Eighties Vehicles at the 2019 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale

As always, the January auction at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale provided some interesting fodder for commentary, along with a compare/contrast to Mecum Kissimmee, which comes about one week earlier. I’ll concentrate on the at least fairly stock 1980s cars and trucks that sold and add some of my opinions; I’ll leave the motorcycles and automobilia to others. Eighties vehicles were reasonably present at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale—about 4% of the 1,692 relevant lots.

Monday, January 14th:

• 1983 Red Datsun 280ZX Turbo hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an L28E 180 bhp 2.8 liter/168 ci inline six with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection and turbocharger, and a five-speed manual—$7,500 hammer price for the rarely seen 2+2 version of the Z car.

• 1987 Red Chevrolet Corvette custom (body, engine, wheels/tires) hatchback coupe with red leather seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection and supercharger, an automatic, and 56,000 miles—$12,500
• 1988 Black Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with palomino leather seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 cubic inch V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 45,000 miles—$16,000
• 1980 white Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with carmine cloth seats, an LM1 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual, and 76,000 miles. At $14,500, 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.
• 1984 Frost White/Burgundy two-tone Chevrolet K10 pickup truck with a red cloth bench seat, a 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, and a four-speed manual—$14,500
• 1980 Black Chevrolet Corvette custom (body, interior) convertible with tan seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$17,500 for this Ferrari Daytona imitation.
• 1982 White Jeep CJ-5 custom (suspension, wheels/tires, interior) SUV with black/white seats, a 119 bhp 5.0 liter/304 ci V8 with a Motorcraft two-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$16,000
• 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 2,100 miles—$34,500

Tuesday, January 15th:

• 1987 Medium Garnet Red Pontiac Fiero GT coupe with gray cloth seats, an L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$9,500
• 1986 Crystal Green Metallic Porsche 944 Turbo hatchback coupe with burgundy leather seats, a 220 bhp 2.5 liter/151 ci inline four with fuel injection and turbocharger, and a five-speed manual—$11,000 for this very different (but correct) Porsche color.

• 1983 Blue Ford Mustang GLX convertible with a white top, blue/white seats, a Windsor 175 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a Holley 4180 four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$9,000
• 1986 Bright Blue Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an LG4 155 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a Rochester E4ME four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 16,000 miles—$13,500
• 1985 Dark Blue Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom (body) convertible with a black top, black/gray cloth seats, an LG4 155 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a Rochester E4ME four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 84,000 miles—$12,000
• 1985 Black Jeep CJ-7 mild custom SUV with black vinyl seats, a 112 bhp 4.2 liter/258 inline six with a Carter BBD two-barrel carburetor, and a five-speed manual—$16,000
• 1989 Yellow Jeep Cherokee custom (body, wheels/tires) SUV with gray seats, a 4.0 liter/242 ci inline six with fuel injection, and an automatic—$10,000
• 1989 Bright Red Chevrolet Corvette hatchback coupe with red leather seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 2,500 miles—$19,500
• 1982 Silver Jeep CJ-5 SUV with black seats, a 110 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a Carter two-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 66,000 miles—$17,500
• 1987 White Buick Regal Limited coupe with blue cloth seats, an LC2 245 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 55,000 miles—$38,500 for this relatively rare (one of 1,035 built) car that has the turbo but doesn’t have the “Darth Buick” look.
• 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 2,700 miles—$38,000
• 1984 Russet Chevrolet Silverado custom (engine, suspension, wheels/tires) pickup truck with a tan cloth bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, an automatic, and 98,000 miles—$35,000
• 1987 Silver/Gray two-tone Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 SUV with gray cloth seats, a 4.0 liter diesel inline six, and an automatic—$19,000
• 1987 Silver Chevrolet Silverado custom (powertrain, suspension, wheels/tires) pickup truck with a gray cloth bench seat, a 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, an automatic—$27,000
• 1986 Dark Blue/Light Blue two-tone Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with a gray cloth bench seat, a 7.4 liter/454 ci V8, an automatic, and 95,000 miles—$20,000

Wednesday, January 16th:

