TulsaPeople / June 2009 / Hot rods

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Hot rods

The Leake Car Auction has grown to be the biggest event of its kind in the Midwest.

It all began with a simple love for anything mechanical. Steam tractors, bicycles and cars — they all fascinated Jim Leake Sr.

What started as a hobby has turned into a successful business — the Leake Car Auction, which is now the biggest auction of its kind in the Midwest. Tulsa will host the 37th Leake Car Auction June 12-14, featuring an estimated 750 cars.

As a child growing up on a farm in Chandler, Leake and his brothers and sister spent their free time watching cars drive by on the dirt road that would become Route 66, says Leake’s daughter, Nancy Sevenoaks.

“He saw Packards, Lincolns, Chevrolets and Fords and dreamed of one day owning a car like that,” she says. “He could listen to an engine or hear the car drive and tell what needed to be done to make it run better.”

As an adult, Leake was involved with a variety of business pursuits. He began working for his father-in-law, J.T. Griffin (Leake’s wife was Marjory Griffin Leake) as a salesman in Muskogee, and he traveled throughout Oklahoma selling the Griffin products. Upon Griffin’s death, Leake began managing Griffin Wholesale Grocery with his brother-in-law, John T. Griffin. In the early 1950s, Leake and Griffin put three television stations on the air, KTUL in Tulsa, KATV in Little Rock and KWTV in Oklahoma City, Sevenoaks says.

Leake’s ventures took him around the world, and during his travels, he often saw classic cars stored in garages and barns. Recognizing some hidden treasures, he would ask the owners about their intentions for the vehicles and, depending on their response, buy them for a low price, says Jennifer Tetley, Leake Auction Co. spokesperson.

As Leake learned about the car industry, he became more selective about his purchases, eventually developing a stockpile of collectible vehicles — including the largest collection of Rolls-Royce automobiles in the world — which he stored in the Griffin Grocery warehouses.

But later, as the Griffin warehouses were sold, Leake had no place to store his finds. So, in 1964, the Leake family hired Park-Bernet (which later became Sotheby’s) to conduct a one-day auction of 60 cars on the Leake site in Muskogee.

The event was a rousing success, and soon led to the founding of the Leake Car Auction, which has sold more than 30,000 cars over more than 40 years. The auction moved to the Tulsa Fairgrounds in 1972, where it has become a Tulsa tradition.

Soon, the auctions grew so big that Leake no longer had time to oversee them. Although he remained actively involved with the auctions until his death in 2001, Leake sold the company to Sevenoaks and her husband, Richard, in 1989.

The Sevenoaks eventually decided to expand the auctions beyond Tulsa, establishing events first in Dallas and later in Houston, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, Texas.

Over the years, the auctions have featured a variety of rare cars, including a coppered body 1930 Rolls-Royce boat tail speedster and several Brighton cars that date back before 1904. Brighton cars, steam cars and Rolls-Royces were among Leake’s favorite.

“He drove a different one every day, and we never knew what would be in the garage,” Nancy Sevenoaks says.

The most valuable car ever sold was a 1930 Duesenberg, which was purchased in Houston for $1 million. The most unique? A red 1970 Chevrolet pickup named “Buddy” that was auctioned for $1,500.

The auctions have even attracted celebrity car enthusiasts, including Jay Leno, Ralph Lauren, Carol Shelby, Johnny Cash and Clive Cussler.

As Leake Auction Co. prepares for its 37th year, the business has stayed true to its roots, remaining family-owned and operated. And Nancy says she and Richard have enjoyed meeting the new and younger people who are becoming interested in collectible cars.

“The auctions have lasted because Mr. Leake instilled in everyone a love and enthusiasm for the cars, the people associated with the cars and the atmosphere surrounding the auctions,” she says. “We have met wonderful people from all parts of the world and have made lasting friendships.”

Pictured: Richard and Nancy Sevenoaks with a 1948 Cadillac Sedanette.

For more information, visit www.leakecarauction.com.