DB4GT

1960 Aston Martin DB4GT

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 13, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

The Aston Martin DB4 was already the best-looking Aston to date when it arrived on the scene in 1958 (and possibly remains as such), but when they turned it into a lightweight factory special, it looked both pretty and mean. That’s without mention of the ultra-high dollar DB4GT Zagato (of which Bonhams also has one at this same sale).

The high performance DB4GT went on sale in late 1959. We’ve featured the original factory prototype, but what we have here is one of the most successfully campaigned classic British race cars on the market. So what differentiates this from the normal DB4? Well it’s a few inches shorter, for one. Alloy bits were applied everywhere from the doors, hood, and even some suspension parts.

With lightweight cylinder heads and high compression pistons, the 3.7-liter straight-six made 302 horsepower. This particular car was fitted with an Aston-built 4.2-liter racing engine about 15 years ago. The original engine comes with the car, but for competition purposes its safer to use a reproduction (albeit a correct, factory-built one).

Road registered when new, this car competed in some hillclimbs and circuit events, acquiring damage from two separate accidents in the process. The factory completed all repairs. With known ownership history from new, this car comes with an extensive file of its successes on the historic racing circuit. Only 75 DB4GTs were built (with another 19 Zagato-bodied versions and the lone Bertone Jet). This very usable example should bring between $3,100,000-$3,300,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

1960 Edsel Convertible

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.

Three Cars from the Jaguar Land Rover Collection

Three Cars from the Jaguar Land Rover Collection

Offered by Brightwells | Bicester, U.K. | March 21, 2018


1974 Rover P6 3500 Estoura

Photo – Brightwells

Jaguar Land Rover bought the entire 453 car James Hull collection in 2014. Many of those cars were Jaguars, but they had a bunch of other oddballs and are selling a good number of them. We’ll show you three, starting with this Rover P6 Estoura.

The Rover P6 3500 was produced between 1968 and 1977. They’re powered by a 3.5-liter V-8 making 146 horsepower. The cars were four-door sedans and if you wanted a wagon, you had to go to an outside company. Enter FLM Panelcraft, who turned 150 P6 3500 sedans into Estoura estates. It is said that this is one of the finest of this model in existence and you can read more here.

Update: Sold $13,578.


1960 Vauxhall Velox Friary Estate

Photo – Brightwells

This looks like Britain’s idea of a big American wagon. Which it kind of is as it was built by Vauxhall, then a division of General Motors. Well, actually GM didn’t build it as the Velox PA, which was produced between 1957 and 1962, was only offered from the factory as a four-door sedan.

But estate cars were popular and if the factory wouldn’t build them, someone else would. In this case, it was Friary of Basingstoke and the result is beautiful, in a 1960s wagon kind of way. This car is powered by a 2.3-liter straight-six making 83 horsepower. This example was restored at some point.

The Queen had one – and now you can too. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $12,729


1977 Princess 2200 HL

Photo – Brightwells

Brightwells dubbed this sale “affordable classics” and that’s exactly what we have here. Princess was a marque produced by British Leyland from 1975 to 1981 (and for an extra year in New Zealand). It was not an Austin, nor a Morris (though it was produced by the Austin-Morris Division) but was a separate brand entirely.

This is a first generation Princess (of two) and it sports the larger of the two engines offered during its 1975-1978 model run. It’s a 2.2-liter straight-six making 110 horsepower. Two trims were offered, with this being the lesser of them. It’s a super 1970s car if you want a throwback to what is largely considered a sad era for British motorcars. But Princess-branded cars are getting harder to find. Click here for more info on this one.

Update: Sold $3,111.

Vauxhall Velox Estate

1960 Vauxhall Velox Friary Estate

Offered by Brightwells | Bicester, U.K. | March 21, 2018

Photo – Brightwells

This looks like Britain’s idea of a big American wagon. Which it kind of is as it was built by Vauxhall, then a division of General Motors. Well, actually GM didn’t build it as the Velox PA, which was produced between 1957 and 1962, was only offered from the factory as a four-door sedan.

