RM Sotheby’s August auction in Monterey included six eighties cars that are at the absolute top of the market—every single production car met my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. As always, I’ll concentrate on the cars that actually sold and add some of my opinions. Where I have covered the specific year and model of a car in this blog, I link to it.
1989 silver Porsche 911 Speedster convertible with a black top, black leather seats, a 217 bhp 3.2 liter/193 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 4,800 miles—$195,000 hammer price.
1989 red, white, and blue Aston Martin race car with a 6.0 liter V8—$560,000
1989 red Ferrari 328 GTS coupe with a black leather interior, a 260 bhp 3.2 liter/195 cubic inch V8 and Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 8,500 miles—$140,000
1984 red Ferrari 512 BBi coupe with red and black leather seats, a 335 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch flat 12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 566 miles—$390,000
1983 red Ferrari 512 BBi coupe with tan leather seats, a 335 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch flat 12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 20,000 miles—$220,000
1986 blu chiaro metallizato Ferrari Testarossa coupe with chrema leather seats, a 380 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V12 with Bosch fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$132,500 for this very unusual color on a car originally delivered to Miami Vice director Michael Mann.
It was a beautiful weekend in the Philadelphia area in August 2017. Lots of people had their old cars out—one that caught my eye was an eighties Monte Carlo. However, it wasn’t the relatively glamorous SS of the mid-eighties; just a “normal” coupe.
“A matter of personal pride.”
For the 1981 model, the Monte Carlo that had been downsized in 1978 was significantly restyled, both to improve aerodynamics and modernize its looks. Much of the sculpting on the sides (which the middle-school-aged me found appealing) was flattened, the hood was lowered, and the trunk slightly raised. All of this change reduced the drag coefficient by about 10%.
The standard engine continued to be an LC3 110 bhp 3.8 liter/229 ci V6 with a Rochester 2ME two-barrel carburetor. Optional power included a $750 (!) Buick-built LC8 170 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with a turbocharger and a Rochester E4ME four-barrel carburetor and a $50 L39 115 bhp 4.4 liter/267 ci V8 with a Rochester 2ME two-barrel carburetor. California got an LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a Rochester 4ME four-barrel carburetor as an option replacing the 4.4 liter V8. All engines were paired with a Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic transmission.
Mileage for the standard engine was 19 city/26 highway by the day’s standards. With an 18.1-gallon gas tank, a Monte Carlo driver could reasonably expect 300 to 325 miles of range with a 10% fuel reserve. Performance wasn’t exactly sparkling: 0-60 mph came in about 14.5 seconds with the standard V6 and 14 seconds for the 4.4 liter V8. The rare (about 2% of 1981 sales) turbo V6 was much faster—about 9 seconds for the 0-60 mph dash.
Rear cover of 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo brochure
The Monte Carlo Sport Coupe‘s base price was $7,299—approximately $28,000 in today’s dollars or about what a base 2026 Chevrolet Equinox SUV costs. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included Computer Command Control,Delco Freedom II battery, power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P195/75R14 steel-belted radial tires (a size still available thanks to Hancook and Kumho) on 14-inch wheels. Inside, a split cloth front bench seat, cut pile carpeting, and an electric clock were standard.
Exterior and mechanical options for the Sport Coupe (there was also a higher-content Landau Coupe) included halogen high beam headlamps ($27), removable glass roof panels ($695), F41 Sport Suspension ($43), limited-slip differential ($67), Rally wheels ($49), and attractive new aluminum wheels ($319). Inside, there were many options: air conditioning ($585), automatic speed control ($132), Comfortilt steering wheel ($81), power windows ($140), power door locks ($93), bucket seats ($118), gauge package ($55), and an AM/FM stereo radio with cassette tape ($264) were all available.
Options & Production Numbers
1981 Monte Carlo sales were astounding by modern standards for auto sales—Chevrolet sold 149,659 Sport Coupes along with another 38,191 Landau Coupes. For context, the combined Monte Carlo numbers would be enough to make it the 18th most popular vehicle in 2024, and Chevrolet had four model lines that sold better in 1981 (Chevette, Citation, Malibu, and Impala/Caprice). Chevrolet was probably happy with the increased sales over 1980, but this would not last—1981 turned out to be the eighties high-water mark for Chevrolet’s mid-size personal luxury coupe.
The View From 2025
Third-generation Monte Carlos have a following, though most of the interest is in the aforementioned SS, which is the only eighties Monte rated in Hagerty’s valuation tools. A 1986 maroon Chevrolet Monte Carlo coupe with a maroon interior and cloth bucket seats, an LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 60,000 miles sold for $9,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s 2016 Las Vegas auction.
