BRZN Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) I had the most awesome opportunity this past weekend, Thursday the 24th through Saturday the 26th to be a driver at the first Mecum Auto Auction to be held at the PA Farm Show Complex located in Harrisburg, PA. The opportunity was made available to me by being a member of the Susquehanna Valley GTO Club. Stage Left Center Stage Here's how it worked. We'd get a vehicle out in the staging tent: Be directed by the Mecum staff to start the vehicle and begin driving to, and into the building: We'd drive under the cars power to a given spot inside, then be instructed to shut the car off: From here the York County Corvette Club would push us: Bear right to the second position back where a group would wipe the car down: Move forward, the hood's opened briefly, then closed and the car's started and driven up onto the block for three to five minutes: Not before it gets to spend some quality time with Dana and Frank: I had to get Dana Mecum to sign my hat! Pushed off the block, around a curtain to the right, started again and driven outside the building to be stored in one of the Arenas: Here are the vehicles I was able to drive: Day 1 1931 Ford Model A Woody Pick-Up 1948 Dodge Pick-Up 1964 Buick Skylark Convertible The Buick didn't have all the correct paperwork, so I wasn't able to take it on the block, just outside the tent. 1989 Alfa Romeo Graduate 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT 1932 Ford Cabriolet Street Rod 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible The owner of this Cutlass asked me to keep an eye on the bidding. Once it hit $17,000 to open the top. It hit $17k, I looked over at Dana Mecum, gave him a wink and pressed the button! Hey, when the top goes down the price goes up, right? 1986 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit Towards the end of the day a few of us were asked if we would start to bring Friday cars over to the staging tent from the location, on site, they were being stored in. No problem here! 1970 Chevy Camaro SS 396 4 Speed 1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible 1964 Chevy Corvette Coupe 1967 Chevy Chevelle SS Hardtop Day 2 1971 Custom VW Super Beetle Convertible 1940 Ford Coupe Street Rod 1946 Ford Super Deluxe Club Coupe 1962 Rolls-Royce Custom 4-Door Convertible Right Hand Drive 1968 Fiat Dino Spider 1960 Chevy Corvette Convertible At this point a few of us again volunteered to run cars into the staging tent from the remote, on site, location. 1966 Dodge Hemi Coronet 1948 Chevy Pick-Up 1950 Chevy Bel Air Rat Rod 1966 Olds Cutlass Convertible 1970 Chevy Corvette Convertible 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL600 Biturbo 1996 Porsche 993 Day 3 1948 Chevy Pick-Up As with many of the vehicles there was a trick to starting them or making them move in one direction or another. I decided I'd take this one up on the block since I'd driven it over just the night before and knew the tricks. Of course I opened the hood and the dump bed when I pulled up onto the block! My favorite of the weekend, a 1916 Cadillac Town Car Jump seat, blue mohair Tilt wheel I was specifically asked to drive this one. I was able to get the 1931 Ford Model A going, so they figured I could start this one and get it moving. Also, I believe my size may have had something to do with it. I'm about 160 soaking wet, anyone any larger than I would have had a real difficult time getting in and out. The owners were great people, I was able to spend almost an hour with them. I came to find out this car was purchased at the Hershey flea market, 45 minutes from my home and restored five miles from me! Owners wanted $300,000, set the reserve at $250,000, and the bidding stopped at $180,000. 1965 Chevy Corvette Convertible with a fuel injected engine sitting under the hood 1957 Ford Thunderbird 1978 Cadillac Eldorado Barritz Then when it was all over Saturday we were asked to bring the "Bid Goes On" cars from the staging tent, back inside. I brought the 1916 Cadillac Town Car back in and this beast: 1970 Chevy Chevelle LS6 Convertible Here's a group shot of many of the 90+ that helped out as drivers with our club Edited August 15, 2014 by BRZN eric@thompsonracing.us, icantdrive55, Beemer and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris@Adams Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 That is a cool deal Dave! BRZN 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxcustody Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 That is AWESOME..........I was actually watching when the Cutlas came on stage. That is exactly what they said on TV, "top goes down price goes up"!!! Very Cool!! BRZN 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorsager Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 What a great opportunity! Looks like there was a lot of great cars there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scootertrash19 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natch02 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 What a set of cars. Some of which appeared to have the Adams treatment beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMDChase Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 What a great opportunity that was. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Bowtie Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Cool! Thanks for the pic's. They put on a great auction. They use to come here to Des Moines, Iowa for 23 years, till someone with the state decided to make them jump through a bunch of paper work on titles for cars. They said no thanks and pulled the plug. Was sorry to see it go. Would love to have the LS6. Have a friend that has a 396/402 car that looks just like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRZN Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 Rich, you're in luck, the LS6 Chevelle is still for sale! The bidding stopped at $260,000, owner wanted $400,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc2hill Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Very cool Dave! Thanks for sharing the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric@thompsonracing.us Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Looks like an amazing weekend! Cool stuff Dave! Of all the people who have asked, Dave and Adam are the only ones who I'd let drive my car! You know it'll be taken care of! BRZN 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Bowtie Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Rich, you're in luck, the LS6 Chevelle is still for sale! The bidding stopped at $260,000, owner wanted $400,000. Thanks Dave, can you loan me the money? If I won the lottery I would have a LS6. Without looking into it, I think that was Jim Brady's old car that sold at Barrett Jackson in 05 for $500.000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GXPaycheck Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 What an experience! I'm jealous ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icantdrive55 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 That's great Dave!!!! Thanks for sharing. What a great experience. That's like automotive heaven. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott mc Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thanks for sharing your experience with us! You made it seem like we were there! I hope to get to this auction maybe next year. I understand they are coming back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRZN Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 If I understand correctly, they have a three year contract in Harrisburg at the PA Farm Show Complex. 2015's dates haven't been announced yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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