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Mecum Indy Fall Special car auction returns for 2nd year

Mecum returns to Indy Fall Special

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indy Fall Special — a Mecum-run car auction — returns for its second year to the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

This is Mecum’s second show of the year in Indianapolis. Organizers say during the three-day show about 1,000 cars will cross the auction block.

It’s much smaller than its popular Spring Classic in May, which runs for nine days and has about 3,000 cars.

This is only the second year Mecum is putting on the fall special in Indy. Mecum used to make a stop in Schaumburg, Illinois, for this slot on the schedule.

Spokesperson David Morton says they outgrew the venue in the Chicago suburb and decided to schedule a second stop in Indianapolis last year.

He adds the second show complements the work they do in the spring and most people who buy tickets are mostly just spectators who don’t plan to bid on anything.

“Tire kickers is what we call them and (they come) just to see the spectacle of what’s available,” Morton said. “They like to see all the selection of cars, bring their families and friends, or the guys just hang out and talk cars.”

One notable vehicle up for sale includes the 1991 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor used in “Blue’s Brothers 2000.” According to Mecum, the car was sold by actor Dan Akroyd to the owners of the Slippery Noodle in downtown Indianapolis.

The 1991 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor used in “Blue’s Brothers 2000,” is up for sale at Mecum’s Fall Special. The prop is now being sold by a movie car collector. (WISH Photo/Hernan Gutierrez)

Another is the race-used number 14 IndyCar. It was driven by Billy Boat and was the pole car in the 1998 Indy 500. Retired driver A. J. Foyt signed the nose. The racecar was donated by Foyt’s racing team and the sale will benefit Homes for Our Troops.

That’s just a taste of what’s for sale at the Indy Fall Special. This year’s inventory includes everything from American muscle cars to exotics to classic cars.

“It’s a broad spectrum of 100-plus years of automotive history,” Morton said. “This year we have a lot of vintage trucks and it’s sort of a night niche in the fall.”

The show also includes hundreds of pieces of road art, which will be sold before the car auctions start each day at 10 a.m.

Bidding starts at $100 for each car. People can bid in-person, over the phone or online.

Tickets to the Indy Fall Special start at $30 and can be bought online or at the door. The show opens at 8 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.