Monthly Archives: October 2014

Aries B4B

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1934 Aries B4B

Offered by Osenat | Chassieu, France | November 9, 2014

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

When I first saw this car, I thought “That looks like a poor man’s Voisin.” Look at the doors and how they’re all hinged on the B pillar. They’re sort of squared off and stylish. Part of me also thinks “That looks like the type of car that would be on fire during a WWII movie.”

Well I guess it’s good that this car survived the war. 1934 was the final year for the B4B and the 9CV, 1.8-liter straight-four engine it has under the hood. I like it, it’s very French and very pretty. It is said that this car offers near-Rolls-Royce levels of luxury.

Only about 172 B4Bs were built. This one should sell for a bargain price of $12,750-$19,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Osenat.

Update: Sold $14,880.

1992 Porsche 911 RS

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1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | November 2, 2014

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

This generation of Porsche’s 911 was dubbed the 964. Introduced in 1989, it was a big step forward for the 911 line. It was replaced after 1994. Recently, special variants of the 911 have skyrocketed in price.

The Carrera RS was built for 1992. It was the first time the RS name had been used since the legendary 2.7 RS of the early 1970s. This new special edition was a homologation model so Porsche could go racing. It was a factory lightweight and was fitted with a special 3.6-liter flat-six making 260 horsepower. It was only sold in Europe.

Only 290 were built and this one has had only two owners since 1992 and has only covered about 31,000  miles. It’s been a French car all its life and is being sold in France. It should bring between $290,000-$350,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Artcurial’s lineup.

Update: Sold $341,024.

1901 Panhard Tonneau

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1901 Panhard et Levassor Twin-Cylinder 7HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau by Labourdette

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We featured a 1902 Panhard et Levassor about a week and a half ago. It’s similar to this car, but also quite different – especially when it comes to the body. This has a body by famed French coachbuilder Henri Labourdette. It’s a rear-entrance tonneau with a big, tall hardtop (yet zero weather protection).

This body is actually original to this car, which is very rare for a car that is almost 115 years old. The engine is a 1.7-liter twin making seven horsepower. The original owner of this car is known and it was the 11th car registered in Toulouse. At some point, probably around WWI, it was stashed away in the basement of a castle.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that the car was rescued and restored. I like that the front and rear tires are of differing diameter. This is a great example of an early motorcar – and the top retains its original leather. It should sell for between $320,000-$400,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this auction’s lineup.

Update: Sold $413,767.

1902 Autocar Type VIII

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1902 Autocar Type VIII 10HP Twin-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Autocar is famous for being the oldest continually operating motor manufacturer in the United States. They haven’t built road cars since 1911, but they’ve been producing trucks since 1899.

Autocar offered quite a number of vehicles in their short passenger car producing lifetime, but the 1902 line was limited to just a few body styles. This car uses a two-cylinder engine making 10 horsepower.

The restoration here dates to prior to 1978 and the car was dated as a 1902 in the 1970s but it could be a 1904. Anyway, the engine was rebuilt in 1980 and it has been part of numerous tours and events. It will do a comfortable 25-30 mph, for you speed demons. It’ll sell for between $120,000-$140,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this awesome sale.

Update: Not sold.

1898 Daimler

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1898 Daimler Twin-Cylinder 6HP Wagonette

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Daimler has an interesting history. Gottlieb Daimler set up his company in Germany in 1890. But a second Daimler popped up in Coventry in 1896. The British concern bought the rights to the Daimler name and their early cars used Panhard chassis and German Daimler engines. The German Daimler survives as the company that owns Mercedes-Benz. The British Daimler is owned by Jaguar and has been dormant for a few years.

Not much is known about this car’s early days but it was rescued in 1931. A subsequent restoration found that this car was actually hot rodded around 1902 and fitted with a more powerful engine and “modern” parts. It was restored in the 1970s and has been in a Japanese collection for 20 years. Everything has since been converted back to original specification (with the exception of the ignition).

After two decades in a museum, this car has been recommissioned and it does run. I’m not sure how fast this car’s six horsepower twin will propel this large vehicle, but it is a very early car and not the type that comes up for sale often. It should sell for between $320,000-$400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

October 2014 Auction Highlights

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First up in October is Bonhams’ always interesting Preserving the Automobile sale in Philadelphia. The top sale was this 1907 American Underslung 50HP Roadster for $1,430,000.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We featured three cars from this sale, and the Stanley failed to sell. The Cunningham brought $162,250 and the National $28,050. Check out full results here. Next up is H&H Auctions’ Imperial War Museum Sale. A previously feature Puritan Steam Car showed up here, but failed to sell. The top sale was this 1923 Bentley 3-Litre Tourer for $252,500.

