Category Archives: Uncategorized

1917 Milburn Electric

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1917 Milburn Electric Model 27 Brougham

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 11-12, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Milburn Wagon Company had been around in Toledo since 1848. In 1914 they decided to start building electric cars. Over a thousand were built in 1915 but the factory suffered heavy losses in a fire in 1919. By 1921, 75% of the employees were building bodies for GM cars while only 25% were building electric cars. General Motors bought the plant outright in 1923 and this early electric car manufacturer was gone.

This car featured a 60 mile range when it went on sale, with a top speed of 19 mph. It was one of many such cars with stodgy, upright bodies, but they sold relatively well while electric cars were hot. They were lightweight and this one has been well restored and converted to run on 12-volt batteries.

Milburn built over 4,000 cars in their short lifespan. Survivors are sought after and don’t change hands often. This one should bring between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $63,250.

Rinspeed R39

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1983 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet R39 by Rinspeed

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | September 22, 2018

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

There is more than one way to skin a cat, which is a disturbing send-your-child-to-a-psychologist-because-they-might-be-a-sociopath sort of way to say there are multiple ways to solve a problem. And the problem Rinspeed set out to solve in the early 80s was this: Porsche didn’t sell a Turbo Cabriolet (they wouldn’t until 1986). Also, it didn’t have enough side strakes.

So what do you think they did? A) take a Turbo and cut the roof off or B) take a Cabriolet and shove a turbo engine in the back of it? Sorry ASC fans, the answer is B. Other modifications included a 928-style front and rear end and, of course, side strakes (which would only magnify in intensity as the decade wore on).

The 930 Turbo engine – a 3.3-liter turbocharged flat-six – is largely unmodified so it still puts out about 296 horsepower. The chassis was reinforced to handle this uptick in power. And about the R39 name: it was originally “939” but Porsche owned that for some reason, so they lopped off the first 9 and added an R for Rinspeed. 939 was decided upon because 11 + 28 = 39 (get it? like 911 + 928 = 939).

Anyway, these are super rare examples of 80s decadence and questionable taste. And I love it. It should bring between $90,000-$110,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Ford’s Burma Jeep

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1943 Ford GTB

Offered by Mecum | Chicago, Illinois | October 25-27, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Every American automobile manufacturer that survived the Great Depression produced vehicles of some kind for the war effort during WWII. Ford produced planes, jeeps, trucks, and more (yeah, okay, so one of those links is for a truck Ford built for the Nazis). This is sort of a hybrid Jeep-Truck. It is often referred to as a “Burma Jeep.”

These were heavily used by the Navy and Marines, primarily in the Pacific Theater of the war. A 90 horsepower straight-six provided power to all four wheels. Five different variants were built, and this looks like a regular base model truck for cargo or troops. They came equipped with a huge winch and dual rear wheels. They were meant to go trouncing through the jungle. And that’s just what they did.

This one shows pretty well – and the odometer has less than one mile on it. So it’s probably pretty fresh (or that gauge isn’t working). This is the first one of these I can remember seeing at auction. It’s a cool piece of American military history and you can read more here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Sold $8,800.

Versace Edition Murcielago

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2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640-4 Versace Edition

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Southam, U.K. | September 29, 2018

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

The Lamborghini Murcielago was the successor to the Diablo and it went on sale in 2001. Produced through the 2010 model year, there were a number of special edition variants along the way, including this, the Versace Edition that was first shown at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.

It was based on the LP640-4, which was sort of the “second generation” of the Murcielago that was available from 2006 through 2010. It featured a 6.5-liter V-12 that made 631 horsepower. It also received a slight facelift and the Versace Edition added a custom interior, matching luggage, and custom driving gloves and shoes. They were only sold in white or black.

This is car #19 of 20 built (which was for coupes and roadsters combined). As an even rarer right-hand drive example, it is expected to bring between $195,000-$220,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $205,616.

Peugeot 177 Weymann

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1927 Peugeot 177M Sedan by Weymann

Offered by Leclere-MDV | Herimoncourt, France | September 16, 2018

Photo – Leclere-MDV

The Peugeot Type 177 was produced between 1924 and 1929. It was the company’s mid-range offering and the 177M went on sale in 1927 featuring a transparent roof. But this car carries a coachbuilt body by Weymann and the exterior is wrapped in waterproof fabric, a Weymann signature touch.

The engine is a straight-four making 28 horsepower. This car underwent a 10 year restoration that began in 1994. Finished in Bordeaux red, the black fabric appears to be a landaulette, but is indeed a fixed-roof sedan.

Only 130 Weymann-bodied Type 177Ms were known to have been built and only three are known to still exist. This one should bring between $20,000-$23,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $25,454.

