Category Archives: Uncategorized

Burlington Arrow

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1987 Burlington Arrow

Offered by Bonhams | Harrogate, U.K. | November 13, 2013

1987 Burlington Arrow

The Burlington Motor Company was founded in 1980 by Haydn Davis and they started by building a replica of the Morgan. Over the years they’ve offered almost exclusively kit cars. It’s weird that I’d feature a kit car on this site, but these are more interesting than any Cobra replica (because 1. so many Cobra replicas exist and 2. Burlington cars have names that don’t include “replica”).

The Arrow was new for the early-80s and it is patterned after the MG TC, though there are significant differences. Many of the chassis came from Triumphs, this particular car uses a Triumph Herald donor chassis and a 1.6-liter straight-four engine from a Ford Cortina. This car was not offered as a traditional kit, but rather as paper plans only. The purchaser had to create or buy everything separately.

About 6,000 sets of plans were sold and about 500 Arrows were constructed to completion. This one took two years (from 1985-1987) and because the cars use readily available parts, fixes are cheap and easy. This would be a fun little car for a tiny little price: it is expected to sell for between $6,500-$9,700. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Ferrari 250 GT Speciale

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1959 Ferrari 250 GT SWB “Competition” Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1959 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

So many custom-bodied cars in this sale! This one is a Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition that looks like no other 250 GT SWB Competition. In 1959, Ferrari introduced the model and built 176 examples. It was a GT race car for use in sports car racing all over the world. After racing it, you could then drive the car home on the road. Racing was more interesting when your daily driver could be competitive on track, don’t ya think?

Only six of the 176 received non-Ferrari coachwork. This is one of two by Bertone and the only one with a design that looks like it came from 10+ years from the future. Imagine taking a race car today, sending it to a coachbuilder, and taking home a very friendly-looking road car with race car mechanicals. The engine is a 3.0-liter V-12 making in the neighborhood of 276 horsepower.

This car was shown at the 1960 Geneva Auto Salon and at the Turin Motor Show later that same year. It has been restored twice in its life and has won awards at Pebble Beach twice (that’s how long this thing has been on the circuit). It’s absolutely stellar. It should sell for between $6,500,000-$8,500,000. Check out more here and click here for more from RM in New York City.

Update: Sold $7,040,000.

A French Ford

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1954 Ford Comète Monte Carlo

Offered by Osenat | Lyon, France | November 10, 2013

1954 Ford Comete

Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 after the merger of Ford of Britain (founded 1909 in the U.K.) and Ford-Werke (founded 1925 in Germany). The company currently calls Germany home. There was another European Ford company active in the first half of the 20th Century that didn’t make it into the fold: Ford SAF.

The head of Ford of Britain founded the French subsidiary in 1916 and it was completely absorbed by Simca in the mid-1950s. The Comete (or Comet) was introduced in 1951 and it is beautiful. It has to be one of the best-looking Fords ever built. It is a four-seat sports car that uses a 4.0-liter V-8 (from a Ford truck) making 105 horsepower. The Monte Carlo trim line was available in 1953 and 1954 only (you could buy a Simca-branded Comete in 1954 as well).

Less than 700 Monte Carlo-trimmed Cometes were built. The body was designed by Pininfarina and built by Facel (later of Facel-Vega). I think it is exceptionally attractive. It should bring between $62,000-$76,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Osenat’s lineup.

Update: Sold $74,250.

Supersonic Aston Martin

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1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II Supersonic by Ghia

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1956 Aston Martin DB24 Mk II Supersonic by Ghia

 The Aston Martin DB2/4 was the follow-up model to the Aston DB2 (on which this car was based). It was introduced in 1953 and the Mk II model came in 1955. Coachbuilt Astons from any coachbuilder are very rare. Ghia built a run of 15 “supersonic” cars in the 1950s and this was the last one built. It is also the only Supersonic attached to an Aston Martin chassis.

