Whether you dream of speeding around a race track or of a leisurely Sunday stroll in an eye-catching classic car, there will be a vehicular fix for all next weekend at the inaugural Greater Tucson Collector Car Auction.
Presented by Kruse International auction house, the event will feature 300 cars indoors at the Tucson Convention Center.
Tucson car enthusiast Michael P. Moga, who contracted with Kruse, timed the event to coincide with the end of five classic-car auctions in the Phoenix area. Investors who weren't able to get the bid they sought can bring their cars here and try again, he said.
"For out-of-state investors, shipping (the cars) is costly," Moga said. "We're just down the road."
Collector cars are a popular investment, he said.
"You can feel, touch and enjoy your investment," Moga said.
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A private collector for 38 years, Moga will have several of his 23 cars in the auction.
The auction concludes next Saturday, but if there's a lot of inventory left, organizers may hold a post-sale on March 1, the following Sunday.
Everything from a 1930 Ford Model A coupe to a 1967 Rolls-Royce convertible and a 1957 Pontiac Star Chief will be featured, said Dean Kruse, president and CEO of Kruse International.
The muscle cars are not necessarily built for practicality, with some getting only four miles per gallon and requiring racing fuel that sells for up to $8.50 a gallon.
That's why Moga drives a pickup truck for his daily commute, he said with a laugh.
The classics? Those he takes out for a spin in the evening when there's little traffic.
Mayor Bob Walkup will kick off the auction on Friday.
Kruse International auctions about 13,000 cars in more than 30 events and dozens of real estate properties each year. In addition to collector cars, the company has auctioned distinctive real estate, vintage aircraft, collectible tractors, mobile homes, collectibles, rare oil paintings, factories, islands, zoos and railroads.
The Kruses were the first to sell a car for a documented $1 million in cash — a 1934 Duesenberg SJ La Grande long-wheelbase, dual-cowl phaeton. The Duesenberg was sold to Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza and then-owner of the Detroit Tigers. Another widely publicized sale involved 30 muscle cars for $1 million to baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.
Highlights
The auction will feature four rare vehicles:
•1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda built for Wally Knock, a National Hot Rod Association world record holder. The car has an A990 Hemi racing engine.
•1970 Dodge Challenger R/T with a 383 big block.
•1957 Lincoln Mark II with factory air conditioning. The iridescent blue car is one of only 440 built.
•1969 1/2 Plymouth Road Runner A12, lift-off hood, with its original matching engine and transmission.