Monthly Archives: January 2022

Bugatti Stelvio

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1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Cabriolet by Gangloff

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

Photo – Bonhams

Bugatti’s Type 57 was the last new Bugatti to be introduced before the start of WWII. Which makes it the last true production Bugatti, as post-war models were never produced in much quantity and later models were… well… Italian or Volkswagens.

There were various 57s, including the C, which was sold from 1937 through 1940. It’s powered by a supercharged 3.3-liter inline-eight rated at 160 horsepower. The Stelvio was designed in-house at Bugatti as a four-seat cabriolet. This one, as were most, was actually bodied by Gangloff. It could be had on a standard, non-supercharged Type 57 as well.

These are very pretty, very desirable cars. The pre-sale estimate reflects it: $910,000-$1,400,000. This particular example has had the same owner since 1963 and has known ownership history since new. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Evans GT

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1989 Evans-Kudzu Series I GT

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | January 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Kudzu was a racing car constructor that debuted in the late 1980s. The cars competed in IMSA’s GTP prototype category and came from racer Jim Downing’s shop. One of Downing’s race engineers was John Evans, who decided to try his hand at building prototype-style road cars.

Evans Automobiles was founded in the late 1980s as well, and this, I think, was their first offering. It’s based on a Kudzu chassis (or so the name implies) and features composite bodywork. Power is from a mid-mounted 5.7-liter Chevrolet V8 rated at 300 horsepower. Top speed was said to be 178 mph. This was a homegrown American supercar in 1989.

Only two road-going Series I GTs were built, with this being the first, and it remaining with Evans until 2006. There were a few other Evans cars built in the 1990s as well. This is neat stuff – find another one. And it’s no kit car either. It was a ground-up build meant to be a limited-run car. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $66,500.

Ferrari Meera

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1983 Ferrari Meera S by Michelotti

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 2, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Ferrari’s 1970s/80s 2+2 line consisted of the 365 GT4 2+2, the 400, and the 412. They all looked pretty much the same but gradually evolved between 1972 and 1989. If you look closely, you can tell that this one-off car, built for a member of the Saudi royal family, started out as a 1983 400i.

The car was re-styled by Giovanni Michelotti, and it was the last Ferrari he ever worked on. Power is from a fuel-injected 4.8-liter V12 rated at 306 horsepower when new. Top speed was 149 mph. Just 883 automatic-transmission 400is were built. But this is the only one styled like this.

It underwent a quarter-of-a-million Euro restoration by Ferrari Classiche in 2010 and is now offered via RM’s Paris sale out of Dubai. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $489,434.

Simpson Swift

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2018 Simpson Swift

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 27, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Simpson Design is a company based in Clinton, Washington, and headed by Jim Simpson. Well he was apparently a fan of the Michelotti-styled Ghia-Aigle Lotus XI of 1957, because he took a 2002 Miata and re-bodied it in the style of that unique Lotus.

The chassis is a custom unit, the bodywork is fiberglass, and the interior is fresh for this build. Power is from the Miata’s 142-horsepower, 1.8-liter inline-four. It’s kind of cool build that, depending on the angle, appears to have some classic-inspired lines or look somewhat awkward.

This presumably one-off car has a pre-sale estimate of $65,000-$85,000, which seems a bit optimistic for a car titled as a Mazda. Bonhams also has the wrong VIN printed in their listing, probably so no one Googles the VIN to discover that the car bid to $39,000 on Bring a Trailer back in September. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $32,480.

Figoni & Falaschi Delahaye

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1938 Delahaye 135M Three-Position Cabriolet by Figoni & Falaschi

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | January 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

We’ve featured a number of examples of Delahaye’s 135, a model that was sold between 1935 and 1954 and over a number of variations. Speaking of variations, there are also a number of different body styles spread across quite a few coachbuilders. A pre-war 135M with a cabriolet body by Figoni & Falaschi is not one we’ve featured to date.

This one is a 135M, which was a model introduced in 1936 with increased output. This 3.6-liter inline-six has triple carburetors, meaning it had the highest possible factory output rating: 115 horsepower. The car was bodied in France and delivered to its first owner in Uruguay.

