Tag Archives: 1951

Frazer Manhattan Convertible

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1951 Frazer Manhattan Convertible

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | May 10, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation built some cool and interesting cars after World War II. The Manhattan Convertible was among the coolest. 1951 would be the last year for Frazer automobiles, while Kaiser would continue making passenger cars through 1955.

The Manhattan was introduced for the 1947 model year and for 1951, it received all-new styling. 1951 Frazer production was over before 1951 even began (it ended in October 1950). The engine is standard Frazer 3.7-liter straight-six making 115 horsepower.

Production for the 1951 Manhattan totaled only 283 units – and only 131 of those were the large, four-door convertible version that you see here. No one makes four-door convertibles anymore, which is a shame as they are really cool. Wouldn’t a drop-top Accord or Taurus be awesome? The price for this car should be between $50,000-$70,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Auctions America on their home turf.

Update: Sold $27,500.

Siata Daina

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1951 Siata Daina 1400 Gran Sport

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 17, 2014

1951 Siata Daina 1400 Gran Sport

The Daina was Siata’s third road car, having been introduced in 1950. Production would run through about 1958. Siata is one of those smaller sports car companies where record keeping came second to building cars and many figures contain qualifiers like “about” or “estimated.”

The Gran Sport bodystyle (by Stabilimenti Farina) that you see here was the most successful Daina model and the one that is best remembered. Depending on who you ask, between 50 and 100 Gran Sports were built. The chassis is a modified version of the Fiat 1400 and it also uses a modified version of that cars engine: a 1.4-liter straight-four making about 65 horsepower.

These were popular in SCCA events in the 1950s having been cut out of the rule books in Europe shortly after their introduction. The history of this car really isn’t known prior to the last 25 years, when all that is known is that it was a restoration project that never got started. An actual restoration was completed in 2012 and it looks spectacular. This is a rare car that is fresh as if it just left the factory. It is the earliest Daina Gran Sport known and should sell for between $250,000-$325,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Gooding & Company’s Arizona lineup.

Update: Sold $247,500.

Glasspar G2

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1951 Glasspar G2 Roadster

Offered by Auctions America | Burbank, California | August 1-3, 2013

1951 Glasspar G2

1950s low-production fiberglass sports cars are a really interesting sector of collector cars. There were quite a few of these little cars that came out in the early 50s and the Glasspar G2 is one of the more well-known.

Bill Tritt founded Glasspar in 1949 as a fiberglass manufacturer. He built boats and in 1949 he built a sporty body for a friend’s hot rod. Two years later, the Glasspar G2 made its debut. It was available as a coupe or roadster and as a kit or as a complete car. Very few complete cars were sold – most of them were kits. And you see roadsters now and then but rarely ever see a coupe.

The G2 was the first all-fiberglass production car to come to market. It’s an attractive car, really. The rear-3/4 view is a bit Jaguar XK120-ish. The engines available at the time were Ford or Mercury flathead V-8s. This one has a Mercury unit – a 3.7-liter V-8 with Offenhauser aluminium heads. The G2 was made through 1953. This is about a $35,000-$45,000 car. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Auctions America’s Burbank lineup.

Update: Sold $52,800.

Microcar Mondays Part IV

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The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

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

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1951 Reyonnah

1951 Reyonnah

Reyonnah (which comes from the name of company founder Robert Hannoyer spelled backwards), was a short-lived automaker from Paris. It was only around from 1951 through 1954 and this was the car that they built.

A single-cylinder engine was used, either of the 125cc or 175cc variety. The 175cc put out 8.5 horsepower. It will do 63 mph and can seat two people – the passenger directly behind the driver. You’ll probably notice the weird angle this thing is parked at – that’s because the front had a very wide track compared to the rear – but, when parked, the front wheels could be brought in closer – to make it easier to park. When this happens, it raises the front of the car up into the air. Weird. This should sell for between $75,000-$100,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $184,000.

 

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1985 Sinclair C5

1985 Sinclair C5

Most of the cars from this sale are from the 1940s through the 1960s. Not this one. Designed by Sir Clive Sinclair and built by the Hoover vacuum people, the C5 was built for 1985 only. It had pedals (like a sit-down bicycle) but was also powered by an electric motor making capable of 15 mph. But a street-legal 15 mph tricycle – that could be driven without a driver’s license – was dangerous. And the fact that it was built and marketed primarily in England and had no top, made it unsuitable for the general climate. It was a massive flop, even though 17,000 were sold in 1985. It should sell for between $3,000-$5,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $4,600.

