Sports Car Market
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December 2013 . Volume 25 . Number 12
FERRARI
This Month’s Market Movers Up Close
by Steve Ahlgrim 50
ENGLISH
AUCTIONS
What Sold, and Why
202 Vehicles Rated at Nine Sales
by Paul Hardiman
52
66
76
1969 Ferrari 365 GTC
$923,407 / Bonhams
No longer the Daytona’s less-loved cousin
ETCETERINI
by Colin Comer 54
007 Lotus Esprit Submarine Car
$959,629 / Bonhams
Big money for Bond provenance
GERMAN
by Donald Osbor 56ne
86
94
102
1967 Iso Grifo GL 300
$244,269 / RM
Affordable Italian style with American grunt
AMERICAN
by Carl Bomstead 58
1936 Mercedes-Benz 170H Saloon
$78,515 / RM
The market centers on curiosity value
RACE
by Thor Thorson 62
118
110
RM AUCTIONS
London, U.K.: RM’s annual
London sale totals $33.8m for
121 of 134 cars — Paul Hardiman
RM AUCTIONS
London, U.K.: Sixty-seven of 74
Mercedes-Benz motorcars
make $15.1m as a subset of the
$33.8m RM London sale
— John Lyons
AUCTIONS AMERICA
Auburn IN: 1,134 cars were
offered at this $27m Fall Auburn
event, with 774 selling — Kevin
Coakley
ARTCURIAL MOTORCARS
Monte Carlo, MCO: 1965 Cobra
sells for $578k in Monaco, where
57 of 59 lots brought $3.8m
— Paul Hardiman
RM AUCTIONS
Plymouth, MI: A 1929
Duesenberg Model J leads this
$7.7m sale at $682k, where 72
of 80 lots sold — Kevin Coakley
WORLDWIDE
AUCTIONEERS
Auburn, IN: 67 of 81 lots make
$4.1m, led by a 1933 Auburn
Twelve at $275k
— B. Mitchell Carlson
ROUNDUP
Highlights from Silver in Shelton,
WA; US Auctioneers in Friesland,
WI; and Auctions America in
Burbank, CA — Jack Tockston,
B. Mitchell Carlson, Michael Leven
1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster
$90,000 / Worldwide
A one-year footnote in automotive history
12
1935–36 Alfa Romeo 8C 35 Grand Prix
$9,480,778 / Bonhams
The ultimate iteration of the 8C Alfa GP
Cover photo: 1935–36 Alfa Romeo 8C Grand
Prix; Pawel Litwinski, courtesy of Bonhams
Sports Car Market
Page 16
48 McCall Motorworks Revival 2013
COLUMNS
16 Shifting Gears
From gourmet Modena to muddy Tillamook in 36 hours
Keith Martin
36 Affordable Classic
Modifying your Austin-Healey Sprite is almost a tradition
Reid Trummel
40 Legal Files
Once-lost Cunningham Corvette sparks legal battle
John Draneas
42 Simon Says
Celebrating Goodwood’s epic fun, and mourning the loss
of three racing luminaries
Simon Kidston
60 The Cumberford Perspective
Kaiser’s last gasp was the first fiberglass production car
Robert Cumberford
138 eWatch
Holy Manziel! Texas A&M vanity plate sells for $115,000, while a
display of Matchbox cars from the 1960s goes for $5k
Carl Bomstead
FEATURES
38 Collecting Thoughts: Jim Schrager recommends five
Porsches to buy today
44 Blackhawk Museum: Treasure trove of classic cars
celebrates 25 years
46 2013 Kirkland Concours: A fun day on the grounds
of the LeMay — America’s Car Museum
48 McCall Motorworks Revival 2013: Glam, luxury and
beautiful cars at the Monterey Jet Center
14
Sports Car Market
DEPARTMENTS
22 Auction Calendar
22 Crossing the Block
24 The Inside Line: Le Jog madness, Essen Motor Show,
Porsche history in North Carolina, and a win for Draneas
26 Contributors: Get to know our writers
28 You Write: Robert Cumberford and the Austin-Healey 100
30 Display Advertisers Index
32 Time Pieces: Ultra-rare Rapp pocket watch
32 Neat Stuff: Porsche 911 wrapping paper, tailored Aston
driving jacket
34 In Miniature: 1967 Porsche 911S Targa
34 Book Review: Strange But True Tales of Car Collecting
84 Rising Sun: Recent sales of Japanese collector cars
114 Fresh Meat: 2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2013 Nissan GT-R
Black Edition, 2013 Audi A7 Quattro Prestige
116 Glovebox Notes: 2013 Cadillac XTS AWD Platinum
128 Mystery Photo: “Go ahead and laugh, but when the
floodwaters rise, I’ll still be driving.”
128 Comments with Your Renewal: “I’m subscribing to
help fund Cassie’s next visit to Monterey”
130 Showcase Gallery: Cars for sale
132 Resource Directory: Meet your car’s needs
Affordable
Classic
36
Randy Zussman
Page 18
Shifting Gears Keith Martin
36 Hours in Modena
We in the United States are sports-car enthusiasts; Italians
have sports cars in their DNA and their bloodstream
At speed
By 5 p.m., having been up 24 hours straight, we
started to fade. However, our next stop, the Autodromo
di Modena Circuit brought us fully awake. We had four
cars for ride-and-drives — all from Masselli’s private
collection. They included a Ferrari 328 GTS, a carbureted
512 Boxer, his racing Carrera RS and a Daytona Spider
conversion.
The Modena circuit is a tight one, better suited to
small-displacement cars than monsters like the Boxer.
Nonetheless, muscling the cars around the track reminded
me of just how much I liked vintage racing, where you got
to find out your limits and those of the car in a controlled
situation with a high safety factor. I don’t think highly
of driving cars — old or new — at excessive speeds on
public roads. You become a hazard to yourself and any
unsuspecting civilian, driver or pedestrian who appears
at an inopportune moment.
Alex got her first taste of driving a Ferrari by putting
Toni Auto, a contractor for Modena Classic Works
T
he invitation came on a Monday, from Luigi Orlandini of
Canossa Events Srl.
“Would you like to spend two days in Modena, learning about
the restoration program Modena Classic Works, tour both Ferrari
museums and drive some classic Ferraris on the Modena Circuit? The
event starts this Friday, so you would have to leave from Portland on
Thursday. You would be back in Portland Sunday morning.
“And we’d like your daughter, Alex, to come as well, as we have
enjoyed her blogs and think she could bring a fresh perspective to the
activities.”
Could you have said no?
We hustled to find our Chopard driving gloves, and were surprised
to find how easy it was to pack for just two nights. Our flight left
Thursday afternoon from Portland, direct to Amsterdam and then to
Bologna. We departed at 1 p.m. on a Thursday, and by 3 p.m. on Friday
we were at the opening press conference in Maranello. Sleep? Well,
that would have to come some other time.
At a conference held at the Museo Casa Natale Enzo Ferrari, the
philosophy behind Modena Classic Works (www.modenaclassicworks.
it) was explained by the founder, Pierangelo Masselli. He prefers to restore
cars for dealers, and has brought his organizational background
to bear in terms of locating subcontractors of a high quality to do the
work. His goal: a complete restoration in six months, rather than the
two or more years these often take. Especially for a dealer, where time
is money, a six-month turnaround is very attractive.
Masselli is no stranger to the world of cars. In addition to his own
collection, he is a vintage-racer, with many victories in his Carrera RS.
Coincidentally, Canossa Events, which produced this tour, is also
in charge of the revived Modena Cento Ore, a classic-car event I have
driven in several times. The dates for next year’s events are June 3–8,
2014, and I highly recommend it. It offers two classes, both regularity
(TSD) and competition (no-holds-barred racing) in an appetizing mix
of special sections (hillclimbs) on closed roads, and flat-out head-tohead
racing on circuits, including Modena and Mugello.
There’s nothing like it in the U.S., and it is one of the few European
tours that is in the 40- to 60-car range, rather than the 400-entrant
behemoths such as the Tour Auto or the Mille Miglia.
16
in a couple of laps behind the wheel of the Daytona. Her
initial response, that it was “powerful, but heavy and
softly sprung,” echoed the words of nearly every Daytona
driver. This is a car for wide-open spaces, not gymkhanas. The Boxer,
with aged, rock-hard tires, was a handful, as the slightest bit of power
caused instantaneous and terrifying oversteer. The 328 was docile and
friendly; I have always liked these cars ever since I sold them new as a
manager at the Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo dealership.
But the E-ticket ride was in the Carrera. Masselli spared no revs as
he took us for hot laps, and his ease and familiarity with the car were
instantly apparent. When it was Alex’s turn, I said to him, “That’s my
daughter. You need to go fast.” He smiled and replied, “I thought you
would tell me to be careful. But I like it better that you want me to
show her what the car can do.” I’ve never seen a grin as wide as the one
on Alex’s face when she got out of the car.
Dinner was at the favorite restaurant of racers, Ristorante Montana,
where during the meal we sampled three types of the wine of the region,
Lambrusco, and ended with Nocino, a liqueur made from nuts.
Our day was finally done.
The next — and final — day of our visit began with a tour of the
Museo Ferrari guided by Antonio Ghini, Editor-in-Chief of the official
Ferrari magazine. Following that, we had a “behind-the-scenes” look at
one of the restoration shops used by Modena Classic Works, Toni Auto.
There was the typical, for Maranello, assortment of Dinos and
330 GTCs being dismantled, restored and put back together. But what
caught my eye was a long-nosed car, covered and sitting in the back.
The sharp fins along the front fenders were unmistakable — it was a
Group 4 competition Daytona, perhaps the most impressive V12 of its
era. No, we weren’t offered a chance to drive it.
And now for something completely different
I was back in Portland the next day, participating in 4wd guru
Bill Burke’s two-day intensive off-road course in the Tillamook State
Forest (www.bb4wa.com). The SCM Defender 90, imported from
England, veteran of the Warn Challenge, and kitted out with a 200-tdi
turbo diesel, competition suspension, Superwinch Husky, Cobra highback
buckets and ARB locker rear-end with on-board compressor, was
ready for the challenge.
A friend recently called me a driving fool. I took it as a compli-
ment. ♦
Sports Car Market
Page 24
Crossing the Block Tony Piff Images courtesy of the respective auction companies
Eldorado Biarritz convertible, a
1964 Chevrolet Chevelle SS convertible,
a 1973 Dodge Coronet
Custom wagon and a 1979
Dodge Li’l Red Express pickup.
H&H — Chateau Impney
Where: Worcestershire, U.K.
When: December 4
More: www.handh.co.uk
Last year: 67/81 cars sold / $4.1m
H&H’s December sale took
1964 Facel Vega, once owned by Ringo Starr, at Bonhams London
Bonhams — The London Sale
Where: London, U.K.
When: December 1
More: www.bonhams.com
This will the first automotive
sale held at Bonhams’ newly
redesigned London headquarters.
A 1964 Facel Vega once owned
by Ringo Starr is the star
consignment. Starr purchased
the Facel — said to be one of two
such cars produced — directly
from the stand at the Earls Court
Motor Show in 1964. Bonhams
will also sell the world’s most
comprehensive collection of
Ecurie Ecosse competition cars,
including a 1952 Jaguar XK 120
roadster, a 1953 Jaguar C-type,
a 1956 D-type, a 1959 Tojeiro
Jaguar, a 1960 Cooper T49
Monaco, a 1961 Austin-Healey
“Sebring” Sprite, a 1962 TojeiroBuick
and a 1959 Commer
transporter.
Coys — True Greats
Where: London, U.K.
When: December 3
More: www.coys.co.uk
Last year: 32/48 cars sold / $5.8m
Coys’ annual Christmas sale
is held at the Royal Horticultural
Halls in Westminster, London.
Eighteen lots broke $100k here
last year, including a 1938
BMW 328 roadster at $795k,
a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Roadster at $696k and a 1967
Lamborghini Miura SV at $678k.
Mecum — Kansas City 2013
Where: Kansas City, MO
When: December 5–7
More: www.mecum.com
Last year: 505/794 cars sold /
$11.3m
The Charles Gabus Estate
Collection will feature
prominently in Kansas City this
December. Among the star cars
from the Gabus Collection (all
offered without reserve) are a
1972 Ford LTD convertible, a
1966 Ford Fairlane GTA 2-door
hard top, and a 1931 Ford Model
A 5-window coupe. The sale will
also feature a 1971 Chevrolet
Cheyenne pickup, a red 1966
Pontiac GTO two-door post and
a red 1967 GTO convertible.
Watch Velocity for live coverage.
Raleigh Classic
Where: Raleigh, NC
When: December 6–7
More: www.raleighclassic.com
Consignments of note at the
twice-annual Raleigh Classic
include a 1956 AMC Rambler
sedan, a 1940 Buick Limited
Model 91, a 1960 Cadillac
place at the Newbury Racecourse
last year. For 2013, the fourth
annual auction takes place at
Chateau Impney Hotel, celebrating
the Chateau Impney Speed
Trials. Expect a strong assortment
of British and European
classics and sports cars at an
average price of about $60k. The
star consignment is a 1951 Aston
Martin DB2 coupe.
Bonhams — Oxford
Where: Oxford, U.K.
When: December 9
More: www.bonhams.com
Last year: 62/74 cars sold / $6.4m
“The December Sale” took
place in Brooklands last year to
the jingle of $6.4m, topped by
a 1931 Invicta 4½ Liter S-type
tourer at $750k. This time around
in Oxford, the early consignments
include a 1969 Morgan
Plus 8 (Bonhams estimate:
$120k–$145k), a 1964 Jaguar
E-type Series I 3.8 coupe ($40k–
$55k) and a 1949 Bentley Mk VI
James Young ($35k–$42k).
Barons — Annual Yuletide Classic
Where: Surrey, U.K.
When: December 17
More: www.barons-auctions.com
Last year: 34/66 cars sold / $537k
If you’re planning to do
some Christmas shopping at a
classic-car auction, Barons’ late
December sale is pretty much
your last chance. Look for plenty
of MGs, Mercedes, BMWs and
Bentleys at sub-$25k prices.
Sold cars averaged $16k last
year. The high sale was a 1965
Jaguar XKE Series I 4.2 coupe
at $87k. ♦
Auction Calendar
All dates listed are current at time of publication. Contact information for most auction
companies may be found in the Resource Directory at the back of this issue. Please confirm
dates and locations before attending any event.
Email auction info to: chad.tyson@sportscarmarket.com.
NOVEMBER
OCT 31–NOV 3—RKM
Charlotte, NC
1—BONHAMS
London, U.K.
1–2—MECUM
Davenport, IA
1–3—COLLECTOR CAR
PRODUCTIONS
Toronto, ON, CAN
2—SMITHS
Paducah, KY
7–9—GAA
Greensboro, NC
8–9—VICARI
Panama City, FL
13—BONHAMS
Harrogate, U.K.
16—SILVERSTONE
Northamptonshire, U.K.
21—RM
New York, NY
21–23—MECUM
Anaheim, CA
22–24—LEAKE
Dallas, TX
1931 Ford Model A 5-window coupe at Mecum Kansas City
22
Sports Car Market
22–24—MCCORMICKS
Palm Springs, CA
27—BRIGHTWELLS
Herefordshire, U.K.
30—DAN KRUSE
CLASSICS
Houston, TX
30–DEC 1—SILVER
Fort McDowell, AZ
DECEMBER
1—BONHAMS
London, U.K.
2—SHANNONS
Melbourne, AUS
3—COYS
London, U.K.
4—H&H
Droitwich, U.K.
5–7—MECUM
Kansas City, MO
6–7—RALEIGH CLASSIC
Raleigh, NC
9—BONHAMS
Oxford, U.K.
17—BARONS
Surrey, U.K.
JANUARY
3–5—DAVE RUPP
Fort Lauderdale, FL
9—BONHAMS
Las Vegas, NV
9–11—MIDAMERICA
Las Vegas, NV
11—COYS
Birmingham, U.K.
12–19—BARRETTJACKSON
Scottsdale, AZ
15–19—RUSSO AND
STEELE
Scottsdale, AZ
16—BONHAMS
Scottsdale, AZ
16–17—RM
Phoenix, AZ
17–18—GOODING & CO.
Scottsdale, AZ
17–18—SILVER
Fort McDowell, AZ
18—COYS
Maastrict, NLD
You Write We Read
All letters are subject to editing. Please address correspondence to SCM, P.O. Box 4797, Portland, OR 97208.
Fax 503.253.2234, e-mail: youwrite@sportscarmarket.com
Cumberford’s
Austin-Healey hiccup
To the Editor:
In the latest edition of SCM,
it was with amazement that I
read Robert Cumberford’s claim
that the style of the AustinHealey
100 was designed using
the tooling of a canceled MG
project (October 2013, p. 46).
As someone who was around,
in the U.K. at the time and
already entering motor industry
circles, I can confidently state
that this is totally (even laughably)
untrue.
Apart from the fact that, over
the years, I had many conversations
with all the Healey family,
with Gerry Coker, and with Syd
Enever of MG, none of whom
ever mentioned such a ridiculous
idea, I can also confirm that
there never was any such thing
as an MG TE project, either in
anyone’s mind or as an actual
running project.
Not only that, but the actual
chronology makes the whole
suggestion unsustainable.
First, the original Healey
100 was conceived in the winter
of 1951–52 (authentic source:
the Healey family), when
they had no connection with
Austin — and before BMC was
founded. The first prototype was
completed in the late summer of
1952, and it was not even closely
inspected by BMC’s Leonard
Lord until October 1952, when
the Austin-Healey brand was
invented. MG was never involved
in this process.
Second, at that time, MG
had just produced the style
which matured into that of the
1955 MGA (a similar body was
provided for George Phillips’s
privately entered Le Mans TR
race car), but no true mechanical
prototype of the MGA had yet
been proposed. That body style,
of course, had no connection
whatsoever with the AustinHealey
100.
Third, there was never any
project within MG, or within the
Nuffield or BMC organizations,
called the MG TE (sources:
Syd Enever, other MG personalities,
and many other credible
MG historians). No other source
of history concerning MGs
even mentions such a project —
for the simple reason that it
28
The body, based on discussions between Donald Healey and
me, was styled totally by myself as the body designer
never existed.
As to tooling being con-
structed, that too is not true, as
prototypes would have had to be
built first, and it is well known
that no such prototypes ever
existed.
Finally, “TE” was never used
because of the very straightforward
conclusion that too many
people would refer to the childish
phrase “tee hee” when chuckling
about something.
All the above conclusions
come from the horse’s mouth and
from my own interpretation of
events at the time. — Graham
Robson, via email
Cumberford, Part II
To the Editor:
I agree with Robert
Cumberford’s comments on the
styling of the Austin-Healey 100.
It is a beautiful car.
But there is no question
that the design was penned by
Gerry Coker. Donald Healey,
Geoff Healey, Roger Menadue
and all Healey historians credit
Coker with the design. Why
Cumberford would cite Ken
Miles as a reliable historical
source except to interject his
own work on the “Flying
Shingle” is beyond me.
The MG TE designation was
not going to be used because
marketing experts feared it
would be called the “Tee Hee,” a
mocking reference to the anemic
power of the MG series. Hence,
the new MGA was based on the
1951 Le Mans car.
Furthermore, I have the plea-
sure of knowing Mr. Coker and
his lovely wife, Marion, and he is
a man of great personal integrity
who would not take credit for
a design he did not execute. —
Fred Sherk, Cornwall, PA
Cumberford, Part III
To the Editor:
I would like to make some
corrections to the assumptions
made by your writer Robert
Cumberford regarding the design
and manufacture of the Healey
100 since he quite obviously has
got hold of the wrong end of the
stick.
A quick breakdown of the
Healey 100 is as follows:
The chassis, transmission
— in fact, all else under the
body — was designed by Geoff
Healey and Barry Bilby (chassis
draughtman) using the A90
Austin engine. The body, based
on discussions between Donald
Healey and me, was styled
totally by myself as the body
designer.
When it was shown at the
1952 Motor Show at Earl’s Court
as the Healey 100, it was immediately
obvious that the DMH
Motor Company would not be
able to handle the many orders
pouring in, and Leonard Lord,
the managing director of Austin,
offered to make it instead. This
was a big advantage not only to
Healeys, but to Austins, whose
taxi-cab engine could be used
for this purpose. As for the reference
to MG, they had absolutely
nothing to do with any part of
the Healey 100 design or manufacture.
— Gerald C. Coker,
body designer (retired), Donald
Healey Motor Company
Robert Cumberford replies:
Obviously, people are
misreading what I wrote — and
my intentions in doing so. I
mentioned the “Flying Shingle”
not for self-aggrandizement, but
to date-stamp the story I heard
from Ken Miles. I always thought
it interesting — but never knew
the truth of it — and expected
confirmation or denial from
readers who knew more than I.
I could well imagine that
Gerry Coker might have
designed the great shape we all
know and love for MG first, and
then called it to Healey’s attention
when it was abandoned.
When I think of the many
Giugiaro or Pininfarina designs
done for one manufacturer
Sports Car Market
Courtesy of Bonhams
Page 32
You Write We Read
Ad Index
American Car Collector ............................. 116
Arizona Concours D’ Elegance .................... 67
Artcurial ....................................................... 23
Aston Martin Select Dealers ........................ 35
Auto Kennel ................................................. 39
Automobilia Scottsdale .............................. 135
Automotive Restorations Inc. .................... 129
Autosport Designs Inc ................................ 119
Bald Head Garage .......................................111
Barrett-Jackson .......................... 18–19, 27, 29
Bennett Law Office .................................... 130
Beverly Hills Car Club ............................... 125
Black Horse Garage ................................... 115
Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance ............... 81
Bonhams / SF ......................................... 20–21
Canepa ........................................................ 107
Carlisle Events ........................................... 103
Chequered Flag International ..................... 127
Chubb Personal Insurance ............................ 17
Classic Showcase ......................................... 97
CMC Classic Model Cars .......................... 117
Collector Studio ......................................... 119
Copley Motorcars ....................................... 107
Dealer Accelerate ......................................... 61
Dino Motors ............................................... 135
Driversource Houston LLC .................. 99, 117
E-Types USA................................................ 43
European Collectibles ................................ 129
Exclusive Motorcars .................................... 71
Exotic Classics ........................................... 112
Fantasy Junction ......................................... 121
Foreign Cars Italia Greensboro .................... 95
Fourintune Garage Inc ............................... 135
Gooding & Company ..................................... 2
Greystone Mansion Concours d’Elegance . 101
GT Scale Model Cars ................................. 107
Gullwing Motor Cars, Inc. ......................... 123
Hamann Classic Cars ................................... 75
Heritage Classics .......................................... 49
Hyman, LTD ................................................ 79
Intercity Lines .............................................. 41
JC Taylor ...................................................... 91
Jeff Brynan ................................................. 137
JJ Best Banc & Co ..................................... 131
Kastner & Partners Garage ........................ 127
Kevin Kay Restorations ............................. 113
Kiawah Island Motoring Retreat .................. 31
Kidston ......................................................... 13
L.A. Prep ...................................................... 77
Leake Auction Company .............................. 33
LeMay - America’s Car Museum ............... 109
Luxury Brokers International ..................... 125
Mac Neil Automotive Products Ltd ............. 85
Maserati North America ............................. 140
Mershon’s World Of Cars ............................ 87
Mid America Auctions ............................... 105
Miller’s Mercedes Parts, Inc ........................ 82
Motor Classic & Competition Corp. .......... 135
Motostalgia .................................................. 45
North Carolina Museum of Art .................. 123
Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctions ............... 89
Paul Russell And Company ....................... 121
Premier Financial Services ........................ 139
Putnam Leasing ............................................ 15
QuickSilver Exhausts Ltd. ........................... 69
RB Collection ............................................. 109
Reliable Carriers .......................................... 65
RM Auctions .......................................... 10–11
Road Scholars .............................................. 25
Russo & Steele LLC ...................................4-9
Silver Collector Car Auctions ...................... 47
Sports & Specialist Cars .............................111
Sports Car Market ........................................ 82
Suixtil USA .................................................. 73
Superior Collector Car Auctions ................ 129
Symbolic Motor Car Co ................................. 3
The Auto Collections ................................... 93
The Stable, Ltd. ............................................ 83
Vintage Rallies ........................................... 113
VintageAutoPosters.com ............................ 135
Watchworks ................................................ 137
Zymol Florida .............................................. 37
30
You Write We Read
and realized in production by
another (Audi to Isuzu, Jaguar to
Lexus, Lancia to Peugeot, and so
on…), I considered that possible.
I did not impugn Coker’s reputation,
suggest that anyone else
did the design, nor did the word
“conspiracy” exist in my text. I
am really sorry that anyone had
that impression.
The key words, both of which
I stand behind, were “magnificent”
and “lovely.”
The “Real M3”
To the Editor:
Not counting my car-club
publications, SCM is the only car
magazine that I have a subscription
to anymore. And I always
look forward to reading what
you and your Contributors write
— about cars and values.
I was kinda surprised to see/
read Steve Johnson’s recent article
about BMW’s E30 M3 — the
“Real M3,” as I call it — in your
latest edition, though (October
2013, p. 28). Part of it has to do
with something that I believe
you recently wrote — about how
there are no collector/classic cars
built after ’73 … or something
like that. So, I never thought I’d
ever see anything about a Real
M3 in SCM. I was also surprised
to read that you’ve been trying to
buy Contributor Johnson’s real
M3. Hmm …
I’ve owned two Real M3s,
and I absolutely love these cars.
Owned them for about nine
years and 150k miles between
them — including a road-trip
from SoCal to Alaska.
Anyway, Mr. Johnson wrote
about the Real M3’s signature
S14 motor but not much about
the rest of the car. That motor’s
not the only thing that makes a
Real M3 special. Real M3s have
unique bodywork — and only
share their front hood with other
E30s. Every other exterior panel
on the car is unique, including
the doors, which have no holes
for the side trim. And while the
boxy/bulgy fenders, side skirts
and spoilers are the most obvious
visual cues — they’re not the
most significant alteration made
to the body.
To get better air-flow over the
rear wing, BMW sawed off the
rear of the passenger cab, then
grafted on a steeper-angled rear
closing panel-cum-windshield
that merges with a slightly taller
rear trunk lid. All the new pieces
Good luck finding a low-miler. These
cars are just way too much fun and
durable and usable to let sit
were made out of plastic. The
trunk hinges look like beach
furniture — and are probably
just as light. May not sound very
sexy/elegant, but it works.
Perhaps it’s because of all
this surgery that Real M3s also
have one signal flaw. These are
the only cars that I’ve ever heard
of that can out-corner their own
structural integrity. I look for
the tell-tale dimpling in the rear
corners of the sun-roof opening
that tells me that the body’s been
overstressed. Not fatal, maybe
— but reason enough for me to
avoid heavily-modified/track
cars. (I run away from any 2.5liter
conversions because, unless
the genuine Motorsport block
and crank were used, the stock
2.3-liter block will fail.)
Stock cars are now tough
to find. Serial mistreatment by
modification/personalization,
shocks and tower braces, all
manner of bars and springs,
chips and exhaust. Never mind
the usual shunts, indifferent
service and general mayhem
endured by “fun” cars. All have
taken their toll. A good Real M3
is hard to find — or pry loose. I
only sold my last one to get into
an early 911, but that is another
story.
Regarding Mr. Johnson’s
opinion that Real M3s are “not
an everyday driving car,” I would
disagree. And, given some of
the vast mileages accumulated
by so many of the survivors, I’d
say that I’m not the only one.
“Heavy” steering? Bah! More
like telepathic and still probably
the best “feeling” street car that
I’ve ever owned. And “loud”?
Only at 4,000-plus rpm, which
is where the S14 engine comes
alive — and where you’ll happily
spend a good amount of your time
driving. Agile, too. Directions
to my house were always “follow
the black marks.” Add in
room for four, electric windows/
roof, leather, cruise, a radio and
on-board computer, and genuine
economy — 27 mpg at 80 mph
— and any Real M3 becomes
your basic ICBMW. “Every Day”
equals “No Problem.”
Good luck finding a low-
miler. These cars are just way
too much fun and durable and
usable to let sit. Mine sure didn’t.
And so, when you see all
those miles on all those Real
M3s in the classifieds? Well, they
probably weren’t accumulated
on race tracks. Mine weren’t.
They just felt like it. — Rick
Kreiskott, via email
Keith Martin responds:
Rick, thanks for the keen eye
and the even more keen words. I
would agree that the M3 is one of
the very few collectible cars built
after 1973. That’s part of what
makes it so special. And I’m still
looking for one. ♦
Sports Car Market
In Miniature by Marshall Buck
1967 Porsche 911S Targa
Regardless of whether you love it or hate
it, the Porsche 911 deserves a great deal of respect
for everything it has and has not been.
I’ve owned a couple, as have so many people
I know. They are great sports cars.
If you think that certain Ferraris have
been more than done to death in model
form, just delve into Porsche 911 models for
a moment — that will lead to the mother of
all migraines. That said, there are still some
vacancies in some scales, such as this month’s model: a beautifully made,
1:18-scale, early, soft-rear-window 911S Targa. It’s brought to us by a new
specialist model manufacturer: France-based GT Spirit.
This Bahama Yellow 911 Targa is a resin curbside piece (no opening
panels). Also available in Irish Green. The models from GT Spirit are serialnumbered,
limited editions, varying in quantity from as low as 500 to as
many as 1,500. By now regular readers of SCM know my view on many of
the so-called “limited editions.” But I’ll restate it here: Anything over 250 is
just not that “limited.” However, that takes nothing away from this model,
which is a superb and worthy addition to the finest model collections. Yes,
it is that good.
GT Spirit paid particular attention to getting the body shape correct.
They scanned a real car, and they have engineers
who understand the nuances of scaling down a
car and creating an accurate model. That is no
easy task — even with the assistance of modern
technology.
The model is made of resin, styrene and
Model Details
Production Date: 2013
Quantities: Bahama Yellow, 500;
Irish Green, 1,000
SCM Five-Star Rating:
Overall Quality:
Authenticity:
Overall Value:
Web: www.gts-models.com
photo-etched metal detail parts. The windows
are all crystal-clear, and the lenses of all lights
are wonderful — with perfect engravings.
Overall fit and finish is nearly flawless, as is the
paintwork, which is a five-coat deal of two coats
Speaking Volumes by Mark Wigginton
Strange But True Tales of Car Collecting
By Keith Martin et al, Motorbooks, 256 pages, $16.67, Amazon
Every writer dreads The Call. It’s not like in baseball, where you
get called up to the Bigs. It’s more like getting summoned by the Dark
Lord, in this case also known as The Publisher. It’s never good.
But it happened, so I trudged down into the dark, drafty aban-
doned parking structure where The Publisher’s media empire is
housed. Stepping over various rusting bits from ill-informed collector-car
purchases the boss made while ignoring his own advice,
I passed the row of editors wearing parkas and fingerless gloves
fighting the chill breeze coming off the river and made my way to the
only enclosed, warm space — the lair of the publisher.
He looked up from warming his hands on the idling press car,
fixed me with that look of withering, class-conscious Dickensian
disdain he has perfected, and barked, “You need to review my
book. And no whining.”
