Record Price for Trans Am at Mecum
Mecum‘s auction in Harrisburg last month resulted in more than $40 million in sales, almost 30% more than the previous record set in 2019. 81% of all lots were sold, with 863 collector and enthusiast vehicles going to new homes.
The most expensive car sold by Mecum was the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series – including commission this car went for $473,000. The Black Series lineup from Mercedes-Benz has been gaining traction in the market recently and this one is somewhat rare with only 1,700 examples built. The fact this shows just 41 miles on its odometer makes it even more attractive to collectors looking for a modern car to include in their garage. This was well-sold at its price.
The 1985 Lamborghini Countach LP5000S went to a new home for $467,500, a solid amount above the median value of $280,500. Since Lamborghini only built 323 examples of this version of the Countach before moving onto the LP5000 QV, it’s a rare model – though not the rarest of all. But at $187,000 above the median value for this particular generation of the Countach, this was solidly well-sold.
Next up comes the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am SE. No, that’s not a joke. It’s the Y82 Special Edition and has original everything – seriously, it wouldn’t surprise us if the tires still held the original air from when it was first sold. Sure, its odometer shows only 14 miles, which is pretty impressive for a car of that age, plus it’s as clean as imaginable. But come on, it’s a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am! SE or not, it’s still a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am! And sold for a shocking $440,000! Two words: well-sold.
A 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, the 202nd of 300 built, sold for a solid $407,000. It underwent a very thorough restoration that was completed in August 2021, after which it’s covered fewer than 6 miles. The restoration, completed by Irvin Patrick in Kentucky mostly used original parts, making it all the more impressive. It sits in the classic Polo White, of course, and is powered by the Blue Flame inline-six that’s paired with a Powerglide automatic. In a way it’s too nice to drive, but it also sounds like the perfect ’53 Corvette to cruise around in! Considering the median value for this car is $179,000, this is a great example of a quality restoration that was well-sold, likely to a collector who knew exactly what he or she wanted to buy.
A 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is next on the list of Mecum’s Top Ten most expensive cars in Harrisburg. This was a matching numbers example, powered by the 427/435 L71 V8 with a manual four-speed transmission and shows just over 7,000 miles on its odometer. It’s finished in blue paint with a blue interior that looks remarkably clean. While the median value for one of these is $118,500, this example was very well-sold at $297,000.
We’re well into the Corvettes at this point in the Top Ten from Mecum’s Harrisburg sale, so stick with us. Next is the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe that went for $286,000. With a starting price around $132,000 when new – just a few years ago – and only 29 miles on its odometer, there’s no doubt this was another well-sold car for Mecum.
A Bloomington Gold Certified 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible went for $275,000. This is one of only 978 examples built with this engine. It clearly had a high quality restoration and is equipped with the more enjoyable four-speed manual transmission. It received the NCRS Top Flight award and frankly looks near perfect up close. The bright red on red color scheme works very well on this car. Clearly this was expected to sell above the median value, which is $83,500, but almost $200,000 more than the median value is noteworthy to say the least. Certainly well-sold.
The 8th most expensive car sold by Mecum in Harrisburg last month was another 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe. This example sports the eight-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission. This is the only ZR1 Coupe finished in Ceramic Matrix Gray/Spice Red that was also equipped with Satin Graphite painted aluminum wheels. It’s just barely into the double digits for mileage with only 10 “delivery miles” on the odometer. Since it’s a relatively new car it’s probably best to consider the MSRP, which started around $132,000. Although not quite as strong as the previous ZR1, this was well-sold at $258,500.
The last Corvette in the Top Ten most expensive cars from Mecum’s Harrisburg sale was a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window Coupe. Powered by the 327 cubic inch, fuel-injected V8 that produces 360 horsepower – the L84 option – this is also Bloomington Gold Certified and is a multiple NCRS Top Flight winner. Just over 2,600 ’63 Split Window Coupes were built with this engine and the four-speed transmission certainly makes it a lot of fun to drive. It also boasts power brakes and benefits from a no cost spared restoration. The median value for this car, with this engine is $207,000, making this appear well-sold at $253,000.
The list of the Top Ten most expensive cars sold by Mecum in Harrisburg last month is capped off with a 1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible. Only 518 GT500KR Convertibles were built for 1968 which makes this a decently rare car. This example retains its numbers-matching 428 Cobra Jet engine that sends power through a four-speed manual. It presents well in its original color of Wimbledon White and underwent what is described as a “sympathetic restoration” so it’s more drivable than something that was restored to a concours-level of quality. A median value of $165,000 means that this was very well-sold at $236,500.
What Does This All Mean?
Keeping in mind that this list is a bit biased towards the cars that outperformed the market, these do have some very strong prices when compared with expected values. Is this a taste of things to come in Monterey this month? Should we expect to see such high percentages above the median value for cars in a few weeks? It’s certainly possible and we’ll keep our eyes on the big news coming out of Monterey Car Week as the month progresses.