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European and American rarities offered at Mecum’s Glendale sale

WORDS: ELLIOTT HUGHES | PHOTOS: MECUM

Mecum Auctions’ Glendale sale returns to State Farm Stadium in Arizona, US, on March 28-April 1, 2023. With approximately 2000 vehicles and 150 pieces of automobilia consigned, the American auction house aims to surpass the $66.3 million achieved in total sales in 2022. 

Headlining the eclectic assortment of vehicles on offer is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing that is the only known example finished in Mittelgrün over green and grey leather from the factory. The car’s unique specifications are complemented by its original, matching-numbers 3.0-litre straight-six engine, which has been fully rebuilt. Hagerty’s top estimate for a 1955 300SL is $2.4m, but don’t be surprised if this unique car surpasses that threshold.

A 1990 Ferrari F40 – the first of 213 US-spec models – is another high-profile consignment. Offered with a mere 3417 miles on the clock and with full Ferrari Classiche certification, this Rosso Corsa example will likely cross the block for $2.4m-$3m.

Those with a penchant for American classics will have plenty of lots to choose from. A 1968 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro RS/SS is certainly one of the rarest US-born cars for sale, because only 65 were produced. Powered by a 7.0-litre L72 V8, the Camaro RS/SS was built by renowned Chevy tuner Don Yenko in his Canonsburg facility in Pennsylvania. It has remained in the current owner’s possession for the past 42 years, and Hagerty values a good example at $376,000.

The 1999 Shelby Series 1 in the auction catalogue was the last of 249 examples built by Shelby American. The Series 1 was devised as a successor to the iconic Shelby Cobra, and is the only sports car that Carroll Shelby designed from the ground up. A model with the rarity, performance and provenance of the Series 1 usually commands a huge premium, yet Hagerty values an example in concours condition at just $159,000.

Eighteen of Glendale’s lots are taken by cars from the Premier Corvette Pace Car Collection. The 18 models range from 1978 to 2022, and eight are Pace Car Editions authorised by Indy 500 officials. The most desirable examples in the collection are the 2005 and 2006 models that were used as official Indy 500 Pace Cars. The complete Pace Car Collection sold for $1.37m in 2022 after being consigned from the private museum of Dr Richard Foster.

Three special vehicles belonging to NASCAR Hall of Famer Hershel McGriff are each being offered without reserve. The oldest car from the Hershel McGriff Collection is a 1915 Buick Roadster finished in maroon over black leather. A comparable Roadster without the McGriff provenance is valued at around $15,000.

Owned by Herschel McGriff from new is a stunning 1970 Chrysler 300H boasting a two-tone cream and gold exterior and a muscular 7.2-litre V8. The car was fully restored in 2012, and looks primed to surpass Hagerty’s $32,600 average valuation.

The newest vehicle from the Herschel McGriff Collection is also perhaps the most unusual: a 2018 Polaris Slingshot SLR three-wheeler. A 2.4-litre GM Ecotec four-cylinder engine send 173bhp to the rear wheel through a five-speed gearbox. Weighing in at just 749kg, the Slingshot boasts an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 230bhp per tonne.

View the entire Glendale catalogue here.

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