bret
01-20-2011, 10:19 AM
It’s midweek and the Barrett Jackson Auction is revving up, Bret reports on day 3:
“As expected, the crowd and excitement grows as the week goes on. We took some time yesterday to run up to Prescott, AZ to visit with the guys at Centerforce clutches. I love visiting other manufacturers to see the scope of their operations. Centerforce certainly didn’t disappoint… it was a very efficiently run shop with lots of cool clutch technology on display. Of course they have their own test car, a 2010 Camaro with Baer brakes, a Magnacharger, Flowmaster exhaust… and 675rwhp! I love spinning the tires in 3rd gear at 80mph!
While this all seems like fun and games (it is), the 18 hour days are starting to show. As I write this, it is 6:15 am; I’ll be at the auction by 9:00. After spending the day talking to hundreds of people we’ll leave the auction around 10:00pm, drive back to the house, have a bite to eat, and crash about midnight. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Tony and the rest of the crew are arriving today. 4 of that crew have never been here before…always a treat to see a grown man stare at the proceedings like he was at Santa’s birthday party!
The cars continue to climb in price…I am starting to get encouraged. The mood seems to be that this may be their last chance to pick up a good deal before the prices get out of reach again. The modernized cars are doing the best. It certainly bodes well for our industry.
As I write these updates, I am focusing more on the experience than the cars. I figured the cars can be seen on the Barrett website…the experience can’t. Plus the fact that it’s getting increasingly difficult to get a decent picture of a car…they are parked quite close together, and there are so many people around them.
One of the larger crowds was gathered around the PAIR of Bugatti Veyrons parked right outside the auction ring. They weren’t for sale, weren’t really on display, but were being protected by a couple of breathing pieces of meat with little sense of humor. I’ve only ever seen one of these cars in person (at the Petersen Museum)… to see a pair is a pretty unique experience. Personally I think they are a little… ugly, but as a human male I am drawn to anything that costs $2,000,000 a copy… especially when they will run 253mph!
It’s Time to get breakfast and get back to work. Today I’m going to try to get some shots of interesting people (can you say girls?) Didn’t want anyone to get bored!
Till tomorrow…”
Pictures From Day 3 – Click Images to Enlarge https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/1.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/2.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/3.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/4.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/5.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/6.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/7.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/8.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/9.jpg)
“As expected, the crowd and excitement grows as the week goes on. We took some time yesterday to run up to Prescott, AZ to visit with the guys at Centerforce clutches. I love visiting other manufacturers to see the scope of their operations. Centerforce certainly didn’t disappoint… it was a very efficiently run shop with lots of cool clutch technology on display. Of course they have their own test car, a 2010 Camaro with Baer brakes, a Magnacharger, Flowmaster exhaust… and 675rwhp! I love spinning the tires in 3rd gear at 80mph!
While this all seems like fun and games (it is), the 18 hour days are starting to show. As I write this, it is 6:15 am; I’ll be at the auction by 9:00. After spending the day talking to hundreds of people we’ll leave the auction around 10:00pm, drive back to the house, have a bite to eat, and crash about midnight. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Tony and the rest of the crew are arriving today. 4 of that crew have never been here before…always a treat to see a grown man stare at the proceedings like he was at Santa’s birthday party!
The cars continue to climb in price…I am starting to get encouraged. The mood seems to be that this may be their last chance to pick up a good deal before the prices get out of reach again. The modernized cars are doing the best. It certainly bodes well for our industry.
As I write these updates, I am focusing more on the experience than the cars. I figured the cars can be seen on the Barrett website…the experience can’t. Plus the fact that it’s getting increasingly difficult to get a decent picture of a car…they are parked quite close together, and there are so many people around them.
One of the larger crowds was gathered around the PAIR of Bugatti Veyrons parked right outside the auction ring. They weren’t for sale, weren’t really on display, but were being protected by a couple of breathing pieces of meat with little sense of humor. I’ve only ever seen one of these cars in person (at the Petersen Museum)… to see a pair is a pretty unique experience. Personally I think they are a little… ugly, but as a human male I am drawn to anything that costs $2,000,000 a copy… especially when they will run 253mph!
It’s Time to get breakfast and get back to work. Today I’m going to try to get some shots of interesting people (can you say girls?) Didn’t want anyone to get bored!
Till tomorrow…”
Pictures From Day 3 – Click Images to Enlarge https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/1.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/2.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/3.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/4.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/5.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/6.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/7.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/8.jpg) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.ridetech.com/massmail/2011/january/jackson3/images/9.jpg)