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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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© Mecum Auctions
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Ready to make room in your garage?
Mecum’s Eddie Vannoy Collection sale comes to The Vannoy Estate in Jefferson, North Carolina, between 26-30 June, and there are some pretty amazing lots we had to share.
The auction house is going to great lengths to ensure the sale is COVID-secure, but online bidding is another option if you’d rather participate from the comfort of your sofa.
And while our picks aren’t for the shy and retiring, they are definitely well worth checking out.
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1. 1963 Ford Galaxie 500
We’ll start with this dashing Corinthian White Galaxie with its fantastic red interior.
Built at Ford’s Norfolk Assembly Plant and delivered new to the Charlotte sales district, it’s powered by the R-code 427cu in V8, with 425hp, mated to a four-speed manual ’box so you can really make the most of that grunt.
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1963 Ford Galaxie 500 (cont.)
It’s being offered with no reserve, and with its bench-seat interior and deluxe armrests looks like a very relaxing classic conveyance.
That it underwent a comprehensive restoration just five years ago is another attraction.
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2. 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pick-up
We’re sticking with the Blue Oval for our second pick, because we simply couldn’t resist this!
Thoughtfully restored in Rock Moss Green, a standard colour offered on the Model A, its Cobra Grain soft top and wooden load-bay detailing make it a charming proposition.
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1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pick-up (cont.)
Yes, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, that is a pair of wooden skis, plus ski poles, out back.
These are just some of the accessories this pick-up’s winning bidder will call their own – there’s also a Texaco delivery hat and 1928 Pennsylvania plates.
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3. 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air
This top-of-the-line Bel Air has a fabulous profile – and this example’s two-tone paintjob shows it off to its best. That it has been the subject of a serious restoration doesn’t hurt, either.
Under the bonnet lies a 235cu in Blue Flame Six which in this car is mated to a three-speed manual transmission.
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1954 Chevrolet Bel Air (cont.)
But we reckon it’s inside where the real wow factor occurs – just look at it. You’d think it was factory fresh.
Colour-matched to the exterior and featuring an in-dash clock as well as an AM radio, it really does look the part.
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4. 1967 Chevrolet C10 Rat Rod
Here’s another Chevy – but it couldn’t be more different from the one before. How many times do you get three chickens when you buy a classic car?
Sadly, if you like your eggs in the morning, they’re fake. And they’re accompanied by mannequins, crates, decorative hand grenades and more.
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1967 Chevrolet C10 Rat Rod (cont.)
Of course, being a Rat Rod, appearances are deceiving. It might look time-worn and weary, but this Chevy packs a high-performance small-block V8 and has been lowered (by four inches at the front and 5.5 at the rear) for a distinctive look.
It’s being offered without reserve at Mecum’s sale this week.
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5. 1958 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
Now isn’t this a fabulous-looking classic? That it is also being offered with no reserve makes it even more tempting… Plus, the auction house says it is a multiple award winner.
Finished in the wonderfully restrained shade of Alpine White, it wears Coker American Classic Wide Whitewall tyres and its blue convertible roof is power-operated.
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1958 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible (cont.)
Slip inside and the white-and-blue theme continues in serious style, from the well-padded, smartly upholstered seats to the sweeping dashboard.
And with an AM radio, powered windows, a powered driver’s seat and powered steering, with this Caddy you’re all set for a luxurious drop-top ride.
It’s thought it will achieve $100-130,000 at auction this week.
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6. 1982 Toyota FJ-43 Land Cruiser
This is the reason this top 10 is nearly all-American – we just couldn’t resist this FJ! Especially in its sweet Olive Green paint, with a beige canvas roof and details.
It is being offered without reserve, but has a pre-sale estimate of $40-60,000.
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1982 Toyota FJ-43 Land Cruiser (cont.)
Restored and ready to be enjoyed, this four-wheel-drive classic is powered by a 4.2-litre straight-six engine, which has been rebuilt with many period-correct details.
Inside, the seats are trimmed in orange, while out back the parallel bench seats (padded and also orange) can be used to up passenger capacity or folded away to increase your load space.
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7. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
This Ermine White Corvette’s appearance is described as ‘singularly impressive’ by the auction house – and who are we to disagree?
Inside, the black-trimmed cabin comes with treats including powered windows, an AM/FM radio, air conditioning and tinted glass.
Again, it’s being offered with no reserve, but Mecum predicts it will fetch in the region of $125-175,000.
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1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe (cont.)
You can almost hear the rumble, can’t you? The L68 427/400hp V8 that powers this ’Vette also has a massive 460lb ft of torque – and get ready to hear its burble through those side-exiting exhausts.
This matching-numbers unit is teamed with a four-speed manual ’box.
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8. 1950 Willys Jeepster Resto Mod
This lot certainly won’t be to all tastes, but when we saw it, we knew we had to share it.
A custom build in eye-catching yellow, instead of the four- or six-cylinder powerplants these models left the factory with, this is now pushed up the road by a 5.9-litre Chrysler V8.
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1950 Willys Jeepster Resto Mod (cont.)
Its build was fully documented and this information will be sold with it later this week. Other details include a black interior with bucket seats and a full-sized, rear-mounted tyre.
It will cross the block with no reserve, but its pre-sale estimate is $30-40,000.
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9. 1959 Ford Galaxie Sunliner
We’re returning to rather safer classic-car territory with this lovely-looking two-tone Ford Galaxie Sunliner.
It’s described by the auction house as being a ‘rust-free North Carolina car’ that has been ‘kept in [a] climate control facility’ and that comes ‘highly optioned’ – sounds good to us.
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1959 Ford Galaxie Sunliner (cont.)
Inside, with the sun glinting off its brightwork, there’s that gorgeous, wraparound, padded dashboard with a push-button AM radio, while the driver will appreciate its automatic gearbox, power-assisted steering and powered convertible roof.
The Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels with whitewall tyres complete the look.
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10. 2004 Chevrolet Corvette Daytona 500 Pace Car
Our final roll of the dice is a rather younger but also rather more exclusive US classic.
This ’Vette is one of just three built, of which only two remain, and it led the procession of 43 cars contesting 2004’s Daytona 500, won by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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2004 Chevrolet Corvette Daytona 500 Pace Car (cont.)
It’s only done just over 400 miles and still wears its evocative race-day trim, a tribute to both 2004 victor Dale Earnhardt Jr and his father, who won the ’98 edition and who tragically lost his life on the final lap of the 2001 running.
Again, it is being offered with no reserve and is expected to sell for $35-50,000.
Mecum’s Eddie Vannoy Collection sale runs this week, from 26-30 June. Find out more here.