Exotic Car Bonanza
It's Not Just About Carsby Morgan Craft
February 26, 2010Heavy winds and rain that demolished an exotic car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, is bringing a bumper crop of collectable cars and trucks to Palm Springs for Keith McCormick’s Exotic Car Auction, set for Feb. 26-28.
Because the Arizona car auction was interrupted, many of the cars that escaped the damage are being sent to Palm Springs, which happens to be the next and nearest car auction of its type, Keith McCormick explained.
A Pacific storm passing through Southern California recently thundered through Scottsdale, toppled two auction tents and damaged about 300 cars at the Russo and Steele car auction on Jan. 22. Debris and collapsed tenting broke windows and dented fenders on the vintage and collector cars, according to media reports from Scottsdale.
“While we are not celebrating other people’s misery, it’s fortunate for the owners of those cars that they can turn to sunny Palm Springs to market their vehicles,” McCormick said.A 1976 Batmobile like the one in the movie, crafted by Gotham Garage Motors in Murrietta, CA., is drawing many camera-toting spectators to the showroom at 244 North Indian Canyon. One person showed up in Batman pajamas to have his photo taken beside the car.
A Corvette replica of a “Mach 5 Speedracer” will also make an appearance in the auction tent. For a photo preview of the vehicles, go to www.classic-carauctions.com. The website explains entry fees, rules and other details.
The three-day event will be held at the Spa Resort Casino in downtown Palm Springs, opening Friday, Feb. 26 from 4 to 9 p.m., continuing Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“The February event follows the record-setting auction held last November,” McCormick said. “No matter how you measure it-- attendance, number of cars sold, or total revenue generated—the previous auction was the best in our 24-year history. We had many Corvettes, always a good investment for collectors, and we will again in February.”
Because the turnout improved, “we are enlarging the auction tent and seating by about 25 per cent,” he added.
Europeans, some of whom watched the auction live via the Internet and bid by telephone, purchased many vehicles. People tuned in from across the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, McCormick noted, but the exact number is unknown. People bidding by telephone must register in advance and follow the same procedures as people attending the auction, McCormick noted. Bidding requires a $30 registration fee and a “good faith deposit,” which is refunded if nothing is purchased.
Four cameras will be set up to show different views of each car as it passes through the auction tent. The images are fed into the Internet by way of McCormick’s website. A special bank of phones will be set up to receive telephone bids. To connect to the live broadcast and receive registration information, go to www.classic-caraution.com
A car show, free and open to the public, will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at the Spa Casino next to the auction tents.
An impressive array of vehicles at the upcoming auction will include antique cars and trucks, muscle cars from the 1960’s and 70’s, foreign and U.S. sports cars, trucks and motorcycles. Vehicle prices vary from a few thousand dollars well into six figures.
The auction, which normally brings up to 20,000 visitors to Palm Springs, may add another 50,000 to the online auction site while streaming on the World Wide Web, McCormick said. Other major exotic car auctions have claimed 1.5 million visitors world wide to the website broadcasts.
Keith and Jason McCormick, father and son, work with other family members to create the car show and auction. “Palm Springs, which has always been home for many exotic cars, is the perfect setting for the event,” said Keith, who has produced the auction for the past 24 years.