I’ve spent plenty of time in plenty of newsrooms, so I know
the drill. It’s what they call “advertorial.” Any twinges of integrity must be
banished and the task faced head-on. Don’t judge me. I need the gig. So, here
we go:
Strange But True Tales of Car Collecting is a great book, simply one of the
highlights of the year in automotive writing. It’s good!
Telling tales of amazing discoveries, smart purchases and disquieting mis-
adventures in the car-collecting world, Keith Martin has potentially changed
the very nature of what a book should be. No, really, it’s THAT good.
Taking the barely readable submissions of his team of experts, Martin has
crafted a joyous, delicious series of tales that should be on the shelf of every
true collector, should be praised and accorded the prizes that only a genrechanger
of this importance deserves.
34
Keith Martin has done it again,
and “it” is a masterpiece.
Me again. Don’t worry, if
there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s
that Keith never reads past the last
mention of his name, so the rest is
between us…
Provenance:
This is a lovely collection of
pieces, written by some great car
people who are insanely knowledgeable
about the business in general
or their own specialties. From
John Draneas to Mike Sheehan,
Colin Comer to Simon Kidston,
these are the go-to experts for the
car-collector world. Our publisher’s
role was, shall we say, akin to George Steinbrenner’s: They
play, he pays.
Fit and finish:
So-so printing on not the finest of stock, but so much good
data you aren’t going to be put off. And it costs less than a quesadilla
in Monterey, so buy one. Enjoy.
Drivability:
Many of the pieces are by Linda Clark, who has the
automotive cred and writing chops to get great stories and
tell them well. Her work, plus some of the best-of-the-best of
SCM pieces, have been collected in a lively, readable book. ♦
Sports Car Market
primer, two coats color, and one coat of
clear. The paint is polished to a gleaming
concours-type finish.
The design team also paid a great
deal of attention to size, shape, finish,
and location of most every part, down
to the delicately printed shift pattern on
the gear-shift knob.
The carpeting looks to be in scale
and is perfectly fitted. The only detail
lacking is the center separation of the carpet on the foldeddown
rear seat backs. The wheels and period-correct tires
are wonderful and have perfectly miniaturized treads — but
no sidewall detail. There is even a bit of undercarriage detail
with a focus on the underside of the engine and exhaust
system. Each model also comes with a simple black display
base.
Is there any room for improvement aside from the
couple of items mentioned? Well...yes, there is. Most collectors
won’t notice some or all of these issues, but I did.
The dashboard is well replicated, with various finishes and
colors, but it could stand a little more fine detailing with the
switchgear and more legible gauges. The silver finish of the
vent window frames should have been chrome — not dull
aluminum. My biggest complaint, which isn’t that big, goes
to the solid-cast, slightly crude windshield wipers. They
should have been better.
All things considered, this model is exceptionally good
and represents a ridiculously good value for the money. On a
broad scale of 1 to 100, GT Spirit scores a very solid 98. This
is far better than most manufacturers with many more years
of experience. This model is priced at €99 (about $130), so
you get substantial bang for the buck.
Page 38
Affordable Classic Austin-Healey Sprite
A Silly Little Car Brings Huge Fun
Today, many consider the ideal Sprite to be a Bugeye with the engine
and brakes from a later version
by Reid Trummel
first Mark II models retained
the same 948-cc engine of the
Bugeye, producing 46 horsepower,
just
three more
than
the original Bugeye. A total of
20,450 of
these models were
produced.
In October 1962, the Mark II
1960 Austin-Healey AN-5
D
onald Healey could not have imagined that his simple design brief to build a
small sports car that “a chap could put in his bike shed” would result in a car
that is still being raced now, nearly 60 years later. Gerry Coker, stylist at the
tiny Donald Healey Motor Company, could not have foreseen that the simple
car he penned would become an icon and define a mini-genre, but it did.
Their bike-shed car was introduced in 1958 as the Austin-Healey Sprite, but it
quickly became better known simply as the “Bugeye” in North America and as the
“Frogeye” elsewhere. Its smile-producing headlamp pods somehow survived British
Motor Corporation design review, and between March 1958 and November 1960,
48,987 were produced, far outpacing the quantity of Big Healeys made during the
same period.
Instead of becoming an entry-
Details
Years produced: 1958–71 (however, 1969 was the last year they were
exported)
Number produced: 126,914
Original list price: $1,795
Current SCM Valuation: $10,000–$20,000 (Bugeye); $3,000–$8,000
(all others)
Tune-up cost: $200–$300
Pros: Really small, icon status, responsive handling, fun to drive, and
inexpensive to restore, repair and maintain
Cons: Really small, 948-cc engine is underpowered, original drum brakes
are inadequate, Lucas electrics, and the cars are prone to rust
Best place to drive one: Very twisty roads with no steep climbing required
A typical owner: A double-jointed retired jockey with no back ailments
— or anyone under about six-foot-two with a sense of humor and
who loves sub-speed-limit driving fun
Club: Austin-Healey Club of America
More: www.healeyclub.org
Alternatives: MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire, Austin Mini
SCM Investment Grade: B (for the Bugeye Sprite)
36
level car intended as a step toward
an eventual Big Healey purchase,
it immediately assumed its own
identity as the sports-car-hungry
public snapped them up and went
racing, rallying, cruising and
touring in them.
Sprite history
After a six-month lull in pro-
duction, the Sprite Mark II was
introduced in May 1961 — but
now with a redesigned body that
lost the signature headlamp pods
and gained a very much more
conventional shape. Retroactively
known as the “Box Sprite” due
to
its
square
proportions,
the
gained a displacement increase
to 1,098-cc and an additional
10 horsepower. Even more importantly,
it also gained front
disc brakes. These up-engined,
better-braked models were
known as the Mark II 1100, and 11,215 were produced.
The next model was, predictably, the Mark III. With
59 horsepower — just three more than the Mark II 1100
from a slightly modified 1,098-cc engine — the Mark III
gained roll-up windows and improved weather protection.
BMC made 25,905 of them.
The last exported version of the Sprite was the Mark
IV, equipped with the same BMC A-series engine, but
now with 1,275-cc capacity and boasting 65 hp. Don’t
laugh; it’s a big step up from the original Sprite’s 43 hp,
and it made a real difference. A total of 20,357 were
produced from October 1966 to September 1969.
In broad-brush terms there are three general types:
the Bugeye, the box Sprites with side curtains, and the
box Sprites with roll-up windows. The Bugeye is in a
league of its own, and the price for one reflects that.
There is hardly a car that can begin to match its combination
of character, simplicity, ease of maintenance and
repair, and sheer driving fun.
The box Sprites are often overlooked, but they pro-
vide the same driving experience as the Bugeye, and a
Mark IV with the “big” engine and disc brakes is worth
serious consideration. They also sell for less than the
Bugeye. They’re often a bargain and a great way to
introduce youth or others on a limited budget to classic
British motoring.
An identical cousin
No discussion of the Sprite would be complete with-
out mentioning the MG Midget — the identical twin of
Sports Car Market
David Tomaro
Page 39
the Mark II, Mark III and Mark IV Sprites and a car that actually outlived the Sprite
by several years. Like any episode of British automotive history, there are countless
nuances, rumors and theories about what happened and why, but the big picture is that
the Midget Mark I was born concurrent with the Sprite Mark II and differed in almost
no way except badging. Ditto the Mark II Midget and Mark III Sprite, and the Mark
III Midget and Mark IV Sprite. In fact, the cars were so alike that they are still known
collectively as “Spridgets” and the MG version lived on for a decade after the last
Sprites were exported in 1969.
Modify at will
As they are inexpensive cars that usually need more power, most Sprites have
been modified, and it is unusual to find an original, well-cared-for example. What is
more common is a significantly modified Sprite that has enjoyed “inconsistent” care.
However, the owners who did care about them modified them to make them even more
fun.
The concept of “matching numbers” was never a consideration, and today there
is no stigma attached to a Sprite with an engine from a later model. A Bugeye with a
1,275-cc engine is even more common than one with the original 948-cc version, and
if a car hasn’t been retrofitted with a more powerful, later engine, the typical Sprite
owner would only wonder why not.
Today, many consider the ideal Sprite to be a Bugeye with the engine and brakes
from a later version. You could almost say that the best possible Sprite is a Mark IV
with a Bugeye body. It’s been done. However, that is generally a little too iconoclastic
even among Sprite owners, as they are a pretty individualistic group that wastes little
time agonizing over micro-trivia in pursuit of concours trophies.
Therefore, your best strategy for adding one to a collection, or for starting a col-
lection, is to seek a Bugeye with a 1,275-cc engine and disc brakes. You can actually
drive it, actually keep up with all but the fastest highway traffic, and actually stop
within a reasonable distance, all while provoking more smiles than a Mini Moke full
of Shriners.
Sprite pitfalls are few, but the typical British car issues of the era — rust and Lucas
electrics — are in full evidence with the Sprite. The large and heavy front shroud of
the Bugeye can be difficult to properly fit after significant rust repair and/or a front-
1969 Austin-Healey Sprite Mark IV
ender. Access to the Bugeye’s “boot” (trunk) is only
though an opening behind the seats. That’s right, they
have no trunk lid, so rust in the rear quadrant can be
tricky to address. Additionally, the unibody construction
means that rust is more than a cosmetic challenge,
so a thorough, flashlight-equipped inspection for rust
and hidden damage is mandatory before any purchase.
A collection starter — and keeper
Sprites are still great entry-level collector cars, and
owners often find them so endearing and so fun to own
and drive that the Sprite often earns a permanent place
in many collections. What other car provokes so many
smiles, has such a distinguished competition history,
and is so inexpensive to acquire, maintain and repair?
You may buy one as a collection-starter, but if you’re
like most aficionados, you’ll find that it quickly earns a
permanent place even as your collection grows. ♦
December 2013
37
Page 40
Collecting Thoughts Five Porsches to Buy Today
Five Porsches to Buy Now
The early 1976–77 911 Turbo cars have already started to creep up
and will keep going
by Jim Schrager
The early 1976–77 911
Turbo cars have already
started to creep up and
will keep going. Known
as the 930, these are the
original, brutal, wild-man
911s, with giant flares,
loads of leisurely turbo
lag, and a clunky 4-speed
transmission.
When new, these cars
were thrashed, bashed
and crashed within an
inch of their lives, so they
are hard to find in decent
shape
these days. With
increased interest in old
things that can scare you
silly and the scarce supply,
prices can only go up from
today’s $35k–$45k levels.
It’s always about supply
and demand, isn’t it?
A rule breaker
The next pick breaks
1972 Porsche 911T — a $57,200 sale by Worldwide Auctioneers this year
W
ith Porsche prices setting records every month, how can you buy anything
in this wild market? Two theories illuminate potential purchases: momentum
and long-term value. The momentum theory favors cars that have
appreciated significantly, and you simply hope for more. Our pick there is
the 1989 Carrera Speedster. More on that later.
The long-term-value theory encourages you to buy models not yet discovered.
For folks who assemble significant collections purchased on the cheap, this is almost
always the way it happened: slowly, over time, buying what no one else really wanted.
This takes knowledge, a bit of foresight, and patience — something often in short
supply with collector-car enthusiasts. I’ve found five Porsches that stand to increase
in value over time.
Five for the future
First, forget about 356s. They are fully priced and more. Pass quickly by SWB 911s
(1965–68), as they are way too much money. Take a pass on 912s, as they cost too much
to restore compared with their value.
All of this brings us to the 1969–73 911T. Collectors have already fully discovered
the 911S, and it will always remain a premier early 911 to own. But most buyers show
far less interest in the entry-level 911T. This is a mistake, as the 911T has always been
a great car to drive at the legal speed limits in the United States. The engines have lots
of torque, are not temperamental, and they tend to live long, happy lives. A solid 911T
is a bargain at $40k–$45k. But wait, we’ve seen this movie before.
At one time, in the 356 world, having the most powerful engine brought a big boost
in value. Those days are long gone. Today, most people don’t even ask which engine
you have in your Speedster or B sunroof. Porsche 356s are in such demand, it just
doesn’t matter. Early 911s will get there as well. And when they do, 911T values will
rise dramatically. And won’t you look smart?
38
1981 Porsche 911SC, sold for $29,885 by Silverstone in 2012
Sports Car Market
the rule of supply and
demand, as the 1978–83
911SC was made in large
numbers. For decades, we’ve been telling you they
haven’t gone up. But they are going up now. Today, big
prices are seen only for the best cars with low miles in
wonderful condition. But the rest are soon to follow. Buy
now at $22k–$28k and laugh all the way to the bank.
Twin Turbo bandwagon
Although the 2001–02 996 Twin Turbos are still
quite new, they are a fantastic modern 911 available
at very reasonable prices. You will pay $40k–$45k for
Page 41
a nice one with mid-miles. For this, you get a car with
arguably better performance than the mighty 959. Since
the TT has a different crankcase than garden-variety
996s, none of those maladies apply.
These are complex cars, so plan on making main-
tenance investments along the way. But they are fast,
beautiful and a great way to enjoy the best of the modern
911s with durability and appreciation as added bonuses.
Limited supply brings momentum, risk
The 1989 Carrera Speedster is a classic momentum
selection. It has appreciated strongly and everyone wants
one, so we have limited supply against big demand.
Problem is, how far and how fast will these drop
2001 Porsche 996 Twin Turbo
when the market takes a dump? You are buying at a highwater
point — and hoping the water continues to rise. Of
course, that may not happen. Look at the iconic Ferrari
275 GTB in the last great collector-car recession. The car
rose from $150k to $600k by 1989, but it then dropped to
$175k in 1993, where it languished for the next decade.
Now, two decades after the 1993 dive, the car has finally
climbed above the 1989 value.
That’s the kind of bet you make when you buy with
the momentum theory. It’s like the old game of musical
chairs. We all know the music will stop someday, so the
only question is, will you be the one left standing?
To buy in this wild market you need to think ahead. If
1989 Porsche Carrera Speedster
you believe prices will go ever skyward, then buy a car
that has already caught on with collectors. But if history
is your guide, it pays to think about which Porsches will
assume the mantle of collectibility, not those already at
the mountaintop. ♦
December 2013
39
Page 42
Legal Files John Draneas
Who Owns This Cunningham Corvette?
Ownership of the legendary 1960 Le Mans-winning Corvette is at stake
in a tangled legal battle
Berman to publish the VIN of Car 1.
Rick Carr, son of Richard Carr, a Florida judge
and car collector, was cleaning out his father’s
warehouse following his death in 2010. He came
across a broken-down Corvette. Carr’s Google
search of the VIN led him to Berman’s website and
Berman. Berman referred him to Chip Miller’s
son, Lance, who immediately began negotiations
with the Carr family that resulted in his purchase
of Car 1 for $75,000 on July 20, 2012. Three days
later, he honored his father’s promise and resold it
to Mackay for the same $75,000.
A short homecoming
Miller was happy that all this occurred on the
The Cunningham Corvettes at Le Mans. Number 1, lost for many years, is the subject of a lawsuit
A
t
this writing, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court
trustee is set
to
auction off the ownership rights — whatever they might
be — of Dan Mathis Jr. in regards to 1960 Corvette VIN
00867S103535.
This car is one of the legendary Cunningham Corvettes — one of
the three that competed at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The current bid of $25,000 was made by Mathis’s partners. Whether
the auction will actually take place is yet to be determined, as Mathis
still has time to appeal the Bankruptcy Court ruling that ordered the sale.
If the sale is completed, the winning bidder won’t know if he or
she has acquired any part of the ownership of this Corvette — but the
winner will be buying into a very expensive lawsuit.
A checkered past
Chevrolet was unable to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in
1960 because of its participation in the American manufacturers’ racing
ban. So Chevrolet gave “informal” assistance to privateer Briggs
Cunningham, who entered three Corvettes in the Sarthe classic.
The Corvettes were numbered 1, 2 and 3. Car 1, raced by Cunningham
and William Kimberley, and Car 2 both failed to finish. Car 3, driven
by John Fitch and Bob Grossman, finished 8th overall and first in class.
This was a very impressive showing, but period racers were not ter-
ribly nostalgic about these cars. Upon return to the U.S., Cunningham
decommissioned all three Corvettes, sold them as street machines, and
they disappeared.
The hunt for #1
Noted Corvette restorer Kevin Mackay contacted Le Mans organiz-
ers to identify the VINs of the three Corvettes. That effort led to the
acquisition of Car 3, which Mackay restored for Chip Miller, founder of
Carlisle Events. That effort was documented in a movie, “The Quest.”
Car 2 found its way into the collection of SCMer Bruce Meyer. But
Car 1 remained elusive. It was last seen in Tampa, FL, in the early
1970s, and it then disappeared from view. Nonetheless, Miller promised
Mackay that if he was ever able to find it, he would give it to Mackay.
Discovered on the Internet
Miller searched for Car 1 to no avail. As he was dying from a rare
blood disease, he instructed Briggs Cunningham historian Larry
40
eve of the 2012 Corvettes at Carlisle event, and
he publicized that Car 1 would be shown there in
its barn-find condition. The widespread publicity
prompted a contact from Floridian Dan Mathis Jr.,
who informed Miller that Car 1 was owned by his
father, Dan Mathis Sr., when it was stolen in the
1970s, which made him the rightful owner of Car 1 when his father died
in 1993. And he had a Florida certificate of title to prove it.
Miller abruptly canceled the public showing, opting for a private
showing instead. When Mathis and the local police arrived to claim the
Corvette, Miller explained that it had been placed in safe-keeping while
matters were being resolved. The police determined that this was a civil
dispute and took no action. Litigation then ensued.
A simple case
Mathis filed suit in Federal District Court and presented a pretty
simple case. He had a Florida certificate of title showing him as the
owner of the Corvette. That was all that mattered. Miller had possession
of the car, and should be ordered to give it to Mathis.
Miller’s and Mackay’s response was that it wasn’t really that simple
at all. Their lawyers contended that the certificate of title was not conclusive
as to ownership — and was obtained under false pretenses to
boot.
Not so simple after all…
Depositions and other discovery in the case established that Mathis
had not been completely forthcoming about the facts.
On August 6, 2012, Mathis had entered into a partnership con-
cerning the Corvette with Domenico M. Idoni. The partnership was
documented in a two-page agreement that was clearly not written by an
attorney. The terms of the agreement are not completely clear, but they
seem to give Idoni a 70% interest in the Corvette in exchange for his
financing the litigation efforts.
Idoni had become aware that the last Florida title had been issued
to Jerry Moore in 1974. Idoni contacted Moore and assisted him in
obtaining a replacement title from the Florida Department of Motor
Vehicles. Moore then transferred the title to Mathis, who obtained a
new certificate of title in his name on August 17, 2012.
Which story Is true?
The parties tell very different stories.
Mathis claims that his father drag-raced the Corvette in NHRA
events in the 1970s. Miller has challenged him to provide photographs
to support that assertion; none have been produced.
Mathis states that he recalls the unusual “cherry chocolate” color
Sports Car Market
Howard Coombs
Page 43
when his father raced the “ugly ’Vette.” Carr asserts that the car was an
entirely different color when his father purchased it, and he claims that
he can establish that his father painted it the “cherry chocolate” color.
This suggests that Mathis is fabricating his memories.
Carr acknowledges that his father never obtained a valid certificate
of title, and he never attempted to get one, as the Corvette was not
being driven. But Carr is inconsistent about how his father acquired
the Corvette. At one time, he said it was purchased from a junkyard,
which would explain the lack of a title. But at another time, he said it
was purchased from “a gentleman in Tampa.”
Ownership transfers are key
In either case, it will be important to determine how the ownership
transferred from one owner to another. Clear ownership seems to end
with Moore. To whom did he sell the car? Mackay’s and Miller’s ownership
is derived from Carr, and his is derived from whomever he bought
the car from. If his seller did not have good title, then Carr could not
pass good title to Miller. These gaps need to be filled in.
Carr doubts that the Corvette was actually stolen from Mathis Sr., as
there is no record of a stolen-property report ever having been filed. But
that was over 35 years ago. Would the Florida authorities have records
going back that far?
No quick answers
In the first of what will probably be many preliminary rulings, the
court refused to order Miller to give the Corvette to Mathis. The court
also refused to grant immediate judgment to Miller and Mackay, ruling
that, if everything Mathis has alleged in his court filings is assumed to
be true (which is required at this stage of a proceeding), then he had
stated a technically sufficient case that he owned the Corvette — and
he should be allowed to go to trial and try to prove it.
Bankruptcy gums the works
After these preliminary rulings were made, discovery brought up
some very important additional facts. While all of this had been going
on, Mathis filed for bankruptcy, but he did not list the Corvette — or his
claim to ownership — as an asset in his bankruptcy filings.
That violated the bankruptcy rules. When you file bankruptcy, you
are required to turn over all of your assets (with limited exceptions that
don’t include the Corvette) to the trustee, who sells them and divides the
money among your creditors. As a result, the bankruptcy proceeding
was revived, and the Bankruptcy Court ruled that the trustee could sell
whatever rights Mathis had to the Corvette — but without determining
what they might be.
Sale pending
It is unclear exactly what Mathis owns, and therefore what the
purchaser will actually receive. But it does appear that, whatever
Mathis had, he transferred it to the partnership with Idoni. Therefore,
the purchaser would likely step into Mathis’s shoes with respect to the
partnership.
In a recent twist, Idoni testified that, when he entered into the part-
nership with Mathis, he was acting on behalf of his partnership with
a Gino Borelli, who was financing the legal efforts. Idoni and Borelli
have made the $25,000 offer to the trustee. If they end up with the winning
bid, they would end up with 100% of the partnership, and all of
Mathis’s rights to the Corvette.
Much more to come
In our next installment of this Legal Files, we will report on what
happens with the trustee’s sale, and where that leaves the parties in
the litigation. We’ll also thicken the plot with additional facts that add
more twists and turns to the legal analysis. This case is a long way from
over. ♦
JOHN DRANEAS is an attorney in Oregon. His comments are general
in nature and are not intended to substitute for consultation with an
attorney. He can be reached through www.draneaslaw.com.
December 2013
41
Page 44
Simon Says Simon Kidston
Epic Goodwood Revival
Alesi hustling a 250 GTO past the pits had the crowd on their feet
and insurers on their knees
the English motor-racing scene.
Having flown sorties from
RAF Westhampnett, he suggested
that the perimeter road
would make a decent track, as
Brooklands was now closed.
Gaze took the initiative at the
wheel of his own HWM, and
the Goodwood motor circuit was
born.
Also hailing from Down
Epic racing at an event that retains its magic 20 years on
W
asn’t Goodwood brilliant?
Twenty years of the Festival — and 15 of the Revival —
and still it’s as fresh and magical every year.
Arriving by Austin-Healey at September’s Revival,
I felt like I was driving onto a Swinging ’60s movie set, complete with
policemen in period uniform, models in miniskirts, the Beatles playing
somewhere in the background (through old loudspeakers, of course) and an
eccentric English carnival atmosphere.
Even the temporary supermarket they’ve built in the paddock looks
cool: They’ve got checkout girls with B-52s beehives and ’60s labels on
all the produce. Freud would have had a field day: It’s like revisiting your
childhood armed with a driving license, more pocket money and no homework.
As for the racing, well, that’s epic. The sight of Jean Alesi hustling a
250 GTO — with two wheels on the grass — past the pits as he challenges
for the lead has the crowd on their feet and the insurers on their knees. Get
yourself over for the next Revival, and you’ll discover a whole new dimension
to really enjoying old cars.
Farewell to three legends
On a sad note, the motoring world lost three more of its elder statesmen
recently. John Coombs, the British Jaguar dealer famous for his highly
successful race-prepared Mk IIs driven by the likes of Graham Hill and
Dan Gurney, was also the man who gave the young Jackie Stewart his first
drive, in a Lightweight E-type (Coombs had lent Jaguar’s racing department
his 250 GTO to study when developing it). In later years, he moved to
Monaco and became a respected figure in the classic-car market, backing
deals in addition to refining his own collection and fielding entries in historic
racing. Sharp as a razor, unfailingly polite and always immaculately
turned out, he packed a lot into his 92 years.
Of the same vintage, Australian-born Squadron Leader “Tony” Gaze
was a dashing Spitfire pilot and Battle of Britain war hero who, having survived
World War II as one of only 47 men to be awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross three times, stayed on to become a leading light in reviving
42
Under, although a Kiwi, was a
remarkable man with hundreds
of thousands of high-speed miles
to his credit, but who never raced.
You’ll know him. Tall, lanky and
laconic to the point of making
Dirty Harry seem excitable, Bob
Wallace was the development
driver who, having honed his
craft as a race mechanic with
Ferrari, Maserati and Lucky
Casner’s underfinanced Team
Camoradi, was recruited by
ebullient entrepreneur Ferruccio
Lamborghini for his nascent au-
tomotive challenge to the established players.
It was Wallace who turned prototypes into production cars, including
the original 350 and 400GT, Espada, Islero, Jarama, and of course, the first
Miura — which he famously drove to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix in order
for Ferruccio to show it off during the Grand Prix (“almost as many bloody
clutches as fuel stops”). He’ll be forever remembered as the nursemaid of
the original Countach, perhaps the most radical design ever put into series
production, although how he fit into it still remains a mystery.
Bob left Sant’Agata at the same time Ferruccio sold up in ’73, and set up
shop in Phoenix, where he worked for four decades almost single-handedly
rebuilding and restoring highly strung classic Ferrari racing cars (“the
owners are better at paying their bills”), although he was always happy to
help Lamborghini owners and enthusiasts.
I spent three hours interviewing him there last year, during which he
probably smoked half a packet of Marlboro reds, and he was gracious and
generous with his time (it was a Sunday morning) and refreshingly candid
in an era of endless PR babble. I’ll save the surprises for my Miura book,
and Bob Wallace’s departure for that final test run is an inspiration to finish
it.
Heading to the road — and track
So, the historic motoring season’s over, right? Well, the polishing bo-
nanza might be, but this is the perfect time to enjoy our cars in a gentler
climate better suited to Latin cooling systems (you’d never guess they were
made in a warm country) against the backdrop of fall colors.
I’m still planning a frequently postponed road trip across the United
States with friends in Gullwings, in which you probably want to avoid the
height of summer.
And 2014 will soon be here, and the year promises some great events,
particularly the Monaco historics (watch out for gendarmes en route), another
McLaren F1 Tour and of course Goodwood, ideally seen from the
other side of the fence next time.
Maybe I’m ready for a mid-life historic-racing crisis — sorry, I meant
career… ♦
Sports Car Market
Tim Scott, Fluid Images
Page 46
Feature Blackhawk Museum’s 25th Anniversary Gala
Blackhawk Celebrates 25 Years
The polished granite floors, black walls and focused spotlights feature
the cars as sparkling jewels in a display case
by Carl Bomstead
Details
What: Blackhawk Automotive Museum
Where: 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville, CA, 94506
Hours: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. The museum is also often open on the Monday of three-day holiday
weekends
Cost: $10 for adults, $7 for students and seniors, and free for active-duty military
and children younger than 6
More: www.blackhawkmuseum.org
Automotive works of art in an appropriately elegant setting
T
he Blackhawk Automotive Museum is located in the shadow of Mount Diablo in
Danville, CA, a short distance from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ken Behring and Don Williams masterminded the concept
in the early
1980s, and the magnificent structure, designed by Doug Dahlin, opened in
August 1988. The 100,000-square-foot museum displays about 90 significant and oneof-a-kind
custom coachwork motorcars as if they were works of art — which in fact
they are. The polished granite floors, black walls and focused spotlights feature the
cars as sparkling jewels in a display case.
The museum does not own all the cars that are on display, but it is most likely
that they have all passed through Don Williams’ hands at one time or another. The
displays are frequently changed, as cars are rotated or displayed at various concours.
However, several exceptional cars, such as the three famous Alfa Romeo BAT cars
and the 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Tulipwood racer, are on permanent display. The
upper gallery tends to display the vehicles with innovative coachwork, and the lower
gallery is a bit more contemporary.
One unique aspect of the Blackhawk Automotive Museum is the Wheelchair
Foundation Gallery. It reminds us that automobiles provide us with mobility, but
for some, mobility takes the form of a wheelchair — and many cannot afford one
at all. Behring founded the Wheelchair Foundation in 2000, and since then, more
than 960,000 wheelchairs have been provided to people in need. The museum has
recently launched its Wheels 4 Wheelchairs program, which encourages the automo-
tive world and car collectors to donate to the Wheelchair
Foundation’s cause.
The 25th anniversary of the museum was celebrated
with a gala on August 10 that was as elegant and impressive
as the building and the cars. Car collectors, automotive
industry executives and other prominent figures
from the car world were in attendance.
Master of Ceremonies Edward Herrmann and
Museum President and co-founder Don Williams shared
a few comments about the museum’s first 25 years, and a
delightful jazz band provided entertainment during dinner.
After dinner, Franc D’Ambrosio, best known as the
“Phantom” in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, “The
Phantom of the Opera,” had the audience on their feet
applauding his memorable performance.
For 25 years, the Blackhawk Automotive Museum
has presented the world’s finest automobiles in an everchanging,
elegant and dramatic setting.
It has been
established as one of the world’s leading automotive
museums, and we anticipate that continuing far into the
future. ♦
1954 Alfa Romeo BAT 7 concept car
44
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
1924 Hispano-Suiza “Tulipwood” Torpedo
Sports Car Market
Photos courtesy of the Blackhawk Museum
Page 48
Feature 2013 Kirkland Concours d’Elegance
Dynamic Cars in a Dynamic Setting
This is a top-notch event, and the new LeMay — America’s Car Museum
is an enthusiast’s dream
by Jack Tockston
emony at the LeMay Museum, a young
couple, SCMers Hans and Angela Wurl,
got in, latched down the doors and
headed north on a crowded Interstate 5
in this extraordinary artifact.
The 1937 Mercedes 540K Special
Roadster from the collection of Danlen
and Siegfried Linke of Stanwood, WA,
won the Participant’s Choice Award.
This car is glorious in design and visually
stunning.
Best in Show went to SCMer David
Cohen’s 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750
GS Figoni coupe. Shirley’s 1937 Alfa
Romeo 8C 2900B Touring won the Phil
Smart Kirkland Concours Award. The
Chairman’s Award went to SCMer Paul
Emple’s 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Aravis.
Included in the mint-condition
Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster and friends
T
he 11th Annual US Bank Kirkland Concours was held on September 8, 2013, at
the spectacular LeMay — America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, WA. Established
in Kirkland, WA, in 2003, the event moved to the ACM last year.
To date, this event has raised over $1.5 million to benefit the Seattle Children’s
Hospital for uncompensated care — and evolved into one of the more significant
concours in the United States.
This year included high-end concours tours, where owners enjoyed driving their
cars along beautiful Northwest highways, nice dinners, and a Grand Gala the night
before the big show.
“This is a wonderful experience,” Mark Gantor said. “The gala last night was first-
class — and the first time I’ve danced with my wife in 20 years!”
