Recently, I attended my first collector auction when I cruised to Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida for the Mecum Auction this past January 28-31.
Mecum specializes in "Muscle Cars and More" and in Kissimmee I saw a few hundred amazing cars and trucks, each one seemingly nicer than the next. According to Mecum, over 1,000 cars and pieces of memorabilia would cross the block over the four days.
Even though I wasn't in the market to buy or sell, the show was amazing. There were many expensive and rare muscle, but there was also affordable iron, including some interesting Mustangs. Of course, there were $100,000-plus cars, but I also saw a few vehicles go for under $10,000. And it wasn't impossible to find some sweet muscle for under $20,000, either.
Upon entering the grounds I hit the huge outdoor tent that was filled with a few hundred cars and trucks. My first order of business was to walk the rows and admire the cars. This, in itself, was worth the price of admission, which was just $10 for the average spectator.
Next, I headed inside to watch the cars and trucks hit the block. This was exciting, but it would have been better if I was the one throwing my arm up in the air. Maybe next year I'll bring more cash.
Rarely, can you get up close with such a diverse selection of cool cars, from early-to-late-model Fords to all sorts of brand-X machines. I saw everything from a plain-Jane 427 Galaxie, to a low-mileage LX 5.0L convertible, and even an 800-mile Indy Pace Car Cobra.
For those who couldn't make it, the action was broadcast on the Discovery HD Theater channel and if you missed it, fret not, because I'm sure there will be plenty of re-runs.
To give you a taste, I've included a few photos, but there were many, many more cars. If you want to see them, or even learn more about Mecum Auctions, including what the cars sold for (or didn't sell for), check out mecum.com.