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Star power and car power head to Las Vegas this week for the second annual Barrett-Jackson collector car auction. There will be collector vehicles from Bruce Willis, Don Johnson and Jay Leno, but you can bet one of the hottest properties will be the Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang.
Lee Iacocca, known as the "Father of the Mustang," presented the Ford Mustang to the world at the 1964 New York World's Fair. During his time as Ford Division president and general manager, Iacocca made the Mustang a household name. Now, Iacocca is selling one of the most anticipated limited edition versions of this iconic classic, the No. 5 Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang (Lot #3000). One of only 45 to be built, and nearly two years in the making, the Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang is a collaborative effort by Iacocca, designer Michael Leone, and Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters. The car is custom-built by a team of artisans using composite construction laminates, a reinforced material from the aerospace industry. Under the hood is a specially equipped 550 horsepower engine featuring a Ford Racing polished Supercharger and a 5-speed manual transmission. "This is a stunning modern-day muscle car from the visionary who started it all," said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "It's hard to imagine where collector car enthusiasts would be if Lee Iacocca hadn't championed the Ford Mustang project 45 years ago. Now, he has teamed up with some of the top automotive talent in the world to produce the 45th Anniversary model. It's an instant collectible."
Also collectible are the autos of the stars, and this year’s Vegas auction, Oct. 7-10 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, has its share lined up for the gavel. Starting with a Lincoln Limousine used during the filming of "Die Hard," a total of six vehicles from the celebrities will all sell at no reserve. And since no collector car auction in Las Vegas would be complete without a nod to the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley fans will also have the chance to own a race car used in the iconic 1964 motion picture, "Viva Las Vegas." "The 'Entertainment Capital of the World' is the perfect city to offer some of the most exciting celebrity vehicles we've ever had," said Barrett-Jackson chairman and CEO Craig Jackson. "Not only are some of the cars famous in their own right after appearing in some legendary films - but many have additional significance for personal and charitable reasons. This is a must-see opportunity for fans, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own a piece of history." Bruce Willis, action movie star and one of Hollywood's most recognizable leading men, will sell his 1967 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 and 1988 Lincoln Limousine. The Copper Maroon 1967 Corvette convertible (Lot #659.3) features the iconic 427 c.i.d., 435 horsepower Tri-Power engine with a 4-speed manual transmission. Willis purchased the car in El Paso, Tex., while filming "Last Man Standing," and eventually had it shipped to Sun Valley, Idaho. Another drop-top, the black on black 1968 Pontiac Firebird (Lot #659.2) was found in Willis' hometown of Penns Grove, N.J. and the dark blue limo (Lot #659.1), originally used to take Willis to the set of his TV series "Moonlighting," was also used during the filming of the blockbuster movie, "Die Hard." "Bruce Willis has owned some great American iron," said Jackson. "Cars like his 1967 Corvette and '68 Firebird helped define an era of motoring in this country that was built around power. The Lincoln Limo also tells a story as it was used during Bruce's most iconic film."
But Willis isn’t the only big name to have some heavy iron crossing Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas stage. Renowned funny man and car guy Jay Leno has cut one from the herd to benefit a Brooklyn, N.Y. charity. His 2009 Yamaha Star V-Max motorcycle (Lot #716.1) will be sold to benefit Bailey's Café (www.baileyscafe.org). The educational program uses poetry, theater, video, writing, music, dance, cooking and fine arts to build community and inter-generational understanding and respect in inner-city neighborhoods. "Bailey's Café is a wonderful arts program," said Leno. "Since I didn't have any Yamaha musical instruments to auction off, I thought I'd sell my Star V-Max, which is made by Yamaha, to support the program." The 200-horsepower Star V-Max is one of the world's most powerful production motorcycles. This is a limited-production, built-to-order, one-of-a-kind motorcycle Leno customized with additional features using noted San Diego custom-bike designer Jeff Palhegyi.
The nod to The King comes with a yellow skin. The 1961 Ol' Yaller VIII (Lot #709), is one of only nine Ol' Yallers built by road racing icon Max Balchowsky, from 1956-1963, and appeared in the 1964 movie, "Viva Las Vegas," with Elvis Presley. Assembled with spare components from humble production automobiles, Balchowsky's Ol' Yallers became famous for their triumphs over road racing titans of the 1950s and early '60s. "At Barrett-Jackson, we consign a wide range of vehicles that fulfill all of the wants and needs of today's collectors," said company president Davis. "Increasingly, collectors are seeking cars that are not only rare, but can be raced or displayed at a Concours. They want a monetary investment that can be observed, touched and enjoyed. This Ol' Yaller delivers the exclusivity and thrill that collectors crave." Ol' Yaller VIII is powered by a 350 c.i.d., 350 horsepower V8 engine with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, 4-speed manual transmission and independent front and rear coil suspension. While most of Balchowsky's earlier creations were based on a tube-frame chassis, it was constructed on a Jaguar E-Type shell, making it one of the most aesthetically pleasing Ol' Yallers ever built. Another one to watch comes from Don Johnson, television and film actor, Golden Globe winner, and star of the hit television show "Miami Vice." His 1994 Land Rover Defender 90 (Lot #410), is a specialized vehicle for trips off the beaten path. The two-door yellow on black SUV features a 4.0 Liter V8 engine with a 5-speed manual transmission, and comes fully-loaded with front winch, head lamps, and both hardtop and convertible soft-top. There are only 14,687 original miles, and the vehicle has been garaged in Aspen, Colo., since it was purchased brand new from the dealer.
Outside of the big names, Barrett-Jackson has collected a series of cars that should make for some exciting bidding, and interesting viewing during Speed TV coverage. Along with the Iacocca Anniversary Mustang, there are 28 of the Ford ponies ready for the block from ‘60s classics to today’s modern classics -to-be. Here’s the list, starting with the Lot number. If you’d like more info on these or any of the other cars at the Las Vegas auction, click on www.barrett-jackson.com. 17 1967 FORD MUSTANG 2 DOOR HARDTOP 38 1988 FORD MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE 49.1 1996 FORD MUSTANG CUSTOM COUPE 65 1965 FORD MUSTANG COUPE 66.1 1966 FORD MUSTANG 2 DOOR CUSTOM COUPE 67.1 1965 FORD MUSTANG CUSTOM CONVERTIBLE 73.1 1966 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE 88 1968 FORD MUSTANG GT FASTBACK 105.1 1973 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE 106 1966 FORD MUSTANG GT 2+2 FASTBACK 324.1 1965 FORD MUSTANG CUSTOM FASTBACK 332 1966 FORD MUSTANG COUPE 346.1 1965 FORD MUSTANG 2+2 FASTBACK 349.1 2000 FORD MUSTANG COBRA "R" COUPE 364 1970 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302 FASTBACK 364.1 1996 FORD SALEEN MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE 372 1966 FORD MUSTANG COUPE 386 1970 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302 2 DOOR 388.1 1970 FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 FASTBACK 406 2000 FORD MUSTANG COBRA "R" COUPE 411.1 1967 FORD MUSTANG CUSTOM COUPE 641 1970 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK RESTO-MOD 643.1 1968 FORD MUSTANG CUSTOM FASTBACK 665.2 1969 FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 428 CJ 2 DOOR COUPE 674.1 1969 FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 428 CJ FASTBACK 674.2 1970 FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 428 CJ FASTBACK 674.3 1971 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 351 SPORTSROOF 720 1967 FORD MUSTANG GTA CUSTOM FASTBACK 3000 2009 FORD MUSTANG COUPE "IACOCCA 45TH ANNIVERSARY" — Ken Simmons |
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