Went to an auction last week n Michigan and to my surprise one of the hot rods there was a truck I built about 8 years ago from a 28 Plymouth 4-door sedan I bought for $400. The auctioneer told me there were no reserves on any of the cars so I was hoping to buy the truck back. As it turned out, the "no reserves" simply meant the guy who owned the cars was bidding on them himself. He ended up buying back three of the cars including my old truck. The truck was pretty much the same as when I sold it except for no hood and no Whippet grill shell. According to the owner, somone broke into his garage and stole the hood and grill shell. I took some pictures of the cars that were there, most of which were "different". Seemed like everyone of them had some parts missing or didnt run for one reason or another. The first two pictures shown are of my old truck-build when it was a sedan and what it looked like when I sold it. All the others are auction cars.
That t-bucket had some old flathead in-line 8 cylinder. maybe an Olds? It had a home-made 3 deuce intake with 3 Strombergs and a cool straight 8 header with 8 pipes. he bought that one back too...
That T was built by Andy Didio of Suicide Axle Hot Rods in Sycamore, IL. Did it sell? If so, how much? Thanks
I think that T is a Dodge isn't it? I seem to remember seeing it in a magazine several years ago. Anyway, I love what you did with the sedan. Very cool.
"The auctioneer told me there were no reserves on any of the cars so I was hoping to buy the truck back. As it turned out, the "no reserves" simply meant the guy who owned the cars was bidding on them himself. He ended up buying back three of the cars including my old truck. " That scenario kind of rubs me the wrong way. Why wouldn't the owner set an opening bid as his reserve instead of "competing" with the potential buyers? For example; "we'll start the bidding at 5 grand on this car". Anything north of that and it's a done deal. I'd be pissed if I drove a long way to a 'no reserve auction' to find out the owner was standing behind me bidding on his own stuff. What an ass. BTW, Nice job on the Plymouth truck!
I think the guy bought back the T for about $5500. He paid $5900 to get my old truck back. That Model A sold for $3200 and some crappy T with a caddy engine that is sitting on the far side of the Plymouth truck only brought $800, and he bought that one back too. I think that #33 "fantasy Plymouth race car" sold on the internet for $2900. There was also a "fantasy" '65 Mustang GT fastback that had been a 6 cylinder car. It had a 289 in it but still had 4 lug wheels all around. It sold for $6700 to someone at the auction.
Small world! And most of the wheels you got at auction were what I sold to the guy several years ago. My in-laws live right down the road, but my father-in-law was back in the hospital with another heart attack so I couldn't go to the auction. Glad you got the wheels!
It is a violation of law in many states for a seller or shill bidder to bid on items. I think this is true in Michigan and if so, the high bidder (before the seller's bid) would have a cause of action against the auctioneer and the seller. Check the law, and sue the bastards.
It depends on why the cars were being auctioned. They may have been part of a legal settlement (divorce, insurance etc) and the owner may have had the right to bid on them with the money paid to settle the debt.
"The auctioneer told me there were no reserves on any of the cars so I was hoping to buy the truck back. As it turned out, the "no reserves" simply meant the guy who owned the cars was bidding on them himself. He ended up buying back three of the cars including my old truck. " you say that as if it doesn't happen at every auction ever held.
I go to a LOT of auctions and, in my experience, it only happens now and then. Most of the time the owner is NOT bidding on his own stuff, 'cause usually he is no longer among the living....
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