Monthly Archives: December 2021

Iso Rivolta GTZ

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2021 Iso Rivolta GTZ

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 6-16, 2022

Photo – Mecum

Iso is a name that goes back to some pretty sleek sports cars (or proto-supercars) of the 1960s and 1970s. They also produced what I’ve always considered to be Italian muscle cars, in addition to the original Isetta. The brand was revived in 2017 in collaboration with Zagato to introduce a Vision Gran Turismo prototype.

That led to a project dubbed the GT Zagato, or GTZ. The Rivolta family is still behind the cars, which are designed and built by Zagato. It’s based on a C7 Corvette Z06, but has a completely unique carbon-fiber body and shares no exterior bits with the Corvette, glass included. The supercharged 6.2-liter Z06 V8 makes 660 horsepower, enough to propel this very A3/C-esque design to 185 mph.

These are technically still in production, I guess, and in the last year they’ve built 19 of them. This is apparently the only one imported and registered in the U.S. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $700,000.

Duesenberg J-269

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1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by Murphy

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Another great Duesenberg. RM calls this “one of the finest restored examples.” We recently featured another Murphy Convertible Sedan, and this one is finished in classic black. Approximately 45 such cars were bodied by Murphy.

This one was delivered new in New York City, and RM traces the ownership through quite a few owners of the years. Work is also noted, including a mechanical overhaul in 1957 and a 20-year restoration that started in 1985. Power is from a 6.9-liter inline-eight capable of 265 horsepower.

It won its class at Pebble Beach and is offered with a second set of wire wheels mounted with whitewall tires. The catalog does not yet list a pre-sale estimate, but this is quite a good car, so it should bring quite the sum. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $3,525,000.

Mercedes 260 Stuttgart

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1930 Mercedes-Benz 260 Stuttgart Cabriolet C

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 6-16, 2022

Photo – Mecum

So, no, this is not a Ford Model A. It’s a Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes’ W11 was produced as a few different model names between 1929 and 1934. The Stuttgart was offered in a variety of factory bodies as well as a bare chassis for coachbuilders.

This car features “factory” Cabriolet C coachwork that was actually built by Reutter. The 2.6-liter inline-six made about 49 horsepower when new. Top speed was 56 mph.

During production, the factory churned out 6,757 standard-wheelbase units. This one was brought to the U.S. by a servicemember in the 1950s. It’s being offered from 70 years of family ownership. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $90,000.

S.P.A. Torpedo

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1913 S.P.A. 25HP Sport Torpedo

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 3, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Societa Piemontese Automobili was founded in Italy by Matteo Ceirano and Michele Ansaldi in 1906. The Ceirano family was involved in various early Italian marques, including Itala, SCAT, Ceirano, and others. S.P.A. was taken over in 1925 by Fiat, who phased the marque out.

S.P.A. had some sporting credentials, winning the Targa Florio in 1909. This 25HP model is powered by a 4.4-liter inline-four. The bodywork, while sporty, is described in the auction catalog as a passenger car with a speedster-style body. The coachbuilder is unknown.

This car was delivered new in France and later spent time in the Le Mans Museum before being purchased by its current owner in the 1990s. Not many S.P.A. cars still exist, and this one appears rather nice. It is expected to sell for between $230,000-$270,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $450,469.

Corvette Super Sport

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1957 Chevrolet Corvette Super Sport

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 6-16, 2022

Photo – Mecum

Super Sport isn’t a name typically associated with Corvettes. But this Corvette was actually the first Chevy to wear that moniker. It’s a one-off show car that GM commissioned to showcase their new Rochester Ramjet fuel injection. It debuted in New York in January 1957 and was sold into private ownership after its tour of the show circuit was completed. The current owner acquired it in 1997.

The fuel-injected 283ci V8 was rated at 283 horsepower when new, and the car is claimed to have covered less than 5,000 miles since new. Styling alterations are obvious, including the dual concept-car-style windscreens, brushed aluminum coves, and a lot more bright interior trim.

This is one of those big-boy Corvettes that gets a lot of attention. It hasn’t traded hands in 25 years, so what to expect, price-wise, when it crosses the block next month is kind of a question mark. You can read more about it here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Withdrawn from auction

Bedford Motor Coach

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1948 Bedford OB Coach by Plaxton

Offered by Bonhams | Bicester, U.K. | December 11, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

Bedford Vehicles was founded in 1931 when General Motors shifted production of Chevrolet commercial vehicles to a Vauxhall plant. The Bedford marque was born and remained GM’s main British commercial vehicle manufacturer until 1986, at which time the heavy trucks were branded as Isuzus. Light Bedford vehicles carried on until 1991.

