Sonicbidder Brings 1980s Muscle to Auction

The 1980s may not be the first thing you think of when you think of muscle cars, but the market for special interest cars from the decade has exploded. That’s right — the old IROC that you once watched cruise the mall parking lot is now a collector’s item. And the prices? They’re going up.

Sonicbidder’s Muscle Car Madness auction, scheduled for March 30, will highlight a few of these special 1980s specialty cars, as well as a group of more traditional muscle, all using Sonicbidder’s live online format.

Lot 1 is a 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst Edition. It features the 307-ci 5.0-L V8 with 180 net horsepower, which is hardly a Hemi, but excitement here came in different places, from the unique Hurst paint scheme to the “Lightning Rods” multiple-knob shifter assembly. Underneath that special shifter is a THM200-4R overdrive trans, which has both a steep first gear and a decent overdrive — both important steps in the evolution of today’s American muscle. The example on offer here isn’t 100% stock and has a few needs, but it does provide an opportunity within the emerging market.

Speaking of IROCs, Sonicbidder is also offering a 1988 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z convertible in maroon as lot 6. This car shows just 55,240 miles from new and was the top-line Camaro for 1988, featuring the 5.0-L V8, 4-speed auto and a number of power options. It’s one of 3,761 built that year. It joins a Pearl White over red leather 1991 Camaro Z28 convertible, presented as lot 7, which features 39,034 miles from new. Lower-mile Third-Gen Camaros such as these are getting harder to find these days, and interest is growing here, so these will be interesting to watch.