1995 Indy Pace Car

1995 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car

Offered by Mecum | St. Charles, Illinois | June 22-23, 2012

The Chevrolet Corvette has (of this writing, including the 2012 race) paced the Indianapolis 500 ten times, the first being in 1978. It was there for a second time in 1986 and 1995 marked the third time. This is one of 527 (actually it’s #46) of the special “Indy 500 Pace Car” optioned replicas sold for street use.

It was based on the C4, the fourth-generation Corvette, which was introduced for the 1984 model year, so it was 11 years old by this point – more than a little long in the tooth. The paint scheme is actually quite nice with Dark Purple Metallic over White. 1995 was in the midst of ZR-1 production but this car is not a ZR-1 – even though it sports ZR-1 wheels and brakes.

It has the LT1 under the hood, the 350 cubic inch (or 5.7-liter) V8 makes 300 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque. 1996 would be the final year for the C4, so this is one of the final special edition C4 Corvettes – and it’s a rare one. Get it, it won’t be too terribly expensive. For more information click here and to see the rest of Mecum’s Bloomington Gold Corvette Auction, click here.

Update: Sold $18,500.

1895 Millot

1895 Millot Vis-a-Vis

For Sale at Oldtimer Galerie International | Toffen, Switzerland

From the “Wow, That’s Old!” files, we present this archaic 1895 Millot Vis-a-Vis, built by Millot Frères (the Millot Brothers) in Gray, France. The company was founded in 1805 to produce farming equipment. By 1892 they were making stationary engines and sometime around 1895 they began building these rather crude-looking vehicles. It looks like something that just drove off the railroad tracks and onto the street.

It’s referred to as a “saw-bench” and they built an unknown number of them (at least three survive). It is powered by a nine horsepower, 2.0-liter single-cylinder engine. I can’t even begin to imagine the noise that this thing makes – or how it drives, handles or rides. It is simply something from another era that very few will get to experience.

This is showcased as an 1895, but various sources suggest different dates for the first Millot automobile – some as late as 1899. The company did build more traditional cars beginning in 1901 (through 1902), but none are known to survive. I’ve seen a photo of one and it looks light years ahead in terms of design when compared to the car shown here, even though only a few years separate them. Cars simply just don’t come much older than this. Price is “on request.” Click here for more info.

Dauer 962

1989 Dauer 962 Le Mans

For Sale at Taylor & Crawley | London, England

The 1990s were a crazy time for supercars. Little (and large) companies were coming out with more and more over-the-top race cars for the road. This is about right at the top of the list, as it is literally a race car for the road.

Jochen Dauer drove Porsches in various racing series’ before concentrating full-time on team ownership in 1987. This car was once his team’s Porsche 962 and it was raced by Bob Wolleck, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Derek Bell, Henri Pescarolo and one of the Unsers. In 1992, the World Sportscar Championship altered its rules, essentially barring the 962 from competition. Porsche, being the clever motorsports company it is, found a loophole that would allow them to keep the 962s on the track.

Basically, the GT rules said that the race cars had to be based on a road-going car – with no minimum production number. Dauer had converted one of their 962s to a road-going car and, because of it, Porsche was back in business on the track. A Dauer 962 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994, beating all comers in classes with cars that were supposed to be higher-performing. The ACO (who sets the rules for Le Mans) quickly closed that loophole and the 962 was set out to pasture for historic racing.

But Dauer wasn’t done. They received a few orders here and there for road-car conversions of the 962. About 13 in total were built between 1993 and around 1997. The cars were amazing – using a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-6 making an insane 730 horsepower. Because they were essentially built on the back of a race car (a new, wider body made of carbon-kevlar was fit so a passenger could ride along in terror), the cars were sleek and capable of about 251 mph!

It has leather interior, air conditioning and hydraulic suspension so you don’t scrape the chin on any curbs. It also has what appears to be a DVD player, because if you can afford this car, it is likely you don’t also own some large theater in which to watch your movies, so a cramped cabin of a two-seat race car is the next logical option. It’s listed as a 1989, but that is likely the date on the racing chassis, as the conversion was performed sometime after 1993.

The price is, not surprisingly, withheld. I’ve never seen another come up for sale (this is one of those cars that is so rare that no one is exactly sure how few were actually built), so I don’t know what it’ll cost you. But you can check out more pictures and get some more information from the dealer’s website here.