But estate cars were popular and if the factory wouldn’t build them, someone else would. In this case, it was Friary of Basingstoke and the result is beautiful, in a 1960s wagon kind of way. This car is powered by a 2.3-liter straight-six making 83 horsepower. This example was restored at some point.

The Queen had one – and now you can too. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $12,729

Tatra 603

1960 Tatra 603

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | June 24, 2017

Photo – Auctions America

Czechoslovakia’s Tatra built some of the coolest looking sedans of all time. The 603 was the newest iteration of their streamlined, rear-engined, air-cooled spaceship-style cars that dated back to the Tatra 77 of 1934. The 603 was built in three series between 1956 and 1975.

There were slight styling changes over the course of production (that had slight name changes along with it). The original 603 was only built from 1956 through 1962. The engine is a 2.5-liter V-8 making 99 horsepower and 112 ft-lbs of torque.

The 603 was used by high-ranking Czech officials but it was also exported to other countries as well. What’s weird is that this car is listed as a 1960, but the original 603 had an alien-like tri-headlight design. This car seems to have the hood from the original model model but the headlight design of the 1968-1975 2-603 II. It’s confusing. But it’s still cool, and it should bring between $35,000-$45,000. These are handbuilt cars and only 20,422 were built between all three models. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Auctions America’s Santa Monica lineup.

Update: Sold $41,800.

Three Italian Microcars

1975 Casalini Sulky

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 8, 2017

Photo – Brightwells

Casalini bills itself as the oldest microcar company in the world. Not the first, the oldest. They sold their first microcar in 1969 and are still selling tiny vehicles in Europe today. They built this thing – with slight modifications over time – from 1971 through 2000.

Let’s talk about that name, “Sulky.” It seems like it would only by driven by depressed divorcees and people who just failed out of graduate school. Just imagine passing a parade of these things on the highway, all of the drivers sobbing and listening to Adele (okay, so a sulky is technically a type of one-seat horse-drawn carriage).

This car is powered by a 50cc single-cylinder (later cars had 60cc singles then 250cc twins) situated above the rear wheels (which are driven). While the outside of this car looks a little rough, the photos of the engine compartment make it seem very clean, so it might actually be a runner. It will sell at no reserve and you can see more photos here.

Update: Sold $1,701.


1960 Lambretta Li 175

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 8, 2017

Photo – Brightwells

Innocenti’s fame stems mostly from their line of Lambretta scooters that sold like crazy in Italy after WWII. They built a lot of cars too, but the Lambretta name is more well known than Innocenti’s. The first three-wheelers were badged as Lambrettas but later trucklets (there were vans too) were called the Innocenti Lambro.

This pickup model has a 175cc single-cylinder engine making 7 horsepower. This vehicle is listed in the auction catalog as a “circa 1960 Innocenti Lambro”, which, when coupled with the engine size, raises some questions. If it’s truly an Innocenti Lambro, it would be a Lambro 175 model, which was built from 1963 through 1965. There were also Lambretta-badged pickups with a 175cc engine built from 1959 through 1963. The real giveaway is the badging on it which clearly makes it a Lambretta Li 175, likely a Series 2 model at that. Top speed is 38 mph in case you’re hellbent on setting land speed records.

These aren’t seen too often today (especially outside of Italy) and this one, which is kind of rough, should sell for between $1,875-$2,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,403.


1962 Moto Guzzi Ercole

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 8, 2017

Photo – Brightwells

This is (at least) the third commercial vehicle produced by a motorcycle manufacturer that we’ve featured. In the vein of the famous Vespa Ape and Lambretti Lambro, the Moto Guzzi Ercole is a scooter-based pickup truck (though this one seems larger). The Ercole was first introduced in 1946 by Moto Guzzi, Europe’s oldest continuously operating motorcycle manufacturer.

The Ercole would be made through 1980 and this one is powered by a hefty 500cc single-cylinder engine. This three-wheeler is really just a motorcycle up front (the inside of the “passenger compartment” is literally just a motorcycle) with a steel cage wrapped around it. The rear pickup bed is a dumper, which is nice. It will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,403.

