Classic cars converge at Palm Springs auction Feb.

Note to the media:    To interview either Keith or Jason McCormick,

call (760) 320-3290.

Car enthusiasts are marking their calendars for Keith McCormick’s Palm Springs Collector Car Auction, set for Feb. 24 to 26 weekend, which will present nearly 600 cars, trucks and motorcycles, some very rare.

The twice-a-year auction draws thousands of lookers and buyers to the weekend show on wheels. While many people show up to buy, others just want to take photos, especially on opening day when the auction is free and open to the public. The location will be the Palm Springs Convention Center near downtown.

            “We will have cars, trucks, motorcycles in every price range,” McCormick said, “something for everyone.”

            Photos of the cars and more details are available online at www. classic-carauction.com. Here are some featured cars at upcoming auction:

Pierce Arrow

            A 1932 Pierce Arrow coup (#464) with a rumble seat may steel the show at the auction. “We were told this is one of only five cars of its kind in existence,” said Jason McCormick, auction manager. “It’s the first Model 54 Pierce Arrow we have auctioned in our 30 years in the business.”

            The car is in “great running condition,” McCormick added, not fully restored but it is rust free, with new tires on wire wheels, a newer leather interior and a spiffy paint job. It has been in storage for 35 years.

Ford Mach 1 Mustang

            A 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 with a powerful 428 Cobra Jet engine (#72) will go through the auction tent on Friday. It is painted in original Calypso Coral with a black interior, completely restored.

1968 Shelby

            Next is a 1968 Shelby GT 350 (#149) with 65,000 original miles, one of only 224 ordered by Hertz for their Rent-a-Racer program. It is fully loaded with every option available.

1960 Cadillac convertible

            With 53,000 original miles, this Series 62 (# 279) has had the same owner the past 31 years who has babied every inch of this “All Original California Black Plate Car.” It has a V8 engine and automatic transmission.

1961 Lincoln Continental

            A four-door convertible (#318) is stunning with its original Turquoise Mist color, one of only 2,857 convertibles Lincoln manufactured in that model year. The odometer shows just less than 35,000 miles.

1922 Ford Speedster

This rare Ford Speedster, the oldest car in the auction (#201) has a four-cylinder engine with electric starter and a rebuilt transmission.

Free Friday admission

The auction is free and open to the public on Friday, Feb. 24. On Saturday and Sunday, a one-day pass is $15 per day or $25 for both days.

The location is a six-acre site beside the Palm Springs Convention Center near downtown, about four blocks from McCormick’s showroom located on Indian Canyon and Amado Road.

View auction online

The auction will stream live via the Internet for three days and people who register in advance may arrange proxy bidding. At the previous auction, people tuned in from across the United States, Europe and New Zealand to bid on cars.

Video cameras will be set up to show different views of each car as it passes

through the auction tent. To connect to the live broadcast and receive registration information, go to www.classic-caraution.com

The website explains registration details to buy or sell a car and other information. People bidding via proxy must register in advance and follow the same procedures as people attending the auction, McCormick noted.

For more information:

McCormick’s Palm Springs Collector Car Auction

Palm Springs Convention Center

Feb. 24, 25 and 26

277 N. Avenida Caballeros

Gates open at 8 a.m. for preview

Friday, noon to 9 p.m., Free

Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One day pass, $15; two days $25

www.classic-carauction.com

(760) 320-3290