Barrett Jackson

I enjoy watching the auctions and looking at all the cars I can't afford anyone else watch these things.

I love Barrett Jackson and Mecum and when I see some of those beautiful cars, it amazes me what some of them sell for. There are also a lot of them that go for a lot less than it cost to restore them and you know somebody lost a lot of money.

There are also some of those that I passed on many years ago that are pulling in some pretty good bucks now, like Grand National Buicks, especially the GNX versions. Another is a 1965 Z16 Chevelle. To introduce the Chevelles that came out in 1966 with the 396, Chevy made 201 1965 Chevelles with the 375hp 396 and all were loaded to the max. 200 were hard tops and one was a convertible. They had some unique trim changes on the rear and interior, like a 160mph speedometer.

I could have bought a complete unmolested one sitting in a field for $800 back in about 1975, but at the time I had a built 1965 Chevelle and was going to college on the GI Bill. A guy bought it and a short time later sold it for $3,000. The next guy cleaned it up and put a clutch in it and was going to restore it, but got an offer he could not refuse and sold it for $54,000 to a guy in Ohio. These cars were used as promo cars and one was given to Dan Blocker of Bonanza as Chevrolet was their major sponsor. I saw where one sold at Barrett Jackson a while back for about $420,000. The one convertible was supposedly bought by a Chevy engineer and was mostly drag raced. There is no telling what that one off GM car would be worth now, but no one knows what happened to it. If you are curious, Google Z16 Chevelle.

Randy

Yep I enjoy watching the auctions too. The cars look beautiful on TV, I just wonder if they look that good up close? I have seen some really nice looking cars go for very reasonable prices already. I often wish I was in the audience to bid on some of the more reasonable ones. Ever watch "Chasing Classic Cars" with Wayne Carini? The auctions he goes to bring big bucks!!

Craig

That brings back memories. I ordered a new 65 Chevelle like I wanted as far as I could afford. It had the 300hp 327 cu in engine, 4 speed trans, posi-traction rear and the factory tachometer. When you got the tach, the clock was mounted on top of the dash. Sticker was $3098. I always kicked myself for not ordering the 350hp 327 engine. It was about $60 more. I did later install the 350hp cam in my engine. I put 100k pleasure packed miles on that car, many drag races, some even on the drag strip with the exhaust caps removed. Sold it when the Army shipped my butt to S. Korea. Part of my misspent youth!!

When I was in High School in 1975 I bought a 64 Impala from the VP of DR Pepper. It was his company car in 64, 65 and 66. It was a 4 door special ordered with 350 HP 327, had every option they had, power seats, power windows, AC, power glide transmission. Was black with black interior and lots of chrome. Had AM/FM radio with power antenna which was up front and straight up instead of on the back and angled back. He had bought it and gave to his mother when he got a new company car and when she got too old to drive he put it up for sale. Paid $800 for it and had 98,000 miles but was in great shape. Had a blast in it, would just blow away all the other Impalas in Dallas area with 327s. Would drop it down in Low and then shift to Drive at about 70 MPH and would smoke the back tires at 70 for about a second. Had a guy run a red light and hit me in 78 and totaled it. Miss that one out of all the autos I have owned.

A 65 with the L79 350 horse 327 as a factory option is pulling in some big bucks now. It is amazing what the $60 extra bucks would bring now.

When I was 17 in early 68 I bought a 64 Chevelle 327 4 speed and it got me thru my senior year in high school, a quarter of college, four years in the USAF and a couple years working before I bought a 65 body and transferred over all my good stuff from the 64. I had also installed the L79 cam in my 64 and also a 3:31 short 12 bolt rearend. I got it from a guy where I was stationed at that built these old Chevelles as short track cars. I went to visit him one day and he asked me if I knew where he could get some SS flexible fuel line for his race car. I stopped by the hydraulic shop on base and asked the guys there if they knew where I could get some and they asked me if I had a work order. I told them no as it was for a buddies race car and they said "What size and what length do I need?". He ended up giving me that rearend as I needed it because I was loosing the spider gears in my 10 bolt. On the 65 body that I bought with no interior, engine or transmission, it did have a beautiful white body and a 4:10 posi 12 bolt. It was amazing that I ended up with two of those short rearends as they were very rare. GM made the rearends longer for the 67 Chevelles and they would have been too long for the 65 Chevelles.

