nice, original American classic car, with sunroof and leather — and only 55,590 miles showing — appeared a good buy at $11,600.
The last lot of significant interest was a 1936 Packard 120 three-window coupé. Now this one, I thought, was perhaps a little underrated. A straight-eight finished in black with wide whitewall tyres — definitely one of the stars of the auction — sold for $53,500. Good buying on today’s market, considering the cost of restoration and the fact that the work’s all done for you.