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

Our featured Regal Underslung sold for $39,477. Check our full results here. Next up in October was RM’s Hershey sale where this 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood with single-family ownership since 1933 sold for $1,100,000.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

We featured a bunch of cars from this sale, so here’s the rundown: the Dodge Royal Pace Car brought $49,500; the Zoe Zipper $13,200; the 1923 Yellow Cab $33,000; the G.N. Cyclecar $110,000.

A previously featured 1905 Fiat that failed to sell in 2013 finally sold here for $825,000. The International Charette sold for $77,000 and the Spacke Cyclecar $38,500. The Staver Roadster blew away its estimate, selling for $132,000. The Queen sold for $52,250, the Orient Buckboard $30,250, and the 1902 Covert $44,000. The Armstrong Phaeton failed to sell. Check out full results here.

The fourth auction of this round-up is Bonhams’ Zoute sale where this 1989 Ferrari F40 (which was formerly owned by Nigel Mansell) sold for $881,337. A previously featured Jaguar Bertone Prototype sold for $76,382. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Finally, Mecum’s Chicago sale. There was a litter of low-mileage Ford GTs and this 2006 Heritage Edition was the top sale at $475,000. Our featured Buick GNX sold for $97,500. Click here for full results.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Phoenix Tricar

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1904 Phoenix 4.5HP Tricar

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. |  October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Remember when cars were simple and passengers rode in wicker baskets in front of you, acting as both windscreen and front bumper? Well, yeah, it was a little before my time, too, but isn’t it interesting? Luckily it has three wheels, so you can register it as a motorcycle and you won’t have to worry about any of those pesky crash test standards.

The Phoenix Motor Company was founded by J. Van Hooydonk in London in 1903. They built bicycles, motorcycles and even a few more standardized motor cars through 1925. This tricar is powered by a 477cc twin making 4.5 horsepower.

Ownership history goes back a decade or two and it’s eligible for nearly all early car events and runs. It stands as an interesting insight into what once was thought as practical transport. It can be yours for between $24,000-$32,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $36,729.

Update: Sold, Bonhams London-to-Brighton $40,213.

Sperry Electric

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1900 Cleveland Sperry System Electric Stanhope

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Elmer A. Sperry invented some electric arc lamps and electric mining equipment before he moved to Cleveland in the 1890s. He was there to help establish an electric railway company, but started fooling around with automobiles and produced his first electric car in 1898. The Sperry Electric went on sale in 1899 under the name Cleveland Sperry System. In the car’s final year, 1901, they were just called “Sperry.”

They are powered by a 3.5 horsepower electric motor and could be had in one of eight body styles. This is a three-seat stanhope. Sperry sold their patents to the Cleveland Machine Screw Company in 1901 and they produced the car under the Cleveland marque from 1902 through 1904. Part of Sperry’s electric engineering company still exists today as part of Honeywell.

This car is one of two Sperrys known to exist. It has known history for the last 25 years and has been run in many rallies and shown at many shows around the U.K. It should sell for between $77,000-$83,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $88,151.

1899 Peugeot

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1899 Peugeot 3CV Two-Seater

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Peugeot is one of, if not the, oldest continuously operating automobile manufacturer in the world. The company goes back to 1810, when they were producing coffee mills. They started building cars in 1890 and Armand Peugeot left the family company in 1896 to found the automobile company we know today.

I find it amusing that Peugeot designated this the Type 26 – many decades after it was built (like they went back and gave their early nameless models official names). It was new for 1899 and uses a rear-mounted flat-twin.

It’s known when and where this car was bought new but most of its history really isn’t known until about 2001. It’s a great car for old car rallies, and that’s where this car sends most of its time. It’s interesting to see a car from a modern manufacturer that is so old. It should sell for between $100,000-$120,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $115,075.

Malicet et Blin

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1903 Malicet et Blin 8HP Four-Seater Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Cars like this are the reason that Bonhams’ London to Brighton sale is one that I look forward to every year – more than most other sales. They find some really obscure, really old cars that have beautiful, exotic names. Malicet et Blin does not even appear in Georgano’s Encyclopedia of Motorcars. That’s how obscure it is.

The company was an old engineering firm out of Paris that made automobile parts, mainly. They built chassis and everything except complete cars – although it would seem at least one escaped from their premises. This car uses an single-cylinder eight horsepower De Dion engine that drives the rear wheels through a Malicet et Blin transmission.

The car was discovered in Belgium in 1966 and it wasn’t pretty. But someone knew they had something rare and a restoration was carried out of the next 23 years. The company only built a handful of cars and only two are known to survive, this being the only conventional motorcar. It’s an amazing opportunity and it can be yours for between $120,000-$140,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $163,366.