Category Archives: Uncategorized

MMC Tonneau

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1904 MMC 8HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 30, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

MMC is the abbreviation for the creatively-named Motor Manufacturing Company. Harry J. Lawson invented the “Safety Bicycle” in the 1870s and later saw the future: automobiles. His plan was to basically own all British motor production by acquiring as many patents as possible. He organized the Great Horseless Carriage Company in 1896. It failed quickly and was re-organized as the MMC in 1898. This company actually built some cars but went bankrupt in 1904. They built a few cars between 1904 and 1907 and were gone by 1908.

This car appears to have an eight-horsepower single-cylinder engine and known ownership history back to 1953. The restoration was finished in 1960, just in time for the car to be featured in a number of films in the 1960s. It was last used on the road in the 1960s and had some touch up work done in the 80s.

It is not road-ready, but it is rare, coming from a marque that had but a brief history and is fairly unknown. MMC is perhaps best known as having been founded by Lawson, who was later convicted of fraudulently raising money for his businesses – including this one. It should bring between $61,000-$92,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $79,383.

Cadillac NART Zagato

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1970 Cadillac NART Zagato

Offered by Stanislas Machoïr | Nice, France | October 17, 2015

Photo - Stanislas Machoir

Photo – Stanislas Machoir

Luigi Chinetti and his North American Racing Team (NART) are legends in American (and worldwide) motoring. He was the man who brought Ferrari to America and the initials of his racing team mark some of the world’s most valuable Ferraris.

In 1969 or 1970, Chinetti met with GM with the idea to create something exotic based on one of their cars. So, using a modified 1969 Cadillac Eldorado chassis, Chinetti (and his son, Luigi Jr., who helped pen the body), created this unique one-off creation.

It is powered by a mid-mounted 8.2-liter V-8 making 400 horsepower. The car is rear-wheel drive as opposed to the Eldorado’s standard front-wheel drive layout. The body was constructed out of aluminium by Zagato in Italy. Styling cues are a mix of both European performance and GM parts bin.

Unfortunately, General Motors never really gave the car any consideration for production but Zagato did show it at the 1971 Turin Motor Show and Chinetti showed it again in New York later that year as well. It’s a super unique piece of history – perfect for collectors of Cadillacs, General Motors concept cars, Zagato concept cars – and even Ferraris. It all ties in. It should bring a respectable $280,000-$450,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

The Big, Pre-Benz Mercedes

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1924 Mercedes 24/100/140 Custom Sport Touring by Fleetwood

Offered by Dragone Auctions | Westport, Connecticut | October 17, 2015

Photo - Dragone Auctions

Photo – Dragone Auctions

The 24/100/140 was the “big” Mercedes. Introduced in 1924, it was on sale for only two short years before the merger of Daimler and Benz – and the creation of Mercedes-Benz. The post-merger car was known as the Mercedes-Benz Type 630 through 1929. It was the long, fast, and heavy Mercedes – one of the peaks of 1920s German motoring.

The engine is a 6.2-liter straight-six that made 99 horsepower – but with the “Kompressor” (supercharger) engaged, power jumped up to 138. Strangely, this big German touring car doesn’t carry a European body. Instead, the new chassis and engine combo was shipped to Mercedes of North America in New York City. The new owner sent it to Fleetwood in Pennsylvania who was operating in its final year of independence in its founding city before being acquired and moved to Detroit.

The car was discovered in the 1970s and restored. Then it was hidden again. When it was pulled out of the garage recently, it showed that it had been well preserved since that restoration over 40 years ago. It’s been awakened and is ready to run. Only 377 of these were built after the Benz merger, so the number beforehand is likely much lower. This one should bring between $1,200,000-$1,400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Exemplar Concept Car

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1967 Exemplar 1 Concept Car

Offered by Dragone Auctions | Westport, Connecticut | October 17, 2015

Photo - Dragone Auctions

Photo – Dragone Auctions

Here’s a car you’ve never seen before – and we’re comfortable saying that because no one outside of the folks who did the recent restoration has seen this car in decades. It was built with the backing of the Bridgeport Brass Company and the Copper Development Association to showcase that brass and copper provided many functional and styling opportunities on motorcars.

