Monterey auction kicks off with woodies sale

The Sports and Classics of Monterey auction is in full swing, and a collection of classic woodies netted $7 million Thursday.

The Nick Alexander Woodie Collection featured 51 pristine pre- and postwar Ford and Mercury wood-bodied station wagons. The event was staged by RM Auctions in advance of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The top seller was a rare 1946 Mercury Sportsman Convertible that was sold for $368,500. It was followed by a 1948 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman Convertible for $275,000 and a 1946 Ford Super Deluxe Station Wagon for $247,500.

Alexander, a Southern California BMW salesman, built one of the largest and most well-restored collections of woodies, and decided to put them on no reserve now that his collection is “complete.”

A 1939 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon will be sold Saturday with proceeds to benefit the Midland School in Santa Barbara, Calif.

The auction will roll through Saturday with a much-anticipated 1952 Jaguar C-Type, which is expected to go for $3 million. The event is in its 24th year and is held at the Portola Plaza Hotel in Monterey, Calif.

By Angie Favot