Eighties Vehicles at the 2020 Mecum Indianapolis, Part Two

As usual, Mecum’s huge auction in Indianapolis provided much interesting fodder for commentary. I’ll concentrate on the at least fairly stock 1980s vehicles that sold (remember that Mecum auctions are not “no reserve” auctions—a Rossa Corsa 1984 Ferrari 512 BBi coupe with tan leather bucket seats and 8,400 miles was a no-sale bid up to $250,000) and add some of my opinions. Eighties vehicles were about 8% of the 1,191 vehicle lots sold in this auction—this post covers the final four days of automotive sales.

Wednesday, July 15th:

• 1981 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with an unknown interior, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$16,000 hammer price.
• 1988 White Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition hatchback coupe with white leather bucket seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 43,000 miles—$10,500
• 1987 silver Pontiac Firebird Formula hatchback coupe with a gray/black interior, an unknown 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, and an automatic—$4,500
• 1984 White Chevrolet Corvette custom (exterior, wheels/tires) hatchback coupe with a red interior, an L83 Cross-Fire 205 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 75,000 miles—$5,500
• 1988 white Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with gray leather bucket seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 79,000 miles—$10,000
• 1988 black Ford Mustang Saleen hatchback coupe with gray cloth bucket seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$18,000
• 1985 light brown Cadillac Eldorado coupe with a dark brown vinyl top, tan leather seats, an HT-4100 135 bhp 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 44,000 miles—$6,000
• 1980 Dark Claret Metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe with claret leather bucket seats, an L48 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$13,500 for this good-looking ‘Vette.

• 1985 black Ford Bronco XLT custom (period-correct modifications) SUV with tan cloth bucket seats, a Windsor 4.9 liter/302 ci V8, and an automatic—$21,000
• 1983 black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom (KITT replica, convertible) convertible with tan cloth bucket seats, a Cross-Fire 175 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 70,000 miles—$27,000
• 1982 blue GMC custom (lift kit) pickup truck with a 5.7 liter/350 ci engine and an automatic—$11,000
• 1986 blue Chevrolet C10 custom (body, paint, engine, suspension, wheels/tires) pickup truck with a 425 bhp 7.4 liter/454 ci V8 and an automatic—$18,000
• 1984 blue/silver two-tone Chevrolet K20 custom (engine, suspension) with a blue cloth bench seat, a Vortec 6.0 liter V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$16,000
• 1987 red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with black leather bucket seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$16,000
• 1984 brown Jeep Wrangler Renegade SUV with tan bucket seats, a 112 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a two-barrel carburetor, and a five-speed manual—$20,000
• 1989 White Pontiac 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe with saddle leather bucket seats, a 250 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection, a turbocharger, and an intercooler, an automatic, and 9,400 miles—$27,500
• 1980 Cameo White Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with oyster gray cloth bucket seats, an LU8 205 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a turbocharger, an automatic, and 18,000 miles—$30,000
• 1980 blue Chevrolet C10 pickup truck with a blue cloth bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, an automatic, and 20,000 miles—$14,000
• 1987 black Buick Regal Grand National coupe with black/silver cloth bucket seats, an LC2 235 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection, turbocharger, and intercooler, an automatic, and 23,000 miles—$37,000 made this the highest eighties vehicles sale of July 15th.
• 1988 white Ford Mustang Saleen convertible with a white top, gray cloth bucket seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 14,000 miles—$20,000
• 1985 red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 hatchback coupe with red cloth bucket seats, an unknown 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, an automatic, and 29,000 miles—$10,000
• 1989 black Chevrolet custom (engine, suspension) pickup truck with a 468 ci V8 and an automatic—$14,000
• 1981 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with a red interior, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$10,000
• 1981 green Chevrolet custom (exterior, engine, suspension) pickup truck with black interior, a 402 ci V8, and an automatic—$16,000

Thursday, July 16th:

