Fords in Aurora. Umm... Aurora?

Filed in archive Auctions on June 27, 2007

Find your way to the little town of Aurora, Oregon this Saturday, June 30, and you'll be treated to a display of lovely Fords and Ford memorabilia from the 30's through 50's. Better still, you'll have an opportunity to purchase whatever appeals to you, for it is the occasion of a Bonham's auction, when the contents of "The Jack Hogan Collection of Ford Motorcars and Related Memorabilia" will be sold. Looking through the online catalog reveals an appealing selection of both; for example this rare 1940 Mercury convertible sedan. The Mercury brand, created to prevent Ford from losing customers wishing to move up a class, was only one year old at the time and the model being auctioned was one of the last convertible sedans to be cataloged by any U.S. manufacturer. It listed for $1,272. The V-8 engine was modestly larger than a Ford at 239 cubic inches and turned out 95 hp compared with the Ford's 90 hp.That was the year Mercury introduced the "new finger-tip gear shift" on the steering column to make more room for front seat passengers. Aurora is located close to Interstate 5 in Oregon's Willamette Valley and though once a farming community is now known for its antique shops. The auction is at the Aurora airport, about 1.5 miles from town. Fly in with your vintage aircraft (a 1939 Stinson Reliant will do nicely), drive out with a vintage Ford.

[Photo Credit: Bonhams]