I arrived after the bidding already had begun Friday at Leake Auction Company’s Dallas sale, though I arrived in time for the highlight of the day — the sale of Gas Monkey-fame Richard Rawlings’ 1929 Packard, fresh from its appearance just a few months ago at Pebble Beach.
I also arrived in time to wander through the collection of cars that will be crossing the block Saturday. Actually, make that crossing the blocks because Tulsa-based Leake employs two bidding turntables at its sales so the sale finishes each day by dinner time (or in the case of today’s sale, in time for the 7 p.m. kickoff of the Oklahoma vs. TCU football game; both teams are 9-1 and bidding to make the final four in the college football playoffs).
The sale is being held in Market Hall, where on Friday, the Saturday cars were parked in the same huge room where the bidding was taking place. Friday cars were in a side room and Sunday cars were still out in the adjacent parking garage.
When Classic Car News staffers attend auctions, we do these features in which we select the cars we’d most like to take home for our very own. Our selections probably say more about our personal tastes than they do about the mix of cars on the docket. But then isn’t that what the classic car hobby is all about, seeking the vehicles which strike the strongest chord within us?
 | 1960 International Travelall What a great vehicle for hauling the grandkids to the beach? Three rows of seats and plenty of room for beach balls, chairs and other stuff (maybe even for the grandchildren's parents). |
 | 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Though I didn't really appreciate the styling of the 'Ferrari for Everyman (or Everywoman)'coupe back in the day, these second-generation Camaros have grown on me. And I'm not alone based on the prices they've been commanding recently. |
 | 1960 Fiat 600 Multipla taxi Another great vehicle for an outing with the grandchildren. Six seats and easy to park. |
 | 1953 Packard Caribbean convertible One of 750 built and originally delivered to the Peruvian embassy for parades and special events. Passengers over the years included JFK, Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe and the Queen of England! |
 | 1963 Daimler SP250 British-built roadster (in the final year before Daimler was sold to Jaguar) and with a 2.5-liter Hemi V8. |
 | 1941 Buick 40 Sedanette I love GM's fastbacks of the '40s and early '50s. This one has a Fireball 8-cylinder engine and looks so cool in sinister black paint |
 | 1947 Chrysler Town and Country sedan Woodie not-a-wagon with Spitfire straight-6 engine and Highlander cloth seats with burgundy leather trim. |
 | 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop I've become a sucker for cars with fender skirts, and this not only has them, but a Continental kit as well. I think I'm in love. |
 | 1953 Pontiac Chieftain station wagon This woodie doesn't have its original engine and I'm no fan of displaying cars with surfboards, but you don't need a beach to be cool in such a ride |
 | 1987 Porsche 944 When I was a new editor at AutoWeek magazine in the late 1980s, a 944 was mine for the Christmas holiday week and proved so well balanced that it dealt with snow-covered roads just as calmly (or perhaps I should say by providing just as much fun) as it did on fast dry curves. |
