Brett and Mark celebrate Mark's birthday while discussing their latest automotive projects, including a T-Bird restoration and a newly acquired Harley. The episode features a special guest, Matt Avery from Mecum Auctions, who shares insights from the recent Kissimmee auction, where record-breaking sales reached $441 million. They delve into standout sales, including a Ferrari that fetched $38.5 million and a Yanco Camaro prototype selling for $1.8 million. The conversation highlights the growing excitement and quality in the collector car market.
Brett and Mark welcome Matt Avery, host of the Mecum in the Morning and Mecum On the Move YouTube shows, to discuss the massive sales at Mecum's Kissimmee, Florida event, the record-setting sales, massive take from Blue Chips lots, and what this says about the market as a whole. This and much more on Driven Radio Show!
"I got BF Goodrich raised white letter. We'll look at we'll look at a big there because, you know, the to be able to turn fully, they can't be like 225s, etc."
BF Goodrich is a brand that makes tires, and raised white letter tires have the brand name written in white on the side. They are often used to give cars a classic look.
BF Goodrich is a well-known tire manufacturer, and raised white letter tires feature the brand name in raised white lettering on the sidewall. These tires are often used for their aesthetic appeal and are popular in classic and muscle car communities.
"Yeah, 1990 Harley Heritage Classic. Yeah. And cream and black."
The Harley Heritage Classic is a type of motorcycle made by Harley-Davidson. It's known for its classic look and comfortable ride, making it great for long trips.
The Harley Heritage Classic is a popular touring motorcycle known for its classic styling and comfortable ride. It features a large front fender and a distinctive design that pays homage to Harley-Davidson's heritage.
"...make sure all the fluids are current and give her a check over..."
Fluids are the liquids that help a car run properly, like oil and coolant. It's important to check and change them regularly to keep the car in good shape.
In automotive maintenance, 'fluids' refer to various liquids necessary for a vehicle's operation, including oil, coolant, brake fluid, and transmission fluid. Keeping these fluids at proper levels is crucial for the vehicle's performance and longevity.
"...formerly a repair tech for BMW and Mercedes Benz."
BMW is a car company from Germany that makes high-end cars known for being fun to drive and well-made.
BMW is a German automotive manufacturer known for its luxury vehicles and performance-oriented cars. The brand is synonymous with driving pleasure and engineering excellence.
"...formerly a repair tech for BMW and Mercedes Benz."
Mercedes-Benz is another car company from Germany that makes luxury cars and is known for its advanced technology and comfort.
Mercedes-Benz is a German automotive brand known for luxury vehicles, buses, and trucks. It is recognized for its innovation and high-quality engineering.
"... my dues this year. He's the author of Coppo and Camaro Special Editions, a book I certainly need a copy..."
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sporty car that people love for its powerful engine and cool looks. It's been around for a long time and is often compared to other similar cars, making it a popular topic among car enthusiasts.
The Chevrolet Camaro is a classic American muscle car that has been in production since 1966. Known for its performance and aggressive styling, it has become a symbol of American automotive culture and is often discussed in the context of muscle car rivalries.
"...a lot of the attention was given to that nineteen sixty two Ferrari two fifty GTO that Bianco Spiciale selling for thirty eight and a half million dollars."
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a famous sports car from the early 1960s. It's very rare and valuable, often selling for millions of dollars at auctions because of its history and design.
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a highly sought-after classic car known for its racing pedigree and limited production. It is considered one of the most valuable cars in the world, with auction prices reaching record highs.
"...eighty Porsches and something for just about everybody."
Porsche is a well-known car brand that makes high-performance sports cars. They are famous for their speed and handling, especially the Porsche 911.
Porsche is a renowned German sports car manufacturer known for its high-performance vehicles, particularly the iconic Porsche 911. The brand emphasizes engineering excellence and driving experience.
"...one hundred ten Ferraris, eighty Porsches and something for just about everybody."
Ferrari is a famous brand that makes very fast and expensive sports cars. They are often seen in races and are considered a status symbol.
Ferrari is a luxury sports car manufacturer known for its high-performance vehicles and racing heritage. The brand is synonymous with speed and exclusivity.
"...than four hundred Corvettes, one hundred seventy Mustangs, one hundred fifty Camaros, one hundred ten Ferr..."
The Ford Mustang is a famous car known for being fast and stylish. It has been loved by many people since the 1960s and is often talked about when discussing cool cars.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car that debuted in 1964 and has since become a cultural icon. With its powerful engines and stylish design, it represents freedom and performance, often being a benchmark in discussions about sports cars.
"But obviously, one of the headliners was the Bachman collection. This was a group of over 40 carefully curated Ferraris that had been assembled"
The Bachman collection is a group of over 40 Ferraris that were put together for a special auction. Collections like this are important for car lovers because they feature rare and valuable cars.
The Bachman collection refers to a specific gathering of over 40 Ferraris that were curated for an auction. Collections like this are often sought after by collectors and enthusiasts due to their rarity and the quality of the vehicles.
"to have these under one roof, you have the F 40, the F 50, the Enzo, the La Ferrari..."
The Ferrari F40 is a famous sports car made by Ferrari in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It's known for being very fast and lightweight, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
The Ferrari F40 is a supercar that was produced from 1987 to 1992, known for its lightweight construction and powerful twin-turbo V8 engine. It was the last car personally approved by Enzo Ferrari.
"to have these under one roof, you have the F 40, the F 50, the Enzo, the La Ferrari..."
The Ferrari F50 is another high-performance sports car made by Ferrari in the 1990s. It has a powerful engine and is built using advanced materials to make it lighter and faster.
The Ferrari F50 is a supercar produced from 1995 to 1997, featuring a naturally aspirated V12 engine and a lightweight carbon fiber structure. It was designed to be a road-legal version of Ferrari's Formula 1 technology.
"People were wondering if that would hold it back just because, you know, it's not necessarily the traditional red paint color."
The traditional red paint color is the classic bright red that many Ferrari cars are painted. It's a color that people often think of when they imagine a Ferrari.
The traditional red paint color refers to the classic shade often associated with Ferrari cars, known as 'Rosso Corsa'. This color is iconic in motorsports and is a significant part of Ferrari's brand identity.
"...ce. I like bright yellow Ferraris, bright yellow Corvettes, bright yellow Porsches. I think they look cool."
The Chevrolet Corvette is a really fast and stylish sports car that has been around for many years. It's famous for its performance and is often seen as a symbol of American sports cars.
The Chevrolet Corvette is a high-performance sports car that has been in production since 1953, known for its sleek design and powerful engines. It has a rich racing heritage and is often regarded as America's sports car, making it a frequent topic in automotive discussions.
"...because they weren't Rosso Corsa red, which you see everywhere."
Rosso Corsa is a specific shade of red that Ferrari cars are famous for. It's a bright red color that many people associate with racing and Ferrari's history.
Rosso Corsa is the traditional racing color of Ferrari, a bright red that has become synonymous with the brand. It represents Ferrari's long history in motorsport.
"...as the collector car market continues to evolve, we're seeing some of these traditions break down."
The collector car market is where people buy and sell special cars that are old or rare. Trends in this market can change what people want and how much they are willing to pay for certain cars.
The collector car market refers to the buying and selling of classic, vintage, and rare cars that are sought after by enthusiasts and collectors. Trends in this market can influence car values and preferences.
"...the only one produced in that Rosso Dino selling for just over $11 million."
Rosso Dino is a special red color used on some Ferrari cars. It's named after Enzo Ferrari's son and is very popular among collectors.
Rosso Dino is a specific shade of red paint used by Ferrari, named after Enzo Ferrari's son, Dino. It is a sought-after color for collectors, especially on models like the Enzo.
"Just for us here on this show, Darrell's work on Mercury Mountaineer. Yeah, classic Corvette's."
The Mercury Mountaineer is an SUV made by the Mercury brand, which is part of Ford. It's designed for families and can handle rough terrain.
The Mercury Mountaineer is a mid-size SUV that was produced by Mercury, a division of Ford. It shares its platform with the Ford Explorer and is known for its spacious interior and off-road capabilities.
"...talk to us a little bit about the Bianco speciale 62 Ferrari GTO? Absolutely."
The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a fancy sports car that is both fast and comfortable. It's made by Ferrari, a brand known for high-end cars, and is designed for people who want to travel in style.
The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a luxury grand tourer produced from 2004 to 2010, known for its elegant design and powerful V12 engine. It represents Ferrari's commitment to combining performance with comfort, making it a notable model in the brand's lineup.
