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Automotive Lifestyle
AUTOS: VW Microbus Scores Big In OC
The improbable highest sale of the Barrett-Jackson auction is for an immaculately restored Volkswagen bus; Ferrari Daytona fails to make reserve.
Bob Golfen  |  Posted June 26, 2011   Costa Mesa, CA
A 1963 Volkswagen 23-window microbus was the top-selling collector car at the 2011 Orange County auction, hitting a record $217,500, with bidder fee. (Photo: Bob Golfen)
There are always plenty of surprises at a Barrett-Jackson auction, and when you team one up with the vagaries of Southern California, you have a volatile mix of possible weirdness.

Case in point: the highest-selling vehicle so far at the Orange County auction, and possibly the entire three-day event, is none other than a Volkswagen microbus. Oh, it’s a plenty-nice microbus, a highly coveted 23-window Samba with full-length sunroof restored to much-better-then-new condition. And microbus prices have been strong as of late.

The custom 2011 Mustang GT500 built by West Coast Customs especially for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation reached $105,000 in Saturday's top charity sale. (Photo: Bob Golfen)
But who could have guessed that the highest price at Barrett-Jackson, renowned for its sales of muscle cars, sports cars and street rods, would be for a VW bus.

It happened late Saturday, after the most-valued car at the auction, a 1973 Ferrari Daytona, was bid to $325,000 but failed to meet its reserve in one of the few reserve sales of the auction. A 1965 21-window VW bus had sold earlier for $82,500, with bidder fee, which was considered to be a solid home run.

But the 1963 23-window Samba shot straight to the moon, thrilling the crowd in the packed auction tent with an astounding sale of $198,000, which comes to $217,800 with bidder fee. This is unexplored territory for a VW bus of any ilk, and by far the most ever paid for one at auction.

This is certainly one for the record books, and a fun sale at that. The second-annual Orange County auction had a bunch of Volkswagen beetles and VW derivatives on its docket, more than any Barrett-Jackson auction in recent memory, so maybe that has something to do with it.

A 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger from the Dave's Garage Collection was bid up to $196,000, plus 10 percent bidder fee, the second-highest sale of the auction. (Photo: Barrett-Jackson)
Next highest sale so far was for a more-expected collector car, a 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger coupe that went for $215,600 including fee. After that, a terrific 1966 Shelby GT350 H that sold for $181,500, with fee.

Some other top sales of note (including bidder fees):

• 1957 Cadillac convertible, $172,700.
• 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III James Young sedan, $159,500.
• 2005 Ford GT, $165,000.
• 1970 Chevelle SS LS5 convertible, $137,500.
• 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner hardtop, $121,000.
• Custom 1955 Chevy Nomad, $121,000.
• 1968 Shelby GT350 convertible, 121,000.
• 1937 Ford street rod, $110,000.
• 1961 Impala coupe, $110,000.
• 1957 Chevrolet convertible, $106,700.
• 1958 Corvette 283/270 four- speed, $99,000.

Top charity sales on Saturday went to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation’s 2011 Mustang GT500 customized by West Coast Customs, $105,000, and the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Honor & Valor Limited Edition, benefitting Cell Phones for Soldiers, $100,000.

Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
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