Hello Friends and Family,

2023 Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, part 14

Link to this year's index by clicking here.

This 1963 Ford Thunderbird convertible came with a hard tonneau cover, a 3x2-barrel Holley carburetor, and a Continental kit (spare tire outside the trunk. It features a V8 engine with 3-speed automatic transmission.


This version of the T-bird carried this special emblem marking it as one of the most recognizable cars of its era. In fact, I assembled and painted a plastic model of this car — that's how impressed I was, even though I was only 17 years old at the time.


The current owner of this car logged about 1,000 miles on the car, which mostly sat in a heated garage during the last 12 years. This beautiful automobile sold at auction for $31,900.


Although, this T-bird was a generation older than the preceding one, it was eons different in styling and target audience. This 1956 Thunderbird convertible is powered by a 312ci V8 engine mated to a two-speed automatic transmission. It features a factory hardtop, power windows, power seats, radio and Continental kit. The sale comes with the factory owner's manual.


In terms of styling, it actually looked like a standard '56 Ford convertible in a smaller configuration since it only seated two. It was quite sporty and everyone I knew at that time (I was only 10) loved it. This one sold for $26,400.


Here we see a 1958 Rambler Cross Country powered by a factory 6-cylinder engine hooked to a 3-speed manual transmission. It features a detailed engine bay and a two-tone Turquoise Robin and Deep Sea Blue Metallic exterior paint scheme with a two-tone light blue and dark blue interior with silver piping. It accumulated only 26,744 actual miles.


As best I recall from my youth, no one (adults or kids) liked Ramblers. They were noisy, not well put together, and asthetically unappealing. I was surprised that it sold for $19,800.


WOW! Here we see a 1967 MG MGB roadster, which was the last model year with chrome bumpers. The restoration was completed less than 200 miles ago. Everything was rebuilt or replaced. The MG has the original 1800cc, 4-cylinder engine with the correct 4-speed non-synchro gearbox.


It was refinished in its original color of British Racing Green. Note that my first car, a 1968 VW (as I have mentioned multlple times) was painted in British Racing Green (or the German equivalent thereof) — and I love the color (or is it colour?) The factory-correct interior was installed and features black with red piping. This rust-free Arizona car has 88,000 actual miles.

This beauty sold for $35,200. Wow, that sounds low to me. I wish I had had the bucks to grab this example of automotive excellence.


To be continued...

Life is good.

Aloha,
B. David

P. S., All photos and text © B. David Cathell Photography, Inc. — www.bdavidcathell.com