Bill Miller, Jr. co-founded Carlisle Events in 1974. While his name has been attached to America’s Automotive Hometown of Carlisle, Pennsylvania for nearly 50 years, his passion for all things automotive goes back to his early years as an enthusiast. As one can imagine, someone as passionate as Bill has amassed quite the collection of automotive items and as part of this year’s Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction, select pieces of that collection can be yours!
The Bill Miller Collection is so big that it will take THREE DAYS to offer it all and span two venues in Carlisle! On September 26-27 at 10 a.m. each day, Miller plans to offer thousands of items, parts, merchandise, collectibles, and more as part of the first half of his collection sale. These items include literature, car parts, signage, showroom banners from his dealership days, bikes, toys, a snowmobile (with snowmobile trailer), shirts, fairgrounds collectibles, pictures, posters, and even some autographed items. In short, this is a 60+ year collection from a man who is just as much a part of the automotive fabric of our country as Henry Ford, the Dodge Brothers, and Louis Chevrolet.
Along with the two-day merchandise sale, Miller will also move 20+ classic and collector cars across the auction block on Thursday, September 29 at approximately 3 p.m. These lots span from the 1930’s to the 2000’s and are low milage and in some cases, one owner cars. In addition, per Bill Miller’s automotive tastes, they are original too. After all, according to him, “they were only original once.”
Miller has identified a pair of Kaiser Darren’s for the Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction, two 1981 VW trucks, including one that’s never been titled and a 1958 Cadillac two-door hard top with 12,000 original miles and original tires; quite possibly the finest one that money could buy. Also heading to auction is his 1936 Ford pickup, one that many Carlisle guests have seen him drive at the Carlisle Ford Nationals, a 1972 VW Bug convertible, a 1938 Chrysler Royal Convertible, a 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS with 11,000 miles, a 1953 Kaiser Manhattan Sedan with 20,000 original miles, 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible with 27,000 original miles, 1985 Chevrolet El Camino with 60,000 original miles, 1987 Chevrolet El Camino with 8,000 original miles, and more.
“I have been collecting cars, parts, and memorabilia all my life,” said Miller. “It is time to part with my collection so many other hobbyists can enjoy these treasures just as I have. I have owned some cars more than 50 years so here is an opportunity to own some great original automobiles,” continued Miller. “I have been a purist for collecting original cars as they are only original once. I just love how the factories built them with precision and accuracy and you’ll love them too!”
The merchandise sale takes place in and around the former Smith’s Appliance Building. This facility is located at 1188 Spring Rd. in Carlisle and is just across the street from the Fairgrounds Diner and Desperate Times Brewery. The car collection will be positioned for preview and sale at the Carlisle Expo Center, located at 100 K. St. While each sale is part of the Bill Miller Collection, they will be managed separately. Merchandise will be sold through a third-party auctioneer, while the cars will be managed by Carlisle Auctions.
The merchandise will be auctioned at no reserve and there will be no fees associated with bidding or buying. Cash or charge will be accepted, and bidder registration will take place in person on September 26-27. Meanwhile, industry standard auction rules and practices may apply for the automotive portion of the collection on September 29, including pre-registration for bidders.
To learn more, register to bid or simply ask questions, call 717-960-6400 or visit CarlisleAuctions.com.
