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 red 1981 Toyota BJ42 Land Cruiser SUV with black seats was a no sale bid up to $50,000) and add some of my opinions. Eighties vehicles were about 10% of the 694 vehicle lots sold in this auction.
Thursday, August 2nd:
- 1986 silver Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 Aerocoupe with gray cloth seats, an LG4 165 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$7,000 hammer price.
- 1988 white Chevrolet Corvette hatchback coupe with red leather seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, the Doug Nash 4+3 transmission, and 52,000 miles—$7,750
- 1989 red Dodge Shadow Shelby CSX hatchback coupe with gray seats, a Turbo IV 175 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci inline four with fuel injection and turbocharger, a five-speed manual, and 73,000 miles—$6,500
- 1984 blue Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham coupe with blue cloth seats, a 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with Rochester four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 24,000 miles—$3,000 bought this attractive car
- 1988 red/white two-tone Ford Bronco II XLT SUV with red cloth seats, a Cologne 140 bhp 2.9 liter/179 ci V6 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$3,500
- 1982 black Chevrolet El Camino custom (paint, wheels, seats) pickup truck with maroon seats, a 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, and an automatic—$4,500
- 1985 black Pontiac Fiero GT coupe with gray cloth seats, an L44 130 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 65,000 miles—$5,000
- 1982 silver beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition hatchback coupe with silver beige leather seats, an L83 Cross-Fire 200 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 69,000 miles—$12,500
- 1981 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe with medium red leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 40,000 miles—$15,000
- 1985 white Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz coupe with blue tufted leather seats, an HT-4100 135 bhp 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 38,000 miles—$10,000
- 1980 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with black seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$9,000
- 1982 bright blue Chevrolet Corvette coupe with charcoal leather seats, an L83 Cross-Fire 200 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with throttle body fuel injection, and an automatic—$15,000
- 1987 signal red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a hard top, palomino leather seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 57,000 miles—$23,500
- 1988 bright red Chevrolet Corvette convertible with a white top, red leather seats, an L98 240 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 8,300 miles—$6,700
- 1987 midnight blue Chevrolet Scottsdale regular cab fleetside pickup truck with a charcoal deluxe cloth bench seat, an LB4 160 bhp 4.3 liter/262 ci V6 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$7,000
- 1987 black GMC Sierra Classic regular cab fleetside pickup truck with a maroon interior, an L05 210 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—at $18,000, the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for serious collectability of 1980s cars or trucks in stock condition: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. I’ll mark these vehicles in bold green.
- 1988 brown Dodge Ram 250 regular cab flatbed truck with a beige cloth bench seat, an unknown engine, and an automatic—$8,000
- 1989 signal red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a hard top, black leather seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 88,000 miles—$8,000
- 1988 black Ford Mustang ASC/McLaren convertible with a black top, red leather seats, a 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 80,000 miles—$10,500
- 1987 flame red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an LB9 190 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 26,000 miles—$11,000
- 1984 blue Porsche 928 S hatchback coupe with blue leather seats, a 288 bhp 4.7 liter/285 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 44,000 miles—$10,000
- 1985 white Chevrolet C10 custom (engine, body, suspension, wheels) regular cab step side pickup truck with a maroon bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a carburetor, and an automatic—$12,500
- 1980 green Jeep CJ-5 custom (engine, suspension) SUV with black seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and a four-speed manual—$13,500
- 1984 gray Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham coupe with tan cloth seats, a 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with Rochester four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 97,000 miles—$2,000. Eighties Toronados are showing up at auction, but they sure aren’t getting any money.