These Monte Carlos do show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. When I updated this post in October 2025, Hemmings was listing a Light Maroon 1984 Monte Carlo with maroon cloth seats, a 3.8 liter V6, and 13,000 miles, asking $24,000.
Make mine Green Light Jade Metallic, please. A rare choice when new, those GM light greens from the early eighties have aged very well.
The October 2017 issue of Hemmings Classic Car included an article on an “Unbelievable Restoration of a 1979 Plymouth Horizon,” which certainly falls into my “Who Saves These Cars?” category. In honor of this, I updated a blog entry on the 1980 Horizon.
“Handling it with confidence.”
1980 was the third model year for Chrysler’s “Omnirizon” front-wheel drive subcompact. Once again, the only available engine was a Volkswagen-sourced 1.7 liter/105 ci four-cylinder with a Holley two-barrel carburetor and all of 65 bhp. With the standard four-speed manual transmission, 0-60 came in about 14.5 seconds in the 2,135-pound car. Fuel economy was rated at 24 city/31 highway by the day’s standards, so the 13-gallon gas tank gave a range of 265 to 285 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
Four-door page from the 1980 Plymouth Horizon brochure
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $5,526 car (about $23,900 in today’s dollars) included rack and pinion steering, front disc/rear drum brakes, a rear electric defroster, tinted glass, and P155/80R13 glass-belted radial tires (a size still available from Kumho) on 13-inch wheels. Standard interior equipment included a heater, an AM radio, and an electric clock.
A variety of exterior and interior packages were available to dress up the rather spare base Horizon. The Custom exterior package ($101) added some bright moldings to the outside of the car. Moving up to the Premium exterior ($207) added some more bright moldings and deluxe wheel covers. The Premium Woodgrain exterior added (natch!) woodgrain appliques on the body sides and lower liftgate pane. The Custom ($112) interior added a glove box lock, a cigarette lighter, custom door panels, and custom vinyl seats. The top-of-the-line Premium ($355) interior added a color-keyed console, a “luxury” three-spoke steering wheel, premium door panels, and a reclining passenger-side seatback.
Options & Production Numbers
Exterior and mechanical options included a removable flip-up glass sun roof ($182), power steering ($161), power front brakes ($77), and a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission ($340) which further slowed the Horizon’s acceleration. Inside, air conditioning ($541), a sport steering wheel ($40), and an AM/FM stereo radio ($93) were available—there were no eight-tracks or cassettes available as factory stereos (it was left to Crutchfield and others to provide those upgrades—and they still do).
The Horizon continued to sell reasonably well in the 1980 model year, with almost 86,000 units sold. The slightly sportier two-door TC3 hatchback added another 60,000 or so units. Combined, the two models accounted for 58% of Plymouth’s dire 1980 automobile sales totals in the United States (Plymouth’s other offerings for that year included the Arrow, Champ, Gran Fury, Sapparo, and Volaré).
The View From 2025
A few folks are trying to save “Omnirizons”—including that fellow featured in Hemmings Classic Car (journalist Robert Suhr)—but you rarely see these cars for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, or on Bring a Trailer. The exception, of course, is the later and much faster Dodge Omni GLH.
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 diamond blue 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with both tops, blue leather seats, and 17,000 miles was a no sale bid up to $42,000) and add some of my opinions. Eighties vehicles were about 9% of the 474 vehicle lots sold in this auction.
Thursday, August 3rd:
1988 white Pontiac Fiero Formula coupe with gray cloth seats, a L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 17,000 miles—$8,500 hammer price.
1984 doeskin tan/frost white two-tone Chevrolet C10 Scottsdale pickup truck with a maroon bench seat, a 130 bhp 4.1 liter/250 cubic inch inline six with 2-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 67,000 miles—$11,500
1981 brazil brown metallic Volkswagen Rabbit convertible with a white top, gazelle leatherette seats, a 74 bhp 1.7 liter/105 cubic inch inline four with fuel injection, an automatic, and 82,000 miles—$2,500
1981 Volkswagen Rabbit convertible, linked from Mecum’s web site.
1981 red Pontiac Grand Prix very custom coupe with red interior, a 6.6 liter/400 cubic inch V8 with two Holley 4-barrel carburetors, and an automatic—$6,500
1989 dark red metallic Chevrolet Corvette convertible with black leather seats, an L98 245 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 92,000 miles—$9,000
1987 gray Nissan 300ZX coupe with gray cloth seats, a VGE30 3.0 liter/181 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 49,000 miles—$5,000
1988 gray Chrysler Fifth Avenue sedan with burgundy velour seats, a 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 cubic inch V8 with 2-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$3,000 for this one-owner car that continues Mecum Harrisburg’s trend of cars not often seen at auction.
