Barrett-Jackson Auction Coverage

[Editor_Reid]

OK team, I know how anxious some of you are to keep your fingers on the pulse of the "Austin-Healey world," so be sure to check out my blog every day beginning today (Monday, January 15) through Sunday for live, daily updates from the Media Center at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale.

I'll be dishing all the dirt on the Healeys there. I've already posted a "Day 0" report this morning as I get ready to get on an airplane bound for Scottsdale. Check it out:
Marque Matters, Online Edition

And if you get the SPEED channel and watch part of their 40 hours of live coverage, be sure to look for a guy in a Union Jack head wrap driving Jaguars across the block on Friday. (It just might be me.)

Cheers!
Reid

 

[AUSMHLY]

I'm looking forward to watching the aution. Expecially the Healeys.

Anyway of knowing what days and what time each day the Healeys are going to be shown on TV?
Roger

 

[Editor_Reid]

Check my blog tomorrow, Tuesday, for the schedule.

 

[Keoke]

Well we got the schedule yesterday but we ain't heard ah peep outa you all day!--Keoke ? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

[Editor_Reid]

Well we got the schedule yesterday but we ain't heard ah peep outa you all day!--Keoke ? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

I compose my blog after the auction action each day, meaning that it will be posted quite late on any given day. It's after midnight here now, and yet I have just posted the Tuesday - Day 2 - report.

Glad to learn that you're waiting - breathlessly, I see - for it every day!

 

[Keoke]

Na ain't been holdin my breath just waitin too see what you had to say.---Keoke GNite-

 

[Editor_Reid]

Na ain't been holdin my breath just waitin too see what you had to say.---Keoke GNite-

Obviously... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

 

[tahoe healey]

There seems to be a definite lack of the beautiful body lines of last year. Last year there were beautiful women every where. But the cars are nice.
Watching the auction really gives you a prospective as to what age group has the money these days. Or maybe the 50+ers are the only ones who can appreciate vintage steel. Are there any younger folks at least observing? Who will by our classics?

 

[timbn2]

Im 36, and as you can see from my signature below...

 

[Editor_Reid]

Watching the auction really gives you a prospective as to what age group has the money these days. Or maybe the 50+ers are the only ones who can appreciate vintage steel. Are there any younger folks at least observing? Who will by our classics?

There is a definite mix of ages here, but the majority is probably 50+. The younger people seem to be more interested in faster American stuff, but that's a very UN-scientific observation.

 

[Dave Richards]

Thanks Reid, for posting this. I like the perspective.

 

[Editor_Reid]

The final report is posted on MY BLOG . It was a fun and interesting week, as it always is. In fact, the overall experience borders on the surreal. Now back to Portland and those gray, chilly days of winter... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

[nascarcharlie]

Thanks for your insite, couldn't wait to read your comments each day. Hope to make it there myself some day.

 

[Keoke]

Thanks for your insite, couldn't wait to read your comments each day. Hope to make it there myself some day.

Just make sure you have a good financial provenance before you go, so you won't have to work the show'---Keoke--- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[drooartz]

Thanks for the coverage, Reid. Quite the spectacle down there. Might have to try to swing down there myself some day, it's not too far away for me. With those prices, I wouldn't be even a bit tempted to bid, so it would be a safe oogling trip. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[SHG]

Hey Reid, whatever happened to Ferrari hat guy? Was he a no-show this year?

 

[Johnny]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Many thanks Reid for sharing your views of the auction. I've never been to BJ but have been to three local auction houses. One, in Branson Missouri hires the same barkers that BJ uses. It is an exciting time. I do get tired of the loud bantering though. I usually leave the auction with a huge headache. It's nice to see our cars gaining in popularity.
I do have one question, if originality is so prized, why do all the Healey cars have chrome wheels? Or maybe I'm wrong, couldn't really see all the wheels that well.
Again, thanks so much for the insider report. Thouroughly enjoyed.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Hey Reid, whatever happened to Ferrari hat guy? Was he a no-show this year?

The "Ferarri Hat Guy" was there, but he maintained a little lower profile than in the past. Also, he didn't bid on any Healeys this year.

 

[Editor_Reid]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Many thanks Reid for sharing your views of the auction. ... I do have one question, if originality is so prized, why do all the Healey cars have chrome wheels? Or maybe I'm wrong, couldn't really see all the wheels that well.
Again, thanks so much for the insider report. Thouroughly enjoyed.

I would not say that originality is "so prized" by the bidders/buyers there. They are not marque experts, or even moderately knowledgeable about the marque in many cases. They are not very likely to attend any club events, and they are even less likely to submit these cars for concours judging.

What they do prize is excellent condition, and good looks. So, pretty much any totally restored car - or one that at least appears to have been totally restored - that is tasteful and has some "eyeball" will attract good bids. Chrome wire wheels just simply have more "eyeball" than painted wires, and they look particularly great under the stage lights.

By the way, speaking as a concours judge, many of the Healeys at the auction - such as all of Kurt Tanner's Healeys; five of them this year - would easily score Gold in concours judging. Just having chrome wire wheels in no way makes a car incapable of scoring well in concours judging.

 

[Johnny]

You mean a non-original color, and chrome wire wheels would score "Gold"?