Thomas-Detroit Tourer

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1907 Thomas-Detroit Model C Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Greenwich, Connecticut | June 3, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Thomas-Detroit was a short-lived marque founded in 1906 after two former Oldsmobile employees had a chance encounter with E.R. Thomas of the Thomas Motor Company. The two ex-Olds employees, engineer Howard Coffin and salesman Roy Chapin, convinced Thomas to help fund their building of a slightly smaller car than Thomas was currently offering out of his Buffalo-based enterprise.

So Thomas-Detroit was set up in Detroit to build a 40HP car. It was offered in 1906, 1907, and 1908 only because Chapin and Coffin became tired of being managed from afar. They convinced Hugh Chalmers to buy out Thomas and the marque became Chalmers-Detroit for 1909 before becoming just Chalmers in 1911.

This Model C is powered by a 5.8-liter straight-four making 40 horsepower. It was offered as a Runabout, Touring car, Limousine, or Landaulette. This Touring would’ve cost $2,750 when new. Very few Thomas-Detroit motorcars were ever completed and sold before the company’s name changed. This one has been wonderfully restored and should bring between $125,000-$175,000 at auction. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $61,600.

DB6 Volante Mk II

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1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II Volante

Offered by Bonhams | Reading, U.K. | June 2, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

The DB6 went on sale in late 1965. Aston Martin introduced a “Mk II” version in August of 1969. Mk II cars can be identified by pronounced flares on the wheel arches that came stuffed with wider tires and wider wheels than the earlier cars had.

The DB6 was available as a coupe or convertible. It’s powered by a 4.0-liter straight-six that makes 282 horsepower. This particular car is one of just 38 Mk II Volantes (convertibles). It’s a beautiful car finished in Light Sky Blue, a different shade of its original color.

This right-hand drive example was sold new in London and had three other owners before being sold to its current owner in 1983. The most recent restoration dates to 1991 with an engine rebuild in 2001 and significant services completed over the course of the last 15 years. These gorgeous convertibles don’t changes hands often and this is one that hasn’t been seen in quite a while. It is expected to bring between $950,000-$1,200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Ferrari 550 Barchetta

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2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Silverstone, U.K. | May 18, 2018

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Chase the lineage of this car back far enough and it takes you right to the legendary Ferrari Daytona Spider. You see, the Ferrari 550 Maranello replaced the Ferrari Testarossa (and its derivatives) which replaced the Ferrari 512BB which, you guessed it, replaced the Daytona. But the BB and the Testarossa never had factory drop top versions. So when Ferrari decided to chop the top off of its 550, it was big news.

Pininfarina was responsible for the styling and just 448 examples were produced between 2000 and 2001. They were quite pricey when new and it was eventually succeeded by the 575 Superamerica. These cars were so popular that Ferrari has continued to offer late-cycle convertibles of their big front-engined V-12 cars. And they are always rare and always ridiculously expensive.

This 3,000-mile example is powered by a 485 horsepower, 5.5-liter V-12. It’s one of 42 sold new in the U.K. and does have right-hand drive. This 199 mph convertible still shows that it is a sought-after car, nearly 20 years on, as it carries a pre-sale estimate of $450,000-$525,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Silverstone’s all-Ferrari lineup.

Update: “Result to Follow”

Asquith Shetland

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1993 Asquith Shetland

Offered by Mecum | Denver, Colorado | June 8-9, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another neo-classic style delivery van. The Asquith Motor Company Ltd. was founded in Braintree, England in 1981 (the 80s were a popular time for this type of thing).

This Shetland is a retro delivery vehicle that was exported to the U.S. as a kit and assembled stateside. It’s powered by a 1.0-liter Suzuki engine and has a 5-speed transmission. The paint is very nice and it’s only covered 875 miles. If you have a small business, this is a great promotional vehicle. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Denver.

Update: Sold $13,200.

Fleur De Lys Minibus

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1987 Fleur De Lys Newark Minibus

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 16, 2018

Photo – Brightwells

Neo-classics are a subset of the automotive world and are generally old-timey-looking cars on relatively modern chassis. Basically companies would take a big Lincoln or something, rip the body off of it, and build a new body that looks like a car from the 1930s.

And this is the bus or van version, apparently. Fleur De Lys Automobiles was founded in 1983 to build old-looking delivery vehicles with modern reliability. Mechanicals were lifted from period Fords for ease of repair and reliability’s sake. This Newark Minibus is powered by a 2.0-liter straight-four and has a four-speed manual transmission.

Instead of being a simple delivery van, it actually has seats in the back. In total, it seats nine and has an entertainment system. It would make a good party bus and should cost its new owner between $22,000-$25,000. Click here for more from Brightwells.

Update: Not sold.

Neo-Classic Vans

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Neo-Classic Vans

1987 Fleur De Lys Newark Minibus

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 16, 2018

Photo – Brightwells

Neo-classics are a subset of the automotive world and are generally old-timey-looking cars on relatively modern chassis. Basically companies would take a big Lincoln or something, rip the body off of it, and build a new body that looks like a car from the 1930s.

And this is the bus or van version, apparently. Fleur De Lys Automobiles was founded in 1983 to build old-looking delivery vehicles with modern reliability. Mechanicals were lifted from period Fords for ease of repair and reliability’s sake. This Newark Minibus is powered by a 2.0-liter straight-four and has a four-speed manual transmission.