1986 blue Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 4-4-2 coupe with blue cloth seats, a 180 bhp 5.0 liter/307 cubic inch V8 with Rochester four-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 27,000 miles—$10,000. Suddenly, the eighties 4-4-2’s are showing up at auction.
1983 red Fiat Spider 2000 convertible with a black top, a black interior, an 102 bhp 2.0 liter/122 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 13,000 miles—$14,500
1989 red Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with gray cloth seats, a 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 68,000 miles—$7,000
1987 black GMC Sierra pickup truck with a maroon interior, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$16,500
1989 carmine red Cadillac Eldorado coupe with a white leather interior, a 155 bhp 4.5 liter/273 cubic inch V8 engine with fuel injection, an automatic, and 12,000 miles—$13,000
1982 red Lancia Beta Spider Zagato targa coupe with a black interior, a 108 bhp 2.0 liter/122 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$5,000
1988 white Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with gray cloth seats, a 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 68,000 miles—$9,000
1986 red/silver two-tone Chevrolet K10 pickup truck with a red/black bench seat, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$13,000
1981 copper Datsun 280ZX with a saddle interior, a 145 bhp 2.8 liter/168 cubic inch inline six with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 27,000 miles—$10,500
1980 black and gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom coupe with a tan interior, a 6.6 liter/400 cubic inch V8 with carburetor (that’s why it’s custom), and an automatic—$22,000
1989 flame red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA coupe with camel cloth seats, a B2L 235 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 27,000 miles—$10,000
1981 yellow Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with black vinyl seats, an LM1 175 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$9,500
1981 white Jeep CJ-5 Golden Eagle custom SUV with a black interior, a 5.9 liter/360 cubic inch V8, and a three-speed manual—$9,000
1987 moorland green Jaguar XJ6 Series III sedan with biscuit leather seats, a 176 bhp 4.2 liter/256 cubic inch inline six with Lucas-Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—an ouch! at $2,500.
1982 pale yellow Rolls-Royce Corniche I convertible with saddle top, saddle leather seats, a 6.75 liter/412 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$31,500 is a little under #3/Good money, according to Hagerty’s valuation tools.
Friday, August 4th:
1980 blue Jeep CJ-5 custom SUV with a black interior, a 119 bhp 5.0 liter/304 cubic inch V8 with Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual—$19,000
1981 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with medium red leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 48,000 miles—$14,500 for one of the last of the St. Louis-built cars.
1987 black Chevrolet pickup truck with a red interior, a 170 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$18,500
1981 black Chevrolet Corvette coupe with camel leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 62,000 miles—$12,500
1988 red Alpha Romeo Spider Graduate Edition convertible with a black top, a tan interior, a 115 bhp 2.0 liter/120 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 71,000 miles—$7,000
1982 silver beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe with silver beige leather seats, an L83Cross-Fire 200 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with throttle body fuel injection, an automatic, and 7,300 miles—at $24,500 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.
1983 red Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet custom convertible with a “slant-nose” wide-body conversion, a black top, a brown interior, and a 180 bhp 3.0 liter/183 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection—$31,000
1980 black Dodge Adventurer Midnite Express Truck custom (because they didn’t build any factory Midnite Express Trucks in 1980) pickup truck with black seats, a 5.9 liter/360 cubic inch V8 with carburetor, and an automatic—$15,500
1981 red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with a black interior, an LM1 175 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 49,ooo miles—$17,500
1986 white Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet custom convertible with a “slant-nose” wide-body conversion, a black top, a black interior, a 207 bhp 3.2 liter/193 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$25,000 for another non-factory conversion.
1987 silver/black two-tone Rolls-Royce Silver Spur limousine, with a black interior, a 6.75 liter/412 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$33,000
1989 orange Chevrolet Blazer very custom SUV with gray seats, a 6.3 liter/383 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$10,500
Saturday, August 5th:
1988 pearlescent white Lotus Esprit Turbo Special Edition coupe with baby blue leather seats, a 215 bhp 2.0 liter inline four with Garrett T3 turbocharger and Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 15,000 miles—$15,500
1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo interior, linked from Mecum’s web site.
1983 gray Jeep CJ-7 custom SUV with a black interior, a 6.3 liter/383 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$25,000
1989 white Land Rover Defender 110 pickup truck with a black interior, an 85 bhp 2.5 liter diesel inline four with turbocharger, and a five-speed manual—$40,000
1985 red Lamborghini Jalpa coupe with a tan interior, a 250 bhp 3.5 liter/213 cubic inch V8 with Weber 4-barrel carburetor, a five-speed manual, and 16,000 miles—$62,000. Jalpas are suddenly more present at auctions—this is the second one I’ve seen in 2017.
