20 collections, 3,000 vehicles, 2,400 road art items at Mecum Indy



(May 9, 2022) WALWORTH, Wis. — Dana Mecum’s 35th Original Spring Classic auction, the company’s annual flagship event, has attracted more than 20 private collections, an estimated 3,000 classic and collector vehicles, and 2,400 Road Art and memorabilia items for this year’s nine-day event, and all of it will be offered for sale at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis May 13-21.


Notable main attractions to join the 2022 lineup include a selection of the desirable Ford GT, including the personal 2020 Ford GT  of legendary 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones, which shows just 15 miles on its odometer, along with a 1,280-mile 2019 Carbon Series model and a 332-mile 2020 MkII from The Dr. J. Christian and Jennifer McCarter Collection that is No. 12 of 45 built.


Parnelli Jones 2020 Ford GT

Shelby is another name showing up in a big way among Indy 2022 consignments with a selection that includes a highly original, one-owner 1966 GT350 Fastback complete with its original 289 CI engine, Hi Riser manifold and original T10 4-s
peed transmission; a rare automatic 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster from the McCarter collection; a 1967 Shelby GT500 Fastback (Lot F164) with a 428 Police Interceptor V-8 from The Gary Thomas Collection; a 4-speed, rotisserie-restored 1968 Shelby GT500KR Fastback.


1966 Shelby GT350 Fastback

From the Waterford Collection; and two more from the McCarter group, both of which claimed victories on the track: the 1965 Shelby GT350R Fastback driven to South American and Peruvian championships in 1973 by Bratzo Vicich, and a 1966 12 Hours of Sebring class-winning 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra Roadster.

America’s Sports Car will be well-represented in Indianapolis by offerings like the Serial No. 003 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Mark IV Pilot Line Convertible that was the first 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible and equipped with one of only two 427 engines used in the Mark IV Development Program; a well-documented and Bloomington Gold Certified 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Big Tank Fuelie; a Bloomington Gold Benchmark, one-of-two 1971 Chevrolet Corvette ZR2 Convertible; and the very last midyear Corvette convertible produced. Another unique offering to come bearing the Corvette crossed-flags emblem is a single-lot assemblage of 18 Corvette Indy 500 pace cars, festival cars and pace car replicas from collector Dr. Richard Foster.


1968 Shelby GT500KR Fastback

Vintage Muscle and more will also hit the stage at the Spring Classic auction with highlights including a 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona  with its original engine, factory 4-speed and Super Track Pak from the Motor City Collection; a 1969 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air IV  that is one of just nine produced that year with an automatic and is equipped with its original drivetrain; a Dick Harrell Conversion 1967 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro RS/SS; a no-reserve 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 from The Asi and Lisa Sheikh Collection; and the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS  that is the original No. 1 1967 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.

Foreign, exotic and high-performance sports cars and more will see solid representation as well with cars like a one-of-two, 276-mile 2015 Ruf RT12 R  and a 292-mile 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster, both from The German Prime Collection; a 23-mile 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R, an unrestored 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 Quattrovalvole and a 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, all from the Sheikh collection; as well as an extensively restored 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose boasting its original 3.3L V-12 engine, a 4-speed 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster and a 275-mile 2020 McLaren Speedtail, to name a few.


1955 Chevy Corvette Mark IV Pilot Line

Offered at no reserve and headlining the massive May auction is The Ray Evernham Collection of 32 race cars—plus one engine—from the NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief and team owner’s Big Iron Garage, with his 1965 Brawner Hawk Ford Dean Van Lines Special Indy Car  leading the pack. The car was driven by Mario Andretti to Indy Car Championships in 1965 and 1966, to a third place finish and earning Rookie-of-the-Year honors in the 1965 Indianapolis 500, and also to the pole position for the 1966 Indianapolis 500.

Bidder registration for this year’s Spring Classic is available in advance online at Mecum.com and on-site at the auction for $200, and it includes admission for two to all nine auction days. For those unable to attend in person, enhanced remote bidding options are also available, with options for both online and telephone bidding. Doors open each day at 8 a.m. with the vehicle auction beginning at 10 a.m. daily, Friday, May 13 through Wednesday, May 18, at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 19, and at 9:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 20-21.


1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

Road Art will be offered daily May 13-21 beginning approximately 30 minutes prior to the vehicles. A separate auction stage will operate Monday, May 16 through Thursday, May 19 for the offering of Road Art and memorabilia items, beginning at 9 a.m. each day. General admission tickets are available in advance online for $20 per person, per day, and for $30 at the door and online after May 12; children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission. Presiding health and safety protocols will remain in place for all those in attendance.