Monthly Archives: March 2015

French Front Oldsmobile

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1904 Oldsmobile Model N Touring Runabout

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This attractive Oldsmobile is a little different than the cars the company was famous for in its early years. The Curved Dash was Olds’ signature look in this era, but this Model N has what they called a “French Front” – a more traditional look styled after the cars coming out of France.

Available only in 1904 and 1905, the Touring Runabout was powered by a seven horsepower, single-cylinder engine of 1.9-liters. It was more upscale than the Curved Dash, featuring an Oldsmobile first: a steering wheel! It cost $100 more, too, at $750. It was available in either this green or a dark red.

Oldsmobile built 2,500 cars in 1904 between the Touring Runabout and a related model, the Light Tonneau. So rarity is guaranteed. This car was restored in the 1950s or 1960s by General Motors and remained in their Heritage Collection until 2011, so it has been well cared for. It’s a good-looking, early Oldsmobile. It should sell for between $65,000-$85,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $94,600.

1922 Wills Sainte Claire

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1922 Wills Sainte Claire Model A-68 Rumble-Seat Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Wills Sainte Claire is an interesting marque for a few reasons. One, it’s three separate words and I can’t think of another car that can say that. Secondly, its founder, C. Harold Wills, was a former Ford employee responsible for the Model T’s vanadium steel as well as the Ford script logo we all know today. So the first word of the car’s name comes from this last name, the other two come from the Saint Clair River in Marysville, Michigan, where the Wills Sainte Claire factory was located (the “e”s were for cachet).

Wills left Ford with a check of $1.5 million in his back pocket and ventured out on his own in 1921. 1922 was the first year for manufacture and the Model A-68 was the only model offered. It featured a 67 horsepower V-8 and was available in six body styles with this four-passenger Rumble Seat Roadster being the least expensive model at $2,875.

This is a well-optioned example that has an older restoration but it still shows very nicely. It runs well and can be fun for you for between $110,000-$114,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $151,250.

Lotus 59

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1970 Lotus 59

Offered by Coys | London, U.K. | March 10, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The Lotus 59 was a successful Formula 2 racing car built by Lotus for the 1969 and 1970 seasons (although it was replaced mid-1970). The 59 chassis was actually used in Formula 3 as well as Formula B and Formula Ford in addition to F2. The only thing that changed on the car between the series was the engine.

This is an ex-Team Lotus car that competed in the European Formula 3 championship. It was a pay-to-drive ride for up-and-coming drivers looking to make an impression and attract a chance in a Formula One car. This car was raced by Bev Bond and was the winning car at the 1970 Oulton Park British Empire Trophy race.

Later, this car would be used in the Ron Howard movie Rush, where it stared as James Hunt’s F3 car. As an F3 car, this car would be powered by a 1.0-liter Cosworth straight-four making about 100-110 horsepower. You can read more here and see more from Coys here.

Update: Not sold.

Stutz Super Bearcat

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1932 Stutz DV32 Super Bearcat Convertible by Weymann

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We recently featured another Stutz DV32, but this one is a little sportier. The Stutz Bearcat is legendary in the world of cars – being one of the first sports cars, introduced prior to WWI. When it was introduced in 1932, the Fred Duesenberg-designed DV32 engine was a monster. And Stutz was out to recapture their sporting glory.

They stuffed a 5.3-liter straight-eight engine putting out 156 horsepower into the tiniest of chassis (at just 116 inches, which is just shy of two feet longer than an MG TD, but with double the cylinders). Look how short this car is – and how much of it is just cowl. It’s the 1932 equivalent of strapping yourself to a rocket.

The body on this car is by Weymann and it’s actually fabric (so it’s pretty light). In fact, this car still has its original skin! This is in part thanks to the meticulous care it has been given most of its life, spending long periods of time in important collections, including that of Dr. Fred Simeone. But not only is this a piece of history – it’s a usable one, having been exercised regularly by its current owner, a Stutz expert.

It can now be yours for somewhere in the neighborhood of $850,000-$1,200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $1,012,000.

Templar Touring

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1924 Templar 4-45 Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This is a very good looking car. It may appear to be just another Jazz Age touring car, but there’s something about it that is drawing me in. Templar Motors Corporation was a Cleveland-based automobile company that built cars between 1917 and 1924. Templar built only three models and the 4-45 was the main one, being the only car offered between 1919 and 1923. 1924 was the final year and they tried to add a Six, but went bankrupt.

The car was billed as the “Super-Fine Small Car” and it uses a 3.2-liter straight-four putting out 43 horsepower. The engineering is what set this car apart – but it also made it very expensive for how small it was. $2,900 in 1921 for a convertible. You could have a car of similar size for less than a grand at the time.

It sort of priced itself out of business (and suffered a massive factory fire) and only about 6,000 cars in total were built. This is perhaps the nicest example there is of the few that are left. This one could bring between $40,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $60,500.

Update II: Not sold, Bonhams, Greenwich 2016.

Wanderer Roadster

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1936 Wanderer W25 K Roadster by Wendler

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Wanderer brand name, which is now part of Audi, was first seen in 1911 on road cars for the 1912 model year. The company dates back to 1896 and they built cars until 1941 and military vehicles until the end of the war. But it became part of Auto Union in 1932. As Audi is the only surviving member of Auto Union, this marque sort of lies dormant somewhere in Audi’s basement.

Wanderer wanted a competitor to BMW’s successful 328 so they contracted with Porsche to design a beastly engine. And that’s just what he did. The 2.0-liter straight-six was supercharged in W25 K form and put out 85 horsepower. The top speed was 90 MPH.

Only offered for three years (1936 through 1938), the W25 K was sold in low numbers – only 258 were built, the final 37 of which were sold as “W25” – without the supercharger. It’s a very stylish car and one that doesn’t come up often. It’s every bit as sporty as a BMW 328 and a lot less common. It will likely sell for between $450,000-$650,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update II: Sold, Bonhams, Preserving the Automobile, Philadelphia 2015, $319,000.