The 1958 Chevy Impala, billed by organizers of the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction as a car that once belonged to rock 'n' roll legend Buddy Holly, was pulled from the auction block today over concerns about its authenticity.
A few weeks ago, Barrett-Jackson was boasting that the car was bought by Holly in 1957, saying how it was used by Holly and friends to drive around New Mexico in search Mexican guitars.
Today, however, the folks at Barrett-Jackson have changed their tune, saying they're unable to verify whether the car ever belonged to Holly.
"While we were disappointed to have to pull such a high-profile car from the auction, this was a decision we were willing to make in order to ensure all our customers are provided with a fair, trustworthy forum for buying or selling a collector car," says Steve Davis, president of the Scottsdale-based auction.
The car is owned by Bill Clement, a Lubbock, Texas, Chevy collector, who claims he found the car in a Lubbock body shop, where it sat from the time Holly died until he bought it, restored it, and took it to car shows across the country, under the axiom of being Holly's ride.
"It's time for the Impala to change hands and to allow the next generation of enthusiastic fans to keep the legend of Buddy Holly alive," Clement said, when Barrett-Jackson announced it would be on the auction block.
Just because Barrett-Jackson couldn't verify that the car ever belonged to Holly doesn't mean it never did. If it was the vintage rocker's, it's worth a lot more dough. A wrist-watch believed to have been Holly's sold for more than $150,000 in 2006.
Cha-ching!
