RM’s Latest Auction Nets $8m-Plus

Babe Ruth’s 1940 Lincoln Zephyr Continental
RM AUCTIONS’ DINGMAN FORD COLLECTION SALE NETS MORE THAN $8 MILLION

Flathead Ford and Dozens of Vintage Neon Signs Prices Surge Past Pre-auction Estimates Setting More Than a Dozen New World Records

BLENHEIM, Ontario, Canada (June 20, 2006) – Eager bidders flocked to picturesque Kensington, New Hampshire on June 10th-11th as The Dingman Ford Collection, one of the world’s most comprehensive Ford Flathead V8 car and antique advertising sign collections, was offered for sale by RM Auctions. Netting more than $8 million during the two-day auction, this significant sale represented the lifelong collecting passion of Michael Dingman, who served as a Ford Motor Company director for 21 years. A full list of results from the sale can be found on RM’s web site at: .

“The success of The Dingman Ford Collection sale can be credited to two factors – the superb condition of the automobiles and signs offered and the renewed strength of the markets for vintage Fords and automotive collectibles,” says Mike Fairbairn of RM Auctions. “Rare, one-of-a-kind pieces, especially if they are in excellent condition, will always command premium prices and this sale confirmed that buyers are more than willing to spend whatever it takes to get the very best examples in the world.”

The cornerstone of the sale was an impeccably restored 1940 Lincoln Zephyr Continental Cabriolet, believed to have once been the property of George Herman “Babe” Ruth, one of Major League Baseball’s greatest legends. Estimated prior to the sale at $150,000 to $250,000, the “Babe Ruth” Lincoln hit one into the upper deck, topping all other vehicles in the sale, with a final hammer price of $407,000. The winning bidder also received a replica of Ruth’s 1927 Yankees’ team jacket and one of the Bambino’s actual bats.

All of the Dingman Collection Fords were highly collectible examples – high-point cars, many purchased right off the championship field, or restored by Dingman’s personal specialists, each representing quality of the highest standard. The collection contained Fords from nearly every year and body style of the period, including what was considered to be one of the world’s finest and most extensive collections of Ford woodie wagons.

Other stellar performers that also exceeded pre-auction estimates included a 1933 Ford Roadster Elgin Road Racer which sold for $220,000, and a 1940 Ford Deluxe “Woodie” Station Wagon that more than doubled its estimate when it sold for $308,000.

Additional top automobile sale prices included:

• $275,000 – 1934 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon

• $275,000 – 1937 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman Convertible

• $258,500 – 1938 Lincoln Zephyr Convertible Coupe

• $231,000 – 1939 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon

In addition to the cars, the sale also included more than 1200 examples from Mr. Dingman’s comprehensive collection of neon, tin and porcelain signs representing vintage automobile and commercial advertising. Some of the rare pieces went for incredible sums, some surpassing estimates by ten-fold, including a unique DuPont Paint Sample Store display that sold for $4,140. (Est. $400-$600)

The incredible bidding frenzy continued as many of the neon signs, each offered with no reserve, far surpassed pre-sale estimates, including:

• $28,900 – Champion Spark Plugs neon sign

• $27,600 – Thunderbird Motel neon sign from Route 66

• $21,275 – Cloud-9 neon sign

• $4,600 – Open To-Nite neon sign

Celebrating more than 26 years in the collector car industry, RM Auctions Inc. and its sister companies are responsible for acquiring, restoring and selling of the world’s rarest and most expensive vintage automobiles including Best of Show winning cars at the prestigious Meadow Brook and Pebble Beach Concours. For additional information on RM Auctions Inc., please call (800) 211-4371 or visit the corporate web site at www.rmauctions.com