Anything that’s been around for 40 years deserves some recognition.
First held in 1974, the Okotoks Collector Car Auction remains a family-run event. There’s not been a similar sale in Canada that’s lasted as long.
“The auction has some pretty good staying power,” says current overseer Jeff Hill. “And we’re not trying to fix what isn’t broken. We’ll just continue to do what we’ve always done – put our heads down and get some great cars some new homes.”
Sue and Grant Hill, Jeff Hill’s aunt and uncle, started the auction. Hundreds of vehicles crossed the block under their watch, and they retired from the business in 2011. Hill and his family, wife Astrid and boys Justin and Jordan, have picked up the gavel.
This year, the auction runs May 23 and 24 at the Okotoks Recreation Centre (www.okotokscarauction.com). Sale preview runs Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., and the auction starts Saturday at 10 a.m. – doors open at 9 a.m.
Several vehicles are selling without reserve, including a 1957 Ford Skyliner and a 1978 Pontiac Firebird.
Hill is obviously excited about celebrating the auction’s 40th anniversary, and he could talk for hours about all of the vehicles he’s got lined up for this year’s sale.
To give the whole business some perspective, however, I asked him to dig out some past sale results, and offer some comments. These cars and prices are from the 1982 edition of the Okotoks Collector Car Auction.
First up was a 1967 Shelby GT 350 Mustang. “The car sold for $12,000,” Hill says. “You could probably add a ‘0’ to that now.” The Shelby GT 350 was a special version of the Mustang that had been tuned by legendary racer and power enthusiast Carroll Shelby. The GT 350 featured a 289 cubic inch engine, and the 1967 cars all came with power steering and power brakes.
Second on the list was a 1966 Shelby GT 350H Mustang ‘Hertz’ car, which sold for $19,500. “That’s about a tenth of its current value, if it’s the right car in good condition,” Hill says. In 1966, Carroll Shelby’s general manager Peyton Cramer brokered a deal with Hertz, the car rental company. Hertz ordered 1,000 Shelby Mustangs for their fleet, which were available to rent if you were over 25 years old and a member of the Hertz Sports Car Club. Back then, depending on the locale, it cost $17 a day and $0.17 a mile to rent the GT 350H.
“You could basically get a race car for a weekend,” Hill says, “and it’s a concept that has never been duplicated.”
Third, and probably the most notable car that sold in 1982, was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’. “The Mercedes-Benz sold for $69,000,” Hill says. “That’s a car with a current value of $1.4 or $1.5 million.
“It’s shocking, really, looking at some of the stuff that’s gone through here that is worth a fortune now.”
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL took its inspiration from the automaker’s W194 racecar, and the civilianized version debuted at the New York Auto Show in 1954. Production lasted just three years, and only 1,400 left the factory.
“Those 300SLs were such a ground breaking car, they were the first real supercar in terms of appearance and performance,” Hill says. “Now, they are very sought after, and their value is not going anywhere but up.”
Fourth, and finally, in 1982 Hill says he was surprised to see that a 1964 Porsche 356 failed to get a bid, and could have been bought for $7,000.
“That’s a six-figure car today,” Hill explains.
There isn’t a Mercedes-Benz 300SL or a Hertz Mustang at the 2014 auction, but there will be a 1949 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery, a 1961 Corvette, a 1969 Jaguar E-Type, a 1978 DeTomaso Pantera and a 1987 Buick GNX.
“It’s going to be a really exciting year,” Hill says. “From muscle cars, to souped-up fully restored trucks to British and European sports cars – there’s something for everybody.”
Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have an auto related item to share for the column or What’s Next? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or gregwilliams@shaw.ca. Visit his website at gregwilliams.ca
