Monthly Archives: August 2019

August 2019 Auction Highlights

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We’ll start in August with Mecum’s Harrisburg sale, where an insane thing happened: the Plymouth Superbird we featured (that also happened to be Richard Petty’s former race car), failed to sell… for $3,500,000. Yeesh. The overall top seller was this 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Sox & Martin drag car for $429,000. Click here for complete results.

Photo – Mecum

Now we move to Monterey, and we’ll start with Bonhams Quail Lodge sale. The top sale was the Ferrari 340 America we featured. It brought $3,635,000. No-sales among our feature cars included the Shelby/De Tomaso racer, the Siata 208 CS, and, I’m pretty sure, this Stutz Monte Carlo. Most Interesting is awarded to this 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier sedan by Gangloff that went for $246,400.

Photo – Bonhams

Other highlights here included the Fran Roxas-bodied Duesenberg for just $478,000, the Hughes-Kircher Special for $304,200, the 1928 Cunningham for $80,000, and a previously-featured 12-seater Delahaye for $86,800. Click here for complete results.

Pivoting back to Mecum for their Monterey sale, we find that the top seller was this 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 that sold for $2,750,000.

Photo – Mecum

The Ferrari 250 Monza was a no-sale at $20,000,000 – which just means that they had exceedingly high expectations for a car they didn’t seem too sure what it was. Other no-sales included the Delahaye Narval and previously-features cars such as this Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, a Talbot-Lago, the Lamborghini Centenario, a Corvette ZR2 convertible, and the Dragonsnake Cobra. The Gerhardt-Offy and Lola-Menard also failed to sell.

But, Arie Luyendyk’s ’97-winning car went for $440,000. Other sales included the Mercedes Alpine racer for $330,000 and a previously-featured McLaren 675LT Spider for $253,000. Click here for the rest of the results.

Next up is Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach sale. We’ll start with the no-sales, which included the Alfa Superflow, Jaguar XJR-10, and, I think, a previously-featured OSCA. The biggest seller was this 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider that sold for $9,905,000.

Photo – Gooding & Company

The Ferrari we featured, the Niki Lauda F1 car, sold for $6,000,000. Other Italian sales included the Alfa 256 for $2,755,000 and the Isotta Indy car for $2,645,000.

And our other feature cars, in decreasing order, were the Duesenberg Sport Berline for $2,040,000, the Studebaker Indy car for $1,105,000, and the Tatra for $412,000. Click here for more results.

And to wrap this post up, RM Sotheby’s much-talked-about sale, where the expected star, the 1939 Porsche, failed to sell after mass confusion. They did manage to set a record for a McLaren at auction, selling this 1994 McLaren F1 “LM-Spec” car sold for $19,805,000. These cars are not done appreciating.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Other no-sales included the Ferrari 196 SP, the Ferrari 375MM, the Vector M12, a Duesenberg, and a previously-featured Maserati. On the “cheap” side of things, we have the 1990s Pantera for $240,800, the Jaguar Pirana for $324,000, and a previously-featured Rolls-Royce for $665,000.

Seven-figure cars included the Lincoln Indianapolis Concept at $1,105,000, the Aston DB5 wagon for $1,765,000, the Ferrari FXX for $3,520,000, and the GT40 Roadster for $7,650,000. Click here for final results.

Rochdale GT

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1957 Rochdale GT Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 14, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Rochdale Motor Panels and Engineering was founded in 1948 by Frank Butterworth and Harry Smith. They got their start producing automobiles in 1954, which were technically just fiberglass shells used by customers to re-body Austin Sevens.

The GT was the third such product launched by the company, and it went on sale in 1957. They had the Ford Popular in mind as a base, but by 1960 you could get it on Rochdale’s own frame, as the company had moved to produce its own cars outright with the introduction of the Olympic in 1959.

This example is based on a Ford Popular frame and is powered by a 1.5-liter Coventry-Climax inline-four producing 140 horsepower. The GT was far and away Rochdale’s largest success, with about 1,350 built in total. Rochdale closed its doors in 1973, and it is thought that only about 80 GTs survive. This one has been restored and is eligible for historic racing events. It should bring between $36,000-$49,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $31,194.