"So again, come up to Mecum auction. You really can find something up any alley."
Mecum auction is a place where people buy and sell special cars. It's like a big event where you can find rare and valuable vehicles.
Mecum Auctions is a well-known auction company that specializes in the sale of collector cars, motorcycles, and memorabilia. They host events across the United States, attracting buyers and sellers from around the world.
"There was a lot of a lot of other big dollar cars. Talk to us a little bit about the 66 Ford GT 40 Mark II factory like a lightweight. Yeah, we we had our own version of Ford versus Ferrari."
The Ford GT40 is a famous race car from the 1960s that won a lot of big races, especially against Ferrari. It's known for being very fast and is a big part of racing history.
The Ford GT40 is a legendary race car that gained fame in the 1960s for its success at the Le Mans 24-hour race, particularly in its rivalry against Ferrari. It represents a significant achievement in automotive engineering and racing history.
"And then, of course, I feel like a perennial favorite are those early Shelby 427 Cobras."
The Shelby 427 Cobra is a classic American sports car from the 1960s. It's famous for being very fast and powerful, making it a favorite among car collectors.
The Shelby 427 Cobra is a high-performance sports car produced in the 1960s, known for its powerful V8 engine and lightweight design. It became an iconic model in American automotive history and is highly sought after by collectors.
"...there's no dissipation of interest for some of those perennial blue chip collectibles, the Shelby, the Cobras, the GT 40s, that kind of stuff."
Blue chip collectibles are valuable items that are expected to keep their worth or even become more valuable. In cars, this means famous models that many people want to own, like certain Shelby or Ford cars.
Blue chip collectibles refer to high-value items that are considered stable investments, often retaining or increasing their worth over time. In the automotive world, this includes iconic models that are highly sought after by collectors, like Shelby Cobras and Ford GT40s.
"...And also and also I mean, along those same lines, guys, muscle. I mean, big big dollar, big horsepower, muscle, still major presence there."
Muscle cars are fast cars that usually have big engines, making them powerful. They were especially popular in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s and are known for their cool looks and speed.
Muscle cars are high-performance vehicles that typically have powerful V8 engines and are designed for straight-line speed. They became popular in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s and are characterized by their aggressive styling and performance capabilities.
"...I know a lot of the Mopar enthusiasts were excited to see that"
Mopar is a brand name that represents parts and services for cars made by Chrysler, like Dodge and Jeep. It's also known for making performance parts for muscle cars, which many car fans love.
Mopar is a term that refers to the parts, service, and customer care for vehicles produced by the Chrysler Group, including Dodge and Jeep. It has become synonymous with performance and aftermarket parts for muscle cars and is popular among enthusiasts.
"...with that automatic transmission, selling for 3.3 million."
An automatic transmission is a type of car gearbox that shifts gears on its own, making it easier to drive because you don't have to change gears yourself.
An automatic transmission automatically changes the gear ratios as the vehicle moves, allowing the driver to focus on steering and acceleration without manual gear shifting. This is different from a manual transmission, where the driver must shift gears manually.
"The only thing it's missing is Kragers, baby. It's got baby moons on them."
Kragers are a type of custom wheel that people put on cars, especially muscle cars, to make them look cooler. They have a unique style that many car enthusiasts love.
Kragers refers to a brand of aftermarket wheels, specifically known for their distinctive designs that are popular in the muscle car community. They are often associated with classic American muscle cars and are sought after for their aesthetic appeal.
"It's got baby moons on them. Like, what a waste, what a waste of life."
Baby moons are small round covers that go over the center part of a car's wheel. They make the wheels look nice and are often used on older cars.
Baby moons are a type of wheel cover that gives a classic look to vehicles, often seen on vintage cars. They are small, rounded hubcaps that cover the center of the wheel, providing a retro aesthetic.
"shot into a light pole someplace. And people forget the Nova's back then and sixty eight was the last year. Wasn't sixty eight the last year?"
The Chevrolet Nova is a small car that was popular many years ago for being affordable and easy to drive. It's often remembered by car enthusiasts as a classic example of American cars from that time.
The Chevrolet Nova is a compact car that was produced from 1962 to 1979, known for its simple design and affordability. It represents the classic American compact car era and is often discussed in the context of vintage car collecting.
"...it's got kind of those muscular haunches like the Chevelle, we lose sight that that was the entry economy c..."
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a car that was popular in the 1960s and 70s, known for its strong engines and sporty look. It's often talked about as a classic muscle car that many people still love today.
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized car produced from 1964 to 1977, known for its muscular design and performance variants. It remains a favorite among classic car enthusiasts and is often discussed in the context of muscle car history.
"...ne, you know, of a dealer putting a Hellcat in a Dodge Hornet in a Dodge Hornet. You know, yeah, you know, whe..."
The Dodge Hornet is a new small SUV that looks sporty and is designed for people who want a fun car that can also be practical. It's made to appeal to younger drivers looking for something stylish.
The Dodge Hornet is a compact SUV that was reintroduced in 2022, aiming to attract younger buyers with its sporty design and performance features. It represents Dodge's shift towards more versatile and family-friendly vehicles while maintaining a performance edge.
"I think there's going to be more interest given to the other efforts that Don did, including his Copo Corvair's. Yeah, the thing is Vegas, the little stingers."
The Chevrolet Corvair is a small car from the 1960s that had a different design because its engine was in the back. It's remembered for being unique, but it also had some safety issues that people talked about.
The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car produced from 1960 to 1969, notable for its unique rear-engine layout and innovative design. It has a mixed reputation due to safety concerns but remains an interesting part of automotive history.
"... Corvair's. Yeah, the thing is Vegas, the little stingers. I could see interest in those, you know, just i..."
The Kia Stinger is a newer car that looks sporty and is fun to drive. It's known for being a good value compared to other fast cars, making it popular among people looking for something exciting.
The Kia Stinger is a sporty sedan that debuted in 2017, designed to compete with established performance vehicles. It has been praised for its performance, design, and value, making it a notable entry in the sports sedan market.
"Sure. Cyclones are cool. Typhoons are cool. The SS 454, you look back now and you ..."
The GMC Typhoon is a rare SUV from the early 90s that was known for being very fast and sporty for its size. It's become a collector's item because not many were made, and people love its unique style.
The GMC Typhoon is a high-performance SUV produced in the early 1990s, known for its turbocharged engine and sporty handling. It has become a collector's item due to its rarity and unique place in automotive history.
"...o have, I mean, you want a good example? Look at Grand Nationals. Look at GNX's."
The Buick Grand National is a fast car from the 1980s that looks cool with its all-black design. It's famous for its powerful engine and has become very popular among car fans.
The Buick Grand National is a high-performance version of the Buick Regal produced in the 1980s, known for its turbocharged V6 engine and blacked-out styling. It has gained a cult following among car enthusiasts and is often discussed for its performance and rarity.
"Look at Grand Nationals. Look at GNX's. Look at the money that low mile examples of those have started to bring."
The Buick GNX is a special and rare version of the Grand National made in 1987. It's known for being very powerful and is highly sought after by collectors.
The Buick GNX is a limited-edition performance version of the Grand National, produced in 1987, and is highly regarded for its exceptional power and unique styling. It is considered a collector's item and often discussed for its rarity and performance.
"...s, vehicle, what's the big deal? You know, my V6 Challenger has more horsepower or whatever. Well, you're sh..."
The Dodge Challenger is a big, powerful car that looks like the classic muscle cars from the past. It's popular for its strong engines and cool design, making it a favorite among car lovers.
The Dodge Challenger is a modern muscle car that pays homage to the classic models of the 1970s. Known for its retro styling and powerful engine options, it is often discussed in the context of muscle car performance and competition.
"...ever. Well, you're shooting it through the wrong prism. You're shooting it through a present prism on a..."
The Geo Prism is a small car that was made in the 1990s and is known for being reliable and good on gas. It's a budget-friendly option for people looking for an affordable used car.
The Geo Prism is a compact car that was produced in the 1990s, known for its reliability and fuel efficiency. It was a popular choice for budget-conscious buyers and is often discussed in the context of affordable used cars.
"...h, exactly. Exactly. Compare it to a new Porsche Cayenne. Well, the Cayenne is going to kick your ass."
The Porsche Cayenne is a fancy SUV that is known for being fast and comfortable. It's made by Porsche, a brand famous for sports cars, and it helps people who want a luxury vehicle that can also carry more passengers or cargo.