Dingman Collection Highlights

RM Auctions recently held a reserve-less auction of the Dingman Collection in Hampton, New Hampshire. There were a lot of 1940s-era Ford’s – a lot of woodies too. Our feature car, the 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman Convertible sold for $253,000. The top sale was a 1936 Ford Custom Cabriolet with a coachbuilt body by Glaser. It bettered the upper end of its reserve by more than $100,000, selling for $396,000.

The next biggest sale was also the top-selling Lincoln – a 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr Coupe. As one of the all-time great automotive designs, it commanded a premium at $330,000.

The top selling Mercury was $187,000 for this 1942 Model 29A Station Wagon.

And finally, on a brighter note, this 1940 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet in a brilliant shade of blue sold for $93,500. For complete results, click here.

Darmont-Morgan

1921 Darmont-Morgan Three-Wheel Runabout

Offered by RM Auctions | Nysted, Denmark | August 12, 2012

I don’t think there is any way, without breaking my legs into smaller pieces, that I would be able to fit in this car – which is a shame because I think it is really cool. H.F.S. Morgan began marketing his three-wheelers in 1911 and within a few years he was exporting them to France where a few many handled the importing duties. There are a few names on the importers list – two of them being the brothers Darmont (Roger and Andre).

Three-wheeled Morgans became popular in motorsports for a few reasons. One, they were light, and their small v-twin motorcycle engines weren’t necessarily overworked trying to keep them moving. They began taking victories in Europe and after World War One, a Morgan Three-Wheeler scored an improbable victory at a race in France. Roger Darmont quickly entered an agreement with Morgan to build the cars in France, where their popularity had exploded. These were called Darmont-Morgans.

Built in a Parisian suburb, the cars were, initially, the same as those being built in Malvern Link, but over time they grew into their own and in the mid-1930s, Darmont introduced a four-wheeled car of his own design. The company closed at the outbreak of the Second World War.

This rare survivor is a fine example of an early Morgan but in even scarcer form – a Darmont. It’s also a great example of a cyclecar – a style very popular in 1920s France. This car looks like it’s probably been in a museum for quite a while – tended to as needed, but never restored. It’s really cool.

No estimates have been published yet for this sale, but for more information, click here. And for more from this incredible sale, click here.

Update: Sold $41,700.

Ford Lightning

1993 Ford SVT Lightning

Offered by Mecum | North Little Rock, Arkansas | June 16, 2012

Until the early 1990s, pickup trucks were utilitarian vehicles used by people to haul things and drive through less-than-glamorous areas. But then Ford and GM decided they could be sporty as well. GM introduced the 454SS in 1990 and the GMC Syclone followed the next year. Dodge offered a Shelby Dakota. Not wanting to be left out of this strange new game, Ford’s Special Vehicle Team stepped up to the plate in 1993 with the Lightning.

The first generation of the Lightning was made between 1993 and 1995 with 11,563 built. It has a 5.8-liter V8 making 240 horsepower. And it looked pretty much like a standard F-150, but with a few giveaway touches like sporty wheels, painted grille, and, on this particular truck, an exhaust exit in front of the rear tires.

The second generation Lightning would be even more extreme and sporty and you see them quite a bit more than these. Chevy 454SS trucks show up at auction almost regularly – but they always seem like just another used pickup. However, this Lightning looks pretty nice and it is rarer than its bow-tie competitor. It would be a lot of fun, just don’t ruin it by hauling stuff. For more information click here and to see the rest of the Salmon Brothers Collection, click here.

Update: Sold $8,500.

D.B. Le Mans

1961 D.B. Le Mans

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | June 17, 2012

Known as Deutsch-Bonnet until 1947, D.B. was a French manufacturer founded by Charles Deutsch and René Bonnet, who left the firm in the early 1961 to start his own company. D.B. started in 1938 building Citroen-based racing specials and turned to road cars in 1952.

The Le Mans model was introduced in 1958 and lasted until the company closed up shop in 1961. All their road-going models were Panhard-based using Panhard flat-twin engines. The Le Mans had an 850cc version making about 60 horsepower.

The Le Mans name was not wishful thinking – D.B.s won their class at the 24 Hours three separate times. These were legitimate sports cars. Approximately 200 Le Mans models were built and they might not be the most powerful European sports car of the 1960s, but they are certainly rare. For more information (in French), click here. And fore the rest of Osenat’s auction lineup (including another rare D.B.), click here.

Update: Not sold.

