These days you can’t turn around without bumping into a car auction somewhere, especially online and on TV. Auction sites like BringaTrailer.com and Carsandbids.com have, in fact, become media platforms in their own right, both feeding and reporting on the hottest trends in the marketplace. And live feeds from national auction firms like Mecum fill the gaps between builder shows on your favorite car-focused TV channels.
It’s fair to say classic car auctions are now part of the passive-viewing entertainment landscape we take for granted as car enthusiasts in modern times. But they’re still no substitute for being in the room when the caller’s hollering and the hammer’ hitting the podium.
We traveled recently to a Mecum auction in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to check out the cars and the action in person. We left awestruck by how much more is actually going on behind the scenes that the cameras just can’t capture on TV.
Incredible variety– If you watch the auction feed on TV, you might get the idea that these auctions are almost exclusively street rod and muscle car focused. And while it’s true these vehicles dominate the chutes – no fewer than a dozen ‘69 Camaro Z/28s were up for bid on the one day we attended – there are actually all kinds of cars and trucks that move through each sale.
We saw a spectrum of different vehicles ranging from a Hummer H1 to Saab 900 Turbo to a Club Car golf cart and a Strimple motor scooter. Even an ultra-rare 1966 Vetta Ventura, which he had never even heard of.
The TV crew may have a vested interest in showing the low-hanging fruit to keep you glued through the next commercial break (and really, who doesn’t enjoy seeing an orange ‘69 Charger?), but there is so much more to actually see on the ground.
Unbelievable sounds – What the TV production will never be able to capture is symphony of horsepower that plays all day long as cars parade their way up to the main stage. There is a never ending flurry of activity on the grounds, and you can tell when something interesting has been fired to life as the crowd swarms to the source. As a bonus, you get to experience the occasional aroma of 104-octane race gas as it’s forcefully ejected through straight pipes.
Informed conversations – The TV hosts provide a little color commentary on the featured vehicles as the come across the stage, and they generally tend to know their stuff even without their prepared notes. But that’s nothing compared to the conversations happening around the open hoods I the exhibit space before the cars get their time in the spotlight.
These auctions tend to attract knowledgeable, passionate enthusiasts, many on the hunt for the next gem in their collection. They know what they’re looking for and can be overheard pointing out to whoever is with them what’s right and what’s wrong with different examples. It’s a great free education if you jump on to the right conversation at the right time. Of course, there are also plenty of “know-nothing know-it-alls” in the crowd, and that can be its own form of entertainment, if not enlightenment.
Rare access – You will see unusual, exceptional, and even historically significant examples of the auto industry’s best work up close and personal. In some cases these may be project cars seen on TV or built by famous shops. Or perhaps a car you remember from a magazine feature story. The beauty of them appearing at auction is you get to examine them on your time and at close range. For better or for worse.
Unparalleled energy – There’s simply no substitute for being in the presence of so many unique vehicles and enthusiasts. A live auction has all the surprise and delight of a great cars-and-coffee gathering, the scale of a large enthusiast show, and the on-the-ground energy of a rock concert.
No matter what your tastes or budget, attending a collector car auction in person is something every car enthusiast should do. If nothing else, you can always watch the reruns when they come on TV and tell anyone who will listen, “Hey, I remember seeing that one up close. The TV cameras just don’t do it justice…”