The Porsche Cayenne is a luxury SUV that combines performance with practicality, first introduced in 2002. It has played a significant role in expanding Porsche's lineup beyond sports cars, making it a popular topic in discussions about luxury vehicles.
"...ighty five Z twenty eight or an Iraq or go buy a Mustang GT convertible. And they may not be that fast."
The Ford Mustang GTD is a special version of the Mustang that is made to be even faster and more fun to drive. It's part of Ford's effort to keep the Mustang exciting for car lovers.
The Ford Mustang GTD is a high-performance variant of the iconic Mustang, designed to deliver enhanced power and handling. It represents Ford's ongoing commitment to performance and innovation in the Mustang lineup.
"...e dream vehicle you've always wanted. At Hot Rod Express, they listen, they figure out how to make it happ..."
The Chevrolet Express is a big van that can hold a lot of people or cargo. It's often used by businesses and families because it's very practical and has plenty of space.
The Chevrolet Express is a full-size van that has been in production since 1996, primarily used for commercial purposes and as a passenger vehicle. Its spacious interior and versatility make it a popular choice for businesses and families alike.
Select text to request an explanation
Hey, all you gearheads and car fiends, welcome to Driven Radio Show, your weekly automotive
hat.
You're sometimes weekly.
Sometimes.
Yeah.
Sometimes we have personal crap getting away and I had a lot of it last week and still
dealing with family stuff and but everything's going to be okay.
It'll all work out exactly the way it's supposed to.
Yes, it will.
So I am Brett Hatfield.
I'm here with a belated happy birthday for my cohost and engineer extraordinaire, Mr.
Mark Groves.
That's me.
Who turned 39 again yesterday.
Yes, I did.
It's the anniversary.
We are coming to you from the occasionally frozen Driven Radio Studios.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's brisk.
Yeah.
We had a heat wave yesterday.
It was all of what, like 31 degrees or so.
Yeah.
What a day.
Yeah.
I was running around in board shorts and a half shirt.
I think I saw the sun once.
Oh, and this is so stupid and nothing that should be mentioned in the show.
But what the hell?
There was an amazing sunset.
One of the things about Kansas being so flat is that you get to see some awesome sunset.
Well, you can stand on a tuna can and see the whole state.
Yeah, exactly.
So you've got this amazingly wide vista and then tonight, driving to get here, I'm like,
oh, damn, there was a shaft of sunlight that went straight up like it was high noon.
You said shaft.
I did.
And it was sweet looking.
It was beautiful.
Where we live, we're far enough south now that there's not a lot blocking your western
view these days.
Yeah.
And if you go right out on 175th Street out here, you can watch some of the damnedest
sunsets.
It's pretty amazing.
And they really are gorgeous and we're getting really, really fantastic sunsets this time
of year.
So I was happy.
It was a nice drive in.
Anything new in T-Bird World there, birthday boy?
Closest thing.
I still haven't ventured, you know, when it got down to like three degrees.
I was like, no, I'm not going to spend a lot of time in the garage.
You know, we should have put that thing in the warehouse.
It's a it's a very comfortable 68 degrees.
There's a lot of places I want to put that thing be that as well.
So again, I am not bending over, you know, second verse, same as the first, I still haven't
touched the carb.
However, I didn't go out with my Harbor Freight heat gun and I was able to get all of that
ugly red pin striping off and my boy that owns a civil now, he came by and we traded
the rubber seal for the for the four old, you know, steel rims.
Yeah, they're 15 inch and they're four dot five, five or four or five.
So they fit.
Okay.
And I tested one of the hubcaps on it.
It fits perfectly.
Okay.
So I just need to put some tires on it.
I got tires for it.
We're going to what we will talk.
I got BF Goodrich raised white letter.
We'll look at we'll look at a big there because, you know, the to be able to turn fully, they
have they can't be like 225s, etc.
They came off 65.
They're not really.
Okay.
Sweet.
We will talk the.
So I got that all that stuff field and I felt really good because there was that one
door that had double sided sticky tape was holding on that red pinstripe.
It was on the passenger side door.
No kidding.
Yeah.
It was it was chintzy.
It was.
Oh my God.
Straight out of Walmart.
And I went to the, you know, driver's side to start peeling it off because of course
it left most of the sticky two sided driver's side.
No, it was the same as all the rest.
So that just came right off.
Cool.
Schadenfreude Express is still being painted.
It's in the body shop.
Nice.
Don't expect to see it for a month when it comes home, it comes home.
You know, I have a problem.
You do.
And the first way, the first step in solving the problem is admitting you have a problem
or simply renaming your home.
Another stray has found its way into Hatfield's home for recalcitrant Harleys.
Oh, yeah.
It's one that I initially made a bid on when it was on Bring a Trailer and I was the second
highest bidder.
The highest bidder didn't complete the sale.
And so Bring a Trailer got hold of me and asked me whether I'd be interested in buying
said Harley.
I went and looked at it with my son-in-law and we looked it over real well and I rather
than buying it at a really cheap price, I started advising the guy on what it would
take to doll the bike up and sell it.
And by dolling the bike up, I meant taking all the crap off of it that he put on it and
giving it a bath that it looked like it hadn't had in 10 years and just lots of other stuff.
And the longer I worked on it, the longer I thought, yeah, that price is pretty fair.
And that's cheap enough that I have that laying around.
Yeah, I think I'll do that.
And so I had another one follow me to my house and then the warehouse.
And I agreed to go ahead and buy it.
And then I'm going to fix it up and shove it off on you.
So it's not faster care.
It's faster care. Got it.
Yeah, 1990 Harley Heritage Classic.
Yeah.
And cream and black.
Oh, nice.
With wide whites and really cool 60 spoke wheels on it, which are going to look fantastic
when I'm done with it.
And it's just got it just needs some TLC.
So we're going to do some new tires and we're going to tune some stuff up and make sure
all the fluids are current and give her a check over, make sure everything works right.
I'm going to adjust some stuff.
Mark, there's not a piece of chrome this guy didn't do.
Oh, wow.
Every bit of the chrome, all the lines and all the hoses have been steel braided.
Oh, it's he just went through and did everything to it.
And then he found the JC Whitney section of the hearty Harley catalog.
And every other stinking thing he could put on it.
He did bill it bill me.
And I'm I'm that's what I'm pairing away.
I'm getting rid of some stuff.
But anyway, it's going to be very, very pretty when I'm done.
It's a great looking bike.
I think it's got a lot of future to it.
And I'm of course, I'm whipping in one of my level details on it,
yeah, which means I'll be 40 hours into it.
And you won't be able to find any grease or oil on that bike.
No, it'll look like new.
And I'm I'm very I'm I'm pleased.
I'm excited. I think it's going to turn out nice.
Nice. So I'm excited to see it.
Yeah, which means I only have three other Harleys to work on.
Really, too, because the road king is perfect.
And the soft tail is really, really close to perfect.
So I'm just left working on that that road glide.
Nice. Nice. Until I find another one.
Just down to that one.
Until I find another one. Got it.
Our special guest this week has been so patiently waiting
while we got through our early weekly crap.
Chattie McChatface.
Yeah, Matt Avery of Meek of Moctions.
We're fortunate enough to have Matt
to interview Matt at the Meekums,
Kings of City, Salem. Yeah, Matt, his boots.
We talked to his boots, too.
Sat down with us for a few minutes and we discussed a bunch of stuff.
Matt hosts the Meekum in the Morning and Meekum on the Move YouTube shows.
He's formerly a repair tech for BMW and Mercedes Benz.
Oh, Matt, I could really use your help.
And he wrote for Motor Week TV served as a senior video producer.
Video producer. We could really use Matt's help.
Oh, hell yeah. For Cars.com.
And he was on the board of directors for the Midwest Automotive Media
Association, a group of which I used to be a member.
I don't know if I paid my dues this year.
He's the author of Coppo and Camaro Special Editions,
a book I certainly need a copy of.
Matt, bud, sounds like we need to spend some time together.
He was also named to SEMA's Future Leaders Networks 35 under 35 list.
He's a mover and a shaker.
Matt, welcome back to Driven Radio.
Hey, guys. Oh, man, I'm looking forward to this.
I enjoyed our conversation in Kansas City, man.
We really covered the gamut there.
We talked teabirds.
We talked crazy Christmas outfits.
So I can't imagine what this conversation holds.
Well, we are going to jump in with both feet on Kissimmee because
so many so many wild things went on there.
Numbers out of Kissimmee were absolutely incredible.
A lot of records were broken and a lot of blowout lots.
Can you talk a little bit about what happened in Florida
and what makes it so notable?
