VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION Meets, Tours & Events Bob Hensel Auction

There were a large number of VCCA members attending the recent Auction of Bob Hensel's "collection". Managed to see a lot of folks I don't see very often. It was both a pleasant and frustrating experience. Nice to know that much of Bob's stuff will be saved and hopefully utilized to keep old Chevys "on the road". I purchased a lot of stuff I didn't need but wanted. Missed out on much more due to the way the auction was set up. What really hurts me is that a lot of very rare items will be scrapped. Guess that is the way things will go in the future. I'll still try to do my part in the preservation of old Chevys.

There are already some parts from the auction showing up on Chat as well as eBay. Pay attention in the next few months as a part you need or want may be up for sale.

Chipper,
What model years did Bob Hensel specialize in? I think I would be interested in doing as you recommend in watching on Ebay for parts.

He was a truck guy at heart. Had a 1919 Model T (that's a Chevrolet 1 ton truck) that another VCCA member bought. Unfortunately it was under restoration and many of the parts were scattered through the auction and dispersed. He had 20 Coupe, 26 Fire Truck and many more. Several 50s and a lot of NOS parts for them. I think those will be some of the first that show up.

Fortunately much of his extensive literature collection went to the VCCA library.

I was there I was one that bought nos GM parts and am selling. That is one thing I like to do I prefer to actually clean out someone barn instead of having stuff scattered all over at an auction. I had that happen on a nos GM hood I actually wanted for my 48 conv. They had one section in one area I bought that then a few down they had the other section and the one guy there ran the price up way too high to justify to buy it so I only have the right section of the hood for my 48. I was the second highest bidder on the 26 fire truck I am kicking myself really hard now wishing I would of gone a little higher on it

any parts for 1954 chevy p.u.
or 1954 gmc pickup

I did not get any. The one guy that bought most of the nos GM fenders who knows what he will be doing with them all

Hi Guys,

Bob was a great guy and I spent time with him on his trips to Australia. Had the pleasure of my 1st Pre 29 Tour at Yellowstone with Bob and travelled back to his place via Rapid City. We played CHEVS real had that trip and got so many really neat parts. Drove the 26 Fire Truck at Springfield Anniversary Meet and came back as red as the truck with sunburn and windburn. Great memories. Very sad to see on the web site that the early 4cyl Chevs seemed to go so very cheap compared to what we would pay here in Australia. The 1918 490 Coupe and the 1920 490 Center Door sedan are cars we never got here in OZ and to see them go for $2250 and $1250 according to the web site is criminal we would pay more than that for a set of new tyres for a Chev 4. Has the bottom really fallin out of the early Chev market that bad or are people not buying work?
Rearguards Dave

Bob was a good guy and would do anything for you. I loved to talk to him when I vended as that swap meets. The man was a wealth of information. Once he gave me a pictured Delco and Remy parts catalog from the 20s at a swap meet and wouldn't take anything for it.

I was also at the Bob Hensel Auction and bought way to much. We came home with a 1990 Chevy Suburban loaded and 16 ft car trailer overloaded the day after the auction (max 40 MPH)and then had to go back the next Sunday for another load in both. There were some good items that were left over that buyers left which I scooped up and what I left there to pick up for the second load greatly increased probably as some buyer bought to much to fit in their pickup or trailer and figured I could use it.


A lot of it when cheap as the auctioneer(s) who had it didn't do enough work on the sale to do it justice. I was surprised as they had no idea what they were selling. I was once convinced that if I every needed to have an auction, I would have Vanderbrink do it but not now from what I heard from the person managing the estate. Half the time, the auctioneers never knew what they were selling which was good for the buyer and not for the seller. Anything that was chrome went, I thought, for good money. Half the time the auctioneers sold choice from a pallet and then the complete pallet as there was no organization of anything. It's hard to believe that a mass of parts like that can disappear in one day!