Moreland Gas Tanker

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1927 Moreland RR6 Gas Tanker Truck

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Las Vegas, Nevada | September 27-29, 2018

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

The Moreland Motor Truck Company operated between 1917 and 1940 in Burbank, California. They never built passenger cars and focused on commercial truck production for the duration of their existence.

This truck is powered by a Continental straight-six and a 3-speed manual transmission. Well restored, this truck features some original equipment from 1927, including its spare tire. The wood that makes up part of this truck is solid oak.

Finished in Union Oil livery, this truck has a pretty wide appeal – which is about the only reason it’s in this sale. Commercial trucks aren’t heavily featured in major collector car auctions. But when they have some relation to petroliana, they end up making the cut. This will sell at no reserve and you can find out more about it here. Click here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $35,200.

Alvis TD 21 Drophead Coupe

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1960 Alvis TD 21 Drophead Coupe

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | September 22, 2018

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

The Alvis TD 21 was a big jump, design-wise, for Alvis. The TC 21 was a much more old-school British automobile and the TD 21 (and transitional TC 108G) looked thoroughly modern for the late 1950s. Something you could compare to an Aston Martin of similar vintage. The TD 21 was built between 1958 and 1963 before being replaced by the TE 21.

Power comes from a 3.0-liter straight-six that made 115 horsepower. This is a Series I car, which were built between 1958 and 1961. TD 21s could be had as a Coupe or Drophead Coupe and all cars sat four at topped out at 103 mph.

This 17,000-mile example has an automatic transmission which has been rebuilt. It’s a classy British drop-top that’s ready for touring. It should bring between $69,000-$79,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $71,012.

The Royal Rolls

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1955 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV State Landaulette

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 8, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

So this looks like most Rolls-Royces (or Bentleys) from the 1950s, no? Perhaps you’re thinking of the Silver Wraith, Silver Cloud, or Phantom V. This is a Phantom IV – it’s an ultra-rare example produced between 1950 and 1956. Only 18 were made.

Why so rare? Well, it was only sold to royalty or heads of state (mostly from the Middle East or the U.K.). This particular car was one of five owned by the British Royal Family. This is one of two used by the Queen herself and when Rolls sold these cars originally, they stated that they could not be re-sold, only bought back by Rolls-Royce. This car spent over 40 years (1959 to 2002) in the hands of the royal family and is now being sold publicly for the first time.

Carrying a body by Hooper, this car is powered by a 5.7-liter straight-eight engine. It’s an exceptionally rare automobile and one that doesn’t come up for sale often. It was on permanent loan to the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation and is now for sale. If you’ve always wanted the rarest post-war Rolls-Royce, now’s the time. It should bring between $1,300,000-$2,600,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Jaguar XJR-11

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1990 Jaguar XJR-11 Group C

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 8, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Jaguar was pretty heavily invested in Group C Prototype Sports Car racing in the late 1980s. They dominated in 1988 and had successes prior to that as well. But by the end of the decade, turbocharged cars were beginning to rule, so Jaguar worked with TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing, the team running their factory effort) to get in on the turbo action.

The XJR-11 was introduced in July 1989 and would be replaced by the XJR-14 for the 1991 season. The engine that they came up with was a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (for the Group C car, IMSA cars had a 3.0-liter version) capable of 750 horsepower. A slightly more reliable and de-tuned version of this engine would also power the XJ220 road car.

This particular chassis (490) competed in the 1990 World Sportscar Championship (WSC) with drivers Martin Brundle, Jan Lammers, and Alain Ferté. Turbochargers were outlawed in WSC for 1991, so this car went to Japan and competed in the 1991 All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship. Following that, it returned to TWR where it was restored and sold to a private owner.

The car competed in historic racing until 2010 when it was restored again to its WSC Silk Cut livery. This represents a pretty awesome opportunity to acquire a really good-looking, late Group C car in one of the best liveries of the era. It should bring between $1,500,000-$1,900,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $1,542,582.

Bristol 404

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1954 Bristol 404 Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 8, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

A 404 error is what you get when a server can’t find what you’ve asked it for. The Bristol 404 was not an error, but it’s pretty hard to find when you go looking for one: between 1953 and 1958 the company only built 52 examples.

The 404 and 405 were two models manufactured side by side. The 404 was a two-door coupe with a very short wheelbase, whereas the 405 was a longer wheelbase four-door sedan that could also be had as a two-door convertible. These were the first Bristol cars to completely break away styling-wise from their predecessor’s BMW lineage.

Power comes from a 2.0-liter straight-six that could be had in 105 or 125 horsepower versions. This car was restored some years ago and is being sold out of a collection of Bristol road cars. It’s a nice example of one of the rarer models from one of Britain’s rarest automobile manufacturers. It should bring between $100,000-$130,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.