I mean, how long was the sale?
What was the total take?
Yeah, so 13 13 days of auction action there
at the Osceola Heritage Fairgrounds.
And guys, just so pleased to report that we achieve
four hundred and forty one million dollars in overall sales.
Just and I will say, I mean, just the Meekham team
continues to raise the bar in delivering just a superb auction experience.
And then once you kind of dive into some of those numbers,
some other standout features on Saturday, it January 17th.
That marked the highest single day sales total
in collector car auction history with two hundred and fifty nine dollars.
For that day, more than one hundred and forty thousand people
attended the auction experience.
And and then, of course, obviously, a lot of the attention was given to that
nineteen sixty two Ferrari two fifty GTO that Bianco Spiciale selling
for thirty eight and a half million dollars.
And guys, just I could go on and on just with all the achievements
and records that were set.
A lot of a lot of attention was also given, rightfully so,
to the Bachman Ferrari collection selling for one hundred and twenty five
million dollars in total.
And just some of the more of the standouts would be that sixty six
four GT forty Mark two factory lightweight, selling for just over twelve
point three million. And I got to say, guys, being a Chevrolet performance
enthusiast, perhaps my favorite sale of the auction was, of course,
that nineteen sixty nine Yanco Camaro prototype selling for just over one
point eight million. So a lot happened there, guys.
And just I think we're still kind of processing just all that went down
two hundred fifty nine million dollars on a single day.
And I'm trying to look around and find out what the total was for all
of Barrett Jackson at Scottsdale.
And I think it's quite a bit less than that.
I'll you keep on those numbers.
But yeah, I mean, as just I think it's just it really shows the dedication,
the commitment that the Meekham team has for wanting to really kick the year
off in a big fashion. And guys, I mean, another another major success by all
accounts, just we had great weather, a great group of cars.
You know, what keeps coming across the block, guys, it just keeps the quality
and the quantity both keep going up.
And I got to be honest, I'm already kind of looking forward to next year.
Here we are eleven months out.
But I know we'll start having conversations pretty soon about what's in store.
But it's also kind of hard to process, guys, too, because we're currently
in the middle of our Meekham Las Vegas Motorcycle.
And so but but a lot going on and definitely a lot more
conversation can be had about Kissimmee.
Well, now let's stay with Kissimmee for a second.
And then we're going to jump into the motorcycle thing.
And it's probably real good that I'm not there because I'd be spinning
my grandchildren's inheritance. Can you imagine?
What a wonderful mistake.
Sorry, kids, you don't get to have anything like grandpa has a lot of cool motorcycles.
I there were an estimated forty five hundred cars that cross the block at Kissimmee.
And among those more than four hundred Corvettes,
one hundred seventy Mustangs, one hundred fifty Camaros,
one hundred ten Ferraris, eighty Porsches and something for just about everybody.
But, you know, the the four hundred forty one million dollars,
six lots brought more than ten million dollars,
thirteen brought more than five million,
more than fifty lots sold for over a million dollars.
Those are some heavy hitters.
And again, your your final Saturday was two hundred fifty nine million dollars.
I found the Barrett Jackson numbers for their run.
It was one hundred ninety one point seven, nothing to sneeze at.
But, geez, you guys did sixty million more than that on Saturday.
Yeah, Saturday was a big day.
I know that from the time the gates open until that last car sold,
just we had packed attendance.
So many people came out to see not just to bid, but also just to take part of the spectacle.
I mean, a lot of those cars, guys, it would be hard to find them all in one place.
Just the amount of, you know, the Ferraris there, for example,
that was just one of the locations that Bachman, but OK, well, hey, I hate to cut you off.
Why don't we take through some of those Saturday cars?
Why don't you tell us about the Ferraris that cross the block on Saturday?
Majority of them, I don't because we certainly had more Ferraris than just these.
But obviously, one of the headliners was the Bachman collection.
This was a group of over 40 carefully curated Ferraris that had been assembled
and offered to get as a collection.
And just some of the some of the highlights in that is the evolution
of what I refer to as Ferraris Halo car.
And again, like I mentioned, to have these under one roof, you have the F 40,
the F 50, the Enzo, the La Ferrari, like said, to have those together
and to be able to see those and take pictures was was just truly remarkable.
And of course, those also brought a lot, you know, top dollar with
one of the F 40 selling for six point six million,
one of the Enzo selling for nearly 18 million, the Ferrari FXX,
the 2006 model selling for six point three million.
I mean, it just was Ferrari hit after Ferrari hit, guys.
And, you know, there's been a lot of chatter to about the nature
of those Ferraris from the Bachman collection is that a lot of them were painted
in yellow yellow.
And I know there was a lot of conversation circulating the sale of those cars.
People were wondering if that would hold it back just because, you know,
it's not necessarily the traditional red paint color.
And guys, I got to say all of that went out the window based on these prices.
These were must have Ferraris and the buyer showed up.
I like yellow.
I'm a fan of yellow.
So I like seeing that many of them in one place.
I like bright yellow Ferraris, bright yellow Corvettes, bright yellow Porsches.
I think they look cool.
So, you know, I think maybe some of that was because they weren't
Rosso Corsa red, which you see everywhere.
You do. And I think you're right.
I think I think it is one of those where as the collector car market continues
to evolve, we're seeing some of these traditions break down.
You know, the idea that the Ferrari you have to have has to be in red.
And these were certainly unique.
And I mean, again, carefully curated by the Bachmans,
well cared for lots of provenance with each and every example.
You know, another standout is one of the Ferrari Inzos,
the only one produced in that Rosso Dino selling for just over $11 million.
I mean, just it was incredible guys to see see these cars, to see the attention
and to see what they commanded.
I think it's going to be a long time before we see these records
broken anywhere just because of how much attention these cars got.
It really was an incredible day.
Let's take a break for some commercials about cool car people stuff.
Driven radio show will be right back.
You know, Darrell Ossopic might just be the most interesting man on earth.
It might be.
If you look at his collection of vehicles, you'll realize this is a renaissance
man from weird old beaters to serious performance hot rods all in one place.
Owner of Ossopic Automotive, Darrell is the car whisperer practicing voodoo
that brings vehicles back from the dead.
Just for for us here on this show, Darrell's work on Mercury Mountaineer.
Yeah, classic Corvette's.
Oh, yeah.
Nissan Xterra.
Unusual Mercedes yours and a 64 Dodge custom 880.
Neither of ours anymore.
Not no, Moe.
But you know why it ran?
Darrell Ossopic.
That's right.
In other words, we come to him with our whining issues and he comes back to us
with shiny fixed automobiles.
It is like magic.
Darrell has ASC certified mechanics and happily gives binding estimates.
You might not know he's happy, but that might be because he sees us coming in
and it erases all of us.
Yeah, you'll watch that face drop.
Darrell will explain what he finds, what he plans on doing and lets you make
your decisions.
Nothing hidden, no mechanic bait and switch.
He's straight up and even guarantees all work for at least one month or 1,000 miles.
Yeah, Ossopic Automotive.
That's OSI, PIK, Automotive, 5920 Merriam Drive in Merriam, Kansas,
called Darrell at 913-831-3613.
What was that number?
913-831-3613.
Don't even have to read it.
It's been in my head for a while now.
That's that dude on the back of my skull.
Ask for the Big D and tell him Brett sent you.
After he sighs heavily.
And he will.
He'll get you taken care of 913-831-3613 Ossopic Automotive.
And now back to more driven radio show.
All right, can you talk to us a little bit about the Bianco speciale 62 Ferrari
GTO? Absolutely.
So by all accounts, you know, the one of the stars, if not the star of the
auction that Bianco speciale, the only example from the 36 car run
produced in that factory white and one of the rare occasions that a car of
this caliber and from that of that model changes hands.
And that also got a lot of attention
sound there for 30 and a half million dollars.
And we're thrilled with that, you know, the seller was thrilled.
I know the buyer is very excited.
That car has already been in social media and he's he's doing stuff with it.
So I'm sure I'm sure people might even encounter it at a future show,
but just really showing how Mekam auctions just continues to elevate
what is found at the auction block.
And guys, we might touch on this last time, too,
during our last show together about how what we're seeing is the collector
car market continuing to evolve and expand again beyond
just kind of the traditional like we talked about, even with the Ferraris
and the yellow, the term collector car means a lot of different things.
It's not just Finn and Chrome.
So again, come up to Mekam auction.
You really can find something up any alley.
It's not time stamp to a certain decade.
It's the moderns.
It's the exotic.
