Raleigh Classic Winter 2019
The Winter Raleigh Classic, which is held annually at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds Exposition Center in December, is one of the best kept secrets on the classic car auction calendar. During this two-day auction, over 300 vehicles crossed the auction block, once again fulfilling its reputation for having a docket full of original low mileage cars, many of which looked showroom fresh. Highlights of this year’s sale included a fantastic group of mid-year Corvettes, highly collectable GTO’s, and a totally-cool Willys Jeepster that had everyone talking. Here’s what some lucky drivers will be getting under their Christmas tree this year.
Mid-Year Corvettes
Second generation Corvettes (1963 to 1967), referred to as Mid-Year, continue to be the envy of most classic car fans. The futuristic design still looks exotic today, more than a half century later. Six of these beauties were lined up on the auction floor, including an iconic first-year split window coupe, a pair of ’65 Fuelies, a rare convertible with factory air, and two very valuable 427/435 HP Tri-Power cars. One of these Vettes had clocked less than 7,300 miles from new.
Highly Collectible GTOs and GM Muscle Cars
The GTO, which is the very definition of a muscle car, always gets a lot of attention at auctions, and the “Goats” at this year’s sale were no exception. They checked all the boxes, not only from an appearance standpoint, but they had some of the most desirable options available in these cars. And, to top it all off, they were all well documented and original. Here’s a sampling of the GTO’s and a couple of other GM muscle cars from the same era.
Low Mileage Original Cars
You have to wonder where Raleigh Classics finds all the low mileage cars year after year. Somehow they do, and it provides a great opportunity to see how these vehicles would have appeared in their original condition.
Fun Cars
One of the biggest surprises of the auction was the sale of an eye-catching 1950 Willys Jeepster. Dressed in in bright red, with a black/white plaid interior, this little buggy was a crowd pleaser before it even got on stage. When it did, a bidding war broke out that didn’t end until the hammer fell at $52,000. Here’s this classic, along with others that made the Raleigh Classic fun to watch.
Video Overview
Note: Sales figures provided above are hammer prices without buyer’s commission, except where noted “high bid,” in which case the vehicle did not reach the seller’s reserve price. These vehicles are still for sale.
Raleigh Classic Summer 2019
The Super Corvette: The L88
