Monthly Archives: February 2012

Duesenberg J-208

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1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by Murphy

Offered by RM Auctions, Boca Raton, Florida, February 25, 2012

I’m trying to figure out if everyone is selling their Murphy-bodied Model Js this year or if the law of averages is in effect, as Murphy bodied the most Model Js. Either way, here’s another great looking Convertible Sedan by Murphy for the taking.

This is the original body wearing a very nice two-tone red paint job. The car was used as a factory demonstrator by the New York Duesenberg branch. Do you think they slashed the price on it and had big sticky letters on the windshield identifying it as a “Demo?” I doubt it. The car was sold to someone in Los Angeles who quickly turned around and sold it again – to the husband of actress Dolores Del Rio – another Duesenberg with a 1930s Hollywood connection.

The car was restored in the late 80s and retained it’s original 265 horsepower straight-8 engine (J208). It presents very nice and is expected to fetch somewhere between $900,000-$1,200,000 – and it’s selling without reserve. For the complete catalog description, click here and to see the rest of the lineup, here.

Update: Sold $990,000.

Update: Sold, Broad Arrow Auctions 2023, $1,380,000.

1912 Oldsmobile Limited

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1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Auctions, Boca Raton, Florida, February 25, 2012

Cars do not come much more grand than this. Built for only three model years (1910, 1911, and 1912), the Oldsmobile Limited might very well be the greatest car Oldsmobile ever built. They were available in a number of bodystyles – and an unrestored barn-find 7-Passenger Touring model sold for $1.6 million at an RM Auction in 2007.

This is one of only 140 Limiteds built in 1912 (only 725 were built in total) and the only 1912 known to exist. The first owner was Canadian and it has passed through the collection of Otis Chandler on its way to the Milhous Collection in Florida. These cars are immense – they should really put something in the photo (like Shaquille O’Neal) so you can compare it to the largest wheels ever fitted to a production car – 42 inches (take that, rap stars). It’s seven feet tall and over 17 feet long. In other words, giant.

The 11.5 liter (!) T-head six-cylinder engine produces 60 horsepower and was enough for a capable top speed. There is a famous painting of an Olds Limited outrunning the 20th Century Limited (a train).

A new Limited in 1910 would run you $4,600. By 1912, the limousine model would require at least $7,000. So even the base model cost more than a three-bedroom house at the time. Well, that’s still true today. With a pre-sale estimate of $1,400,000-$1,600,000 you could trade a very nice house for this car. Pre-WWI cars do not come much better than this. For the complete catalog description, click here. To see the rest of the Milhous Collection, click here.

Update: Sold $3,300,000.

Bonhams Paris Highlights

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Bonhams’ recent sale at Rétromobile in Paris featured some very interesting old cars – some of the most interesting of which did not sell. Unfortunately, due to the flood of Arizona auction results we’ve been posting, we were only able to feature one of the many awesome rides available at this sale. It was the 1928 Amilcar C6, which, coincidentally, did not sell.

Top sale of the auction went to this 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT:

A DB4GT is the perfect package of styling and performance from the early 1960s. It’s stunning design is brought to you by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan and it packs 302 horsepower underneath the hood. Only 75 were built and it brought the highest price I’ve ever seen for a DB4 (or any later Aston Martin) at $1,330,000.

A stunning 1935 Delage D8-105 Sport Coupe by Autobineau that looks ready to trounce all comers on the manicured fairway at Pebble Beach sold for $423,000.

There was also a Delahaye, a Talbot-Lago, a 1921 Bugatti Type 23 Brescia and a few custom Bentleys – all to suit your appetite fro pre-war beauties. But there were also things to be had that could be driven, not to mention afforded. Take this 1978 Porsche 911SC Targa that sold for about $16,600.

There was a collection of seven Morgans spanning the 1930s through the 1960s that crossed the block. Only one (the newest, a ’67 Plus Four) sold.

Of the more obscure (or just plain rare) cars sold, this 1905 Darracq Flying Fifteen was a knockout at about $235,000.

There was also a 1963 Apal-Porsche 1600, which was a fiberglass re-body of a Volkswagen Beetle with Porsche 356 running gear (only 30 of the 150 built had the Porsche powertrain). It sold for $36,000.

Now for something that isn’t red, a 1964 Renault Dauphine Gordini.

This was a car popular on racetracks back in the 60s, dominating 1.0 liter classes, winning its class at the Mille Miglia and the 12 Hours of Sebring. This is a road model with a 25-year-old restoration that can be enjoyed for $12,000.