It's the super and hyper cars and then everything in between.
You had a lot of other heavy hitters that went through that were not Ferraris.
There was a lot of a lot of other big dollar cars.
Talk to us a little bit about the 66 Ford GT 40 Mark II factory like a lightweight.
Yeah, we we had our own version of Ford versus Ferrari.
I think you could say with with just how many Ferraris and then equally
we had a large number of Shelby or Ford products.
And obviously a lot of them being Shelby's as well.
But those also command big dollars.
You know, that 66 Mark II lightweight, one of three factory lightweight
examples, selling for just over 12.3 million.
And then, of course, I feel like a perennial favorite
are those early Shelby 427 Cobras.
And we had several there on display or on just display selling
with one of them selling for 3.3 million guys showing that
there's no dissipation of interest for some of those perennial blue chip
collectibles, the Shelby, the Cobras, the GT 40s, that kind of stuff.
And so I think that does show how with each new era of
collector cars and each new generation of collectors,
we're still seeing some of those perennial favorites still command top dollar.
And also and also I mean, along those same lines, guys, muscle.
I mean, big big dollar, big horsepower, muscle, still major presence there.
I know a lot of the Mopar enthusiasts were excited to see that
with a 71 Hemicuda convertible, one of five built with that automatic
transmission, selling for 3.3 million.
And then as we talk about, wait a second, wait a second, wait a second.
Yeah, Mark might need a moment.
Just a bit of a long time over that Hemicuda.
I was trying not to even mention anything about it, because I'm like,
I always talk Mopar, Mopar, Mopar, but I swear to God, it's up there right now.
I didn't click it.
It's on the page that I'm looking at right now, because I was like 3.3
mil and then that the Yonko Camaro went for what, 1.8 mil.
Well, hey, yeah, hey, the Mopar's one of five.
Go Mopar.
Of course, of course, that Camaro is is one of a kind.
Yeah, but that but that but Mopar.
So three, three point on a million.
It's a Hemicuda Ragtop 426 under the hood.
The 727 Torque Flight, it's, oh, I know, it's very pretty.
I know, I know you're thinking the only thing it's missing is Kragers.
I would trade Jedi for that.
Kragers, oh, man, hell yeah.
The only thing it's missing is Kragers, baby.
It's got baby moons on them.
Like, what a waste, what a waste of life.
I thought the only thing was missing was Mark behind the wheel.
Well, that too.
Well, what a waste of Mark.
That goes without saying.
Yeah, it's really nice.
You guys are right that, you know, big, big muscle, like from Mopar like this,
you know, typically trades in that in that space.
But, you know, I also that Yanco Camaro was the shot heard around the world
for a couple reasons.
Obviously, it stood apart from the other 200 Yanco Camaro produced in 1969
by Don Yanco and his team there in Canonsburg, studying it apart like from that standpoint.
But that 1.8 million final sale has now become the most that it has secured
that car's place as the most valuable Camaro of any generation,
even superseding the legendary ZL1, which has that all aluminum 427 versus.
But again, that Yanco provenance and even with that iron block 427,
it just shot past the ZL1.
So it's going to be interesting.
I'm really excited to watch the Camaro market to see how the rest of the
Yanco run is affected by that.
There's going to be more interest, but then also to see if a ZL1 comes to market
and if that is able to crack that, you know, 1.8 or even push into the two million
dollars and like I'm telling you anything, a guy who's written a book about
Copo Camaros, but you know, all those L 72s, the Yancos and the Copos
and all that stuff are going to continue to bring more money.
It's a matter of time.
The thing that I like seeing and it only went for 852 grand, only 852 grand
was the 69 Yanco Nova, a car that Don Yanco himself said was probably
irresponsible to make.
And he said he was waiting for someone to sue him.
Yeah, and I mean, that's another fascinating aspect and you're right.
I mean, only eight hundred and fifty two thousand dollars.
But I think it just I think those cars are going to also continue to rise
in value just because again, I think as more and more people understand
the rarity of those cars, the 69 Yanco Camaros, much more identifiable
in the Camaro community, way more, way more popular.
But to the diehard faithful collectors who understand, like you just said, Brett,
that by all intents and purposes, according to Don, that car was never
supposed to be built, Chevrolet did not bless it.
However, we want to look at it.
And yet his team still did the four twenty seven conversions.
And I mean, eight hundred fifty four a thousand for a Nova.
It's still super strong.
It's extremely strong, but they only made thirty eight of them.
So and how many of them still exist?
You know, a couple of those got wrapped around backwards and, you know,
shot into a light pole someplace.
And people forget the Nova's back then and sixty eight was the last year.
Wasn't sixty eight the last year?
They call them Chevy twos and the sixty nine is the first year they called them
Nova's Nova's back then was considered an economy car.
You could get it with a little six in it and it was supposed to be a gas zipper.
And so, of course, why not?
Let's get that and stick a four hundred fifty horse four twenty seven in it
and just see what happens.
And what happened was and by his own words, and I wrote an article
on one of these a long time ago and it just stuck with me.
Don Hinko said, yeah, that was probably irresponsible to do.
I just love that admission from him saying, yeah, yeah.
Probably not a good idea in hindsight.
Yeah. And, you know, context is always so interesting to look at.
And you're right, Brett.
I mean, you know, I think a lot of people look at Nova and again,
but because it's got kind of those muscular haunches like the Chevelle,
we lose sight that that was the entry economy car in the Chevrolet lineup.
I mean, the equivalent to put it, you know, to help draw some parallels
to the modern market and be the equivalent of someone, you know,
of a dealer putting a Hellcat in a Dodge Hornet in a Dodge Hornet.
You know, yeah, you know, where it's like one of those where
that's maybe that's me.
I don't know if that's too extreme, but it's the idea that, like you said,
you take one of the biggest engines that was offered by the factory of four twenty
seven, you know, superseding the three ninety six, going to that forbidden fruit,
getting that four twenty seven.
In this case, it'd be in a short plot conversion, but obviously, like you
identified, Don wanted to have that four twenty seven installed on the factory
floor when Chevrolet turned it down and said, Hey, we're going to, you know,
only grant the Coppo, Camaro and Chevelle's that year for him to move forward.
Again, I think that's the best equivalent would be as some modern dealer
taking a stack of Hornets and doing, you know, help Hellcat conversions
and then selling them as a package.
I mean, it's truly remarkable.
And again, I wonder that somebody didn't assume if you did that today,
if you did that today, you'd probably have a pack of lawyer
crawling up, crawling up your backside.
The only and the only asterisk I'll add to what you pointed out, Brett,
is that it is one of thirty eight produced.
That is of the total sixty nine Yanco Novas.
Not all of them were four twenty seven converted like this one.
A few routine.
That's what I'm just saying.
If you start splitting the numbers even more, you know, it's even rare in that
nothing wrong with the good old three ninety six.
Don't get me wrong, but not all of them got that four twenty seven.
And so I mean, by all accounts, a stellar car and definitely one
that I think has potential to really significantly rise in value in subsequent years.
Well, and again, not all of them got the four twenty seven.
How many of them still exist?
How many of them of the, you know, just handful that were made to start with
still live and breathe air?
It may be a single digit number.
There may be maybe just a handful of them left out there.
So eight fifty two while very strong in hindsight down the road,
I bet that looks like a real reasonable number.
I would agree. I would agree.
I think I think that could in the years to come be a million dollar car
joining that seven figure club, especially now.
I mean, with with Yanco now becoming almost even more of a household name
in the collector space with people who maybe didn't pay attention to Chevrolet
saying Yanco Camaro sold for one point eight million dollars.
I think there's going to be more interest given to the other efforts
that Don did, including his Copo Corvair's.
Yeah, the thing is Vegas, the little stingers.
I could see interest in those, you know, just it's it's natural, right?
A big spotlight at Kissimmee was shown on Don Yanco in his efforts.
And so, of course, as that ripple effect continues to expand out,
I think there's going to be more interest in the other vehicles
that his shop worked with. Rising tide raises all ships.
Do you think that there's a market split right now?
Is it is most of the attention and money going toward blue chips
with number two and three cars kind of left out in the cold?
Or is the is the market as a whole showing signs of life?
Yeah, that's a great question.
And, you know, obviously a lot of the attention has, you know,
like we've been chatting about a lot of the news covers that we've gotten
and a lot of the spectators that were there, they're going to gravitate
towards these kind of eye popping figures of these sales.
But you point out a good observation is that it's not just those.
There's also demand and interest across the board
in terms of if you look across the over 4,000 consignments of what sold,
you will continue to see more and more diversity coming in.
