Monthly Archives: December 2018

Apollo 3500 GT

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1963 Apollo 3500 GT Coupe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This sleek Italian-styled sports car from the early 1960s was actually built in Oakland, California, by International Motor Cars. The body was technically built in Italy by Intermeccanica, then shipped to Oakland for final assembly, where it would be mated to an American engine.

In this case, that American engine is a 3.5-liter Buick V8 making 225 horsepower. A more powerful variant, the 5000 GT, would receive a larger 4.9-liter unit. It has the styling of a contemporary Ferrari, and it’s probably much cheaper to maintain.

Production numbers are really weird for these. Initially, Apollo only built 42 cars (combined between both engine options), and then the design was sold and the car was sold as the Vetta Ventura. After that venture ended, Apollo sprang back up and built a few more cars. RM says this is one of 90. I’ll take their word for it. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

S/N: 1004

Update: Sold $134,400.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Phoenix 2019, high bid of $130,000.

November 2018 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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There were three other auctions held at the end of November, including Historics at Brooklands’ Mercedes-Benz World sale. The 1911 Sunbeam we featured sold for $34,834, and the top sale was this 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo that brought $122,065. Click here for more results.

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

Next up is Brightwells where this 1998 Ferrari 355 F1 Spider brought $64,575.

Photo – Brightwells

The SS Jaguar we featured sold for $36,499 while the Bristol and the Itala both failed to sell. Click here for further results.

Onward to H&H Classics where the Bristol we featured from this sale sold, bringing $43,071. The overall top sale was $143,572 paid for this 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 Roadster.

Photo – H&H Classics

The TVR Taimar sold for $11,198 and complete results can be found here.

The first of two Bonhams sales held in December was their Bond Street Sale. We featured two racing Jaguars (XJ220 C and XJR-6), but both failed to sell… as did quite a few other cars. The top sale by a decent margin was this 1958 BMW 507 Series II Roadster. It sold for $3,018,677. Click here for additional results.

Photo – Bonhams

Mecum will round out this rundown with their Kansas City sale. We didn’t get to feature anything, but this 2006 Ford GT was the top sale at $308,000. Click here for more results.

Photo – Mecum

Ken Okuyama Kode 0

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2017 Ken Okuyama Kode 0

For sale at TPE Ltd | Tokyo, Japan

Photo – TPE Ltd.

Ken Okuyama is a Japanese industrial designer and heads his own design company. He used to work a Pininfarina and was responsible for cars like the Ferrari Enzo and 599 GTB Fiorano. Under the auspices of his own company, Ken Okuyama Design, he has crafted a handful of over-the-top supercars

This is the Kode 0, a one-off creation that resembles the spawn of a Lamborghini Aventador and Huracan. Power is from a 6.5-liter V12 making 700 horsepower. And while Okuyama won’t admit it, it’s pretty obvious this is based around Lambo bits and pieces. The body is made of carbon fiber, and some of it isn’t painted.

This is the only example built. More information about it is available on Okuyama’s website here. It is for sale in Tokyo (the dealer’s website isn’t working at the moment). Price is available on request.

Lone Star Touring

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1920 Lone Star Beauty Four 5-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Lone Star was a short-lived brand of automobile that was, in one very specific way, ahead of its time. Sold by the Lone Star Motor Truck and Tractor Association of San Antonio, Texas, the Lone Star was actually just a Piedmont (built in Virginia) with a different badge. You know, kind of like how the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon are the exact same truck with different badges and marketing?

The Lone Star was sold from 1919 through 1922, and it’s thought that only 12 examples were produced (maybe shoppers in 1920 were able to see through the “buy Texas-made stuff” B.S. that people today so readily jump at?).

The Beauty Four is powered by a Lycoming inline-four making 35 horsepower. The 5-Passenger Tourer was the only body style offered. Restored, this is the only Lone Star thought to survive. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $44,800.

Corvette ZR2 Convertible

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1971 Chevrolet Corvette ZR2 Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 3-13, 2019

Photo – Mecum

There have been some great limited-edition factory Corvettes, like the original Z06, the L88s, and the ZR1 and ZR2. The ZR1 was available as a coupe or convertible and could’ve been had in 1970, ’71, or ’72. The ZR2 included all of the special bits that a ZR1 had, except the engine.

Instead of the LT1 in the ZR1, the ZR2 was equipped with a monstrous 7.0-liter (454) LS6 V8 rated at 425 horsepower. Chevy moved 188 examples of this engine in 1971 (the only year the ZR2 was available), but only 12 had the ZR2 package.

And only two of those were convertibles, making this car an extremely rare example of the last of the original run of special edition Corvettes before all of the power was zapped from them. If you think about it, the ZR1 of the early 1990s was the next “go-fast” limited edition Corvette. The last ZR2 we featured brought nearly a half million dollars in 2013. And it was a coupe. Click here for more info on this car and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $380,000.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Monterey 2019, high bid of $300,000.

Little Giant Bus

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1912 Little Giant Model D Bus

For Sale at Hyman Ltd. | St. Louis, Missouri

Photo – Hyman Ltd.

This might be the most exciting classic commercial vehicle to be offered for public sale in years. You will never see another one. Especially not in this condition. Little Giant was the name under which a line of commercial vehicles from the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company were sold.

