Street rods, classic cars going to auction block

For the 13th year in a row -- and the second time this year -- classic car lovers will descend on the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau in search of their favorite automobile.

Smith's Auction Co. of Dexter, Mo., is sponsoring a classic car auction today, starting at 5 p.m., with doors opening at 8 a.m. Saturday and the auction to resume at 10 a.m.

Sherm Smith, owner of Smith's Auction Co., said more than 300 cars, ranging from Corvettes to street rods, muscle cars to special-interest cars, are being transported to Cape Girardeau from across the Midwest.

The prices typically range from $3,000 to $100,000, he said: "It's every price range you can imagine. The big thing is the muscle car. Everybody's excited about the muscle car."

Cars are being shipped in from Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and New Jersey, among other states, he said. Cars are typically from the 1930s to the 1970s, he said. One hundred cars will be auctioned tonight, and 200 will be auctioned on Saturday.

Smith said he expects "several thousand" people to attend. A similar auction was held in March, when cars valuing more than $2.5 million were sold.

Smith said he expects to top that figure this weekend.

"There will be some very interesting cars," Smith said. "You name it, it will be there."