DRIVING TRENDS: Barrett-Jackson helps propel the newest wave of collector cars
June 9, 2017
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
A perfect example of the “new-era” collector cars is this 1993 Land Rover Defender 110 4×4 SUV (Lot #659), which will be crossing the block at the upcoming Northeast Auction.
Without question, the world of car collecting has changed over the years. When Barrett-Jackson first came into being in 1971, it was all about prewar classics: Duesenbergs, Packards, Cadillacs, Mercedes, Rolls-Royces – many from the personal collections of Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett. Those Pebble Beach Concours-worthy vehicles remained the mainstay of the auction for many years – and indeed remain a part of Barrett-Jackson to this day, particularly in the prestigious Salon Collection at the annual Scottsdale Auction.
But as the years rolled on, interests began to change as new generations came into the hobby, especially in the ’90s. As Brian Jackson and his younger brother Craig became more involved in the auction company, they sensed a shift in collecting to the cars these newcomers remembered from their childhood: Woodys, ’50s convertibles, sports cars and muscle cars from the ’60s and ’70s. By the mid-1990s, those types of vehicles represented a healthy cross-section of the cars making their way across the auction block.
A “Tran Am trend” first came into the spotlight at the 2016 Scottsdale Auction. This 1980 Bandit Edition (Lot #449) will undoubtedly attract a fair share of interest at the 2017 Northeast Auction.
In the early 2000s, muscle cars were beginning to show up among the top-selling cars in the auctions; hot rods began pulling in strong numbers as well.
It was soon evident that Barrett-Jackson was not just keeping up with trends; the company was often setting them.
Early on in his leadership of the company, Craig Jackson saw a parallel developing between the World War II and baby-boomer generations in their passion for collecting cars. While their definition of ‘collector’ cars may have changed,” he said, “their passion was the same.”
At the 2002 Scottsdale Auction, something completely different crossed the block – a 1957 Ford called “The Intruder” and a 1954 Plymouth known as “The Sniper.” While they looked fairly stock on the outside, at the heart of the vehicles was the latest technology in terms of powertrain, suspension and more. Highly successful sales, they became the first of what was to become the Resto-Mod trend that continues to this day.
“Barrett-Jackson has been an incubator,” says Steve Davis. “We’ve created more awareness for concept cars, for Resto-Mods and muscle cars and high-end street rods. We’ve created awareness among qualified people in the arena. Take all of those and combine them, and that’s the magic you see. At the end of the day, we’ve changed the landscape of the collector car hobby as we’ve known it.”
Cars from the ’90s are beginning to make their mark on the collector car scene, like this 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 Convertible (Lot #345) headed for the Northeast Auction.
Over the past couple of years, a number of record sales have been achieved at Barrett-Jackson with vehicles from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s: SUVs, Blazers, Broncos, Fox-body Mustangs, Trans Am-era cars, VW buses. Some are Resto-Mods; some original.
Clearly, as seen on the Barrett-Jackson block, trends are changing. “Collector preference has recently shifted towards more affordable and usable options, as owners are increasingly interested in driving their cars more than showing their cars,” says Hagerty Vice President of Valuation Services Brian Rabold. “They are also very aware that value growth has slowed considerably over the past two years. Throw in the fact that younger buyers are also steadily becoming more active in the market, and all of these factors have greatly benefitted prices of cars built in the 1980s and later. They are often cheaper and more user-friendly than cars from the 1960s and earlier, while providing just as much fun.”
“Car collecting is getting much, much broader,” adds Craig Jackson. “If you’re going to grow car collecting, you need new generations – and new cars. As demographics change, everything needs to change. There are collectors now who collect everything from Brass Era cars to modern supercars, and in the same garage they have Resto-Mods and some of the world’s greatest sports cars. Barrett-Jackson’s docket has remained diverse for that reason.”
For a look at the cars on the docket for Barrett-Jackson’s 2nd Annual Northeast Auction, June 21-24 at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, click HERE.