Canadian vintage car prices stay strong at spring auction
Everything from 1936 Packard limousine to restored 1949 Massey- Harris tractor change hands
There were bargains for sharp bidders. A red 1986 Porsche 944 sports car originally from Texas drew a winning bid of only $ 2,250. A lucky buyer closed on a show quality 1934 Chevrolet coupe streetrod with a 435 horsepower engine for $ 23,500.
Chris Verden flew in from Winnipeg for the auction to buy a Corvette. He scored a fully optioned 1977 model that had travelled just 87,800 kilometres for $ 7,700 plus 10 per cent buyer fee. “I love Corvettes and it was always my dream to own one,” says the moving company owner who was a teenager when he decided he would own a Corvette one day.
“I started my company in 1977, so it was only fitting that I buy a 1977 model,” he says. Apart from a missing turn signal lever and broken headlight switch, he was happy with his purchase. “The three days here is my vacation and I got what I came for.”
Not so lucky were Alain and Denise Courtois who drove to the auction from Victoriaville, Que. They specifically wanted to buy a fully restored 1952 Chevrolet ice cream truck that is completely functional and spent its working life selling frozen delights in the Texas panhandle before ending up in a junkyard.
Cambridge Custom Chrome shop operator Brian Pollock brought a piece of local motoring history to sell at the auction. His 1936 Packard 1408 limousine with a smooth- running V12 engine was purchased originally by the owners of the century- old Walper Hotel in Kitchener.
The car chauffeur- driven limousine was used to pick up hotel guests at the train station. Among the thousands of passengers helped into the luxurious rear seating compartment over the years were Will Rogers, Bob Hope, Eleanor Roosevelt, Liberace, Guy Lombardo, Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Art Carney, Bob Newhart and James Brown.
The car was retired from service in 1961 and given to the employee who had chauffeured passengers in the old limousine for 25 years. The engine had developed a knock and a series of subsequent owners stored the car for more than 40 years.
The car is completely original inside and out with missing paint patina. The original engine has been rebuilt. Owner Brian Pollock was hoping offers would exceed his reserve price of $ 65,000. “I have butterflies,” he said as the car was driven on to the stage in front of several thousand spectators. The final bid of $ 54,000 just wasn’t enough and he took his venerable limo home.
But there were many vintage vehicles that did change hands including a beautifully restored midnight blue 1938 Chevrolet Master Deluxe sedan sold for $ 22,000; a 1936 Auburn 852 cabriolet, $ 87,000; a 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge, $ 64,000; a 1935 DeSoto Airflow sedan, $ 27,500; and a red 1963 Falcon Futura convertible hammered down at $ 14,000.
A seldom seen 1958 Oldsmobile Super 88 hardtop in red sold for $ 54,500. It featured the rare “J2” triple carburetor engine option and a three- speed standard transmission.
Pickup trucks continue to bring strong money including a 1947 Studebaker selling for $ 16,500, a red 1958 Chevrolet Apache 3100 for $ 34,000 and a medium blue 1958 Chevrolet Cameo bid up to $ 50,000, which did not meet the reserve price.
Continuing the country theme was a restored 1949 Massey-Harris Pony tractor in red with yellow wheels, which sold for $ 5,100. It would make a terrific piece of yard art for the new owner or be used to pull a hay wagon.