This year’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction can be summed up in this way: GM Heritage Collection Customized Show Vehicles, GM Heritage Collection Production Milestone Vehicles, GM Heritage Collection Engineering Studies, GM Heritage Collection Historic Vehicles, GM Heritage Collection Racing and Support Vehicles, a Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor Airplane (yes, they are auctioning off a significant historical Airplane!), and the remaining cars left to be auctioned. After going over the inventory listing that Barrett-Jackson plans on offering over the week long extravaganza in Scottsdale, I was truly amazed at the number of slots the Heritage Collection occupies. There are over 250 vehicles from the collection that GM needs to sell off.
This isn’t the way for GM to get top dollar for any of them, so the following prime trucks should be available at rock bottom prices. However, the Barrett-Jackson organization seems to have the magic touch as far as getting the most money for the vehicles they offer, so who knows.
The top photo showcases a 1925 Chevrolet House Car, and is scheduled for the Tuesday Auction. This was built on the Chevrolet 1-Ton chassis. Before motor homes were available commercially, many campers produced in the early days were built around plans supplied to a carpenter or cabinet maker. It rides on a 125″ wheel bass with a 171cid/35hp 4 cylinder engine and 6 volt electrical system. The custom built wood body has oak with mahogany trim, maple floor and counter tops, dark blue mohair cushions, dark blue wool carpet, dark blue roller shades with blue and white gingham curtains, a sink with hand pump water faucet using 5 gallon oak barrel for water storage, a commode with removable bucket for waste, auto flip down front step, interior 6 volt electrical lights and kerosene lamps, interior kerosene heater, single burner kerosene stove, and toll fee payment door. This is a piece that deserves preserving.
The next image is that of a 1916 GMC 1 ton Stake Bed Truck. This truck includes a 4 cylinder engine producing 33 horsepower. These had shaft drive and worm drive. There is very little information about this particular truck, but again, it’s worth preserving for future generations.
Continuing on, here is another significant GMC. It is a 1948 GMC Firetruck, and utilizes the first post-war styled body for GMC. According to the listing, GMC offered 347 different body and chassis models. This particular fire truck was part of the Pontiac, Michigan GMC Truck Plant Fire Brigade. This should find a home, and will be very interesting to see what the final bid price will be.
SUVs became quite popular in the mid 80’s right up to this past summer. This next truck is actually part of the foundation for their success. It is a 1978 GMC Suburban, featuring a body style introduced in 1973. This GMC Suburban has tri-tone stripes on its exterior and the custom interior of the super-graphics era of American Design. How can you not love a truck from the 70’s?
Any history about GMC Trucks would not be complete without a couple of real performance trucks. And at this auction, there are two such examples. The first is a 1991 GMC Syclone PPG Pace Truck, that saw track usage at many venues and is a great example of the now legendary first super truck. The second truck is equally as impressive and it’s a 1993 GMC Typhoon. This one-year-only GMC Typhoon represented a highwater mark for high performance compact sport utility trucks. With its conservatively rated 280hp blown and intercooled V6 and AWD, the Typhoon could easily cover a 1/4 mile in under 14.3 seconds and accelerate from 0-60 in less than 6.0 seconds with little effort and with its specially tuned suspension. it handled as well as it looked. Classy and comfortable, this polite street brawler is the last one built.
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