• 1985 White/Gray two-tone Chevrolet El Camino Conquista custom (engine, paint, interior, wheels) pickup truck with blue/gray cloth/vinyl seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, an automatic, and 95,000 miles—$10,000
• 1983 World Rally Blue Subaru BRAT pickup truck with gray/blue cloth/vinyl seats, an EA-81 73 bhp 1.8 liter/109 ci flat four, and a four-speed manual—$12,000
• 1980 Copper Toyota Celica GT Sunchaser convertible with brown plaid cloth/vinyl seats, a 2.2 liter inline four, a five-speed manual, and 56,000 miles—$11,000
• 1987 White/Gray two-tone GMC 3500 Indy Hauler crew cab pickup truck with a burgundy cloth bench seat, a 7.4 liter/454 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$12,000
• 1983 White Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, a 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a five-speed manual, and 11,000 miles—$7,500. As soon as I write that you never see Berlinettas, they start showing up at auction.
• 1987 Dark Gray Metallic Subaru BRAT pickup truck with gray cloth/vinyl seats, an EA-81 73 bhp 1.8 liter/109 ci flat four, a four-speed manual, and 27,000 miles—$16,500. Two BRATs in one auction!
• 1987 Black/Gray two-tone Chevrolet K10 custom (engine, suspension, wheels/tires) pickup truck with a gray cloth bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$26,000
• 1987 Black/Gray two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer SUV with gray cloth seats, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$26,000
• 1980 Red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with oyster cloth seats, an LM1 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$11,500
• 1987 White Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS coupe with burgundy cloth seats, a 180 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 7,400 miles—$30,000
• 1985 Black Ford Mustang GT hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, a Windsor 210 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a Holley four-barrel carburetor, a five-speed manual, and 23,000 miles—$14,000
• 1982 Scarlet Red Toyota pickup truck with tan cloth seats, a 22R 2.4 liter/144 ci inline four, a five-speed manual, and 72,000 miles—$15,000
• 1988 Black Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe with scarlet red cloth seats, a Lima 150 bhp 2.3 liter/140 ci inline four with fuel injection and turbocharger, an automatic, and 9,400 miles—$7,000. Suddenly, eighties Thunderbirds are showing up at auction.
• 1989 Dark Red Metallic Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an L98 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 344 miles—$34,000
• 1989 Black Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with palomino leather seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 cubic inch V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 15,000 miles—$45,000 marks this as a very nice 560SL.

• 1983 Guards Red Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet custom (body) with a black top, black leather seats, a 180 bhp 3.0 liter/183 ci flat six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 118,000 miles—$37,000
• 1985 Cream/Gold two-tone Dodge Ramcharger Prospector SUV with gold cloth/vinyl seats, an LA 175 bhp 5.8 liter/360 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 7,600 miles—$21,000

Thursday, January 17th:

• 1983 Black Datsun 280ZX hatchback coupe with gray cloth seats, an L28 145 bhp 2.8 liter/168 ci inline six with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$4,000
• 1986 Black/Red two-tone Chevrolet S10 custom (just about everything besides the powertrain) pickup truck with a black vinyl bench seat, a 2.5 liter/151 ci inline four, and an automatic—$5,700
• 1989 Tan Mercedes-Benz 300TE station wagon with tan seats, a 217 bhp 3.2 liter/180 ci inline six, and an automatic—$14,500 for this wagon once owned by Shirley Temple Black.
• 1987 Black Buick Grand National coupe with black/gray cloth seats, an LC2 245 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 17,000 miles—$28,000
• 1985 Tuxedo Black 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—$35,000 is serious money for an eighties Eldo, much less a coupe.

• 1985 Black Chevrolet K5 Blazer (engine, suspension, wheels/tires) SUV with a gray interior, a 7.4 liter/454 ci V8, and an automatic—$18,000
• 1985 Copper/Chocolate two-tone Dodge Ramcharger custom (powertrain, interior) SUV with copenhagen leather seats, a Hemi 5.7 liter/345 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$28,000
• 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 47 miles—$36,000
• 1981 Stainless Steel DeLorean DMC-12 coupe with gray leather seats, a 130 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 4,800 miles—$36,000
• 1987 Black Buick Grand National coupe with black/gray cloth seats, an LC2 245 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with turbocharging and fuel injection, an automatic, and 29 miles—$60,000
• 1981 Charcoal Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler custom (just about everything) pickup truck with gray seats, a 6.0 liter V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$45,000
• 1986 White Pontiac Grand Prix race car with a black race seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and a four-speed manual—$100,000 for this car once raced by Rusty Wallace.
• 1984 Oxford White Ford Mustang GT350 convertible with a white top, canyon red seats, a Windsor 175 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a Holley 4180 four-barrel carburetor, a five-speed manual, and 121 miles—$32,000

Friday, January 18th:

• 1987 Blue Maserati Biturbo Spyder with a blue top, tan leather seats, a 187 bhp 2.0 liter/122 ci V6 with fuel injection and (natch!) twin turbochargers, an automatic (why?), and 8,300 miles—$7,500 for the most unusual eighties vehicle in this auction.