1985 dark sage green Ford Mustang SVO fastback coupe with gray cloth seats, a Lima 200 bhp 2.3 liter/140 cubic inch inline four with Garrett turbocharger, intercooler, and fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$13,500 for one of the sixty SVOs originally sold to Hertz.
1986 jalapena cabernet Ford Mustang SVO fastback coupe with gray leather seats, a Lima 200 bhp 2.3 liter/140 cubic inch inline four with Garrett turbocharger, intercooler, and fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 23,000 miles—$13,000
1988 oxford white/titanium two-tone Ford Mustang GT fastback coupe with red cloth seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 50,000 miles—$10,000
1981 stainless steel DeLorean DMC-12 coupe with a gray interior, a ZMJ-159 130 bhp 2.8 liter/174 cubic inch V6 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 13,000 miles—$38,000
1980 orange Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser SUV with a black interior, a 135 bhp engine, a five-speed manual transmission, and 42,000 miles—$25,000
There’s a strong feeling of fulfillment behind the wheel of this striking coupe.
The Dodge 600 was an extended (E-platform) version of the original K-platform cars, with three more inches of wheelbase added to the sedans (coupes and wagons kept the same wheelbase as the first K cars). It debuted in the 1983 model year, two years after the original K cars reached the market. Other E-platform cars were the Chrysler New Yorker, Chrysler E-Class, and (later) the Plymouth Caravelle.
There were three engines available for the Dodge 600. The base engine was Chrysler’s K 99 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci inline four with fuel injection. The high-performance option was the Turbo I 146 bhp version of the same engine with a Garrett T3 turbocharger and fuel injection. The other option was Mitsubishi’s Astron series 4G54 101 bhp 2.6 liter/153 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor.
Fuel economy for the Turbo I and three-speed automatic transmission combination (the five-speed manual was no longer available) was 19 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (it would be 17/22 today). With a 14-gallon gas tank, the new owner of a club coupe could expect a range of between 245 and 270 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
Club Coupe page from the 1985 Dodge 600 brochure
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $9,060 Club Coupe (about $27,900 in today’s dollars) included halogen headlamps, a Landau padded vinyl roof, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power rack-and-pinion steering, and P185/70R14 steel-belted radial white sidewall tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch wheels with Luxury wheel covers. Inside, cloth high-back front bucket seats with integral headrests, a full-length console, a Luxury color-keyed two-spoke steering wheel, and an electronically-tuned AM radio were standard. Features listed in the brochure that wouldn’t be considered worth mentioning now included a tethered fuel filler cap and an inside hood release.
Exterior and mechanical options included tinted glass ($115), a sport/handling suspension ($79), and cast aluminum wheels. Inside, air conditioning ($757), automatic speed control ($179), a leather-wrapped steering wheel ($50), and a tilt steering wheel ($110) were available. Three optional radios were available.
The View From 2025
The original K cars and their many variants were once so common on the roads, but have essentially vanished. I haven’t seen a 600 of any type in years, even though Dodge produced over 300,000 of them between 1983 and 1988. You’ll sometimes see the original Dodge Aries/Plymouth Reliant cars at AACA shows along with the top of the line Chrysler LeBaron convertibles. You do occasionally see Dodge 600s for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer, but there are no coupes out there as I update this blog post in October 2025.
Mecum’s July auction in Denver 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 1985 Porsche 911 coupe with a black interior and 39,000 miles was a no sale bid up to $80,000) and add some of my opinions. Eighties vehicles were about 7% of the 318 vehicle lots sold in this auction.
Thursday, July 20th:
1984 blue Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS coupe with seat covers on the original seats, a B4V 180 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch “H.O.” V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$3,500 hammer price.
1986 red Alpha Romeo Graduate Edition spyder with a black top, a black interior, a 115 bhp 2.0 liter/120 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 50,000 miles—$6,000
1985 black Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with custom black/gray custom cloth seats (the ones with “CAMARO” repeated over and over), an LB9 190 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 80,000 miles—$5,500
1986 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with red leather seats, an L98 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a 4+3 transmission, and 17,000 miles—$8,500
1983 blue Jeep Cherokee SUV with tan cloth seats, a 140 bhp 5.9 liter/360 cubic inch V8 with a Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$8,000
1987 red Jaguar XJS coupe with tan leather seats, a 262 bhp 5.3 liter/326 cubic inch HE V12 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 71,000 miles—$8,750
1980 silver metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe with oyster interior, an L82 230 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 62,000 miles—$11,500
1980 blue Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with a blue interior, an LM1 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic—at $15,500 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.