National and international experts judge cars for awards. There is a Junior Judges
Award based on ballots of sixth- through ninth-graders from various schools. They
not only gain an appreciation for automotive history, they also learn the mechanics
of a charity event. Hopefully the bug will bite, and they will carry on as we older car
enthusiasts fade away. This year’s crop of Junior Judges chose SCMer Jon Shirley’s
1960 Ferrari California Spyder as their winner.
About 25 classes are changed each year to keep the concours fresh. The featured
class for 2013 was Mercedes-Benz, with legendary models on display. Special classes
highlighted Ferrari, the Porsche 911 celebrating its 50th anniversary, five decades of
Lincoln, woodies, Classic Car Club of America vehicles, and a pre-war American
motorcycle group. The museum had the 60th anniversary
of Corvette covered, with an impressive
display of various years inside.
The most significant Mercedes-Benz was the
Details
Plan ahead: The 12th Annual Kirkland
Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for
September 7, 2014
Where: The LeMay — America’s Car Museum,
Tacoma, WA
Cost: $30 for adults, which includes admission
to the museum. Seniors, military and
students are admitted for $25
More: www.kirklandconcours.com
46
1952 W-194 from the collection of SCMer Bruce
McCaw of Bellevue, WA. This car was the forerunner
of the familiar Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Gullwing. The car is now fully restored, and it
took home the President’s Award. Hermann Lang
and Fritz Riess drove this car to victory in the 24
Hours of Le Mans in 1952. After the awards cer-
Porsche 911 class were the first example
delivered in the Pacific Northwest, a
Brumos Racing Porsche, Carreras,
Turbos, and a sinister black 959.
The main sponsor, US Bank, was
accompanied by a long list of familiar
corporate entities as well as Sports Car Market magazine.
Publisher Martin served as host and co-emcee with
noted actor Edward Herrmann. Volunteers were everywhere
to assist car owners and spectators alike.
“This is a great event, well organized, and they made
us all feel comfortable,” said Richard Shea. “We’ll be
back if invited!”
Next year’s event will take place on September 7,
2014. This fun concours is family-friendly, convenient
(by road, sea, land and air), affordable, and the dynamic
new LeMay — America’s Car Museum is an enthusiast’s
dream. The LeMay is in Tacoma’s impressive Museum
District, so long-suffering spouses have handy diversions
to enjoy.
Kurt Vandver called his wife who couldn’t join him
and said: “This is fun! Wonderful cars, great people,
perfect weather. I wish you could see this!”
She will next year, and you’re invited, too. ♦
1967 Ghia 450 SS
Sports Car Market
Page 50
Feature 2013 McCall Motorworks Revival
Soaring Without Leaving the Ground
Ladies traversed the tarmac in short skirts and four-inch stiletto heels —
while managing glasses of champagne
by Carl Bomstead
Aston Martin was the featured marque
T
he Monterey Jet Center Party — its more formal title is the
McCall Motorworks Revival — is the unofficial kickoff party for
the Monterey week.
Gordon McCall founded the event in the early 1990s as an
invitation-only party for friends and exhibitors at the Pebble Beach
Concours d’Elegance. Oh, how things have evolved, as the Jet Center
Party is now one of the more coveted tickets of the week — and has
become a world-class lifestyle event offering some of the world’s most
exotic luxury brands.
This year’s bash was on August 14, just as the whole collector-car
world descended upon Monterey Car Week.
Entering on the red carpet, I was greeted with a glass of champagne.
I was quickly overwhelmed by the upscale displays, including high-end
sound equipment, cameras, jewelry and, of course, every private jet
imaginable open for viewing on the tarmac.
We were drawn to the group that could plan a weeklong trip for
us — along with four of our closest friends — to the Caribbean for a
mere $85,000. Tempting, but we quickly headed for the wine bar, where
they were serving a delightful local Bernardus Pinot and a sparkler
from Roederer.
Cars and supercars were prominently displayed. As Aston Martin
was the featured marque, they were front and center in the two massive
hangars. Where else can you see the new Pagani Huayra, or a Bugatti
Veyron, without barriers or restraints? Also on display were the newest
offerings from Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, and Bentley — along
with the sensational new Lexus LFA supercar.
Vintage cars were, of course, not forgotten, as a Ford GT40, a
Birdcage Maserati and a Greenwood Corvette caught our eye. Steve
McQueen’s Jaguar XKSS, the vintage Ferraris and the display of hot
rods crafted by legendary designer and builder Steve Moal were also
the center of attention.
For some the Motorworks Revival is a place to see and be seen. And
there was no better place for people-watching than the mezzanine martini
bar. One also had to marvel at the ladies who were able to traverse
the tarmac in short skirts and wearing
four-inch stiletto heels while managing
glasses of champagne.
All is not glitter and high-end luxury
Details
Ford GT40 — basically a fighter jet without the wings
48
goods, as the California Highway Patrol’s
11-99 Foundation is the very worthy beneficiary
of the Motorworks Revival. The
Foundation is dedicated to the welfare
of California Highway Patrol employees
and their families — making this a very
admirable cause. ♦
Plan ahead: The 23rd McCall
Motorworks Revival at the
Monterey Jet Center will be
August 13, 2014
Where: Monterey Jet Center, 300
Skypark Drive, Monterey, CA
Cost: $325
More: www.mccallevents.com
Sports Car Market
Steve Kittrell
Randy Zussman
Page 52
Ferrari Profile
1969 Ferrari 365 GTC
A GTC was often the second choice of someone who couldn’t afford
a Daytona, but that has changed
by Steve Ahlgrim
Details
Years produced: 1968–70
Number produced: 168
Original list price: $14,500
Current SCM Valuation: $650,000–
$1,000,000
Tune-up cost: $3,000
Chassis #: Stamped on the passenger’s
side frame rail next to the engine
Engine #: Stamped on a flange on the
rear passenger’s side of block
Club: Ferrari Club of America
More: www.ferrariclubofamerica.org
Alternatives: Porsche Carrera RSL, Aston
Martin DB6 Vantage, Ferrari 365
GTB/4 Daytona coupe
SCM Investment Grade: B
Comps
Chassis number: 12721
Engine number: 12721
I
n essence a closed version of the 275 GTS, the 330
GTC, which was the immediate forerunner of the 365
GTC, was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in
March 1966. Beneath the understated Pininfarina
coachwork, there was the 4-liter version of Ferrari’s familiar,
Colombo-designed two-cam, 60-degree V12 (as used
in the 330 GT 2+2) mated to a 5-speed all-synchromesh
transaxle. The chassis was of relatively short wheelbase,
and the suspension independent all around by wishbones
and coil springs. Naturally, there were disc brakes on all
four wheels.
Introduced late in 1968 as a replacement for the 330
GTC and given its first public airing at Geneva in March
1969, the 365 GTC was virtually identical in appearance
— apart from engine-cooling vents relocated in the bonnet,
a feature it shared with last of the 330s.
Installing an 81-mm-bore 4.4-liter V12 in place of
the 330 GTC’s 4-liter unit boosted mid-range torque and
flexibility, while maximum power was raised to 320 horsepower
at 6,600 rpm. Acceleration improved markedly, and
the luxury coupe’s top speed increased to more than 150
mph. Less obvious to the eye were the refinements made
to the drivetrain that achieved a marked reduction in
cabin noise, a sign that Ferrari understood that 365 GTC
customers valued comfort as well as high performance.
A sumptuous leather-trimmed interior, electric windows
and heated rear screen were standard equipment, while
air conditioning could be ordered as an option. Like so
50
many European sports cars, the 365 GTC (and convertible
365 GTS) would fall victim to increasingly stringent U.S.
safety and emissions legislation. Production ceased after
less than one year, during which time about 150 GTC and
20 GTS models left the factory.
Examples of this strikingly handsome, startlingly fast
and much-underrated Ferrari Gran Turismo model rarely
appear at auction. This right-hand-drive example offered
has been fitted with a new set of wire wheels but comes
with the original Borranis.
The car comes with full Ferrari Classiche certification
in a red box file, current MoT certificate, Swansea V5C
registration document and a very detailed history file containing
MoTs dating back to 1974 verifying the mileage
of circa 31,000. Presented in concours condition, 12721
represents a rare opportunity to acquire a low-mileage
Ferrari 365 GTC possessing excellent provenance.
SCM Analysis This car, Lot 264, sold for $923,407,
including buyer’s premium, at
Bonhams’ Goodwood Revival auction on September 14,
2013.
Eric Clapton is one of many famous Ferrari collec-
tors. In an interview with Nick Mason for The Official
Ferrari Magazine, he describes his first encounter with
one:
“My mate George Harrison came round to my house,
Hurtwood Edge. He was a man with a great sense of
Sports Car Market
1969 Ferrari 365 GTC
Lot 46, s/n 12795
Condition 2-
Sold at $1,072,500
Gooding & Co., Amelia Island, FL, 3/8/13
SCM# 215659
1969 Ferrari 365 GTC
Lot 140, s/n 12059
Condition 1Sold
at $726,000
RM Auctions, Phoenix, AZ, 1/18/13
SCM# 214991
1967 Ferrari 365 GTC Speciale
Lot 340, s/n 10581
Condition 2Sold
at $885,000
Bonhams, Scottsdale, AZ, 1/17/13
SCM# 215033
Simon Clay, courtesy of Bonhams
Page 53
style and aesthetics. Up till then he’d been buying Mercedes Pullmans.
And then he pulled up in this sports car, and I’d never seen one in the
flesh. It was a Ferrari 365 GTC. Dark blue with a tan interior. And it
was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”
At the time, Clapton couldn’t drive a stick shift and turned down the
offer to drive the Ferrari. However, Harrison left the car there and
Clapton taught himself to drive a stick in it. It sparked his enthusiasm
for the marque. Clapton would later order his own new 365 GTC, but
this 365 GTC isn’t that car — this is a second one that he bought years
later and subsequently resold.
Beauty and beast
There have been many superlatives written about the 330/365 GTC.
The total balance of beauty and performance is usually credited — but
it is the engines that set the bar. The 330 version has a 4-liter displacement
that delivers 300 horsepower. The 365 version of the engine has
4.4-liter displacement yielding 320 horsepower. Both variations have
a crisp, quick rev with a wonderful sound that makes you want to hold
the last gear as long as possible. A friend said that he has never heard
anyone get out of a 330 GTC and say they would like a little more power
— but that’s what you get in the 365 GTC.
Ferrari never formally imported the 365 GTC to the U.S., and the
car remains a bit of an enigma in this part of the world. Here’s a bit of
background:
In 1967, Ferrari introduced a new 2+2 to replace the 330 GT 2+2,
and as it was a bigger, heavier car, it needed a larger engine. A new
4.4-liter version of the venerable Colombo-designed V12 was introduced
to meet the need. As the new 365 engine was physically the same
size as the 330 engine, the new engine replaced the 4-liter engine in the
GTC/GTS line.
The GTB/4 Daytona was introduced shortly thereafter, and the 365
GTC was discontinued. Only 168 330 GTCs and 20 365 GTSs were ever
built. They were truly special cars, as they kept everything that made
the 330 GTC so loved — while adding enough power to really make a
difference. The 365 GTC is a stunning performer with acceleration that
rivals the Daytona’s.
Trading places
A 365 GTC was traditionally valued at about a 20% premium
over a 330 GTC. They were also valued a reasonable amount under
a Daytona. As prices of classic Ferraris escalated, the delta between
330 GTCs and 365 GTCs stayed roughly the same, but a new paradigm
emerged between the GTCs and the Daytonas.
Not that long ago, GTC prices were straddling $200,000 and
Daytonas were straddling $300,000. A GTC was often the second
choice of someone who couldn’t afford a Daytona.
When Daytonas starting hitting the $400,000 range and GTCs were
closing in on $300,000, the GTC buyer pool changed. The new GTC
buyer was far wealthier and did not have to settle for a second choice.
Many of the buyers already owned a Daytona or had owned one before.
They made conscious decisions that they wanted a GTC, and a Daytona
was no longer a factor. Buyers began to pay up for exceptional examples,
and in a blink, GTC prices eclipsed the Daytona’s.
Ticking all the boxes
There have been at least four 365 GTCs sold at auctions this year.
The top sale was $1,072,500, with our subject car coming in second.
Our 365 GTC is a top example with a stellar history. It was the
London Motor Show car. It had been owned by Eric Clapton and by
BBC host Chris Evans. It had low mileage and was well documented. It
was nicely restored. It was one of the few right-hand-drive 365 GTCs,
and it came with full Ferrari Classiche certification in a red box file.
There was little not to like about this car, and the buyers agreed. The
seller was probably a little disappointed that it didn’t set a new record
— and the buyer was glad that it didn’t. If a car selling for three times
what it would have just two years back can be called market-correct,
then this was a market-correct result. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of Bonhams.)
December 2013
51
a model, but no, this was a fully functional “wet” submarine. That means it has neutral
buoyancy to run underwater but is not airtight, so the pilot needs to wear scuba gear.
In this case it was ex-Navy SEAL Don Griffin, a technician and test pilot for Perry
Oceanographics, which built the device.
The rugged life of a movie car
Five other shells aside from this one and the “tire shell” were provided by Lotus
and used for various scenes — including being shot off the end of a pier in Sardinia
by air cannon.
According to Doug Redenius, co-founder of the Ian Fleming Foundation, after film-
ing, two shells were left behind in the Bahamas and given as souvenirs to Roberts
Scrap Metal Company, which assisted with the heavy equipment for the shoot. The tire
shell exists today in poor condition in a Florida museum. The fin shell is whereabouts
unknown, while the missile shell is owned by the Ian Fleming Foundation and is on
display as part of the ongoing 50th Anniversary of James Bond Exhibit at the National
Motor Museum in Beaulieu, England.
The first of the pier shells was damaged by the air cannon during filming, and it is
presumed to have been discarded. The other pier shell may have been unused or used
more lightly. In any event, it was later unofficially retrofitted with mock-up gadgets
and sold in the late 1980s, Redenius said.
Which leaves this one, the most complex and expensive of them all. As presented, it
retained its interior plumbing for buoyancy, watertight central tank for the batteries
(long since gone) and air supply for the driver — all of which will need renewing if it
is ever to submerge again. Propulsion was by four battery-powered electric motors
under the tail, and the bank of props remains, if not the motors.
After filming, the story is that in conjunction with the 1977 release of “The Spy Who
Loved Me,” U.S. Lotus (Lotus East) executive distributor Fred Stevenson procured
“Wet Nellie” for display at auto shows.
According to correspondence between himself and the location manager for Eon in
the Bahamas, Stevenson remembers the Lotus was full of sand and seaweed upon delivery
in New York, and there was no time to clean it prior to its first public debut at the
New York Auto Show. Appearances at shows in Cleveland, Chicago, Denver and Los
Angeles followed, and Lotus West took over control of the car/submarine. Stevenson
relates having great fun with the Lotus, discussing its unique features with dignitaries
and celebrities who enjoyed having their photographs taken with Wet Nellie, some of
which were reproduced in the catalog.
Eventually, the Lotus was shipped to Long Island and then transferred to a storage
unit in Holbrook, NY. The lease was reportedly for a 10-year rental, paid in advance.
Storage unit find?
But 10 years later, with rent unpaid, the unit’s contents were put up “blind” at public
auction. A modest winning bid, said to be $100, from a local couple brought surprise
and wonder when the blankets were removed to reveal the iconic 007 Submarine Car.
The roof had been damaged, but it was otherwise intact. Those owners, who were
selling the car at RM, recounted that the CB radios of highway truckers were all abuzz
about sighting of the famed Lotus during its ride to a new home.
After positive authentication, the Lotus was cosmetically restored and fitted to a
custom-designed display trailer and exhibited occasionally, including a stint at the
Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, but it was mostly kept closely under
wraps — until now.
Just like the Bond “Goldfinger” Aston Martin DB5 that RM sold at the Battersea
Evolution events center three years ago, Wet Nellie was displayed inside a special
set — this time with sand and running water to suggest
an undersea setting.
Ignore the D-type…
On auction day, RM’s Don Rose inhabited this world,
with interviews from TV crews from around the globe.
None of those journalists seemed to be aware that there
were two cars with Le Mans history in the room: the
D-type s/n XKD504 and the Ecurie Francorchamps 275
GTB/C. Such is the short reach of the popular-media
reporters, none of whom likely were old enough to remember
the film when it was first released.
Come the bidding…. The Lotus sold to an anonymous
phone bidder after DJ and car collector Chris Evans
had been spotted taking a serious interest on the morning
of viewing. The top bid was 10% under the rather
hopeful lower estimate of £600k ($950k).
Bond cars bring big bucks
Bond cars attract a special kind of buyer, and his-
tory tells us that 007 provenance increases the value
roughly tenfold over a stock example. The most real of
the “real” Bond Aston Martin DB5s fetched $4.6m at
RM’s Battersea auction in 2010 — when average DB5s
were selling for £300k.
Another “The Spy Who Loved Me” Bond Esprit sold
at auction was one of the two road cars used for filming
in Sardinia, including the helicopter chase scene.
It fetched £111,500 ($165,020) with Bonhams at its old
Olympia venue in December 2008, even though it was
the “lesser” of the two — that is, it appeared briefly
in the handover scene with Roger Moore and Desmond
Llewelyn, who was playing Q.
Most of the time, the car was used as a camera plat-
form to shoot the “hero” car (driven by Lotus head
of chassis development Roger Becker, when the stunt
drivers couldn’t make it behave as they wanted), as
nothing else available could keep up. That 2008 price
represented about 10 times what an S1 Esprit in good
nick would have fetched.
Our subject car/submarine, which you can’t even
drive and will cost a ton to recommission, fetched five
times the price of the Bond road Esprit, but it is perhaps
the most famous movie prop in the world.
By comparison, the multitude of “Eleanor” Mustangs
said to have been used in the remake of “Gone in 60
Seconds” routinely fetch $150,000, and “General Lee”
Dodge Chargers are ten a penny. So, very well sold.
What price now the “American Graffiti” pairing of
the Milner Deuce coupe and the Falfa ’55 Chevy? ♦
(Introductory text abridged from RM’s catalog de-
scription.)
December 2013
53
was an international tour de force of components, the result of which was
the modestly named Iso Rivolta GT, which debuted in 1962.
To follow the GT, Rivolta took its chassis and created the Grifo. A
muscular two-seat supercar, it offered visual excitement more befitting
of the stout chassis and powertrain that was hidden under the reserved
2+2 GT. As with all of Giugiaro’s designs, it was the complete package,
and every detail was thought out.
Not satisfied with merely plugging in the engines sourced from
Chevrolet, Iso Rivolta balanced, blueprinted and tested each unit before
installing them in Grifos. Most were dressed with beautiful castaluminum
oil pans and other trimmings that made the install look like
it belonged there — instead of being the mechanical equivalent of a lost
American tourist wondering how to order a cappuccino.
This Iso Rivolta-tuned Corvette power, along with the available 3.07
final drive, tall 205-15 tires and 3,200-pound curb weight, gave Grifos
enough high-speed ability to run with anything from Maranello. Of
course, much as with other supercars of the day, such as Ferrari 275
GTBs, the Grifo’s power Girling brakes were good for one or two highspeed
stops, but not a day at the track.
And the Rivolta/Bizzarrini pairing? The two decided to part ways
shortly after the Grifo was a reality. Rivolta always wanted to build grand
touring cars of the highest order, while Bizzarrini was clearly deeply
rooted in competition and wanted to build all-out GT racing cars. The
result was that Rivolta continued to build touring cars and Bizzarrini
formed his own company (Bizzarrini SpA) which took the Grifo chassis
and clothed it in sensational bodywork to create the car that became the
Bizzarrini 5300 Strada with various road and racing incarnations.
Hidden rust a possible gremlin
The Grifo’s styling has aged quite well, and obviously the rugged
drivetrains are simplicity personified. Yet Grifos are not without caveats
today. The pressed-steel unibody, while revolutionary at the time,
is quite prone to rusting due to an absolute complete lack of any rustproofing
during manufacture.
Much like a Pantera, a Grifo can look exceptionally clean from the
outside, but a little poking around can expose serious structural issues.
Not helping this was the standard Italian practice of slathering
the entire chassis with an asphalt-based undercoating over bare metal.
This undercoat will dry out and crack, allowing moisture to work its
way in between bare steel. The comfy layer of undercoating gives that
hidden water years to convert steel into rust.
Also, while most mechanical bits were used in many other cars and
easy to source, finding the Grifo-specific bits today, if missing, can
produce massive brain damage.
While I did not personally inspect our subject Grifo, upon reviewing
the photos, it does appear to be a nice original example — although it
looks slightly unloved.
It is missing its trunk script and hood badge, and the grille badge is
mounted on the hood. Some underhood components are missing or not
original; most noticeable are the incorrect radiator and missing fan
shroud. The interior appears very clean and original, including the
original shifter (a plus for originality but a minus for speed shifting).
Bargain style and grunt
The RM catalog does not mention if the engine and transmission are
original (Iso Rivolta did stamp engine numbers, and even numbered air
cleaners), any restoration history, or report of this car’s current structural
or physical fitness.
The last sale I was able to find of this particular car was Coy’s London
auction in 1997 for about $43,400, and it has been reported to have been
on display at a museum in the Cayman Islands since.
However, if the car retains its original drivetrain, has a solid chassis
and body, and runs and drives reasonably well, I would call this car well
bought. Why? With classic Italian supercar styling and American grunt
under the hood, a good Grifo offers exclusivity and performance for what
amounts to a modern-day buyer’s premium of most comparable Italian
cars of the day. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.)
December 2013
55
into their main business in upper-middle and upper-class cars with an experiment in
rear-engined cars.
Slow, noisy and expensive
That the rear-engined Mercedes cars from the 1930s didn’t sell in significant num-
bers is not surprising. Their standard front-engined cars — from the humble 170V up
to the mighty 770 — were, if not beautiful, certainly attractive and a bit more than
elegant. The “H” models were for the most part ungainly, lacking in body detail,
slow — and expensive compared with their front-engined counterparts.
The “H” models were marketed as more “upscale” than their traditional counter-
parts, but their noisy engines and strange handling endeared them to few who tried
them. In addition, while Hans Nibel and his team were undoubtedly very capable
engineers, the limits of technical design at their disposal meant that advanced features
such as four-wheel independent suspension counted for little against challenges of
balance and weight.
Michael Kunz is the manager of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center USA in Irvine,
CA. His shop has restored the only surviving example of the mid-engined 150H
Special Roadster and has a 170H Saloon Cabrio-Limousine — the “open sky” version
of the saloon with large central soft top. When asked about the driving experience of
a rear-engined Mercedes-Benz, Kunz replied “It’s much like a VW Beetle, with the
swing axle and all that weight in the back. It can give you a funny feeling in the seat
of your pants, but you’d have to be going downhill fast to get into any real trouble.”
That would be no doubt due to the less-than-flashing power of the 38-hp 4-cylinder
engine, which delivers a massive 73 lbs/ft of torque and rockets the car to a theoretical
maximum speed of 68 mph. Publisher Martin had the opportunity to drive examples
of a 1935 130H, the 170H and the 150H Special Roadster a few years ago after they
had all been restored at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center USA. He wrote in The New
York Times that the experience was interesting and entertaining, and he ultimately
concluded that all three would provide more than adequate transportation in urban
areas today.
A rare curiosity
All this brings us to the value this sale represented. This auction featured a remark-
able 74 Mercedes-Benz cars from a single collection. The offerings ranged through
80 years of the marque’s history, from a replica 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen to a
1970 300SEL 6.3, and was crowned with two 1938 540K models. There were three
other Heckmotor examples in the sale: a 1935 130H, which realized £47,600 ($74,151);
a 1936 130H Cabrio-Limousine, sold for £33,680 ($52,350); and a 1936 150H CabrioLimousine
which brought £43,680 ($68,050).
By comparison, a front-engined 1939 170V Cabrio-Limousine sold for £31,360
($48,552). It’s clear that the collector appeal of the Heckmotor cars has increased
their value over their more traditional brethren, but it’s also clear that the market for
these cars remains largely centered on their curiosity value.
These cars were unwanted when new, so they are therefore scarce today. They are
a cul-de-sac in the history of Mercedes-Benz and have no relationship to the cars that
followed to the present, once you get past the first 30 KdF V60 Beetle prototypes built
by Mercedes.
Based on the catalog descriptions, this example sold for the highest price of all the
H models because it had the freshest restoration. It might have actually made more,
had the color scheme favored the design a bit better, as
the cream body and red fenders emphasized the bulbous
thickness of the body, which resembles a VW Beetle that
has had air blown up its tailpipe.
These cars work best in dark colors, and an even
more flattering paint job is a two-toned scheme that
runs along the body character line and separates top
from bottom lengthwise.
As a period curiosity, well-restored cosmetically and
hopefully equally well-restored mechanically, this 170H
has to be considered a reasonable buy. As many of the
mechanicals are unique to this model, if it’s intended to
be used at all, we have to hope it was completely done,
as repairs could prove costly. So, I’d have to call this a
qualified well bought and well sold, as these cars trade
in a thin market, and a good one is hard to find. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.)
December 2013
57
Page 60
American Profile
1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster
It was expensive. Priced at $3,668, it cost more than a Cadillac Series 62
or a Lincoln Capri
by Carl Bomstead
Details
Year produced: 1954
Number produced: 435
Current SCM Valuation: $75,000–
$100,000
Chassis #: Left front door post
Engine #: Right front corner of engine
block
Club: Kaiser Frazer Owners Club
International
More: kfclub.com
Alternatives: 1954 Chevrolet Corvette,
1955 Ford Thunderbird, 1955 Chrysler
C-300 coupe
SCM Investment Grade: B
Comps
1954 Kaiser-Darrin
Lot 123, s/n 161001358
Condition 2+
Sold at $97,350
RM Auctions, Amelia Island, FL, 3/10/12
SCM# 197184
Chassis number: 161001253
T
here have been many great automobile designers
who have left their mark on the motoring landscape.
Among these greats would have to be the
contributions of Howard “Dutch” Darrin, whose
design talent was favored among many of Hollywood’s
elite. Quite simply, if you were famous and you wanted
a car with a bit more flair, Howard Darrin was the man
to see.
Toward the end of his career, Darrin formed an
alliance with Kaiser-Frazer, and it was a contentious
relationship at best. Henry Kaiser favored the functional
and utilitarian look of the automobile, while Darrin still
longed for the sleek and sexy design work to which he
was so accustomed.
Built on the utilitarian Henry J chassis, Darrin used
this foundation to come up with what would be the swan
song of his design career, the sporty Kaiser-Darrin. In
the end, only 435 Kaiser-Darrin cars were built, making
them rare indeed. Darrin’s most masterful work is
alive and well, as the doors slide into the front fenders
for a smooth and seamless look. This fine example of
Darrin’s work deserves to be driven and admired by
enthusiasts everywhere.
SCM Analysis This car, Lot 35, sold for $90,000,
including buyer’s premium, at
Worldwide Auctioneers’ sale on August 31, 2013, at the
58
National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn, IN.
Howard “Dutch” Darrin, while living in Paris, was
responsible for some of the most dramatic and stunning
automotive designs of the classic era. In the 1920s he
was in partnership with Thomas Hibbard, who left and
co-founded LeBaron with Raymond Dietrich.
Darrin then formed Fernandez & Darrin, which
received acclaim for their designs for a Hispano-Suiza
coupe and a 1933 Duesenberg for Greta Garbo. When
that firm closed its doors in 1937, Darrin returned to the
United States and opened a custom shop — Darrin of
Paris — in Los Angeles, where he catered to the exotic
whims of the movie-star community. His clients included
Dick Powell and Clark Gable.
His Packard designs caught the eye of Packard
President Alvan Macauley, and Darrin was persuaded
to join Packard as chief designer. Not only were the
Packard Darrin cars now built in-house, but Darrin
was heavily involved with the first Packard Clipper.
After World War II, Darrin entered a tumultuous re-
lationship with Kaiser-Frazer as a freelance consultant.
He was paid a 75-cent royalty for each Kaiser-Frazer car
built. He quickly resigned when his design for the 1946
sedan was altered. However, Darrin returned in 1948
to style the 1951 Kaiser. When Kaiser chose a clumsier
design for the Henry J rather than his proposal, Darrin
was out the door again, this time, he stated, for good.
1954 Kaiser-Darrin
Lot 150, s/n 161001020
Condition 2Sold
at $170,500
RM Auctions, Amelia Island, FL, 3/12/11
SCM# 176353
1954 Kaiser-Darrin
Lot 241, s/n 161001181
Condition 1Sold
at $121,000
RM Auctions, Phoenix, AZ, 1/20/11
SCM# 168587
Sports Car Market
Courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers
Page 61
Sliding doors and a guppy’s mouth
Dutch Darrin was stubborn, proud and persistent — and could
not let the Henry J design go. In the early part of 1952 he built a clay
mockup of a sleek sports car on the Henry J chassis. He did this without
the knowledge or approval of the Kaiser people, and he financed the
project out of his own pocket. He enlisted Glasspar to body his project
using fiberglass-reinforced plastic, and when it was completed he invited
the Kaisers to view the prototype.
Henry J. Kaiser went ballistic, fuming: “What’s the idea of this? We
are not in the business of building sports cars!” His wife, however,
loved the car and said, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever
seen…I don’t think there’ll be many companies after seeing this car
that won’t go into the sports-car business.”
Thus the Kaiser-Darrin was born, although Henry J. had to overrule
his department heads, who wanted to call it DKF for Darrin-KaiserFrazer.
The fiberglass body was certainly novel, beating the Corvette to the
market by several months. The sliding doors that Darrin had patented
in 1946 flowed into the long front fenders. The three-position top had
functional landau irons, and the high shell-shaped grille is thought,
by some, to resemble a guppy’s mouth. It was powered with the 161-ci
Willys “Hurricane” 6-cylinder engine with a 3-speed manual transmission.
Its performance was, for the most part, not a drawback.
It was expensive. Priced at $3,668, it cost more than a Cadillac
Series 62 or a Lincoln Capri. By 1955, Kaiser-Willys had left the U.S.
market. With only 435 Kaiser-Darrins produced, the car is a one-year
footnote in automotive history.
A market-correct sale
The first 100 or so Kaiser-Darrins produced were noted for having
very thin fiberglass. When undergoing restoration, their bodies typically
need to be removed and reinforced. Our subject car was number
253, so that was not an issue.
Our man at the auction noted a respray that was off a shade or so —
and some modern fuzzy carpet. He was not enthralled with the overall
presentation, especially compared to the offerings a month earlier at
Monterey.
There are about half a dozen Kaiser-Darrin recent sales noted in
the SCM Platinum Auction Database, and with rare exception, they
hover around the $100k mark. Exceptional cars bring more — and
those with serious needs less — but this example was respectable. As
such, it sold for a market-correct number. Looks all square with the
world here. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers.)
December 2013
59
Page 62
American Profile
The Cumberford Perspective
First fiberglass production car, last gasp for Kaiser
By Robert Cumberford
3
before they could get a
Kaiser-Darrin, but the
DKF 161 was shown to the
world before the January
’53 Motorama
Y
that
es, customers
could actually
take delivery of
a 1953 Corvette
2
1
in-
troduced the Jaguar XK
120-inspired Chevrolet
roadster, so it remains the
world’s first production
car with a fiberglass body,
as both American products
preceded
541.
Jensen’s
Howard Darrin was
one of the great designers
of the classic period, but
this particular design is
a bit homemade-looking,
and it
is not nearly as
elegant as the contemporary
Austin-Healey or as
professionally detailed
as the Corvette. Sliding
doors, a natural development
from the characteristic
“Darrin Dip” ahead
of the rear fenders, were
a great idea, but they left
a distressing gap at the
front edge. Today that
could be handled by the
sort of electronic joggling
we see on the windows of
many cars, which pop the
window up for a perfect
seal after the door is shut.