Instead of being a simple delivery van, it actually has seats in the back. In total, it seats nine and has an entertainment system. It would make a good party bus and should cost its new owner between $22,000-$25,000. Click here for more from Brightwells.

Update: Not sold.

1993 Asquith Shetland

Offered by Mecum | Denver, Colorado | June 8-9, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another neo-classic style delivery van. The Asquith Motor Company Ltd. was founded in Braintree, England in 1981 (the 80s were a popular time for this type of thing).

This Shetland is a retro delivery vehicle that was exported to the U.S. as a kit and assembled stateside. It’s powered by a 1.0-liter Suzuki engine and has a 5-speed transmission. The paint is very nice and it’s only covered 875 miles. If you have a small business, this is a great promotional vehicle. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Denver.

Update: Sold $13,200.

Diamond T Woody

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1945 Diamond T Woody Wagon

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 16, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Diamond T are primarily known for their trucks. Founded in 1905, Diamond T specialized in heavy trucks and continued producing things like semi-tractors until 1967 when they merged with the Reo Motor Company to become Diamond Reo.

They also produced some lighter duty pickup trucks. The Model 85, and more so the Model 201. were beautiful Art Deco pickups available from the mid-1930s through 1949. But the vehicle above is not a pickup truck. It’s a woody wagon and Diamond T only built three of them. The first was built in 1938, the last was built in 1946. And in 1945 they built this one for company founder C.A. Tilt.

This car has script on it that says “Diamond Traveler” so that’s probably what they called it, but it never made it to production. It’s powered by a Continental straight-four engine and features a three-speed manual transmission. Of the three distinct Diamond T wagon prototypes built, this is the only one known to still exist. Expertly restored, it should bring between $45,000-$65,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Sold $30,800.

1960 Edsel Convertible

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1960 Edsel Ranger Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 18, 2018

Photo – Mecum

The Edsel has not been treated fairly since the brand was eliminated from Ford’s lineup after the 1960 model year. The cars are great. They all have great style, as each model year (1958, 1959, and 1960) all had unique styling that has only gotten better with age. The 1958’s were pretty different from everything else (I love it and almost bought one last week on Bring-a-Trailer but chickened out at the last minute). By 1960 the styling was toned down dramatically to what you see here – which more or less resembles a Buick Electra 225 of the same vintage.

The Edsel offerings for 1960 were slim. There was the Ranger (four-door, two-door, or convertible) and the Villager (wagon). When a company starts trimming its lineup to that degree, it’s a solid sign they’re on their way out. The 1960 cars were introduced on October 15, 1959, and the brand was discontinued that November 19th. That makes 1960 Edsels very rare and only 76 examples of the Ranger Convertible made it out the door. But it isn’t the rarest: both the 2-door Ranger Deluxe Hardtop and the nine-passenger variant of the Villager are harder to find.

A Ranger Convertible cost $3,000 from the factory and this car was one of the last products produced by the marque, rolling off the assembly line on the last day of production. It’s well-equipped and is powered by the optional 300 horsepower, 5.8-liter “Super Express” V-8 (a $58 option in the fall of 1959). It’s a show winner and should bring between $85,000-$125,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Indy.

Miura P400

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1967 Lamborghini Miura P400

Offered by Coys | Monaco | May 11, 2018

Photo – Coys

The Lamborghini Miura is largely considered to be the first supercar. And rightfully so as it checks most of the supercar boxes: outlandish, racy looks (check!); unreal speed (it was the world’s fastest car upon introduction… so… check!); a mid-engined layout with a V-12 (check!) and a very exotic name (check!).

Miuras were built between 1966 and 1973 and the first model offered was the P400. Produced between 1966 and 1969, when it was replaced by the P400 S, the base P400 is powered by a 4.0-liter V-12 producing 350 horsepower. These cars were capable of about 170 mph, making them quicker than anything else on the road at the time.

This example, one of just 275 produced, was sold new to a rich Texan via Lambo’s London dealership. He kept the car until 1987 when he donated it to a museum in San Antonio. From there, it was purchased by a German owner in 1994. Another German had it until it was purchased by its current owner in 1999. A rare, well-maintained survivor, this 26,000 mile car will likely break the bank if it finds a new owner this weekend in Monaco. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Ferrari F1/87

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1987 Ferrari F1/87

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 11, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

This is a pure 1980s Formula One car. The F1/87 was Ferrari’s entrant for the 1987 F1 season. Their drivers were Gerhard Berger (who won the last two races of the year in a similar car) and Michele Alboreto, who drove this one. This car, interestingly, is chassis #100 – which it means that it was Ferrari’s 100th Grand Prix car built since they started that numbering sequence in 1961.

This car is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged V-6 that was capable of 950 horsepower in qualifying trim. That’s a lot of power from such a tiny engine. The car improved as the year went on (hence Berger’s two wins) and this was a mid-season car, used by Alboreto in the following races:

  • 1987 Hungarian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1987 Austrian Grand Prix – 18th, DNF
  • 1987 Italian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF
  • 1987 Portuguese Grand Prix – 16th, DNF

Okay, so maybe not Ferrari’s most successful chassis. And definitely not Alboreto’s most successful F1 season. This car has been on long-term static display and appears to be entirely original (because it looks like it’s been used). It is noted that a complete mechanical recommissioning will be necessary before any future use. Still though, it’s a Ferrari F1 car. In this condition, it’s expected to bring between $790,000-$1,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.