And I noticed that just from walking around, guys, is that again,
it's not collector cars are not just fins and chrome.
We're seeing more and more modern day collectibles.
And again, as with each passing year, as those generations start going
after those vehicles, it's only a matter of time before again,
you're going to have fewer of those examples and more of those generations
going after them or more of those collectors from those younger generations
going after them. So, you know, a GMC cyclone is not in the seven figure
territory quite yet. A Chevy 454 SS is not, you know,
seven figure territory yet. But, you know, again, with enough time,
now we're just kind of seeing the residual effect.
You know, like with the Yankees, Yankees have, you know, again,
this is a high watermark for a 69 L 72 copo Yankees Camaras on for one eight.
It was not always that way.
And same thing with the rest of his lineup, you know, I'm saying,
even the other 200 non prototype cars, again, they have not always been
past a half million, but again, with enough time and enough interest.
So I don't think it's split.
I think we're seeing across the board interest gradually rise.
And like we talked a little bit too on our time together last as with each
passing decade, certain areas of the automotive space as we get
further out in time from them are going to lose some of the interest
just because the first hand, the first hand interactions are not there.
I'm talking vehicles, you know, I mean, 1910, 1920s where you're you're going
to have demand, but it's going to be much more reduced just because
we're so far out from when those cars were apart from like, you know,
32 Ford roaster, you know, or or do scoop things like that.
But that's to be expected.
And I would say that taking the place of those are some of these newer gen
vehicles, again, eighties, nineties and two thousands.
Sure. Cyclones are cool.
Typhoons are cool.
The SS 454, you look back now and you think God, I was a gutless,
but it was it was a really cool truck.
You also have, I mean, you want a good example?
Look at Grand Nationals.
Look at GNX's.
Look at the money that low mile examples of those have started to bring.
So you're starting to see some of the stuff you're talking about,
some of the newer stuff and by newer, I mean, around 30 years old
is starting to come up and bring real money.
The thing that gets me and guys, if you're listening and I haven't
preached this enough, if there is a performance bargain to be had in this
world, go look at fourth gen Corvette ZR ones.
That is an exceptional car with exceptional performance that is grossly
undervalued how those things aren't trading for closer to six figures is
just a mystery to me.
You're not wrong.
I will say we had several in there.
The highest one that I can find right now is 60,000.
I agree with you.
I mean, in terms of uniqueness, a performance program, something else
I'll point out is that I would not make the statement that it's only
the highest performance that gets attention.
Because as you mentioned, I know that in the space, you know,
this malaise era has now become very common.
I don't know if there's official years, you know, in terms of,
was it roughly like 75 to, I'm guessing, 85 that decade or that people
were probably closer to 90 before we started to see stuff that really performed.
But if you think about it, and this is always a watermark for me
because I'm a Corvette guy.
This is going to be my go to 84 was a huge change for the Corvette
in terms of build quality and performance and everything else.
And then they got rid of that crap tastic crossfire engine the next year.
85 got too important injection with the L 98.
It became an entirely different car.
And those things were legitimately fast at the time compared to
everything else out there.
Unless you were buying truly exotic stuff, not much was quicker.
Yeah, that's a good point.
But I'm just I'm not convinced that again, it has to be it has to be the
if there's no performance variant of a particular model, for example,
I'm not convinced that there's not going to be increased demand.
So like you mentioned, even with the Typhoon and Cyclone,
I mean, they were hot muscle trucks for the era, but it's just relative.
I mean, in the time and space, those trucks were mind blowing.
But again, so I just and I think the general public might scoff
at those types of vehicles, vehicle, what's the big deal?
You know, my V6 Challenger has more horsepower or whatever.
Well, you're shooting it through the wrong prism.
You're shooting it through a present prism on a past car.
It's like trying to say that muscle cars didn't handle well.
Well, they didn't.
But for what they were at the time, they were pretty damn good.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
Compare it to a new Porsche Cayenne.
Well, the Cayenne is going to kick your ass.
And it's an SUV.
But that's that's you're shooting it through a present prism for a past car.
And Malaysia, there were still you could still go out
and pick and choose and find things that were a hell of a lot of fun
and pretty decent performers, even though when you look at them now,
you're thinking, well, that's not that much.
Think of all the bandit transams, seventy seven, seventy eight, seventy nine
up till eighty when they had that God awful three oh one turbo.
But the the years leading up to that, those cars were still pretty solid performers.
Most years, they ran at least with the Corvettes or better.
The Mustangs, the GTs came around eventually.
But, you know, back in the late seventies, they still weren't tons to yell about.
But you can go and find stuff.
And a lot of that stuff is collectible because, you know, people
who had those firsthand experiences with them like you're talking about
couldn't afford them at the time.
But now we have disposable income.
Hey, you know, it was cool when I was in high school.
We can go back and buy an eighty five Z twenty eight or an Iraq
or go buy a Mustang GT convertible.
And they may not be that fast.
They're a hell of a lot of fun.
We talked about this in December.
It's still more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car slow.
Well, one hundred percent, one hundred percent.
And I also think I might have mentioned we might chat about this in December, too,
guys, but I just think about my time at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals
in November and Rose mine.
The only reason I mentioned that is I remember Bob Ashton telling me over
the summer about something he was excited to see and then it seemed in person.
But there is a collector that had wanted that has spent years
acquiring every color of the Mustang to Cobra,
a car that a lot of people would kind of roll their eyes at.
But it's one of those things that given enough time.
And so sure enough, when I was at the show in November,
they were there and I don't remember exactly if there's eight or ten of them.
But to see them one after another with their big old snake on the hood
is just one of those words like, man, that's cool.
And yet, you know, the performance is laughable.
But again, like you said, I love that bread about looking through a different prism
about, you know, time and place that for the era that was pushing the bounds
of what was, you know, happening.
And I think same thing, if you fast forward to like the Fox body,
you know, the SVT Cobra, some of those early efforts, you know, around 93 and 94,
where that was kind of new territory for this new special vehicles team
to burst onto the scene and start kind of mixing things up and, you know,
even fast forward even more to, I mean, when Dodge released their street
in racing technology team to start kind of dialing things up again,
with with each passing year, you got to put it in the context.
And I think a lot of those efforts are, you know, a lot of those vehicles
are still going to be sought out from people that were there and remembered
how big of a deal they were, just as it has been with every decade before, guys,
you know, 50s, 60s and 70s, just like those collectors wanted to go after those cars.
We're going to see that with newer generations, too.
Well, you know, after 1973, I really hated Mustangs up to 73.
Well, because you lost that big body.
Oh, yeah, they turned in.
They were just, you know, chevets that smoked after school.
And then you got to these Cobra Mustangs.
And I'm looking at a picture right now is 77.
I actually liked them.
You know, I like their look.
Imagine a pinto on steroids.
They just they kind of I know it's going to come out of your mouth.
Everything with Craggers.
No, no, I'm not even going to mention Craggers.
I will say that the wheels on this, though,
because this one's like mint condition original.
They look like baby antsons.
Oh, my God, yeah, they're like from a radio flyer wagon.
I don't know why they put such tiny, tiny wheels on it.
But otherwise, the rest of the vehicle, you know, kind of looks kind of tough.
Yeah, it's not bad, but it's got those little 13 inch wheels.
Like, yeah, well, the wheels need some help.
And I'll even go Craggers with you, because I think they'd look a lot cooler.
I wasn't even going to mention, Craggers.
I'm just this one has slotted mags on it.
But you got to remember those Mustangs from 74 to 77 were pinto based.
Yeah, yeah, they were on the same platform because of all the gas crisis
crap and the emissions crap, and they really strangled the life out of them.
And then you wound up with the Mustang gear, which is like the God, it's horrible.
It's it's like a polyester business suit.
They're just awful.
You know, 73, 74.
I was nine, 10 years old and 72.
I was eight. I remember the the long lines, the gas station lines.
I remember the quote unquote oil crisis.
And, you know, we were driving that just a big ass four door LTD
and big trucks that my dad worked in.
So, you know, we felt the print pinch pretty hard.
But my dad never gave up.
So because it was pretty much all the way through.
Yeah, let's take a break for some commercials about cool car people stuff.
Driven radio show will be right back.
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And now back to more driven radio show.
You kind of caught me at this.
I will freely admit I'm watching the motorcycle auction while I'm talking to you.
Of course you are.
Well, I've got it up and they're running stuff around.
How did you manage to weasel out of being involved with the motorcycle auction?
