Mecum’s August auction in Harrisburg provided some fodder for commentary. I’ll concentrate on the at least fairly stock 1980s cars (and a few trucks) that sold (remember that Mecum auctions are not no reserve auctions—a diamond blue 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with both tops, blue leather seats, and 17,000 miles was a no sale bid up to $42,000) and add some of my opinions. Eighties vehicles were about 9% of the 474 vehicle lots sold in this auction.
Thursday, August 3rd:
- 1988 white Pontiac Fiero Formula coupe with gray cloth seats, a L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 17,000 miles—$8,500 hammer price.
- 1984 doeskin tan/frost white two-tone Chevrolet C10 Scottsdale pickup truck with a maroon bench seat, a 130 bhp 4.1 liter/250 cubic inch inline six with 2-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 67,000 miles—$11,500
- 1981 brazil brown metallic Volkswagen Rabbit convertible with a white top, gazelle leatherette seats, a 74 bhp 1.7 liter/105 cubic inch inline four with fuel injection, an automatic, and 82,000 miles—$2,500
- 1981 red Pontiac Grand Prix very custom coupe with red interior, a 6.6 liter/400 cubic inch V8 with two Holley 4-barrel carburetors, and an automatic—$6,500
- 1989 dark red metallic Chevrolet Corvette convertible with black leather seats, an L98 245 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 92,000 miles—$9,000
- 1987 gray Nissan 300ZX coupe with gray cloth seats, a VGE30 3.0 liter/181 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 49,000 miles—$5,000
- 1988 gray Chrysler Fifth Avenue sedan with burgundy velour seats, a 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 cubic inch V8 with 2-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$3,000 for this one-owner car that continues Mecum Harrisburg’s trend of cars not often seen at auction.
- 1985 cabernet red metallic Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with the optional hard top, tan seats, a 155 bhp 3.8 liter/234 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$8,500
- 1986 blue Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 4-4-2 coupe with blue cloth seats, a 180 bhp 5.0 liter/307 cubic inch V8 with Rochester four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 27,000 miles—$10,000. Suddenly, the eighties 4-4-2’s are showing up at auction.
- 1983 red Fiat Spider 2000 convertible with a black top, a black interior, an 102 bhp 2.0 liter/122 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 13,000 miles—$14,500
- 1989 red Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with gray cloth seats, a 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 68,000 miles—$7,000
- 1987 black GMC Sierra pickup truck with a maroon interior, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$16,500
- 1989 carmine red Cadillac Eldorado coupe with a white leather interior, a 155 bhp 4.5 liter/273 cubic inch V8 engine with fuel injection, an automatic, and 12,000 miles—$13,000
- 1982 red Lancia Beta Spider Zagato targa coupe with a black interior, a 108 bhp 2.0 liter/122 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$5,000
- 1988 white Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with gray cloth seats, a 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 68,000 miles—$9,000
- 1986 red/silver two-tone Chevrolet K10 pickup truck with a red/black bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$13,000
- 1981 copper Datsun 280ZX with a saddle interior, a 145 bhp 2.8 liter/168 cubic inch inline six with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 27,000 miles—$10,500
- 1980 black and gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom coupe with a tan interior, a 6.6 liter/400 cubic inch V8 with carburetor (that’s why it’s custom), and an automatic—$22,000
- 1989 flame red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA coupe with camel cloth seats, a B2L 235 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 27,000 miles—$10,000
- 1981 yellow Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with black vinyl seats, an LM1 175 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$9,500
- 1980 silver metallic Chevrolet Corvette custom coupe with black leather seats, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual, and 53,000 miles—$9,500
- 1981 white Jeep CJ-5 Golden Eagle custom SUV with a black interior, a 5.9 liter/360 cubic inch V8, and a three-speed manual—$9,000
- 1987 moorland green Jaguar XJ6 Series III sedan with biscuit leather seats, a 176 bhp 4.2 liter/256 cubic inch inline six with Lucas-Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—an ouch! at $2,500.