Henry J

1951 Henry J Deluxe

Offered by Mecum | North Little Rock, Arkansas | June 16, 2012

Henry J. Kaiser’s vision of what his post-war automotive empire would look like was, well, optimistic. Kaiser, along with Joseph Frazer, took the remnants of Graham-Paige and bought Ford’s wartime Willow Run production plant to build automobiles under the Kaiser and Frazer nameplates. In 1950, Kaiser decided to try and bolster production of his cars by pulling a play out of the Henry Ford playbook: build a small, inexpensive car for the masses. The Henry J was born (and it was marketed as its own make).

So how did they do it? Kaiser wanted a car that seated five adults and could do 50 mph “for sustained periods of time.” It also had to retail for $1,300 (about $12,500 in 2012). To hit these marks, they had to cut some corners: there was no trunk lid – you had to go through the rear seats, which was probably difficult as the car was only offered with two doors. The base model also lacked armrests, a glove compartment, a sun visor and flow-through ventilation. Fortunately, the car you see here is a Deluxe model.

Which means it has the straight-six (instead of the four-banger). It’s a 2.6-liter making 80 horsepower. Unfortunately, even though it was very cheap, it only cost a few dollars less than a Chevrolet 150 – which had a functioning trunk, armrests, and more interior room. Sales declined steadily through 1954 when the Henry J was axed.

They didn’t build millions of these cars – which was part of the problem originally, as Kaiser needed mass production to make a profit. He didn’t get it and the Kaiser nameplate disappeared from passenger cars in 1955. The company went on to focus on it’s recently acquired Willys and Jeep business, which went on to become part of AMC.

It was a pioneering compact car, but you just don’t see Henry Js everyday. And this one looks to be in exceptional condition. We’ll see what it brings when it sells. For more information and photos, click here. And for more on the Salmon Brothers Collection, click here.

Update: sold $16,000.

Maserati 222

1992 Maserati 222 SE

Offered by Bonhams | Oxford, U.K. | June 16, 2012

The Maserati Biturbo was in production in various forms from 1981 through 1994. The original models were all called “Biturbo” something or other. In the late 1980s, the models were named 222, the SE model being offered from 1990 through 1992. There were also four-door sedans with various numerical names from 420 through 430.

While the Biturbo was the first twin-turbocharged production car, the engines that the turbos were attached to varied based on model. The 222 SE had a 2.8-liter twin-turbo V6 making 225 horsepower. It was good for 143 mph.

Only 210 of these cars were built and this one has 53,000 original miles. This one was in storage for eight years, but has been freshened and serviced and is ready to drive. Biturbos aren’t known for their reliability – in fact, they are more well known for leaking, bursting into flame and generally falling into disrepair. It was born out of Maserati’s De Tomaso ownership – and cash was not plentiful. But as a cool, cheap exotic, this car could be a lot of fun… you know, until you have to fix it. And I wouldn’t recommend trying to use it as a daily driver.

The car is to sell without reserve with an estimate between $7,700 and $11,000. And it does have that Maserati badge on it. I am seriously tempted. For more information, click here. For more from Bonhams Oxford sale, click here.

Update: Sold $4,500.

Auctions America Auburn Spring Sale Highlights

Auctions America’s three-day spring sale in Auburn, Indiana, (held last weekend) saw more than 170 cars sell for a wide variety of prices. Top sale was a 1930 Duesenberg Model J Boattail Speedster. The car is a re-creation, but uses an original engine (J-249). I’m not sure of the car’s history, but it sounds like the original car is no longer extant and this one was built around the original mechanicals to take the place of the lost car. It sold for $484,000, which is a lot less than it would have cost were it the real deal. Still looks amazing, though.

Both of our feature cars sold. The awesome Mercury Marauder Concept Convertible brought $51,700 and the De Tomaso Mangusta sold for $75,900. We also featured an Avelate Corvette, which either didn’t sell or was withdrawn as I couldn’t find it in the results.

Another big sale was a 1969 Hemi Dodge Charger, one of only 119 built in 1969 with that monster engine. It’s white and entirely unassuming – perfect for a car that will take just about anything at the stoplight. It sold for $130,000.

Other interesting sales included this 1995 Lola T9500-HU24 Cosworth XB Indy car. It was driven by Scott Sharp to 10th place in the 1996 Indy 500 for A.J. Foyt Racing and by Eddie Cheever in 1995. It is a complete, running Indy car with Indy 500 history. It sold for $62,700.

Finally, from the bargain bin (sort of), is this 1956 Pontiac Star Chief Catalina Custom. The second-generation Star Chief is one of my favorite Pontiacs and it’s such a great-looking car with those two chrome strips running the length of the hood. This one has a 5.2-liter V8 and appears to be in great shape. It sold for $14,300. For complete results (and to see what cars are still available), click here.