On December 6, nearly 30 rare, antique trucks will be sold at auction.
The antique trucks are from the lifetime collection of the late Daniel A. Smith. Smith collected rare models such as Corbitt, Mack, Autocar and Oren.
In addition to the trucks, ornaments, truck parts and collectibles from rare, antique trucks will also be auctioned off. The accessories and collectibles will be auctioned off first, and then the trucks will be auctioned.
The auction will be held at 2800 Oakland Avenue in Greensboro, North Carolina. The auction begins at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The auction will be conducted by Smithey’s Funwood Auction, however, if you would like to bid on this rare collection of trucks, online bidding is available via Invaluable.com, for those who are unable to attend. Phone-in and absentee bids will also be accepted.
Smith died at the age of 80. He owned and operated Donald A. Smith Trucking Company. His sons have taken over the reins and are operating the business now.
Smith’s truck collection is legendary.
Ken Smithey of Smithey’s Funwood Auction said, “Donald Smith had a special place in his heart for Corbitt trucks and there will be around a dozen for people to bid on, including two rare and highly collectible Tall Boys. Also sold will be two 1950s Oren fire trucks, a Mack truck from the 1920s and more.”
Smith began his collection over 50 years ago. He and his wife, Ann, worked to restore the trucks as a hobby.
The Smith’s collection includes trucks by major manufacturers of the 19040s to the 1970s; however, Smith had a soft spot for Corbitt trucks. Corbitt trucks were manufactured in Henderson, North Carolina from 1897 to 1955. Smith was the largest single-owner of a vintage Corbitt truck collection.
“The Tall Boys are the rarest and most unusual of all the Corbitt trucks, and the two in the auction are bound to attract keen bidder interest. Only nine were produced, having been designed by Guy M. Turner specially for Corbitt. One is a 1951 Corbitt 600 Series Tall Boy (with a cut-down cab) powered by a Cummins engine with a Mack transmission, a direct accelerator, and an air clutch. The other Tall Boy is of the original height and has an 8-cylinder Gardner diesel engine from England. Each cylinder has its own cut-off valve, so the driver can shut off one or more cylinders in order to save fuel – a unique and innovative feature for its time. Other Corbitts in the sale will include two from 1949 (a Model T-22 and a Model 825), one from 1945 and some from the ‘50s,” Smithey’s Funwood Auction states.
The auction is being held in two phases. The fist phase of the auction has occurred on November 22, and many of the trucks sold at very reasonable prices. According to Smithey’s Funwood auctions, “The top lot of the Part 1 sale held Nov. 22 was a tan and brown 1975 International pick-up truck, with one owner and just 55.5 miles on the odometer. Even the original plastic was still on the seats. Estimated to bring a modest $8,000-$10,000, the truck ended up selling for $22,800 (with a 10 percent buyer’s premium). The buyer was reportedly an auto museum in North Carolina.”
During the first phase of the auction, a Scout Terra with a removable cab top and camper shell sold for $4,400 and a non-Terra Scout sold for $3,850.
A 1960 Cadillac de Ville with 61,000 miles sold for $6,600 while a “1967 Ford Galaxy 500, powder blue (a recent paint job), with a 390 c.i. engine, 4-speed transmission, 41,000 miles and factory hub caps” sold for $8,800.
The 1960 Cadillac, a black Sedan de Ville with 61,000 miles on the odometer, electric windows and original fabric in the interior, sold for a respectable $6,600, despite being in only average condition, in need of restoration. Also, the 1967 Ford Galaxy 500, powder blue (a recent paint job), with a 390 c.i. engine, 4-speed transmission, 41,000 miles and factory hub caps, hit $8,800.
“As great as Part 1 was, we’re looking to do even better in the Part 2 auction,” said Smithey. “Donald Smith had a special place in his heart for Corbitt trucks and there will be around a dozen for people to bid on, including two rare and highly collectible Tall Boys. Also sold will be two 1950s Oren fire trucks, a Mack truck from the 1920s and more.”
Two Mack trucks will be auctioned off. One is a shortened AB truck that was made in the 1920s. The truck features a “jug-head” engine. The other Mack truck is a Model B-67. It was made in 1963.
In addition, two Oren fire trucks will be up for auction. The trucks are from the late ’50s and early ’60s. Both feature firefighting equipment from that era.
The auction will also feature 10 Autocar trucks that were made in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Three of the trucks have been restored.
To learn more about Smithey’s Funwood Auction and the Dec. 6 Part 2 sale of the Donald A. Smith estate, please visit www.FunwoodAuction.com.
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Source and Image Credit: Smithey’s Funwood Auction