5 bargains from 2022's white-hot Arizona auctions

[Hagerty]

Simply reading the headlines from this year's Arizona Auction Week is enough to make the average enthusiast's wallet crackle and curl. Record prices! $266 million in total sales! Average sale results are up, up, up! This is neither sensationalism, nor your imagination. It's getting tougher out there for a gearhead on a budget.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/market-trends/hagerty-insider/5-bargains-from-2022s-white-hot-arizona-...

[Tim]

I think all of those examples are considered well-bought and well-sold. They seem to be about market-correct to my non-professional eye. I've got no idea of the market for the Citroen, but I know *I* certainly wouldn't have bid that much! 😄

[Robin]

Watching BaT has given me a window into Citroen prices. Must say it was a shock to me to see what they go for. This seems about right for a nice example. Still, not my cuppa.

[bblhed]

There are a lot of Citroens in the US and other places around the world doing duty as camera cars because they make incredibly stable platforms. If you ever watch a horse race and see a car mounted camera capturing the action you can bet it is likely a Citroen. As the fleet is aging race tracks have been laying out the cash to replace it and they will run the cars to death.

[MrKnowItAll]

I don't see any bargains.... where?

[gtabert]

F250 with camper, if they look as nice as the photo depicts, its a deal. You could not touch a new Truck today for anywhere near that.

[asemastertech]

A 52 year old truck is nothing like a new truck. Carburetors, points, and a solid axle relegate it to car shows or a truck to haul junk with, not a traveling vehicle. I would say it was overpriced.

[Oldimpala]

Right.

People actually walked, or took stagecoaches right until EFI and independent suspensions took hold.

I'm a young Gen-X'er. I've towed my 70-yo to 30-yo antiques with a vintage C10. Leaving the two less-than 5 year old Benzes at home (One, a GLS with a towing package.)

Guess what? We all lived, and even enjoyed it.

That's a pretty ridiculous comment.

[Dutch]

Hey, hey, hey...
That's a "Twin I Beam" front end.
"Works like a truck, rides like a car"!

[asemastertech]

Ford didn't use twin I beam on F250 until 1980.

[Rider79]

Yeah...ignition points doom a car to minimal usage only. And carbs? Can't trust those suckers, no matter how well they are dialed-in! Right.

[janedon]

What??? points/rotor /condenser & Carb work perfectly fine--It's just that you have to Tune them up every yr or 2 depending on how much you drive-- No big deal-

[scootertrash750]

That old Ford will get you there when todays rolling computers are in the junkyard. I pull a travel trailer with a 1984 C30 1 ton dually crew cab camper special. 454 BB-Gear vender OD unit. No computer junk to go wrong, and I can work on it. Rides sweet, drives nice, AC blows cold, electric door locks and power windows all work, and the nice thing about it, is I am into it about 6k including a new paint job. Of course you have you have love and know how to work on the old iron. Lots of guys can't so buy new.

[asemastertech]

Your '84 C30 has electronic ignition and independent front suspension if it is a 2wd. No comparison! I have three 3/4 tons, A '77, a '78, and a '17. I only use the older ones for short trips. Reliability, mileage, and ride make the '17 the only choice for extended trips.

[TonyT]

But not even a throttle body fuel injection kit will ease that 390's thirst.

[Zephyr]

The camper probably actually detracts from the value of the truck. Given that it's fiberglass it will cost you around $1,000 to have the dump accept it.

[Cobra5oh]

Other than the hi-boy none of these interest me. Likely others too and that’s why the demand was soft. I like strange stuff too but just not these flavors.

[Punk]

Well it isn't so much that these were bargains so much as they went for about what they are worth, plus or minus. The trade at the big auctions has gotten so out of control in terms of price that these are noteworthy not for being actual bargains, but for not being outrageous prices.

[50s60s70s]

In my humble opinion, the high boy sold for more than it should have....fiberglass body, Chevy engine roadsters are about as common (and interesting) as dirt.
As for the rest, they are what I would consider market value..the speculation buying is driving prices way over market values. I predict a correction within the next couple years.

[Sonnymccut]

No real bargains here. Actually, just move the comma one place to the left, and see about what they’re worth.

[FloridaMarty]

I wouldn't give $10000 for any of them except maybe the truck, sans the camper.

[MATTMERICA]

Who cares if some rando autos sold "cheap"? The T bird while in great shape is the least desirable one per the Hagerty price graph. Also, the hammer prices do NOT include the Buyer premium, correct? So add that in to the equation too. I have been to Mecum and BJ auctions in person, and unless you are going after one of the white rhinos they have listed, you are much better served going online and avoiding the buyer premium for almost every classic under $100K IMHO

[Gary_Bechtold]

I like the Thunderbird here.

[Ragster]

Purchase the Ford Pickup and Camper...purchase a good used trailer and haul the Hi-Boy home all in one package....even in Canadian dollars that's all purchased for under $70,000 !! Sounds like FUN to me.