Alvis built cars through the late 1960s but some of their large saloons and drophead coupes from the 1930s are quite striking – especially those with a two-tone color scheme, like this 1937 4.3-Litre Long-Bonnet Sports Saloon by Mayfair Carriage Co.

This is one of two Alvis 4.3s built by Mayfair and the only survivor. It’s pretty amazing. And for $119,000, well bought.

Another British car was this somewhat snub-nosed (and, dare I say, dorky?) looking Daimler:

It’s not a car you see too often, a 1956 Conquest Century Drophead Coupe. It has a 2.4 liter six making about 100 horsepower. It’s a fairly diminutive Daimler (check out our Barrett-Jackson feature car, the largest British car ever made) but it’ll do 90 mph and for $25,700, I wouldn’t complain.

This 1966 Jaguar FT Coupe is one of the rarest Jaguars you’ll find this side of a XJ13. It was a specially ordered four-seat coupe built by Bertone for the Italian Jaguar importer. Only two were made and it is quite striking. I don’t envision getting another opportunity at owning one for quite some time. It sold for $117,900.

Like low-volume cottage industry British sports cars? Then try this 1964 Diva GT D-Type.

Diva GTs were built from 1962-1966 and this one has known competition history from new. It is eligible for vintage racing events and looks like fun. It sold for $83,000.

Finally, from the “look how good-looking that car is” file, we have this 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. Alfas have always been gorgeous, but I love this car more than most. And in blue it just pops. For $62,000, I wish I would have grabbed it.

For complete results, check out Bonhams website here.

995cc “Squariel”

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1938 Ariel 995cc Model 4G “Square Four”

Offered by Bonhams, Shepton Mallet, U.K., February 18, 2012

The Ariel Square Four was a four-cylinder motorcycle introduced in 1930 as a 500cc motorcycle. In 1937 the model was updated to the “4G” with a 955cc OHV engine. It’s a powerful 1930s motorcycle with similar displacement to a 1960s-era Mini (which weighed a lot more). This isn’t a Vincent and doesn’t pretend to be but, on the plus side, it’s way more affordable.

Ariel was absorbed by BSA in 1944 and continued production until 1970. But their heyday was the 1930s when models like the Square Four and Red Hunter were serious bikes.

This particular bike was acquired in 1947 by the most recent owner (who is deceased). It also comes with a sidecar, but from the pictures it would appear that the sidecar needs some serious work. This one hasn’t been ridden in 40 years and hasn’t been started in 10. It is in original condition – and it doesn’t look too bad. It’s a restoration project and for the estimate of $11,000-$16,000, it’s a lot cheaper than some of the other restoration projects that we’ve seen at auction recently. Then again, it’s priced higher than many of the running bikes in this sale, which makes me feel better about talking this up as a desirable model.

For the complete catalog description, click here.

Update: Sold $19,000.

1913 Alco Touring Car

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1913 Alco Six Model H Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Auctions, Boca Raton, Florida, February 24-25, 2012

The American Locomotive Company was formed in 1901 as the result of a merger between eight smaller locomotive manufacturers. This made Alco the second-largest steam locomotive producer in the United States.

In 1906 the company began producing Berliet automobiles under license (as American Berliet). This license agreement was trashed in 1908 in favor building their own cars. Alco cars won the Vanderbilt Cup in 1909 and 1910 and competed in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Alco was also the first automobile company at which man named Walter P. Chrysler worked before he left in 1911 to join Buick.

In 1913 Alco shifted their focus back to locomotives (they had lost an average of over $450 on every car sold since 1906), producing their last steam locomotive in 1948 and final diesel locomotive in 1969.

The car seen here is a six-cylinder Model H from the final year of production. It is believed that this car was featured on the Alco stand at the 1913 New York Auto Show. It has 60 horsepower and after the completion of restoration in the mid-1990s, the car was “mechanically updated” in order to take place in brass-era tours. So it’s a driver.

Only six of these cars are known to exist and this one is a glorious example. There is something undeniably stately and imposing about large brass-era touring cars. The estimate on this car is $400,000-$600,000 and is offered from the Milhous Collection. For the complete catalog description, click here and to see all of the other interesting things available at this sale, click here.

Update: Sold $506,000.

Mecum Kissimmee Highlights

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Mecum Auctions held their first event of 2012 not in Arizona, but in Kissimmee, Florida – where the weather is also nice. There were a bunch of rare muscle cars crossing the block including the top sale, a 1963 Shelby Cobra Dragon Snake.

This was the 93rd Cobra built and one of only eight Dragon Snakes modified for drag racing by Shelby. Because this car won so many drag races in its day, it is the winningest competition Cobra in history. It cost $8,990 new (a lot) and sold for $850,000 at auction (also a lot).