Friday, July 21st:
1987 bright blue Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with gray cloth seats, an LB9 215 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 2,500 miles—$18,000
1983 white Porsche 944 coupe with black seats, a 150 bhp 2.5 liter/151 cubic inch inline four with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$4,000
1987 dark gray metallic/titanium two-tone Ford Mustang GT hatchback with smoke cloth seats, a Windsor 225 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 33,000 miles—$14,000 for this good-looking Fox body.
1987 Ford Mustang GT hatchback, linked from Mecum’s site.
1988 black Porsche 944 coupe with red/black seats, a 160 bhp 2.5 liter/151 cubic inch inline four with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 76,000 miles—$5,000. What’s with all the 944’s suddenly showing up at auction?
1980 yellow MG MGB convertible with a black interior, a black top, a 63 bhp 1.8 liter carburetted inline four, a four-speed manual, and 30,000 miles—$4,500
1981 black and gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Special Edition coupe with camel tan cloth seats, a 200 bhp 4.9 liter/301 cubic inch turbo V8 with 4-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—$18,500
1989 silver Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a black convertible top, a silver hard top, a burgundy interior, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 cubic inch V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 116,ooo miles—$22,000
1984 black Jeep CJ-7 Renegade SUV with black seats, a 115 bhp 4.2 liter/258 cubic inch inline six with Carter 2-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 28,000 miles—$22,000
1988 camouflage AM General Hummer H1 pickup truck with a green interior, a 6.2 liter diesel V8, an automatic, and 34,000 miles—$9,250
Saturday, July 22nd:
1981 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe with dark blue leather seats, an L81 190 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 5,400 miles—$24,000
1982 gold/brown two-tone Jeep Cherokee Laredo custom SUV with tan/brown cloth seats, a 401 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$30,000
1984 red/white two-tone Chevrolet pickup truck with a red bench seat, a 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, and 4,800 miles—$19,750
Barrett-Jackson’s second Northeast auction at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut in late June 2017 included a 1982 black Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham coupe with a tan interior, a 5.0 liter/307 ci V8, an automatic, and 12,000 miles. It sold for $10,000. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen an eighties Toronado up for auction, though the “sister” Buick Riviera and Cadillac Eldorado are often present. Time to write a blog entry, methinks.
“Nothing ordinary”
For 1982, Oldsmobile gave up on the (slightly) sportier XSC variant that they had offered for two years and made the Brougham the only available version of the Toronado. Changes included a new chrome/argent grille with more horizontal bars, a new memory seat option with two memory positions, a revised instrument panel, and a new optional radio.
The standard engine was the LC4 125 bhp 4.1 liter/252 ci V6 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor. Optional power included the LV2 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor at no additional charge and the (don’t do it!)LF9 105 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci diesel V8 ($825). A four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive was standard with all three engines. The Toronado was not light—curb weight was 3,705 pounds—so even with the more powerful V8, 0-60 mph took about 13 seconds. With the gasoline V8, mileage was rated at 16 city/27 highway by the standards of the day; with the 21.1-gallon fuel tank, Toronado owners could expect to travel about 400 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
Toronado Brougham page from the 1982 Oldsmobile full-line brochure
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included in the $14,462 base price (about $49,400 in today’s dollars) included Soft-Ray tinted glass, tungsten high beam halogen headlamps, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power steering, and P205/75R15 steel-belted radial-ply white-stripe tires (still readily available) on 15 by 6-inch steel wheels. Inside, Four-Season air conditioning, power door locks, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, divided cloth seats, an electric digital clock, and an AM-FM stereo radio were standard.
Options & Production Numbers
Options included Twilight Sentinel ($57), Tempmatic air conditioning ($50), power Astro Roof with sliding glass panel, and leather seats.
Oldsmobile sold 33,928 1982 Toronado Broughams, down from over 42,000 the previous year. In 1982, Buick sold 42,823 Riviera coupes along with another 1,246 convertibles, while Cadillac sold 52,018 Eldorado coupes, so the Toronado was not holding up its end of the E-body platform bargain.
The View From 2025
Third-generation Toronados from 1979 to 1985 have a following, though (a little strangely) models after 1980 are not rated in Hagerty’s valuation tools. These Toronados sometimes show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog entry in March 2025, Hemmings is listing a 1983 Toronado with an Autumn Red Firemist exterior, a white vinyl top, red leather seats, and 26,000 miles for $17,500.
