If all you know of old-car auctions in the American Southwest are the ones that take place in Scottsdale in January, you’re doing yourself a disservice. If you’ve been there, and those auctions feel overwhelming to you, then take heart: McCormick’s Auction is far more representative of what happens at car auctions when TV cameras are absent from the proceedings.
What’s more, a visit to the Palm Springs, California, McCormick’s Auction, held twice yearly for more than 35 years (its fall event coming the weekend before Thanksgiving), will give you first crack at any number of classic cars that may otherwise turn up in Arizona a couple of months later. (We’ve seen it happen.) The town enjoys a vibrant vintage-car scene for three-quarters of the year, and the November auction event is seen as something of a kickoff to the peak winter driving season. The airport in Palm Springs takes direct flights from major cities (New York, Denver, Seattle, and many more), and the event is less than 10 minutes’ drive from there. What’s more,
