Ardell Brown’s long life as a car guy included ownership of OK Motors, Ardell Brown Auto Sales, Brown RV and Ardell Brown Classic Cars. At one point, it also included a personal collection of around 260 vehicles.
Brown, who also served as chairman of the Utah Concours d’Elegance, died earlier this year at age 83, and 140 of the vehicles from his collection have been consigned to Mecum Auctions’ second Las Vegas sale, scheduled for November 15-17 at the Los Vegas Convention Center.
All 140 of those cars will be offered with no reserve prices; highest bidder while the cars cross the block becomes the new owner.
“Our first-ever collector-car auction in Las Vegas last year established an extremely high standard for quality consignments and strong sales,” said Sam Murtaugh, Mecum’s vice president of marketing and presentation. “Frank Mecum and the consignment team have consigned remarkable collections for this year’s auction… (and the docket will) further strengthen Mecum’s brand presence in Las Vegas and the Southwest.”
The star of the Ardell Brown Estate Collection and one of the featured vehicles for the entire auction is a 1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet that was restored by Lon Kruger of Scottsdale, Arizona.
The car is chassis 2926853 with factory body F-499 and is a front-drive rumble-seat cabriolet with a Lycoming 299cid straight-8 engine. It has Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club and CCCA Full Classic certification, Mecum notes in its catalog description.
The car also has Woodlite headlamps, dual side-mounted spare wheels, golf-club compartment with vintage clubs, luggage rack with matching trunk, and wears Lilac paint with gray soft top and gray leather interior.
The car was sold new in Los Angeles and is expected to bring $200,000 to $225,000 at the auction.
The Brown Estate Collection spans the collector car world, from pre-war vehicles, sport-war European sports cars, customs, hot rods, American muscle — Mustangs, Corvettes, etc. — collectible off-roaders, pickup trucks, woodies, racing cars, even a fire truck. Here is just a small sample:
To view the full collection, see the online catalog.