Lambretta Li 175

1960 Lambretta Li 175

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 8, 2017

Photo – Brightwells

Innocenti’s fame stems mostly from their line of Lambretta scooters that sold like crazy in Italy after WWII. They built a lot of cars too, but the Lambretta name is more well known than Innocenti’s. The first three-wheelers were badged as Lambrettas but later trucklets (there were vans too) were called the Innocenti Lambro.

This pickup model has a 175cc single-cylinder engine making 7 horsepower. This vehicle is listed in the auction catalog as a “circa 1960 Innocenti Lambro”, which, when coupled with the engine size, raises some questions. If it’s truly an Innocenti Lambro, it would be a Lambro 175 model, which was built from 1963 through 1965. There were also Lambretta-badged pickups with a 175cc engine built from 1959 through 1963. The real giveaway is the badging on it which clearly makes it a Lambretta Li 175, likely a Series 2 model at that. Top speed is 38 mph in case you’re hellbent on setting land speed records.

These aren’t seen too often today (especially outside of Italy) and this one, which is kind of rough, should sell for between $1,875-$2,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,403.

SWB California Spider

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2017

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The California Spider is one of the most sought-after road-going Ferraris. Prices have stair-stepped up in recent years from $4 million to $11 million and on up to the $15-$17 million range. The 250 series has a long and varied model history, but the GT cars started in 1954 and the long-wheelbase California Spider was built between 1957 and 1959.

The short-wheelbase version debuted in 1960 and was built through 1961. It is powered by a 3.0-liter SOHC V-12 making 280 horsepower. In addition to a shorter wheelbase, the cars also sported revised suspensions, brakes, and engine internals. Visually, the SWB cars did not depart much from the LWB version, but they are a little more aggressive-looking. The car you see here lacks a chromed front bumper, as it was removed by the owner of the car in the late 1960s.

Prior to being exported to America in 1968 this car was used in an Italian film. The current owner has had it since 2006 and stands to make quite a nice profit off of it at auction. Only 56 SWB California Spiders were built and they are usually the more expensive version of the ultimate drop-top 250 GT. Look for a price in excess of $10 million in January. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Facel Vega Excellence

1960 Facel Vega Excellence

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | October 30, 2016

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Facel S.A. was founded in 1939 in Paris (great timing!) to make aircraft components. In 1948, they started an automotive division and their first production cars appeared in 1954. The early two-door cars were sporty, stylish and the epitome of French style in the 1950s.

What’s usually forgotten is that Facel Vega produced a sedan. Between 1958 and 1964, they built the Excellence – a model with a name that leaves a lot to live up to. Built in three series, each had slight styling changes and a different engine. This is the most common of the three, the second series, which was built from late 1958 through the middle of 1961. It is powered by a 360 horsepower 5.9-liter Chrysler V-8.

Only 137 of the series two cars were built with only 156 examples of the Excellence produced in total before Facel Vega production ceased in 1964. This highly original example has been owned by the same guy since 1979. The Excellence is a full on powerful luxury sedan right there with the Bentleys, Lagondas, Rolls-Royces, and Maseratis of the day. Exceedingly rare, this one should bring between $90,000-$135,000. Click here for  more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Daimler Dart Prototype

1960 Daimler SP250 AHC Retractable Hardtop Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Daimler SP250 “Dart” was a sports car built by the British Daimler company between 1959 and 1964. It was a weird thing for Daimler to build, as they specialized in big sedans and limousines. Obviously, as this is a 1960, it is not one of the original SP250 prototypes. Instead, it is a one-off prototype car built by the Antony H Croucher Precision & Prototype Engineering Company to showcase their novel retractable hardtop system.

The car was also slightly enlarged – it features four seats and a larger trunk. The work was completed in 1963 and the car is still powered by the SP250’s 2.5-liter V-8 that puts out 140 horsepower. A hardtop was an available option on the SP250, but this car’s can disappear into the trunk. Amazingly, the hardtop can be raised or lowered while driving.

The car has recently been freshened and is operable – roof included. Originally orange, it was repainted this silver that looks great when wet. Only 2,654 Darts were produced in total and this is the only one with a retractable hardtop. It has been owned by the same family since it was built and should bring between $65,000-$92,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.