1967 ASA 1100 GT Spider

Offered by Russo & Steele | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 17-21, 2018

Photo – Russo & Steele

Autocostruzioni Societa per Azioni, or ASA, was a small Italian car company that got their start in 1962. They built small, attractive sports cars through the end of the decade. Interestingly, the cars were developed with a little help from Ferrari’s top guys, namely Gioacchino Colombo and Giotto Bizzarrini.

Colombo was responsible for the 1.1-liter straight-four that put out 95 horsepower. Bizzarrini designed the tubular chassis, work he was familiar with from his time spent on the 250 GTO. ASA’s most popular model was the 1000 GT, with a 1.0-liter engine, but two cars – this being one of them – snuck out of the factory with an extra 100cc.

Most of ASA’s cars were coupes. They only built a few convertibles, and this convertible, like the hardtops, wears a body by Bertone. ASA built about 125 cars before production ceased in 1969. Check out more about this car here and see the rest of Russo & Steele’s lineup here.

Update: Sold $67,100.

1957 Arnott-Climax 1100 GT

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 18, 2017

Photo – Gooding & Company

Three quick things we love about this car: 1. that shade of green; 2. the fact that it’s a factory race car from a cottage industry sports car manufacturer that has survived this long and; 3. gullwing doors!

There aren’t many car companies out there founded by women, but Daphne Arnott managed to produce about 25 cars – some for the road, some for the track – between 1951 and 1957 in London. She started with F3 cars and ultimately ended up with Coventry Climax-powered sports cars that competed at Le Mans. This car uses a 1.1-liter Coventry Climax straight-four that makes 94 horsepower.

The body is aluminium and just enough of it exists to cover all the important pieces underneath. This was one of only a few “factory race cars” the company ever had, and it’s competition history includes:

1957 24 Hours of Le Mans – 44th, DNF (with Jim Russell and Dennis Taylor)

After the ’57 24 Hours, the team (and automobile-building portion of the company) folded. This car was parked in the Arnott workshop for over 15 years before being rescued in the early 1980s. The new owner restored it and it’s had a few other caretakers since, successfully completing some touring rallies along the way.

Being the only Arnott quite like it, of only a few automobiles produced in total, it should bring between $350,000-$425,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.