It’s that time again! Lucky Auctions has always been a big supporter of Barn Finds so we try to do previews of all their auctions. The fall classic will be held this August 27th – 28th in conjunction with the annual LeMay car show. So, there’s going to be a lot of eye candy around and you might even be able to snag a deal or two. They are still accepting consignments, so that might be an option if you have a car you need to sell. The action will take place in Tacoma, Washington and you can get more info here on their auction site or keep reading for our top picks.
This could be the headliner of the event. It’s a Nash-Healey and, if you didn’t already know, it’s a rare and valuable sports car. Donald Healey needed an engine for his new car and Nash needed a sports car in their model lineup. This is the result. The full Nash-Healey story is worth a read, but we won’t go into that here. This thing originally had a McCulloch supercharger fitted, but the owner installed a Chevy 348 V8 as soon as the new engine came out. In the early eighties the car was parked in a garage where it then sat for 23 years until it was pulled out in 2013 and brought back to life.
It may not be a barn find, but we have a thing for any Hurst/Olds car so this one gets a mention. This W30 has been repainted and reupholstered, but looks like a great example of a rare eighties muscle car. Oldsmobile decided to use a 350/automatic combination that was already emissions certified in another car because it didn’t have to pass the test again as long as they sold less than 2,500 examples. So, 2,499 were built. Every car had a dual gate Hurst shifter and many other tweaks that made it much more than just an appearance package.
You knew we were going to throw something odd in here. A few years ago, these big Buicks Roadmasters were only considered collector cars by a small group of old guys who drank coffee together at the local Mcdonalds. But, now more people are jumping on the band wagon… er, station wagon? Much like the Olds, this vehicle was a throwback to better times. The sunroof was inspired by the Vista Cruiser and the wood grain was a nod to its great-grandfathers. The mileage is unknown, but it appears to be in excellent condition so I’d have my eye on this one.
Finally, we have a Studebaker Avanti that looks very familiar. That could be because we featured it as an exclusive back in July! It sold within 24 hours and now it looks like one of our readers is attempting to make a quick buck at auction. They didn’t even take new photos! Oh well, it will be interesting to see what it sells for this time around. So, besides the ones mentioned here, are there any cars in the lot list that you think are worth consideration?
From the description for the Nash Healey:
“It was originally factory equipped with a McCulloch supercharger, but later the engine was swapped in 1957 when the first Chevrolet 348 became available. He bought this engine directly from the factory and retained the original Nash transmission.”
“DRIVEABILITY: Fine, surprisingly good actually for a 4 cylinder from 1959, the 4 speed is definitely a plus in a car like this. Has no problem at all keeping up with traffic, with drum brakes like our parents use to drive, and once you get use to them they are good too.”
Photos show the 348, so the driveability comments seem a little funny to me. With a BBC in it I’d hope that it could keep up with traffic. . .
The 912, the Airflow, the Ghia there are a few interesting vehicles. There is a lot of interest in the Porsche tractors out there, that will get some attention.
Young guy across the street from me drives an identical Buick Roadmaster wagon, bet he doesn’t have a clue it’s becoming a collector car!
I have owned 2 1996 Roadmaster wagons……….super cars in every way. I put well over 100,000 miles on the pair. 20MPG or over and like a cloud at 90MPH. The LT 1’engine was bullet proof. These cars have been expensive and sought after for a long time. They are really a Caprice wagon, more closely related to the police and SS Caprice than the Buick Roadmaster sedan. One of the best highway cars I have ever owned.
The Nash Healey started out with a 6, now has an 8, and diveability is “surprisingly good actually for a 4 cylinder from 1959”?
I bet that Nash Healy was the best Healy ever built. Nash made a good engine and the smooth body looks great. Never was around a Healy that didn’t require a lot of tinkering and didn’t rattle………
The Nash-Healey’s description has been updated. The previous owner didn’t have correct information. The Nash-Healey was actually factory equipped with a V-6. Here is a little background information on it.
Donald Healey was very interested in creating a car built with a Cadillac V8 engine. Healey decided to set out to America on the Queen Elizabeth to try and save his motor company and meet with Cadillacs chief engineer Ed Cole to possibly have production of their V8. On the ship he happens to strike up a conversation with a tall, portly gentleman carrying an elaborate stereo camera rig. The man turned out to be George W. Mason, president of the Kenosha, Wisconsin-based Nash-Kelvinator Corporation. Mason turned out to be very interested in Healey’s concept so he invited him to visit Kenosha if his meeting with Cadillac didn’t pan out.
The high demand of the V-8 caused Healey’s request to be shot down. So, he headed off to Wisconsin for a meeting with Nash. Instead of a V-8, the initial idea had to change, Nash only had a 3.8 liter (235 cu. In) 6 cylinder. He offered the engines up front for production and only after they sold they would receive a percentage of the sale. Nash also offered to sell the vehicles through their US based dealers providing a straight path into the American Market. The Nash-Healey was born and made its official debut at the Paris Salon. It sported a new aluminum body with integral fenders, designed by Donald Healey and Len Hodges (Nash).
Wouldn’t than Nash engine have been an inline 6? I don’t think Nash ever offered a V-6, and Rambler didn’t either after them. Jeep eventually bought the rights to the Buick V-6, but that was long before the 1970 merger with AMC (nee Rambler, nee Nash/Hudson).
They were inline 6’s………..very few V6’s were built in the old days.