There were also two ultra-rare 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88s – a convertible and a coupe.

These are the must-have ’69 Corvettes and you could have bought the pair. The convertible sold for $610,000 and the coupe was a comparative bargain at $270,000.

But it wasn’t all muscle cars. Of the top ten sales of the auction there were two gorgeous Packards. The first was a 1941 180 Darrin Victoria Convertible – one of 35 built. It has the Super Eight 180 engine and a good looking red and tan color combo. It sold for $220,000.

The other Packard is a very mean and sporty looking 1930 Eight Model 745 Waterhouse Victoria. If I could’ve taken one car from this sale home, this would be it:

Big pre-war Packards never really had much of a sporting air about them. But this one kind of does. Maybe it’s the slightly cambered front wheels or their hot rod look, but this car says “I want to go fast.” This is one of three known to exist. $225,000.

For complete results, visit Mecum’s website.

Duesenberg J-487

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1930 Duesenberg Model J LWB Dual Cowl Phaeton by LeBaron

Sold by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – RM Auctions

We somehow missed featuring this Duesenberg during the hype and excitement leading up to the auctions in Arizona in January. And since one of my goals here is to feature every Model J that comes up for sale, here it is.

This is actually my favorite bodystyle – the LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaeton. It is also the coachwork most commonly associated with the Model J. And this is the only long-wheelbase Dual Cowl Phaeton built by LeBaron and it is the original body.

The engine, however, is not. When this car was delivered to a Mr. J. Clarke Dean of Chicago, Illinois in 1930, it had engine J-320 under the hood. The second owner discovered, in 1948, that the engine had been replaced with J-487 – an engine with no known previous history in another car. As always, the straight-8 makes 265 horsepower.

The sweep panel two-tone paint scheme is also my favorite. Black and red is the most common I’ve seen although most combinations are attractive (green and black is how I will have mine, please). LeGrande also built sweep panel Dual Cowl Phaetons that looked more or less the same. The way to tell the difference is that, on a LeGrande, the sweep of color extends farther down, halfway through the door.

This car was estimated between $900,000-$1,200,000. With this desirable, original coachwork, known history and coming from the John O’Quinn collection, it is definitely worth that. It sold for $880,000. Well bought. To read the complete catalog description, click here.

Update: RM Auctions, Amelia Island 2015:

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Sold $1,155,000.

Update: RM Sotheby’s, Amelia Island 2019:

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Sold $1,650,000.

Russo & Steele Scottsdale Highlights

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This is our final Scottsdale auction recap. It’s been weeks since it happened but we finally caught up. Russo & Steele sold a wide variety of cars from the affordable (the lowest seller was a 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 Convertible that sold for $4,675) to the super expensive – the top sale was this 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Roadster that sold for $687,500. It was one of only 216 built during three years of production.

The second top seller was a 1965 Shelby GT350 that was once used as a race car at the Carroll Shelby School of High Performance Driving. It has a fresh restoration and looks amazing. I could easily imagine myself tearing around a racetrack in this car. But for $467,500, it’s a little out of my range.

Our two featured cars from this auction, a 1973 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible and a Ketchup & Mustard-liveried ’96 RT/10 Viper both sold. The Cougar brought $17,600 and the Viper $39,050.

Other highlights included a pair of rare Mopar’s: this 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona:

sold for $118,800. And a blue 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda sold for $115,500. And finally, probably the rarest car in this sale was this 1984 Knudsen Baroque Cabriolet – 1 of 2 such cars built. Knudsen built 11 total Baroques in Nebraska in the late 70s and early 80s in a variety of bodystyles. When new, these cars cost between $80,000 and $225,000. According to the consignor, this car cost $86,000 in 1984. It sold for only $12,100.

For complete results, click here.

RM in Arizona Highlights

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RM’s big sale in Arizona (almost two weeks ago… we’ve kind of had a backlog of auction results to publish and they were the last to publish their results online). As I’m looking back at it, we featured a number of cars from this auction including their top seller: this 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica that sold for $1,815,000. The second highest-selling car was the first car we featured, the most fantastic looking BMW 507 Roadster I’ve ever laid eyes on. It sold for $990,000. RM sold 90% of their cars for a total of $25.6 million.

A trio of pre-1905 American cars all sold, including our featured 1901 Duryea Four-Wheel Phaeton that was purchased by Mr. Car Crazy, Barry Meguiar for $96,250. Also sold were the 1903 Waverely Electric Surrey for $110,000 and the 1903 Stearns Suburban for $82,500. One of two cars we featured that did not sell was the 1913 Pathfinder Touring car, which was bid to $90,000.