 

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1968 Authi Mini 1275C

1968 Authi Mini 1275C

Wait, just a plain ol’ Mini Cooper after all these weird cars? Well, kind of. It isn’t a Morris or Austin or even a Mini-badged Cooper. It’s not even British-built. Authi – of Pamplona, Spain, – built the Mini under license from 1968 through 1975. This is from their first year of production and it has the 1275cc Mini engine (1.3 liters) making about 54 horsepower. Authi was an automotive production plant, primarily, and built cars for BMC under the Austin brand. But the Mini they branded themselves. The Authi plant became part of SEAT in 1976. They built about 140,000 Minis with their name on it, but you hardly ever see them. This one should sell for between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $28,750

 

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1956 VELAM Isetta

1956 VELAM Isetta

Another Isetta from another brand. In this case, this Isetta was built by VELAM – a French company that built them under license between 1955 and 1958. There were slight variations – the body was more rounded and there is a big, bold “VELAM” script across the front door. It uses a 236cc split-single-cylinder engine making about 9.5 horsepower. It could do 50 mph and only about 5,000 were built. It should bring between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $37,375.

 

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1959 Bond Minicar Mk F

1959 Bond Minicar Mk F

The Mark F iteration of the Bond Minicar was the second-to-last version offered for sale. Built from 1958-1963, the Mk F is differentiated from its immediate predecessor by its  larger engine – a 247cc single-cylinder making 12 horsepower. There were different body styles offered – this is a hardtop. It was capable of 55 mph and there was a four-seat version available (I honestly can’t tell if this has four seats or two). Only 6,493 were made in total. This one, with some of the tiniest looking wheels in comparison to overall car size I’ve ever seen, should sell for somewhere in the range of $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $11,500.

 

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1959 Frisky Family Three

1959 Frisky Family Three

The Frisky was one of those cars that was produced by multiple companies – all of whom couldn’t help but go bankrupt at some point. The second company to use the Frisky trademark was Frisky Cars Ltd and they introduced the Family Three in late 1958. It was essentially a three-wheeled version of the Frisky Coupe that could be driven with a motorcycle license. The company was reorganized the following year (1959) and the model names were changed. This car uses a rear/mid-mounted 197cc single-cylinder making 9.5 horsepower. It could do 50 mph and should sell for between $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $57,500.

 

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1959 PTV 250

1959 PTV 250

PTV sold their Spanish-built microcars from 1956-1961. Two models were offered, the 250 and the 400. Both were tiny two-door convertibles that differed only in engine size. The 250 used a rear-mounted 247cc single-cylinder making 11 horsepower. Top speed was around 45 mph. Most of the cars were sold in Spain, although same made it to Portugal. Between the two models, a total of around 11,000 were sold. This one will sell again for between $40,000-$50,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $46,000.

 

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1939 New-Map Baby

1939 New-Map Baby

This unrestored pre-war microcar from French motorcycle manufacturer New-Map is very rare. New-Map was founded in 1920 in Lyon and it built its first itty-bitty car in 1938. It was called the Baby and it used a 100cc single-cylinder Sachs engine – the same one from their motorcycles. Only about 1,000 were built. In 1946 they re-introduced the car with a 125cc engine but it only lasted one year. This one should bring between $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $21,850.

 

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1957 Victoria 250

1957 Victoria 250

This little German fiberglass convertible was originally marketed as the Brütsch Spatz. Victoria was a motorcycle manufacturer in Nuremberg and they entered a joint venture with another company to form BAG (Bayerische Autowerke GmbH), to produce these cars under license as the BAG Spatz. But first, they re-engineered the car to make it stronger and safer – and added a fourth wheel from the original three-wheeled design – this got them out of paying licensing fees. Lastly, they pumped the displacement up to 250cc from 200cc. The single-cylinder made 14 horsepower. While BAG produced the Spatz, Victoria produced the car concurrently, from 1956 through 1958 as the Victoria 250. Only 729 of the Victoria-badged cars were sold. This one should sell for between $35,000-$45,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $37,375.

 

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1958 Goggomobil Dart

1958 Goggomobil Dart

Goggomobil was a German microcar company, but in 1959, Buckle Motors of Sydney, Australia designed a two-door roadster based on the small Goggomobil Coupe. Somehow, they were able to market the cars under the Goggomobil name and they called it the Dart. It used the same 293cc straight-two making 14 horsepower (with an optional upgrade to 392cc and 18 horsepower). The body was fiberglass and it was produced through 1961. Only about 700 were built. It’s an Australian car with a German name and it could be yours for $35,000-$45,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $54,050.

1951 Reyonnah

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 1951 Reyonnah

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

1951 Reyonnah

Reyonnah (which comes from the name of company founder Robert Hannoyer spelled backwards), was a short-lived automaker from Paris. It was only around from 1951 through 1954 and this was the car that they built.