- 1982 pale yellow Rolls-Royce Corniche I convertible with saddle top, saddle leather seats, a 6.75 liter/412 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$31,500 is a little under #3/Good money, according to Hagerty’s valuation tools.
Friday, August 4th:
- 1980 blue Jeep CJ-5 custom SUV with a black interior, a 119 bhp 5.0 liter/304 cubic inch V8 with Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual—$19,000
- 1981 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with medium red leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 48,000 miles—$14,500 for one of the last of the St. Louis-built cars.
- 1987 black Chevrolet pickup truck with a red interior, a 170 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$18,500
- 1981 black Chevrolet Corvette coupe with camel leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 62,000 miles—$12,500
- 1988 red Alpha Romeo Spider Graduate Edition convertible with a black top, a tan interior, a 115 bhp 2.0 liter/120 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 71,000 miles—$7,000
- 1982 silver beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe with silver beige leather seats, an L83 Cross-Fire 200 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 7,300 miles—at $24,500 the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars or trucks: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. I’ll mark these vehicles in bold green.
- 1983 red Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet custom convertible with a “slant-nose” wide-body conversion, a black top, a brown interior, and a 180 bhp 3.0 liter/183 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection—$31,000
- 1980 black Dodge Adventurer Midnite Express Truck custom (because they didn’t build any factory Midnite Express Trucks in 1980) pickup truck with black seats, a 5.9 liter/360 cubic inch V8 with carburetor, and an automatic—$15,500
- 1981 red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with a black interior, an LM1 175 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 49,ooo miles—$17,500
- 1986 white Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet custom convertible with a “slant-nose” wide-body conversion, a black top, a black interior, a 207 bhp 3.2 liter/193 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$25,000 for another non-factory conversion.
- 1987 silver/black two-tone Rolls-Royce Silver Spur limousine, with a black interior, a 6.75 liter/412 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$33,000
- 1989 orange Chevrolet Blazer very custom SUV with gray seats, a 6.3 liter/383 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$10,500
Saturday, August 5th:
- 1988 pearlescent white Lotus Esprit Turbo Special Edition coupe with baby blue leather seats, a 215 bhp 2.0 liter inline four with Garrett T3 turbocharger and Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 15,000 miles—$15,500
- 1983 gray Jeep CJ-7 custom SUV with a black interior, a 6.3 liter/383 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$25,000
- 1989 white Land Rover Defender 110 pickup truck with a black interior, an 85 bhp 2.5 liter diesel inline four with turbocharger, and a five-speed manual—$40,000
- 1985 red Lamborghini Jalpa coupe with a tan interior, a 250 bhp 3.5 liter/213 cubic inch V8 with Weber 4-barrel carburetor, a five-speed manual, and 16,000 miles—$62,000. Jalpas are suddenly more present at auctions—this is the second one I’ve seen in 2017.
- 1985 dark sage green Ford Mustang SVO fastback coupe with gray cloth seats, a Lima 200 bhp 2.3 liter/140 cubic inch inline four with Garrett turbocharger, intercooler, and fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$13,500 for one of the sixty SVOs originally sold to Hertz.
- 1986 jalapena cabernet Ford Mustang SVO fastback coupe with gray leather seats, a Lima 200 bhp 2.3 liter/140 cubic inch inline four with Garrett turbocharger, intercooler, and fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 23,000 miles—$13,000
- 1988 oxford white/titanium two-tone Ford Mustang GT fastback coupe with red cloth seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 50,000 miles—$10,000
- 1981 stainless steel DeLorean DMC-12 coupe with a gray interior, a ZMJ-159 130 bhp 2.8 liter/174 cubic inch V6 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 13,000 miles—$38,000
- 1980 orange Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser SUV with a black interior, a 135 bhp engine, a five-speed manual transmission, and 42,000 miles—$25,000
What do you think of these results?
Eighties Cars 