Bonhams & Butterfields to Offer $10-Million
Motor Car Collection
Quail Lodge, Carmel, California – 18 August 2006
Bonhams & Butterfields’ Sale of Important Collectors’ Motor Cars and Related Automobilia, held annually at the prestigious venue of Quail Lodge and Resort in Monterey, California, will this year include 17 mouth-watering motor cars which have been maintained and preserved for many years in the world renowned Rosso Bianco Collection at Aschaffenburg, in Germany.
Malcolm Barber, CEO of Bonhams & Butterfields, says: “This remarkable group represents a fantastic cross-section of some of the world’s finest motor cars, in several categories, and we are delighted to present them for sale at Quail Lodge.”
“This landmark selection ranges from an elegant Figoni & Falaschi Talbot-Lago ‘Tear Drop’ Coupe to a blisteringly quick and utterly dominant CanAm racing Porsche 917/10, and includes the very best in sports-racing, CanAm, and coach-built exotica.
“We are still accepting entries to what promises to be the most exclusive sale of the weekend.”
Top lot in the collection is the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS ‘Teardrop’ Coupe – purchased new at the 1938 Paris Motor Show by the Englishman Robert Cecil Byng, later to become the 7th Earl of Strafford. Subsequently, it was sold to famed Formula One gentleman team patron Rob Walker. Spectacularly restored, this motorcar represents the pinnacle of motoring excellence and the coachbuilder’s craft. Estimate $3,000,000 – 4,000,000.
Other star cars in the collection include:
The Ex-Jack Ensley/Pat O’Connor Sebring 12-Hours
1956 3.4-liter Jaguar D-Type Sports-Racing Two-Seater
Chassis no. XKD 553
Driven by owner Jack Ensley and Indianapolis ‘500’ hero Pat O’Connor, this classical ‘Shortnose’ D-Type Jaguar with distinctive headrest tail fin, contested the Floridian classic. Subsequently raced successfully within the USA by Ed Rahal it passed later via Mike Bradley to England circa 1971, becoming a core exhibit within the late Bob Roberts’ Midland Motor Museum at Bridgenorth, Staffordshire. This is a most handsomely preserved D-Type with wonderful patina. Estimate $1,600,000 – 2,000,000.
-More-
The Brussels Salon ex-John von Neuman/Phil Hill / ‘On the Beach’
1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spider Two-Seater
Chassis no. 0492M
A fine example of Ferrari’s rambunctious 4-cylinder 3-liter sports-racing classic, ‘0492M’ offered here was first shown by Jacques Swaters on his Equipe National Belge stand at the 1955 Brussels Salon de l’Automobile. Later campaigned by John von Neumann/Phil Hill at Santa Barbara, Torrey Pines, Salinas and Glendale, raced by Harrison Evans 1956 and then – most interestingly – featured in Stanley Kramer’s classic movie ‘On the Beach’. This is a drum-braked category classic Ferrari with the added cachet of a Hollywood pedigree. Estimate: $750,000 – 1,000,000.
The ex-Willi Kauhsen, Monte Shelton
1973 Porsche 917/10 Turbo CanAm / Interserie Sports-Racing Two-Seater
Chassis no. 917/10-015
This is a truly magnificent example of Stuttgart’s utterly awe-inspiring air-cooled twin-turbocharged flat-12-engined monster offering over 1,000 horsepower for anyone man enough to apply the loud pedal! In his 917/10 Turbo Sypder German owner/driver Willi Kauhsen won the 1973 Nurburgring 300kms, Shell Coppa d’Oro at Imola in Italy, placed 2nd in the British Martini Trophy (at Silverstone), qualified 5th at America’s Mid-Ohio CanAm ’73 and also won again at Silverstone in ’74. Estimate: $450,000 – 550,000.
