Eighties Vehicles at the 2018 Mecum Kissimmee, Part Two

This year’s January auction at Mecum Kissimmee provided some interesting fodder for commentary. 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 dark blue 1985 Porsche 935 DP coupe with tan leather seats was a no sale bid up to $300,000) and add some of my opinions. Mecum Kissimmee is a huge event, so I’m going to separate it into two posts—this first covers the eighties 6% of the almost 1,100 vehicles sold from Wednesday to Sunday.

Wednesday, January 10th:

• 1987 black Buick Grand National coupe with black/gray cloth seats, a 245 bhp LC2 3.8 liter/231 cubic inch V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 44,000 miles—with a $22,000 hammer price, this eighties vehicle meets my criteria for serious 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.
• 1987 white Ford Mustang GT convertible with gray cloth seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 72,000 miles—$6,000
• 1988 yellow Chevrolet Camaro convertible with a black top, gray seats, and 61,000 miles—$5,000
• 1980 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with black leather seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$12,500
• 1987 silver Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS coupe with gray cloth seats, an L69 180 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 23,000 miles—$19,000
• 1987 black Jaguar XJS convertible with a black top, tan leather seats, an HE 262 bhp 5.3 liter/326 ci V12 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$9,000
• 1981 black Chevrolet Corvette coupe with camel leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 20,000 miles—$17,500
• 1987 black/silver metallic two-tone Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 4-4-2 coupe with gray cloth seats, a 170 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 39,000 miles—$22,000
• 1985 white Chevrolet Camaro Z28 hatchback coupe with a black interior, a 215 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 25,000 miles—$14,000
• 1980 cameo white Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans Am Pace Car Edition coupe with oyster cloth/vinyl seats, a 210 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with fuel injection and turbocharger, an automatic, and 22,000 miles—$19,000
• 1981 yellow Chevrolet custom pickup truck with a tan interior, a 383 ci V8, and an automatic—$16,000
• 1988 red Porsche 911 Carrera with tan leather seats, a 217 bhp 3.2 liter/193 ci flat six with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$35,000
• 1987 black Buick Grand National coupe with black/gray cloth seats, a 245 bhp LC2 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 70,000 miles—$20,000
• 1980 colonial yellow Cadillac Coupe DeVille with light yellow leather seats, a 150 bhp 6.0 liter/368 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 80,000 miles—$6,500
• 1988 silver Dodge Ramcharger SUV with red cloth seats, an LA 170 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with throttle-body fuel injection, an automatic, and 43,000 miles—$24,500
• 1989 white Pontiac 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe with saddle leather seats, a 250 bhp (at least) 3.8 liter/231 ci turbocharged V6 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 12,000 miles—$30,000
• 1987 white Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z custom hatchback coupe with buckskin seats, an L98 220 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 68,000 miles—$17,000
• 1980 blue Chevrolet K10 pickup truck with a blue custom cloth bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 20,000 miles—$13,000
• 1980 red Porsche 911 SC coupe with a black interior, a 180 bhp 3.0 liter/183 ci flat six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 29,000 miles—$45,000
• 1986 yellow Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with black cloth seats, a 190 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with Rochester M4Me four-barrel carburetor, and a five-speed manual—$10,500
• 1987 light blue/white two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer mild custom (hood, engine) SUV with medium blue cloth seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$19,000
• 1986 dark blue Chevrolet mild custom (hood, lowered) pickup truck with a black vinyl bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, an automatic, and a rebuilt title—$12,000
• 1989 orange Volkswagen Transporter Double Cab pickup truck with gray cloth seats, a flat four with a carburetor, a manual, and 50,000 miles—$9,500

• 1985 pale yellow brown Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with a black convertible top, dark brown leather seats, a 155 bhp 3.8 liter/234 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$18,000
• 1983 lime green with flames Chevrolet C10 custom (lowered, paint, engine) pickup truck with a black bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$7,000
• 1987 brown Chevrolet R10 stepside short bed pickup truck with a tan bench seat, an L05 210 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, and a four-speed manual—$4,000

Thursday, January 11th:

