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Photography by the Author and Barrett-Jackson Auctions2024 Barrett-Jackson Cup
Taking home the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Cup (officially titled “Ultimate Best In Show”) is the ’60 Buick Invicta belonging to George and Angela Eliacostas and built by Andy Leach and crew of Cal Auto Creations.car auction is a circus for older kids … hot rodders. While most of us will never come close to purchasing a car from a car auction, the fact remains we like to go, we like to look, and we like to dream. Such is the case with one of the truly great car auctions, the Barrett-Jackson Auction held at WestWorld in Scottsdale, Arizona. We come each year for the Barrett-Jackson Cup competition, but the fact remains we are still fascinated by the number of cars that pass over the stage and just how much money these objects of want bring in total dollars.
Barrett-Jackson Auction Dollar Sales
What kind of numbers are we talking about? How about 2,016 “No Reserve” vehicles crossed over the block, bringing in $200.9 million … that’s a 100 percent sell-through rate. And in that mix, there were 190 world-record auction sales for specific highly desirable vehicles. Barrett-Jackson Auctions are known for their “give-back” attitude. This year, they auctioned off four vehicles for charity, and they brought in $1 million. Now, should you want something special for your garage or personal museum, 1,180 pieces of automobilia were sold for an additional $6.7 million. As we said, the Barrett-Jackson Auction here in Scottsdale is a circus for older kids.
For fun, we have included the top 10 restomod vehicles and their sale price. Make sure to follow the photos and captions for those wild numbers.
The Barrett-Jackson Cup, formerly known as “The Ultimate Best In Show,” is one of our hobby’s premier awards. The five finalists are vying for a $20,000 check as well as a tool chest, gift certificates, and very valuable television time … especially for the builders of these hot rods.
Competing for the Cup is discerning. Barrett-Jackson selects from the hundreds of entries they receive to narrow it down to 50 deserving cars and trucks that are allowed into the competition. It is then narrowed down to the Top 5 who are brought onto the stage on Saturday where the winner is announced on national television.
The task of selecting the Top 5 and then the eventual Barrett-Jackson Cup winner is handled by the judging staff of two: Bobby Alloway of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop and Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy. There can be no denying they know what they are looking at and can explain the whys and wherefores of what they do. Next up was the selection of the Top 5 and the eventual winner.
The 2024 Barrett-Jackson Cup winner is the ’60 Buick Invicta, owned by George and Angela Eliacostas and built at Cal Auto Creations by Andy Leach and crew. The ’60 Buick is no stranger to working its way through competition, “surviving” by having won virtually every major award it could. Beginning in 2023, it took home the Slonaker Award at the Grand National Roadster Show then continued to win through the Triple Crown of Rodding late in the year.
As is always the case, we are looking forward to next year to see what’s new on the auction front but always to check the types of cars and trucks that are in competition for the Barrett-Jackson Cup and who will take home the honors.
Another of the Top 5 for the Barrett-Jackson Cup was this ’67 Chevy C10 pickup belonging to Rod Parsons and built by Zach Ingram of ZRods and Customs and Fiber Forged Composites. Built to autocross and road race, it most certainly can … and looks amazing doing it.
OK this ’59 Chevy Impala belonging to Eugene Bothello and built at BBT Fabrications under the direction of Troy Gudgel got everyone’s attention. A car in the running for “Ultimate Best In Show” that’s not painted, and some would argue not upholstered, was the “gutsy” move of the show. The fact remains that the workmanship is stunning, the presentation flawless, and having the courage to go “unclothed” and pull it off is truly amazing, making the Top 5.
No stranger to readers of Modern Rodding is this ’27 Ford roadster belonging to Jon Hall and built under the direction of Paul Behling of Shadow Rods and Jesse Greening of Greening Auto Company. It made the Top 5 finalists for the Cup and won the Best Street Rod category at the 2023 Triple Crown of Rodding.
So, who is charged with whittling down the 50 entrants into the Top 5 and then the Barrett-Jackson Cup winner? For years, it’s Bobby Alloway of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop and Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy.
Rounding out the Top 5 finalists for the Barrett-Jackson Cup is this ’68 Ford Mustang. It belongs to Brad Brown and was built at East Bay Muscle Cars. Powered by a supercharged Coyote V-8, it rides on a Roadster Shop fully independent chassis and shows off one-of-a-kind Forgeline wheels.
In competition was this amazing ’34 Ford five-window coupe built by Bill Ganahl and the crew of South City Rod & Custom. The coupe has already taken home Goodguys Street Rod of the Year. It’s a fascinating hot rod to view in person.
The personal favorite of the Modern Rodding staff was the ’57 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible belonging to Karen and Doyle Thomas and built at Mike Goldman Customs. It is powered by an LT5 along with a GM eight-speed overdrive and rides on an Art Morrison Enterprises GT Sport chassis with one-off Mike Curtis wheels.
No question, trucks are popular, and they are amazing. Whether it is a Stepside, Fleetside, Blazer, or Suburban, it doesn’t matter whether they are a Chevy or Ford or anything else. There is no denying how cool they are built.
The top dollar for a “restomod” at this year’s Barrett-Jackson Auction at Scottsdale went to this unbelievable ’67 Corvette (Lot #1367) as it brought $1,100,000. It’s rarefied air, to say the least. The Jeff Hayes Customs–built Corvette sits on an Art Morrison Enterprises chassis, has LS3 power, Wilwood brakes, custom-designed Schott wheels, and is painted in a Vintage Champagne hue.
If you like your ride leaning on the “large” side, then this fully independent Kugel Komponents chassis, Coyote-powered ’57 Continental Mark II coupe (Lot #1357) is for you … assuming you had the $715,000 it took to buy it off the block. It is painted in a Bentley color called Sickens Dark Cashmere. It also features a Ron Mangus Interiors stitchwork.
More in the “large” ride category is this ’64 Lincoln Continental convertible (Lot #1414) as it brought in $660,000. The Coyote-powered ’vert features all the right stuff, making the triple black ride something to behold.
Corvettes are always in the “desirable” ranks, and another top-dollar getting “restomod” was this BASF Pearl White ’58 Corvette (Lot #1368) that brought home $558,500. Powered by an LS7, it rides on an Art Morrison Enterprises fully independent chassis and shows off its custom Schott wheels.
One more Corvette to bring top dollar was this custom ’58 convertible (Lot #1348) with an auction sale of $550,000. Once again, an Art Morrison Enterprises fully independent chassis riding on one-off wheels is powered by an LT1, painted with PPG Sky Fall color with the side coves in a Silver Mist.
Chevelles are always popular, but this ’70 convertible brings new meaning to “drop-top luxury” with its Art Morrison Enterprises chassis, Forgeline one-off wheels, PPG Land Rover Kaikoura Stone Metallic, and matte accent colors. It is loaded with other one-off components.
A black “split-window” ’63 Corvette (Lot #1343) clearly has the right eye appeal as it brought in $478,500. It rides on an Art Morrison Enterprises fully independent chassis and is powered by a 650hp LT4.
There can never be a doubt that a “split-window” ’63 Corvette (Lot #1393) will garner some pricey bids. This Ferrari Metallic White Sting Ray brought in just shy of half a million at $467,500.
Never doubt the value of a ’55 Chevy (Lot #1295). Here, a gasser-style build in the vein of the American Graffiti Tri-Five features a Hilborn-injected small-block that brought a sale price of $330,000.
This ’66 Nova SS (Lot #1316.1) had all the “right” mods and brought in a sale price of $330,000. Powered by a 5.7L LS it features a Magnuson supercharger, Wilwood brakes, and a 4L60E overdrive.VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 44 • 2024