Pierce Motorette

Posted on January 23, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1904 Pierce Motorette Model 8M Stanhope

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 7, 2013

George N. Pierce started manufacturing vehicles at the end of 1900. The company would later become Pierce-Arrow (1909), but at the time, Pierce was producing De Dion engines under license and small little cars like this. In fact, the Motorette was the first production model from Pierce.

It uses a single-cylinder engine (of eerily similar design to the De Dion engine they had previously been paying royalties to manufacture under license) making eight horsepower. The stanhope bodystyle is interesting – the driver is in the rear and the passengers sit up front in an expandable front seat. It’s like a reverse rumble seat.

This car is largely original – it has been “refreshed” in the past after sitting for a while in order to take part in the London to Brighton Run. It has been in museums and large private collections, including James Melton’s Autorama. This rare car is a great example of George Pierce’s smaller, earlier cars. It should sell for between $66,000-$85,000. Click here for more info, and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $80,100.

Marion Bobcat

Posted on January 22, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1911 Marion Model 33 “Bobcat” Speedster

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 7, 2013

The Marion Motor Car Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, was founded in 1904. You might be thinking “This car sure looks like a Stutz Bearcat.” And you’d be right. Harry C. Stutz was the chief engineer at Marion until he left to form his own company in 1911.

And by that time, he had already designed the Model 33 (or “Bobcat”) Speedster for Marion. He changed some things on his original design and built the car under his own name as the Bearcat beginning in 1912. The idea was simple: power was available, but cars of the period were heavy and had virtually no performance attributes. So Stutz stripped away those big heavy bodies and invented the sports car. The Marion Bobcat was produced from 1911 until 1913 and Marion was out of business in 1915.

It’s a four-cylinder car and it has that super-cool “monocle” windscreen, with the third spotlight below it. These are legitimately rare cars and while a Stutz Bearcat will set you back about $300,000 – the prices for these cars are all over the place. I’ve seen one sell for $165,000 and one sell for less than $30,000. This one was restored over 30 years ago and is expected to sell for between $26,000-$39,000, which seems like an absolute steal. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams in Paris.

Update: Sold $67,800.

Brütsch Mopetta

Posted on January 21, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1958 Brütsch Mopetta

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Egon Brütsch founded the company that bore his name in 1950. By 1958, he had designed and produced 11 different models of microcars, perhaps none more “micro” than this Mopetta. It rocks a single seat and a 50cc engine but it’s actually (a little) bigger than it looks. While I don’t think I’d fit comfortably in this thing, I might be able to actually squeeze into it. Its only about five feet long, so maybe I couldn’t. Maybe Germans in 1958 were just tiny. Only 14 were built. This one should bring $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $66,125.

1953 Ardex

Posted on January 21, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1953 Ardex

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

1953 Ardex

Ardex was originally founded in France in 1934 but by the time war broke out in 1939, production stopped. But in 1952, it sprang back up out of nowhere, producing two (as seen here) or four seat microcars using single-cylinder engines of 100cc or 125cc. Production lasted until 1955 and only a few were built. This one should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $13,800.

Microcar Mondays Pt V

Posted on January 21, 2013 by classiccarweekly

The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

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1953 Ardex

Update: Sold $13,800.

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1953 Messerschmitt KR 175

Messerschmitt KR 175

We already featured a Messerschmitt KR 200, which was the successor to this car, the original Kabinenroller, the KR 175. Introduced for 1953, the Fend Flitzer offshoot used a rear-mounted 174cc single-cylinder making nine horsepower. Top speed was 50 mph and the bubble canopy was used instead of a door. As production only lasted through 1955, total output was much smaller than the KR 200, with about 15,000 KR 175s built. They cost 2,100 DM back in 1953 but today should sell for $35,000-$45,000 USD. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $23,000.

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1956 Paul Vallée Chantecler

SICRAF (Société Industrielle de Construction et de Racherches Automobiles de France) – yeah, that’s one hell of an acronym – produced scooters in Aubervillers, France, from 1947 through 1953. In 1955, Paul Vallée, the head of SICRAF, introduced a three-wheeled micro-bubble of a car using a frame from one of his scooters as a base. Engines were either 125cc or 175cc. Not many were made. This one should sell for between $45,000-$55,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $98,900.

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1950 Rolux Baby

The Rolux Baby was identical to the New-Map Baby. New-Map reintroduced their pre-war “Baby” design in 1946 but the following year the company relocated and was renamed Société Rolux. The model remained unchanged from the pre-war design. It uses a rear-mounted 125cc single-cylinder engine. Rolux lasted until 1952 and about 300 cars were made. Three of them are offered in this sale. This is the nicest one and it should bring between $35,000-$45,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $48,875.

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1959 Nobel 200

The Nobel 200 was a licensed copy of the Fuldamobil. While the Fuldamobil was built in Germany, the Nobel was built in the U.K. – Northern Ireland to be exact. They were available from 1958 to 1962 and it uses a 191cc single-cylinder making 10 horsepower (the same one used the Messerschmitt KR 200). It could do 55 mph. This one is obviously in need of a restoration – but it is in better condition than the other Nobel 200 offered in this sale. This one is estimated to bring somewhere between $10,000-$15,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $10,350.

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1955 Inter 175A Berline

The Inter was built by S.N.C.A.N. of Lyons, France from 1953 to 1956. As its name suggests, it uses a 175cc engine. Only about 300 were built. What I like about it is the boat-ness of it. It has that one headlight poking out the front and that lone windshield wiper that comes down from the roof of the car. That and how the body is narrow with a chrome belt line (or water line) and the wheels are located outboard – it kind of looks like the Reyonnah we featured a few weeks ago. It should sell for between $40,000-$50,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $161,000.

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1953 Champion 400H

If this looks like the Maico MC 400 we featured a month or two ago, that’s because it is pretty much the same car. Champion Automobil presented the 400 in 1951. It was a two-door saloon with a folding canvas roof – not a complete convertible, but more like a giant cloth sunroof. In 1953, the 400 became the 400H. The engine was a two-cylinder of about 400cc making 16 horsepower, an increase of two horses over the 400. Only 1,941 were built in 1953 before the company collapsed and was purchased by Maico. This one should sell for between $40,000-$50,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $57,500.

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1958 Brütsch Mopetta

Update: Sold $66,125.

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1950 Bond Minicar Mk A

The Bond Minicar (retroactively given the “Mk A” identifier) was introduced in 1949 and was sold through 1951. The body, as you can see in this unpainted example, is aluminium and the whole car weighed in at 308 pounds. This non-Deluxe model uses a 122cc single-cylinder making five horsepower. In total, 1,973 were made and it was deemed successful enough to spawn six successors with a total combined production of over 20,000 cars. This was the one that started it all for Bond. It should sell for between $10,000-$15,000, much more than the about £260 it originally cost. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $10,350.

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1953 BMA Hazelcar

The BMA Hazelcar was constructed by the Battery Manufacturing Association, a company located in Hove, England. They introduced the Hazelcar in 1952 and made them into 1954. It’s an electric car, powered by a 1.5 horsepower electric engine. It has a range of 60 miles and a top speed of 20 mph. The price was rather steep for 1953, at £535 and only about 25 were built. This one should go for between $5,000-$10,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $9,200.