25 Percent of GM's Heritage Collection to be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson's 2009 Arizona Auction

Given the current state of the Big Three US auto makers, it's no major stretch to imagine that GM will be selling off a large portion of its GM Heritage COllection at the 2009 Barrett-Jackson Auction at Scottsdale, Arizona on January 13 thru 18, 2009.

A spokesperson for the R.E.Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, MI, (which houses part of the GM Heritage Collection) suggested that possibly 250 vehicles may be auctioned at that event.

GM Heritage Center (Sterling Heights, MI) manager Tom Freiman said that GM would not be divesting themselves of the entire collection, but will be reducing the collection "in a thoughtful way."

A few of the cars being offered are of some significance: the Serial No. 1 1929 Pontiac, for example. Many, however were built in the last 20-25 years. Some are "specialty" vehicles such as the 1998 "Popemobile," and the 1996 Cadillac presidential limousine. Others were design enhancements, or were styling exercises. For example the 1995 Buick Riviera convertible, 1992 Impala SS 510 and two 1989 ZR-1 Corvettes.

Some of the more "vintage" items to be auctioned are two 1969 Pontiac GTOs, a 1918 Cadillac, 1955 Buick Century, and a 1916 GMC stake truck. You will not see some of the more famous concept cars from the 50s and 60s, however.

GM has sold off portions of the Heritage Collection before. Frieman said that the goal was for the Heritage Collection to concentrate more on vehicles that represent company milestones. However, he did comment that it's unusual for the Collection to put this many cars on the block. Plans are being made for GM to sell more cars at the second Barrett-Jackson auction. No details were offered on that sale.