

Lambrecht Chevy Dealership Auction Results Day 2


Here are the five highest prices paid for cars and trucks sold on day two of the Lambrecht Chevy dealership auction in Nebraska, along with a link to a list of the complete results from the second day:

The following link will take you to a complete listing of all items auctioned on day one:

Categories: General
Dan Lyons

11 Responses

  1. ErinsDad says:

    I’m interested in your opinion. I paged through the auction page, and I didn’t see any ‘diamonds in the rough’. I’m wondering how many on-line bidders will take a pass on shipping charges once they see what they’ve bought. Was there anything there for someone who is less than a hard-core vehicle restorer? My idea of restoration is a rinse and two hand-rubbed coats of Mother’s Carnuba wax.

  2. Dan Lyons says:

    I don’t know if there were any wash and wax candidates here. I’ve only seen pictures of a portion of the rather large inventory, but I doubt there were many that fit that bill. Looks like everything there needed some work, and many would be parts car candidates. Looking at the five, highest prices vehicles from each of the two days, it’s hard to reconcile the prices with the apparent condition. Survivor cars are cool, and it would be fun to own part of an urban legend. But, even with those microscopic mileage numbers, them’s big bucks being tossed around, you know?

  3. Bill W. says:

    I think the only one that would have been close to a wash and wax candidate was the Corvette, based on the pictures. What I don’t know is: 1. Does it run? 2. Is the frame rusted? 3. What is the condition of the fuel and cooling systems? Were the fluids drained or left in to evaporate, corrode from within, and create sludge and gunk? And the price for that Corvette still seemed inflated to me, even with the microscopic mileage. Cars, like just about all machinery, are meant to be used and unless they are intended to be museum pieces will just rot away from neglect and lack of exercise. (Kind of like people).

  4. Dan Lyons says:

    All fair questions. I’ve seen high dollar, exquisite restorations come unglued and non-functional, while sitting in climate controlled conditions. Hardly the case here.

    I guess that the difference between market value and the prices paid here is the cost of buying a piece of an urban legend.

  5. Roger Trunzo says:

    My son and I went there from Council Bluffs Iowa, Ive been a hot rodder/car nut for over 40 yrs. This was a over hipped auction and only a hand full of cars were worth bidding on and the rest was pure junk yard material or just crusher material. So if you had plenty of money to spend for those few cars that were in the dealership so be it. If your interest is in having a very low mileage car well its your money lol. But the rest of the junk yard cars out in the field were just that JUNK!! maybe some had some parts worth saving but not very many. Hope those people who spent all that money are happy with there purchase.

  6. Dan Lyons says:

    A first hand opinion of what the auction was like – thanks!

  7. Bill W. says:

    Roger just sort of confirmed what I was thinking as I watched on the History Channel.

  8. John E says:

    My at-a-distance impression matches Roger’s, but I see some high priced rusty old pre-restoration and in-restoration cars every year at the Wavecrest woody meet.

    I am sure the seasoned collectors who were there knew what they wanted, but I suspect they got into counterproductive bidding wars with each other, and self proclaimed Salvage Princess Yvette VanDerBrink (“auctioneer with the seller in mind”) was only too happy to oblige. Some of the amateurs probably got lured into overbidding. The real proof will be the level of buyer’s remorse a year from now.

  9. Dan Lyons says:

    The thing about buyers remorse and cars is size. If somebody overpays for a ring, let’s say, they can stuff it in a drawer or a box, and put it out of their mind. Spend too much on a car, though, and it’s harder to ignore. Make the wrong deal, and it sits in your garage, leaking on the floor until you do something about it.

  10. dennis says:

    Agree with most here. I considered bidding here, then realized that rust may be the very least of the condition worries. By the time one re-plates the chrome, restores the interior, completely re-does the body, is just about when you would learn of the rodent damage to every inch of wire harness insulation, robber hoses, grommets, spacers, then the engine and drive train, the cost will be right there with Mecum’s where you’d likely get a fresher, better kept specimen. Been there.

  11. Dan Lyons says:

    Yes. They always say that it’s cheaper to buy a done car than one that needs doing, and that’s rarely not the case. Unless you’re able to do most of the work yourself and willing to overlook the value of your own labor.