VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Auction Result on 1926 Superior Sedan

I just returned from the G. Potter King Annual Collector Car Auction held in Atlantic City New Jersey (Feb 18,19 & 20). This car auction runs about 1200 to 1500 hundred collector cars through the auction over three days and most of what is offered covers muscle cars, kit cars and lots of foreign stuff....but very little from the pre war teens, twenties and thirties. An unusual "few" cars offered include a smattering of A's, T's and this year a 1926 Chevrolet Superior K sedan. This "26" was painted shiny black covering the aluminum radiator shell with black paint) and plenty of drips, runs and lumps. The interior was "redone" in some sort of shiny brown polyester fabric on the seats and a crushed polyester tan suede on the door interiors.
The interior upholstery on the headlining was very good...the rest of the interior upholstery was marginal at best. The steering wheel was left "rough" with dings and scrapes and brads were popping out all over the interior leaving the upholstery really loose and wrinkled. The "good news" is that the car sported four brand new Coker whitewalls and the seller claimed the car had a recent $2800 engine rebuild. ( It did sound good when it ran) On a scale of 1 to 10 ( with ten being a totally correct 1926 Superior Sedan)I would "guess-timate) this was a mechanically sound but quite unusually "restored" 3 or 4. Guess what it sold for?
Sixteen thousand dollars plus an additional five percent buyer's premium. WOW. That was extremely "strong money" for what was actually acquired. Hope the buyer considers joining the VCCA and "maybe" this one can eventually get "re-restored".

OK, so you didn't ask my opinion about auctions, but you can guess on which side of the gavel I sit.

I may find a nice car I wish to purchase sometime and the seller says "Yea, I saw one worse than this sell at the auction for _____ fill in the blank".

The problem with most auctions is people can not tell which "sales" are legit and which are "shills". I have yet to be at an "antique" or "Collectible" vehicle auction where all bids were "legit". I have even known of vehicles that never received a "real" bid despite the appearance of some heated bidding by unidentified persons.

All that Chipper writes is true. At least as far as I’m concerned. Based on what I’ve seen in person.

I won't say all bidding at collector car auctions is "phony." (Neither did Chipper.) But I certainly will say an auction is a very dangerous place for a “novice” to go with any thoughts about actually bidding. Best to go just as a spectator. Best to go to an auction as tho you were going to a car show --- to simply view the cars.

My two cents…..

Bill.

If a novice wants to attend an auction and possibly buy a car, I recommend hooking up with an experienced collector or dealer. They will know the "ropes" and also be registered bidders. You may have to pay a reasonable fee for their service but it can pay off with a good transaction. There is so much potential to make a major $$$$ mistake.

Did any of you blokes see the Canary Yellow 1915 Royal Mail sell for around $34K a few months back?
Chris