The car started life as a 1967 Buick Riviera and was sent to Carrozzeria Coggiola of Italy. Sergio Coggiola did the body work which is heavily laden with brass and copper – both inside and out. The styling and color palette are wild; check out the rest of the photos. The engine is the standard 360 horsepower, 7.0-liter V-8 out of the Buick.

Only one of these was ever built and it was destined for the crusher after spending two years on the auto show circuit trying to convince major manufacturers of the value of copper and brass. It was saved when the president of the Bridgeport Brass Company bought it and let it sit, covered, at his estate until he died in the 1980s. The Dragones bought it in the 90s and just recently got around to restoring it. It is fresh and should bring between $1,200,000-$1,800,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Pope-Tribune

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1904 Pope-Tribune Model 2 Runabout

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 14, 2015

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Pope-Tribune was one of a number of companies in the Pope Automobile Group of Albert Pope (who actually fought in the Civil War. I wonder how many companies had Civil War veterans as their founders?). Based in Hagerstown, Maryland, Pope-Tribune lasted from 1904 through only 1908.

This was the only model offered in 1904. It consists of a six horsepower single-cylinder engine of 798cc capacity powering a tiny but attractive Runabout body. It cost $650 when new. The Pope-Tribune was the cheapest model in the Pope empire and the factory and marque were never profitable, so they sold the factory at a loss in 1908.

This example was imported into the U.K. in the early 1990s and it competed in the 2014 London-to-Brighton rally. This car should bring between $83,500-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of H&H’s lineup.

Update: Sold $86,240.

1929 Rally

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1929 Rally Type ABC

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 14, 2015

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Automobiles Rally is a little known marque from the Parisian suburbs. It was founded in 1921 by Eugene Affovard Asniere. Cycle cars were the first models the company produced before turning to sporty, low-chassis sports cars. The depression hit the company hard and they closed their doors in 1933.

The Type ABC was introduced in 1927 and lasted through the end of the company. They were the sports models and were campaigned by the factory in races such as the Mille Miglia. Three engines were offered (with a supercharger option on any of them). This car uses a naturally-aspirated 1.1-liter straight-four (the smallest of the three) making about 30 horsepower. Top speed was about 84 mph.

The “ABC” was a sort of abbreviation for the French word meaning “lowered.” These low slung cars are quite sporting and rarely seen. Legend is that MG bought one back in the day for competitive research. This numbers-matching example is quite nice and should bring between $120,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $125,910.

Thomas Flyer Model 25

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1905 Thomas Flyer Model 25 Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 201

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We featured another Thomas Flyer a week or two ago and here is another one from the same collection. While that other car was constructed using various Thomas parts, this car is considered to be “the most authentic 1905 Thomas.”

It has been restored – many years ago – and driven quite a bit since. It has resided it some large collections over the years – but not the Harrah Collection, although it is said that this is a car Harrah tried to get his hands on for years. The Model 25 is powered by a 40 horsepower 7.1-liter straight-four. This would be a great classic to own. The estimate is a wide $375,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of RM’s awesome lineup.

Update: Sold $220,000.

Mitchell Baby Six Roadster

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1912 Mitchell Model 5-6 Baby Six Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Like Case, Mitchell was also from Racine, Wisconsin. The company was founded as a wagon maker by Henry Mitchell and his son-in-law (William Lewis) would help steer the company toward automobile production in 1903. Mitchell would produce cars for the next 20 years.