I like these big front-wheel-drive coupes, though I think the Toronado may have too closely resembled the Eldorado for its own good—something that had not been true in the 1960s. Make mine Medium Slate Firemist, please.
Barrett-Jackson’s second Northeast auction at the Mohegun Sun casino in Connecticut in late June included a reasonable amount of vehicles from the 1980s— about 7% of the lots offered. I’ll concentrate on the at least fairly stock 1980s cars (and a few trucks) that sold and add some of my opinions—I’ll leave the motorcycles, tractors, and automobilia to others. Where I have covered the specific year and model of a car in this blog, I link to it.
Thursday, June 22nd:
1980 orange BMW 635 CSi coupe with tan leather seats, a 235 bhp 3.5 liter/211 cubic inch inline six with Bosch Motronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$8,000 hammer price for this European spec car.
1982 brown/gold two-tone Datsun 280ZX GL coupe with a beige interior, a 145 bhp L28E 2.8 liter/164 cubic inch inline six with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$7,500
1989 blue Jaguar XJS convertible with barley leather seats, a 262 bhp 5.3 liter/326 cubic inch HE V12 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$10,000
1983 maroon Mercedes-Benz 240D sedan with a tan interior, a 67 bhp 2.4 liter/147 cubic inch diesel inline four with fuel injection, an automatic, and 129,000 miles—$6,500
1987 black GMC Caballero pickup truck with burgundy cloth seats, a 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$7,500
1987 light blue metallic Chevrolet El Camino pickup truck with gray cloth seats, a 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$7,500
1984 black Mercedes-Benz 500SEL custom sedan with gray interior, a 184 bhp 5.0 liter/304 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$6,000
1985 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe with red leather seats, a 230 bhp L98 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, and the Doug Nash 4+3 transmission—$9,500
1987 gold Pontiac Fiero GT coupe with a tan interior, a 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 bhp V6 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 400 miles—$9,000
1982 silver Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with blue leather seats, a 155 bhp 3.8 liter/234 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$11,500
1982 red Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue Edition sedan with red leather seats, a 5.2 liter/318 cubic inch V8 with carburetor, an automatic, and 63,000 miles—an ouch! at $4,000
1984 red Jeep CJ-7 mild custom SUV with a black soft top, a black interior, a 112 bhp 4.2 liter/258 cubic inch inline six with Carter 2-barrel carburetor, and a four-speed manual—$20,000
1982 silver beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe with silver beige leather seats, a 200 bhp L83Cross-Fire 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with throttle body fuel injection, and an automatic—$15,000
1983 red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am custom coupe with tan leather seats, an LS1 5.7 liter/346 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$11,500
1989 pearl white Tiffany coupe with tan leather seats, a 150 bhp 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$15,500 for this Mercury Cougar-based “neo-classic.”
1986 cream with woodgrain Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV with a tan interior, a 144 bhp 5.9 liter/360 cubic inch V8 with Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 89,000 miles—$31,000 makes this 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.
1980 dark blue metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe with a blue interior, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 40,000 miles—$33,000 is serious money for a late shark. Hagerty’s valuation tools sees all the money for this configuration as about $25,500.
1982 black Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham coupe with a tan interior, a 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 cubic inch V8 with Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 12,000 miles—$10,000. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen an eighties Toronado up for auction.