You're being interviewed while they're running stuff across the block.
Oh, I was going to say, whoa, guys, I am in Las Vegas.
I retreated to my hotel room just to be quiet.
But as soon as I could have reported live from the block,
I just thought maybe the auto would be too much.
But next show, I'll do that for you guys.
But now we are rocking and rolling here in Las Vegas at the South Point Hotel
and Casino motorcycle after motorcycle is crossing the block.
Two thousand in total will be will be up for sale, guys.
And it's it's I don't want to say it's the equivalent
because obviously we have motorcycles at every auction.
But to what Kissimmee is to the collector car market.
Las Vegas is to the motorcycle.
I know I'm watching a sixty seven Triumph T 120
our Bonneville. What a pretty bike.
And they're rolling that across right now.
I like the the spinning platform on the stage for the bikes.
So you get to see it from all angles when it's up on stage.
Is that a technical term there, Brad?
I'm not I mean, could be spinning platform. I'm not I said spinning, spinning.
Oh, God, it got it. Not spinning, spinning, spinning. No, no, no.
No, no, it's it is that's at that bar down the street.
That's the bar.
No, it is a great it is a great setup for the for the motorcycles to showcase them.
And I mean, I'd I recommend for your listeners
if if they are anywhere in the state of Nevada, come on out or maybe not.
I mean, just it is something to see this many motorcycles together.
And it's similar to what we just talked about, guys, with the Kissimmee auction.
There is something here from everyone.
I know that I didn't walk by some of those penny farthings.
Do you guys I don't say I don't say remember those because none of us do.
Hey, I know. Right.
But like we have some of those and then we have all the way up to I saw
two thousand twenty five Ducati Street Fighter,
you know, stuff that's just that you can you can show room for us.
So there is really something spanning every decade, every genre, every genre.
It is really something to see.
And also what I have enjoyed seeing, guys, from my tenants of this auction
is I've enjoyed encountering builders that are consigning motorcycles with us.
But they're also coming out to look at this wide array of motorcycles under one roof
because they want to get inspiration and take it back to their shops
and incorporate that in ongoing projects.
And then a lot of times they're coming back to sell those.
And I think that is so neat that this auction is able to foster in fuel
even what's happening in the motorcycle community.
And I think that's fantastic.
All right. What auction is up next after this?
Is it Glendale?
It is. It's Glendale.
We will next month and just a couple of weeks as we wrap up here.
Yeah, we'll head out to the State Farm Stadium there in Glendale.
And that's that's a good one, especially for our friends in the the northeast there
that maybe needs some sunshine, some vitamin C coming out to Arizona.
And it's also there at the State Farm Stadium.
I will say to you guys that of all the venues that we go to,
this one is kind of unique in that we're right there on the stadium floor.
The grass for the for the football games is retracted out,
but it's really a neat experience to kind of be there and enjoy some of that desert heat.
Well, and to walk around inside the stadium and see cars here and there,
I've covered that auction once before.
That is a fun venue. That is a really, really cool venue.
So do you have any predictions for the rest of the year?
What do you think is coming for the collector car world?
Well, I didn't bring my my crystal ball to the conversation.
I'll I'll I'll do what I can.
Just as as we still kind of process through and look over the trends
and the records that were set at Kissimmee as we kind of look out
what's in store for the year ahead, I think there's a couple of things
that are that are quite obvious or very, very clear with that.
First off is that demand to engage in the auction experience is not going away.
Again, with over 140,000 in total attendance over the course of those 13 days,
clearly, people still enjoy coming out to engage in the auction
and as well as the experience to bring your family and friends to come spend a day.
One of the things that we like to showcase is that you don't have to be a bidder.
You know, this isn't some industry only event where it's
you know, it's a super secret dealer thing that you have to know the handshake
and you have to have some idea, you know, anyone can come out
and you can purchase spectator tickets, bring your family, bring your friends.
Just taking a car show.
You know, it's one of those things of like, you know, we always, you know,
at Kissimmee, we had the Dodge Throw Ride.
We had the Real Garage Life Stage.
We had live music.
So I will say that's why if some of the listeners are maybe wondering
why so many people come out because it's way more than an auction.
It's an entire entertainment experience.
So I like to broad I like to promote that as much as I can.
But it seems like people still want to, you know, go after these these dream
cars from the auction experience.
They like to see them up close and then they like to purchase.
You know, they like to go after them.
And I think a lot of times they like to share that experience
with their family and friends, which is what makes the live the live auction
still so popular with people is that, yeah, you can be sitting at home
and, you know, your pajamas and bid over the phone and internet.
But again, I think there's still a lot of people that love to share
that experience of securing their dream car with family and friends.
So that's, I think, at the highest levels that what we're anticipating this year
is that we're still going to see more and more attendance at our events from a
actual from a make model standpoint.
I would just say like we like I've chatted about before,
what we're going to see is the definition of collector car keeps expanding.
So it's just one of those of don't, you know, don't lock your mind into thinking
it's just cars that you saw in Greece.
Those are cool and those are collectible, but obviously
we're going to see more and more newer gen stuff across the block.
And I would also say, too, that includes super hyper, you know, super hyper cars.
That whole segment is also something that we're seeing an increase of.
I mean, we had the apex collection and they're in the glass house
right across from the main arena that showcase, you know, Bugatti, they run
some of these other modern super and hyper car.
So it's just I think we're going to keep it seen expanding.
Personally, I'm excited because being from that era of the 90s and 2000s,
loving those cyclones, those GNX says box body mustings.
I'm excited to see more and more interest in those.
And we're going to be having future conversations.
I'm sure about high sellers and records being broken with some of those cars.
And I'm waiting for that.
So but a lot to take in from Kissimmee and being a Camaro enthusiast myself
and just having that be one of my areas of expertise.
It was really exciting to see to be a part of the Yanko.
I'll also say to guys, just kind of a personal moment for me was real.
It was really thrilling to be the spokesperson for that collection,
to talk about their significance, both in the TD packages
that I produce, as well as on site, doing some VIP tours and stuff.
And just to be able to share my knowledge and that I've acquired over the last
10 or 15 years tracking those cars, but to be able to explain to people,
why is this 69 Camaro bringing $1.8 million?
I really enjoyed that.
And I think it was really neat to see people when the light bulb goes off
that it's not really the sum total of the parts that the car has.
As we all know, right?
I mean, I'm saying that's not what the clutch or car market is about.
A lot of times it's about the legacy, the lore and the passion that goes
with these great cars, and that's what drives people to want to chase after them
in a biomed auction.
One of the things you said about coming out to these auctions is one of the
was one of the best things about covering auctions for sports car market.
And I say was it's been a while since I've been able to because my knees are so trashed.
But you're never going to see a better car show.
One of the Kansas City is one of the smaller venues for Meekam.
And there's seven hundred cars there every year.
You're never going to see a better car show.
And people ask me a lot.
Do you get a car show? No, don't have to.
Don't don't have to.
I can go to auctions and see the best car shows ever.
And you think about Kissimmee, forty five hundred cars.
Yeah, never going to see a better car show.
Never going to see a bigger car show than that.
So yeah, you're absolutely right.
OK, let's take care of a little housekeeping.
There's some new incentives to register as a bidder with Meekam.
Can you tell us about the better membership privileges?
Yeah, absolutely.
So so if people do want to register in advance to bid like I mentioned,
you don't have to to come out to.
But for those that do, obviously, a big question is, you know, or, you know,
what happens a lot, guys, if people come out and then they weren't going to bid,
but they fall in love with something, they got to go home with it.
So what happens next?
So our standard bidding is $200.
So that includes a bidder badge and one standard guest pass,
which gets you access for two days, excuse me, for two,
those two for all days of the auction.
The thing that's new with that is that that is a 12 month membership
where they can bid, they have bidding access to all the Meekam auction events.
So that's cool.
And of course, as a reminder, too, is that it's not just live in person.
You don't have to be there raising your hand.
You can also bid by phone or by internet.
I also like to point that out because I was surprised, too,
just as in my conversations with so many people that came out to the auction,
that was a common thought people thought you literally had to be there.
And then, of course, the next question was people were like, well,
why wouldn't people be here?
And I had to remind them that, you know, again, it could be anything from a
logistics situation.
You know, again, if you missed your flight, you overslept,
you had a home alone situation.
Who knows? And you're like, oh, no, I really want that car.
You can bid by phone or by internet.
And then, of course, for those that want to take it to the next level,
we have our gold, the premium experience that is $500.
That gets you all kinds of different things.
