[Chrysler300] Phoenix auction report

["Bob Jasinski" <rpjasin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just got back from Phoenix and thought I'd share my story.  I got to Russo
& Steele about 4:30 pm on Thursday hoping to get a look at the black 300F
special and photograph it.  I began walking through the first tent of cars
to be auctioned, got halfway through, and all of a sudden Russo & Steele
employees started calling and whistling loudly telling everyone to leave the
tent, doing a sweep from one end to the other to get people to leave the
tent.  
 
Outside they were checking the stakes and ropes as the sky grew more and
more menacing.  What was a tornado warning turned into a tornado watch as
the sky got darker.  No real panic at that point, and the auction tent was
still up and running with cars going through so I hung out there a brief
while.  I did manage to get some good pictures of the Tucker convertible on
display and a number of other cars including a white 300G coupe before I
decided to leave at about 6-6:30.  I drove out to the main street and went
into the shopping area across from the Russo & Steele tents, went into a
Borders, came out and saw emergency vehicles going into the Russo & Steele
area.  To my left I could see traffic dead stopped on the freeway and
realized something had happened.  The area was sealed off and no one allowed
in at that point except emergency vehicles.  I never saw the Black 300F
Special.  One of the tents had blown away and landed onto the freeway
stopping traffic.  I was told the next day that the other tent had come down
onto the cars and that owners were not allowed in until an assessment was
made of the situation.
 
Earlier that day though, I was at the RM auction and did see and photograph
the beautiful Toreadore red 300F convert go through and sell at about $135k.
The fantastic Mercury Mercury XM 800 show car sold at $385k, but my
brother's unrestored 1956 Plymouth Plainsman concept car did not meet
reserve and was a no sale.  Most all the sales were below the estimates and
bidding was soft with some reserves being reduced that day.  All in all
quite an experience.  Barrett-Jackson was quite the spectacle, with prices
soft there as well. I had no idea how extensive the Barrett-Jackson auction
is.  It was huge, like a state fair with vendors selling both automotive and
non-automotive items.  So many cars to see there including the Sonny & Cher
his & hers custom Mustangs, the Ghostbusters car, the Batmobile and Bat
bikes among many, many other interesting cars.
 
Bob J  


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