The Wednesday before the Pebble Beach weekend was all about the auction previews. My clients usually contact me several days before the Monterey Car Auctions asking my opinion on certain cars they see up for preview at the various auctions. Sometimes they want to meet at the auctions to look over the car with me, or they ask me to put an eyeball on a car that they might be interested in bidding on remotely. A personal look by me might catch something that otherwise might be missed from the catalog photos. Inspecting a car thoroughly at an auction preview is not ideal, but it’s better than buying something sight unseen.

The big talk was what the supercars were going to sell this weekend. I was especially interested in what the Ferrari F40 was going to sell for because a client of mine just bought one about four months ago. I advised him in the sale, and at the time paid the most I had ever considered paying up for an F40, but after the inspection and discussion with the customer, we decided it was worth buying. Seeing comparable F40s selling at auction would either validate or question my ability to steer my client in the right direction!

The RM Sotheby’s Auction held in the Portolo Plaza in Downtown Monterey is one of the top three auctions during the Monterey weekend, and it often has some very special cars. This prototype Daytona with a earlier Pininfarina designed nose was up for sale. I’m kind of glad they eventually went with the Daytona nose we are all know and love, as I don’t think the melding of 60s shapes with the angularity of the 70s that Pininfarina designed works as well as it did with the DIno.

Oscar Davis’ collection was up for auction and it comes with a bittersweet memory of meeting Mr. Davis and seeing his collection over a decade ago in NJ. The first visit was in 2011 and the second visit was a year later. The visit in 2011 had the nose of this 8C Spyder poking into one of the pictures!

RM Sotheby’s not only filled the inner lobby, the convention center, but also spilled out into the back courtyard of the plaza!

From Monterey, I dashed out to the Monterey Airport to check out Broad Arrow Auctions. The principles of Broad Arrow splintered off from RM Sotheby’s to form their own auction house. The divorce from Rob Myers does not seem amicable, but the split has formed Broad Arrow, and they have joined forces with Hagerty Inc, the Automotive Insurance and Lifestyles Company that has been growing and acquiring all things automotive in the past few years. McKeel Hagerty doesn’t seem to do anything without a splash lately, and this year they really have gone big with an Spac, IPO, and big presence in Monterey.

Last year they purchase the McCall’s Jet Center Party at the Monterey Airport, and this was the first year they combined the Auction with the Jet Party. The preview was open to the public and it was a fantastic event. I feel as exclusive and as expensive it is getting to attend some of these Monterey events, it’s still important to have some events open to the public so they too can appreciate the cars. Thanks McKeel for keeping that in perspective.

I had two Dinos I had to put eyes on at Broad Arrow, and luckily I saw Ramsey Potts (or should I say I heard him first!) to get me behind a cordoned off area that they were preparing for the big Motolux event later that evening.

Dinos seem to be on the move in price and it has never been a wonder. These are great cars and about the prettiest things on four wheels.

I took a close look at the F40 Broad Arrow had up for auction. I made mental notes comparing it to the one my client bought. Ours was just as nice, and now all I had to do was to wait for the auction result in one day to see if I was right about buying ours!

From Broad Arrow, I headed over to Carmel to catch the Bonhams Preview.

There were a bunch of Porsches, but then again a lot of people want them!

I found this Ferrari sitting among the shiny cars. It was a SII 330GT 2+2.

It looked like a pretty complete car, but would definitely need a full restoration.

It obviously would need a new exhaust system as this side exit aftermarket flex hose will not do on a Ferrari!

I stopped by my room and threw on a sport coat to attend the Motorlux event back at the Jet Center at Monterey Airport. This was the location I was at earlier for the Broad Arrow Auction, but they had shifted gears for the party in the evening.

I never went to the McCall’s Jet Party in the past, but I’ve been told there was definitely a changing of the guard with the new Hagerty ownership. The old friends of McCall’s seemed to be drifting away while the new enthusiasts were on their way in.

The setting at the airport made it exciting and fun, and there was plenty of room for cars and people to wander about.

It’s definitely a party and it looks like Hagerty knows how to throw one. There was lots of food and drink available, and I feel this will become the next go-to event after the Quail Event in Monterey!