• 1986 burgundy Nissan 300ZX Turbo hatchback coupe with burgundy leather seats, a VG30 200 bhp 3.0 liter/181 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, and an automatic—$5,500
• 1981 red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with red vinyl seats, an LM1 175 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 35,000 miles—$19,000
• 1987 black Buick Grand National coupe with black/gray cloth seats, a 245 bhp LC2 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 72,000 miles—$15,000
• 1986 black Porsche 928 S coupe with tan leather seats, a 288 bhp 5.9 liter/302 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic, and 72,000 miles—$10,500
• 1981 black Chevrolet Camaro Z28 custom (engine) coupe with red vinyl seats, a 383 ci V8 with fuel injection, and a four-speed manual—$17,000
• 1987 flame red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA hatchback coupe with tan cloth seats, an L98 210 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 5,400 miles—$17,500
• 1989 blue Ford F-150 pickup truck with a gray cloth bench seat, a 185 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8, an automatic, and 59,000 miles—$15,000
• 1988 black Chevrolet V10 Silverado pickup truck with red vinyl seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, an automatic, and 24,000 miles—$19,000
• 1988 schwarz black BMW M6 coupe with silver gray leather seats, an S38B5 256 bhp 3.5 liter/211 ci inline six with Bosch Motronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 54,000 miles—$53,000

Friday, January 12th:

• 1981 silver metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe with dark blue cloth seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 51,000 miles—$13,000
• 1980 cameo white Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with dark blue cloth seats, an L37 155 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 6,400 miles—$20,500
• 1987 black Buick Regal GNX coupe with black/gray cloth seats, an LC2 276 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 43 miles—$90,000
• 1987 signal red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a chocolate brown convertible top, cream beige leather seats, a 238 bhp 5.5 liter/339 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 61,000 miles—$22,500
• 1987 red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with tan leather seats, a 238 bhp 5.5 liter/339 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 62,000 miles—$15,000
• 1985 tan Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-45 pickup truck with gray seats, a 4.2 liter inline six, and a four-speed manual—$47,500
• 1986 tan Toyota Xtra Cab Deluxe pickup truck with tan cloth seats, a 22R-E 105 bhp 2.4 liter inline four with fuel injection, and an automatic—$17,000
• 1989 silver Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a black convertible top, blue leather seats, a 238 bhp 5.5 liter/339 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 36,000 miles—$30,000
• 1980 red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 custom (engine) coupe with black vinyl seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$20,000
• 1985 black DeTomaso Pantera custom (engine, chassis, interior) coupe with black/red leather/suede seats, a 401 ci V8 with a Holley carburetor, and a five-speed manual—$67,500
• 1981 black Porsche 911 SC Targa coupe with tan leather seats, a 180 bhp 3.0 liter/183 ci flat six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 56,000 miles—$40,000
• 1985 guards red Porsche 930 Turbo coupe with black leather seats, a flat six with turbocharging, and a four-speed manual—$75,000 for this European-spec car (the 930 didn’t return to the US market until 1986).

Saturday, January 13th:

• 1986 doeskin tan/apple red two-tone Chevrolet K10 Silverado long bed pickup truck with a burgundy custom vinyl bench seat, an LE9 160 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic, and 41,000 miles—$25,000 for this loaded example indicates that third-generation trucks are starting to come on.
• 1981 white Chevrolet Camaro Yenko Turbo Z coupe with black leather seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and turbocharging, an automatic, and 39,000 miles—$62,000 for this rare (19 made) factory-authorized custom.

• 1989 red Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary coupe with tan leather seats, a 455 bhp 5.2 liter/315 ci V12 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 6,400 miles—at $270,000, by far the highest eighties vehicle sale of this auction.
• 1982 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe with silver gray leather seats, an L83 Cross-Fire 200 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 6,900 miles—$29,000
• 1981 gray Ferrari 308 GTSi coupe with tan leather seats, a 205 bhp 2.9 liter/179 ci V8 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 26,000 miles—$65,000
• 1984 red Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalve coupe with tan leather seats, a 230 bhp 2.9 liter/179 ci V8 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 11,000 miles—$55,000

Sunday, January 14th:

• 1988 gold with woodgrain Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV with saddle leather seats, a 144 bhp 5.9 liter/360 ci V8 with Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$7,500
• 1983 white Chevrolet G35 car hauler with a tan interior, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$12,000
• 1981 beige/dark bronze two-tone Chevrolet Corvette coupe with camel leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$7,500
• 1987 bronze Jaguar XJS cabriolet with an HE 262 bhp 5.3 liter/326 ci V12 with fuel injection and an automatic—$3,250
• 1982 white Buick Rivera convertible with a white top, burgundy leather seats, a 125 bhp 4.1 liter/252 ci V6 with a Rochester M4ME four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$4,500
• 1982 white Buick Rivera convertible with a white top, burgundy leather seats, a 150 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester M4MC four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—at $3,500, why was the V8 version less expensive than the six?
• 1987 black Chevrolet Blazer Silverado SUV with a gray interior, an LS9 165 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 90,000 miles—$22,000
• 1986 black Porsche 944 custom (engine, suspension) hatchback coupe with a tan interior, a 2.5 liter inline four with turbocharging, and 59,000 miles—$12,000