FARMVILLE — On Saturday, 18 people anxiously competed in a bidding war on a 1933 Essex Terraplane 8 made by Hudson Motor Car Company. A Prince Edward County woman was the eventual winner, with a bid of $49,000.
There were 13 online bidders using proxibid.com and five on-site bidders hoping to add the car to their collection. Online bidders were tuning in from Virginia to California, and there was even an on-site bidder who traveled from New Zealand to see the car. With a convertible top and radio, the car was one that many had never seen before.
“When you look at the ‘33 Terraplane 8, like sold last weekend, it is important to realize there were several models. Just like today, with different levels of trim. There are at least 20 of these 1933 cars registered in the Hudson Club, and several others outside the club,” said National Hudson Motor Car Company Museum Director Ed Souers. “This car you are talking about, though, was pretty fully loaded up with options, so that would make it more rare of those that survive.”
Bidders and spectators gathered in a large garage at the W.H. Jennings Auto Collection Auction to view the special car and begin bidding. Jimmy Carwile, with Carwile Auctions, opened up the bidding and the crowd buzzed with excitement.
The bids kept coming in and the onliners could hardly get their bids in before an on-site bidder trumped the offer.
“With proxibid, there is a six-second delay on the computer, another when they hit the button to send their bid and another when it gets to us. Therefore, there was almost half a minute before we heard their offers and the people that were on-site just kept bidding higher than them,” said Carwile.
As the bidding rose to $29,000, on-site bidders started to get nervous. Several online bidders dropped out; around $30,000, the New Zealand bidder conceded defeat. There were then only two on-site bidders left in the war, one from Amherst and Catherine and Steve Wall from Prince Edward.
The bids crept higher and higher, until one bidder finally broke.
“It came down to a man from Amherst and Catherine Wall, and Mrs. Wall won the bid. She would be a great poker player because you couldn’t read her. That’s great,” said Carwile.