Autoblog

Milhous Collection hitting the auction block in Boca

Noah Joseph — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:31:00 EST

The world is replete with private auto collections that rival the best any museum has to offer. But no one person could have compiled the kind of spectacle that is the Milhous Collection - the embodiment of the life's work and collective wealth of brothers Bob and Paul Milhous of Boca Raton, Florida.

The Milhous brothers shared a love for everything mechanical, ranging from automobiles and petroliana to player pianos, clocks and even a full-size carousel, and collected them all. Having outgrown four previous locations, the Milhous brothers moved their collect to a 39,500 square-foot facility in Boca in the mid-'90s. And there it has remained, closed to the public, ever since. But now its contents are going under the hammer later this month by RM Auctions in association with Sotheby's.

Aside from the considerable musical and visual elements of the collection is more than a handful of noteworthy automobiles. A rare 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring cabriolet (pictured above) is expected to go for around $1.5 million, joined by a 1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Tourist by LeBaron, a 1939 Lagonda V1-2 Rapide Sports Roadster once owned by actor Robert Mongomery, a 1949 Rounds Rocket that was the first mid-engine/rear-drive Indy speedster and a 1934 Packard Super Eight Convertible Victoria by Dietrich that won Best in Show at Pebble Beach - just a few of the most noteworthy examples on the docket from the collection.

All-in-all, more than 30 classic automobiles, along with the rest of the collection, are to be auctioned on February 24 and 25 in conjunction with Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. Take a stroll past the jump to delve into the full press releases, browse through the high-resolution image gallery, and follow the link for a virtual tour of the collection.

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Milhous Collection hitting the auction block in Boca originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 27 car auction attendees injured when Volvo plows through crowd

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

It seems we just can't keep unintended acceleration incidents out of the news these days. The latest report of such an occurrence comes from Ellijay, Georgia, where a 1995 Volvo 960 (nope, not a Toyota this time) barreled through the crowd of bidders at Blue Ridge Auto Auction at about 8:15 in the evening on Tuesday.

According to Gilmer County sheriff's investigators, 27 of the 100 or so people in the crowded building were injured, six of which were airlifted to nearby hospitals. At least one patient reportedly remains in critical condition and three were treated for their injuries and released.

The driver of the Volvo was uninjured in the accident, and no charges have thus far been filed. Reports Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson, "The preliminary report we're getting from people on the scene is the gas pedal did hang up. It did bring them through the structure part of the building."

The final cause of the accident is still under investigation, and police are saying it will likely be a few more days to determine whether or not the accelerator was stuck open. Click here for a video from Atlanta CBS affiliate WGCL.

[Source: WCGL Atlanta]

Report: 27 car auction attendees injured when Volvo plows through crowd originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coys coming to America to sell record-breaking collection of 500 classics

Noah Joseph — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions

British motoring enthusiasts and car collectors have come to know Coys as one of the preeminent auction houses in England. They've been in business since 1909, and operate several locations in the U.K. as well as offices in Italy, at Germany's Nürburgring and in Monaco. Until now, the auction house - whose recent notable consignments have included championship-winning motorcycles and dictator-chauffering cabriolets - has not delved into the American market, but they're ready for it now, and they're planning to make quite a splash.

Coys' first auction in the United States is scheduled to take place in Houston on September 19, and it will feature an enormous consignment of 500 automobiles - all from a single private collection. Of those, 200 will be auctioned off with no reserve price whatsoever, making this the largest no-reserve auction in American automotive history. Among the vehicles up for grabs are a 1953 Jaguar XK 120 Drophead Coupe, a 1985 Lamborghini Jalpa, a 1958 Porsche 356 Coupe and a 1916 Packard Twin-Six Runabout. Follow the jump for more details.

[Source: Coys]

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Coys coming to America to sell record-breaking collection of 500 classics originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: NHTSA attempting to stop GM Heritage Collection selloff at Barrett-Jackson

Chris Paukert — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Government/Legal, GM

Word 'round the auctionhouse campfire is that the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration is attempting to put the kybosh on a planned sale of many General Motors Heritage Collection vehicles this weekend. NHTSA is apparently calling for the halt because it fears that many of the vehicles slated for sale at Barrett-Jackson's Palm Beach auction are not road legal, yet new owners may attempt to drive them on public roads anyway.

