Hundreds of Historic Cars to be Auctioned by Struggling GM
Friday, January 09, 2009
More than 200 vehicles to be sold at Barrett-Jackson event
From the Detroit Free Press:
General Motors' cash problems could give car buffs the extraordinary opportunity to buy some of GM's most historic vehicles at auction next week.
The auction is part of an effort to raise cash for the struggling automaker but also done to manage GM's fleet of historic and unique vehicles. GM's Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Mich., has many of the automaker's 1,000 historic or special vehicles on display.
More than 200 of the vehicles will be put up for sale at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Tom Freiman, manager of the Heritage Center, estimated the sales could generate less than $5 million. The auction will include hundreds of rare and valuable vehicles.
"We're trying to get the collection to the right size," Freiman said. "At the end of the day, I think we're going to end up with a better mix of heritage vehicles."
The vehicles for sale include cars done to serve as pace cars in races or made for car shows, including high-performance vehicles made for the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association show. GM declined to give a complete list, but the sale cars will include:
- A white 1998 Cadillac Brougham convertible made for Pope John Paul II to use. The vehicle has a step-up, thronelike chair and platform that rises and falls by hydraulic lift. It was blessed by the pope "but deemed unsafe by the security team," according to the auction house.
- A 1986 presidential limousine replica that has been in movies such as "In the Line of Fire" and "The American President."
- The 1967 GTO used in the action movie "XXX."
- A 1925 House Car. It's an early version of a camper made in the era before RVs. It has mahogany trim and maple floors and is built on a Chevrolet 1-ton chassis.
- The Buick Blackhawk, a hand-built vehicle made to celebrate Buick's 100-year anniversary in 2003.
Click here for a look at an historic Corvette that will also be on the block.
Click here for more of what's on tap at next week's B-J event.
(Photo of Buick Blackhawk from McClatchy Newspapers)
From the Detroit Free Press:General Motors' cash problems could give car buffs the extraordinary opportunity to buy some of GM's most historic vehicles at auction next week.
The auction is part of an effort to raise cash for the struggling automaker but also done to manage GM's fleet of historic and unique vehicles. GM's Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Mich., has many of the automaker's 1,000 historic or special vehicles on display.
More than 200 of the vehicles will be put up for sale at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Tom Freiman, manager of the Heritage Center, estimated the sales could generate less than $5 million. The auction will include hundreds of rare and valuable vehicles.
"We're trying to get the collection to the right size," Freiman said. "At the end of the day, I think we're going to end up with a better mix of heritage vehicles."
The vehicles for sale include cars done to serve as pace cars in races or made for car shows, including high-performance vehicles made for the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association show. GM declined to give a complete list, but the sale cars will include:
- A white 1998 Cadillac Brougham convertible made for Pope John Paul II to use. The vehicle has a step-up, thronelike chair and platform that rises and falls by hydraulic lift. It was blessed by the pope "but deemed unsafe by the security team," according to the auction house.
- A 1986 presidential limousine replica that has been in movies such as "In the Line of Fire" and "The American President."
- The 1967 GTO used in the action movie "XXX."
- A 1925 House Car. It's an early version of a camper made in the era before RVs. It has mahogany trim and maple floors and is built on a Chevrolet 1-ton chassis.
- The Buick Blackhawk, a hand-built vehicle made to celebrate Buick's 100-year anniversary in 2003.
Click here for a look at an historic Corvette that will also be on the block.
Click here for more of what's on tap at next week's B-J event.
(Photo of Buick Blackhawk from McClatchy Newspapers)
posted by Chris and Frank at 9:27 AM
1 Comments:
If GM mass produced more cars like the ones they're gonna auction, maybe they wouldn't be in financial trouble today. You gotta wonder sometimes.
Jack Gilmore, Las Vegas, NV
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