The OB was a single-door bus manufactured between 1939 and 1951. Most of them carried between 26 and 29 passengers, and this one is fitted with a Plaxton body. It’s got a great side profile and is powered by a 3.5-liter inline-six rated at 72 horsepower.

This one was restored between 2006 and 2008. In all, 12,766 examples of the OB were produced, with just 73 of those coming before the war. The pre-sale estimate is $51,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $51,308.

BMW 3/15 Sports

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1931 BMW 3/15 Ihle Sports

Offered by Bonhams | Bicester, U.K. | December 11, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

So we’ve talked about Dixi before and how it was an Austin Seven built under license in Germany. BMW purchased Dixi in late 1928, and Dixis were re-branded as BMWs the following year. They still called them BMW Dixi, although they’d drop the Dixi name sometime around 1930.

This post-Dixi 3/15 was produced in 1931 and was actually coach-built by Gebruder Ihle Karrosseriebau of Bruschal, Germany. It’s a sporty, light two-seater with BMW’s signature twin (not-quite-kidney) grilles.

Power is from a 747cc inline-four, but the power rating is uncertain, as it is not clear if this coachbuilt example was based on a DA-2/4 chassis (15 horsepower) or DA-3 Wartburg chassis (17 horsepower). The DA-3 was the sports version of the 3/15, but a coachbuilt example could’ve come from any model. At any rate, this is a great little early BMW, and for $13,000-$20,000, it seems like a historic bargain. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $37,726.

Alfa 2600 SZ

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1966 Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ

Offered by Aguttes | Neuilly, France | December 12, 2021

Photo – Aguttes

Alfa Romeo’s 2600 is one of their best-looking cars, especially the Touring-bodied Spider and Bertone-styled Sprint. The 2600 was sold between 1962 and 1968, with body styles including coupes, convertibles, and sedans.

What we have here is the very rare Sprint Zagato. It honestly looks like someone grafted the front end of an alternate-reality 1990s Alfa Romeo onto a 1960s coupe body. But it’s not, it’s an original period Zagato creation. The engine is the same as other 2600s: a 2.6-liter twin-cam inline-six that was rated at 165 horsepower in SZ form with triple Solex carburetors. Top speed was 134 mph, thanks in part to the increased aerodynamics of that redesigned front end.

Only 105 examples of the SZ were ever produced, and this one has known ownership history since new. It was restored in 1992, and it is expected to fetch between $115,000-$170,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $125,846.

TVR 350i

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1985 TVR 350i Convertible

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | December 4-9, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

In late 1983, the TVR Tasmin 280i was upgraded with a bigger engine and renamed the Tasmin 350i. In 1984, the Tasmin name was dropped and the model became known simply as the 350i. It was offered as a coupe and convertible.

The engine is a 3.5-liter Rover V8 that made 190 horsepower when new, enough to scoot this little wedge to 130 mph. Over 1,000 350is were built, so they aren’t incredibly rare, but the relatively low entry point (price-wise) hasn’t likely leant itself to a spectacular survival rate.

But this one looks pretty nice and benefits from an engine rebuild about 2,000 miles ago. And, yes, it kind of looks like an FC RX-7. It now carries a pre-sale estimate of $12,000-$15,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $10,089.

MG ZT

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2001 MG ZT160

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | December 4-9, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Is this allowed to be my favorite MG? MG was sort of at the end of its rope when it introduced three new cars in 2001 after years of only producing a single sports car. The ZT was the largest of the three new models and was based on the Rover 75 that went on sale a few years earlier.

There were a couple of different ZT levels and quite a few engine choices. The 160 was the most basic, and it’s powered by a 2.5-liter V6 that, when paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, was rated at 187 horsepower. There was also a ZT-T version of the these, and that was the wagon. The ZT disappeared when MG Rover started failing 2005.

This one is front-wheel drive, and rear-driver V8 versions were also produced. Those are the best of the bunch. This three-owner example has 47,000 miles and is expected to bring between $4,000-$5,300. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,541.