Oddly, in both the past and at present, both GM and BJ have been very forthcoming that many of these collectible vehicles are not road-legal, selling them with disclaimers that they have salvage or display titles and that they cannot be registered. That apparently isn't sufficient for NHTSA, which likely fears that some successful bidders will attempt to plate vehicles which may or may not have all of the required safety equipment to be roadworthy.

According to Sports Car Market (via Inside Line), both parties are actively pursuing a resolution, but according to Il's report, it may not happen fast enough - about 100 GM Heritage Collection cars (click here for a list) are scheduled to go under the hammer beginning today and running through this weekend.

UPDATE: We've just received this statement from Barrett-Jackson's PR agency - "The Acting Administrator of NHTSA, Ron Medford, has communicated to Barrett-Jackson that previous issues concerning the sales of the GM Collection have been resolved and all sales can go forward."

[Source: Inside Line]

REPORT: NHTSA attempting to stop GM Heritage Collection selloff at Barrett-Jackson originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like Chevrolet Chevelles? Mecum Auctions has a deal for you!

Drew Phillips — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Auctions, Chevrolet

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mecum Chevelle collection

We're used to hearing about big-time auctions from the likes of Barrett-Jackson, RM, Christies, etc., but you can add one more to the list: Mecum, based out of Marengo, Il. The firm's auctions can be viewed live on Discovery HD, and they've already booked cars like an original Shelby Daytona Coupe for their 22nd annual Spring Classic Auction in May.

Also going up on the block will be Dana Mecum's personal Chevelle collection. The cars will be sold as a group, meaning the winning bidder will be taking home a total of eight Chevelles ranging from a 1965 SS hardtop with a 327ci V8 to a numbers-matching 1970 convertible with a 450-hp LS6 V8 and four-speed transmission. Check out the gallery below, as well as descriptions for each vehicle in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Mecum Chevelle Collection

Continue reading Like Chevrolet Chevelles? Mecum Auctions has a deal for you!

Like Chevrolet Chevelles? Mecum Auctions has a deal for you! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: More banks suing even after repossessing vehicles

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:26:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Trends, Lifestyle, Carsumer Advocacy

Just because your car has been repossessed doesn't mean you don't still owe the bank money on it. If that vehicle gets sold at auction for less than the bank is owed on it, the difference is called the "deficiency." And as MSNBC informs, banks are increasingly suing to get that deficiency amount back, plus applicable attorney's fees.

With the increasing cost of vehicles, smaller down payments, and longer loan terms, it is easier than ever to get upside-down on your car loan. Furthermore, banks don't send a repossessed car to auction and work to get the highest price for it. They farm it out to third parties who need to move cars, not hold out for the absolute best deal. Take depressed auction prices into account as well, and it's not hard to end up with a deficiency in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Banks who win deficiency judgments can sometimes garnish wages and force the sale of property, but again, that's only in certain cases. The best ways to ward off a deficiency lawsuit are to get the shortest car loan term you can afford, which will help avoid getting upside-down in the first place. If you still can't manage, try and sell the car yourself, since you'll likely get a much better price than the bank will at auction (and you'll avoid a repo on your credit history). Failing that, bankruptcy should clear the debt as an unsecured loan.

[Source: MSNBC]

PSA: More banks suing even after repossessing vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes to auction off last McLaren SLR Roadster for the States

Chris Tutor — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz

It's the end of the run for the McLaren SLR Roadster, but Mercedes wants to give Yanks another shot at owning one. Beginning November 1, those of you who still have bank accounts can sign up for the auction of the final topless SLR to be sold in the U.S.

You'd be right to assume the final edition of a limited run model would bring a huge premium when it goes on the block, as collectors have always put higher values on the first and last of most anything. But if you plan to take this particular knick-knack home, prepare to drain both savings accounts. Mercedes says the car will be the only SLR Roadster wearing Sienna Pearl metallic paint and Tobacco Brown leather. So when you show up to accept your Oscar, no one else will be driving the same one.

The auction begins November 20 at 1 p.m. EST and ends that night at 5 p.m. Bidding starts at $529,500, and anything above that will go to St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Thanks for the tip, James!

Gallery: Paris 2008: Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Roadster

Mercedes to auction off last McLaren SLR Roadster for the States originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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