• 1987 Matte Pearl Orange Mercedes-Benz 240 GD custom (interior, paint) SUV with black leather seats, a 71 bhp 2.4 liter/147 ci diesel, and a four-speed manual—$55,000
• 1980 Black/Gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Special Edition coupe with dark camel cloth seats, a 150 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 781 miles—an astounding $77,000. Hagerty’s valuation tools show all the money for a 1980 Special Edition in #1/Concours condition as being $53,400, with a 15% deduction for the automatic this car has.
• 1986 Aquamarine Blue Porsche 911 Turbo custom (engine, interior, suspension, paint) coupe with black leather seats, a 3.3 liter/201 ci flat six with fuel injection and turbocharger, and a four-speed manual—$139,000
• 1986 Rosso Corsa Ferrari 328 GTS coupe with black leather seats, an F105B 260 bhp 3.2 liter/195 ci V8 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 23,000 miles—$62,000
• 1980 Burgundy Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom (powertrain, body, paint, interior) coupe with tan leather seats, an LS1 5.7 liter/346 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$42,000.
• 1987 Black Buick 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 7,600 miles—$80,000
• 1981 White Jeep CJ-7 custom (paint, interior) SUV with black seats, a 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six, and a three-speed manual—$1.31 million for this charity car.
• 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—$120,000
• 1983 Santorini Black Land Rover Defender 110 custom (interior, paint, wheels/tires) pickup truck with brown/spice leather seats, an unknown V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$115,000

Saturday, January 19th:

• 1982 Guards Red Porsche 911 Turbo custom (body, wheels/tires, engine?) coupe with black leather seats, a 3.3 liter flat six with fuel injection and turbocharger, a four-speed manual, and 53,000 miles—$100,000 for this (I believe) gray market car.
• Two 1987 Black Buick Grand National coupes with black/gray cloth seats, LC2 245 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6s with turbocharging and fuel injection, and automatics—$61,000 for this pair, one with 600 miles and one with 900 miles.
• 1988 Venetian Blue Metallic Porsche 911 Turbo factory slantnose coupe with pearl white leather seats, a 282 bhp 3.3 liter/201 ci flat six with fuel injection and turbocharger, a four-speed manual, and 23,000 miles—$150,000 shows that there are other colors besides Guards Red that attract eighties Porsche bidders.

• 1988 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 1,000 miles—$200,000 means the bidders judged this car as the nicest of the three Testarossas in this auction.
• 1988 White Ferrari Testarossa coupe with white leather seats, a 380 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 3,600 miles—$130,000 for the Miami Vice version.
• 1982 Champagne Porsche 911 SC custom (body, engine) convertible with a black top, tan leather seats, a 3.3 liter flat six with fuel injection and turbocharger, and a five-speed manual—$60,000
• 1987 Black Buick 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 1,600 miles—$95,000
• 1988 Guards Red Porsche 911 Turbo coupe with black leather seats, a 282 bhp 3.3 liter/201 ci flat six with fuel injection and turbocharger, a four-speed manual, and 40,000 miles—$88,000

Sunday, January 20th:

• 1980 Black Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II custom (interior) sedan with cream leather seats, an L410 6.75 liter/412 ci V8 with Bosch fuel injection, and an automatic—$30,000 for this car previously owned by Erik Estrada and modified by the Unique Rides crew.
• 1987 Lime Green Dodge Ram custom (just about everything) pickup truck with gray leather seats, a 5.9 liter/360 ci V8, and an automatic—$18,000
• 1984 White Ford F8000 fire truck with gray vinyl seats, a Caterpillar 3208 10.4 liter/636 ci diesel V8, and a three-speed automatic—$17,000

This auction featured a lot of Chevrolets, Buicks, Pontiacs, and Porsches from the eighties. What do you think of this year’s results?