Equipment
5549cc/238hp, automatic, Michelin tires, sunroof, car phone, Becker Grand Prix radio.
Condition
#3 Good
Runs and drives well. Flaws not noticeable to passersby. Most common condition.
Bought new by Johnny Carson, who kept it until 2003. Extensive refurbishing in 2017. Good paint. Clean wheels and tires. Some of the exterior trim is a little dull. Showing 86,832 miles. Some of the interior trim is cracked, which is common on these cars, but the interior is mostly good. A nice but unremarkable SEC with celebrity history.
Market commentary
Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. He was no Jay Leno when it comes to automotive enthusiasm, but Carson nevertheless owned some cool cars. The result for this one is spot-on for the condition with no notable premium for the celebrity seat time. The story doesn't end here, though. Immediately after Barrett-Jackson the car popped up on Bring a Trailer with the same seller from Arizona. Presumably he wasn't happy with the bidding on the block in Scottsdale, earlier in the week before the bigger crowds get there, and bid it up to keep ownership of the car. Bring a Trailer is generally a venue better suited to '80s Benzes than the muscle and restomod heaven that is Barrett-Jackson, but the car nevertheless sold for $34,179 (including fees) online. Looks like the seller lost money here, and it's another example that although celebrity ownership can be a boost to value, it's never a guarantee.