Making this model was
a futile distraction for the
dying Kaiser auto firm.
The project likely cost far
more than was realized
from the 435 cars made
in 1954. Darrin himself
bought 50 incomplete cars
at the end to save them
from being scrapped, but
by then the Thunderbird
was better, cheaper and —
to most people — better
looking. ♦
6
5
FRONT 3/4 VIEW
1 The jewel-like grille was
really elegant, and scooping
cooling air beneath the front
bumper showed Darrin’s
prescience.
2 “Frenched” headlamps on
a production car were a nice
touch.
3 The door opening is
extremely short, making
top-up entry an exercise in
contortion.
4 The forward extension of
the rear fender does nothing
for the grace of the profile, as
it distorts the proportions well
outside prevailing norms.
8
10
7
5 An affliction of the 1950s,
these inelegant wire wheel
covers at least provided a
lot of glitter — but no other
advantages.
6 The bumpers look like they
came from another car — and
they probably did.
REAR 3/4 VIEW
7 The taillights certainly did
come from another car, and
so don’t quite fit the fender
profile. But at least they were
designed by Darrin for the
much more harmonious donor
car — a Kaiser, of course.
8 This convoluted cut line
accommodates the threeposition
lift-up “landau” top,
which was itself not any more
graceful.
9 The windshield is nicely
shaped with a generous curve
in plan view.
10 The “Darrin Dip” lends
itself perfectly to the door
sliding forward into the
fender.
11 This unfortunate gap was
necessary to allow for that
sliding door.
12 External hinges and fuel
caps are things we accept only
on delivery trucks today, but
9
they were unexceptional in
the 1950s.
INTERIOR VIEW
(see previous page)
Surprisingly nice in a
Kalifornia Kustom kind of
way, with pleats everywhere
and a pretty instrument cluster
with nicely proportioned
dials. Add-on turn-signal
switch and half-horn ring
are period time-stamps, as is
the awkward-looking shift
lever. Entrance conditions
seem to be highly restrictive,
especially with the folding top
in place.
4
12
11
60
Sports Car Market
Page 64
Race Car Profile
1935–36 Alfa Romeo 8C 35 Grand Prix
This car is the ultimate iteration of the iconic 8C line of Alfas, and it carries
a lot of value from the lineage
by Thor Thorson
Details
Years produced: 1935–36
Number produced: Six
Original list price: N/A
Current SCM Valuation: $7.5m–$10m
Engine #: Right side near crankcase
Chassis #: Plate on firewall
Club: Unobtanium Owners Association
Alternatives: 1933–35 Maserati 8CM,
1932–36 Alfa Romeo P3, 1934 Bugatti
Type 59
SCM Investment Grade: A
Comps
1939 Auto Union D-Type Grand Prix
Lot 297, s/n 19
Condition 2
Chassis number: 50013
Engine number: 50013
H
ere we are absolutely delighted to have been
engaged to offer this outstanding, uniquely
important,
supercharged
straight-8 Alfa
Romeo Grand Prix car for sale by auction. It
is a superb example of the first all-independently suspended,
big-engined Grand Prix racing design from
Alfa Romeo, which the Portello factory made in 1936
to combat the might of the rival state-backed German
“Silver Arrow” Mercedes-Benz W-25E and Auto Union
C-type cars. It was in this Alfa Romeo and its sisters that
the legendary Italian superstar driver Tazio Nuvolari and
his teammates fought a bitter rearguard action against
the overwhelming might of the German teams and their
star drivers. Here is an artifact which in essence these
great names would have seen,
touched, experienced,
campaigned and confronted around the world’s most
demanding road-racing circuits of the mid-1930s.
SCM Analysis This car, Lot 235, sold for
$9,480,778, including buyer’s pre-
mium, at Bonhams’ Goodwood Auction on September
14, 2013.
This is the third Grand Prix car that I have written
about in as many profiles, and it is time to restate the
most basic reality of all vintage cars, which is particularly
true in relation to the Grand Prix variants: These
cars have absolutely no underlying economic value.
You can never make anything of economic value with
them (save the occasional movie) and never will. The
only thing that gives any of these cars any monetary
value is the fact that someone is willing to exchange their
62
money for the car. In trying to understand and parse out
why any of these cars command the money that they do,
we cannot talk about value in the traditional sense — we
have to look at the intangible rewards that flow from
being able to own one. As opposed to road-going cars
of the era, the driving experience of pre-war GP cars is
not the primary determinant of value. They have to be
considered as historic artifacts.
A breathtaking car
Imagine wandering through a technical museum.
What makes certain exhibits draw and hold your attention?
I will argue that the core factor is the feelings they
evoke about people, the stories they can tell about who
designed them, who built them, who drove them: the
passion, imagination, creativity, courage and heroism
exhibited by real people who struggled to advance the
frontiers that we now think of as history.
This is what makes certain things seem humdrum and
others take your breath away — this is what accounts
for value in old racing cars. It’s the human drama they
represent — not the brazed steel, cast aluminum and
paint — that gives them value.
This is why originality and known history matter so
much: A perfect replica or a made up “bitsa” may be
impressive, but it wasn’t really there to participate in
the drama. With a bitsa, Tazio Nuvolari’s sweat never
soaked into the upholstery, a young Enzo Ferrari never
fretted over getting it ready to race. Only the real thing
can tell the stories. When it comes to artifacts, authen-
Sports Car Market
1936 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 A Botticella
Grand Prix
Lot 366, s/n 412003
Condition 2
Not sold at $2,900,000
Brooks, Carmel, CA, 8/18/00
SCM# 10147
Not sold at $6,000,000
Bonhams, Carmel, CA, 8/14/09
SCM# 142076
1932 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 Monoposto
Lot 239, s/n 5006
Condition 2
Sold at $2,100,000
RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/19/05
SCM# 39191
Pawel Litwinski, courtesy of Bonhams
Page 65
ticity and participation in the human drama are everything. Our subject car is the
real thing.
Players in a vivid drama
The mid-1930s were a spectacular time when it came to the human drama, and
Grand Prix racing was where much of it played out. Nationalistic pride was at a fever
pitch in all of Europe, and technological change driven by scientific advancement and
industrial expansion was exploding.
Although the clouds of World War II darkened the horizon — and lent a feeling of
consequence to all international competition — the sun was still out, the teams and
drivers still liked and respected each other, and everybody laughed a lot. It was a time
of intense competition, effort, passion, and some tragedy, but it was not war.
All this plays in our minds as a fantastic movie from just beyond memory, and these
cars are the only remaining connection to it. There are relatively few surviving cars
that participated in this drama, so let’s consider them as the actors with the roles they
played — and from that derive how collectors value them.
The heavies
Although they weren’t villains, the German Mercedes and Auto Union Grand Prix
cars of the era were certainly the heavies in the plot. With virtually unlimited financial
and technical resources — due to government support and a huge car and truck
business — Mercedes-Benz created masterful and dominant gems in the W-125 and
W-154 GP cars. These “Silver Arrow” cars were astonishing marvels of engineering,
packaging and performance that set an almost impossible standard. These MercedesBenz
racers are the ultimate cars of the era and are valued accordingly — I’m told in
the $18 million to $20 million range.
Auto Union didn’t have anything like the industrial resources of Mercedes, but
they did have generous government support and the genius of Ferdinand Porsche to
produce the first mid-engined GP cars in their Type A through D racers. They weren’t
quite the dominating presence that Mercedes was, but they were worthy competitors,
particularly in the 1936 season, and easily qualify in the Teutonic heavyweight role.
There are only a couple of them out there, and I’m told they are in the $13 million
range.
The supporting cast
Maserati led the supporting cast with its 8CM. Though quintessentially Italian in
design and execution, Maserati was anything but a national or even a factory team.
Maserati was like Lola or March in a later time: a company whose business was to
build and sell racing cars to customers. So Maserati cars were by definition privateers,
often brilliantly driven (Nuvolari personally owned and raced one) but without
the limelight glow that is associated with the leading characters in the show. These
carry an appropriate lower market value, with the best in the just-under-$5 million
range. There were also a number of late Bugatti and ERA GP cars that filled in the
grids at the various races. They were participants in the show but not more. These
generally are valued in the $2.5m–$4m range.
Alfa Romeo as hero
The role left to fill is the brave, underdog hero, defiantly joining the battle against
the odds on behalf of a proud and grateful nation — and once in a while prevailing. In
this era, Alfa Romeo played that role.
In 1923, a very young driver named Enzo Ferrari persuaded the engineer Vittorio
Jano to move from Fiat to Alfa Romeo. Shortly thereafter, their combined talents made
Alfa into the dominant Italian racing power.
In the late 1920s, Jano created the architecture for
a supercharged 8-cylinder sporting car, the 8C 2300,
which quickly became both dominant and iconic in
European racing. Light, responsive, powerful and balanced
— and almost voluptuous in design and execution
— the 2.3-liter and later 2.9-liter 8C Alfas set an
entirely new standard for both sports and racing cars
in the early 1930s.
The Grand Prix version of the early 8C was called
the Tipo B, better known as the P3. With Enzo Ferrari’s
masterful team management, it was the car to beat until
the Germans started to flex their muscles.
In 1932, Alfa got in financial trouble and was taken
over by Mussolini’s fascist government. Alfa became
more than an Italian team; it was the Italian national
emblem, and standing up to the Teutonic challenge from
the north became a matter of national pride.
The car that Jano and Ferrari created to do this is
today’s subject, the Alfa 8C 35. It was greatly improved
from the P3, with aerodynamic bodywork, all-independent
suspension, and a 3.8-liter evolution of the 8C
engine. It was a much faster and better car than the P3,
but it wasn’t really much competition for the German
Silver Arrows that dominated.
There were a few glorious and heroic drives, primar-
ily by Nuvolari, that made the world cheer and believe
that Germany was not invincible — but only a few. This
car did force the Germans to share the spotlight, and in
the drama of the era, that was no small accomplishment.
Ultra-rare 8C Alfas
There were six 8C 35 cars built, and of those, two
and a half survive. One is in the Alfa Museum, the other
is our subject car, and there is a “bitsa.” They are the
ultimate iteration of the iconic 8C line of Alfas, and as
such, carry value from the lineage.
They are also among the last Alfas to have Ferrari’s
fingerprints on them (he left Alfa in 1937) and they carry
memories of heroic drives against great odds. As the
storm clouds of the brewing World War II roiled in the
dramatic late scenes of our imagination, Alfa’s 8C GP
cars were the ones that managed to share the spotlight
with the Germans. Now — as then — they command
an important share of the attention and value of the
German cars.
This Alfa sold for twice the value of the best support-
ing-cast cars, and half that of the ultimate players. I
would suggest that it was fairly bought and sold. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of Bonhams.)
December 2013
63
Page 66
Market Reports Overview
Continuing the Steady Ascent
RM’s London sale hits $33.8m — its biggest total since
2007 — and Auctions America’s Fall Auburn makes a
record $27.5m
By Tony Piff
Atlantic.
RM achieved $33.8m in total sales at this year’s London
R
auction and sold 121 out of 134 cars offered. That’s the most
cars sold or offered in the event’s history, and the total comes
close to the record $38m seen in 2007. The biggest price was
$3.3m for a 1957 Maserati 250S. RM dedicated an entire
extra day to “The Ultimate Mercedes-Benz Collection.”
The 74-car Mercedes collection totaled $15.2m on its own,
and on page 76, you’ll find a stand-alone report.
Artcurial’s Monaco sale grew by 62% to $3.8m, up
from $1.4m last year. The auction house sold 57 out of 59
lots for an impressive 97% sales rate, and average price per
car rose to $67k from $38k.
A 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra made nearly nine times that
average, selling for $578k, and a 1976 Lancia Stratos sold
for $412k.
Stateside, Auctions America returned to Indiana for
the Labor Day incarnation of its Auburn sale. AA consigned
over 1,000 cars and added nearly $10m to last year’s
$17.8m total, setting a new Auburn record at $27.5m. Three
Duesenbergs swept the podium, selling for $1.5m, $963k
and $858k, respectively.
Not far away, Worldwide Auctioneers held its sixth
annual Auburn sale. As was the case last year, top honors
went to an Auburn. The 1934 Twelve custom phaeton sold
for $275k, followed by a 1947 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
drophead coupe at $264k. Totals declined to $4.1m from
$5.1m last year, and 67 cars sold out of 81, for an 83% sales rate and $61k average sold price.
And as in Auburn, pre-war big Classics ruled RM’s St. John’s sale in Plymouth, MI. A
1929 Duesenberg Model J dual-cowl phaeton went for $682k, and a 1932 Packard Individual
Custom Eight Convertible Victoria found $374k. A 1933 Marmon Sixteen sedan tied for
third with a 1932 Packard Twin Six phaeton; both sold at $330k. Totals saw nearly $1m in
growth, increasing from $6.8m to $7.75m, with 72 out of 80 cars sold.
We conclude this issue’s market reports with highlights from Silver’s sale in Shelton,
WA; Auctions America’s inaugural Burbank, CA, auction; and US Auctioneers’ sale of
Del De Young’s antique truck collection in Friesland, WI. ♦
SCM 1-6 Scale
Condition Rating:
1: National concours standard/
perfect
2: Very good, club concours,
some small flaws
3: Average daily driver in decent
condition
4: Still a driver but with some
apparent flaws
5: A nasty beast that runs but
has many problems
6: Good only for parts
64
Top 10 Sales This Issue
(Land Auctions Only)
1. 1957 Maserati 250S racer, $3,315,081
—RM, p. 70
2. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB coupe, $2,564,826
—RM, p. 72
3. 1965 Porsche 904/6 coupe, $1,919,257
—RM, p. 70
4. 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K cabriolet B,
$1,277,428—RM, p. 80
5. 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso coupe,
$1,273,689—RM, p. 72
6. 1932 Mercedes-Benz 370S roadster, $1,199,536—RM, p. 78
7. 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, $1,166,659—RM, p. 84
8. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, $1,151,554—RM, p. 82
9. 1976 Lotus Esprit 007 submarine car, $959,629—RM, p. 70
10. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS racer, $924,733—RM, p. 82
1. 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air “bubble
top” 2-dr hard top, $92,400—
AA, p. 92
2. 1952 Jaguar XK 120 roadster,
$78,100—AA, p. 118
3. 1939 Ford Deluxe woodie wagon,
$60,500—RM, p. 106
4. 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible,
$13,068—Sil, p. 122
5. 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster,
$1,166,659—RM, p. 84
Sports Car Market
Best Buys
esults at summer auctions hit new heights in 2013,
furthering the trend of strong growth in values
of exceptional cars. This issue of SCM examines
annual sales that took place on both sides of the
http://bit.ly/ZOf8zr
Scan this code with
your smartphone for
complete results of
each auction covered
in this issue, or go
to URL listed (left)
Sales Totals
RM, London, U.K.
Auctions America, Auburn, IN
Auctions America, Burbank, CA
RM, Plymouth, MI
Worldwide Auctioneers, Auburn, IN
Artcurial, Monte Carlo, MCO
US Auctioneers, Friesland, WI
Silver, Shelton, WA
$384,642
$1,189,913
$33,821,020
$27,543,203
$17,261,985
$4,119,615
$3,826,078
$7,745,450
Page 68
RM Auctions London, U.K.
RM’s The London Auction
The Maserati 250S, the only one originally built with a 2.5-liter engine, sold
for $3.3m, and RM set a new record price for a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at $2.6m
Company
RM Auctions
Date
September 8–9, 2013
Location
London, U.K.
Auctioneer
Max Girardo
Automotive lots sold/offered
121/134
Sales rate
90%
Sales total
$33,821,020
High sale
1957 Maserati 250S, sold at
$3,315,081
Buyer’s premium
1957 Maserati 250S racer, sold at $3,315,081
Report and photos by Paul Hardiman
Market opinions in italics
F
orget the Maserati Birdcage with its
chassis strung above it, and the two
cars in the room with Le Mans history.
In September, the world media’s
eyes were on a movie prop — and not for the
first time at RM’s annual Battersea sale. After
achieving $4.6m in 2010 for a James Bond Aston
Martin DB5 (SCM# 167973), RM dredged up almost
$1m for 007’s Lotus Esprit submarine from
the 1977 movie “The Spy Who Loved Me.”
Lest we forget, this is for a stunt vehicle that
you can’t drive and which would require a ton
of money thrown at it before it could refloat, let
alone submerge; testimony to the power of the
007 brand that normally gilds tenfold the price
of any vehicle associated with Bond filming.
RM’s Don Rose was marooned all day giving TV
interviews in the “undersea world” set, with sand and
running water specially created for the artifact, one of
seven shells and two real cars used in the movie’s production.
Back on dry land, this was a slower sale than in pre-
vious years, and neither of the two star lots, the Jaguar
D-type or the ex-Ecurie Francorchamps Ferrari 275
GTB/C, sold on the night. Both were from the collection
of Lord Irvine Laidlaw, who has decided to stop racing
and turn over his impeccably chosen stable of top historic
cars for others to enjoy. But his Maserati 250S, one
of the most original in existence and the only one originally
built with a 2.5-liter engine, sold for $3,315,081,
66
and RM set a new record price for a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at $2,564,826.
Another big seller from the Laidlaw Collection was the 1965 Porsche 904/6
London, U.K.
Carrera GTS, which fetched $1,919,257. The ex-Ecurie Ecosse D-type “RSF 302,”
a spare Jaguar team car at the 1955 Le Mans, stalled at $6.2m against a $7.8m–
$10m estimate, the 275 GTB/C reached $3.3m (est: $3.9m–$4.7m) and the exCamoradi
Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage ran out of steam at $1.9m, well short
of the $3m or so needed to buy it. Its original chassis was displayed hung
above it — and although auctioneer and Managing Director RM Europe
Max Girardo quipped: “Two for the price of one,” that should stop any
clones being built.
With only one Aston Martin, a DB Mk III ($287,889) entered this
time, Ferraris featured heavily: A 1964 250 GT/L Lusso attracted a
healthy $1,273,689 and a 1966 330 GTC a market-heavy $628,121. Most
F40s offered at U.K. auctions in the past two years have failed to find new
homes, but an accident-repaired, low-mileage
example from the no-reserve 28-car Maat
Collection that kicked off the auction looked like
a relative bargain at $471,090.
The normal Monday sale was supplemented
by a Sunday date, to clear the “ultimate”
Mercedes-Benz Collection of 74 cars which contributed
$15,160,637 to the total. All but seven
found new homes. Girardo added, “Our first
ever two-day sale in London has proved to be
a resounding success. To have achieved sales in
excess of $33 million is testament to the fact that
the market remains very strong and that auctions
continue to be the most effective way for
collector cars to be bought and sold in a global
market.” ♦
Sales Totals
$30m
$25m
$20m
$15m
$10m
$5m
0
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
12%, included in sold prices
($1 = £0.64)
Sports Car Market
Page 70
RM Auctions London, U.K.
ENGLISH
#207-1938 AUSTIN SEVEN Ruby sa-
loon. S/N 16354. Dark blue/dark blue leather.
RHD. Odo: 7,139 miles. Older restoration of
one of the last Sevens, the “New Ruby” by
this time growing up with timber dash,
pressed-steel wheels, coupled brakes and
4-speed gearbox (with synchro on the top
$6,231,355. Bids needed to be about $2m
higher than the high offer here. This was a
surprise to me, given that the largest EE collection
in the world is coming to market on
December 1 (Bonhams London), and this
would have made it even more complete.
#231-1957 ASTON MARTIN DB MK III
coupe. S/N AM30031325. Eng. # DBA 944.
Blue/black leather. Odo: 45,978 km. Panel fit
not huge by model standards. Paint chipped at
edges. Some swirl marks. Leather creased
three from 1934). Paint is fair, leather cracked
and worn, nice timber and headlining. Cond:
3. SOLD AT $6,979. Offered at no reserve
from the Maat Collection and let go at something
under half the lower estimate. It wasn’t
worth as much as RM wanted to think, but the
lowish price paid represents something of a
bargain.
#239-1938 JAGUAR SS 100 2½-Liter
roadster. S/N 49028. Silver/black leather.
RHD. Odo: 74,675 miles. Restoration in 1989
and little use since. Straight, shiny paint, excellent
chrome. Lightly creased seat leather,
very red carpets. Non-original engine with
later SUs and pancake filters. Cond: 3+.
with much patina, needs a feed. Chassis solid,
motor clean, some oil drips underneath. Cond:
3. SOLD AT $287,889. The only Aston in the
sale. Sold at usual ridiculous money.
#245-1960 JAGUAR XK 150 S 3.8 road-
ster. S/N T820076DN. Eng. # VAS11899.
Blue/blue leather. RHD. Odo: 49,439 miles.
Very original, bordering on tatty, with older,
bubbled paint. Rear bumper chrome and lights
microblistered. Leather cracked and distressed.
Door fit pretty good, though, so it’s
likely never been messed about with. Sold
SOLD AT $392,575. Single ownership for 61
years, 1938–2000, later owned (and offered
here) by Nick Scheele, former chairman of
Jaguar. Pretty good money, considering it’s a
2½, not a 3½—and, like so many SSs, doesn’t
have its original engine.
#250-1955 JAGUAR D-TYPE long-nose
racer. S/N XKD504. Eng. # E400110. Blue/
blue suede. RHD. Excellent condition for a car
raced all its life. Originally factory car “164
WK,” used as a test-bed for fuel injection,
spare car for ’55 Le Mans, ran in 1956 Nürburgring
1,000 Km, joined Ecurie Ecosse later
that year. Ran 1958 Le Mans as a 3-liter: DNF,
after that raced in private hands. Crashed in
1963 and rebuilt with front subframe from
XKD505. Original frame found, repaired and
reunited with the car in 1994. With wide-angle-head
3.8 motor. Cond: 2-. NOT SOLD AT
68
with nice paperwork, including original sales
invoice and guarantee, plus tools. Cond: 3-.
SOLD AT $488,538. Said to be one of only 24
RH 3.8 S roadsters produced, and this is the
most desirable model, but even so, a stupendous
price. A 3.4 S in perfect #1 restored order
was $310k (or about 2/3 of this price) at Silverstone
Auctions in July (SCM# 227307).
#232-1964 LOTUS 26R racer. S/N 26R150.
Green/black vinyl. RHD. Last Series 1
26R built—development car with Series II’s
wider rear wheelarches. Once had an autobox
Sports Car Market
produced, of which around 40 are still running,
but this one has a Historic Technical
Passport. Spare body included. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $418,747. Chassis 4, first race was
24 Hours of Daytona 1970, back in the U.K.
by 1983, has been a spyder, coupe again by
1999, then raced extensively in historics by
hotshoe Michael Schryver. Sold to Laidlaw in
2003 and further raced by him, Hadfield and
Schryver. On the money here, and sale was
never really in doubt for a proper example of
the car to have.
#212-1976 JAGUAR XJ12 convertible.
S/N 2G1085BW. Eng. # 7P25623SA. Silver/
black cloth/orange leather. RHD. Odo: 63,672
but now returned to original spec with Cosworth-headed
new motor. In used-but-tidy
order for a racer. Original engine with BRM
cylinder head plus numerous spare wheels
included in the lot. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$174,478. There are loads of copies and lookalikes
out there, but if this is the real thing, it
makes the difference on price. The high bidder
thought so.
#252-1970 CHEVRON B16 racer. S/N
DBEB164. Maroon/black vinyl & velour.
RHD. “Without doubt my favourite race car,”
said Lord Laidlaw. “It is modern enough to
turn in when you ask it, brake well, and corner
with enough G-force to hurt my neck. I love
challenging Lola T70s on tighter tracks.” Perfect
condition, looked after by top race preparer
Simon Hadfield. Only 23 real ones
Page 72
RM Auctions London, U.K.
miles. An unsuspecting V12 coupe went under
the air chisel wielded by people who should
have known better and was then caked in fiberglass
and slop to produce both waviness
and poor panel fit. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT
$5,234. From the Maat Collection. Offered at
no reserve, of course, and I can only presume
the buyer bought it for irony or as a film prop
for a naff ’70s sitcom. Uncut in this condition,
a real XJC 12 would be worth at least twice as
much.
TOP 10
No. 9
#243-1976 LOTUS ESPRIT 007 submarine
car. S/N N/A. White/black
paint. RHD. “Wet Nellie.” One of
seven different stunt cars (not including the
the roadgoing drivers) used in the filming of
the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved
Me.” Actually a functioning submarine built
by Perry Oceanographics of Florida inside an
Esprit shell and still with bank of battery-pow-
displayed behind it. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT
$1,919,257. From the Laidlaw Collection, and
like all his cars, has been extensively raced
and just as extensively looked after. Price paid
seems reasonable for a very usable and competitive
mount—it’s streetable and a fraction
of the cost of a 917.
#230-1973 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA
RS 2.7 Touring coupe. S/N 9113601288.
Black/black vinyl & gray velour. RHD. Odo:
647 km. Perfectly restored (almost too perfectly)
five years and 647 km ago from a car
with a bit of a history (apparently it was once
a flat-front with a turbo motor) using all-NOS
only one made as a 2½-liter. Originally retailed
through the Hall/Shelby distributorship.
In superb mechanical and cosmetic condition.
Recently raced. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$3,315,081. Estimated at $3.8m–$4.55m, so
let go slightly under the expected money. Well
bought and sold.
ered props under the tail, ballast tanks, pipework
and oxygen supply. Said to be nearly
seaworthy. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $959,629. Laid
up after filming, bought in 1989 for $100 in a
blind auction, offered here from U.S. ownership.
Fetched five times the price of the last
roadgoing Bond Esprit (actually used mostly
as a camera car with only one brief screen
appearance), which fetched $165k at Bonhams
London in 2008 (SCM# 118810). (See the profile
on p. 52.)
GERMAN
TOP 10
No. 3
#247-1965 PORSCHE 904/6 coupe.
S/N 906012. Maroon/gray fiberglass.
Odo: 69,134 km. Ex-Porsche Works
team car, 6th overall at the 1965 Nürburgring
1,000 Km, ran in 1965 Le Mans, first in class
at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring. Originally
silver, has been a road car with T-top and
wooden dash (in America), then restored to
probably better than new 1998–2000, except
1-. SOLD AT $663,016. One of six known to
survive, believed to be the 1928 New York Salon
car, has been in the Vernon Jarvis Early
American Museum. From the same Italian
collection as the Cord, V16 Cadillac and
Packard Custom Eight, so the vendor clearly
had a thing for heavyweight coachbuilt iron.
Sold right where expected.
for seat velour faded to purple and vent holes
drilled in roof. Twenty hours on the motor,
period Elektron-cased engine included and
70
TOP 10
No. 1
#249-1957 MASERATI 250S racer.
S/N 2432. Red/black racing buckets.
RHD. Ex-Shelby/Jim Hall car, and the
Sports Car Market
bits and a replacement engine casing. The only
U.K.-delivery (actually Hong Kong) RHD RS
with a sunroof. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $497,262.
Remember when these were $50k? Offered
from U.S. ownership and sold for top money. I
felt the exceptional condition would be counterbalanced
by the non-original engine, but
the bidders didn’t seem to mind. Where will it
all end?
ITALIAN
#257-1928 ISOTTA FRASCHINI TIPO
8AS “Commodore” roadster. S/N 1467. Eng.
# 1515. Cream & brown/cream cloth/green
leather. RHD. Odo: 86,907 miles. 8AS is the
hot one, with higher compression and taller
rear-axle ratio. Excellent restored order, paint
and plating perfect, leather shiny, mostly aluminium
motor clean, tidy and leak-free. Cond:
original trellis hung above it, perhaps to ward
off clones. With Historic Technical Passport.
Cond: 2. NOT SOLD AT $2,492,542. In
Laidlaw’s hands since 2011. This “Washington’s
ax” was unsold at £1.6m ($2.5m) on the
night against a guide price of £2.25m–£2.75m,
but a later offer was reportedly accepted. If
true, I assume it must have been over £2m
($3.1m).
#238-1962 ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA
Spider. S/N AR370830. Eng. # AR131501721.
Red/black cloth/black leather. Odo: 14,721
miles. Looks like a quick resto. Seems solid
underneath, but paint dust on tires and one
dinged rim. Redone dash top a bit wavy. Has a
few marks in seat leather, new carpets. Fitted
#251-1960 MASERATI TIPO 61 “Birdcage”
racer. S/N 2464. Dark blue/bare alloy
& black leather. RHD. One of the five Birdcages
run by the Camoradi team, painted this
color in early ’60s. Fifth overall at the 1960
Nürburgring 1,000 Km, ran in the 1960 Le
Mans. Replacement Crosthwaite & Gardiner
engine and new chassis, displayed with the
Page 74
RM Auctions London, U.K.
with later engine. Catalog addendum reads,
“engine appears to be seized.” Cond: 2. SOLD
AT $43,619. Originally supplied to the U.S. in
white with red leather. Offered at no reserve
and sold very, very well.
#236-1962 FERRARI 330 GTC 2+2 Series
I coupe. S/N 5615. Eng. # 5615. Silver/
black leather. Odo: 78,637 km. Floor-pedal
car, with shiny but slightly orange-peeled
paint and variable door gaps. Motor tidy but
has a weeping heater valve. Engine said to be
seized and sold as “an ideal basis for restora-
SOLD AT $33,151. Don’t laugh; these little
terrors are seriously fast, and in the right
hands can see off a quick Mini Cooper. Built
in Australia in 1985, later brought to the U.S.
by Peter Giddings. Offered without reserve
and sold where expected at much less than it
cost to build. As it was the last lot of a long
sale, the crowd had thinned out, and that’s
why it looks like a relative bargain.
tion.” Among the very roughest cars in the
sale but still vaguely presentable. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $148,306. The 75th 2+2 built, a
home-market car once owned by Peter Monteverdi.
Offered by him but not sold at Christie’s
in 1992 and offloaded privately in 1994. Offered
without reserve and well sold here.
#234-1963 FERRARI 250 GTE 2+2 Series
III coupe. S/N 4551. Eng. # 4551. Red/
beige leather. Odo: 94,537 km. Originally silver,
which I reckon suits these better. Straight
with some swirl marks in paint, lightly microblistered
door handle. Floors and exhausts in
good shape. Cracked and creased original
SOLD AT $1,273,689. Offered at no reserve
and sold well over the $1m top estimate. Last
appears in the SCM Platinum Auction Database
at Coys’ 1997 Silverstone sale, selling for
$149k (SCM# 11229).
#248-1966 FERRARI 275 GTB/C Series
leather. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $209,374. Originally
a home-market car, in the U.S. by 1985.
These have been quietly creeping up behind
their more valuable V12 siblings, and folks are
now restoring them rather than chopping them
into GTO and SWB lookalikes. Offered at no
reserve and sold fairly for a car that would
benefit from a little more titivation.
#260-1963 FIAT-ABARTH 1000TC rep-
lica 2-dr sedan. S/N 882085. Eng. # 961417.
Red/black vinyl. RHD. Odo: 8,416 miles.
