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The last Barrett-Jackson auction to really offer a true sense of spectacle and palpable entertainment value was the 2006 edition. A number of interesting cars crossed the block that year, but nothing could top the absolute insanity that took hold in Westworld when the red "Parade of Progress" GM Futurliner went up. The owners of that towering piece of Art Deco automotive sculpture were hoping it'd bring $600,000 or so. Then a bidding war ensued, and supercollector Ron Pratte was the last man standing after parting with $4,100,000. Even through the TV, you could feel the bedlam in the tent as the crowd rocked the joint like it was Madison Square Garden. Contrast that to this year's edition, where you got the feeling that attendees were practically begged to bid up feature lots like Robosaurus.
Maybe if this Futurliner had made the trip to Arizona last week, things would have been more exciting. Instead of B-J, however, it's up on eBay. Finished in red, white, and blue with a nifty star motif on the blue panels, this Parade of Progress bus is every bit as impressive as the sister ship that brought in all that money two years ago. The result of a 20-year restoration project, this Futurliner is outfitted with a snazzy interior complete with an 8-foot bar, rear lounge, custom light fixtures, and beautifully detailed stainless trim on the ceiling and bar facing. The current bid is over $1,000,000 and the reserve, unsurprisingly, has not been met. As gorgeous as it is rare, the eventual buyer of this bus will own something truly special. Excuse us while we check our lottery tickets to see if the ultimate road-trip vehicle is now within our means. Thanks for the tip, Mike!
[Source: eBay]
The last Barrett-Jackson auction to really offer a true sense of spectacle and palpable entertainment value was the 2006 edition. A number of interesting cars crossed the block that year, but nothing could top the absolute insanity that took hold in Westworld when the red "Parade of Progress" GM Futurliner went up. The owners of that towering piece of Art Deco automotive sculpture were hoping it'd bring $600,000 or so. Then a bidding war ensued, and supercollector Ron Pratte was the last man standing after parting with $4,100,000. Even through the TV, you could feel the bedlam in the tent as the crowd rocked the joint like it was Madison Square Garden. Contrast that to this year's edition, where you got the feeling that attendees were practically begged to bid up feature lots like Robosaurus.
Maybe if this Futurliner had made the trip to Arizona last week, things would have been more exciting. Instead of B-J, however, it's up on eBay. Finished in red, white, and blue with a nifty star motif on the blue panels, this Parade of Progress bus is every bit as impressive as the sister ship that brought in all that money two years ago. The result of a 20-year restoration project, this Futurliner is outfitted with a snazzy interior complete with an 8-foot bar, rear lounge, custom light fixtures, and beautifully detailed stainless trim on the ceiling and bar facing. The current bid is over $1,000,000 and the reserve, unsurprisingly, has not been met. As gorgeous as it is rare, the eventual buyer of this bus will own something truly special. Excuse us while we check our lottery tickets to see if the ultimate road-trip vehicle is now within our means. Thanks for the tip, Mike!
[Source: eBay]
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