The ex-Terry Drury, Ron Fry
1968 Ford GT40 Mark I
Chassis no. GT40 P1073
British Ford racer Terry Drury began ‘1073’s career with a 1968 World Championship campaign including the BOAC ‘500’ at Brands Hatch (UK), the legendary Targa Florio in Sicily, the Italian Monza and German Nurburgring 1,000Kms. ‘1073’ was later sold to British club racer Ron Fry who won twice in it at Silverstone – this GT40 was rebuilt for later use by British hill-climber Michael Wright. It is offered here as a truly delightful looking early-spec GT40 with the enormous bonus of a Gurney-Weslake headed V8 engine and – again – a great patina; a real enthusiast’s GT40. Estimate: $700,000-900,000.
1968-70 AVS Shadow-Chevrolet Mark I CanAm Prototype
The exquisitely presented, horizontal steering wheel ‘go-kart’ Shadow created by free-thinking designer Trevor Harris for Advanced Vehicle Systems’ CEO Don Nichols. Built initially to contest the 1969 Championship, key to the Mark I’s concept was minimal frontal area, achieved by tiny 17-inch tall tyres on 10-inch diameter wheels – the result is fully 14 inches lower at the front fenders than a McLaren M8 and 10 1/2-inches lower at the rear! Just one previous owner ex-works. Estimate: $100,000 – 140,000.
-More-
1973 Shadow-Chevrolet DN2-01T CanAm Turbo
Legendary 1200hp-plus turbocharged V8 CanAm monster as built for Jackie Oliver and designed by the great Tony Southgate – long-wheelbase full-length aluminium-monocoque chassis campaigned with both the turbo Chevrolet V8 now refitted or a naturally-aspirated 735bhp Reynolds-Block Chevy – America’s spearhead response to the turbocharged Porsche Panzers! Only one previous owner ex-works. Estimate: $240,000 – 280,000.
1974 Shadow-Chevrolet DN4-2A CanAm Champion
In 1974 Jackie Oliver dominated the CanAm Championship in the works Shadow-Chevrolet DN4s such as this gloriously presented jet-black beauty, his stunning record including more than a hat-trick of consecutive victories at Mosport Park, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio! Only one previous owner ex-works. Estimate: $240,000 – 280,000.
The collection also comprises:
· 1938 Delahaye 135M Figoni & Falaschi Coupe $1,000,000 – 1,300,000
· 1939 Delahaye 135MS Letourneur & Marchand Cabriolet $180,000 – 240,000
· 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 SS Figoni & Falaschi Cabriolet $300,000 – 400,000
· 1950 Talbot-Lago Grand Sport T26 GS Saoutchik Coupe $350,000 – 400,000
· 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 $320,000 – 380,000
· 1967 McLaren M6B $240,000 – 280,000
· 1970 Lola T222 $180,000 – 240,000
· 1971 Lola T260 $240,000 – 280,000
· 1983 Jaguar XJR 5 Imsa $140,000 – 160,000
Also starring at Bonhams & Butterfields’ Quail Lodge Sale, will be:
The ex-Lolita Armour
1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B Town Car
Coachwork by D’Ieteren Frères
Chassis no. 11767
Subjected to an uncompromising 4,000 hour body-off restoration, this stunning motor car was custom built for heiress Lolita Armour. With just three owners, 19,000 miles from new, elegant Belgian coachwork, and precision Swiss and French engineering, this stunning vehicle is the epitome of luxurious transportation. Estimate: $290,000 – 320,000.
-More-
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’ Coupe
Chassis no. 6500287
Originally conceived in Stuttgart as a sports-racer, today the ‘Gullwing’ is one of the world’s most recognizable and iconic motorcars. Very fast and strikingly handsome, this example is particularly fine having been restored years ago, and more recently serviced by Paul Russell and Company. Estimate: $350,000 – 450,000.
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux Coupe
Chassis No. 57 614
A very correct example of the renowned Type 57, this well-maintained Bugatti restored by Phil Reilly & Co is fitted with sporting aerodynamic coachwork that makes it as usable as it is stylish. Estimate: $260,000 – 320,000.
The Property of Francis Ford Coppola
1957 Ford Thunderbird. Estimate $28,000 – 32,000
The Property of Francis Ford Coppola
‘The Outsiders’
1965 Ford Mustang. Estimate: $8,000 – 12,000
-End-