Auction Recap: Mecum Indy 2016

Mecum Auctions finished their 29th Indianapolis auction on May 22nd with just over $46.3 million in total sales. This is a noticeable increase from last year’s $38.5 million. Part of this difference can be explained by nearly 200 additional vehicles being offered this year from 2015, better sell thru rate (64 percent, which is 8 percent better than last year) and a higher quality of consignments overall.

Top sales consisted of the usual collection of high-end muscle cars, typical of a Mecum auction. The most prominent exception to this was a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT that sold for $343,500. Other notable sales included an unrestored, 10,945 mile 1970 Hemi Cuda that sold for $467,000 and an original Paxton supercharged 1967 Shelby GT350 that sold for $343,500.

While top-tier muscle cars were abundant at Indy, good buys could still be had. If “sleepers” are your thing, an unrestored 1971 Ford Mustang Coupe equipped with a 429 Cobra Jet sold for a mere $33,000. For the automotive hipster who prefers something a bit different from the traditional “big three” cars, there were also plenty of AMC products to choose from. Perhaps the best value was a 1970 AMC Javelin, which included the Go Pack and Mark Donohue spoiler package and sold for $36,300. That’s a lot of car for the money.

Overall top 10:

1. 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 sold for $1,210,000
2. 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 sold for $1,100,000
3. 1965 Shelby GT350 sold for $550,000
4. 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Coupe sold for $467,000
5. 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT sold for $341,000
6. 1967 Shelby GT350 sold for $343,500
7. 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 sold for $286,000
8. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko sold for $286,000
9. 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 sold for $264,000
10. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko sold for $247,500

Mecum’s next auction will be in Portland, Ore., which will be held from June 17-18. Some noteworthy consignments will be a 1968 COPO Nova, and a 1970 Hemi Cuda.