1982 Oldsmobile Toronado, courtesy of Barrett-Jackson.
1982 wimbledon white/apple red two-tone Ford F-150 XLTLariet Edition pickup truck with a red interior, a 4.9 liter/302 cubic inch carbureted V8, an automatic, and 56,000 miles—$13,500
1987 medium garnet red metallic Pontiac Fiero GT coupe with a gray interior, an L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$11,500
1987 gray Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a dark blue convertible top, a gray hard top, dark blue leather seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 cubic inch V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$10,000
1987 white Mercedes-Benz 560SEL sedan with a tan interior, a 238 bhp 5.5 liter/338 cubic inch V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$3,500
Friday, June 23rd:
1984 red GMC Sierra C1500 Classic pickup truck with a red/black mild custom interior, a 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8, an automatic, and 91,000 miles—$10,000
1988 satin beige metallic Jaguar XJ-SC cabriolet (not a full convertible) with brown leather seats, an HE 262 bhp 5.3 liter/326 cubic inch V12 with Lucas-Bosch fuel injection, and an automatic—$6,000
1988 flame red Pontiac Fiero GT coupe with a tan interior, an L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 cubic inch V6 with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$5,000
1985 white Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with saddle cloth seats, an LB9 215 bhp 5.0 liter/305 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 12,900 miles—$16,500
1989 silver Porsche 928S4 coupe with a burgundy interior, a 320 bhp 5.0 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 33,500 miles—$29,000
1980 brown Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 SUVwith gray/black seats, a 2F 135 bhp 4.2 liter carburetted inline six, and a four-speed manual—$28,000
1980 mustard yellow Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 SUV with tan seats, a 2F 135 bhp 4.2 liter carburetted inline six, and a four-speed manual—$38,000
1981 stainless steel DeLorean DMC-12 coupe with a gray interior, a ZMJ-159 130 bhp 2.8 liter/174 cubic inch V6 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and 38,000 miles—$24,000
1988 red Porsche 911 Carrera custom coupe with a black interior, a 217 bhp 3.2 liter/193 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 47,000 miles—$35,000
1987 tan/white two-tone Chevrolet Suburban SUV with a tan interior, a 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$12,000 for this vehicle once owned by Ted Williams
1987 guards red Porsche 928S4 coupe with a black interior, a 320 bhp 5.0 liter/302 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 56,000 miles—$20,000
1980 black and gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Special Edition coupe with camel tan cloth seats, a 210 bhp 4.9 liter/301 cubic inch turbo V8 with 4-barrel carburetor, an automatic, and 72,000 miles—$22,000
1984 glacier blue Jeep CJ-7 custom SUV with a black interior, a Vortec 5.3 liter V8 with fuel injection, and a five-speed manual—$20,000
1985 white Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with red leather seats, an L98 225 bhp 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 22,000 miles—$20,000 for this loaded car (originally a $12,819 base price and $7,801 worth of options). Really nice early third-generation F bodies are starting to decently at auction—this one dates from when you could get the L98 or the five-speed, but not both.
1981 blue Chevrolet Camaro Z28 very custom coupe with tan interior, a 454 cubic inch V8, and an automatic—$27,000
1986 black Buick Regal Grand National very custom pickup truck with black/gray cloth seats, a 235 bhp 3.8 liter/231 cubic inch turbocharged V6 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$12,000 for a business in the front (Buick) and party in the back (El Camino).
1986 custom Buck Regal Grand National, photo linked from Barrett-Jackson.
1985 black cherry Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 prototype coupe with a 305 cubic inch V8 and an automatic—sold on bill of sale only at $23,000
1989 black Rolls-Royce Silver Spur sedan with black leather seats, a 6.8 liter/412 cubic inch V8 with Bosch fuel injection, and an automatic—$9,000
Saturday, June 24th:
1987 blue Polski FIAT 126P with a black interior, a 0.7 liter two, and a four-speed manual—$5,000
1984 chiffon white Porsche 928S coupe with a burgundy and beige interior, a 234 bhp 4.6 liter V8 with Bosch fuel injection, an automatic, and 40,000 miles—$15,000 for this car that sold at the same auction in 2016
1983 silver Cadillac Sedan DeVille sedan (natch!) with a gray interior, a indeterminate V8 could be gas or diesel, an automatic, and 20,000 miles—$8,000
1987 black Buick Grand National coupe with a black/gray cloth seats, a 235 bhp 3.8 liter/231 cubic inch turbocharged V6 with fuel injection, and an automatic—$17,000
1986 guards red Porsche 930 Turbo coupe with champagne leather seats, a 326 bhp 3.3 liter/202 cubic inch flat six with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, a four-speed manual, and 15,000 miles—$141,000 makes this European spec car by far the highest original eighties vehicle sale of the auction.
I see a lot of Chevrolets, Mercedes-Benz’s, Pontiacs, and Porsches. What do you think of this auction’s results?
1981 was the last year for the second-generation Firebird and, thus, also the final year for the second-generation Trans Am. With the third-generation cars on the way, Pontiac’s eleven-year-old F-car received only minor changes. The “screaming chicken” decal on the hood was now two colors, compared to the four-color decal from 1979 and 1980. Not much could be done about the general lack of space efficiency (the EPA rated the Firebird as a subcompact car), the high curb weight (about 3,700 pounds when the Mustang weighed about 2,800), and the relatively primitive technology.
Engines & Transmissions
The standard Trans Am powertrain was the Pontiac-built L37 150 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor paired with a three-speed automatic. The only choice for Trans Am purchasers who wanted a manual transmission was the Chevrolet-built LG4 145 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, but you did get a $147 credit.
The top engine was the $437 Pontiac-built LU8 200 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and an AiResearch turbocharger, which also added a hood-mounted boost gauge. The turbo engine was emissions-certified only with the combination of air conditioning, an automatic transmission, and a 3.08:1 ratio rear axle. For a period of time during the 1981 model year, Pontiac also required rear disc brakes and a limited-slip differential to get that turbo power.
