Scottsdale, Arizona

It’s time for another gallery of photographs from this year’s Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. One of my favorite January events finds me every year in Scottsdale for the automobile auction. There are so many vehicles of different ages and types that I have trouble focusing on particular examples. In my last Barrett-Jackson installment, here, I focused on luxury vehicles. By the way, I recently updated the luxury vehicle gallery in that installment to include prices sold for those featured vehicles. In this gallery, I am featuring working vehicles.

For example, this 1931 Huckster Truck hauls the produce and produced a $56,100 US check for its previous owner. I submit for your approval, a gallery of working vehicles offered for sale in the January 2015 Barrett-Jackson sale. Click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

This week, we are challenged to think of that which is lost, but not forgotten. From the challenge post, “It could be a photo of a faithful canine friend who’s chasing squirrels in a better place, a spot in your city, town, or village that reminds you of a relationship now over…” You can view the entire challenge post here. In the lead photo above, this example is a 1934 Duesenberg, built in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The company was founded by the Duesenberg brothers in 1913 who closed up shop in 1922. The Duesenberg name was sold to the Cord Automobile Company and production of the luxury cars ceased in 1937, a victim of the great depression.

This example De Soto suffered a few sprinkles of rain during its exhibitition. A Chrysler product, its first model was produced for the 1929 model year. Production of the line ceased in 1961.

This week, I have several different directions that I could take in focusing my images on this challenge. I may even post a second gallery featuring one of the other image sets that come to mind. However, I am looking forward to my annual trek to Arizona in early January, a little later than usual. I hope to get back to the warm country sometime during the week of January 10-18, 2015. That week features one of my favorite Arizona treats, the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction.

This Pontiac Star Chief interior demonstrates the affection lavished upon a mid-20^th century vehicle restoration. Pontiac began as a buggy manufacturer in 1893, eventually moving to motorized buggies, and then the fledgling manufacturer was purchased by General Motors. The last Pontiac to roll off the assembly line was a 2010 model manufactured in late 2009.

In anticipation of that mega-collection of classic automobiles, I have selected to feature a gallery of vehicles that are gone but not forgotten in the eyes of the automobile enthusiast. None of these vehicles are in current production, some going out of production as late as the first decade of the 21^st century. I submit for your approval a gallery of classic cars that can no longer be found in a new car showroom. Click on one of the images to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

The Jaguar hood ornament is reflected in the beautiful finish of this classic car.

This week we are challenged to reflect where we’ve been in life, where we are now, and where we are going. To view the specifics of this week’s challenge, click here. My wife, Lynn, and I are beginning our third year of retirement. It’s been a busy two years proving the old retiree’s adage that proclaims “I don’t know how I had enough time in the day to go to work.”

My first thought was to sequence through my series of photos taken in the last couple of years of retirement looking for reflections and telling the story of the events depicted. Then I realized that would be a pretty large gallery. When it comes to the photo challenge, I always follow the KISS principle. I try to keep my challenge entries to two or three images. Of course, for this challenge there doesn’t need to be a physical reflection in the images chosen, after all, the challenge is as much a reflection on life events as it is on reflective light.

This chromium beauty not only reflects the drive belt and pulley on the front cowl assembly, it reflects the faces of its admirers in the engine air intakes.

In any case, I decided to find a couple of examples of reflections to reflect upon. One of the more enjoyable pastimes I’ve discovered since retiring is the Barrett-Jackson auction. I submit for your visual entertainment, a couple of reflections on vehicles I photographed at this year’s exhibition.

John Steiner

Since retiring, I have been spending my winters in the Phoenix area. My first winter in Arizona, honoring an invitation from friends, I found myself browsing through the hundreds of cars at the Phoenix Barrett-Jackson Auction. Since then, I haven’t missed attending the auction. I don’t have the inclination or resources to purchase any of the classic beauties I see there, but it only costs a senior $20 for a single mid-week day to wander through the building and tents and daydream. The usual choice of days for me is Wednesday as I have a collection of friends that also attend.

For their 43rd year, Barrett-Jackson featured an enlarged venue that encouraged a record crowd with over 300,000 attendees over the week-long automobile extravaganza. Nearly 1400 cars were sold generating over $113 million USD in gross sales. The top-selling car was a 1967 Corvette L88, a rare model that brought in a record $3.85 million USD. Several cars were donated and sold, the proceeds benefiting several charities. Over $4 million USD was raised for multiple local and national charitable organizations.

Anytime there is a large gathering, you can expect to find people selling all manner of wares. Please check out my gallery of some of the other items you can purchase at the auction. Click on any of the thumbnails below to view and browse the images in full size.

Many other items are also available; everything from antique gas pumps to iconic signage is available for the right price. How about a restored jukebox, slot machine or a pinball machine… those also can be purchased outright.

I didn’t come to Barrett-Jackson to look at automobilia. I came to look at automobiles. Please sample the gallery of beautiful classic vehicles. For those true classic car buffs, please be careful not to drool on your screen.

For the last featured gallery of this post, please review my collection of badges and hood ornament photos.

If you can’t wait until next January’s auction in Scottsdale, check out their schedule and pick an auction site near you; Palm Beach, FL; Reno, NV; Las Vegas, NV.

Finally, no gathering of automobiles would be complete without at least a few of these special models.

John Steiner

Paradise Valley on Dwellable

“Gee, our old LaSalle ran great… Those were the days”
Archie and Edith Bunker on All in the Family opening theme.
This photo features a 1932 LaSalle.

Scottsdale, AZ

This afternoon, I spent some time driving around Fargo and West Fargo looking for a suitable subject for this week’s photo challenge. I saw several possibilities, but nothing that struck me enough to stop the car and take out the camera. As I headed toward the Red River Valley fairgrounds, I happened to meet a classic car headed in the opposite direction, the top open and the old gentleman inside thoroughly enjoying the late summer. With the temperature in the mid-60’s F. (around 18 deg. C.), I suspect today might be the last day this season that his classic car would be out on the highway.

At first I wasn’t paying much attention, but the sun reflected off the brass radiator frame and I saw the pattern and brand logo on the radiator. Aha, my moment of inspiration was at hand! Since retiring, I attend many car shows and I have a large collection of images taken at the different venues. I would have plenty of examples to choose from…

Since the earliest days of the automobile to about the mid-1930s, the automobile radiator was highlighted in brass or chrome and adorned with badges and designer markings. Using Lightroom’s cataloging function; I sorted through hundreds of photos that I’d taken in 2012 and 2013 at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. It didn’t take me long to find several examples of beautiful grillwork on some very expensive classic cars.

Herewith I submit for your viewing pleasure, a gallery of grills, a collection of cooling systems, a horde of hood ornaments… ok, I’ll stop now, and proceed with the pictures.

John Steiner

1933 Pierce-Arrow

1929 Iscotta Fraschini

1929 Duesenberg

1930 Iscotta Fraschini

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