Nicely built replica of a sought-after car with
all the right bits—and with the addition of a
proper fuel cell, it could probably get an FIA
Historic Technical Passport to race in Europe.
“Last Open Road” sticker on Wisconsin license
plate should tickle Burt Levy. Cond: 2.
72
Sports Car Market
II coupe. S/N 09027. Eng. # 0014. Red &
yellow/beige leather. RHD. Odo: 23,371 One
of just 12 second-series 275 GTB/C Competiziones,
pretty special with light bodies,
alloy dry-sump motor set lower in the frame,
etc. This Ex-Ecurie Francorchamps car was
10th overall and 2nd in class at Le Mans in
1966, winner of the 1966 Mont Ventoux Hill
ish leather lightly creased. Ferrari Classiche
certified. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $2,564,826.
Italian title, having spent time in the U.S. Bidding
was on a roll, and this car sold at top
estimate ($2m–$2.5m).
#233-1967 ISO GRIFO GL 300 coupe.
S/N GL660197. Silver/black leather. Odo:
66,676 km. Straight, good panel fit and door
#237-1964 FERRARI 250 GT/L
Lusso coupe. S/N 5541. Eng. # 5541.
Red/beige leather. Odo: 25,356 miles.
Lovely older restoration just settling in. Originally
light gold metallic. Good chrome, paint,
panel and door fit. Newish leather. Cond: 2-.
TOP 10
No. 5
the rest of the car. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$628,121. Delivered new to Paris, originally
silver. Offered without reserve and sold for
what looked like strong money—$30k more
than a slightly nicer car fetched at Bonhams
Goodwood the following week (SCM#
227835).
TOP 10
No. 2
#246-1967 FERRARI 275 GTB/4
coupe. S/N 10643. Eng. # 10643.
Red/black leather. Odo: 33,543 km.
Very clean and straight, said to be original
Rosso Chiaro paint. Excellent rechrome. New-
Climb. Restored and repainted red in 2002,
leather is like new (and even covers the roll
bar). Still with Terratrip. Cond: 1-. NOT
SOLD AT $3,271,461. Bid to £2.1m ($3.3m)
on the night, short of the hoped-for $3.6m.
This car sold for $1.1m in 2004 at Bonhams’
Fontvieille sale (SCM# 34148).
#235-1966 FERRARI 330 GTC coupe.
S/N 9455. Eng. # 9455. Red/black leather.
Odo: 15,799 km. Goodish, although crushed
and repainted oil filters always make me nervous.
New brake servo and master cylinders.
Leather lightly creased, probably newer than
RM Auctions—Mercedes-Benz collection London, U.K.
RM — The Ultimate Mercedes-Benz Collection
RM London represented a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire some
very rare Mercedes-Benz motorcars
Company
RM Auctions
Date
September 9, 2013
Location
London, U.K.
Auctioneer
Max Girardo
Automotive lots sold/offered
67/74
Sales rate
91%
Sales total
$15,160,637
High sale
1937 Mercedes-Benz
540K cabriolet B, sold for
$1,277,428
Buyer’s premium
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, sold at $1,151,554
12%, included in sold prices
($1 = £0.64)
Report and photos by John Lyons
Market opinions in italics
W
ithout a doubt, some of the most sought-after
collectible cars in today’s market come
from Mercedes-Benz. The company has a
long and storied history, with roots going
back to the late 19th century.
As part of this year’s RM London sale, a large group
of Mercedes-Benz cars were offered from a private col-
lection. The collector, from Portugal, spent many years accumulating
these motorcars, with many of the cars in his collection having
been built during the mid to late 1930s — just before World War
II. Many cars built during this era did not survive the war. So this
section of the RM London sale represented a unique opportunity
for collectors to acquire some very rare cars.
Just about all of these cars sold here without reserve.
London, U.K.
Combining this collection with what is already a robust RM
London sale resulted in a two-day effort — a first for
this auction — just as autumn arrived in town. RM also
changed the date of the sale to the first full weekend
in September in association with the lovely St. James
Concours of Elegance, which turned the event into an
exciting three-day car lover’s extravaganza.
A large audience filled the room, and the cars sold for the
most part in estimate range. Some of the cars that were obviously built
during the war met with some reluctance on the block, but for the most part, the collection
sold well. Max Girardo handled the auctioneering with his usual multilingual
charm, and Peter Wallman introduced each automotive lot and had something interesting
to say about each one.
The total for the entire auction was $33.8m, with $15.1m coming from just these 67
lots. Top sale honors in the Mercedes category went to Lot 136, a 1937 Mercedes 540K
cabriolet B. It sold for just under $1.3m.
It was a first effort for a two-day sale in London. My guess is that it won’t be the
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS racer, sold at $924,733
76
last. ♦
Sports Car Market
Page 80
RM Auctions—Mercedes-Benz collection London, U.K.
GERMAN
#132-1932 MERCEDES-BENZ 370S
roadster. S/N 87123. Black/black
cloth/black leather. Odo: 102 miles.
One of the best restored cars in the collection.
Excellent paint and chrome. Perfect gaps. Immaculate
engine bay. Very well-restored interior
with beautiful leather and striking
TOP 10
No. 6
Very good paint with few minor touch-ups.
Sparkling radiator surround and spotless grille.
Very nice interior with incorrect materials
throughout. Clean but not detailed engine bay.
Impressive supercharger. Spotless undercarriage
with only minor road dirt. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $811,322. Another transitional car,
this one with lots of desirable styling cues including
“V” radiator, roadster configuration,
swooping fenders, rear-mounted spares and
front fenders that stretched far beyond the
radiator. All-in-all, it was a very attractive
package and, shortcomings aside, sold for
very strong money.
#142-1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 200
carpeting piped in matching leather. Perfect
wood and everything in complete order. Cond:
1-. SOLD AT $1,199,536. This was a sexy car
that appeared to have everything in its favor.
Bid to £700k ($1.1m) on the block and not
sold, but this deal came together shortly.
#144-1932 MERCEDES-BENZ 500
Pullman limousine. S/N 84834. Black/black
leather. Odo: 42,914 km. Big, stately limousine
with excellent paint, chrome and trim.
Very good door fit. Lots of accessories, including
sidemounts, sidemount mirrors, parking
lights, driver’s spotlight and factory fitted luggage.
Lovely interior entirely correct with
roadster. S/N 95681. Red/tan leather. Odo:
3,306 km. High-quality restoration done years
ago. Very nice paint with minor checking.
Good trim and brightwork with buffing marks.
Radiator-surround worn and stained. New
accessories, including sidemount mirrors and
center-mounted driving light. Nice interior as
well, with lovely mother-of-pearl dash and
perfect wood. Nice leather and very correct
materials throughout. Very clean engine bay.
Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $697,912. This car had
several styling cues that are sought after by
collectors: The “V” radiator nicely recessed
behind the fenders; beautiful front fenders;
and it’s a true two-seater on a long wheelbase.
Bidders were enthralled and bid it rapidly
through the $610k high estimate. A fair deal
for both buyer and seller.
#153-1936 MERCEDES-BENZ 130H
cabriolet saloon. S/N 112377. Black/black
cloth/black vinyl. Odo: 69,622 km. Nice amateur
restoration with decent paint and trim and
average door gaps and panel fit. Very tidy interior
with all-correct instruments and controls.
interior in very correct color scheme but
slightly incorrect materials. Older cleaned
engine bay. Attractive rumble-seat. Cond: 3+.
SOLD AT $135,220. This was a very unusual
little car, and cuteness helped it to solid midestimate
money ($120k–$150k). A fair deal for
buyer and seller.
#152-1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 290A
cabriolet. S/N 109942. Silver & black/black
cloth/red leather. Odo: 64,341 km. Older restoration
in dated color scheme. Nice paint with
some prep issues and cracking. Severe passenger’s
side door sag. Older chrome and trim.
Clean engine bay with scent of spray paint and
great attention to detail. Very clean engine bay.
Spotless undercarriage. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT
$205,012. I had not intended on reviewing this
car, but its huge presence and beautiful presentation
changed my plan. This was a nice
car without stories and with about every possible
accoutrement imaginable for the era.
Well bought at slightly below estimate.
#118-1933 MERCEDES-BENZ 380K
roadster. S/N 102202. Red/tan cloth/tan
leather. Odo: 5,808 miles. Nice restoration.
bad gasoline. Very nice and well-laid-out interior.
Cond: 3. SOLD AT $431,833. One of the
few cars in the collection with a reserve, this
one sold on the block with little effort right at
the top end of the $380k–$455k estimate
range. It is a very good-looking car with lots
of desirable design cues and as such, the new
owner should be pleased with his purchase.
#148-1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 380K
cabriolet A. S/N 103351. Red/tan cloth/tan
leather. Odo: 1,347 km. Very well-restored car.
Excellent door fit. Beautiful brightwork.
Nearly perfect grille and surround. Lots of
78
Very good wood. Newer restored gauges.
Clean trunk compartment and engine bay.
Clean original undercarriage. Cond: 3. SOLD
Sports Car Market
Clean engine and underside. Cond: 3+. SOLD
AT $68,046. This was a cute little car, and
you’d have to guess that it had a design influence
on Volkswagen. Sold for very un-VWesque
money, however. A fair deal for buyer
and seller, as I can’t imagine a lot of these
survive.
#130-1936 MERCEDES-BENZ 290 cab-
riolet B. S/N 147781. Black/black cloth/red
leather. Odo: 5,411 km. Nice older repaint
with prep issues resulting in a few fisheyes
and a bit of orange peel. Lots of buffing marks
and other maintenance wear. Old dry-rotted
tires. Clean interior with nice trim and leather.
Page 82
RM Auctions—Mercedes-Benz collection London, U.K.
AT $178,840. Another long-wheelbase version,
with landau bars and seating for four
being detractors. Lots of interest in this car,
which took bidding slightly under the $225k
low estimate, but looked like market-correct
money.
#155-1937 MERCEDES-BENZ 290
cabriolet A. S/N 121584. Red & black/black
cloth/black leather. Odo: 58,096 miles. Very
attractive older restored car. Very good paint
with a few minor prep issues. Minimal chrome
trim in very nice condition. Chromed wire
wheels. Decent fit and finish with very good
door fit. Clean engine bay. Odor of old gaso-
evident as well. Lots of accessories, including
spare-mounted mirrors, dual horns and accessory
driving lights. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT
$183,202. This car had a very nice look to it.
The colors were very tasteful, and the overall
presentation attractive. The fact that it was a
four-door cabriolet slowed bidding a bit.
Fairly bought and sold.
#138-1939 MERCEDES-BENZ 320A
line, so some rehab in the cards. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $401,299. While it is a rebody, this
car had many of the better, sought-after M-B
styling cues. This includes a steep raked windshield,
full fenders and rear-mounted spares.
Sold for strong money given the provenance,
but a very attractive car worthy of its price.
TOP 10
No. 4
#136-1937 MERCEDES-BENZ 540K
cabriolet B. S/N 169367. Silver &
black/black cloth/green leather. Odo:
901 km. Very well-prepared and -presented
older restoration. Very nice older paint with
few checks and cracks. Very nice trim and
brightwork. Excellent grille and radiator-surround.
Phenomenal panel fit (not easy on
cabriolet. S/N 019009. Blue & gray/blue
cloth/tan leather. Odo: 3,652 km. Very nice
design. “V” windshield and radiator highlighting
the design cues, along with a flowing rear
deck and rear-mounted tire. Very good but
somewhat dated restoration. Very nice paint
and trim. Grille-surround displaying lots of
buffing and fluid wear. Very attractive interior
with restoration in improper materials. Inter-
fresh scent of spray paint. Clean trunk with
jack and tools. Brand-new seat covers with
incorrect leather surfaces. Nice wood, good
carpets and tidy gauges and controls. Cond:
2-. SOLD AT $164,009. Prices for these are
all over the map, with later fuel-injected and
well-restored examples selling for north of
half a million. This was a nice carbureted car
with a known history in nice condition. Sold
for market-correct money.
these). Spotless engine bay with only minor
show-detailing needed. Brand-new interior
with gorgeous mother-of-pearl dash. Nearly
flawless materials. Stunning wood. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $1,277,428. A no-sale on the block,
but RM did a great job negotiating with the
buyer and seller to get the car sold a day or
two later. Car sold at the high end of range for
the coachwork, with the supercharged engine
ruling the day.
#141-1938 MERCEDES-BENZ 320 cab-
riolet D. S/N 407841. Black & white/black
cloth/black leather. Odo: 18,772 km. Nice restoration
in excellent color scheme. Good gaps
and door fit. Excellent paint with minor chips.
Nice older restored chrome and trim bits. Very
80
esting driver’s-leg seat support is not correct
but inventive. Fitted luggage. Clean engine.
Spotless underside. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$410,023. Good example of how coachwork
and certain design cues can affect desirability.
This car had several (outlined above), and
bidders jumped in early and often, taking this
car just shy of the $420k low estimate. A fair
deal, and someone got a great-looking car to
either enjoy or re-restore to its original glory.
#125-1953 MERCEDES-BENZ 300S
cabriolet A. S/N 1880103500280. Black/tan
vinyl/beige leather. Odo: 54,472 miles. Older
restored car with average gaps and panel fit.
Very good paint with cleansing marks apparent.
Buff marks also common on all of the
chrome and other trim bits. Original radiator
grille with some mild staining. Clean, correct
interior with repro door panels and original
seat covers. Beautiful wood and nice original
gauges and controls. Spotless original trunk.
Recently cleaned engine bay but non-original
#131-1954 MERCEDES-BENZ 300S
cabriolet. S/N 1880124500026. Green/black
cloth/gray leather. Odo: 63,378 km. Very wellrestored
correct car. Nice paint and trim. Excellent
interior with only minor wear to seats.
Excellent wood. Chrome and trim nearly
show-quality. Very attractive interior. All-cor-
motor. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $436,195. There
were lots of lookers at this car, with lots of
comments about the estimate being north of
$500k. In the end, the car sold for strong
money given its condition and engine.
#106-1954 MERCEDES-BENZ 300B
Adenauer cabriolet. S/N 1860144500511.
Black/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 46,470 km.
Older restored car in very stately color
scheme. High-quality older cosmetic restoration.
Very nice paint with lots of buffing
marks. Excellent trim and chrome. Very good
panel fit. Radiator-surround heavily stained
and buffed. Hastily detailed engine bay with
good look overall. Spotless newer interior.
Incorrect leather pattern. Nice carpeting. Newlooking
instruments and gauges. Clean engine
bay with odor of bad gas. Some minor leaks
rect. Clean engine bay with only minor detailing
needed. Spotless undercarriage. Tidy trunk
with original jack and spare. Cond: 2+. SOLD
AT $514,710. This was the stronger of the two
Sports Car Market
Page 84
RM Auctions—Mercedes-Benz collection London, U.K.
300S cabrios, and bidders recognized it. Inspections
happened pretty continuously over
the two-day preview. Sold for market-correct
money. Buyer should be very pleased.
#139-1954 MERCEDES-BENZ 300S
coupe. S/N 1880114500013. Black/black
leather. Odo: 56,708 miles. Older cosmetically
restored car. Chips and checking of paint.
Hazy bumpers. Average brightwork elsewhere.
Very nice interior with incorrect leather pattern
on seats. New carpeting. Very nice instru-
tained original interior. New carpets. Cloth top
with some wrinkles. Yellowed wide whitewalls.
Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $75,026. Hopefully
the new owner plans on driving and enjoying
the car, because a restoration will put him
upside-down for the foreseeable future. Well
sold.
TOP 10
No. 10
ments and controls. Nice wood. Rare
radio-delete with proper delete plate still affixed
to dash. Clean trunk with original jack.
Clean engine. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $340,232.
Very nice car. Bid to very strong money, and
the seller should be happy. Buyer ended up
with a good-looking and extremely rare Mercedes,
so a win for him as well.
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82
engine bay. Tool roll and jack in trunk. Incorrect
Nardi-style racing steering wheel. Cond:
2+. SOLD AT $1,151,554. One of the highlights
of the collection, this car ticked all of
the boxes for any serious Gullwing collector.
Restored back to original configuration, it
could be a record-worthy example, as original
black Gullwings are extremely sought-after.
Well bought and sold.
#133-1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 220S
cabriolet. S/N 1800307505670. Dark Forest
Green/tan cloth/brown leather. Odo: 39,486
km. Driver-quality car. Older paint and trim.
Average gaps. Decent chrome with minor pitting
to door handles. Clean engine bay with
signs of long non-use. Correct and well-main-
#162-1956 MERCEDES-BENZ
300SL Gullwing. S/N 1980406500296.
Silver/red leather. Odo: 3,018
km. Excellent and correct restoration. Correctstyle
paint and interior, however car originally
delivered in black with red-and-white plaid
interior. Rudge knockoff wheels. Factory fitted
luggage and original belly pans. Excellent trim
and chrome bits. Beautiful older restored interior
with an appealing patina. Well-detailed
TOP 10
No. 8
#164-1957 MERCEDES-BENZ
300SLS replica racer. S/N 1980427500557.
Silver/blue plaid. Odo: 341
km. 300SL Roadster converted to SLS specifications.
Very well executed. Excellent paint,
chrome and trim. Nice interior. Excellent engine
bay. Overall a very impressive car. Cond:
1-. SOLD AT $924,733. Mercedes built a cou-
ple of the legendary 300SLS race cars back in
the era, and sadly, none survive. This is a very
well-represented replica of those cars, and it
was beautiful. The cost of converting it back
would be prohibitive, as major modifications
had to be made. A very cool looker for pretty
much the same money as a show-quality SL
Roadster seems fair to all parties.
#135-1958 MERCEDES-BENZ 300D
Adenauer saloon. S/N 1890108500545.
Black/tan leather. Odo: 14,309 km. Very old
cosmetic restoration. Average door and panel
fit. Average-quality chrome with some minor
pitting on window surrounds. Rear bumper
missing guards. Old yellow tires. Clean newer
restored interior with incorrect materials. Very
nice original wood. Good glass. Engine bay
very dirty with numerous signs of non-use.
Rotten-gas odors abound. Lots of leaks including
oil drips from head. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT
Sports Car Market
Auctions America Auburn, IN
Auctions America — Fall Auburn
Everything from muscle cars to exotics and CCCA Full Classics were available,
with conditions ranging from no-needs show cars to full-on projects
Company
Auctions America
Date
August 28–September 1,
2013
Location
Auburn, IN
Auctioneer
Brent Earlywine
Automotive lots sold/offered
774/1,134
Sales rate
68%
Sales total
$27,543,203
High sale
1930 Duesenberg Model J,
sold at $1,540,000
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 fastback, sold at $69,300
Buyer’s premium
10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Kevin Coakley
Market opinions in italics
“A
Auburn, IN
uburn’s back!” was the announcement
made from the auctioneer’s podium
throughout the Fall Auburn event over
Labor Day weekend. Seeing the results,
the company might be on to something here, as the
number of lots offered was up 13% and the total sales
were up a whopping 55% from this time last year.
In addition to the usual car corral and swap-
meet activities you’d expect to be accompanying a
collector-car auction, Donnie Gould and his team
continued their hard work to promote Auctions
America’s 2013 Fall edition as a family-friendly
destination experience. Activities included monster-truck
exhibitions and rides, motocross jumpers, helicopter
rides and personal appearances by the Discovery
Channel’s Richard Rawlings and Aaron Kaufman from
“Fast N’ Loud,” as well as Jessi Combs of “Overhaulin’”
and “All Girls Garage.”
For those looking to buy cars, this was the place to be.
Everything from muscle cars to exotics and CCCA Full
Classics were available, with conditions ranging from noneeds
show cars to full-on projects.
This year’s auction featured 100 cars from the collection
of local guy Ed Ewing. Ewing has a terrific story. Growing
up in a household where his parents never even owned a
car, he parlayed his work ethic and business acumen into
86
a bit of an empire, including his 200-car collection. At the auction, I asked
what motivated him to sell off a big chunk it. His response? “Two hundred
cars are just too many to deal with.” I think we can all appreciate that.
Labor Day weekend top-dollar honors went to a beautiful 1930
Duesenberg Model J convertible coupe selling at $1,540,000, followed by
a rare 1929 Duesenberg Model J sports sedan trading hands for $962,500.
Other sales of note included a ’59 Cadillac Biarritz selling at $220,000 and
a really nice Fiat Jolly, also from the Ewing Collection, selling strong at
$99,000.
The average sold price here was
$36k, which might give one the impression
that most cars were out of reach of the
Average Joe collector. But just for comparison,
last year’s average was about $27k, which is still
a pretty strong result. Generally, both cases were
a result of really strong sales pulling the number
up and distorting the end result. There were many
quality lots to be had under the $20k range.
“Auburn is back” indeed. It’s hard to argue with
the results here, with totals up in every department
over last year’s numbers. As this auction continues
to grow in size, it continues to get even better at
offering something for bidders at every price point,
and that makes it a destination that car guys in the
market for new iron shouldn’t miss. I’ll certainly
be back in the future. ♦
Sales Totals
$30m
$25m
$20m
$15m
$10m
$5m
0
2013
2012
2011
2010
Sports Car Market
Page 90
Auctions America Auburn, IN
ENGLISH
#5185-1937 MG SA Tickford roadster.
S/N SA2018. Eng. # QPH62313. Tan &
cream/tan canvas/tan & cream leather. RHD.
Odo: 146 miles. Paint shows cracks and blisters.
Panel fit as you’d expect for a pre-war
MG. Driver’s door hits running-board slats.
Brightwork shows well. Decent engine compartment
detail. Interior a little rough, passenger’s
door pull coming unraveled. No reserve.
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $45,100. This biggest of
leak migrating to hood and separating paint on
the edges. Minilite wheels shod with racing
rubber. Equipped with five-point racing belts.
Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $18,000. Said to have
“documented racing pedigree with division
wins and first, and second, place finishes nationally,”
but no mention of when or where. It
was a little rough, but hey, it’s a race car, selling
for fair money both ways.
GERMAN
#3148-1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 190SL
convertible. S/N 190SL121042. Graphite
Gray/black cloth/red leather. Odo: 50,607
miles. Paint looks fresh and well applied.
Brightwork shows well. Decent engine compartment
detail. Nice interior in good shape.
Soft rubber seals a bit dried and cracked. Sold
with both tops. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $110,000.
Offered at no reserve here and said to have
been with the previous owner for the past 30
the MGs started life as a 4-door sedan; rebodied
and restored in 1990. The SCM Platinum
Auction Database shows this car sold at the
RM Ponder Collection auction in 2007 for
$63k (SCM# 44877) and again at Gooding’s
2010 Scottsdale sale for $64k (SCM# 156735).
It no-saled at Worldwide’s 2011 Seabrook, TX,
sale at an undisclosed high bid (SCM#
182098). Yes, it has some needs, but those can
be addressed without getting underwater.
Price looked like a win for the buyer.
#7032-1956 MGA roadster. S/N ADL4316225.
Red/black vinyl. Odo: 7,218 miles.
Paint shows chips, orange peel and general
wear. Doors fit poorly. Rough brightwork.
Grubby engine compartment. Interior showing
its age, as is the added plywood dashboard.
new weatherseals all around. Engine compartment
nicely detailed. Interior looks fresh and
well done. Engine upgrades include a magnesium
crankcase, Gene Berg oil sump and
counterweighted crankshaft, Kadron carburetors
and an RX7 radiator cooler, professionally
installed within the frame rails. Cond: 2-.
NOT SOLD AT $28,000. It may not be a
21-window Samba, but it was very well presented;
the seller was right to hang on. The
high bid was short by a lot.
ITALIAN
years, but the SCM Platinum Auction Database
shows it sold at Barrett-Jackson’s 2003
Scottsdale sale for $23k, which we called “a
lot of money for this car” (SCM# 30166). It
sold in 2001 for $27k at Auction Spectrum in
Palm Springs (SCM# 24059). Still, a very attractive
package with few needs. These cars
have experienced a significant value bump in
the past year or two. Well sold.
#5174-1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 220S
cabriolet. S/N A180308500345. Tan/black
cloth/black leather. Odo: 14,769 miles. Beautiful
paint and brightwork. Good panel fit. Top
fits well and is in excellent condition. Decent
engine compartment. Interior looks great, exceptional
wood finish. Mismatched driving-
Cond: 3-. NOT SOLD AT $16,500. Good
ones are pulling strong money of late. This
wasn’t a good one, but it still deserved a stronger
result. The consignor was right to hang
on, and a few dollars invested now will result
in a sale later.
#5016-2001 CATERHAM SUPER 7
roadster. S/N N5347260. British Racing
Green/black leather. Odo: 10,208 miles. Paint
on nose is checked and cracked. Brake-fluid
light lenses. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $82,500.
This result looks market-correct if not a
slightly good buy. The SCM Platinum Auction
Database shows one that sold four months
prior in #3 condition from the Don Davis Collection
at $149k, which our reporter called a
“fair deal” (SCM# 216109).
#3116-1963 VOLKSWAGEN TRANS-
PORTER minibus. S/N 1017076. Green &
white/blue & green vinyl. Odo: 73,526 miles.
Fresh paint looks great; good gaps and glass,
88
Sports Car Market
#3187-1959 AUTOBIANCHI BIANCHINA
Trasformabile coupe. S/N
068216. Blue & white/white vinyl/blue &
white vinyl. Odo: 50,392 miles. Nice paint,
decent exterior brightwork, except that the bits
added to hide the trunk hinges look like something
you’d purchase by the foot at your local
hardware store. Tidy engine compartment and
trunk. Seat and door covers look a little baggy.
Comes with original toolkit and restoration
documentation. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $33,000.
Done quick and on a budget. Microcars continue
to be hot. We’ve recorded a couple of
these selling in the mid $40k range in the past
year, so this looks like a bit of a bargain. Well
bought.
#5105-1961 FIAT JOLLY beach car. S/N
110075052. Fly Yellow/yellow & black
Page 92
Auctions America Auburn, IN
canvas/wicker. Odo: 12,731 miles. Excellent
paint and brightwork. Engine compartment
shows well. Interior nicely done with fitted
carpets. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $99,000. Offered
from the collection of Ed Ewing, this one was
very nice, and the sale price reflects the presentation.
Well sold.
#5199-1972 DETOMASO PANTERA
coupe. S/N THPNMG03252. Light blue/black
leather. Odo: 13,707 miles. Nice blue paint
and minimal exterior trim. Good panel fit.
Tires and wheels look fresh. Grungy engine
comparment. Scratches in rear window. Noth-
ing apart. Cond: 3. NOT SOLD AT $30,000.
The woodie market has cooled, but not enough
to make that high bid look good. The consignor
was right to walk away. There will be
more money down the road.
ing to gripe about inside. Equipped with a/c
and power windows. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT
$56,100. Now is the time to buy these cars.
This result was spot-on for the market, and in
my opinion has nowhere to go but up. A fair
deal both ways.
AMERICAN
#7077-1935 PACKARD SUPER EIGHT
Model 858 coupe. S/N 858276. Black/tan
broadcloth. Odo: 44,246 miles. Beautiful
black paint is in excellent condition, good
panel fit all around, doors close with a solid
thunk. Brightwork in excellent condition.
Painted wire wheels with chrome center caps
and beauty rings look fantastic with the wide
whitewalls. Interior looks fresh, wood is
#5201-1937 FORD DELUXE pickup.
S/N 54147564. Red & black/black vinyl. Odo:
195 miles. Paint holding up well after 17
years, sloppy Ford script paint on tailgate.
Excellent brightwork. Right front whitewall
shows evidence of having sat flat for a period.
Decent engine detail. A former AACA Senior
Grand National and Early Ford V8 Club Dear-
grille bars are painted silver. Rust holes in
floorboards. Interior isn’t as bad as the exterior,
but that isn’t saying much. New top looks
great. Cond: 4. NOT SOLD AT $34,000. Said
to be a recent barn find, it’s really too ratty to
drive as-is. Factor in the restoration costs,
and you’re upside-down in a hurry. High bid
today was plenty generous, considering the
needs.
#4090-1955 FORD COUNTRY SQUIRE
born Award winner. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$39,600. Sold from the Dingman Collection in
2006 for $58k in #1 condition (SCM# 42149).
Assuming this truck won the awards not long
after its completion in ’96, the restoration is
holding up remarkably well. That said, 195
miles over 17 years is hardly enough use to
keep the mechanicals properly exercised. If
everything checks out mechanically, this was a
great buy.
#6079-1938 CADILLAC SERIES 90 V16
show-quality. Engine compartment very well
detailed. Goddess of Speed on the radiator,
sidemount spares, fold-down trunk rack.
Cond: 2. SOLD AT $151,250. Claimed to be
one of five known to exist and confirmed by the
CCCA and Packard Registry, this car comes
with a laundry list of invitations and awards.
The result seemed strong for an 8-cylinder
coupe, but when you take in the whole package,
it looked like a good deal all around.
#6055-1936 DODGE WESTCHESTER
woodie wagon. S/N H20LR313. Maroon &
wood/black vinyl/tan vinyl. Odo: 20,255
miles. Paint shows some minor blemishes.
Wood in decent shape, good gaps and finish.
Grille with a lot of pitting. Canvas-trimmed
side curtains look new. Acceptable engine detailing.
Interior okay, except rear seat is com-
90
limousine. S/N 5270127. Black/tan broadcloth.
Odo: 70,105 miles. Paint shows some
touch-ups; micro-pitting of exterior brightwork.
Rear window delaminating. Decent engine
compartment. All interior door panels
display water damage and are peeling off the
door frame. Front seat coming undone. Cond:
rack and tarted up, period-correct JC Higgins
bike that Pee-wee Herman might be looking
for. No reserve. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $33,550.
This was an attractive package, and most of
the issues mentioned can be addressed by
writing out some big checks. Heck, the bike
alone is probably worth a grand. Looks like a
win for the buyer, unless Pee-wee wants his
bike back.
3-. NOT SOLD AT $43,000. There were three
of these V16 behemoths here this weekend.
#3176-1957 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
convertible. S/N E575106210. Inca Silver &
white/red leather. Odo: 74,660 miles. 283-ci
Sports Car Market
wagon. S/N U5U4149854. Torch Red & faux
wood/red & white vinyl. Odo: 46,356 miles.
272-ci V8, 2-bbl, auto. Decent red paint,
wood-graining showing some drips. Variable
panel fit. Woodgrain trim collapsed under
over-tightened bolts. Brightwork varies from
excellent bumpers to rusting window frames.
Decent original engine compartment. Presentable
interior in good shape. Sold with bike
The lowest was bid to $41k, this one trailed at
$43k, and the highest got to $50k. All ran on
Sunday. If you want the big money, it pays to
upgrade to prime run-time. The retail buyers
for this type of car generally show up late and
leave early. None of the high bids were near
adequate, and the outcome should surprise no
one.
