Mecum Auction Becomes Demolition Derby After Driver Allegedly Slipped Foot | Carscoops

      A Willys pickup collided with a 1966 Corvette, subsequently causing damage to a Trans Am and a modern Corvette during Mecum's Fort Worth auction.

      9 hours ago

      by Chris Chilton

      Several classic cars were damaged in an unexpected incident in Texas.

      A 1958 Willys pickup hit a C2 Corvette and a 1977 Trans Am.

      Reports indicate that three individuals were hospitalized following the crash.

      Auctions can be thrilling as bidders compete for prized classic cars, but Mecum’s latest sale stirred excitement for the wrong reasons when one vehicle caused an incident involving at least three other collector cars.

      Photos from the Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas auction this past weekend depict a 1958 Willys pickup wedged into the side of what used to be a stunning 1966 C2 Corvette.

      Chain Reaction Chaos

      Details about the events are limited, but a Reddit user named Zyncon suggests that a Mecum driver may have accidentally accelerated, causing the Willys restomod to collide with the C2, while one of the Corvette's owners was reportedly nearby, helplessly witnessing the calamity.

      This same individual claims that three people were taken to the hospital as a result of the accident, which also affected a 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and a 2019 C7 Corvette ZR1. We have contacted Mecum for clarification on the incident, the condition of the injured individuals, and which insurance company will be handling the situation.

      While the Willys appears to have sustained some damage around the front, it doesn’t look severe. According to its sale listing, it features a 5.7-liter Chrysler Hemi engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission, along with a custom cab that has been extended by 8.75 inches (222 mm).

      The C2, listed as having a mere 25,477 miles (41,200 km) at the time of the accident, was ordered in a "very rare" code-982 Mosport Green paint (let's hope it's not the original layer) along with the L79 variant of Chevy’s 327 V8, which produced 350 hp (350 PS) directed to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission.

      Based on the images available, the C2 appears to have suffered the most damage, with injuries on the passenger side from the Willys collision.

      The driver's side also shows significant damage, where the Corvette was pushed into the black and gold Trans Am, which itself is a low-mileage vehicle with only 23,070 miles (37,100 km) on the odometer.

      However, it's not as low-mileage as the car the Trans Am was shoved into. We're unsure which C7 ZR1 coupe was involved, as Mecum had two Sebring Orange models for sale at the event, but one had only 258 miles (415 km) logged, and the other had 656 miles (1,060 km).

      The more painful detail is that both Corvettes and the Trans Am are marked as sold on Mecum’s site, indicating that bids had concluded on all three before the driver lost control of the Willys, which, incidentally, did not sell. Perhaps it was feeling envious.

      We will provide updates as more information becomes available.