Monthly Archives: July 2014

Rickenbacker Super Sport

Posted on by
1

1926 Rickenbacker Eight Super Sport

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 15-16, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

I’m not sure who the modern-day Eddie Rickenbacker is. We really don’t have one – there are not jack-of-all-trades celebrities any more, in fact, most celebrities don’t have a single talent about them. Eddie raced Duesenbergs at Indy (hell, at one point, he owned the speedway!). He was America’s #1 flying ace in WWI. He was a celebrity when the war was over. And in 1922, he attached his name to an automobile built by the men behind E-M-F.

The first Rickenbacker automobiles weren’t anything super exciting (although they were among the first cars with four-wheel brakes). The company lasted from 1922-1927, and in 1926, they introduced the best thing they ever made: the Super Sport. It uses a 107 horsepower 4.4-liter straight-eight. The bodies were essentially the passenger compartment of an airplane (seriously, go to RM’s site and check out the pictures – what a design).

This particular Super Sport was shown on the stand at the 1926 New York Auto Show. Someone in Michigan bought it off the stand. The copper wire wheels, bumpers and trim are outstanding – as is the flying airplane hood ornament. This car is a stunner. The original owner willed the car to his grandson, who sold it to Bill Harrah after one of Harrah’s guys tracked this, the only surviving Super Sport, down.

Only 14-17 Super Sports were ever completed – and this is the one complete one in the world. It really is incredible. It should sell for between $600,000-$800,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $946,000.

Lester-MG

Posted on by
Reply

1954 Lester-MG T51

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 16, 2014

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

This car has been around the block recently. The auction block. Bonhams sold it in September 2012 for $33,000. It’s a one-off based around an MG. It was built by Harry Lester – a garage owner in Berkshire, England. He built an open roadster that fared well on the racing circuit. So in 1954, he turned to building a few coupes – only two are known to have been completed, and this is the only MG-powered car.

This car was built specially for tall driver Maurice Toulmin – hence the conversion van-esque roof and tall greenhouse. This car was competitive with subsequent owners, racking up wins at hillclimbs and speed trials all over England. The engine is a 1.5-liter straight-four from an MG TC.

It is thought that about 18 Lester cars were built and that only four survive. This one is one-of-a-kind. This one has spent many years in a museum and is offered for sale for the second time in two years. You can read more here and check out more from Mecum in Monterey here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $30,000.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale

Posted on by
1

1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 15-16, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

By now you’ve surely read that there is a 250 GTO being offered for sale during this incredible auction weekend, but what if a 250 GTO is a little too common for your tastes? What kind of Ferrari do you buy when you want something more exclusive than a 250 GTO? This one, that’s what.

We’ve actually featured a 275 GTB/C before, one of just 13 built. This is also among that 13, but it is a little more special. The 275 GTB/C (“C” for “competizione”) was the direct successor to the 250 GTO. It ran at Le Mans its debut year. This is the first of the three Speciale Berlinettas built. Hand-built by Scaglietti, you can see traits of 250 GTO in it – namely those three holes punched in the nose.

This car was never raced – and only one of the three Speciales ever saw competition. This car was sold new to an Italian who registered it for road use. And what a blast this thing must be on the road: the engine is a 320 horsepower 3.3-liter V-12. And it was constructed as a lightweight racer, so it will blast around wherever you take it.

As stated above, this is one of three like it and RM insists it is the only one you will likely see for sale for a long, long time. And I must say, it is brilliant in this color scheme. I do believe this is the only car in RM’s catalog that doesn’t have a published estimate – but if the 275 GTB/C we featured last year brought $7 million, this should quite easily double it. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monterey.

Update: Sold $26,400,000.

A Very Unique Lancia Aurelia

Posted on by
Reply

1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200 C Spider by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 15-16, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Lancia Aurelia is an interesting car in that it could be had as a fairly plain sedan or an outrageous roadster like this. And prices are all over the board too. The model was produced between 1950 and 1958 with a total of 18,201 produced.

Pinin Farina got their hands on some Aurelias and built wild Jet Age bodies on them. This particular car was shown at the Geneva and Turin motor shows in 1953. Pinin Farina built seven or eight “PF200” (their designation) cars and it is thought that only three lacked a roof. And all of them were different.

The engine is a 90 horsepower 2.0-liter V-6 but it is all about the style. It is #2 of the three open-top cars and it rides on a very rare Aurelia B52 chassis, of which only 98 were produced. The car completed a 10-year restoration recently and has been in the same hands for nearly 50 years. This is your chance to acquire a one-off Pinin Farina concept car for between $1,000,000-$1,500,000. Read more here and check out more from RM here.

Update: Sold $1,100,000.

Update II: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017, $1,248,500.

Speedwell Speed Car

Posted on by
Reply

1912 Speedwell 12-J 50HP Speed Car

Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 15, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Dayton, Ohio’s Speedwell Motor Car Company built cars for only seven short years, but they made the most of it. As the company name may suggest, they were sporty (for the most part) but also reliable and well-built. Company premises were damaged during a flood in 1913 and they closed the following year.

The Series 12 was built in 1912 only and they were available in nine configurations, with the Model J denoted a four-passenger touring car. The 7.2-liter straight-four under the hood makes 50 horsepower. This particular example is a “Speed Car” – a racier version of their normal production car. It is the only Speedwell Speed Car in existence.