- 1985 black Buick Regal T-Type coupe with gray cloth seats, a 200 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection and turbocharger, and an automatic—$7,000
- 1981 gray metallic Buick Riviera coupe with a gray interior, an unknown engine, an automatic, and 67,000 miles—$2,000
- 1984 blue Chevrolet C10 Scottsdale regular cab fleetside pickup truck with a blue custom cloth bench seat, an unknown engine, an automatic, and 54,000 miles—$6,500
- 1981 yellow Jeep CJ-5 custom (engine, body, paint) SUV with gray vinyl seats, a 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with Weber carburetor, a four-speed manual, and 120,000 miles—$7,500
- 1989 blue/white two-tone GMC Suburban with blue cloth seats, a 210 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$14,000
- 1985 bright blue metallic Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, a 215 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 107,000 miles—$3,500
- 1981 red Pontiac Grand Prix custom (engine, transmission, body, interior, wheels) coupe with red cloth seats, a 6.6 liter/400 ci V8 with dual four-barrel carburetors, and an automatic—$3,500
- 1987 black/gray two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer with a gray interior, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$20,000
- 1983 burgundy Mercedes-Benz 240D sedan with brown seats, a 67 bhp 2.4 liter/147 ci inline diesel four, and an automatic—$5,000
- 1983 silver BMW 633 CSi coupe with black seats, an M30B32 181 bhp 3.2 liter/196 ci inline six with Bosch Motronic fuel injection, and an automatic—an ouch! at $1,000
Friday, August 3rd:
- 1981 purple Chevrolet Camaro custom (engine, paint, interior, wheels) coupe with blue cloth seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$8,500
- 1980 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe with claret leather seats, an L82 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$12,000
- 1981 blue Dodge Ram D150 regular cab step side pickup truck with a red cloth bench seat, a 3.7 liter/225 ci Slant-Six, a four-speed manual, and 18,000 miles—$10,000
- 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, and an automatic—$16,500
- 1985 white Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz coupe with red tufted leather seats, an HT-4100 135 bhp 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$4,000 for this car with period external bling (Rolls-Royce grill, continental kit)
- 1988 white Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition hatchback coupe with white leather seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 49,000 miles—$10,500
- 1988 white Chevrolet Corvette custom (Greenwood kit, interior) convertible with a white top, red leather seats, an L98 240 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 44,000 miles—$10,000
- 1980 cream Ford Thunderbird coupe with a brown cloth interior, a Windsor 131 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a Motorcraft two-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 222 miles—$7,500
- 1988 blue Ford Mustang ASC/McLaren convertible with a blue top, blue leather seats, a 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$9,500
- 1988 oxford white Ford Bronco mild custom (wheels, tires, suspension) SUV with blue cloth seats, a 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 25,000 miles—$30,000
- 1982 gray Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler custom (engine, suspension, wheels, tires) pickup truck with a gray interior, a 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six, and a four-speed manual—$19,000
- 1985 gold/white two-tone Chevrolet S10 Blazer Tahoe SUV with tan cloth seats, a 110 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$9,000
- 1984 cotillion white Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible, with a white top, dark carmine tufted leather seats, an HT-4100 135 bhp 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 45,000 miles—$16,500
- 1989 black Jaguar XJ-S custom (engine, transmission, wheels, tires) convertible with a black top, biscuit leather seats, an 8.0 liter/488 ci V10 with fuel injection, a six-speed manual—$35,000. If a Jag with a small block Chevrolet V8 is known as a “lump,” what is one with a Viper V10 called?
- 1984 blue Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser SUV with a blue interior, a 2F 135 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$50,000
- 1986 russet metallic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe with pewter/graphite cloth seats, a 210 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 30,000 miles—$10,000
- 1989 orange/black two-tone Chevrolet C1500 custom (body, paint, wheels, tires) pickup truck with an orange interior, a 5.7 liter/305 ci V8, and an automatic—$11,000
- 1987 black Buick Grand National custom (engine, suspension, brakes, wheels) coupe with black/gray cloth seats, a 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection and turbocharger, and an automatic—$30,000
- 1982 cream Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with brown convertible top, hard top, brown seats, a 155 bhp 3.8 liter/234 ci V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 44,000 miles—$17,500
- 1981 white Chevrolet Corvette custom (body, exhaust) coupe with black leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 40,000 miles—$17,000
- 1987 white Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe with a burgundy cloth interior, a 180 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 15,000 miles—$15,000
- 1982 olive Toyota FJ43 Land Cruiser SUV with tangerine seats, a 2F 135 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with carburetor, and a four-speed manual —$50,000
Saturday, August 4th:
- 1982 brown/beige two-tone Chevrolet El Camino Conquista pickup truck with a medium doeskin cloth bench seat, a 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, and automatic, and 65,000 miles—$7,000
- 1987 silver/blue two-tone Chevrolet Silverado custom (paint, suspension, wheels, tires) regular cab fleetside pickup truck with a blue interior, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$6,500
- 1981 martinique blue Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom (engine, exterior, interior) coupe with black seats, a 6.6 liter/400 ci V8 with Holley carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$21,000
- 1985 black Buick Grand National coupe with black/gray cloth seats, a 200 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection and turbocharger, and an automatic—$30,000
- 1982 green Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler custom (paint) pickup truck with black seats—$10,000
- 1988 black Land Rover Defender 110 custom (just about everything) SUV with black seats, a 2.5 liter/152 ci diesel inline four with a turbocharger, and a five-speed manual—$52,000
- 1982 black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom (body, interior) hatchback coupe with beige cloth seats, a V8, and an automatic—$60,000 for this well-done KITT replica.
- 1981 stainless steel DeLorean DMC-12 custom (body) coupe with gray seats, a ZMJ-159 130 bhp 2.8 liter/174 ci V6 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$70,000 for this Back to the Future replica.
- 1986 rosso corsa Ferrari Testarossa coupe with tan leather seats, a 380 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 13,000 miles—at $120,000, by far the highest eighties vehicle sale of this auction. That’s #2/Excellent money, according to Hagerty’s valuation tools.
- 1985 yellow Cadillac Eldorado coupe with yellow leather seats, an HT-4100 135 bhp 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$9,000
- 1981 beige Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser SUV with black seats, a 2F 135 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$27,000
- 1987 camouflage AM General Humvee SUV with a green interior, a 6.2 liter diesel V8, and an automatic—$18,000
What do you think of these results?
Eighties Cars 