Hundreds of bidders were getting good deals on Monday, at an auction of surplus state vehicles in Grantville, but this one was different than those that came before.
Would-be buyers usually come to the auction to take ownership of a retired work horse from PennDOT or maybe a State Police cruiser that was put out to pasture.
The spotlight was on the classics. They ranged from a 1918 Buick to a 1940's Packard Whizzer to a 1970 Triumph Spitfire. There were also 30 motorcycles. How did these become state surplus? It was part of an eminent domain proceeding.
The Fish and Boat Commission deciding one boats days patrolling the state’s waterways are over. Classic cars, old motorcycles, even old PennDOT trucks are on the auction block.
Derek Yingst and his father operate Yingst Automotive in Palmyra, he says he's here for two reasons. “I’m a car dealer. There’s a couple I’m looking for my personal collection and my father’s personal collection. A couple I want to see if I can buy and resale.”
Within the first hour, he bid $6,500 and got the Spitfire for his dad who collects British manufactured cars like Triumphs, Jaguars and Lotus.
Yingst spent $2,400 for an AMC Hornet he plans to fix up and resale. "There was a couple of good buys, but stuff has been going pretty high. Some nice cars here. More than I’d like to pay on some of them.” But he wasn’t ready to leave having acquired only two cars. He spoke with his father in Florida by phone and commiserated with friends and employees about bidding on other vehicles before returning to the auction hall.
Weekly auctions are only open to vehicle dealers, Yingst says it’s usually him and maybe 20 other bidders. He said it was definitely different with a thousand bidders and spectators.
Would-be buyers usually come to the auction to take ownership of a retired work horse from PennDOT or maybe a State Police cruiser that was put out to pasture.
The spotlight was on the classics. They ranged from a 1918 Buick to a 1940's Packard Whizzer to a 1970 Triumph Spitfire. There were also 30 motorcycles. How did these become state surplus? It was part of an eminent domain proceeding.
The Fish and Boat Commission deciding one boats days patrolling the state’s waterways are over. Classic cars, old motorcycles, even old PennDOT trucks are on the auction block.
Derek Yingst and his father operate Yingst Automotive in Palmyra, he says he's here for two reasons. “I’m a car dealer. There’s a couple I’m looking for my personal collection and my father’s personal collection. A couple I want to see if I can buy and resale.”
Within the first hour, he bid $6,500 and got the Spitfire for his dad who collects British manufactured cars like Triumphs, Jaguars and Lotus.
Yingst spent $2,400 for an AMC Hornet he plans to fix up and resale. "There was a couple of good buys, but stuff has been going pretty high. Some nice cars here. More than I’d like to pay on some of them.” But he wasn’t ready to leave having acquired only two cars. He spoke with his father in Florida by phone and commiserated with friends and employees about bidding on other vehicles before returning to the auction hall.
Weekly auctions are only open to vehicle dealers, Yingst says it’s usually him and maybe 20 other bidders. He said it was definitely different with a thousand bidders and spectators.