It was restored between 2014 and 2016, and the bodywork is actually fairly different from another three-position convertible from Figoni & Falaschi that we previously featured (as that one was bodied post-war). The bidding on this car ends next week. Check out more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $250,000.

H6B Skiff

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1921 Hispano-Suiza H6B Skiff by Duquesne

Offered by Osenat | Rhinau, France | January 23, 2022

Photo – Osenat

Here’s another H6B from Hispano-Suiza. This is a very early example of the H6B, which technically debuted for 1922. This car was built in October 1921, and the main differences between the initial H6 and the later B model was essentially a power bump.

Both cars shared the same 6.6-liter inline-six that made 135 horsepower in the H6B. Both had power-assisted aluminum drum brakes on all four wheels. The body here is by little-known coachbuilder Duquesne from Tourcoing, France. The skiff body is attractive with woodwork beginning at the cowl and going rearward. The red running boards and polished hood add a sporting effect.

This car was restored in the 1960s and refurbished as needed thereafter, with a gearbox rebuild being performed in 1992. This rare, fully open H6B now carries an estimate “on request,” meaning it’s probably the biggest dollar car at Osenat’s sale. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, I think?

OPAC Piu Prototype

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1996 OPAC Piu Roadster Prototype

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

Photo – Bonhams

Opac S.r.l. is an Italian company whose services include building prototypes for other manufacturers, hardtop and soft top design and production, and various marine services. In the 1990s, they decided to build a prototype for their own brand.

The Piu is based on a contemporary Peugeot 106 XSi, which means it is powered by an inline-four displacing either 1.4 or 1.6 liters (that catalog description does not state if it’s based on a 1.4 or 1.6 XSi). Power outputs were 94 horsepower for the smaller motor and 102 for the larger.

The interior is a wild combination of yellow and blue suede… on everything. The car debuted at the 1996 Turin Motor Show and features a VHS player and a 10-disc CD changer. The current owner purchased the car, at the time in a state of disuse, directly from Opac. It now carries a pre-sale estimate of $45,000-$68,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $18,279.

The First Bohman & Schwartz

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1932 Chrysler CH Imperial Cabriolet by Bohman & Schwartz

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 26, 2022

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The Imperial name first appeared on a Chrysler in 1926, and the eight-cylinder Imperial debuted in 1931. The following year, the model was upgraded from CG to CH/CL spec, the latter being the Imperial Custom.

The CH is powered by a 6.3-liter inline-eight rated at 125 horsepower. Factory body styles included a roadster, sedan, and convertible sedan. In all, 1,402 CH Imperials were built. Only nine were delivered as a bare chassis for coachbuilders to work with.

This car carries a cabriolet body by Bohman & Schwartz. It was the first car bodied under the Bohman & Schwartz name, and it won its class at Pebble Beach after its restoration in 1995. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $940,000.

Chevrolet Panel Delivery

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1928 Chevrolet Capitol LP Panel Delivery

Offered by Mecum | East Moline, Illinois | March 24, 2022

Photo – Mecum

Chevrolet’s AA Capitol series was produced for 1927 in passenger car form. There were commercial chassis available as well, with these carrying over for 1928, during which they were sold alongside the AB National.

This carryover model is a one-ton delivery truck powered by a 2.8-liter inline-four rated at 35 horsepower when new. The LP model signified a long-wheelbase (124″) 1928 model. It also has four-wheel brakes.

This example was given to the Petersen Automotive Museum in the 1990s as a disassembled project and has been with the current owner for 16 years. If you’re a business owner, imagine your company’s name painted on the side. Great advertising. You can read more about this truck here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $21,000.

1902 Darracq

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1902 Darracq 9HP Voiturette

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 27, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Alexandre Darracq’s automotive family tree has a lot of branches. This particular car came from the original French Darracq concern, which was founded in 1896. In 1902, he sold the company to an English company, and from there on things get complicated. But we don’t have to go into that here, as this car came from the Parisian company.

This car is powered by a 1.3-liter single that made about nine horsepower new. The two-seater bodywork was due for restoration during ownership by the Harrah Collection. But it never took place, and the car remained with Harrah until 1986. It’s had two owners since.

Bonhams describes the car as “potentially London-to-Brighton eligible”, with the model year as “circa 1902.” In any event, it’s selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $100,800.