A single-cylinder engine was used, either of the 125cc or 175cc variety. The 175cc put out 8.5 horsepower. It will do 63 mph and can seat two people – the passenger directly behind the driver. You’ll probably notice the weird angle this thing is parked at – that’s because the front had a very wide track compared to the rear – but, when parked, the front wheels could be brought in closer – to make it easier to park. When this happens, it raises the front of the car up into the air. Weird. This should sell for between $75,000-$100,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $184,000.

Bond Minicar Mk B

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1951 Bond Minicar Mk B

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

1951 Bond Minicar Mk B

Photo – RM Auctions

The Bond Minicar went through various re-designs during its production run from 1949 through 1966. The Mk B was the second such iteration, made in 1951 and 1952 only. This three-wheeler uses a 197cc Villiers single-cylinder. Of this type, 1,414 were built before Bond moved on to the Mk C. Of all the Bond Minicars offered during this sale, this one has the highest pre-sale estimate of $15,000-$25,000. For more info click here. And to check out more from this sale click here.

Update: Sold $19,550.

Gutbrod Superior

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1951 Gutbrod Superior 600

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

1951 Gutbrod Superior 600

Photo – RM Auctions

Let’s face it: Gutbrod might not be the sexiest name ever slapped on a car. Superiors were manufactured from 1950 through 1954 and they featured a rollback convertible roof (those b-pillars don’t go anywhere). The cloth roof just kind of unfurls backward and voila! a convertible. The engine was a front-mounted 593cc twin making 20 horsepower. They were known as good handlers but they were also loud. There was a “700” model as well, with an extra 6 horsepower and 70 more cubic centimeters in displacement. Of both models, 7,726 were made. This one will go for between $15,000-$25,000 and you can read more here.

Update: Sold $16,100

Microcar Mondays Pt II

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The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

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

1955 Kapi Jip

1955 Kapi Jip

Another Monday and some more microcars. These are now harder to feature as RM Auctions is doing their best to obscure any information about these cars that might exist on the internet. It’s delightful.

But that just motivates me more. The Kapi Jip was produced in Barcelona from 1955 through 1956. It’s powered by an 8.5 horsepower 175cc single-cylinder engine that propels this miniature Jeep-looking thing to 40 mph. Less than 25 were built and this is the second one I’ve seen go up for auction in the past year. That one sold for $8,500 and this one is expected to sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Not sure where that extra money is going to come from but you can click here for more info.

Update: Sold $24,150.

 

1947 A.L.C.A. Volpe

1947 A.L.C.A. Volpe

The A.L.C.A. Volpe is a very rare Italian microcar built in 1947 only. It was supposed to be a cheaper and smaller version of the already small Fiat Topolino. It uses a rear-mounted 124cc two-cylinder making 6 horsepower. Less than 10 were built – mostly because the company, l’Anonima Lombarda Cabotaggio Aereo, was a scam and was shut down when accused of defrauding potential customers out of roughly €5 million in today’s currency. So it’s a rare car with a weird story of how it came to be. It should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $41,400.

 

1956 Heinkel Kabine 175 Type 153

Heinkel Kabine 175 Type 153

The Heinkel Kabine, which, let’s be honest, shares some similarities with the Isetta, was made from 1956-1958 by Heinkel in Germany. It was later built in the U.K. as the Trojan. This particular model, the 174cc single-cylinder (there were larger version offered as well) was on sale from 1956-1957. It makes 9 horsepower and will do 54 mph. Yes, it is a four-wheeler, with the rear two wheels sitting right next to each other. This one has a targa removable roof, which is cool. Buy it for $35,000-$45,000 and check out more here.

Update: Sold $54,050.

 

1970 SMZ S-3A

1970 SMZ S-3A

Don’t those little go-kart sized tires look a little chunky for a small car like this? Like it’s intended for light off-roading, which it isn’t, as this was a car designed for invalids. The benefits of communism were at play here – the Soviet Union distributed these small cars for free (or at least at a hefty discount) to disabled people through their social welfare system. I would really like to make a political joke here at America’s expense, but I won’t. SMZ is now know as SeAZ and this model was made from 1957-1970. It uses a 10 horsepower 346cc single-cylinder. It should sell for between $15,000-$20,000. For more information, click here.

Update: Sold $12,650.

 

1947 Julien MM5

1947 Julien MM5

Automobiles Julien was founded in 1946 in Paris. Car building materials were scarce in postwar France – especially for an upstart manufacturer hoping to put a tiny little convertible into production. The French government had to approve it and free up the necessary materials – not many were made, so it didn’t hurt France too much to do so. The car was produced from 1947 to 1949. Different engines were used, but at its peak, the car had a 10 horsepower 325cc single-cylinder. I’ve seen performance described as “acceptable.” This one should bring between $45,000-$55,000. For more information, click here.