I had put a compete interior in my 64 out of a 72 Gran Prix that was white with the high back buckets and when I put all that in the 65, it was a beautiful car. I later on pulled the engine and trans out of the 65 and sold it for $125. I later on put the 327 in my 240Z 72 Datsun. I used to have some cars I wish I still had. Some great memories.

Randy

A 65 with the L79 350 horse 327 as a factory option is pulling in some big bucks now. It is amazing what the $60 extra bucks would bring now.

When I was 17 in early 68 I bought a 64 Chevelle 327 4 speed and it got me thru my senior year in high school, a quarter of college, four years in the USAF and a couple years working before I bought a 65 body and transferred over all my good stuff from the 64. I had also installed the L79 cam in my 64 and also a 3:31 short 12 bolt rearend. I got it from a guy where I was stationed at that built these old Chevelles as short track cars. I went to visit him one day and he asked me if I knew where he could get some SS flexible fuel line for his race car. I stopped by the hydraulic shop on base and asked the guys there if they knew where I could get some and they asked me if I had a work order. I told them no as it was for a buddies race car and they said "What size and what length do I need?". He ended up giving me that rearend as I needed it because I was loosing the spider gears in my 10 bolt. On the 65 body that I bought with no interior, engine or transmission, it did have a beautiful white body and a 4:10 posi 12 bolt. It was amazing that I ended up with two of those short rearends as they were very rare. GM made the rearends longer for the 67 Chevelles and they would have been too long for the 65 Chevelles.

I had put a compete interior in my 64 out of a 72 Gran Prix that was white with the high back buckets and when I put all that in the 65, it was a beautiful car. I later on pulled the engine and trans out of the 65 and sold it for $125. I later on put the 327 in my 240Z 72 Datsun. I used to have some cars I wish I still had. Some great memories.

Randy

My 65 Chevelle that I ordered came with the 12 bolt 3.31 rear. It also had the Muncie aluminum case 4 speed transmission. The next year, Chevy started putting in saginaw cast iron case 4 speeds

When I was in High School in 1975 I bought a 64 Impala from the VP of DR Pepper. It was his company car in 64, 65 and 66. It was a 4 door special ordered with 350 HP 327, had every option they had, power seats, power windows, AC, power glide transmission. Was black with black interior and lots of chrome. Had AM/FM radio with power antenna which was up front and straight up instead of on the back and angled back. He had bought it and gave to his mother when he got a new company car and when she got too old to drive he put it up for sale. Paid $800 for it and had 98,000 miles but was in great shape. Had a blast in it, would just blow away all the other Impalas in Dallas area with 327s. Would drop it down in Low and then shift to Drive at about 70 MPH and would smoke the back tires at 70 for about a second. Had a guy run a red light and hit me in 78 and totaled it. Miss that one out of all the autos I have owned.

I lived and breathed Chevys back then and I never heard of a 350hp 327 in a 64 Impala. They were still offering the old truck blocks that year, the 409cu in. Are you sure it wasn't the 340hp 409 cu in engine? In fact a high school friend's dad bought him a new 65 Impala with the old style 425hp 409(427)?. They switched to the new angle head 427 block in the same year 1965. Anybody remember the Nascar 427 mystery engine? Junior Johnson was unbeatable in his 63 chevy with that engine if it didn't blow up. It was the new engine design that had the angled valve heads with the straight valve covers. the old style engine has valve covers that were not straight on the bottom side. We were so curious about his engine that we climbed up on the back of one of his flat bed trucks at Darlington and pulled the tarp off one his engines and looked at it. If his crew had caught us??????:Avatars_Gee_George:

I don't know about '64, but it was certainly available in '65.

http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucs-0732-chevy-l79-engine/

Ok, many memories. My Chevelle was a 64 and purchased before I was out of high school. Found it in a small dealership in Tecamah NE. It was a SS model in Palimar red with white interior and a 327/300HP and four speed. I was in love. Bought it in April 64 and drove it until mid Jun. that year. My father had a construction company with mechanics working there and one of them told me that this could be a fast car. Nothing else needed for me! Edelbrock two four manifold, twin Rochester Quad/Jet carbs, 3/4 race Thunderstick cam, and 370 posi rear. I lived through it but I could whip any GTO that came out that year.

I don't know about '64, but it was certainly available in '65.

