Pining for something to do over the next couple of days? Head on over to Merrill, Wisconsin to check out this forty-car estate sale with a bonus: some of the cars actually have titles! Unfortunately, that doesn’t include these two ’68 Impala convertibles, awaiting better days with new owners. Each has a 327 cu. in. V8 and an appraisal value of $7000. Rust has infested the rear quarters of the white car; both are termed “restorable”. Maybe your state’s DMV is easier than mine, but “no title” is a tough sell in Oregon. Meanwhile, this 1979 Mercedes 450SL does have clean paperwork, nice seats, and nice door panels. And we might wonder – how is it that a 450SL is bedfellows with a couple of ’68 Impalas? Who knows what makes some collectors tick, but diversity is on full display here in Wisconsin. Tony Primo found this motley assortment for us – thanks, Tony!
A number of Lincoln Continentals and a smattering of Cadillacs are on offer, and weirdly, all of these have titles. This ’79 two-door is valued at $4000; it appears complete and less damaged than its stablemates. Meanwhile, lurking in a darkish corner are these two dirt track cars; the Mustang has a 460 big block installed. We can guess that nothing in this facility runs, but what fun to try to coax a bark out of either of these!
This Packard Club Coupe is complete, and even its cosmetics look reasonably good. This one is appraised at $6000. Speaking of appraisals, the sale information terms this an “open house” rather than an auction, so I guess it’s a matter of showing up with cash and a trailer and taking your pick of the litter. Though a website is given for the sale, I couldn’t find information there about these particular cars.
If the Packards don’t have enough of an “orphan” aura for you, check out the two Edsel Ranger convertibles – barely restorable – and the flock of four Corvair convertibles up for grabs. And if none of these rings your bell, there’s a high mileage, rusty 1986 Ford Bronco 4WD with an appraised value of $800. No doubt some bargains will be struck by folks willing to show up in Merrill, Wisconsin with trailers during the open house scheduled for July 14th through the 16th; more details can be found here in the craigslist advertisement. If you’re able to nab one of these prizes, please let us know!
Yeah, they’re dying all over this country, even in my home state, where collections like this are not unusual. People had good jobs in Wisconsin, and there’s a lot of pole barns out there. Merrill is just north of Wausau, been to that paper mill a couple times, now closed, I read, but paper mills were some of the top paying jobs in the Northwoods. It, combined with all the cars out there, no problem amassing a collection like this. I read, in the last 30 years, a dozen paper plants have closed in Wisconsin, thanks in part to this wonderful machine, and crippled employment. It’s why most are coming here.
Another in a long list of estate sales bound to come up for years( hey, don’t sell my cars, I’m not dead yet) but assuredly, will happen. I got a kick out of the Edsel, I remember many cars like that with no headlights, or taped in.
The upside in all this, is hopefully someone will enjoy some of the cars, the ones ready to go. The projects, I feel, will be a tougher sell as time marches on. GO PACK, hey, preseason is only a month away, goes fast, huh?
That poor Edsel looks like it spent some time on the track Howard….a shame- no chance of it ever seeing the road again.. This one is for sale on Classiccardeals.com
JUST CHECKING!!! – for EDSEL Al –
Are you the Al Leonard from Hayward Calif. area?
Did your family have a car Dealership (Olds) there in the 1950’s?
If so, leave a message and try to get a hold of me. Now in Carson City, NV.
“St Claire Olds / Cad, San Jose Eddie.”
If not, just have a nice day !
Go Packers! From a Chicagoan living behind enemy lines.
Cars like these, paper mills, and so much of the life most of us know and loved are now gone! We were indeed very fortunate to have lived in the best nation 🇺🇸 at the time when bigger was better, too much was not enough, gas was cheap (most of the time). Those were the days! I learned from a friend that a woman in MAINE always gave her cars (when she bought a new one ) to the same person. He drove the last gift and parked all the others beside his barn. At last update, there were twenty, rusting away. BTW, I’ll take the Continental!
Is the 7k appraisal accurate on those rustbucket Chevys? Those cars wouldn’t even have made winter beaters way back when. It’s hard for me to grasp cars of that and later vintage as “antiques” even though they are almost 60 years old.
There looks to be 3-’68 Impala convertibles and a ’66 behind the white one. Didn’t see the Electra or Grand Ville. Even a Plymouth Trail Duster appraised for a nickel. Sooner or later one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. I think I said that right.
I tried to go to the site listed, http://www.AnnapolisClassicCars.com, but just get some bogus results including a Temu ad. What gives?
I couldn’t get that site to work. I found annapolisclassiccars.com, tho, without the www. That didn’t have any info on these cars either, but the name and number matched the seller’s poster. I emailed him to find out what’s going on, and hadn’t heard back by the time I published.
Any word yet?
Auction is through tomorrow.
My looking found the rest of the estate sale is over.
JUST CHECKING!!! – for EDSEL Al –
Are you the Al Leonard from Hayward Calif. area?
Did your family have a car Dealership (Olds) there in the 1950’s?
If so, leave a message and try to get a hold of me. Now in Carson City, NV.
“St Claire Olds / Cad, San Jose Eddie.”
If not, just have a nice day !
Your ’56 Fiesta have a leaky roof?