The 1912 catalog offered five modes, with the Model 5-6 Baby Six as the second most powerful. The engine is a 6.0-liter straight-four making almost 34 horsepower. The Roadster was one of two body styles offered and this one is mostly original (although it had been repainted). It should bring between $100,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1911 National Roadster

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1911 National Model 40 Speedway Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The 1911 National was offered as a single model – the Model 40. The Speedway Roadster was the smallest and most affordable style. Its name is a reference to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – a nearby motoring landmark, as National was based in Indianapolis. In fact, Arthur Newby, who founded National, also co-founded the Speedway – and 1911 was the inaugural year of the Indy 500.

This car is powered by a 40 horsepower 7.3-liter straight-four. National won the 1912 Indy 500 with a car closely resembling this one. Discovered in Atlanta in the 1950s, this car has been restored twice, the most recent of which was in the last 10 years. It should bring between $200,000-$275,000. Click here for more info.

Update: $385,000.

Five Final Cars from RM in Hershey

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1911 National Model 40 Speedway Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The 1911 National was offered as a single model – the Model 40. The Speedway Roadster was the smallest and most affordable style. Its name is a reference to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – a nearby motoring landmark, as National was based in Indianapolis. In fact, Arthur Newby, who founded National, also co-founded the Speedway – and 1911 was the inaugural year of the Indy 500.

This car is powered by a 40 horsepower 7.3-liter straight-four. National won the 1912 Indy 500 with a car closely resembling this one. Discovered in Atlanta in the 1950s, this car has been restored twice, the most recent of which was in the last 10 years. It should bring between $200,000-$275,000. Click here for more info.

Update: $385,000.

1914 Case Demonstrator Delivery Truck

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The Case automobile was produced by the same company that made agricultural equipment in Racine, Wisconsin, between 1911 and 1927. The 1914 Case Model 35 was only offered as a five-passenger touring car. This is obviously not one of those. John Dorton was an inventor and salesman from Kansas. He invented the Human Eye Auto Lamp, a kind of headlight that steers with the car. This was his demonstrator vehicle.

It’s fitted with a bunch of other one-off features including a steam organ that could be operated from the driver’s seat. It’s a really interesting one-of-a-kind truck and is powered by a 35 horsepower 5.1-liter straight-four. It should sell for between $75,000-$125,000. Click here for more info. It’s really worth checking out.

Update: Sold $47,000.

1912 Mitchell Model 5-6 Baby Six Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Like Case, Mitchell was also from Racine, Wisconsin. The company was founded as a wagon maker by Henry Mitchell and his son-in-law (William Lewis) would help steer the company toward automobile production in 1903. Mitchell would produce cars for the next 20 years.

The 1912 catalog offered five modes, with the Model 5-6 Baby Six as the second most powerful. The engine is a 6.0-liter straight-four making almost 34 horsepower. The Roadster was one of two body styles offered and this one is mostly original (although it had been repainted). It should bring between $100,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1916 Republic Beer Truck

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Microbreweries are everywhere these days. If one of them were looking for an absolutely great promotional vehicle, this would be that. This is an all-original truck from the Republic Motor Truck Company of Alma, Michigan. They built trucks from about 1913 through 1929 (at which point they merged with American-LaFrance).

The engine in this beast is a 3.6-liter Continental straight-four. The truck has not run in a long time so it would require a pretty hefty mechanical overhaul to be usable. And those solid rubber tries are probably older than just about anybody reading this. Which is pretty amazing. This is one of two known 1916 Republics to survive and this one should bring between $10,000-$15,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $19,800.

1905 Thomas Flyer Model 25 Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 201

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We featured another Thomas Flyer a week or two ago and here is another one from the same collection. While that other car was constructed using various Thomas parts, this car is considered to be “the most authentic 1905 Thomas.”

It has been restored – many years ago – and driven quite a bit since. It has resided it some large collections over the years – but not the Harrah Collection, although it is said that this is a car Harrah tried to get his hands on for years. The Model 25 is powered by a 40 horsepower 7.1-liter straight-four. This would be a great classic to own. The estimate is a wide $375,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of RM’s awesome lineup.

Update: Sold $220,000.