Combining a turbocharger, carburetors, and primitive electronic engine controls was not easy, and reviews of one of the world’s first turbo V8’s were mixed. The relatively primitive gas of the day meant that Pontiac had to retard spark substantially to minimize detonation, which kept the power returns of the turbocharger relatively low. As Car and Driver stated, “by the time the engine reaches 4000 rpm, the show is essentially over.”
Performance & Standard Equipment
A Turbo Trans Am would accelerate from 0-60 in a little over eight seconds (Car and Driver clocked 8.2), which was good for 1981. Fuel mileage was predictably bad—15 city/21 highway mpg by the day’s standards for the combination of the turbo engine and the automatic. With a 21-gallon fuel tank, Trans Am owners could expect to travel about 280 to 305 miles before refueling.
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included in the $8,322 base price of the Trans Am (about $31,700 in today’s dollars) included a black accent grille and headlamp bezels, dual rectangular headlamps, front and rear wheel opening air deflectors, chrome side-splitter tailpipe extensions, a shaker hood, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power steering, and P225/70R15 blackwall tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch Rally II wheels. Inside front bucket seats, a floor console, a bright engine-turned dash plate, and rally gauges with a tachometer were standard.
Firebird pages from the 1981 Pontiac brochure
Packages & Options
The Trans Am Special Edition package was $735 additional over a base Trans Am—$1,430 bundled with the removable locking hatch roof (otherwise known as T-tops). There was also a special edition of the Special Edition—the NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car, resplendent in oyster white with a black and red interior. It included the LU8 turbocharged engine, the WS6 special performance package, four-wheel power disc brakes, and a limited-slip differential. Inside, the most notable upgrade from other Turbo Trans Ams was Recaro front seats—among the best available production seats from any manufacturer in 1981. All this extra content was a good thing because the NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car listed for $12,257—about $46,700 in 2025 dollars.
Exterior and mechanical options available for the Trans Am included the WS6 special performance package, a limited-slip differential, tungsten quartz halogen headlamps ($29), white-lettered tires, cast aluminum wheels, four-wheel power disc brakes, and an automatic power antenna ($50). Inside, an electric rear window defroster ($115), power door locks ($99), Custom air conditioning ($600), Custom bucket seats, and a host of radios (seven!) were all available.
The View From 2025
Initially neglected by the collector market and with many now used up, late second-generation Trans Ams in good or excellent shape are now getting interesting numbers—almost doubling in the past ten years. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1981 Trans Am NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car in #1/Concours condition is $69,300, with a more normal non-Turbo Trans Am in #3/Good condition version valued at $14,800. These Trans Ams are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring A Trailer, and they frequently show up at in-person auctions.
Make mine the black and gold Special Edition, of course. The NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car is tempting, if only for those Recaro seats.
Mecum’s June auction in Portland was spare for eighties vehicles—they were about 3% of the lots that sold in this auction. I’ll concentrate on the at least fairly stock 1980s cars (and a few trucks) that sold (remember that this is not a no reserve auction—a sky blue 1980 Toyota BJ-41 Land Cruiser SUV with black seats was a no sale bid up to $30,000) and add some of my opinions—I’ll leave the motorcycles, tractors, and automobilia to others. Where I have covered the specific year and model of a car in this blog, I link to it.
Friday, June 16th:
1988 camouflage AM General Hummer H1 pickup truck with a green interior, a 6.2 liter diesel V8, and an automatic—$14,000 hammer price.
1983 signal red Mercedes-Benz 380SEC coupe with palomino leather seats, a 155 bhp 3.8 liter/234 cubic inch V8 with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, an automatic, and a non-standard repaint—an ouch! at $4,500
1989 black Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with a black convertible top, a black hard top, tan leather seats, a 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 cubic inch V8 with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, and an automatic—$16,500
1980 black and gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with black cloth seats, a 150 bhp 4.9 liter/301 cubic inch V8 with 4-barrel carburetor, and an automatic—at $17,000 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.
1985 light bronze metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe with bronze leather seats, a 230 bhp L98 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection, an automatic, and 2,200 miles—$16,500
1980 red Porsche 911 SC Targa coupe with black leather seats, a 180 bhp 3.0 liter/183 cubic inch flat six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 48,000 miles—$38,000
1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa, linked from Mecum Auctions.
1987 red Alfa Romeo Spider Quadrifoglio convertible with gray leather seats, a 115 bhp 2.0 liter/120 cubic inch inline four with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 59,000 miles—$6,500
Only Mercedes-Benz had more than one eighties vehicle sold in Portland. What do you think of these results?
Eighties Cars 
