AUBURN, IN.- With the summer auction season in full swing, preparations are underway for Auctions America's flagship Auburn Fall Collector Car Weekend, returning September 2-6 to Indiana’s historic Auburn Auction Park. A Labor Day weekend tradition spanning 45 consecutive years, Auburn Fall is one of the country’s premier celebrations of the hobby, each year bringing thousands to the Classic Car Capital of America. The 2014 event drew a record 81,500 enthusiasts to the historic Auburn Auction Park, with total sales exceeding $25.9 million. This year’s event is shaping up as another fantastic hobby weekend, with approximately 1000 classics, muscle cars, hot rods, exotics and select memorabilia set to cross the auction block.

“Auburn Fall is a staple on the automotive calendar; it’s the longest running event in collector car auction history, and a tradition that both our team and collectors eagerly await each year,” says Megan Boyd, Car Specialist, Auctions America. “We look forward to welcoming enthusiasts of all ages back to the Auburn Auction Park, Labor Day weekend, as we celebrate the event’s 45th anniversary – an occasion we’ll mark with our most diverse auction offering to date, complemented by an exciting range of other automotive-themed activities for the whole family.”

Early entries for the sale are headlined by a diverse assortment of automobiles and memorabilia from the private collection of well-known hobbyist Steve Ramsey. A lifelong enthusiast and true “car guy”, Steve got an early start in the industry, and over the past 40 years has bought and sold thousands of vehicles. As part of an effort to downsize his collection, he will part with more than 175 lots of memorabilia, offered entirely without reserve, along with 40 vehicles, the majority of which will sell to the highest bidder. The collection is comprised of a selection of low mileage, hard-to-find cars, many with interesting histories. Among highlights are a four-option 2005 Ford GT, purchased new by Steve, and showing just over 2800 miles; a well-sorted, concours-quality, Jerry MacNeish certified 1966 Chevrolet L79 Nova, one of five L79 Novas being offered from his collection; and, one of the most powerful muscle cars ever produced, an as-new, 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, striking in black over black, and showing just two miles on its odometer.

Additional highlights include:
· an all-original 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/400 Coupe, well-documented with just 18,000 original miles;
· a 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 409 Bubbletop, benefitting from a concours quality, nut-and-bolt restoration; and,
· an all-original 1979 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible with only 177 miles from new.

“I’m never going to stop being a collector, I simply want to take it back to being a hobby” says Ramsey on the decision to pare down his collection. “Over the years, I’ve dealt with just about every auction house in the industry and have found that, from start to finish, Auctions America is by far the most professional operation; their client service orientation, coupled with their expert specialist team and extensive marketing outreach, sets them apart. When it came time to decide who to entrust with the sale of this collection, it was no question that I felt most comfortable with Auctions America.”

Another notable private entry secured for the Auctions America sale is an immaculately restored 1929 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Coupe, engine no. J-147. Perfectly matched to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg (ACD) Festival weekend, J-147 boasts a fascinating and well-documented ownership from new. Originally delivered to H. Leslie Atlass, a CBS executive in Chicago in 1929, it was later acquired by Phillip K. Wrigley, son of William Wrigley Junior, who founded both the family's chewing gum empire and the Wrigley Building. The Model J has since been enjoyed by numerous other enthusiasts, before it was purchased by the vendor in January 2007. Benefitting from a concours-quality restoration by Al Prueitt & Sons, the Silver exterior is adorned with twin side-mounted spare wheels, running lights and a rear mounted luggage rack. It is ACD Club Certified Category One and was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2009 (Est. $1,500,000 – $1,750,000).

In addition to five days of fast-paced auction excitement, the Auburn Fall Collector Car Weekend will provide fun for the whole family, including a car corral, swap meet, unique vendors and thrill-seeking automotive-themed activities.