The engine in this car is likely the 2.9-liter straight six making either 140 or 165 horsepower, depending on compression (the catalog is vague on technical details. This auctions is being held in conjunction with Sotheby’s and is called “The Art of the Automobile,” so maybe it’s more about styling than driving, which is a shame). This car was acquired new by racing driver Harry Schell who sold it the following year to an American in New York. In 1974, the car was discovered outside a Detroit gas station by a young man who was able to track it down again in 2003 when he purchased it and began restoring it.

The restoration is exquisite and has proven successful, as this car wins awards just about every time it is shown. The DB2/4 is rare enough, with only 764 built. But this car has one-of-a-kind 1950s Space Age coachwork from one of the most famed coachbuilders of all time. It will likely bring between $1,800,000-$2,400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,310,000.

Ferrari 250 LM

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1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti

The Ferrari 250 LM was the last Ferrari to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was the car that Ford came along and knocked off the pedestal. The 250 LM, while built in the same era as the 250 GT road car, was unrelated and was more of a prototype race car than a variant of any road car.

This 250 LM is #24 of 32 built. It has been in a state of preservation for almost 40 years, following a “sympathetic” restoration in the mid-1970s. The car was sold new in California and used as a road car. The original owner sold it to the grandson of E.L. Cord in Beverly Hills. In 1968, it was purchased by some Ecuadorian racers who finally put this thing on the track. It’s competition history includes the following:

  • 1968 24 Hours of Daytona – 8th & 1st in class (with John Gunn, Guillermo Ortega, & Fausto Merello)
  • 1968 12 Hours of Sebring – c.59th, DNF (with Gunn, Ortega, & Merello)
  • 1969 24 Hours of Daytona – c.68th, DNF (with Merello, Edward Alvarez, & Umberto Maglioli)

After Daytona in 1968, the car went home with its owner to Ecuador where it competed in sports car races until 1974. The car was then sold and it went to England where it was lightly freshened after years on the circuit. In 1983, it moved to a collection in Japan. It is considered to be the most original 250 LM in existence.

The engine (which is behind the driver) is a 3.3-liter V-12 making 320 horsepower. This is a car worth millions of dollars (estimate $12,000,000-$15,000,000) and it’s one of the finest examples of its kind. Click here for more info and here for more from RM’s monster New York sale.

Update: Sold $14,300,000.

One-Off Lincoln Concept Car

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1955 Lincoln Indianapolis by Boano

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1955 Lincoln Indianapolis Executive Study by Boano

This outlandish-looking Lincoln was designed and built in Italy by Gian Carlo Boano. There are some aircraft-inspired design elements that really take you back to the golden age of concept cars: the 1950s. I love the exhaust (even though the aren’t even functional and don’t match the number of cylinders under the hood).

What is underhood is a 200 horsepower 5.6-liter V-8. The car debuted at the 1955 Turin Auto Show and Ford purchased it from Boano right after. Ghia had a successful run with Chrysler in the 1950s and Boano wanted the same thing with Ford. Ford offered Boano a 10-year contract after this car was built, but Boano decided to partner with Fiat instead. So much for that.

The car has had a few owners since it left Ford’s ownership and was owned by one man for over three decades. The restoration was completed a little over 10 years ago and the car was shown at Pebble Beach in 2001. This has to be one of the most stylish Lincolns ever built. It will command a pricey sum. The pre-sale estimate is $2,000,000-$2,500,000. For more info click here and for more from this awesome sale, click here.

Update: Not sold (high bid of $1,550,000)

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s, Andrews Collection 2015, $1,210,000.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019, $1,105,000.

A British Star

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1931 Star Comet Fourteen Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Harrogate, U.K. | November 13, 2013

1931 Star Comet Fourteen Coupe

This is not to be confused with the American car company also called Star that operated between 1922 and 1928 (there were other as well, but this was the biggest) and was part of Billy Durant’s little empire. This Star was actually founded in 1898 in Wolverhampton by Edward Lisle and William Sharratt who owned the Star Cycle Company since the 1870s.

