Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale - 2014

[XDCX]

I know I haven't been spending too much time on the forum lately, but today I've got a decent excuse - I'm headed to Barrett-Jackson.

The weather is absolutely awesome with clear skies and temperatures in the high 70s. When I went to Barrett-Jackson last year I went with a friend and that limited how long I stayed and where I spent my time.

For me, I really enjoy being able to look at the cars up close and examine the quality of the paint and body work. Some cars that look great on TV really don't look so great in person and others are so perfect I can spend minutes staring at the vehicle without being able to find a flaw.

Concerning TV coverage, this is the first year in a long time that I won't be recording any of the Barrett-Jackson coverage on Tivo. The SPEED Channel is now dead and Fox is covering the Barrett-Jackson auction on four different channels. It's not that I can't figure out how to record the coverage, it's just not worth the effort.

[steve_biegler]

Have fun....drive safe!

[chryslersrt8]

Have a great time...wish I was there!

[Lakeshow]

Check out lot 779 while you are there, a good friend of mine did the restoration on this car.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli...ln=779&aid=525

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by Lakeshow

Check out lot 779 while you are there, a good friend of mine did the restoration on this car.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli...ln=779&aid=525

I'll definitely check it out.

I just finished taking a Hot Lap (as a passenger) in a 2014 C7 and a 2014 Shelby Mustang with 240 miles on the odometer. The Shelby was picked up on Sunday with 10 miles on the odometer - the rest was racked up doing Hot Laps....

[steve_biegler]

Originally Posted by XDCX

I'll definitely check it out.

I just finished taking a Hot Lap (as a passenger) in a 2014 C7 and a 2014 Shelby Mustang with 240 miles on the odometer. The Shelby was picked up on Sunday with 10 miles on the odometer - the rest was racked up doing Hot Laps....

OK.....Now I'm officially jealous!!!!!!

[zep33]

Have fun - I used to work about a mile from their office in Scottsdale next to the Wendy's

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by Lakeshow

Check out lot 779 while you are there, a good friend of mine did the restoration on this car.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli...ln=779&aid=525

It was no small chore to find that GTO.... I swear there were at least six GTOs with the Judge Package that were painted Orange - in fact I wouldn't be surprised if there were eight or more at the auction.

Concerning your friend's GTO, it was in the Big Tent with all of the other premium cars. Here are a couple of pictures:

The paint job and the metal work on the GTO was simply awesome. There was ZERO orange peel in the paint and the body lines were perfect. I'm guessing it took countless hours of wet sanding and polishing the paint to get it to look that good.

The car sold for $71,000 plus fees for a total of $78,100 - I'm guessing the seller probably netted about $63 to $64K after paying all of the Barrett-Jackson fees.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

OK.....Now I'm officially jealous!!!!!!

The Corvette C7 was simply incredible. While the track was super short the driver was able to do a great job of demonstrating the acceleration, braking and cornering of the C7.

The Shelby Mustang was also very impressive. The vehicle was bone stock with the exception that Ford Racing Exhaust was added to the vehicle. (I though it was really cool that Ford simply took a stock Shelby with 10 miles on the odometer and started taking Hot Laps. The car was still super tight for my test drive but I wonder if Ford sells the cars they use at Barrett-Jackson at a Closed Factory Sale auction with all of their other cars? Something to think about if you're a Ford Dealer and you're bidding on a low mileage Shelby...)

Ford had two Mustangs running Hot Laps - a supercharged 5.8 liter Shelby and a normally aspirated 5.0 liter GT. I had a chance to ride in the Shelby this time and I rode in a 5.0 liter in Las Vegas a year ago. While the Shelby is certainly awesome, there's something about that 5.0 that I still find appealing. It would be fun to drive both cars and determine which one was best for street use.

[XDCX]

As I mentioned above, one of the things I love about going to an auto event is looking at the cars and examining body and paint work.

Here's a 2014 C7 that Chevrolet had on display near the Test Drive area:

It was a beautiful car in an awesome color. That said, under closer examination there was a slight wave in the passenger door about four inches below the side view mirror.

There was no way for me to capture the wave with the camera in my smartphone but I wonder if this is a one-off problem or something that GM has been experiencing on other Corvettes?

If it had been a steel body vehicle I would have assumed that the wave occurred during the stamping process but with the C7's composite body panels I don't know if waves are a common problem or what their root cause is.

[Lakeshow]

Originally Posted by XDCX

The paint job and the metal work on the GTO was simply awesome. There was ZERO orange peel in the paint and the body lines were perfect. I'm guessing it took countless hours of wet sanding and polishing the paint to get it to look that good.

The car sold for $71,000 plus fees for a total of $78,100 - I'm guessing the seller probably netted about $63 to $64K after paying all of the Barrett-Jackson fees.

He's a perfectionist for sure, and does incredible work. Just wish I could afford him. I know he was hoping for the $80k mark, but I think he got close enough for his first venture at B-J.

Awesome you got to ride in the C7, still waiting for my first rip...and the invitation to sit in the left seat.

I haven't had a chance to watch much of the Auction, but from the results I've browsed through it looks like the prices are holding up quite well.

[possum]

Someday, in my perfect retirement life, I am going to B-J and stay for the duration as you have.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by possum

Someday, in my perfect retirement life, I am going to B-J and stay for the duration as you have.

possum - Great to hear from you again.

Maybe you can make the next Barrett-Jackson auction they have in Las Vegas later this year? While the Vegas auction doesn't have the grand scale that the Scottsdale auction does it does have a great setting if you are more interested in looking at the cars up close as opposed to watching the auction from a distance.

As a final bonus, the Vegas auction has a better setting for taking a Hot Lap in a Corvette and/or Mustang. Even better, I'm betting Ford will have their new 2015 Mustang available....

[steve_biegler]

Just throwing this out there but how many would like to meet there? Maybe make it a guys weekend. Just a thought.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

Just throwing this out there but how many would like to meet there? Maybe make it a guys weekend. Just a thought.

Sorry for my delay in responding, but I think it's a great thought.

I missed the Barrett-Jackson auction in Vegas last year but I think the odds are pretty good I'll make it to this year's auction.

Mecum has also added an auction in Seattle this summer. If I'm still in the Seattle area when the auction takes place I'll definitely attend.