#6043-1947 PONTIAC STREAMLINER
woodie wagon. S/N PGNB4827. Black &
wood/black vinyl/two-tone burgundy vinyl &
cloth. Odo: 47,970 miles. Horrible paint displays
scratches, touch-ups, surface rust. Wood
finish is a distant memory, as are the tight
wood joints. Brightwork is horrible, half the
Artcurial Monte Carlo, MCO
Artcurial Motorcars — Monaco 2013
In Monaco’s skewed world of whims and trinkets, some of the colossal prices
achieved at this annual Artcurial event didn’t look so amazing
Company
Artcurial Motorcars
Date
July 22, 2013
Location
Monte Carlo, MCO
Auctioneer
Herve Poulain
Automotive lots sold/offered
57/59
Sales rate
97%
Sales total
$3,826,078
High sale
1965 Shelby Cobra 427, sold
at $578,267
Buyer’s premium
1965 Shelby Cobra 427 roadster, sold at $578,267
17% up to $789,960, 11%
thereafter, included in sold
prices ($1.00=€0.76)
Report and photos by Paul Hardiman
Market opinions in italics
M
onaco: Home of one of the world’s
few remaining street GPs,
where an American actress
became a princess, and
where it’s cheaper to travel to the sale from
the nearest airport by helicopter than it is by
taxi — both only narrowly shading the price
of a high-season day’s car rental.
In this skewed world of whims and trinkets,
some of the colossal prices achieved at this
annual Artcurial event didn’t look so amazing,
such as the $44,360 paid for an original but hurriedly
resprayed Citroën Ami 6. It was one of the lots entered
by one local Monégasque collector that made up twothirds
of the sale.
But unlike last year’s sale, which thinned out the late
Prince Rainier of Monaco’s collection, and where the
keenness of locals to buy the cars of their late ruler led
to one enthusiastic bidder paying $160k for a Mercedes
560SE, former ownership by HSH Rainier appears
to now be worth about $2,000 if the sale of two 1958
Autobianchi Eden Roc cabrios here was anything to go
by. One offered from the local collection (and bought
here last year) brought $22,179 at no reserve, against
$20,596 for another non-royal car, almost the final lot
of the sale.
In addition to bidders here from the Cote d’Azur,
there were also German, Italian and Dutch accents in
94
the sale room at the Hermitage Hotel. The sale itself took place across town
from the Top Cars Collection, aka “The Rainier Museum,” where the cars
were displayed.
And those bidders were prepared to pay good money ($36,438) for
an unusual Fiat 600 Spiaggia Viareggina beach car — like a Jolly but
Monte Carlo, MCO
rarer — while a unique Moretti-built 1958 BMW 600’s take on the same
theme fetched a strong $60,203. Other rarities included a 1950 Peugeot
203 Découvrable at $33,270 and a 1956 Simca 9 Coupe de Ville, looking
like a baby Facel Vega, at $30,894.
Only two cars failed to sell, both from that large collection: a 1954
Cadillac Series 62 convertible, and an
Aston Martin DB9 Volante in very lime-green
paint, neither attracting any bids. But a 1954
Packard Caribbean from the same ownership
did the right money at $79,215.
The $578,267 made on a like-new-looking
top-sale 1965 427 Cobra was unremarkable, but
$95,057 raised on an immaculate Alfa Montreal
in the best color — Arancio Pastana AR601 —
showed that
interest
in these junior supercars
may finally be on the rise. A restored 1976
Lancia Stratos took a market-correct $411,915,
all including Artcurial’s huge 17% buyer’s
premium that only drops to 11% once over the
€500k ($790k) mark.
Artcurial’s next car sale is back in Paris on
February 7 during Retromobile week, where it
has a new competitor in the shape of RM. ♦
Sales Totals
$5m
$4m
$3m
$2m
$1m
0
Sports Car Market
2013
2012
Page 98
Artcurial Monte Carlo, MCO
ENGLISH
#42-1938 DAIMLER E20 SIX sedan.
S/N 42819. Black & gray/gray leather. RHD.
Odo: 48,397 miles. Restored with excellent
paint and chrome, good door fit. Timber and
headlining excellent, lightly creased leather.
Original instruments unrestored and charming.
Oily marks on hood sides are a slight worry.
#10-1978 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500
convertible. S/N 1500FH113954L. White/
white steel hard top/red leather. Odo: 455 km.
Almost impossibly straight and shiny. Better
than new. Retrofitted with slimmer Mk IV
bumpers. Plump new leather interior. Lots of
parts chromed. Underside looks clean enough
to eat off of. With hard top and Lecarra steer-
what suppressed the price to under the slightly
hopeful $95k lower estimate.
#34-1958 TRIUMPH TR3A roadster.
S/N TS5218L. Blue/black vinyl/black vinyl.
Odo: 8,008 miles. Original LHD model. Chassis
straight, tidy body with repaint, chrome
okay with some rust speckles. Seat vinyl likely
Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $41,191. Understood to
have once belonged to Lord Mountbatten, and
reckoned to be one of only 35 survivors today.
Last sold at H&H Duxford in April 2012 for
$30k (SCM# 203331), so the profit probably
just about covered the cost of shipping, storage
and auction fees.
#40-1953 BENTLEY MK VI 2-dr sedan.
S/N B311LTO. Black & silver/gray leather.
Odo: 40,268 miles. Mk VI with special
Hooper body that makes it look older. Straight,
shiny and imposing. Immaculately restored,
although now a couple of bubbles under trim
strip. Newish and unworn leather just lightly
ing wheel. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $28,518.
From the Monegasque Collection that made
up the bulk of this sale and, like the others,
offered at no reserve. This was built for the
collector’s wife but has only covered 455 km
since rebuild. Mad money for a Spitfire, as
much as a really nice TR6, but probably
couldn’t be replicated for the price.
#15-1990 JAGUAR XJS V12 convert-
original and in good order. New top, plus hard
top and Kenlowe fan. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT
$45,944. Fair money by European standards
for an appealing, usable car. The chrome
would polish out with an oily rag.
#11-1976 JAGUAR XJC 4.2 coupe. S/N
2J52341BW. White/black vinyl/black leather.
Odo: 47,043 km. Excellent and rot-free. Repainted,
good door and panel fit. Vinyl top
good, original leather lightly creased, motor
tidy and in correct original finishes. With original
books and toolkit. The story is that these
all have vinyl tops to hide the ghastly metal-
ible. S/N SAJJNADW4DM170807. Blue/blue
cloth/beige leather. Odo: 36,988 km. Unbelievably
good and rot-free, proving that climate
and money do affect a car’s well-being
—although low mileage in the hands of only
two owners undoubtedly helps. Leather lightly
creased on driver’s side, with a few thumb
marks. Timber and veneers excellent. Cond:
2-. SOLD AT $101,394. About twice the price
of a really nice standard steel saloon, and similar
money to what variously bodied dropheads
have been reaching. In other words,
about market-correct.
#41-1957 JAGUAR XK 140 coupe. S/N
S815640. Dark blue/tan leather. Odo: 71,578
miles. Near-perfect resto. Door fits and gaps
excellent. Newish leather. New whitewalls on
wire wheels. Rest of chrome excellent, which
means the rear lights are probably repros.
Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $88,720. French title,
and sold about right. Only thing that counts
against it is that it’s an auto, which is maybe
96
creased but unworn, dash veneer perfect.
French title; with original manuals. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $32,478. From the same fastidiously
maintained collection as Lot 10, the
surgically clean Triumph Spitfire. You just
don’t find them like this in the U.K. Offered at
no reserve and sold at top estimate for more
than a U.K. dealer would dare ask. Very well
sold.
#29-1995 ROVER MINI British Open
Classic 2-dr sedan. S/N SAXXNYAXRB-
work left behind after chopping a four-door
into a coupe, but I digress... Cond: 2. SOLD
AT $41,984. Delivered new in Monaco and
belonging to the same collection as most of the
rest of the lots. Like the other British cars at
this sale, this would have been major money
for the same model in similar condition “at
home.” With low mileage and original books
and tools, it was a retailer’s dream—but lefthand
drive can’t make that much difference,
surely. Perhaps a legion of restorers will now
start converting them.
Sports Car Market
Page 100
Artcurial Monte Carlo, MCO
D104677. Metallic green/black vinyl/cream
leather. Odo: 23,383 km. Excellent rot-free
condition. Repainted and “Radfordised” with
posh leather-and-walnut interior and chrome
nudge bars. Leather hardly used; one ink mark
on driver’s seat. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT
$36,438. “British Open Classic” was one of a
multitude of special editions devised to wring
the last pennies out of the little tyke in its
swansong years—this one attempting to cash
in on Wimbledon prestige, although there’s no
actual connection. Simply huge money for a
Mini. About twice what late Rover Coopers
are getting, or similar money to a real Mk1
Cooper, or more than a real Mk1/2 Radford.
FRENCH
#24-1939 CITROËN TRACTION 11BL
sedan. S/N 436874. Black/brown velour. Odo:
8,241 km. Rare pre-war version, although it’s
a later one, so it has rack-and-pinion steering.
Straight and shiny, some microblistering in
older repaint and chrome. Good velour inte-
AT $33,270. Sold slightly under where expected,
but I’d say fair for condition. By comparison,
Artcurial sold a more attractive and
better-restored coupe in Paris in June for $64k
(SCM# 225882).
#22-1951 CITROËN TRACTION 11BL
sedan. S/N 573454. Cream & brown/brown
leather. Odo: 80,843 km. Restored in slightly
unusual colors, and somehow, leather trim has
found its way onto the grille slats and steeringwheel
rim. But body is straight, the paint is
deep and even, and the RoBro aluminum
sically an overdressed Dyane 6. Must be the
rarity and low mileage.
GERMAN
#44-1962 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR rep-
lica roadster. S/N 12104210022640. Silver/
blue cloth. Odo: 989 miles. 190SL built into a
replica of an “SLR” racer. Well done (in the
U.S.), although door fits are miles out at front
top corners. Motor very clean and tidy, new
seat trim in factory blue tartan pattern. No
suggestion of any competition history. French
splash guards are good, along with new interior
trim. Dash and instruments are original.
French titled. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $24,556.
Sold at twice its estimate, so perhaps Artcurial
was a bit worried about the flashiness, which
runs to a different set of rules in Monaco. Well
sold, according to everyone except the man
who bought it.
rior. Pilote wheels, Quillery steering wheel.
Cond: 3. SOLD AT $31,685. Quite rightly
worth much more than Lot 22, the later customized
version, even though both had the
same pre-sale estimate—but this was Monaco,
after all. I’d call them both slightly well but
not press-stoppingly sold.
#23-1950 PEUGEOT 203 Berline Décou-
vrable. S/N 1144029. Gray/black cloth/red
leather. Odo: 11,555 km. Rare roll-back ragtop
version of Peugeot’s sophisticated small
sedan. Straight, but repaint is a but rushed,
there’s overspray on the steering column
shroud and the steering wheel is bleached and
nal. RoBro splash guards. Mileage is likely
since restoration. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $34,854.
Bought for the wife of the collector, as was the
Triumph Spitfire. Perhaps she just wasn’t into
cars. Anyway, sold here for the right money.
discolored. Newish leather with gray piping
and one mark on driver’s seat. RoBro splash
guard scuffed on right side. Cond: 3+. SOLD
98
#21-1963 CITROËN AMI 6 sedan. S/N
0162005. Blue/blue velour. Odo: 19,546 km.
Early and rare 6-volt car. Fairly original and
rot-free, but wavy body has suffered a quick
and dirty windows-in blow-over in the nottoo-recent
past. Front seat is wearing through
at corners. With handbook. Cond: 3. SOLD
AT $44,360. Sold at simply unbelievable
money, four times its estimate, for what is ba-
#26-1953 RENAULT 4CV R1062 Berline
Découvrable. S/N 1926928. Maroon/tan
leather. Odo: 3,404 km. Early “six whisker”
car. Nicely restored, although with a few dust
marks in the paint. Interior vinyl may be origi-
title. Cond: 1-. SOLD AT $126,744. With this
much invested to restore it, it probably would
have been more effective to keep it standard,
in which case it would have been worth more.
These were never successful in period (a class
win in the ’56 Macau GP is about it), so it
seems an odd exercise when clean restored
originals are on the up.
#51-1978 TRABANT 601S sedan. S/N
2241466. White/black velour. Odo: 30,139
km. No, not cardboard: the roof and opening
panels are in Duroplast, making it about the
first car to be made of recycled materials. Described
as a rally car but no evidence of competition
history, and I doubt if the home-bent
rear roll hoop would pass any kind of scrutiny.
Motor looks bone-stock apart from large exSports
Car Market
Page 101
Artcurial Monte Carlo, MCO
pansion chamber (it’s a two-stroke, remember),
although there is a stone guard. Interior is
carpeted. Otherwise pretty straight and clean,
with thick repaint. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$17,428. “S” is the special edition with twin
fog lamps, which must have been quite the
status symbol in East Germany at the time.
Apparently prepared for (but did not take part
in) last year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique
(for which it is eligible, as the rally lets in
later cars than most historic events). A cheap
entry, and if you can’t win, might as well have
a lot of laughs (said the man who once did the
Monte Carlo Challenge in a bone-stock A35,
complete with steel sun visor). Price does
seem an awful lot for a novelty act, though.
ITALIAN
#2-1958 ISETTA 600 Moretti beach car.
S/N 127442. Blue/striped blue & white cloth/
white leather & tartan cloth. Odo: 9 km. Described
as “probably a unique model based on
an original.” Looks just built, with shiny,
slightly orange-peely paint. Modern instrument
cluster. Even the rubber driveshaft
for little more than a half-decent “sunroof”
500D, so looks like a good deal.
#59-1963 FIAT 600 Spiaggia Viareggina
beach car. S/N 103610. Dark blue/gray
wicker. Odo: 9,910 km. Rare Fiat Jolly alternative
with just five built, named after a seaside
town in Tuscany. Pretty much faultless
restoration with good paint and chrome, plastic
“wicker” seats in good order with just a
few nicks out of weave, motor tidy in factory
finishes. French registration. Cond: 2+. SOLD
AT $36,438. Sold where expected, but as a
proper period car, however limited in practical
use, you’d have expected it to do more
than the similar Isetta conversion (Lot 2).
#58-1963 FIAT 750 spider. S/N 1501690.
White/maroon vinyl. Odo: 44,776 km. Fair
condition, with older paint, surface rust in
rockers and in front trunk. Original seat vinyl
splitting at seams, tonneau cover repaired with
gaffer tape. Comes with hard top and rare Bor-
doughnuts have plated nuts. Italian registration.
Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $60,203. Not clear
whether this was done in period or, more
likely, as a later tribute to the beach-car genre
(in which case it’s a shame to chop up a real
600), but it inexplicably fetched more than the
one-off Fiat 600 Spiaggia (Lot 59). Well sold.
#52-1963 FIAT 500D 2-dr sedan. S/N
110D681088. White/black vinyl/black vinyl.
Odo: 14,280 km. Tidy, clean, original, repainted.
Solid underneath, interior all good.
This is the rare one with suicide doors and the
rani wheels. No reserve. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$19,804. Even rarer than the Eden Rocs, with
apparently only seven produced—but sold
lower than both of them. Slightly edgy condition
must have put buyers off, as this has less
“novelty” value, trying sincerely to be a
“proper” car.
#9-1968 AUTOBIANCHI EDEN ROC
full sunroof right back to the rear lid, as copied
by the current 500. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT
$17,428. Offered at no reserve and sold low
December 2013
cabriolet. S/N 8974. White/black vinyl/black
vinyl. Odo: 62,637 km. Fiat 500-based tiny
cabrio, and just the thing for Monaco. Overall
good, straight, no rot. Repainted, some polish
marks in bumpers. Driver’s door fit gappy.
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $22,179. First of a local
collection that made up the bulk of this sale,
bought from the thinning-out sale of the
Prince Rainier Collection in 2012. After that
bidding frenzy, Rainier fever appears to have
calmed down because here it sold for just a
99
RM Auctions Plymouth, MI
RM Auctions — The Inn at St. John’s
A 1929 Duesenberg Model J dual-cowl phaeton earned top-sale honors,
bringing $682k
Company
RM Auctions
Date
July 27, 2013
Location
Plymouth, MI
Auctioneer
Max Girardo
Automotive lots sold/offered
72/80
Sales rate
90%
Sales total
$7,745,450
High sale
1929 Duesenberg Model J
dual-cowl phaeton, sold at
$682,000
Buyer’s premium
One of the cars sold from the Kughn Collection—1941 Cadillac Series 75 sedan, cold at $75,900
Report and photos by Kevin Coakley
Market opinions in italics
I
n spite of the city of Detroit
reeling from municipal bankruptcy,
it was business as usual for
RM Auctions at its annual St. John’s sale.
While Detroit continues to crumble under the
weight of many decades of mismanagement
and corruption, in July, just a few minutes’
drive out of town, things didn’t look quite so
bleak.
The Inn at St. John’s once again played host
Plymouth, MI
stock, was rebodied, and the original “race stressed” motor was replaced.
Other notable sales included Lot 144, a 1932 Packard Individual
Custom Eight Convertible Victoria with Dietrich coachwork. It sold for
$374,000. In addition, Lot 104, a beautiful 1938 Ford Deluxe convertible
sedan, was a bargain at $33,000.
Noted local collectors Richard and Linda Kughn used this opportunity to
clean out their garage. They brought several of their cars to be sold here, a few
of which were bought at the old RM Meadow Brook sale. Most notable of these
was Lot 148, a 1961 Imperial Crown convertible picked up at Meadow Brook in
2010 for $81k (SCM# 166302). Here it blew away the high estimate of $90k, selling
to Rob Myers and company, and RM assembled their
usual eclectic mix of offerings. The buyers got to peruse
at Friday’s preview day and raise their paddles to bid on
Saturday. Spirited bidding resulted in RM turning 72
of the 80 lots offered, for a healthy sell rate of 90% and
total sales of $7.7m — an increase of nearly $1m over
last year’s result.
It was standing-room-only as auctioneer Max
Girardo worked the room with his usual fervor and
charm, in one case enticing both the room and a phone
bidder, bringing up the price on a beautiful 1934 Lincoln
KB convertible for another $75k from a bid that stalled
around $200k.
Lot 150, a 1929 Duesenberg Model J dual-cowl
phaeton, represented the best money, selling for $682k
— significantly under its low estimate of $725k. This
particular automobile was Jim Hoe’s chopped-down
race car, and it since had its frame extended back to
102
for $148,500 — not a bad return on a three-year investment.
Catalog sales can be intimidating to the casual collector, but there are always deals
to be had in places like this as well. Here, in addition
to the aforementioned 1938 Ford, there were
several lots sold under $30k, including Lot 102,
a respectable Fleetwood-bodied Cadillac Series
72 Formal sedan that brought $25k, and Lot 109,
a very nice Chevrolet FA Master Deluxe sport
coupe from the Kughn Collection that sold just
under its low estimate at $29,700.
Although Mr. Myers has shifted his teams’
Midwest concentration down to Auburn, IN, for
the middle market, he’s managed to successfully
maintain his presence in the greater Detroit area
with this annual catalog sale. And the numbers
here continue to be positive, reflecting growth in
the Classic market, despite the troubles just up
the road in Detroit. ♦
Sales Totals
$10m
$8m
$6m
$4m
$2m
0
Sports Car Market
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
10%, included in sold prices
Page 106
RM Auctions Plymouth, MI
ENGLISH
#118-1931 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM
I Imperial cabriolet. S/N S112PR. Lavender
& mauve/lavender leather/tan cloth. Beautiful
two-tone. Show-quality brightwork. Exceptional
engine compartment detailing. Interior
features beautiful wood trim with unblemished
cloth upholstery. Dual sidemounts and leathercovered
removable trunk. Custom body
shipped from France and fitted to the frame in
SOLD AT $72,500. Reportedly “modified in
the style of a period road-racer.” It had a
great look, but I think the louvers are a matter
of personal taste and may have held it back.
Springfield, MA; said to be the “near twin” of
William Randolph Hearst’s Duesenberg and
similar to the Hibbard & Darrin design. Originally
built for Reed Albee. Shown at Pebble
Beach 2006. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $126,500.
Sold for $95k at The Auction Inc. in Hershey
in 2001 (SCM# 22629) and no-saled at $125k
at eBay/Kruse Atlantic City in 2002 (SCM#
27141). The car presented beautifully and
seemed like a fair deal, square in the middle of
the $100k–$150k estimate range.
#122-1959 AUSTIN-HEALEY 100M Le
Mans BN2 roadster. S/N BN2L231533. Old
English White & black/black leather. Odo:
3,166 miles. Paint looks excellent, as do the
freshly rechromed bumpers. Very well-presented
engine compartment. Interior fresh with
all gauges and instruments rebuilt. Same for
engine and drivetrain. Comes with British
#166-1985 DAIMLER DS420 limousine.
S/N SADWV2346EC200512. Dark blue/blue
& gray leather. Odo: 56,521 miles. Nice paint,
good gaps, presentable brightwork. Yellowing
wide whites. Chrome dress-up kit on grungy
small-block Chevy 350. Interior looks decent,
wood trim is especially nice. Equipped with
electric divider glass, GPS, bar with crystal
could use a good detailing; nice wood, though.
Equipped with sunroof, a/c and power windows.
Cond: 3. SOLD AT $77,000. The high
estimate of $50k–$60k reflects the current
market for a 280SE coupe in #1 condition—
quite a premium paid here for a so-so #3 car.
ITALIAN
#105-1970 FIAT 500L microcar. S/N
decanter set, fold-down LCD screen and aftermarket
stereo. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $50,600.
One wonders what the story is with the original
motor, but the claimed 570-hp replacement
ought to move it down the road well enough.
On the surface this looks like a really strong
result for a non-original Daimler, but for the
package it seems like not a bad deal.
GERMAN
Heritage Trust Certificate and photo documentation
of the recent restoration. No reserve.
Cond: 2. SOLD AT $96,250. Recently sold at
RM’s 2013 Amelia Island sale for the exact
same $96,250 (SCM# 222517). Assuming all
is well and good, this looked like a very good
buy, well under the conservative $110k–$120k
estimate.
#123-1959 JAGUAR XK 120 M roadster.
S/N S676327. Black/red leather. Odo: 42,134
miles. Brilliant black paint; minimal brightwork
shows very well. Red-painted wire
wheels give the car a nasty look (and by
“nasty” I mean “good”). No bumpers. Louvered
hood and front fenders. Cond: 3+. NOT
104
#179-1964 BMW 3200 CS coupe. S/N
76409. German Silver/burgundy leather &
velour. Odo: 45,138 miles. Body filler evident
under chipped and touched-up paint. Rough
brightwork with molding falling off left front
fender. Alloy wheels showing their age. Engine
compartment includes some new hoses
and otherwise unremarkable presentation with
replacement 2.6-liter V8 from a mid-’50s 502.
110F3001725. Ivory/black vinyl/black vinyl.
Odo: 80,730 miles. Driver-quality paint with
dent in rear. Brightwork wear commensurate
with age. Top is a bit shoddy. Grungy engine
compartment. Interior used but not terribly
able interior. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $30,800.
There aren’t many around, so it gets points for
rarity, but those are pretty much wiped away
by the incorrect motor and rear axle. Offered
at no reserve and didn’t make half the low
estimate; this seemed like a strong result for a
mutt of a car. Too much for what it is and way
too much money to try and make it right.
#168-1971 MERCEDES-BENZ 280SE
coupe. S/N 11102612000001. Red/biscuit
leather. Odo: 16,319 miles. Paint looks fresh
and well done. Exterior brightwork is worn
thin and shows scratches. Glass shows some
scratches. Grungy engine compartment with
evidence of leaking master cylinder. Interior
worn. Cond: 3. SOLD AT $15,400. Brought
by Automobile Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief
Jean Jennings, who drove it up on stage, this
car was clearly used and enjoyed. Offered
with no reserve and selling over the $15k high
estimate, it still looked like a fair deal both
ways.
AMERICAN
#108-1928 FORD MODEL A roadster
Modified Ford eight-inch rear axle; service-
pickup. S/N A444386. Green & black/black
vinyl/black vinyl. Odo: 6 miles. Show-quality
paint. Minimal brightwork looks exceptional.
Excellent engine compartment detail. An all-
Sports Car Market
Page 108
RM Auctions Plymouth, MI
around beautiful truck. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$26,400. Sold for $21,900 at RM Arizona in
2004, where it was described as an all-steel
cab in blue and black with chrome wire
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $187,000. Reportedly
had a frame-on restoration in 1998; after 15
years, it’s time to have another go at it, at
least a paint job. Bought well enough to do the
work and not be upside-down.
#104-1938 FORD DELUXE convertible.
S/N 184285890. Green/light beige canvas/
brown vinyl. Odo: 39,616 miles. Paint shows
some scratching, could stand a buffing. Minor
exterior brightwork pitting. Painted artillery
wheels wearing wide whitewalls, caps and
beauty rings. Canvas top could stand a good
claimed over $100k invested to bring it to
concours level. Beautiful black paint, spotless
wheels in 3- condition (SCM# 32164). Five
years later at RM Meadow Brook 2009, it sold
for the same price in its current 2- condition
(SCM# 142126). Someone took a bath on that
one. Another offering from the Kughn Collection
with a good result, but still a good buy.
#121-1929 PACKARD CUSTOM
EIGHT phaeton. S/N 176137. Two-tone
khaki/tan canvas/red leather. Two-tone paint in
very good shape; chrome shows very well.
Decent engine compartment but not showworthy.
Interior shows nice patina. Equipped
with servo-assist mechanical drum brakes,
cleaning. Engine compartment with driverquality
detailing, electric cooling fan added.
Interior presentable with unrestored dash.
Cond: 3. SOLD AT $33,000. Said to have an
“older” body-off restoration, this seemed to
be holding up well. It would take too much
effort to bring it up a notch or two. Offered
with no reserve and selling well short of the
$40k low estimate, this looked like a very good
buy.
cowl lamps, dual spotlights, wind wings and
dual driving lights. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$129,250. An older restoration of a beautiful
car still holding up nicely, with a handsome
color combination. The wheel and tire pairing
really set it off. Coming in a bit over the $150k
high estimate, but a market-correct result.
#165-1935 PACKARD TWELVE road-
ster. S/N 839215. Medium blue/tan canvas/red
leather. Odo: 78,774 miles. Paint shows some
variation in shade and cracking. Yellowing
wide whites. Decent brightwork with chrome
headlight pods. Nice fold-down top. Engine
compartment shows well. Interior holding up.
#139-1939 FORD DELUXE woodie
wagon. S/N 185044477. Washington
Blue/brown vinyl/brown vinyl. Odo:
21,386 miles. Paint looks great; woodwork a
little rough with some large gaps but still presentable;
exterior brightwork looks good. Tidy
engine compartment looks like it could use a
BEST
BUY
Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $75,900. Yet another
offering from the Kughn Collection. There is a
limited market for these old behemoth touring
cars. As such, you get a lot of classic, cool car
for not a lot of money. Sold at a market-correct
price, but I don’t expect significant appreciation
in the near future.
new fan belt. Interior shows very well with
nice wood-graining. Updated with 12V electrical
and equipped with Ford script driving
lights. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $60,500. Although
it seems woodies have cooled a bit,
here’s one you could take to Scottsdale or
Monterey and turn a profit. Well bought by a
wide margin.
#134-1941 AMERICAN BANTAM
MODEL 65 Riviera convertible. S/N 66359.
Black/black canvas/red leather. Odo: 175
miles. Probably the nicest American
Bantam on the planet. The previous owners
106
Sports Car Market
#175-1952 MERCURY CUSTOM
woodie wagon. S/N 52LA33972M. Hillcrest
Green/tan & brown vinyl. Odo: 84,576 miles.
255-ci V8, 2-bbl, 3-sp. Striking paint and
woodgraining. Good panel gaps. Clear glass.
chrome trim, excellent convertible top with
red piping. Everything shows exceptionally
well inside and out. No reserve. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $49,500. Shown at Amelia Island
2009 and Glenmoor Gathering 2012. A lot of
money for a little car, but still a deal in my
estimation.
#172-1941 CADILLAC SERIES 75 se-
dan. S/N 3341578. Black/tan broadcloth. Odo:
1,856 miles. Black paint on massive body
shows very well. Good panel fit all around.
Above-average brightwork. Engine compartment
in decent condition. Interior in excellent
shape with very nice woodwork. Equipped
with a/c when new and still “blowing cold.”
Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn, IN
Worldwide Auctioneers — 2013 Auburn Auction
It isn’t often that you can buy a car in the plant where it was made 83 years
earlier, but you could here
Company
Worldwide Auctioneers
Date
August 31, 2013
Location
Auburn, IN
Auctioneer
Rod Egan
Automotive lots sold/offered
67/81
Sales rate
83%
Sales total
$4,119,615
High sale
1933 Auburn Twelve convertible
sedan, sold at $275,000
Buyer’s premium
Worldwide Auctioneers’ 2013 Auburn, IN, sale took place inside the National Auto and Truck Museum of the U.S.
Report and photos by B. Mitchell Carlson
Market opinions in italics
N
ow in its sixth edition, Worldwide
Auctioneers seems to have dialed
in their hometown auction in
Auburn, IN. Held concurrently
with the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg festival
over Labor Day weekend, it has an excellent
location in town, inside the National Auto
and Truck Museum of the U.S.
Worldwide’s auction was also up against
the Auctions America sale on the edge of
town — an event that is full of celebrity
appearances, live TV coverage, and over
a thousand cars ranging from projects to
perfection. Comparatively, Worldwide
conducts a more formal event for select
vehicles, but akin to Scottsdale in
January and Monterey weeks earlier, the two venues
tend to feed off each other and are both greater for the
sum of their efforts.
For this event, Worldwide pared down their offer-
ings to an exclusive catalog auction of 80 vehicles on
Saturday evening, along with two post-catalog noreserve
offerings. Essentially, this was the same as last
year’s event, except there wasn’t a separate Friday night
auction of only Ford vehicles. With the first lot being
their traditional fundraiser sale of a locally made quilt
to benefit local charities, the 81 vehicles offered were all
sold where they sat, as the museum isn’t large enough to
allow a rolling auction.
110
Auburn, IN
Just like last year, a V12 Auburn was the featured car on the cover of
the catalog. This year, it was a Limousine Co. of Kalamazoo-bodied 1933.
And just like last year, it proved to be the top seller, achieving $275,000.
This was a good overall indicator of this year’s event, as that car brought
$198,000 less than the 1934 Twelve from last year. Also down by a similar
ratio were the overall sales, which had dropped by over $1.1m from last
year. However, with 43 fewer consignments this time around, that’s easily
within the range of being commensurate. The sell-through rate was up,
with 11% more cars selling, helped along by a few post-block deals that
were put together in short order.
Worldwide, like several other mainline auction companies, has sensed
that tractors have come into their own in the market, so here, the initial 15
lots were a no-reserve group of farm tractors. Being in myriad conditions,
they generally sold well. The cars (and
one fire truck) were all higher-quality lots,
Sales Totals
which generally sold for respectable prices.
It isn’t often that you have a chance to buy
a car in the plant where it was made 83 years
earlier, but that’s what Worldwide offered this
year. For the first time since conducting the auction
in the Cord building, this year they had not
just one but two Cord L-29s consigned. While
a well-restored convertible sedan failed to sell
at $145k, a rough 1930 that was converted into
a roadster some time back in the early post-war
era found a new home for $67,100. Nuances
like this make this Worldwide auction a unique
event, and I’m looking forward to what’s in store
here next year. ♦
$15m
$12m
$9m
$6m
$3m
0
Sports Car Market
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
10%, included in sold prices
Page 114
Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn, IN
ENGLISH
#58-1947 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER
WRAITH convertible. S/N WVA63. Black/
black cloth/biscuit leather. RHD. Odo: 953
miles. Special-order build for a Swiss doctor.
