January is a major month for classic car auctions and Mecum Kissimmee is one of the biggest events.
Auctions are simply a snapshot in time, but they do shed light on trends in the car culture so here are some of my thoughts on what the Mecum auction told us over the last two weeks.
Jerry Sutherland
I’ll start with the biggest number at the sale.
It was a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO “Bianco Speciale” and it sold for $38,500,000. Ferraris are not in my car guy space, but I do respect this Ferrari’s extensive racing history connected with drivers like Graham Hill. This car was one-of-one in white, and it was unrestored—hence the insane selling price.
The highest number for a Detroit mass production car was 3.3 million for a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible.
This was the first of only 12 Hemi Cuda convertibles built that year and only one of five with an automatic. The ’71 Cuda is the most sought-after E-body ever built, so that explains the 7-figure sale.
My orbit (like most car guys) is filled with far more realistic prices, so I’ll start at the lower end of the Mecum auction.
They sold a really cool 1958 Rambler Super for 6600 bucks. This is the kind of car that would be a one-of-one entry at 99% at all car shows on the planet. That alone makes this 6600-dollar investment priceless.
I’ve watched the pre-war classic car market steadily decline over the last several years and it’s still happening.
A mint 1929 Studebaker Dictator Sedan sold for a mere $16,500 at Mecum. There was a time when a car like this would have sold for a lot more, but in reality, the guys who really flipped over a ’29 Studebaker are long gone.
The same thing applies to cars of the 1940s.
Mecum sold a clean 1949 Dodge Wayfarer convertible for $19,900.
This is a car that would require 100K to get to that level, so nobody is taking them on as a project. Paying 20 cents on the dollar to own this ’49 Dodge makes it a very cool bargain—if you like cool late 40s convertibles. If not—it was market value.
The early 50s cars are showing the same trend.
A 1953 Bel Air two-door hardtop sold for $9900 at Mecum. This was a nice car, but the army of guys who buy these cars is shrinking. On the upside, if you’re under 50 and you like the 50s iron, you’re in for a Disneyland experience as a buyer.
That same theory applies to this 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer convertible.
It’s one of only 3,302 ever built, so that tells you this—you won’t see another one at a car show in 2026. This Dodge had the 278/183 HP Red Ram Hemi V-8 engine, but it sold for a mere $28,600. Ten years ago, this was an easy 40-50k sale, but the sales numbers go down as fast as the casualty list goes up for guys who really dug these cars.
The 60s cars are showing a similar trend.
For example, a decent 1960 Buick Electra 225 convertible sold for a mere 33,000 dollars.
This car was from a collection, and it was a high-end driver—the same level car would be an easy 50K sale 10-15 years ago.
A very clean 1961 Buick Skylark coupe showed the same trend.
This Buick was exceptionally clean, and it sold for 5500 bucks. That’s such a great price you could make it a decent daily driver—it was worth more, but again–the clock is ticking against fans of these cars.
You could say the same thing about a 1966 Thunderbird at the 2026 Mecum auction.
This Flair-bird looked good—a lot better than its 5500-dollar selling price. Sadly, the ranks of Flair-bird fans are thinning every week, but that opens the door for younger buyers who want a dirt-cheap, turn-key classic.
I really liked a 1969 Plymouth Fury four-door sedan at this auction.
The Fury was a 15,000-mile survivor with a 318 under the hood and it sold for $15,700. This car would be rare at any given Mopar show, but it would also get a ton of attention. I would put plenty of miles on this car, because it’s not an appreciating asset…and it’s mechanically bulletproof.
Trucks have been hot in the last few years, but the prices levelled out at Mecum.
This pristine 1972 Ford F-250 Camper Special is an excellent example of that trend because it sold for $13,750. Two years ago, this would have been a 25-30K sale, but the only hot trends in the truck market are found in the square-body Chevy and GMC sales.
There were two surprises at Mecum.
This 1996 Impala SS sold for 85,800.
This ’96 SS only had 81 miles on the clock, so the guy who stored this beauty for 30 years saw a decent return on his investment. Lesser examples will sell for less, but the Impala SS is clearly a solid investment.
The last surprise was a 1997 Mazda RX-7 Touring Coupe.
This car came with a Twin-Turbo 1.3L Rotary with a 5-Speed and it sold for 55K. I’ll admit to not being an expert in this universe, but that seems like a lot of money for a rotary engine. I will admit it’s the wave of the future in collector car world.
That’s why that ’58 Rambler seems like such a smoking deal.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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