Ron Pratte collection update, his collection is shown in a video that was used to show his sale of these four cars at Barrett Jackson auction this weekend

The current record is $1,127,500 paid for Tucker #1045 about 18 months ago. This Tucker is in much better condition.

1947 Bentley mark VI with coachwork by Franay, last offered for sale by Barrett-Jackson at their 2006 Palm Beach auction, where the hammer fell at $1,728,000

1957 Desoto Adventurer
images and text from http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/01/19/five-vehicles-from-ron-prattes-collection-set-to-cross-barrett-jacksons-scottsdale-auction-block/

one of only 153 1968 Shelby GT500 convertibles with thte 428 and 4 speed built in 1968

below are most of the cars Ron Pratte auctioned off this weekend, the ones that aren't already pictured above

the above two images from http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/collections.aspx?cid=5

the video that shows Ron Prattes collection doesn't have an embed ability, so you'll have to go to Speed TV.com to see it: http://www.speedtv.com/video/barrett-jackson/scottsdale/bj-ron-pratte-collection-1395246246001/1#_vtop but here are some screen grabs from it

above images from that video linked above

Read More...

what a differenace a restoration makes on auction results

a 1939 Futurliner just sold at the Worldwide Auctioneers in Auburn Indiana
$247,500. The Jan 2012 issue of Automobile magazine says that a west coast dealer is now asking $400,000 for this bus.
New tires, and the rest needs resotration. The tires alone cost about $15,000.

Today, nine of the original 12 Futurliner vehicles have been located, with two of the nine already beyond repair, serving only as “parts” vehicles. One inventive collector converted one Futurliner into a motorhome. Another, used by a bus company in Massachusetts, now does duty as a display vehicle for the bus company. Once decommissioned by GM, still another found its way into the hands of the Oral Roberts’ crusades in the 1960s, dubbed the Cathedral Cruiser. Still others are in various states of restoration.
These incredible vehicles are 33 feet long with a 248-inch wheelbase, eight feet wide and stand nearly 12 feet tall. One of its most unusual features of a GM Futurliner truck is its dual (side-by-side) front wheels steered of course by a hydraulic power steering. Now restored Futurliner trucks have the ability to be shod correctly in stunning, period-correct real wide whitewall tires thanks to famed collector Mr. Ron Pratte and the folks at Coker Tire.
http://blog.cokertire.com/general-post/gm-futurliner-restoration-ron-pratte/

in 2006 at Barrett Jackson one that was restored sold for $4,320,000

Read More...