Eighties Vehicles at the 2017 Mecum Kansas City

Mecum’s late November/early December auction in Kansas City marks what I see as the end of the North American auto action season. I’ll concentrate on the reasonably stock 1980s cars (and a few trucks) that sold (remember that Mecum auctions are not “no reserve” auctions—a white 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe with burgundy cloth seats and 29,000 miles was a no sale bid up to $14,500) and add some of my opinions. Eighties vehicles were about 9% of the 260 vehicle lots sold in this auction.

Thursday, November 30th:

• 1986 radient silver/crimson red two-tone Chrysler Fifth Avenue sedan with red velvet cloth seats, a 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 cubic inch V8 with Carter two-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 12,000 miles—$7,o00 hammer price for this car that was somewhat of a relic even when it was new.

• 1980 black MG MGB convertible with a black top, tan seats, a 63 bhp 1.8 liter/110 cubic inch inline four with Zenith 175CD5T carburetor, a four-speed manual, and 17,000 miles—$9,000. Suddenly, late MGBs are coming up for auction.
• 1986 red TVR 280i convertible with a black top, beige seats, a Cologne 160 bhp 2.8 liter/170 cubic inch V6 with Bosch fuel injection, a four-speed manual, and 45,000 miles—$6,750
• 1986 white GMC C1500 High Sierra pickup truck with a beige cloth bench seat, a 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$5,750
• 1986 white Ford Mustang GT convertible with black top, red cloth seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 64,000 miles—$7,250
• 1987 dark gray metallic/titanium two-tone Ford Mustang GT coupe with gray cloth seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 33,000 miles. At $16,000 the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for 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.
• 1980 orange Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with black vinyl seats, an LM1 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$20,000
• 1980 le mans blue Chevrolet Corvette mild custom (color is not original) coupe with doeskin leather seats, an L48 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$10,000
• 1981 silver metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe with blue cloth seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 51,000 miles—$12,000

Friday, December 1st:

• 1980 ivory Mercedes-Benz 450SL convertible with camel leather seats, a 180 bhp 4.5 liter/276 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and Epsilon aftermarket wheels—$6,250
• 1987 rosewood (I think it is medium rosewood—Cadillac offered light, medium, and dark rosewood in 1987) Cadillac Eldorado coupe with rosewood leather seats, an HT-4100 170 bhp 4.1 liter/249 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 35,000 miles—$9,500 is all the money for a 1987 Eldorado according to Hagerty’s valuation tools.

• 1988 red Pontiac Fiero GT coupe with gray cloth seats, an L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, and 500 miles—$19,500 is evidently the price of a brand new Fiero GT in 2017.
• 1988 black Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an LB9 215 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$10,000
• 1980 red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 custom coupe with tan seats, a 6.3 liter/383 cubic inch V8, and a five-speed manual—$17,000
• 1986 red Chevrolet Corvette hatchback coupe with red leather seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch with fuel injection, an automatic, and 65,000—$6,000
• 1987 red Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with red leather seats, an L98 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 23,000 miles—$19,500
• 1986 red Nissan 300ZX hatchback coupe with black leather seats, a VG30E 160 bhp 3.0 liter/181 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 81,000 miles—$6,000. 300ZXs are starting to show up at auction but aren’t exactly selling for big money.

Saturday, December 2nd:

• 1989 red Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an LB9 215 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 39,000 miles—$15,000
• 1988 red Chevrolet Silverado mild custom pickup truck with a red cloth bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$9,000
• 1987 rosso corsa Ferrari Testarossa coupe with beige leather seats, a 380 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V12 with Bosch fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 36,000 miles—$87,000 for this Ferrari in the most wanted color combination.

• 1982 silver beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition hatchback coupe with silver beige leather seats, a 200 bhp L83 Cross-Fire 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 64,000 miles—$12,000
• 1981 solar gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with camel tan cloth seats, an unidentified V8 (could be a Pontiac 4.9 or a Chevrolet 5.0) with a four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$15,500
• 1985 silver Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole coupe with black leather seats, a 230 bhp 2.9 liter/179 cubic inch V8 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$48,000
• 1985 black Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS custom coupe with maroon cloth seats, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8, and a five-speed manual—$12,500

Eighties Chevrolets were heavily represented in this auction—almost 45% of the lots from that decade. What do you think of these results?