They were only actually offered between 1911 and 1917 – a very short time and were sold on a 1-ton chassis powered by a flat-twin engine and 2-speed gearbox. A few “factory” body styles were offered, including this bus (which appears to function more like a paddywagon).

Only 10 examples from this marque are thought to still exist, and as I said, you won’t find another in this condition. This one was found in 2009 and restored to “better than new condition” – which is a serious understatement. Even calling it a Concours restoration seems like you’re slighting the work put in. It really is amazing, and you can go buy it in St. Louis today. The price isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it. Click here for more info.

1989 Rolls-Royce State Landaulette

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1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit I Emporer State Landaulette by Hooper

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit was produced in four different series between 1980 and 1999. A related model, the Silver Spur was produced alongside it and was identical except for a lengthened wheelbase. Interestingly, this one-off creation is actually a Silver Spirit – the short wheelbase car – but features a lengthened chassis, thus the extremely long stance.

That extension was nearly three feet in added length. This remarkably stately creation is a one-off custom landaulette by the famed coachbuilder Hooper. It was commissioned by an Australian charity (some charity if this what they spent their money on… turns out they never finished paying for the $1 million+ build cost and Hooper took the car back). The car is right-hand-drive, and the interior looks like a place Gordon Gecko would be very comfortable hanging out.

Power is from a 6.75-liter V8, and the car has had two real owners since Hooper let it go in 2010. One of one, it is among the final coachbuilt Rolls-Royces and should command big bucks. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $190,400.

Two Ford Concepts in January

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Two Ford Concepts in January

2001 Ford Forty-Nine Convertible Concept

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 3-13, 2019

Photo – Mecum

The Ford Forty-Nine was a concept car introduced at the 2001 North American International Auto Show. It was a badass, black two-door that looked like a chopped ’49 Ford. The company also rolled out this, the convertible companion car. It runs and drives, but you won’t be able to register it.

Power is from a 3.9-liter V8 and it has rear-wheel drive and 20″ wheels. Imagine if Ford would’ve built something this cool. But they won’t. Ever. Because they’re Ford. Only Chrysler puts outrageous cars like this into production, or at least they used to. Maybe that’s why they’re always in financial trouble…

Anyway, this car sold at an RM auction in 2010 for $67,100. We’ll have to wait and see what Mecum can get for it 8½ years later. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Sold $51,700.

2001 Ford F-150 Lightning Rod Concept

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Here’s another red Ford concept car (well, truck) from 2001. It was first shown at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show and you can tell that it had no hope for production because it lacked any sort of front bumper and the interior had a wild Maori tattoo theme going on (question for Ford: why?).

It does run and drive though, but you’ll never be able to register it for the road. It’s powered by a 5.4-liter V8, and I think the entire point of the exercise was to show that Ford could still do hot-rodding… if they wanted to.

This truck sold at an RM auction in 2012 for $46,200. Barrett-Jackson is offering it at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $27,500.

Bentley Empress II

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1991 Bentley Turbo RL Empress II Coupe by Hooper

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Before we get into the coachbuilt rareness of this car, let’s start with a little model background. The Bentley Turbo R was a sedan introduced in 1985 and was produced in several iterations through 1999. It was sold in two wheelbases initially, long and short. An updated model went on sale in 1995, and the limited-edition Turbo S was sold in 1995.

In 1996, the short-wheelbase cars ended production. Prior to that, long-wheelbase cars were sold as the Bentley Turbo RL. After 1996, they were all long-wheelbase and the “L” was dropped. That’s a long-winded way to tell you that the car presented here is a long-wheelbase Turbo R. But (intrigue!) it’s a coupe. Bentley ever only sold it as a sedan.

That’s where Hooper comes in. The coachbuilder, with a longtime association with Bentley and favored car-crafting masters of the British Royal family, built this two-door aluminum-bodied coupe. Still powered by a 296 horsepower, 6.75-liter turbocharged V8, the car features streamlined coachwork and a bespoke interior. Only five were built, and this car – the fourth built – was used in Hooper’s advertising. It’s one of two left-hand-drive examples and is being sold from the Calumet Collection. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $128,800.

Tramontana GT

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2008 Tramontana GT

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 3-13, 2019

Photo – Mecum

This car is proof of two things. First, that it actually exists, as it certainly falls into the category of cars whose actual production seems dubious at best. But here it is! And second, it’s proof that marketing departments write Wikipedia pages (I know, I’ve been a part of a team doing it). Why? Well, the contradictory Wiki article for Tramontana says they built 12 of these per year. Mecum says this is one of eight built, which sounds much more accurate.

The Tramontana was built in Spain and debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. Production started in 2007, and this is a 2008 GT model. There were later R and XTR variants. Production has wrapped and they’ve moved on to another model altogether (supposedly).

When I first saw this I thought it was a kit car based on a 4-wheeler, probably powered by a turbo four or even an LS V8. But no, this incredibly ridiculous car featuring two seats – one behind the other – is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V12…! The styling is supposed to be a combo of F1 car and jet fighter, and it sort of succeeds in that endeavor. I just hope that the car has been wrapped and that is not the actual paint job.

Performance numbers are absolutely supercar territory –  888 horsepower propels it to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds on the way to a 217 mph top end. It’s a legitimate, badass, low-run supercar from Spain, though I’m not sure about its road-legality in the U.S. (might be a “Show and Display” car). It deserves big bucks at Mecum next month. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $185,000.