• 1989 Bright Red Chevrolet Corvette convertible with a black convertible top, black leather bucket seats, an L98 240 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$6,500
• 1985 blue Chevrolet Corvette custom (paint, wheels/tires) hatchback coupe with gray leather bucket seats, an L98 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, the Doug Nash 4+3, and 83,000 miles—$6,000
• 1985 Doeskin Tan Chevrolet C10 Silverado pickup truck with a saddle tan Custom cloth bench seat, an LE9 160 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, an automatic, and 11,000 miles—$26,000
• 1983 white Jeep Scrambler very custom (just about everything) pickup truck with a Vortec 345 bhp 5.3 liter V8 and an automatic—$42,000
• 1989 gray Nissan Skyline GT-R custom (engine, suspension) coupe with gray leather bucket seats, a 2.6 liter inline six with twin turbochargers, and a five-speed manual—$48,000
• 1985 Midnight Black Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado SUV with slate gray cloth bucket seats, an LE9 160 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, an automatic, and 11,000 miles—$26,000
• 1989 red Dodge Shelby Dakota pickup truck with red/silver cloth seats, a 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with throttle-body fuel injection, an automatic, and 5,900 miles—$27,500
• 1980 Black/Gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with black cloth bucket seats, an LU8 205 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a turbocharger, an automatic, and 10,000 miles—$60,000 made this the highest eighties vehicles sale of July 16th. Remember when even the nicest late second-generation F-cars were inexpensive?

• 1987 White Chevrolet Corvette convertible with a black convertible top, black leather bucket seats, an L98 240 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 56,000 miles—$7,500
• 1986 silver Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 Aerocoupe Richard Petty Edition with charcoal cloth bucket seats, an LG4 165 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$10,750
• 1985 Midnight Black/Frost White two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado SUV with slate grey cloth bucket seats, an L05 210 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$30,000 for this loaded SUV.

Friday, July 17th:

• 1981 white Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler pickup truck with tan bucket seats, a 110 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a Carter two-barrel carburetor, and a manual transmission—$17,500
• 1986 cream Zimmer Golden Spirit coupe with tan leather bucket seats, a Windsor 4.9 liter/302 ci V8, and an automatic—$22,000
• 1986 red Zimmer QuickSilver coupe with tan leather bucket seats, a 140 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$12,500. Out of four (!) Zimmers at this year’s Mecum Indy, this was the only Fiero-based one.
• 1981 red Dodge Colt/Plymouth Champ custom (wow!) sedan with red/black bucket seats, two 1.6 liter inline fours, and at least one functioning four-speed manual—$18,000

• 1981 Bright Red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with medium red bucket seats, an LG4 145 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual, and 3,700 miles—$28,000
• 1989 silver Toyota Supra Turbo hatchback coupe with gray leather bucket seats, a 7M-GTE 232 bhp 3.0 liter/180 ci inline six with fuel injection and a turbocharger, an automatic, and 39,000 miles—$16,000
• 1987 burgundy Chevrolet C10 custom (just about everything) pickup truck with a black bench seat, a 6.2 liter V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$17,500
• 1986 red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with cream leather bucket seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$11,000
• 1989 blue and white Ford Mustang SSP police car with blue bucket seats, a 4.9 liter/302 ci V8, and a five-speed manual—$22,000
• 1982 stainless steel DeLorean DMC-12 coupe with gray leather seats, a 130 bhp 2.8 liter/173 cubic inch V6 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 165 miles—$62,000 made this the highest eighties vehicles sale of July 17th.
• 1984 Red Pearl Rolls-Royce Silver Spur sedan with a saddle top, tan leather bucket seats, a 6.75 liter/412 ci V8, an automatic, and 36,000 miles—$8,500

Saturday, July 18th:

• 1986 black Chevrolet C10 custom (body, wheels/tires) pickup truck with a black vinyl bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 ci V8, and an automatic—$15,000
• 1986 white Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham sedan with red leather seats, a 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 79,000 miles—$9,000
• 1986 Light Blue Metallic/Midnight Blue two-tone Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with a blue Custom cloth bench seat, an unknown V8 engine, an automatic, and 16,000 miles—$18,000
• 1985 dark red Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with tan bucket seats, a 155 bhp 3.8 liter/234 ci V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$14,000
• 1982 white/red/yellow March 82C racing car with a 3.3 liter V6 with fuel injection —$72,000
• 1989 Rosso Corsa Ferrari Testarossa coupe with tan leather bucket seats, a 380 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V12 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 105 miles—$210,000
• 1984 Rosso Corso Ferrari 512 BBi coupe with tan leather bucket seats, a 335 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci flat 12 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 8,000 miles—at $340,000, the highest eighties vehicle sale of July 18th and of this auction.

• 1988 Imperial Red Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with tan leather bucket seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 36,000 miles—$27,500

In this strangest of all Mecum Indy auctions, some things stayed the same. Cars from Chevrolet, Ford, Pontiac, and Mercedes-Benz dominated the eighties vehicle counts, with those four marques accounting for almost two-thirds of the total.