Update: Sold $54,625.

 

1959 Scootacar Mk I

1959 Scootacar Mk I

This is a two-seat automobile, if you can believe it. The Scootacar exists because the wife of one of the heads of a railway locomotive manufacturer wanted “something easier to park than her Jaguar.” Rough life. So Scootacars Ltd was set up as a subsidiary of that locomotive company to produce, well, something much easier to park than a Jaguar. The Mk I was a fiberglass bubble that is taller than it is wide and just barely longer than it is tall. It’s a single-cylinder engine of 197cc that pushes this thing to 50 mph. And you steered with handlebars. There were other models as well, but production on this one started in 1957. Only 130 Scootacars of all types were produced by the time the company closed in 1964. This one should sell for between $20,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $39,100.

 

1958 Maico 500

1958 Maico 500

Champion was an automobile manufacturer in Germany that made tiny little cars that looked exactly like this from 1952 to 1955. When they went out of business, a small company called Maico bought their assets for pennies on the dollar, er… pennies on the Deutsche Mark. The Maico 500 went on sale in 1955. It used a 452cc two-cylinder making just under 18 horsepower (17.75 to be exact). Maico built a few thousand cars between 1955 and 1958 (both the 500 and 400 model series). They lost money on every one and only quit making them to avoid bankruptcy. Solid business plan. This one will cost you between $30,000-$40,000 when it crosses the block. Check out more on it here.

Update: Sold $29,900.

 

1958 F.M.R. Tg 500

1958 F.M.R. Tg 500

Known as the “Tiger,” this Messerschmitt-based car differs from its base car in that it has wheels at all four corners, as the Messerschmitt was only a three-wheeler. FMR stood for “Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH Regensburg.” So yeah, “FMR” is way easier to say and fit on the fender. Built from 1958 through 1961, the Tg 500 (Tg stood for “Tiger” but Tiger was trademarked by someone else) used a 494cc two-cylinder making 19.5 horsepower. Top speed was 78 mph and – and this is the first car I’ve come across from this sale that is capable of such a statistic – a 0-60 mph time of 27.8 seconds. Yes, that might seem like an eternity, but hey, it can actually do it. Only 320 were built and apparently they are highly desirable today, as this one has a pre-sale estimate of $125,000-$150,000. Check out more here.

Update: Sold $322,000.

 

1951 Gutbrod Superior 600

1951 Gutbrod Superior 600

Let’s face it: Gutbrod might not be the sexiest name ever slapped on a car. Superiors were manufactured from 1950 through 1954 and they featured a rollback convertible roof (those b-pillars don’t go anywhere). The cloth roof just kind of unfurls backward and voila! a convertible. The engine was a front-mounted 593cc twin making 20 horsepower. They were known as good handlers but they were also loud. There was a “700” model as well, with an extra 6 horsepower and 70 more cubic centimeters in displacement. Of both models, 7,726 were made. This one will go for between $15,000-$25,000 and you can read more here.

Update: Sold $16,100

 

 

1951 Bond Minicar Mk B

1951 Bond Minicar Mk B

The Bond Minicar went through various re-designs during its production run from 1949 through 1966. The Mk B was the second such iteration, made in 1951 and 1952 only. This three-wheeler uses a 197cc Villiers single-cylinder. Of this type, 1,414 were built before Bond moved on to the Mk C. Of all the Bond Minicars offered during this sale, this one has the highest pre-sale estimate of $15,000-$25,000. For more info click here. And to check out more from this sale click here.

Update: Sold $19,550.

Atlas Babycar

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1951 Atlas Babycar

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

Photo – RM Auctions

Bruce Weiner, the undisputed king of microcars, is selling off most of the cars in his museum. That’s about 200 cars – all of them tiny, rare and really fun. There are, seemingly, about a hundred I want to feature but there’s no way will I have time – especially with all the fun in Arizona approaching in January. So, instead, every Monday (or at least, we’ll try to make it every Monday) we’ll feature about 10 cars from this one-of-a-kind collection.

First up is this 1951 Atlas Babycar. These were built in France from 1950 through 1952. It uses a 170cc single-cylinder making 8.5 horsepower (yeah, you better get ready for a lot of lawn-mower-esque power ratings). It will do 37 mph and it is one of two in the world. More info can be found here.

Update: Sold $60,375.

Update II: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017, $30,250.

Kover Microcar

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1951 Kover CK 1

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

Photo – RM Auctions

Another car of French origin, this Kover was actually made by the same company that produced the Atlas above. While its single-cylinder engine only displaces 125cc and only puts out 5.5 horsepower, it matches the Atlas’ speed of 37 mph. Only a few were made – and good luck fitting under that convertible top. More info can be found here.

Update: Sold $28,750.