 

http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucs-0732-chevy-l79-engine/

Yep, it was available in the Chevelle and the Corvette too I believe. In 66 it wasn't available in the Chevelle and the 300hp engine was downrated to 275hp (lie). In 67 it was available again as a 325hp engine in the Chevelle, 350hp in the Corvette. I personally saw two of those 67 325hp chevelles set up for drag racing in the "stock" classes turn 110mph in a quarter mile at the Kinston NC dragstrip. They were running low gears, maximum width 7" wide slicks and headers which were allowed in "stock" classes. I'm sure the engines had been gone through and probably were not stock. They beat all of the 396 Chevelles that day.

Ok, many memories. My Chevelle was a 64 and purchased before I was out of high school. Found it in a small dealership in Tecamah NE. It was a SS model in Palimar red with white interior and a 327/300HP and four speed. I was in love. Bought it in April 64 and drove it until mid Jun. that year. My father had a construction company with mechanics working there and one of them told me that this could be a fast car. Nothing else needed for me! Edelbrock two four manifold, twin Rochester Quad/Jet carbs, 3/4 race Thunderstick cam, and 370 posi rear. I lived through it but I could whip any GTO that came out that year.

 

In 64, the 327 engine was rated 250hp. It had smaller valve heads.

To quote Steppenwolf, "I like to dream..."

I get upset watching those things. Freakin way to much money for some of those cars. They have drove the price of that type of car way way out of reach of a fellow with simple means. I think back when the DOT Com guys were making it big they drove prices out of site. Hard to believe cars we bought for hundreds of dollars are now hundreds of thousands.

These hot rodder shows like the antique guys I dont think are right either. Scam someone out of their stuff for nickles, then resell for thousands or more. As far as my street cars I probably only had a couple go fast jobs. 71 Maverick Grabber V-8 factory car with 3 speed. After I killed 2nd gear twice I put a 10 bolt top loader in it, problem fixed. Car had 302 rated @ 210 hp and car only weighed 2684. This ones gonna sound odd. But had a 73 or 74 Dodge Polara 4 door. It was an ex-police car with a big block. No chrome, single paint duals and mega power for its size. SLEEPER and fun. I was working with a friend on his big block B Body GTX at the time so alot of stuff I learned @ race track with that car helped me get min going.

In 64, the 327 engine was rated 250hp. It had smaller valve heads.

Well there you go, 52year old memories clouded with info put in the memory banks.

It still was fast.

Yep I enjoy watching the auctions too. The cars look beautiful on TV, I just wonder if they look that good up close? I have seen some really nice looking cars go for very reasonable prices already. I often wish I was in the audience to bid on some of the more reasonable ones. Ever watch "Chasing Classic Cars" with Wayne Carini? The auctions he goes to bring big bucks!!

 

Craig

I have a relative that's at Barrett Jackson at we speak. He is in his upper 80s and loves old stuff. He has bought a few vehicles. Not the fancy show cars, but restored. 2 or 3 weren't that great of a restore, but the others were solid vehicles I'd guess he spent anywhere from 10 to 40 grand on them. More than I would spend, and I guess he can afford it. So if it keeps him young why not. He is such an antique collector that it is crazy. If the family has an auction it would take multiple days.

I have a first day budget, and enjoy watching the cars cross the block that I could actually afford if I were sitting in the audience... The second day I only see a few, and on the third I sit back and watch the show and that tall redhead eye candy spotter on the stage. I also record all the segments, and then fast forward thru the ads. Cuts a 5 hr segment down to three... Wonder where in the 'H' these folks come up with that sort of money??

PS.. Today should be interesting. We have a huge rain and wind storm blowing thru here and it's headed in Scottsdale's direction...

Just too be able to bid at the auction it's a minimum of $450. a ticket next one is $650 for more viewing rights. I go where it's less expensive and more often.

Just too be able to bid at the auction it's a minimum of $450. a ticket next one is $650 for more viewing rights. I go where it's less expensive and more often.

I've never looked into it, but do the folks bidding from their recliners online have to put up a non-refundable bidding fee?? There's one of my local auctions that requires a $300 deposit but if you don't bid on anything they give it back. However if a winning bidder bails and doesn't pay the tab they can kiss their deposit goodby... :-)

I'm not sure how the on line bidding works. They probably would charge a fee to keep everyone on the up and up. Guess I need too check that out. Have seen some cars and motorcycles that I would liked to been able to bid on.