Restored approximately a decade ago. Good
repaint, but not spectacular. Most brightwork
rather muted, with some brilliantly replated
pieces. Light dings in most hubcaps. Generally
tidy under the hood. Expertly refinished wood
electric fan, CD stereo in dash and economygrade
radial tires. High-quality repaint with
overspray on most chassis components. Re-
and reupholstered leather inside, with the latter
showing light wrinkling on the seat bottoms.
Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $264,000. Last
sold for $165k at RM’s January 2011 Phoenix
sale (SCM# 170711). While this Roller did
have four pages devoted to it in the catalog,
there were at most four sentences specific to
the car; the rest was fluff and Rolls corporate
history. Still, the car was good enough to
knock out the second-highest sale of the event.
#45-1956 JAGUAR XK 140 MC road-
ster. S/N S811714DN. Red/tan cloth/tan
leather. Odo: 7,546 miles. Factory-optional
electric overdrive. Stated to be a bare-body
restoration on an Arizona-sourced car. Upon
completion, competed in the Copperstate 1000
and California Mille. As such, undercarriage
shows moderate use. Topside, the repaint presents
well; some polishing swirls. Door fit is no
better or worse than original. Upgraded with a
placement top. Blue dots cut and mounted into
taillights. Good interior upholstery work for
the most part; seats starting to show light
wear. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $20,350. This very
nice driver sold well enough. But what gives
with the overspray on the muffler, tailpipe, leaf
springs and fuel tank on a “frame-off” restoration?
#28-1972 JAGUAR XKE Series III con-
vertible. S/N UC1S20905BW. White/black
vinyl soft top/black hard top/navy blue leather.
Odo: 6,361 miles. Miles claimed actual since
new. Paint touch-up done at last major service
in 1990, at 4,823 miles. Said paint touch-up is
better than original and not difficult to find.
Chrome is starting to lose its brilliance, matching
rest of the car. Typical sagging head-rests
from decayed padding and light wear on seat
Petronix ignition system, larger radiator and
electric cooling fan; otherwise presents well
and generally stock. Well-fitted interior soft
trim showing light wear. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT
$100,000. No sale across the block at $95k,
but a deal came together by the end of the
evening. Seems a tad high, but if it’s been
fleshed out in those two road events, then it
should prove to serve the new owner well for
more in the future. If the new owner’s happy
with it, that’s the most important thing.
#20-1957 MGA 1500 roadster. S/N
HDT4333405. Alamo Beige/black cloth/black
vinyl. Odo: 63 miles. Frame-off restoration
three years and 63 miles ago. Updated with
112
bottoms give a touch of old-world patina.
Original mufflers are about ready to bust out
from internal rusting. Tidied up, mostly original
engine bay. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $61,600.
If you have to have a Series III E-type, ’72
would be one of the better years to get, due to
minimal smog gear and the final year of small
bumpers. Any miles you put on it will mean
money lost, but keeping this one’s a/c and automatic
functional with minimal use may pose
a challenge. No upside here, unless you plan
on keeping it for 40 years like the consignor
did.
GERMAN
#54-1960 PORSCHE 356B roadster. S/N
88222. Red/tan cloth/tan leather. Odo: 79,005
miles. 1960 production, but titled as a 1961.
Has a few years on a high-quality restoration,
with repaint in the original Ruby Red. Good
but not perfect door and panel fit. Bone-stock
show-quality engine bay. High-quality leather
upholstery workmanship shows no appreciable
wear. Period aftermarket wood steering wheel
Sports Car Market
Page 116
Fresh Meat
by Chad Tyson Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn, IN
Online sales of contemporary cars
2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost
Date sold: 10/03/2013
eBay auction ID: 400581027597
Seller’s eBay ID: globalluxuryimportsllc
Sale type: Used car with 24,554 miles
VIN: SCA664S53CUX50912
Details: Cornish White over Moccasin leather;
6.6-liter turbocharged V12 rated at 563 hp, 8-sp
auto, RWD
Sale result: $197,700, Best Offer, sf 141
MSRP: $250,000 (base)
Other current offering: Desert European Motorcars
in Rancho Mirage, CA, asking $235,000 for a 2012
Gunmetal over Seashell leather Ghost with 3,000
miles.
2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition
and cocoa floor mats. Fitted with aftermarket
alloy knockoff-style wheels, but also includes
all of the original steelies. Cond: 2. SOLD AT
$182,600. Built toward the end of production
of the removable windshield. Even with several
aftermarket tweaks, this still sold rather
well. Especially since the consignor’s reserve
was easily met at $165k.
#42-1961 PORSCHE 356B sunroof
coupe. S/N 113267. Heron Gray/blue leather.
Odo: 17,219 miles. Concise restoration completed
within past year. Expert bare-body prep
and repaint with a correct stock sheen. Same
for the rechroming. Excellent panel fit and
door gaps. Tidy and correctly detailed original
motor for the most port. Chrome wheels shod
with older Michelin radials. Fully reuphol-
forward edge of passenger’s door. Good door
and panel fit. High-quality interior upholstery
work, done in a stock manner. Optional wood
steering wheel and Blaupunkt radio. Tidy, generally
stock engine bay just shy of show-quality.
Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $77,000. Well, this
directly contradicts my theory that nobody
fakes a green car. That’s why I always doublecheck
if possible—and so should you. Not sold
across the block at $75k, but listed sold in
results. Sale price fair to both buyer and seller,
but only in today’s wild market. If things slow
down, this will be hard to duplicate.
#46-1968 PORSCHE 912 SWT convert-
ible. S/N 12870236. White/black fiberglass/
black woven vinyl. Odo: 99,844 miles. Layered
repaint 20 years ago with lifting around
windshield and heavier masking lines at door
tops. Good original weatherseals show some
light aging and dry rot. Slightly dulling original
chrome. Aftermarket grille badges added.
Decent panel fit, some gaps consistent. Fitted
Date sold: 10/05/2013
eBay auction ID: 300981598117
Seller’s eBay ID: millernissan2013
Sale type: New car with 995 miles
VIN: JN1AR5EF2DM261166
Details: Black over black leather with red inserts;
3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 rated at 545 hp, 6-sp
auto-shift, AWD
Sale result: $87,995, Buy It Now, sf 0
MSRP: $107,605 (as equipped)
Other current offering: Ferrari Maserati of Fort
Lauderdale, FL, offering a white 2013 GT-R Black
Edition with 3,875 miles for $109,900.
2013 Audi A7 Quattro Prestige
stered interior. Optional power sunroof, clock
and Blaupunkt radio. Period-accessory luggage
rack. Cond: 2. SOLD AT $91,300. Sunroof
cars are harder to find today than the
convertible variants, since they tended to be
used more in multi-seasonal areas—think
northern winters with road salt. Huge money
for an early B in the unloved T-5 coupe body
style (1960–61), but the rare colors and desirable
sunroof option made the difference. Well
sold.
Date sold: 10/05/2013
eBay auction ID: 221291536389
Seller’s eBay ID: platinummotorcarsdetroit
Sale type: Used car with 14,052 miles
VIN: WAU2GAFCXDN049806
Details: Ice Silver Metallic over black leather;
3.0-liter supercharged V6 rated at , 8-sp auto, AWD
Sale result: $60,995, Best Offer, sf 59
MSRP: $88,120 (as equipped)
Other current offering: Larsen Mercedes-Benz asking
$64,446 for a 2013 A7 Quattro Prestige in Ice
Silver Metallic over black leather. ♦
#36-1966 PORSCHE 911 coupe. S/N
305518. Irish Green/tan leather. Odo: 78,225
miles. Per Certificate of Authenticity, built
new on August 22, 1966, as a 1967 car; titled
as a 1966. Originally Light Ivory with black
leatherette and Pepita cloth inserts. High-quality
bare-body repaint almost comes off as
original. Light rust bubbles forming at lower
with Fuchs wheels shod with older radials.
Good original interior soft trim, with light
wear. Period, aftermarket wood steering
wheel; stock wheel included. Modern stereo in
dash, aftermarket speakers cut into door panels
are missing their grilles. Cond: 3. SOLD AT
$44,000. The early zippered soft-windowTarga
is why this doubled what an early 912
should otherwise sell for. And this wasn’t a
concours lawn ornament, either; it’s a Cars
and Coffee cruiser. The consignor should be
pleased.
ITALIAN
#67-1961 MASERATI 3500 GT coupe.
S/N AM1011082. White/black leather. Odo:
11,509 km. European-market car sold new in
Italy, privately imported to U.S. in late ’60s.
Sporadic restoration done over a decade or so,
completed in early ’90s. Presentable repaint
starting to show some light dulling. Serviceable
original brightwork. Acceptable gaps.
Lesser-quality upholstery work, but minimal
wear. DIN-mount sound system cut into dashboard,
along with a few aftermarket switches.
114
Sports Car Market
Page 117
Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn, IN
Generally clean engine bay. Cond: 3+. SOLD
AT $181,500. It doesn’t seem all that long ago
when this would’ve been $35k on its best day.
The reserve was easily surpassed here at
$135k, making this a good payday for the consignor
for today. But it may look like a bargain
by this time next year.
AMERICAN
#17-1918 PIERCE-ARROW MODEL 48
opera coupe. S/N 515435. Gold leaf & polished
aluminum/black leather. RHD. Odo:
31,168 miles. Gold leaf applied several decades
after build. Even at a distance, it’s easy
to discern where the different sheets of gold
leaf were applied and overlap. As such, the
aluminum shows better than the gold. Recently
polished silver plating on several inte-
#21-1937 GRAHAM SERIES 116 supercharged
sedan. S/N 1987559. Gunmetal/gray
broadcloth. Odo: 1,773 miles. Restored in recent
years to concours condition, although
does show some light use. High-quality body
prep and repaint, with spot-on panel gaps. All
chrome is replated. Only interior component
not restored is the steering wheel, which has a
few light cracks and moderate wear. Authentic
patterns for the seats and door panels. Show-
rior fittings getting thin in a few spots. Could
well be the original leather interior, all of
which is starting to develop some light-tomoderate
cracking. Engine fittings also got the
gold-and-silver plating. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT
$143,000. Seen in our database at RM’s 2012
Arizona event, then a no-sale at $150k (SCM#
192692). We called it “difficult to value” then,
but this price would seem to confirm the previous
offer as about market-correct.
#40-1933 AUBURN 12-161A convertible
sedan. S/N 12161A21874. Two-tone blue/
black cloth/light gray leather. Odo: 27,107
miles. ACD Club Category I certified postrestoration
in early 1990s. Multiple CCCA and
ACD club show awards since. Superb repaint
is still resplendent. While front bumper is in
excellent condition, some forward-facing
chrome is showing road abrasions or light pit-
quality engine bay. Modern radial tires.
Dealer-installed radio and clock. Cond: 2+.
SOLD AT $66,000. With 21 more horsepower
and two cylinders less than a Ford V8 from
this year, it is remarkable as a lower-midpriced
car with a standard supercharger. Even
with the quality of the restoration, I was a bit
surprised when the bidding went over $50k.
Heavy money for a four-door, but it’s an Art
Deco period piece that couldn’t be redone
much cheaper.
#53-1940 CADILLAC SERIES 62 4-dr
convertible. S/N 8325031. Maroon/tan cloth/
maroon leather. Odo: 29,174 miles. Older
masked-off repaint with less-than-expert prep.
Paint shows plenty of polishing scratches (and
a few deeper scratches) and is taking on a
muted luster. Piecemeal replating of trim over
the years, but all looks presentable. Crusty
ting. Tidy engine bay and undercarriage. Minimal
wrinkling on unworn seating surfaces.
Equipped with Dual Ratio rear axle, Free
Wheeling and dual sidemount spares. Periodaccessory
pivoting driving light. Cond: 2.
SOLD AT $275,000. Last seen in our database
when it was down the road at the Kruse
Fall Auburn auction in 2003, selling for $106k
(SCM# 36289). Today, it was the top sale, and
proof that if well kept, you can’t lose on a topshelf
Full Classic.
December 2013
seals. Topical underhood cleanup. Moderate
patina on seats. Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $49,500.
The Series 62 was the smallest Caddy in 1940
available as a convertible sedan—and it was
the most expensive Series 62 at $2,195. This
example was also comparatively expensive for
the condition 73 years later, but as one of the
spiffiest Cadillacs of the era, what a way to
go.
#18-1940 PACKARD 160 Model 1803
convertible. S/N N228765. Black/tan cloth/
gray leather. Odo: 1,590 miles. Concoursquality
restoration completed in 2002. Deep
violet tint visible depending on light. All
chrome redone. Good door and panel gaps,
including butterfly hood. Aromatic newer
leather interior, incorrectly including most of
the door panels. Tidy under the hood, but
115
Roundup Selected Sales Combined in One Comprehensive Report
Highlights from Silver in
Shelton, WA; US Auctioneers
in Friesland, WI; and Auctions
America in Burbank, CA
Little Creek Auction
AUSTRIAN
#470-1939 STEYR 220 cabriolet. S/N
CC3479S. Red/tan cloth/tan leather. Odo:
32,257 km. Recent red repaint to driver standard.
Color cannot possibly be correct. Fleshcolored
wheels also of questionable
correctness/taste. Push-out windshield. Lovely
trim detail befitting much fancier car. Trafficator-style
signals. Top somewhat rumpled, with
some soiling. Very cool hinged metal arms rest
on windows and function as seals when top is
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door hard top, sold at $27,756
Company: Silver
Location: Shelton, WA
Date: August 3, 2013
Auctioneer: Mitch Silver
Automotive lots sold/offered: 33/66
Del De Young Estate Auction
Sales rate: 50%
Sales total: $384,642
High sale: 1946 Ford Deluxe convertible, sold
at $38,880
Buyer’s premium: 8%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Jack Tockston
Auctions America
up. Interior very nice; front buckets with lawnchair-type
seat backs. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT
$60,500. Looks like a shrunken version of a
contemporary Mercedes 290, although not as
ornate or well-proportioned. While top and
interior were tasteful, paint was garish and
made the car look cartoonish. A more dignified
combo would be quite flattering. Despite
travesties, reserve came off at $20k, and the
bidding kept going apace. An Austrian collector
in the room would not be denied and ultimately
prevailed at twice the high estimate.
Very well sold. Auctions America, Burbank,
CA, 08/13.
ENGLISH
#781-1952 JAGUAR XK 120 roadster.
S/N 672337. Light blue/black
canvas/dark blue leather. Odo: 5,513
miles. Restored since 2008 in Pastel Blue,
reportedly to look like the first XK 120 imported
to the U.S. Originally purchased from
Max Hoffman in New York. Paint very well
done; even distribution of metal flakes over
complex curves impressive. Chrome good;
some pitting and crack in grille. Leather sup-
BEST
BUY
1929 Mack AC 3-ton stakebed truck, sold at $53,550
Company: US Auctioneers
Location: Friesland, WI
Date: July 25, 2013
Auctioneer: William Nelson
Automotive lots sold/offered: 108/108
Sales rate: 100%
Sales total: $1,189,913
High sale: 1929 Mack AC truck, sold at $53,550
Buyer’s premium: 5%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by B. Mitchell Carlson
118
1952 Cunningham C3 coupe, sold at $407,000
Company: Auctions America
Location: Burbank, CA
Date: August 1–3, 2013
Auctioneers: Brent Earlywine, Mike Shackleton
Automotive lots sold/offered: 326/403
Sales rate: 81%
Sales total: $17,261,985
High sale: 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 roadster, sold
at $825,000
Buyer’s premium: 10%, included in sold prices
Report and photos by Michael Leven
ple and unmarked. Items new since 2008 include
paint, leather, carpets, ignition system,
generator, voltage regulator, transmission
mounts and seals. Rebuilt radiator, SUs, water
pump. Accompanied by a Heritage Certificate.
Cond: 2. SOLD AT $78,100. A lovely two-
Sports Car Market
Page 122
Roundup
owner car, well restored, matching-numbers
throughout, tons of receipts confirming all
work, and a most reasonable reserve of $70k.
What’s not to like? And consignor stood by all
weekend to answer questions. Not sure why
this car fared so poorly; early XKs in this condition
can pull six figures. Bidding may have
been subdued because you can always find
one of these for sale, and the right two people
were not in the room. Wish I’d had a paddle.
Very well bought. Auctions America, Burbank,
CA, 08/13.
#427-1972 LOTUS ELAN Sprint con-
vertible. S/N 0232K. Silver/black cloth/black
vinyl. Odo: 75,178 miles. Gaps variable; both
doors way out at upper leading edges. Passenger’s
door very sticky. Trim all pitted—some
badly. Paint to driver quality. Holes where
mirror was and bubbling on hood. Windshield
scratched. Interior needs some work: split
seams, rear carpet detached and threadbare.
Wood wheel and dash very good but with
crack over steering column. Hood release bro-
U.K. in 1970 unknown. Brought to U.S. in
1988 and vintage raced; bodywork maintained
accordingly. Most Jaeger gauges still in metric/French;
one in English. Interior sparse but
tidy. Engine compartment looks as if car just
came off the track. As produced, these cars
were heavy and slow, so after 1957 some were
equipped with BMW V8s—like this one, some
time before coming to U.K. Cond: 3. NOT
SOLD AT $140,000. A T14 with the twin-cam
120-hp 4-cyl sold for $210k at Bonhams’ Paris
sale in February 2012 (SCM# 192704). That
car was nicely restored and was specially
modified for Le Mans-winner Louis Rosier as
a factory demonstrator. As this one is a mutt
with no notable known history, in race condition
(but maybe not race-ready), I’ve got to
say the high bid was not light by much. Auctions
America, Burbank, CA, 08/13.
GERMAN
#521-1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL
ken; unable to view engine. Sold at no reserve.
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $27,500. The late Sprint
versions of the Elan were real pocket rockets.
The twin-cam motor and legendary Lotus
“lightness” give this car a power-to-weight
ratio on par with most period 911s, which is
mighty impressive. Buyer was a dealer who
had plans to market this car in the U.K., where
pricing may be a little stronger. Price paid left
room to fix this car’s issues and realize the
added value and some profit, but as-is looked
a bit strong. Well bought and sold. Auctions
America, Burbank, CA, 08/13.
FRENCH
#796-1956 TALBOT-LAGO T14 LS
coupe. S/N 140019. French Blue/black
leather. RHD. Odo: 34,613 km. One of 54
built, believed one of seven or eight built to
“Sport Special” spec with aluminum doors,
hood and trunk. History before coming to
Roadster. S/N 1980427500512A. Maroon/
maroon hard top/tan cloth soft top/maroon
leather. Odo: 87,610 miles. Car needs everything
and nothing. Bumpers pitted; rusted at
overriders. Other brightwork dull or pitted;
headlight bezels discolored and polished
through. Paint dull beyond normal single-stage
sheen: full of pits, pock marks, orange peel.
Headliner in hard top soiled, soft top rumpled
and soiled. Big chunk of windshield rubber
missing. Leather just beyond “patina” and
needs cleaning. Gauges dull, trim pitted, star
in steering wheel crazed. Originally green,
factory; subdued color combination very
handsome. Some gouging and scuffing on
middle doors. Good panel alignment. Fold-out
windshield; wood roof rack. Headliner coming
apart in spots; locked doors prohibited close
inspection of interior. First year for 12V electricals.
Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $96,250. The microbus
rage continues. Count me among those
who just don’t get it. Still, I was only a bit surprised
with this result. Sold just under the high
estimate of $100k, I thought it would go closer
to the low estimate of $80k due to the fading
restoration. I still can only call this bus
slightly well sold, a bit over market. For less
money, one could have bought an excellent XK
120 (Lot 781, $78k), a well-restored KaiserDarrin
(797, $95k) or the ‘62 Big-Brake Fuelie
Corvette (808, $98k). Auctions America,
Burbank, CA, 08/13.
#501-1974 BMW 2002 tii Alpina Touring
hatchback. S/N 3430546. Inca Orange/black
vinyl & terrycloth. Odo: 21,869 km. Originally
a European car. Alpina kit added after
original purchase. Paint very well applied except
for questionable work on driver’s rear
roof. Right rear vent trim missing. Hella lights
and huge Cibie driving lights mounted on
bumper. Turbine wheels. Useful but incorrect
Scheel front seats in black terrycloth with
current all-burgundy livery understated and
classy. Offered at no reserve. Cond: 3-. SOLD
AT $808,500. Ex-Robert Stack; received as
gift from Desi Arnaz, his producer on “The
Untouchables,” for which they both won Emmys.
After seeing countless SLs dressed for the
show field, it was nice to see such an unpretentious
example. Big money for condition, but
given the value trajectory of this blue-chipper,
new owner has options. I’d keep it as-is, but
on the other hand, a full redo will have paid
for itself by the time it’s done, so it’s a win-win
purchase. The celebrity history is cool and
free. Auctions America, Burbank, CA, 08/13.
#793-1967 VOLKSWAGEN TRANS-
PORTER 21-window Samba bus. S/N 257062987.
Seafoam & cream/tan canvas/tan cloth
& seafoam vinyl. Odo: 8,208 miles. Looks
like a very well-done older restoration. Some
trim starting to pit; light surface rust at exterior
door/window hinges. Paint far better than
120
large orange stripe down the middle. Crossbracing
under hood; long injection runners on
intakes. Cond: 2+. SOLD AT $41,800. Last
sold for $40k at Russo and Steele Monterey
2012 (SCM# 212866). Production for tii Tourings
is estimated just under 5,800, so they’re
not especially rare. Not common in U.S., however.
The illusion of rarity may be why this car
has now sold twice since 2011 for $10k–$15k
more than a nicely kept standard tii. The catalog
mentions only “minor mechanical upgrades”
as part of the Alpina kit, so I don’t
Sports Car Market
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Roundup
think that accounts for the premium. Perhaps
this car was well bought, but lack of documentation
causes me to say well sold. Again. Auctions
America, Burbank, CA, 08/13.
#151-1989 MERCEDES-BENZ
560SL convertible. S/N WDBBA48DIKA096995.
Gray metallic/gray
hard top/chocolate soft top//tan leather. Odo:
87,002 miles. Very good factory paint, barely
noticeable shadow left from removed longitudinal
tape stripes. Excellent glass, minor dings
in brightwork, later-model chromed alloys,
BEST
BUY
did the condition. But Daytona prices have
languished for so long that they have become
highly undervalued, and at the rate Ferrari
prices are moving now, even this so-so example
may be flipped at a profit in short order.
Well sold today, well bought by Scottsdale ’14.
Auctions America, Burbank, CA, 08/13.
AMERICAN
#14-1929 MACK AC 3-ton stakebed
truck. S/N 10312242. Green & yellow/black
vinyl. No title. Restored in past decade. Now
with modern wood beer-delivery body. Allnew
reproduction brass ID tags and dataplates.
Excellent repaint. Modern bulldog hood ornaments
fitted to gas headlight stanchions; passenger’s
side lamp missing lens. Good-quality
re-covered seat. Moderate finish wear on wood
steering wheel rim, along with similar paint
wear on pedals. Tidy and clean under the
hood. Cond: 2-. SOLD AT $53,550. The Re-
newer tires. Interior hardly shows use. Engine
stock and superficially cleaned. Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $13,068. SLs are a staple of collector-car
auctions around the world. This was
an honest example with low original miles in
conservative colors. Buyer took home one of
the bargains of the auction, and I remain
amazed seller let it go at this price.Silver Auctions,
Shelton, WA, 08/13.
ITALIAN
#784-1971 FERRARI 365 GTB/4 Daytona
coupe. S/N 14019. Rosso Corsa/black &
red leather. Odo: 2,507 miles. Panel fit dodgy:
trunk gaps slightly wide, headlight covers not
aligned, driver’s door out at bottom rear.
Respray to driver standard over casual prep.
Runs and scratches visible. Front bumper
chrome cracked, pitted; rears scratched. Windshield
trim badly marked. Rear window vents
repainted over poor prep. NART emblem on
rear fascia. Rear reflectors degraded. Borranis
nault-style hood with radiator built into the
firewall was also used by several other truck
builders in the budding years of the trucking
industry. It seems that at loading docks, jealous
operators of teams of horses would “accidentally”
back their wagons into the front of
these newfangled trucks which were taking
work away from them; hence, the preference
for this style of truck. I figured that this would
be the top seller here at around $50k to $100k,
which proved generally correct, factoring in
the lack of a title. US Auctioneers, Friesland,
WI, 07/13.
#8-1935 DIAMOND T 211A stakebed
truck. S/N 376597R. Eng. # 376597R. Beige
& butterscotch/brown cloth. Odo: 83,551
miles. 228-ci I6, 1-bbl, 4-sp. Titled off engine
number; S/N tag replaced with reproduction
export tag. Good door fit, considering it’s a
78-year-old wood-framed cab. Excellent older
repaint with scuffed-up painted front bumper.
Twin windshields don’t fit evenly, with cracks
decent with some nicks; desperately dirty,
though. Interior sound but needs detailing;
engine bay, too. Tidy underneath. Catalog
mentions a “recoded engine.” Cond: 2-.
SOLD AT $401,500. Daytonas are now
breaking through the $400k barrier on a regular
basis, even though the hammer price of
this one actually did not. Somewhat murky
early configuration and the “recoded engine”
may have hurt the bidding here a bit. So, too,
122
in driver’s pane. Newer tires; three hubcaps
missing. Older modern bed wood with peeling
varnish. Seats redone in modern cloth with
stitched logo. Poorly redone headliner in the
same cloth. Mix of original and modern Stuart
Warner gauges. Older engine repaint. Cond: 3.
SOLD AT $11,025. If you think a 1930s Diamond
T dashboard resembles a 1932–34
Packard, you’re right. During this time, both
companies used the same gauges, and the Diamond
T’s dashboard styling is all but a knockoff
copy of Packard’s. This was one of the
details that earned Diamond T the nickname
of “the Cadillac of Trucks.” If you had room
to park this one, well bought. US Auctioneers,
Friesland, WI, 07/13.
#467-1936 PACKARD TWELVE convertible
sedan. S/N 973227. Maroon/tan
cloth/cream vinyl. Odo: 23,483 miles. Paint
once to a high standard; now with bubbles,
cracks throughout. All chrome pitted; top still
taut and clean. Vinyl (?!) interior serviceable;
just don’t tell your friends. Wood-grain dash
paint very good; gauges clear but not crisp.
Gas pedal missing; rear partition window
cocked, out of tracks. Pre-1936 engine—
should be 473 ci—looks tired; paint bubbling/
peeling. Strong smell of stale gas. Said to be
running on less than a dozen cylinders, pos-
sibly fewer than 10. Sold at no reserve from
the Jim Carr Collection. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT
$140,250. Surprisingly, comparables are not
hard to find; a number of pre- and post-recession
sales (save one outlier at Gooding
Scottsdale 2012 at $451k) indicate that
$200k–$250k should secure a very respectable
example. This sinkhole would have been properly
bought at the low estimate (or lower)
given that it needed and deserved everything,
a six-figure proposition. Engine work alone
might cost over $40,000, and you’d still have
the wrong lump in it. Maybe I’m missing
something, but this looked extremely well sold.
For now... Auctions America, Burbank, CA,
08/13.
#3-1940 INTERNATIONAL D-2 pickup.
S/N D281532. Forest Green/black vinyl. Odo:
77,213 miles. 213-ci I6, 1-bbl, 3-sp. Older
repaint with weak body prep. Heavier scratch
across driver’s door and rear cab corner. Older
front-bumper replate (pretty much the only
chrome on the outside). Original stainless.
Heavier delamination along edges of windshield.
Reflectors bolted to outside of tailgate;
tailgate sealed shut with silicone to keep it
Sports Car Market
Page 126
Roundup
from rattling. Good older seat re-cover. Older
engine repaint in incorrect glossy gray. Dealeraccessory
side marker lights and heater with
windshield defroster. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT
$16,800. 1940 was the last year of the heavily
Art Deco-styled D-series pickups. This is
about what an average restoration has been
bringing at auction this year. Thing is, this is a
below-average restoration that’s unwinding,
so mark this down as continuing the escalation
of vintage-truck values. US Auctioneers,
Friesland, WI, 07/13.
#9-1942 DIAMOND T 806C cabover
flatbed truck. S/N 806C0088. Red/brown
vinyl. Odo: 95,028 miles. 404-ci I6, 1-bbl,
5-sp. Newer repaint with some orange peel.
Newer 11R 22.5 radial tires. Hubcaps have
been replated. Modern diamond-plate floor
and header panel steel flatbed, fitted with modern
lights in the back. Expertly reupholstered
exhaust, reinforced with enough welded iron
to double as a roll bar. Cond: 4+. SOLD AT
$27,825. Pre-World War II, International was
not far behind Diamond T with its stylish Art
Deco trucks. Seems a bit spendy—even to a
Cornbinder aficionado like myself—but once
again, find one and make it functional. Still,
plenty paid for a rusty truck. US Auctioneers,
Friesland, WI, 07/13.
#20-1949 DIAMOND T 704 coal truck.
S/N 7040522. Red/brown vinyl. Odo: 16,751
miles. 404-ci I6, 2-bbl, 5-sp. Titled as a 1950,
although it’s 1949 production. Originally a fire
truck, hence the twin-ignition Hercules RXLDH
motor. Fitted with a period Heil 12-foot
dump box with hydraulic scissor lift when
restored approximately a decade ago. Trim-off
repaint, buffed-out brightwork, newer glass
and seals. Fresh tires all around on repainted
was astonished when this car sold for 80%
over high estimate. With a finished value of
plus/minus $500k, and a lot more than $100k
between here and there, I hope the new owner
is taking the long view. Auctions America,
Burbank, CA, 08/13.
#43-1953 KENWORTH 825C cabover
semi tractor. S/N 62437RB. Red/Parchment
vinyl. Odo: 137,985 miles. 743-ci I6, turbocharger,
manual. Repowered with a modern
turbocharged NTO-6 Cummins engine, with
original 9-speed Roadranger behind it. Walking-beam
rear suspension with single forwarddrive
rear axle with a Neway rear tag axle. All
10 wheels are period Alcoas. Twenty-footer
old repaint with weak masking. Equally lackadaisical
upholstery redo. Faded, dingy original
seat (there’s just one). Cond: 3+. SOLD AT
$25,200. This is one of the only vehicles out
there with two fill caps on the front: radiator
and oil fill, the latter with a comically long
dipstick. The selling price is about what it
would take to restore it from a dead one found
in a field, but you want to be on the starting
end of a restoration with title issues—getting it
resolved before completion—not after purchasing
a completed restoration for this kind
of money. US Auctioneers, Friesland, WI,
07/13.
#40-1942 INTERNATIONAL KR-
11COE-450 cabover semi tractor. S/N
KR11COE504. Green, white & red/black vinyl.
Odo: 60,545 miles. 672-ci fuel-injected
I6, 5-sp. Assigned Wisconsin VIN of
WTL9E72000858. Originally powered by a
gasoline 450-ci inline six, repowered with a
period HB-600 Cummins diesel ahead of the
original 5-speed main transmission. Very little
for rust abatement before recent repaint. White
beltline paint flaking off at front. Rattle-can
silver on front hubcaps. Modern single-stack
124
Budd wheels. Typical light dents and dings on
cargo box. Reupholstered seat, newer headliner.