[MrBill-1943]

The way that I rate a good buy is, would I turn my head to look a second time at that car as it passes by? To me the T-Bird i9s the only head turner in the bunch.

[JBBearcat]

Love the Gee Bee (A 1930s air racer, notoriously dangerous to fly) paint scheme on the '32 roadster.
Too bad about the Chevy 350 though.
Needs a flathead...or if you have to go modern, at least a Ford of some type.

[Astonmart]

Let me say first that I appreciate articles like this. They give a sense of the market value for under-appreicated classics at a time when prices are rising. For me, I could definitely see that gorgeous T-bird in my garage at less than $31,000, less than a used RAV4 is getting now. The squared off look designed by L. David Ash and Art Querfeld (under Gene Bordinat) isn't everyone's favorite for the era, what with the Riviera as competition, but this example in formal black makes a statement. While $30,000+ would seem like a lot for this a couple of years ago, in today's hyper-market, it's right to call this finely preserved example a steal.

[RROYCE46]

I'm a big Bentley fan but imho that Continental just doesn't have a great colour scheme being in "wedding white " with that 2 tone interior isn't all that attractive.Chome wheels are kind of ott too.Maybe the lack of bidders confirmed this.

[franimal007]

32 Ford High Boy was CHeep because the person that built it CHeepend out using a CHevy....When the 302 became affordable and mainstream, at that point every Ford Hot Rod should have a Ford in it to make it a high buck item.

The Citroen and the Bentley will "cost" the money after the person "buys" it.

The 64 Thunderbird although nice, was overpriced. Not sure what the author is talking about there?

[Oldimpala]

Not a bad price on the SM (assuming no corrosion), not outstanding. I've been looking for a nice DS or SM for a while to pair with the 2CV in the garage. They're available cheaper in Europe, and not subject usually to the bad weather half the US gets, and better trained mechanics for those vehicles (they're more common.) Importing headaches isn't terrible for 25+ yo cars.

The Fords are a good deal, assuming the Borg automatic in the T-Bird is sorted. They're a nice cruising vehicle; a buddy in the late 90s used a '64 for a college winter vehicle in Upstate NY (it was rotten already), great car I took a ton of roadtrips in, only issue was the swing-out steering wheel didn't like to make contact in cold weather. Interior in those cars is gorgeous; truly a statement piece of the era. Old trucks are pulling crazy money right now; the camper is cool, but not my thing. Nice looking truck for the money, though.

The highboy? Plastic, and a 350/350? White lettered BFGs? I'm good.

As a guy who owned a few Crewe manufactured Bentleys; incredible cars. Incredibly expensive to keep on the road. Worth it when they work, but.. Part prices are miserable.

[Bullypit]

The hot rod is a bargain, but I would have to change the headlights and some of the graphics, but it would certainly be a good buy at that price...

[Inline8OD]

Is this site about cars or money? An auction is the worst possible way to buy a car. Why is Hagerty shilling for auction houses? Oh--- check their advertisers.

 Meanwhile, does blow by blow discussion of coin give anyone knowledge of the cars?

[Britracing]

After paying close attention daily to BAT, I believe the prices reached there are more than by dealers who advertise cars for sale. Maybe prices escalate because of the competitive nature of bidding against someone. Not sure it's the best place for a buyer, as much as the seller

[TG]

This is what I like to see... normal cars sold at reasonable prices

[acooper529]

Did anyone notice the "Pratt-Whitney" on the small block's l/side valve cover in the '32 Hi-Boy? That's a very specific reference of some kind? Maybe it indicates that the little Ford can really fly?

[petersalt]

The original 1932 "Granville Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster" racing biplane (first flown in competition by Jimmy Doolittle, considered the best pilot in the world) was powered by a newly developed Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp 1,344 cubic inch displacement air-cooled 9 cylinder radial engine which produced 800 hp.

[plank]

So I'm a hot rod guy, always have been, always will be. The 32 Ford LOOKS very clean and well done. Would like to see some interior pics, would like to see the frame. SBC and T350 are very typical for rod builders so nothing big there. I suppose for the price it's not a bad deal but from an old hot rod guy.....if it ain't steel it ain't real. Sorry, no plastic hod rods in my garage....at any price. The rest of what I see here are hideous...at any price.

[auto-mark]

Personally I thought this '66 Imperial four door hardtop was a gem, at $22k:
https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1966-IMPERIAL-CROWN-251943
Maybe it's because it reminds me of the Green Hornet's TV version :).

[eighthtry]

I agree with the low values. They seem to be good deals. One would need a warehouse to store the truck and camper, as well as a 6 inch rear sway bar and four inch front to keep that thing stable (gentlemen, don't take all of this seriously).

[janedon]

I don't think there are Any "Bargains" here