Muscle cars dominate sales list as Mecum exceeds $90 million in hammer prices at Kissimmee

Hemi-powered muscle cars dominated the top-10 sales list last week at Mecum Auction’s annual auction in Kissimmee, Florida, as total sales topped $91 million. Mecum expects that figure to climb to nearly $93 million when post-block sales are completed.

Unlike other classic and collector car auction companies, Mecum reports hammer prices rather than final prices, which include buyer’s fees. With such fees, final Kissimmee auction figures should exceed the $100 million mark.

“The jump in totals, the rise in individual vehicle values, and the 78-percent sell-through rate we achieved are evidence of the extremely high quality of the vehicles and Road Art offered at the 2016 event, as well as the strong demand,” Dana Mecum, company president and founder, said in a news release.

“It’s a clear indication of the thriving state of both the collector-car and memorabilia markets,” he added.

Mecum Auctions said the 2016 event posted a 30-percent boost over the same sale a year ago, with more than 3,000 lots selling over the course of the 10-day auction, the largest in the world based on the number of vehicles offered at one venue. Last year, the Kissimmee auction generated $68.8 million in sales, and that figure was a $5.4 million boost compared with the 2014 event.

Last year, the top sale at Kissimmee was a 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona that sold for $900,000. This year, four vehicles topped that mark, several by a multiple of that figure.

Leading the 2016 sale was as 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda convertible that sold for $2.675 million. A ’71 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuba convertible went for $2.3 million, a 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T convertible brought $1.65 million, and a ‘71Plymouth Hemi Cuda coupe went for $950,000.

Prices are hammer prices and do not include buyer’s premiums.

A 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 “Tanker” and a 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra were the only non-Mopar vehicles to crack the top-10 this year.

Mecum Auctions Kissimmee, top-1o sales

1. 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible, $2,675,000
2. 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible, $2,300,000
3. 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T convertible, $1,650,000
4. 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, $950,000
5. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Tanker, $710,000
6. 1969 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T convertible, $625,000
7. 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona, $550,000
8. 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra, $525,000
9. 1970 Plymouth Cuda convertible, $475,000
10. 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T convertible, $450,000

The Kissimmee sale included two days of Road Art (automobilia) sales with some 1,300 items sold; a porcelain sign and a vintage gas pump globe each brought $55,000.

Mecum’s next classic and collector car auction is scheduled to send 700 vehicles across the block March 11-12 at Kansas City, Missouri.