You get a credit for food and beverage locations, the Meekam shop.
There's a gold bidder gift at select auctions.
There's exclusive gold lounge preferred seating.
So those are really the two, the two main bidding gears.
And I would recommend for people just because there's there's a lot more to them
that if you head over to Meekam dot com and that if you click on the
eye tab and then the register to bid, there's more information there.
But do it early.
I mean, it's good to get registered before just to kind of a funny story, guys.
So yesterday, being at here at the Motorcycle Auction,
one of our TV announcers, Lorette Nicol, who's a big motorcycle enthusiast,
she's out here doing some great TV work with us and also co-hosting
with me on the morning show.
She came out and she grabbed me in the morning and she goes, Matt,
she goes, how do I register to bid?
I said, oh, man, I said, yeah, like I can walk you through it.
And she had fallen in love with motorcycle that she had a memory
with of her or her mom teaching her how to ride.
I think it was like a 71 Honda.
But it just was one of those self saying it happens.
And I was able to walk her over and you can do it on site as well.
Like I said, for people that that situation happens, it's very common.
And so you come out, you want to enjoy the day, but you see something,
you got that whole, you know, your heart's telling you, hey, I need to at least
try to bid on this.
Otherwise, I'm not going to sleep that night.
You can do that on site.
Yeah, I only had about 40 windows open on my computer
yesterday, I think so.
Oh, I really ought to bid on that.
Oh, I really ought to bid on that.
So, yeah, I can relate sometimes a little bit too much.
And God, I'm staying my ass out of Vegas in January.
And I do have a theory.
I think, you know, also I heard Johnny Lewis, a professional
flat drive racer who's also out here doing some content work with us.
He's he's also co as in the morning show.
I heard him talking with Lorette and then Elissa Bridges, our producer
for the morning show.
They're all deep into the motorcycle community.
It's so funny how I guess it's the size is kind of like Pringles.
Like once you pop, you can't stop.
But they were like, oh, man, like that one would that would be good.
And that would be good.
And that would be just like, and I don't know if it's to that level
in the car in the car community, but it's just funny.
Maybe it's the smaller size.
People just like to bundle their motorcycle purchases together, you know,
maybe save on shipping.
Well, they take up less space and it's cheaper to ship them.
It's cheaper to ensure them.
You know, you can I'm proof you can stick six or seven or eight
motorcycles in a single car garage.
So, yeah, there's a there's an offset.
The offset is your wife's going to look at you and think maybe she should
tack your nuts to your forehead.
Well, there's always that possibility.
Yeah, the nuclear option.
Yeah, the yeah, the first wife may have done that to me.
The second wife married me in a Harley dealer ship, so I'm OK.
We've been speaking with Matt Avery of Meekum Auctions.
Matt, please tell us where we can find you online and on social media.
Yeah, so you can catch up with my adventures by tuning into the Meekum
Auctions social media, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.
That's where you can also find the on the move morning show that I host
as well as my travel automotive lifestyle show on the move with Matt Avery.
I also would remind listeners that if they want even more content from Meekum,
you can check out the auction brought live auction coverage on ESPN Plus,
as well as Meekum's Roku channel streaming 24 seven on Roku.
And then if anyone wants to catch up with my stuff even outside of Meekum,
they can find me across all the social platforms at the Matt Avery.
The Matt Avery. There you go, folks.
Matt, thank you so much for being with us.
We appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule.
When you have to run away from an auction and hide in your hotel room to talk to us,
that's when you know you're busy.
That's right.
Well, guys, it's been a lot of fun.
Always enjoy our conversations and certainly look forward to the next one.
Must be something they have in the water at Meekum.
Everybody we talk to from there has their stinking backpack, man.
They come and they are prepared.
Well, that's how you do in just a few days.
That many good jillions of dollars worth of business.
Hey, you're not walking away happy.
You're not wrong or drive away.
You're not wrong.
Forty five hundred cars.
Got a mighty forty five.
Yeah, that is a lot of vehicles, man.
These auction guys, you know, I know that they go on for 30 and off for 30,
but then they're just there for days and days.
I can't imagine your voice because you're you're hammering cars through
if you'll forgive the pun.
Well, I mean, my God, you know that that's why they've got four or five
auctioneers in rotation all the time.
Yeah, you know, let a let a guy go for a 30 or an hour and then take him off.
And, you know, we we spoke to their auctioneers in December.
The guys are good, but.
Go talk nonstop for an hour.
Yeah, go talk nonstop for an hour.
A lot of people will have conversations.
A lot of people, you know, salespeople will talk a lot during the day,
but nobody talks how many amount of money for an hour.
And it's it's really something else, man.
Yeah, it's a hell of a skill.
It is. I don't have it.
Yeah, well, I can mumble for ten minutes straight.
But Jesus, yeah, that gentleman we talked to in December and his name
alludes me for the moment, but he also his family did cattle auctions.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, grew up in it.
And it was really, really good at it.
Gosh, what was the kid's name?
I can't remember his name now, but.
That's think about doing that for an hour, even if you've got it down
and you've got that pattern and everything else after an hour.
You think you're telling it want to jump out of your mouth.
But imagine him ordering at McDonald's.
It's right there.
And I'm just taking five out of five and put five out of five and quarter
to two. Yeah, I can I can I can show you that video.
It's on YouTube. Oh, nice.
It's absolutely on YouTube.
Oh, hey, one more thing about the Las Vegas motorcycle auction.
And he was saying they had almost 2,000 bikes there.
And I believe it because I look through all of them.
You know, 1993, Harley
heritage, soft tail and nostalgia, the Muglides.
I've had a couple. They're rare.
They only made 2700 of them to start.
I remember you sold the one and then you're like, you know,
I bought another one. Oh, my God, really?
Yeah. Well, and I sold it too.
And I caught myself looking at the five they had.
Oh, my God. In Vegas.
And I'm like, it's fun. Another guy.
Do you do me? I don't need. I don't need.
I want it. I want it.
Here's the thing.
And this has been true on all of them.
I've been around. They're gorgeous.
They look amazing.
They're the best things in the world to look at.
Seats are hard.
Are they? Yeah.
And I'm sure you could get new foam and carve yourself a new seat
and everything else and then put the cow hide back on it and do all that.
But the two that I've had, the seats have been pretty hard.
And also, remember, it's more than it's a it's a Harley.
That's more than 30 years old.
They have quirks to them and you just.
It's like anything.
It's like your 58 T bird.
It's like my old Corvettes.
It's like anything you've got that's a little older
that takes more consideration and more love and more time.
And that's why I've got a couple of bikes that are older.
And I got a couple of bikes where you just go out and stick the key in it and leave.
And I like those.
I like that sometimes.
But there's other times when I go out and I drag my gray soft tail out of the corner
and I put the choke on and to make sure she starts and to make sure she gets warmed up.
And then I go out and that's what that bike's for.
It's like we've talked about before that one that you rode over to the house
when I lived over when I lived.
That's the one I'm talking about.
Yeah, that damn thing.
You can you can hear that inside the house, inside your fillings.
It was it had a voice and it wasn't wasn't afraid to speak it.
No, no, I put this in writing a long time ago when I still had that Yamaha FZ one.
The FZ one was everything you would expect from Japanese engineering
and the gears went snick, snick, snick and everything was very crisp and light.
And it was just exactly what you would expect from a Japanese bike.
Period. And it was fast.
It was super fast, handled really well.
Um, nasty as she's
as she has come to be recalled by friends of mine of Rudner.
From the moment you fire that bike up and I'll do the PG version of it here,
it says I'm here to F stuff up.
And if you don't watch out, I'm going to F you up to two.
Yeah, it doesn't run.
It threatens.
Yeah, it's it absolutely does.
It's not a beginner's bike.
And, you know, the bike really has taken on a life of its own.
I built it that way.
I'm so dumb, I built it to be that way.
And I ride it and I figured out, oh, OK, well, I truly am the mad scientist
of my own Harley garage.
So anyway, I love that bike for what it is.
I really do.
And when's the last time you heard of a Harley vibrating a license plate apart?
Yeah, that's a lot in a little space.
Yeah, well, if you want to put a real fine point on it, that's a good way to do it.
Hey, thank you so much for spending time with Driven Radio.
We really do enjoy what we're doing here.
We love it and we wouldn't be able to do it without the support of our listeners.
We also wouldn't be able to support Mark's birthday without the support of
happy birthday. Thank you. Thank you.
You 39 year old.
Yes, I am. You can find us online at drivenradioshow.com.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Driven Radio Show
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