Bristol 412

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1979 Bristol 412 Series 2

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | September 4, 2019

Photo – Brightwells

Another Bristol! The 412 was the successor to the 411, and we’ve featured four of those so far. This model was produced in two series between 1975 and 1981. Production figures were never released to the public, but its thought about 80 were produced before Bristol slightly revised the 412 and renamed it the Beaufighter.

The 412 was built side-by-side with the 603, and the cars were very similar. This car uses a 5.9-liter Chrysler V8 good for 170 horsepower. Top speed was 140 mph. The body of this Bristol was actually designed by Zagato, and it’s a targa.

Remarkably, for a handbuilt car this rare, the pre-sale estimate is only $18,000-$22,000. Click here for more from Brightwells.

Update: Sold $17,258.

Healey Tickford

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1950 Healey Tickford Saloon

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

The Donald Healey Motor Company built a number of limited-run sports cars between 1945 and 1954. Healey then turned his attention to the Austin-Healey and Jensen-Healey, both of which were produced in much higher numbers than these earlier cars.

The Tickford Saloon was bodied by the British coachbuilder Tickford (thus the name) and is powered by the same 2.4-liter Riley inline-four used in earlier cars like the Westland, Sportsmobile, and Silverstone. Claimed output was 106 horsepower. Top speed was 96 mph. Bonhams notes that this was one of the fastest cars in its day. It was, apparently, a slow day.

In all, 222 examples of the Tickford were built, which makes it the most popular Healey model produced (not counting the Nash-Healey or any of the other hyphenated cars). This one was once part of the Aalholm Automobile Collection and should bring between $24,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $21,483.

The German T-Bird

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1960 Auto Union 1000 SP

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Auburn, Indiana | August 29, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Four of Germany’s auto manufacturers joined forces in 1932 to form Auto Union. They were Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. Auto Union racing cars were some of the best of the 1930s, and after WWII, what was left of Auto Union‘s West German holdings began producing cars under the new brand. The DKW brand was still active as well.

Auto Union would eventually be purchased by Volkswagen and merged with NSU. The current Audi brand carries the torch for the history of the four original brands. For a while in the 1950s, Daimler-Benz owned the company, and it was during their reign that the Auto Union 1000 was built (1958-1963). It was a sedan that was essentially a re-badged DKW.

But between 1958 and 1965, they built a version called the 1000 SP. The styling was lifted almost intact from the contemporary Ford Thunderbird, but the cars were powered by an 896cc inline-three good for about 54 horsepower. This example is gorgeous and is very T-Bird-esque, but slightly more exotic.

Only 5,004 coupe versions were built and they’re rarely seen in the U.S. This one was restored in 2009 and should bring between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $23,650.

Gray-Dort Touring

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1920 Gray-Dort Model 15 Touring

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Auburn, Indiana | August 31, 2019

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

William Gray founded a carriage-building company in Chatham, Ontario in 1856. In 1915, his company began selling American-made Dort cars under license in Canada. By 1916, they were building the cars themselves and fitting them with luxurious and innovative features. The first reverse light was installed on a Gray-Dort.

This Model 15 touring car is powered by a 21 horsepower, 3.2-liter Lycoming inline-four. The cars were popular in Canada, outselling Chevrolet there for a period of time. And Canadians took notice – the Canadian Parliament named Gray-Dort a national treasure. The Bricklin didn’t get that honor.

About 26,000 cars were built through 1925, which is when Dort closed down. Gray-Dort searched for another manufacturer to hook up with, attempting deals with Nash and Hudson before trying the American company Gray. But Gray closed down in 1926 and Gray-Dort was gone. Only 30 examples of their work remain, and this one will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $6,600.

Epperly-Offenhauser Streamliner

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1955 Epperly-Offenhauser Streamliner

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Auburn, Indiana | August 31, 2019

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

Though not as well-known, Quin Epperly is a name that sits right there with Frank Kurtis, A.J. Watson, Eddie Kuzma, and Lujie Lesovsky when it comes to legendary builders of race cars during the “Roadster” era of the Indianapolis 500. Epperly actually worked for Kurtis before opening his own shop in the mid-1950s. His cars appeared at Indy from 1955 through 1960 and beyond.