Speedwell built about 4,000 cars in their lifetime, and they are super rare today. This one has known ownership since the 1930s, including Bill Harrah, and it was restored in 1999. You can be next in line if you can write a check for between $550,000-$750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $869,000.

Lazzarino Sports

Posted on by
Reply

1952 Lazzarino Sports Prototipo

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 14-16, 2014

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Here’s one of those cars that no one’s ever heard of. Juan Lazzarino was from Turin, Italy. In 1927, he moved to Buenos Aires where he and his sons became coachbuilders and hot-rodders. Their business boomed after 1948 when the Argentinian government banned imports of new cars. This lasted through the mid-1960s.

In 1952, the president of Ford of Argentina wanted a new Ferrari. But he couldn’t have it. So he went to Carroceria Lazzarino and had the company build him a Ferrari-esque sports car using Ford mechanicals. The engine in the car now is a period-correct (but not original) 3.9-liter Ford V-8.

The car bounced from Argentina to Europe to the States, with extensive work performed in 2011. It is eligible for numerous prestigious events and rallies. Lazzarino built only a few cars of their own, concentrating mostly on bodies and tuning. And I don’t know what to tell you on price. But you can check out more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $135,000.

1910 Kissel Kar

Posted on by
Reply

1910 Kissel Kar Model D-10 50HP 5-Passenger Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 15, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Kissel is well known among automotive enthusiasts for their Roaring-20s Gold Bug Speedster sports car. But before that, they actually produced cars under the Kissel Kar marque (the “Kar” was dropped for 1919, the debut year for the Gold Bug).

Throughout its existence, Kissel was known for high-quality automobiles and this 1910 Model D-10 was no exception. Priced as the second-cheapest of four models offered that year, the D-10 features a 50 horsepower 8.7-liter straight-four.

This car uses the 5-Passenger Touring body and has been used regularly for years. So if you’re in the market for a rare, usable, and interesting old car, here you go. It is said that this car can cruise at highway speeds. Only a few hundred Kissels are known to exist, and this is likely one of the earlier models. It can be yours for between $60,000-$90,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $140,800.

Chrysler Plainsman Concept

Posted on by
1

1956 Chrysler Plainsman Concept by Ghia

Offered by Auctions America | Burbank, California | August 1-2, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Chrysler had a pretty good relationship with Ghia in the 1950s. The famed Italian design house built some pretty good-lookin’ rides for this one of Detroit’s Big Three during the decade. You might not call this car “good-lookin'” but it definitely screams “1950s.”

The design is by Virgil Exner and it certainly is of the era. I’m not sure about the name, however, and am pretty confident no one would buy a car called the “Plainsman” (although that would be a very apt name for the Camry). The original engine is gone, but since the 1960s it’s used a 440 (7.2-liter) V-8 making 375 horsepower.

This is said to be the only known station wagon concept car from the 1950s still in existence. It has an international history: being sold to a high-ranking Cuban official in the 1950s before the revolution. He had to smuggle the car out of the country when Castro took over and he had to flee. After that, it went to Australia where it was converted to right-hand drive and used regularly. Once back in the U.S., it was re-converted to left-hand drive and used even more. This car is highly original and it sold in 2010 for $90,000. You can see more here and check out more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $176,000.

Update: Sold, Worldwide Auctioneers, Scottsdale 2020, $742,500.

Ferrari 250 N.A.R.T. Spider

Posted on by
Reply

1961 Ferrari 250 GT N.A.R.T. Spider by Fantuzzi

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 15-16, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ferrari 250 GT is, perhaps, the most celebrated model line in the history of Ferrari. This striking 250 began life as a 1961 250 GTE. In 1965, Luigi Chinetti, founder of the North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T.) and Ferrari’s American importer for many years, decided to replace the normal Pininfarina body with this wild design by Fantuzzi.

Chinetti displayed the car at auto shows in New York, San Francisco, and Miami in 1965, generating good buzz for the brand. The engine is a 3.0-liter V-12 that’s had a little work done and it makes 300 horsepower.

Chinetti sold the car and the next owner had it for 33 years. It’s been recently serviced and has covered only 29,000 miles in its life. It’s one-of-a-kind and, from the right angles, quite gorgeous. It will likely sell for between $1,200,000-$1,600,000. You can read more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $1,017,500.

Duesenberg Model A

Posted on by
Reply

1925 Duesenberg Model A Touring by Millspaugh & Irish

Offered by RM Auctions | Plymouth, Michigan | July 26, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

One thing we do here at ClassicCarWeekly.net is feature every Duesenberg Model J that comes up for sale (that we can find). What we have yet to do, however, is give any attention to Duesenberg’s original road car, the 1920-1927 Model A.

The Duesenberg brothers built race cars for the Indianapolis 500 prior to building road cars (they also manufactured aero and marine engines during WWI). So in 1921, they began selling a four-passenger car called the Model A. It was powered by an 88 horsepower 4.3-liter straight-eight engine and had all of the luxuries of the day. They were also fun to drive for what they were (and for when they were built).

Duesenberg wanted to build 100 of them a month, but they ended up only building 150 in the first year. By the time production ended after 1927, only about 500 were built. This one wears a body by popular Model A coachbuilder Millspaugh & Irish (who were sort of the “in-house” coachbuilder for the Model A). The restoration on this car was done around 2004 and it should sell for between $175,000-$225,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of RM’s Michigan lineup.

Update: Sold $264,000.