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“
Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane,
ain’t got time to take a fast train…
”
–The Box Tops, 1967. My wife, Susan,
is a wunderbar goddess when it comes
to bank card rewards points, which
means we get to fly round-trip be-
tween Sacramento and Phoenix for my
favorite word –
free
! Not only that, but
my cousin, Larry, a “rainbird” who has
his family homebase on an island near
Seattle also escapes the northwest
winters to a home near Scottsdale.
This means I get to stay in town for
the full Scottsdale Auction Week for
my second favorite word –
free
! Truth
be known, “free” is my favorite word,
period, end – no matter what the occa-
sion.
Oh, did I forget to mention, I also
got into what is arguably the most
prestigious auction house and had din-
ner in one of Scottsdale’s fanciest
restaurants for – you guessed it –
free
!
All because I’m the editor of the Nor
Cal Shelby Newsletter, which I pro-
duce each month – for
free
. I love this
job!
Wednesday, January 27th
– RM/Sotheby’s
“
Sweet home, Arizona, where the
skies are so blue…
” my apologies to
Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1974. I’m hummin’
this little ditty because it’s approxi-
mately 70 sunny degrees as I’m
strolling ever so slowly down a long
line of classic, exotic, and muscle cars
strung around the grounds of the Ari-
zona Biltmore Resort & Spa. Mind
you, I could have been indulging my
manly self by having a specialty mas-
sage, facial, stone therapy, manicure,
and pedicure, but noooo, I instead de-
cide to tough it out by simply staring,
slack jawed, at a beautimously boda-
cious 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spe-
cial Roadster by Sindelfingen
(Fahrvergnugen’s cousin).
Frankly, the car’s combination of
power, light weight and sheer beauty
made me think it had already received
its version of the full spa treatment by
having all shiny, sinuous fluids re-
freshed, exterior lacquer gently mas-
saged with carnuba wax and interior
leather given an oil of mink treatment.
No matter the temperature, I was get-
tin’ hot just thinkin’ about the Ger-
manic exotic!
I tend to overhear what people
around me say, to the point of moving
away because of the “too much infor-
mation” theory, especially when it em-
anates from complete strangers. I
mean, there is some personal shtuff
that’s just too… well, you know.
But this particular time I could
hear a normal voice conversation be-
tween a fortyish couple, talking about
how they buy middle 1970’s two door
hatchback VW Rabbits and two door
coupe VW Scirocco’s, fix’em up, then
flip’em for a tidy little profit. They
seemed very knowledgeable about the
buyer and seller market for Rabbits
and Sciroccos, and were supposedly re-
alizing a hefty 30%-50% profit on each
car. What struck with me was that
they were having this collectible Volk-
swagen discussion while gazing, star-
struck, at the Mercedes 540 K (which
sold later in the week for $9.9M). So,
me being me, I couldn’t help getting
involved in their conversation.
As they explained to me in great
detail about this little sideline money-
maker of theirs, I noticed they both
had that glint in the eye, broad smile,
sixteen year-old high schooler attitude
The SHELBY AMERICAN
Spring 2016 44
Our intrepid reporter finds himself wandering around Scottsdale
during Auction Week
with glazed eyes and a dry mouth.
– Bill Fulk
The bright red 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster was the most expensive car
ever sold during Arizona Auction Week, fetching $9.9M.