Museum and private collection sell-offs are enormously entertaining. In one sense, it is sad to see what is surely a lifetime of work being broken up piece by piece, but on the other, these eclectic assortments of vehicles likely wouldn’t have survived in decent condition were it not for a collector or organization agreeing to tend to their wellbeing. For instance, check out this 1920 Chevrolet FA snowmobile, offered here on the Aumann Auctions site with bids to just over $4,000.
In addition to trucks and memorabilia, there are also several vintage airplanes up for bidding. This one here on the Aumann Auctions site is labeled a C-47 arctic research plane, which hails from an era when scientists and other researchers would take to the skies to inspect a region with a classic bird’s eye view or hop from place to place to perform on-site analysis with the convenience and safety of an aircraft to traverse inhospitable terrain. Bidding is currently at $140,000.
Here’s one our readers will have to identify. The seller doesn’t know the make or model of this tour bus but someone clearly had big plans for it based on what’s inside. The interior has a shower and what looks like plenty of sleeping and lounging space. However, it is pretty much gutted and the photos of the ceiling show evidence of water damage. This is a big project and it’s offered here on the Aumann Auctions site with bids sitting at $1,550. How much do you want to bet someone wins this and never picks it up?
Here we have a….Chevy “Tractomotive?” That’s what the listing catalog calls it, and near as I can tell, that’s about an apt of a description as you can give it. There are numerous other oddities and curious creations here, including multiple airplane shells, a very nice go-cart, and numerous brass-era vehicles that appear to be in very good condition. While it’s a shame to see a collection like this broken up (and you can check out the Tractormotive here on the Aumann Auctions site), it’s also good to know wild assortments of vehicles like this still exist, clearly reflecting the owner’s tastes rather than what the stock market told them to buy.
The Rokon is cool. Looks like a mid-70s 340 automatic. In my MX days,( 70s) a guy had one, smoked us all. Thing is, with these “collections” that feature BIG things, like airplanes, buses and such, you’re going to need a lot of space, and I see these types of sales pop up out here( Colorado) and in comes a subdivision. In some of my local travels , within say, 30 miles, I see sprawling “collections” like this, and think, man, that’s a lot of stuff, someones lifetime of collecting and all overgrown and outdated. The GMC is pretty cool, winter coming, not much will stop that one, but again, all these items have a very limited market, and getting more limited by the day.
Rokons ARE “interesting”, unless you wanna go riding: engine braking not so good. Pucker time on steep downhills.
Excellent use of the word Eclectic!
The bus is a GM PD-4501 Scenicruiser. Next to the Yellowstone busses from White, they are the most iconic transit busses in the US. Only a handful are left in running condition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PD-4501_Scenicruiser
Chevy Tractomotive?
No thanks, I’d rather drive a Fjord…
A Fjord Fjairlane to be exact.
This is why I love this board! The “Fjord” comment made me laugh; Leary’s fjollow-on made me blow cola out my nose!
It will be sweet when the DC-3 is back in the air!
I bet the Commemorative Air Force is interested in getting another one.
It’s sad so many museums are closing. Have a look.
https://daysgonebyportland.org/about
where is this collection located ?
Portland, TN
Thanks Lance
That Chevy track setup looks to be sitting on a modified deuce frame I wonder if it’s got a new engine or the old multi fuel still in it.
The C47/DC3 would be a great plane to own but unfortunately it’s worth nothing near the asking price. I guy got to figure both engines and props need full overhaul, all new avionics, radios, what about corrosion? Sorry folks but you could dump 450k into getting this old bird even close to flying again and that is likely best case!
If the plane was flying now with mid time engines and props usable radios etc. The plane is still only worth around 180k. Beautiful, dependable and I would love to fly one but the cost of operation of this plane is going to run you around 2k per hour wet. It’s very unfortunate!
Looking at the front wheels I would guess that the builder of that half track pulled the body off an M-3 half track, shortened the frame by a foot or so, and dropped the Suburban body on. I lived in northern Wisconsin in the 50s and 60s and and one of the highway departments had a couple with snowplows attached.
Not much use for one of these in Fl.. Possible sand buggy?
Take (your) Floridian Venezuelans to Nova Zembla …