Dubbed "The World's Greatest Classic Car Auction," Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction is the place to see and be seen when it rolls into Scottsdale, Arizona every January. This world-class event, however, had humble beginnings with a chance meeting between two men - Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett - in Scottsdale in 1960. Barrett was selling his 1933 Cadillac V-16 Town Car and Jackson showed interest in the car. Although a deal was never struck between them for the Cadillac, a lifelong friendship took root and was the start of the Barrett-Jackson legacy.
The first Barrett-Jackson car show took place in 1967 and was a fundraising event for local charities, including the Scottsdale Public Library. In 1971, the pair put together the first classic car auction with cars from their own personal collections. With the sale of Barrett's Mercedes 770 Phaeton for $153,000, the auction garnered amazing press and also the attention of collectors worldwide. Sales volume for the inaugural event reached $600,000 and they hosted 3,000 attendees over two days in Scottsdale.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s the car auction continued to grow, with record-breaking prices and attendance at the auction in Scottsdale. In 1980, the Scottsdale event was expanded from a two-day event to four days. In 1987 Barrett-Jackson achieved a new record with the first sale of a vehicle for $1 million. The auction was relocated to its current home at WestWorld in 1989 and attendance reached an unprecedented high of 50,000 that year. Barrett-Jackson enjoyed continued success in the 1990s although there were many changes with the loss of Russ Jackson in 1993, his son Brian Jackson in 1995 and the retirement of Tom Barrett in 1997. Craig Jackson then took over the reins and has kept the car auction's momentum up with an aggressive plan for growth and expansion.
Plan your next trip to attend our event, January 13-21, 2007, at WestWorld in Scottsdale, or whenever you are in town, visit our automotive sales showroom on Scottsdale Road. For up-to-date information, visit our website at www.barrett-jackson.com.
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History of Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction
Recap of 2004 Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona
Barrett-Jackson Press Releases
Location: WestWorld
Phone: 480-421-6694
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