Cond: 3+. SOLD AT $7,875. Most folks
today would see this body and lift and have no
clue about its original purpose—delivering
coal for home and business heating. Getting a
heavy-duty truck close enough to fill a coal
bunker in an alley could be quite a chore, so a
scissor lift like this would be a godsend. A bit
specialized for the general collector market,
but still a pretty decent buy. US Auctioneers,
Friesland, WI, 07/13.
#509-1952 CUNNINGHAM C3 coupe.
S/N IND201044. Primer. 331-ci V8, 4x1-bbl,
manual. An unfinished shell with engine, gearbox
and suspension in place. Bodywork done;
slap-hammered with wooden blocks and without
filler. Sprayed with primer/sealer on most
surfaces. Hemi with four Zeniths in place.
Said to be only Cunningham constructed with
Borrani wires. Chrome nerf bars instead of
proper bumpers. Catalog states that all parts
needed for completion are included, except the
windshield. Cond: 4. SOLD AT $407,000. I
gauges. Cond: 3-. SOLD AT $18,900. West of
the Rockies in the 1950s, these “bullnose”
Kenworths were what every trucker aspired to.
Created specifically to deal with Arizona’s
“bridge formula” laws on the books at the
time, this combination worked well with the
myriad regulations in surrounding states as
well. If it had the usual supercharged NHS270
that was the hot ticket in the day, rather
than this modern Cummins, I think this would
crack $20k. US Auctioneers, Friesland, WI,
07/13.
#531-1954 EDWARDS AMERICA
coupe. S/N EAS102. Dark green/tan vinyl.
Odo: 495 miles. 317-ci V8, 4-bbl, auto. Just
emerged from long slumber in basement of
nearby museum. Early fiberglass body with
expected variable gaps. Both doors way out.
Paint loaded with orange peel and countless
flaws. Chrome and trim need a hard polish but
will clean up. Wood dash nice; interior will
improve with TLC. Lincoln engine with
Sports Car Market
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Auction Companies
Artcurial-Briest-Poulain-Le Fur.
33 (0)1 42 99 2056, 33 (0)1 42 99 1639.
7, Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées,
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Email: motorcars@artcurial.com.
www.artcurial.com/motorcars. (FR)
located in San Antonio, Texas. DKC
has been responsible for successful
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866.495.8111 Dankruseclassics.com
(TX)
Mecum Auction Company.
Auctions America. 877.906.2437,
Formed in July 2010 as a subsidiary of
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RM team, led by collector car expert
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With Confidence.
www.auctionsamerica.com. (IN)
Gooding & Company.
Barrett-Jackson Auction.
480.421.6694, 480.421.6697. For nearly
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310.899.1960, 310.899.0930. Gooding
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262.275.5050. The Mecum Auction
Company has been specializing in the
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445 South Main Street
Walworth, WI 53184.
262.275.5050 (WI)
the United States, Russo and Steele has
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com. (AZ)
Silver Auctions. 800.255.4485,
Silver Auctions isn’t successful because
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we’re successful because we auction
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staff, bidders and consignors are everyday
people with a passion for Nostalgic
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at Silver Auctions. 2020 N. Monroe,
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Email: silver@silverauctions.com,
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Palm Springs Auctions Inc.
Hollywood Wheels Auctions &
Shows 800.237.8954, Hosting two
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Where Collectors Collect! See You On
The Block!
Keith McCormick. 760.320.3290,
760.323.7031. 244 N. Indian Canyon
Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
A family-run auction house producing
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The Vicari Auction Company hosts
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Rick Cole Auctions. Rick Cole
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Email: rickcole@rickcole.
com Web: www.rickcole.com (CA)
Leake Auctions. 800.722.9942,
Bonhams. +44.207.228.8000,
+44.207.585.0830. Montpelier St.,
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Bonhams. 415.391.4000,
415.391.4040. 220 San Bruno Avenue,
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Join Leake Auction Company as they
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Worldwide Auctioneers.
RM Auctions, Inc. 800.211.4371,.
Carlisle Collector Car Auctions.
717.243.7855, 1000 Bryn Mawr Road,
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Lucky Collector Car Auctions.
Dan Kruse Classics is a familyowned
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132
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Russo and Steele Collector Auto-
mobile Auctions. 602.252.2697,
Fax: 602.252.6260. Specializing in
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With offices and auctions throughout
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800.990.6789 or 1.260.925.6789,
Worldwide Auctioneers was formed
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The sale and acquisition of classic automobiles
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Alfa Romeo
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site to view our latest titles and order.
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Steve Austin’s Automobilia &
Great Vacations. 800.452.8434, European
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Automobile Art importer of legendary
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www.steveaustinsgreatvacations.com.
Jon Norman’s Alfa Parts.
800.890.2532, 510.525.9519. 1221
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Large selection of parts from Giulietta
to 164. Efficient, personal service.
www.alfapartscatalog.com. (CA)
Appraisals
Vintage Auto Posters. Since 1980,
Everett Anton Singer has been supplying
international collectors with
the most diverse selection of authentic
vintage automotive posters. The vast
inventory runs from the late 1890s
through the 1960s; featuring marque,
event and product advertising. Please
visit us at:
www.VintageAutoPosters.com.
Auto Appraisal Group.
800.848.2886, Offices located nationwide.
Pre-purchase inspection service,
insurance matters, charitable donations,
resale vales, estates, expert witness
testimony. On-site inspection. Certified,
confidential, prompt, professional.
“Not just one man’s opinion of value.”
See web site for locations and service
descriptions. www.autoappraisal.com.
Buy/Sell/General
eclectic and proud of it. Find your treasure
here, or pass it along to the next
generation. www.cosmopolitanmotors.
com (WA)
lector vehicles available, combined with
unparalleled service. If we do not currently
have that which you are looking
for or, if you have a classic that you’re
looking to sell, please let us know.
150 Pico Boulevard Santa Monica, CA
90405
310.593.2080
www.kastnerandpartnersgarage.com
Gullwing Motor Cars stocks more
than 100 cars at our warehouse location,
27 years of experience; visited
by customers across the country and
overseas. We specialize in European
and American cars and we are always
looking to buy classic cars in any
condition. We pick up from anywhere
in the U.S. Quick payment & pick up.
718.545.0500. www.gullwingmotorcars.com
Hartek Automotive, 319.337.4140,
Beverly Hills Car Club is one of the
Cosmopolitan Motors, LLC.
206.467.6531 , For over a quarter century
Cosmopolitan Motors has been at
the center of the world for collector cars
changing hands. Their unparalleled experience
in tracking valuations makes them
uniquely capable of valuating the rare
and unusual. Estates, settlements, collections,
insurance. Let their billion dollars
worth of experience supply the results
you seek. “We covet the rare and unusual
whether pedigreed or proletarian”. www.
cosmopolitanmotors.com (WA)
largest European classic car dealerships
in the nation with an extensive inventory
spanning over 50,000 sf. We can
meet all your classic car needs with our
unprecedented selection; from top of
the line models to projects cars. We buy
classic cars in any shape or condition &
provide the quickest payment & pickup
anywhere in the U.S. 310.975.0272
www.beverlyhillscarclub.com (CA)
Hartek Automotive is a division of
Hartwig Motors Inc., one of the oldest
automotive retailers in the Midwest
since 1912. Hartek Automotive specializes
in the maintenance and sale
of sports and prestige automobiles.
Their reputation for service continues
with a very personalized approach to
maintenance of an individual’s daily
driver, to the restoration of that special
automobile. Hartek Automotive also
offers pre-sale or post-sale inspections.
Located in Iowa, we are equally accessible
for the enthusiast from anywhere.
Drive in or fly in...you will find us most
accommodating. www.hartek.org (IA)
Luxury Brokers International.
215.459.1606, specializing in the sales,
purchase and brokerage of classic automobiles
for the astute collector with
a new-age, contemporary approach.
Focusing on original, high-quality
examples as enjoyable, tangible investments.
Classic car storage, classic car
consignment, brokerage, and other
consulting services are available as
well. We actively pursue the purchase
and sales of any investment grade classic
car. Since 2009 we have offered
a unique opportunity for collectors,
enthusiasts, and other industry professionals.
www.lbilimited.com, sales@
lbilimited.com (PA)
Paul Russell and Company.
978.768.6092, www.paulrussell.com.
Specializing in the Preservation and
Sales of European Classics, pre-war
through the 1970s, since 1978. You
can rely on our decades of experience
with Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Porsche,
Bugatti, Alfa Romeo and other fine
collectibles. Repeat customers are the
lifeblood of our business. Contact us
today to join them. Car Sales Manager,
Alex Finigan: Alex@paulrussell.com.
(MA)
Classic Showcase. 760.758.6100,
Gooding & Company.
310.899.1960, Gooding & Company’s
experts are well-qualified to appraise
individual automobiles as well as collections
and estates. Whether it is the
creation of a foundation, living trust or
arrangement of a charitable donation,
we are able to assist you.
www.goodingco.com. (CA)
Automobilia
Coachbuilt Press. 215-925-4233,
Coachbuilt Press creates limited edition
automotive titles for the discriminating
motoring enthusiast. We present exceptional
material on the most significant
collections, museums and marques with
a balance of authoritative writing, precise
research, unique historical documents
and the modern photography of
Michael Furman. Please visit our web-
December 2013
Cosmopolitan Motors, LLC.
206.467.6531 , Experts in worldwide
acquisition, collection management,
disposition and appraisal. For more
than a quarter century, Cosmopolitan
Motors has lived by its motto, “We
covet the rare and unusual, whether
pedigreed or proletarian.” Absurdly
restoration 760.758.6119. Always
buying: Offering top dollar for your
European classics. Always selling: 3
showrooms with an excellent selection
to choose from. Always Restoring: We
feature an award-winning, world-class
restoration facility, with the expertise
to restore you car to any level, including
modifications. Super craftsmanship;
attention to detail; knowledgeable staff;
servicing all of the collector’s needs.
Located in San Diego County.
Email: sales@classicshowcase.com,
www.classicshowcase.com (CA)
Heritage Classics Motorcar Company.
310.657.9699, www.heritageclassics.com.
Heritage Classics Motorcar
Company, the premier West Coast
classic car dealership established in
1985. Offering one of the largest indoor
showrooms in Southern California with
an exceptional inventory of the very
finest American and European classic
cars available. We buy, sell and consign
collectible automobiles, offering the
best consignment terms available, contact
us at sales@heritageclassics.com
When in Southern California visit
our beautiful showroom and specialty
automotive bookstore, Heritage Classics
Motorbooks, open Monday–Saturday.
For current inventory and to visit
our virtual bookstore visit
www.heritageclassics.com
Woodies USA. 949.922.7707,
949.412.8812, We buy and sell great
woodies — hundreds to date. If you
are buying or selling give us a call.
We can help. Woodies are fun! Every
car collection should have at least one.
Located in Laguna Niguel, California.
www.woodiesusa.com. (CA)
Classic Car Transport
Hyman Ltd Classic Cars.
314.524.6000, One of the largest inventories
of vintage cars in the world.
Please visit our website often,
www.hymnaltd.com to see our current
stock. Hyman Ltd Classic Cars, 2310
Chaffee Drive, St. Louis, MO. 63146
314-524-6000 sales@hymnaltd.com
Kastner & Partners Garage.
From our spectacular Santa Monica
location, Kastner & Partners Garage
strives to offer some of the finest col-
Passport Transport. 800.736.0575,
Since our founding in 1970, we have
shipped thousands of treasured vehicles
door-to-door with our fully enclosed
auto transporters. Whether your prized
possession is your daily driver, a vintage
race car, a classic, a ’60s muscle
car or a modern exotic, you can depend
on Passport Transport to give you the
premium service it deserves. We share
your appreciation for fine automobiles,
and it shows.
www.PassportTransport.com.
133
Page 136
Advertise in the SCM Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 Ext. 218 for information, e-mail: scmadvert@sportscarmarket.com.
L.A. Prep. 562.997.0170, L.A.
Prep brings its 30 years of experience
transporting vehicles for the automotive
industry’s top manufacturers to
discriminating luxury and exotic car
owners and collectors across the United
States. Its highly-skilled and experienced
staff delivers an unsurpassed
level of service and takes care of your
car with the highest quality equipment
available in trucks and trailers that are
as clean and well maintained as the
valuable assets that they carry.
www.LAPrepTransport.com
Grundy Worldwide. 888.647.8639,
Grundy Worldwide offers agreed value
insurance with no mileage limitations,
zero deductible*, and high liability
limits. Our coverages are specifically
designed for collectible-car owners.
From classic cars to muscle cars,
Grundy Worldwide has you covered.
(*Zero deductible available in most
states.) 888.6GRUNDY (888.647.8639).
www.grundyworldwide.com. (PA)
AUTOSPORT DESIGNS, INC.
631.425.1555, All Aston Martin models
welcome regardless of age, as new inevitably
become old! Routine servicingcomplete
mechanical restorations/rebuilds
— cosmetic repair/paintwork to
complete frame-off restoration. Large
inventory of parts. All services as well
as our current unventory of automobiles
for sale can be seen at
www.autosportdesigns.com. (NY)
Carobu Engineering. 949.722.9307,
Ferrari specialist. Engine rebuilding/
development, dyno-testing, parts and
service. Your source for high-performance
brakes, suspension, gaskets,
engine parts, wheels and exhaust.
Dealer for Tubi, Brembo, Koni, Razzo
Rosso, Sangalli, Zanzi, Novitech Rosso
and X-Ost. www.CAROBU.com.
Reliable Carriers, Inc. 877.744.7889,
As the country’s largest enclosed auto
transport company, Reliable Carriers
faithfully serves all 48 contiguous United
States and Canada. Whether you’ve
entered a concours event, need a relocation,
are attending a corporate event, or
shipping the car of your dreams from
one location to another, one American
transportation company does it all.
www.reliablecarriers.com
Collector Car Insurance
Hagerty Insurance Agency, LLC.
800.922.4050, is the leading insurance
agency for collector vehicles in the
world and host to the largest network of
collector car owners. Hagerty offers insurance
for collector cars, motorcycles
and motorcycle safety equipment, tractors,
automotive tools and spare parts,
and even “automobilia” (any historic
or collectible item linked with motor
vehicles). Hagerty also offers overseas
shipping/touring insurance coverage,
commercial coverage and club liability
coverage. For more information, call or
visit www.hagerty.com. (MI)
Radcliffe Motor Company.
Classic Showcase. 760.758.6100,
restoration 760.758.6119. World class
full service restoration facility. Creating
show/show drivers, and driver
restorations. Specializing in British,
German and Italian classics. Superb fit;
attention to detail; great craftsmanship;
knowledgeable staff; passionate on
quality. Located in San Diego County.
sales@classicshowcase.com
www.classicshowcase.com. (CA)
Barrett-Jackson is proud to endorse
a new breed of insurance for classic,
antique, exotic, special-interest, contemporary
classic and limited-edition
cars.
To get a quote is even easier with our
new online improvements. Go to www.
barrett-jackson.com/insurance/, select
Get a Quote, enter in a couple of key
pieces of information about your vehicle
and get an estimated quote within
seconds! It’s that easy.
Don’t be caught without the right
insurance for your vehicle. In the unfortunate
aftermath of damage to your
vehicle, learning that your insurance
won’t restore your prized possession
to its former glory, or appropriately
compensate you for your loss, is the last
thing you want to hear. To get a quote
by phone, call 877.545.2522.
Fourintune Garages Inc.
Heacock Classic. 800.678.5173, We
understand the passion and needs of the
classic-car owner; agreed value, one
liability charge, 24-hour claim service
and paying by credit card. We provide
classic car insurance at rates people can
afford! Instant quotes at
www.heacockclassic.com. (FL)
262.375.0876, www.fourintune.
com. Complete ground-up restoration
on British Marques – specializing in
Austin-Healeys for 35 years. Experience
you can trust, satisfied customers
nationwide. Visit our website for details
on our restoration process. Located in
historic Cedarburg since 1976 – just
minutes north of Milwaukee, WI.
410.517.1681, The Mid-Atlantic’s
premier facility for the maintenance,
repair, and light restoration of exotic
Italian and fine European automobiles.
Having gained the trust of the exotic
car community we are known for our
proficiency and workmanship. Host of
the annual Vintage Ferrari All Italian
Car Event each May, you are cordially
invited to attend. Visit our website for
more information about our shop, and
see photos of past events.
www.RMCCAR.com.
pointed Aston Martin Heritage Dealer
for the USA. New and pre-owned Aston
Martins are our specialty. Please contact
us when buying, selling or restoring.
www.astonmartin-lotus.com. (MA)
50 sports and race cars always in stock.
Please check our website for our latest
inventory offerings:
www.wirewheel.com. (FL)
Ferrari/Maserati/Lamborghini
T. Rutlands & T. Rutlands West
J.C. Taylor Insurance.
Chubb Collector Car Insurance.
1.866.CAR.9648, The Chubb Collector
Car Insurance program provides flexibility
by allowing you to choose the
agreed value and restoration shop.
Broad coverage includes no mileage
restrictions and special pricing for large
schedules. For more information, contact
us at 1(866)CAR-9648 or
www.chubbcollectorcar.com.
FOLLOW SCM
Aston Martin of New England.
781.547.5959, 85 Linden Street,
Waltham, MA 02452. Proudly ap-
134
800.345.8290, Antique, classic, muscle
or modified — J.C. Taylor Insurance
has provided dependable, dynamic,
affordable protection for your collector
vehicle for over 50 years. Agreed
Value Coverage in the continental U.S.,
and Alaska. Drive Through Time With
Peace of Mind with J.C. Taylor Insurance.
Get a FREE instant quote online
at www.JCTaylor.com.
English
J. J. BEST BANC & CO. provides
www.wirewheel.com, 772.299.9788.
British Sports and Race Cars BoughtSold-Traded.
Located in Beautiful Vero
Beach, Florida. In business for over
25 years, specializing in Lotus, TVR,
Griffith, Jaguar, Austin Healey, MG,
Marcos, Panoz, Lola, and more. Over
financing on classic cars ranging from
1900 to today. Visit our website at
www.jjbest.com or call 1-800-USA-1965
and get a loan approval in as little as
5 minutes!
Kevin Kay Restorations.
530.241.8337, 1530 Charles Drive, Redding,
CA 96003. Aston Martin parts,
service, repair and restoration. From an
oil change to a concours-winning restoration,
we do it all. Modern upgrades
for power steering, window motors,
fuel systems and more. Feltham Fast
performance parts in stock. We also
cater to all British and European cars
and motorcycles.
www.kevinkayrestorations.net. (CA)
provides international service from one
of the world’s largest Ferrari parts inventories
coast to coast. We have more
Ferrari parts, more Ferrari parts experience
and better Ferrari parts prices than
most anyone. Since 1981 T. Rutlands
has been building valuable partnerships
with the Ferrari industry’s most
respected repair shops, professionals
and car owners seeking to provide a
one-stop shopping experience for Ferrari
parts, tools and accessories. Ferrari
parts are our only business and we are
true product and service specialists
in every sense of the word. When you
need a comprehensive parts selection
for both vintage and contemporary Ferraris,
you can count on a single-source
leader in the Ferrari parts business…T.
Rutlands.
Call us Toll Free 800.638.1444, Internationally
770.493.8852. Email: Sales@
trutlands.com. www.trutlands.com
Finance
Sports Car Market
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Page 138
Advertise in the SCM Resource Directory. Call 877.219.2605 Ext. 218 for information, e-mail: scmadvert@sportscarmarket.com.
Legal
Law Offices of Bruce Shaw
Ferrari Financial Services.
201.510.2500, As the world’s only
Ferrari-owned finance company, no one
understands a Ferrari customer’s unique
perspective better than the company
that designed these iconic sports cars.
Whether it’s a line of credit for owners
interested in utilizing the equity in their
collection, or a simple interest loan, we
stand committed to help our clients enhance
their collection — without origination
or early termination fees. “FFS”
offers a level of expertise that cannot be
matched by other lenders.
Mercedes-Benz Classic Center.
1.866.MB.CLASSIC, The center of
competence for classic Mercedes-Benz
enthusiasts — for vintage car sales,
meticulous restorations by manufacturer-trained
technicians and the widest
selection of Genuine Mercedes-Benz
Classic Parts, we are the source.
www.mbclassiccenter.com. (CA)
Import/Export
LeMay—America’s Car Museum
Premier Financial Services is the
nation’s leading lessor of vintage and
exotic motorcars. Our Simple Lease
Program is ideal for those who wish to
own their vehicle at the end of the term,
as well as for those who like to change
cars frequently. Our Simple Interest
Early Termination Program allows you
the flexibility of financing with the tax
advantages of leasing. Contact Premier
at 877.973.7700 or info@pfsllc.com.
www.premierfinancialservices.com (CT)
German
Cosdel International Transportation.
Since 1960 Cosdel International Transportation
has been handling international
shipments by air, ocean and truck.
Honest service, competitive pricing
and product expertise have made Cosdel
the natural shipping choice for the
world’s best-known collectors, dealers
and auction houses. If you are moving
a car, racing or rallying, or attending a
concours event overseas, Cosdel is your
comprehensive, worldwide resource for
all of your nationwide and international
shipping needs. We are your automobile
Export Import Experts.
415.777.2000
carquotes@cosdel.com.
www.cosdel.com. (CA)
Italian
Classic Showcase. 760.758.6100,
restoration 760.758.6119. World class
full-service restoration facility. Creating
show/show drivers, and driver
restorations. Specializing in German,
British, and Italian classics. Superb fit,
attention to detail, great craftsmanship,
knowledgeable staff, passionate on
quality. Located in San Diego County.
sales@classicshowcase.com
www.classicshowcase.com. (CA)
Hamann Classic Cars.
203.918.8300, with more than 30 years
in the industry and worldwide clientele
in dealing in European race and sports
cars, specializes in classic Ferraris of
the ’50s & ’60s. www.ferrari4you.com
Leasing
spotlights America’s love affair with
the automobile. The museum rests on
a nine-acre campus featuring rotating
galleries, a 3.5-acre show field, theatre,
café, banquet halls, racing simulators
and slot car racing. ACM hosts annual
events, concerts and even drive-in
movies. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m., tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for
seniors/students/military and $8 for
youth. ACM is free for members and
kids five and under. www.lemaymuseum.org.
(WA)
Collector Car Fraud Specialists,
www.shawlaws.com. A motorhead law
firm with real practical knowledge and
experience in the Collector Car Field.
Experience: Chain of speed shops,
Body Shops, Car Dealerships, former
NCRS judge as well as licensed attorneys.
Estate planning and divorce
settlements concerning Collector Cars.
50 State Representation. 215.657.2377
Museums
and more! Call 1-800-423-5525 or visit
Calcarcover.com for a free catalog.
Griot’s Garage —Car Care for
the Perfectionist! Griot’s Garage
celebrates over 22 years as your best
source for a full line of quality car care
products. We Make It. We Teach It. We
Guarantee It. Call today for your free
catalog or enjoy the easy-to-use website
for fast, fun and easy ordering. Our
number one goal is to ensure that you
always...Have fun in your garage!
800.345.5789 • www.griotsgarage.com
www.inmygarage.com. (WA)
Suixtil USA. 888.800.8870, the
LeMay Family Collection Founda-
tion at Marymount Events Center near
Tacoma, WA, hosts an epic backdrop
for your next event. Home to 500 fabulous
collector cars, world class art exhibits,
and assorted ephemera, consider
your next event here. Weddings, swap
meets, conventions, auctions. The facility
can likely exceed your expectations.
Visit during the 37th annual open house
along with 13,000 other enthusiasts.
253.272.2336 www.lemaymarymount.
org (WA)
Parts and Accessories
European Collectibles, Inc.
949.650.4718, European Collectibles
has been buying, consigning, selling
and restoring classic European sports
cars since 1986. We specialize in
Porsche (356 and 911) 1950s to early
1970s along with other marks including
Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari,
MG, Austin Healey & Jaguar with 40
vehicles in stock to choose from. European
Collectibles also offers complete
mechanical and cosmetic restorations to
concours level along with routine service.
Located in Orange County, CA,
between Los Angeles and San Diego.
Sales@europeancollectibles.com or
visit our website
www.europeancollectibles.com. (CA)
136
Putnam Leasing. 866.90.LEASE.
For over 30 years, Putnam Leasing
has been the leader in exotic, luxury,
and collector car leasing. This honor
comes from Putnam’s unique ability
to match the car of your dreams with
a lease designed just for you. Every
Putnam Lease is written to provide
maximum flexibility while conserving
capital, lowering monthly payments,
and maximizing tax advantages. Its
Putnam’s way of letting you drive more
car for less money. For leases ranging
from $50,000 to more than one million
dollars, with terms extending up to 84
months contact the oldest and most
experienced leasing company in the
country by calling 1.866.90.LEASE. Or
just visit www.putnamleasing.com.
Baldhead Cabinets. 877.966.2253.
The garage is no longer a place to cast
off items unwanted. It is a destination
in itself. We are a full-service, family
owned company that designs and manufactures
custom metal cabinets in Bend,
OR. Choose from meticulously crafted
storage cabinets, TV cabinets, sink
cabinets, or our ever popular pull out
fastener bin cabinet, just to name a few.
www.baldheadcabinets.com
U.S. distributor of Suixtil clothing.
Suixtil, the brand preferred by racing
legends of the 1950s and 1960s, encapsulates
the spirit, passion and grit of the
heroic early days of racing. From the
iconic Juan Manuel Fangio to Sir Stirling
Moss to Peter Collins, all the great
drivers of the day wore the brand.
Lost for decades, the original Suixtil
line was re-discovered, researched and
faithfully re-created in recent years,
bringing back to life the spirit of daring,
passion and camaraderie of that
unforgettable era in motor sport racing.
Shop online at www.SuixtilUSA.com
sales@suixtilusa.com
WeatherTech® Automotive Ac-
cessories. 800.441.8527, MacNeil
Automotive Products Limited providing
Automotive Accessories for your
vehicles for over 20 years. MacNeil has
defined high-quality vehicle protection
with the WeatherTech® line of Automotive
Accessories. Choose from allweather
floor mats, extreme-duty floor
liners, cargo/trunk liners, side window
deflectors, no-drill mudflaps, many
different options of license plate frames
and more. We have products available
for virtually every make and model.
To see and buy everything, go to
www.WeatherTech.com.
Restoration — General
Alan Taylor Company Inc.
California Car Cover Company.
More than just custom-fit car covers,
California Car Cover is the home
of complete car care and automotive
lifestyle products. Offering the best in
car accessories, garage items, detailing
products, nostalgic collectibles, apparel
760.489.0657, is a full-service automotive
restoration and repair facility
that specializes in Pre and Post-War
European and American Automobiles.
With an emphasis on French Marques
including Bugatti & Delahaye and over
50 years of experience in the automotive
field, we have proven to be a leader
in the automotive industry. Our facility
provides a full-array of services including
Fabrication, Metal-Shaping, Engine
& Transmission Rebuilding, Machine
Sports Car Market
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Carl Bomstead
eWatch
Big Bucks for Little Matchbox Cars
The store display showed off 117 toys that were offered from 1964 to 1967
Thought
Carl’s College football season is upon us, and for some it seems to be the sole purpose of life itself. At
Texas A&M University, the crowd is famous for being the “12th Man,” but that phrase was not
available on a personalized license plate, as up until 2011 only six digits were allowed on a vanity
plate. MyPlates.com, which is licensed by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to sell street-legal vanity
plates, sold the recently available “12THMAN” plate for a staggering $115,000. This is a record for a vanity
plate. The buyer presented the plate to a decorated war veteran who was a graduate of A&M — and the
proceeds benefited the school — so the price paid was not as outlandish as you might think at first glance.
the slogan: “Count the Indians on
the Road.” It was not in the best
condition, with minor rust on
one side and general scratching
and fading on both sides. That
said, this piece attracted a bunch
of bids and is rare as heck.
EBAY #30090044240—
MATCHBOX TOY STORE
DISPLAY. Number of Bids:
31. SOLD AT: $5,000. Date:
5/8/2013. Matchbox toys were
first introduced in the United
Kingdom in 1957, and the company
is now owned by Mattel.
This store display presented 117
toys that were offered during the
1964–67 period, and it included
Matchbox 1-75, Yesteryear Y1–
Y16, King Size K1–K15 and Major
Packs M1–M20. The display
was 59 inches in length and was
in very presentable condition. At
a touch over $42 per toy, it does
not seem like a bad deal at all.
EBAY #171122639332 —
FORT WORTH “MOLLY”
TEXAS MOTORS LICENSEPLATE
ATTACHMENT.
Number of Bids: Buy-It-Now.
SOLD AT: $125. Date:
9/13/2013. Texas Motors is a Fort
Worth Ford dealership that has
been in business for 70 years and
is still going strong. This early
license plate attachment features
“Molly,” the iconic longhorn
cattle symbol. This probably
dates to the ’50s. It was in very
acceptable condition, and at the
price paid, it was certainly a reasonable
buy.
ORIGINAL BOX. Number of
Bids: 30. SOLD AT: $2,026.
Date: 7/21/2013. The Prameta
series of clockwork wind-up cars
was made at the Kolner factory,
which was in the British Zone
of West Germany from 1947
until 1951. The series included
a Mercedes, Opel, Jaguar and
Buick. They were die-cast, solidly
built and exceptionally well
engineered. They also produced
a limited number of cut-away
display versions, with almost
half the body removed to display
the intricate inner workings of
the toy. This example was close
to perfect, and it included the
original box, wind-up key and
instructions. The price was up
there, but condition is king and
usually brings the money.
national competition that was
held from 1913 through 1931.
When Great Britain won the race
for the third time in five years, it
retained permanent possession
of the magnificent trophy. When
the British won at Calshot in
1929 with the new Rolls-Royce R
engine, a seaplane replica hood
ornament was produced in two
sizes with “Rolls-Royce” embossed
under the pontoon. This
was the larger size for use on the
40/50-hp Rolls-Royce, and it sold
for an aggressive — but not outlandish
— price.
EBAY #171121376188 —
EBAY #221253808701—
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
SALES & SERVICE SIGN.
Number of Bids: 40. SOLD AT:
$2,125. Date: 7/16/2013. This
double-sided painted metal sign
measured 23 inches by 17 inches
and dated to the 1930s. It featured
the famed Indian logo and
EBAY #380713917258
EBAY #261246774647
—1951 KOLNER CUT-AWAY
PRAMETA MERCEDES IN
—1929 SCHNEIDER CUP
ROLLS-ROYCE SEAPLANE
HOOD ORNAMENT. Number
of Bids: 4. SOLD AT: $1,633.
Date: 9/17/2013/. The Schneider
Cup seaplane race was an inter-
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138
PACKARD SCRIPT SPARK
PLUG. Number of Bids: 6.
SOLD AT: $237.06. Date:
9/13/2013. This early 18-mm
spark plug had “Packard” embossed
on the body of the plug
and the name on the insulator. It
had patent dates from the 1890s,
and they were used into the
1930s. Cool plug to have in your
display of Packard stuff. ♦
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
Sports Car Market
PO Box 4797, Portland, OR 97208
CPC IPM Sales Agreement No. 1296205
Sports Car Market
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