Owls Head Transportation Museum’s 36th annual auto auction Saturday

The 36th Annual New England Auto Auction is quickly approaching, and excitement abounds at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. The Auto Auction is the Museum’s premiere annual fundraising event as well as a highly anticipated event in the New England automotive community and beyond.

Bidders and spectators from around the world are expected to attend “one of the great summer events in New England” on Aug. 17. Bidding starts at 9:30 a.m. A preview week will take place Aug. 12 -16, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Bidder preview and registration will begin at 7 a.m. on the day of the auction and will extend through the end of the sale.

When featured in The Wall Street Journal, the auction was heralded as “the real thing,” a worthy alternative to Pebble Beach’s Automotive Week. The sale represents one of the finest and most diverse collections of automobiles available in the Northeast. Automobile enthusiasts will not want to miss the opportunity to bid on or view the high-drama sale of nearly 200 fine quality automobiles and motorcycles.

With many exciting changes at the Owls Head Transportation Museum during the 2013 season, the 36th Annual New England Auto Auction is certain to be one of the most remarkable auctions to date.

“Shifting gears from first to second is always an exciting part of a vehicle’s transition through the process of forward movement. Maxing out the revs through launch to a sustained speed, a shift to second gear provides the ability to build upon the efforts the first gear had provided, launching the vehicle toward its mission at a greater speed and smoother velocity. In this case, first gear is our Director Emeritus Charles Chiarchiaro, providing the tremendous effort put forth of 36 years in the driver’s seat, providing the direction and action needed to bring the Museum to where it stands today. The shift to second gear is representative of my position now as your executive director," wrote Owls Head Transportation Museum Executive Director Russ Rocknak in the Spring/ Summer edition of the museum’s membership publication, Strut & Axle. "It is a very exciting time here at the museum as we are experiencing a transitional year with new blood, with vibrant ideas and goals. Think of The Wizard of Oz when the set goes from black and white to living color.”

The auction will also be positively affected by this wave of transition, he said.

Cars up for auction in the 2013 sale include a stunning 1960 Jaguar XK150 Drophead Coupe, a 1930 Ford A Roadster Pickup, a 1934 Timmis/Ford v8 Roadster, a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria, a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible, a 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Cobra Jet, a 1973 Triumph Hurricane motorcycle and many, many more.

The Owls Head Transportation Museum is still accepting last-minute consignments on fine quality vehicles to be sold at the 36th Annual New England Auto Auction. For further information, please contact Auction Coordinator Toby Stinson at 207- 594-4418.

For further information about any of the cars in the sale, visit owlshead.org.