Cars were sold under the Star, Starling, and Stuart brand names over the years. Star found new owners around 1932 but the economy was tanking and the company, which had become known for their well-appointed and well-made cars, didn’t have a model in the entry-level segment. The Comet Fourteen was introduced near the end of 1931 and it was luxurious and too expensive to make – and even harder to sell in tough economic times. Star folded in 1932 and their leftover cars were sold through 1935.

The Comet Fourteen used a 2.1-liter straight-six making 14 horsepower. Very few were made and even fewer survive. They were available with two or four doors and even though this one has four, Bonhams still lists it as a “coupe.” I don’t know. Anyway, it should sell for between $13,000-$16,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams’ Harrogate sale.

Update: Sold $12,857.

Duesenberg SJ-512

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1933 Duesenberg Model SJ Beverly Berline by Murphy

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1933 Duesenberg Model SJ-512 Beverly Berline by Murphy

This is one beautiful Duesey. The SJ variant of the Model J was first available in 1932. It offered a factory supercharger for the Lycoming straight-eight. Horsepower jumped to a whopping 320. There was nothing else like it.

There have been a number of normal Model Js that have been upgraded over the years to SJ specification. But this is the real deal. This is one of just 36 factory SJs built and one of only five that has an enclosed body on it. The body in this case is from Murphy and it’s a stunner.

This car was delivered new to Powell Crosley, Jr. in Cincinnati. He would later build his own cars – but they were no match in size or power. More recently, this car was restored by RM and is being sold from the ownership by Joseph Cassini (who has won top honors at Pebble Beach twice). This will be a very pricey car. You can check out more here and see more from this impressive sale here.

Update: Pre-sale estimate $2,000,000-$2,500,000.

Update II: Sold $1,760,000.

Clement-Talbot

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1903 Clement-Talbot Type CT4K 18hp Four-Cylinder Roi-d’Italie Tonneau by Rothschild

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 1, 2013

1903 Clement-Talbot Type CT4K 18hp Four-Cylinder Roi-d'Italie Tonneau by Rothschild

This is one of the stars of the show at what has become one of my very favorite auctions of the year. One thing that makes me happy about this car is that it comes from one of the most confusing car company histories ever: the Clement and Talbot mess. I find it fascinating. Continue reading →

1901 Georges Richard

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1901 Georges Richard 3.5hp Single-Cylinder Four-Seat Rear-Entrance Tonneau by Vedrine

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 1, 2013

1901 Georges Richard 3.5hp Single-Cylinder Four-Seat Rear-Entrance Tonneau by Vedrine

Sometimes early cars don’t really have model names – or maybe that have model names that we just don’t know. So instead, we call them by every conceivable descriptive attribute we can see – hence the somewhat ridiculous-in-name name of this car above. And sometimes, there are car companies that sound like a guy’s full name, but aren’t. This time, Georges Richard was an actual person.

Richard worked in a bicycle shop with his brother and by 1897, he and his brother had branched out on their own and began building cars under Georges’ name in a shop north of Paris. In 1901, an engineer named Henri Brasier joined the company and after 1903, the cars were re-branded Richard-Brasier (and just plain old Brasier in 1905 after Richard left the company).

The car you see here was built by Georges Richard in 1901 – during the time when the company was building the Belgian Vivinus car under license (so it is very similar). The engine is a 785cc single-cylinder putting out 3.5 horsepower. It tops out near 25 mph.

This car has been in the same ownership for the last quarter-century, but not much is known of it prior to that. Fun note: this car has a reverse gear that you can’t use because the original owner was too cheap to tick the box for the lever that engages reverse. In any case, this is a neat old car from a short-lived marque that should bring between $89,000-$97,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this awesome sale.

Update: Sold $91,571.