The history of this car is interesting. Howard Keck had just won two consecutive 500s with Bill Vukovich driving his cars and was going for number three in 1955. Epperly had designed this streamlined special for Vuky to drive, but it wasn’t completed in time for the race. Instead, Vukovich drove a Kurtis for another owner. He was killed while leading the race.

Epperly completed the car with Keck’s help (money) anyway and installed a 385 horsepower, 4.4-liter Offenhauser inline-four instead of the V8 that was originally planned. IMS president Tony Hulman knew of the car and wanted it in the ’56 race, paying the entry fee for it in advance. But with Vukovich’s death, Keck lost all interest in racing and the car ended up stored in his shop until 1985.

The car became more or less legend until it was purchased and restored in 1990. And now it’s being offered for public sale. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $385,000.

Carter Electric Motorette

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1904 Carter Electric Motorette

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Auburn, Indiana | August 31, 2019

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

This is a pretty tiny vehicle. Although Worldwide Auctioneers doesn’t provide anything in the background of these photos to help with scale, I would imagine it’s about wide enough to seat a person and a half. In England, these were known as “invalid cars” – basically street-legal motorized wheelchairs.

But… it has a US license plate and is street legal here, too. It was built in England by a company I have no further information about. Its first owner purchased it there and later imported it into Vermont, where it was used regularly up through 1942. It’s been on long-time museum display and still shows fairly well, save for a flat front tire.

It has a convertible top, tiller steering, and 20-mile range when traveling at a top speed of 18-20 mph. Not bad for 115 years old. You will likely never see another, and this one will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,925.

Update: Sold, Worldwide Auctioneers, “Scottsdale in Auburn” 2020, $19,040.

1966 Duesenberg

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1966 Duesenberg Model D Concept

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Auburn, Indiana | August 29-September 1, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

What’s rarer than a Model J Duesenberg? A Model D, of course. The Duesenberg name – and its associated automobiles – have retained such an aura around them since the company originally went out of business in the 1930s that it’s no wonder there have been multiple attempts to restart it. Someone built a “Duesenberg” in 1959 using a Model J engine and a Packard chassis.

In the 1960s, Augie Duesenberg‘s son arranged financing (which ultimately fell apart) to restart the company with serial production. This prototype was conceived and it. Is. Lavish. Boasting features that wouldn’t be standard for another 30+ years, the car is powered by a 425 horsepower, 7.2-liter Chrysler V8.

The body was styled by Virgil Exner and crafted by Ghia in Italy. Yes, it evokes the Stutz reboot that occurred just a few years after this car debuted. And there’s a good reason: Exner styled that one as well.

Apparently, the company received around 50 orders before it all went wrong. This car stayed in the ACD Museum in Auburn for over three decades before joining a prominent collection. It’s more-or-less as it was the day it was built, with just 800 miles on the clock. RM estimates $300,000-$350,000 to take it home, which still means it’s cheaper than the comparatively-common Model J. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Surlesmobile Streamliner

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1945 Surlesmobile Streamliner

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Auburn, Indiana | August 31, 2019

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

This bubble was designed by Don Surles in the 1930s and was built in the Tokyo Bus Works. So it is technically Japanese. The prototype was built to showcase innovative features such as doors that split in the middle, sliding up and down to allow entry. It also has bench seating that folds into a bed, shatter-proof glass, and a shape that would allow the car to roll over in an accident with a “90% chance” that it lands back on its wheels.

It features four-wheel-drive and is powered by a 50 horsepower, 1.5-liter Continental inline-four. Within hours of its arrival in San Francisco, it was hit while driving. It was later repaired and was last repainted in 1966.

The car has resided in a museum since 1966 and is now being sold at no reserve. Looking it at, the only place I can imagine it ending up is in the Lane Motor Museum. We’ll see in a week or so. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $30,800.