NEWTON — Jon Matthias' fondness for collecting car parts and classic cars started as a hobby and... Local couple auctioning off
NEWTON — Jon Matthias' fondness for collecting car parts and classic cars started as a hobby and grew into an investment. This week, he's cashing out.
After accumulating about 3,000 car parts and 150 classic cars, trucks and muscle cars over 41 years, Matthias and his wife, Ann, will see them auctioned off on Friday, Sept. 8, and Saturday, Sept. 9.
Yvette VanDerBrink of VanDerBrink Auctions will conduct the auction, which will start at 10 a.m. daily at Matthias' business, TR Truck and Auto and Classics, 8010 County Highway CR, Newton.
"This one will be a real treat for the car enthusiasts," VanDerBrink said. "This is a significant collection," and there are "many rare parts and beautiful cars."
It also will be accessible on the Web as an eBay live auction at www.icollector.com , where online bidders can compete against those in attendance.
Car parts from the 1940s to the 1970s, and classic cars dating from 1928 to the 1970s will be up for auction at no reserve, said Matthias. Car parts will be auctioned on Friday, and the cars will be auctioned on Saturday.
Production of 409s, a number that referred to the cubic-inch displacement of the engine, was limited, so parts were rare, he added. Chevy 409s were performance cars made from 1961 to 1965. In 1961, only 170 were made.
The powerful V8's were coveted by some drivers, but they also were expensive. The air cleaner for a 409 cost about $50 in 1965. Today, it would cost about $1,500, Matthias said.
Jon and Ann Matthias were dairy farmers in Clover for 21 years. They had one of the state's top registered dairy herds and milked about 500 cows. They even had one of their prized dairy cows walk on stage at the Grand Ole' Opry at the National Holstein Convention in Nashville, Tenn., said Jon Matthias and VanDerBrink.
With lack of space for their expanding business, the Matthias family moved their current business, TR Truck and Auto and Classics, to Newton, where they are selling used cars and trucks, buying and selling classic cars, and taking in consignment classic cars.
About 350 pictures of the Matthias collection with a list of parts and cars up for auction can be viewed on the Web at www.vanderbrinkauctions.com . People also can call Jon and Ann Matthias at 920-726-7600 for more information.
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