Auction Results: Mecum’s 2013 Dallas sale

Mecum rebounded from a slightly disappointing effort in Monterey this summer with a spectacular auction in Dallas on Sept. 4-7, 2013. At the end of the four-day event, 921 of 1,392 vehicles sold for a total of $36.3M. This compares very favorably with a successful 2012 Dallas sale that earned $31M from the sale of 779 vehicles.

More impressive than the overall result was the top seller for the auction. A 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 convertible that won the NHRA A/Sports Nationals in Indianapolis in 1967 set a new record for the model with a sale price of $3.424M, including premium. The car is one of the most desirable Corvettes in existence, and commanded a price reflective of that fact. It also helps inform the market for the rare and even more desirable 1963 Corvette Grand Sport and 1969 Corvette ZL1.

Strong sales were also recorded by some high-line muscle cars. In particular, a 1969 Camaro ZL1 sold for $567,100, which is the second time this year that a ZL1 has ticked past $500,000—an encouraging sign for those muscle cars that fell the furthest in 2007 and 2008. An unrestored 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16 earned $240,750 to hit a mark unseen since the muscle market correction of 2008.

As with most high-volume auctions, affordable fun was available, too. A 1965 Sunbeam Tiger with modest performance upgrades sold for $34,775, while a restored 1968 Plymouth GTX hardtop sold for $33,170. A 1969 Datsun 2000 convertible that could benefit from some cosmetic attention sold for a seemingly cheap $4,500.

Overall Top 10 Sales:

1. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible sold for $3,424,000
2. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe sold for $567,100
3. 1957 Chevrolet Corvette 283/283 Convertible sold for $310,300
4. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Convertible sold for $294,250
5. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko Coupe sold for $294,250
6. 2005 Ford GT Coupe sold for $272,850
7. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette 327/360 Z06 Coupe sold for $267,500
8. 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster sold for $246,100
9. 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16 396/375 Hardtop Coupe sold for $240,750
10. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Convertible sold for $219,350

Next sale for Mecum is the Oct. 10-12, 2013, Chicago event, where an estimated 1,000 vehicles will be offered. Headlining that sale is a collection of four 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Hurst “Hemi Under Glass” cars.