The first production V6 was in the Lancia Aurelia in 1950, altho there is a claim that a V6 was installed in a 1905 Marmon, but I have never been able to confirm that, and there has been no claim that it ever went into series production.
GM truck had a production V6 in 1959, and Buick had a production V6 in a car in 1962. Nash never had a V6, and of course the engine in the Nash-Healey was a straight-6.
My comment above was directed to the description of the Nash-Healey on the Luckey Auction website, which got things wrong.
I was thinking the first production V6 was the Lancia. That is why I said few…..Detroit Diesel also built 6V71″s and 53’s pretty early. There is no real advantage to the V configuration except shortness. Young people automatically ad the V many times when discussing a 6 cylinder engine.
Dave, agreed on all counts. Shortness in a 6 cylinder engine is a big plus because it can allow an upscale car to have something more than a 4 cylinder because a V6 can be mounted crossways in a front wheel drive platform.
But my preference is for a straight 6 every time because those come in rear wheel drive cars. That, and the fact that a straight 6 can be perfectly balanced and run about as smooth as a V12. And BMW is proof that a well designed straight 6 can put out big power.
I look at a lot of BMW ads and if the seller mentions the engine about half of them say their car has a V6. I’m guessing they haven’t spent too much time working on, or even looking at the engine in their car.
I did a history on the Lancia V6 & Aurelia years ago for Qutomobile Quarterly. I got some information from the President of the Lancia Club of Italy, who knew De Virgilio well and planned to surprise him with a copy of the book that the article was in. Unfortunately, De Virgilio died before the issue went to press and he never knew about it. Really too bad because he was a good engineer but never got much attention for his achievements outside Italy.
Last gen B car wagons are becoming collectable? Woo hoo! I have a sweet ’91 Custom Cruiser that I am going to be selling soon – maybe I’ll put it in my friend’s barn, let out the air in the tires and throw some dust on it !! lol
Just kidding ;-)
The last years with the LT1’s are the interesting ones.
Maybe, but I think the Olds are interesting. Only made 2 years and in small quantities. The ’91 is unique having 1 year only c-pillar treatment.
WATCH OUT for Lucky Auctions!! I was so dismayed to learn that they are affiliated with Cosmopolitan Motors and absolutely everything that entails and implies. Just ask about the ’53 Bentley they offered at “no reserve” a few months ago, and then refused to honor the high bid because “it wasn’t enough . . .” Where the hell is the Washington State Attorney General’s Office on this??
Link?
To what?? That auction was a few months ago, in Tacoma. Interestingly, after the no-sale of the Bentley a friend of mine called Cosmo to discuss the car. Then he learned who they got it from and called the prior owner direct. What a glaring contradiction of descriptions. Per the prior owner there were significant rust issues, a worn-out engine and bad front end. Per Cosmo this was just about the most pristine, perfect example out there but of course sold purely as is, no warranty and ad nauseum. I remember a Skoda they advertised years ago as being nearly concours – I was interested but when I saw it, I had to ask, where’s the one you described? The car you’ve just shown me must have been recently dredged up from a lake bottom.
The mention of the State Attorney made me think this was a known incident, and big enough to be covered on the internet.
Disparity between the descriptions of a wholesale seller and a retailer are common. I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on vehicles after the government or someone said they were worn out or too expensive to repair. That is a very common senecio, the seller wants it gone……may or may not be knowledgable about the real condition but feels like it is junk…….the buyer knows better and gets a deal. My custom built aluminum jet boat was surplused because it needed the “transom rebuilt” my aluminum welder charged met 50.00 to repair a small area near the drain plug……hasn’t leaked since, even in the Hells Canyon.
The AG would tell you that it is a civel case……..so sue them. I have had that same problem twice on eBay purchases, one was an old Buick in Vegas that was featured here on BF. I actually paid for it dirrectly after the award and he sent it back to me saying it was not enough……..I have dealt with Cosmopolitan motors a couple of times without issue, but was standing in front of the guy to do the transaction.
civil……
Sorry not just old guys at the coffee shop deem the whales (1991-1996 GM wagons) as collectible. They have always been popular however not all.
Beware of the 1991-1993’s. They had 305’s. Very easy to tell as the prices for them are dramatically less.
The 94-96 have 5.7 LT1 power. Pretty impressive cruising at 70 mph and hitting the gas and the car roars to life throwing you back in the seat.! These have been very under the radar. They make the best collector car and combine almost all elements for a vehicle you can take drive anywhere take the family and enjoy. Need to stop and sleep on the way to the rod run? No problem. Stop at an antique shop and haul that nice cabinet for the wife. No problem. Tow a trailer or boat. No problem.
The Caprice is and has been the most popular. Almost everyone adds the Impalla SS grille. When new the Olds would be an upgrade to the Caprice but personally never favored the front fascia.
The premium and for my money is the Buick Estate. These are top dog and are loaded having full power and leather. When new were just shy of $30,000. Expect nice examples to skyrocket.
Interesting is that with just a set of progressive wheels and nothing else looks like a custom car. Add lowering springs and those grand children would think you were the Shiz. These are really quite the car. With all the goofy things GM had been doing up to this point tends to make me forget everything.
You are on the money here…………..and it tows better than a pickup.
My GF is on vacation in Rhode Island and snapped this pic because I drive a red Magnum. She wrote “great taste in cars, at least two of them”. I corrected her in short order.