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 Kruse International sets aside no fewer than six days in which to auction thousands of great and not-so-great cars and trucks just south of Auburn, Ind.
Crowds of visitors seemed larger than ever this Labor Day weekend, their cars occupying field after field across from the Kruse auction buildings and tents. A team of law enforcement officers directed lines of slow-moving traffic as families sought to park within reasonable walking distance of the hot and dusty auction area. Inside the gates, sellers appeared in many instances to be holding out for top dollar. An amusing exception: the 1962 Citroen Deux Chevaux with a sign in its window reading "$150,000 O.B.O." The best offer, and the winning bid, was $8,600. A fabulous silver-rose-colored 1940 Plymouth convertible coaxed a final bid of $29,500 - not enough to satisfy the seller. A bright-blue 1927 Whippet was worth $6,000 to some bidder but its owner thought that not enough to complete a sale. Who would ever have thought that a 1966 Plymouth station wagon would change hands for a generous $14,700? It did. And a bulbous gold 1939 Hudson Big Boy pickup sold for $31,000. A couple of late-model Bentleys had final but not accepted bids in the six figures. A beautiful 1941 Cadillac Series 62 convertible sold for $86,000 and a shiny, two-tone 1950 Packard 23rd Series Custom (with extra trim in its trunk) went for $8,500. An unusual 1960 Fiat Bianchina belonging to Al Lieberman of Frankfort, Mich., was pushed by hand into the auction area by a family member who described the tiny red car as "barn fresh." Passersby on electric golf carts declined to help move it, citing liability as their excuses. "Praise the Lord, it's Sunday," shouted one of the auctioneers as he closed a sale for $28,000 on Sunday, September 2.
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