A giant 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car Concept sold for $258,500, missing its reserve by $50,000. This car came from the John O’Quinn collection and had gone unsold at at least one other RM event.

From the 1950s we featured a 1953 Nash-Healey and a 1954 Allard K3. The Nash-Healey brought $71,500, just short of my projection and the Allard was a relative steal at $57,750 – less than half of what a similar car (or the same one) was listed as “for sale” for a few months back.

Other pre-war cars that sold were the very rare Brewster-Knight that sold for $88,000. And that wonderful, purple Isotta Fraschini sold for $407,000 – dead on what I said it would bring (no I’m not bragging). Also sold was this amazing 1937 Cord 812 SC Sportsman Convertible Coupe. One of 64 – yours for $385,000.

Supercar fans could have had their choice of our featured Tom Walkinshaw Racing prepared 1993 Jaguar XJ220 S that sold for $230,000. Or the always popular Ferrari F40, this a 1991 model that brought an astounding $781,000.

The other Ferrari we featured, a 1983 512 BBi sold for $96,250. And the other Jaguar, a 1967 Series I E-Type went unsold. There was another very rare old Ferrari at this sale, a 1952 342 America Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina – one of six built and one of only three coupes built by Pinin Farina. It sold for $632,500.

There was a Duesenberg Model J sold at this sale and I’ve said previously that we’d feature every Model J Duesenberg that comes up for sale if at all possible. Well, we ran out of time before the sale. Once we clear the backlog and get caught up we’ll be sure to have a rundown of that car.

For complete auction results, click here.

Gooding Scottsdale Highlights 2012

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Gooding & Company’s Scottsdale auction featured some major cars selling for some major cash – $39,833,900 all told. It was also one of the more successful auctions in recent memory, with only two cars going unsold for not meeting their reserves. Top sale at this auction was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing. Mercedes-Benz built 29 aluminum-bodied 300SL coupes and this is number six. This is as desirable as Gullwings come and it exceeded it’s estimate by $1.5 million, selling for $4,620,000.

Also, somewhat shockingly, every car we featured here on this site from Gooding’s auction sold. The 1930 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe sold for $2,640,000, which was the third highest at the sale. Second place went to the 1959 Ferrari 250GT California Spider – a car that Gooding seems to find one of for each of their sales. Where are these things coming from? It brought $3,905,000.

Other million dollar sales included the 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV we featured a few weeks ago, selling for $1,100,000. There was also this matching-numbers 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 which sold for $1,200,000.

The final million dollar sale went to this awesome 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast which was hammered away for $1,100,000. It’s one of only 36. It has 400 horsepower – more than just about every muscle car of its day – but the shape of it is so much sleeker than a GTO or Mustang. Super fast indeed.

Two cars that Gooding promoted heavily in the lead up to the auction also showed well. There was a brilliant green 1971 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS Spyder which split its pre-sale estimate, selling for $880,000.

Also, this 1969 Iso Grifo 7 Liter – one of only 66 Grifos built with the 7.0 liter V8 making more than 400 horsepower. A 1960s supercar in crazy purple paint? Yes, please. It satyed nearer its lower estimate at $352,000.

Another purple exotic was the 1927 Bugatti Type 38A Tourer by Figoni that we featured. It brought a hefty $495,000. Among our other featured cars, the 1967 Trident Clipper V8 was a steal, missing its estimate entirely and selling for $39,600. Our final feature car was an unbelievable 1937 BMW 328 which was well bought for $517,000. Another rare BMW sold there too, this 1958 507 Roadster. While not as good-looking as the car offered by RM across town, it still rang up a hefty $962,500.

Other interesting sales included a 1938 American Bantam Roadster which far exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $35,000-$55,000 and ended up selling for $90,200. Cute sells.

There was also an ultra-rare 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe. The car is a survivor – unrestored in Monaco Orange with less than 18,000 original miles. This was the king of Corvettes in 1969 – the L88 option got you more horsepower than a ZL1. This car was rated at 430 horsepower but likely put out more like 560. It doesn’t play around. And neither does its hammer price of $451,000.

And from the fun-file: this 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Sunroof Sedan – which sounds pretty normal from the name of it. Until you see it:

This car was featured in the film Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. There are desirable, well-optioned Volkswagens, but people are going to recognize this one. And for $66,000 ($15,000 below it’s pre-sale estimate) it’s going to be a lot of fun. For full results click here.