ZiL BTR-152

ca.1960 ZiL BTR-152

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The BTR-152 was built by ZiS (from 1950 until 1956) and later by ZiL (through 1962). In total, about 15,000 were built. It’s an armored personnel carrier from the Soviet Union. The engine is a 107 horsepower straight-six.

This example isn’t in the best of shape, but it does run and drive “very well,” according to the auction catalog. This one wears Egyptian Army markings and should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $34,500.

Five Military Vehicles

The Littlefield Collection

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

_____________________________________________________________________

ca.1960 Daimler Ferret FV701

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Ferret was an armored car built by Daimler in the U.K. for reconnaissance purposes. They were built between 1952 and 1971. The engine is a straight-six making 129 horsepower which can push it to 58 mph. These were used in almost every Commonwealth country up to and into the early-1990s. In total, 4,409 were built and they have become an attainable military vehicle for many collectors. This one should sell for between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $54,050.

_____________________________________________________________________

ca.1951 Vauxhall Churchill FV3901 Toad

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Churchill tank was used by British forces during WWII. They were built between 1941 and 1952 and they were pretty much obsolete by the time the war ended, making them a great candidate for modification for other service. One such modification was that to a “Toad” – a minesweeper. The engine is a 21.2-liter flat-12 making 350 horsepower. The flail (that chains that pound the ground to detonate mines) has its own engine, another V-12. It will do a whopping 12 mph.

They converted 42 Churchills into Toads in the early 1950s. The one you see here has been fantastically restored and is the only one left in the world. And it is fully functional. This is one of the stars of the show. It should sell for between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $80,500

_____________________________________________________________________

ca.1959 ChKZ 8U218 TEL 8K11 Scud A

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

No, I did not just slam my fingers on my keyboard to name this. This is an accurate vehicle name as I can provide. It was built by ChKZ (Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant) in St. Petersburg, Russia. This particular model of TEL (transporter, erector, launcher) was built between 1958 and 1962. The missile is a Scud A – a Soviet ballistic missile and one of the scarier parts of the Cold War.

The vehicle is powered by a 520 horsepower 12-cylinder engine. Top speed is 23 mph. This is a really cool piece of Cold War history. It can be yours for between $300,000-$350,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $345,000.

_____________________________________________________________________

ca.1967 Praga M53/59

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This is a former Czechoslovakian Army vehicle built by Praga. It uses a Tatra straight-six making 110 horsepower. They only built less than around 350 of these, so it’s kind of rare. This six-wheel-drive truck will do 37 mph. It’s certainly interesting and should sell for between $20,000-$25,000. Read more here.

Update: Sold $33,350

_____________________________________________________________________

1942 Vickers-Armstrongs Infantry Tank Mk III, Valentine Mk V

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Mark III Infantry Tank was called the Valentine in the U.K. during World War 2. They were built by Vickers-Armstrongs, among other manufacturers. It was a big, strong tank that was fairly reliable too. It’s powered by a 138 horsepower GMC straight-six. The top speed was 15 mph. This is one of many tanks I’m hoping to feature over the coming weeks. Between 1940 and 1945, 8,275 of these were built. In original condition, this should sell for between $100,000-$150,000. Click here to read more and here for more from this awesome sale.

Update: Sold $109,250.

Daimler Ferret

ca.1960 Daimler Ferret FV701

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Ferret was an armored car built by Daimler in the U.K. for reconnaissance purposes. They were built between 1952 and 1971. The engine is a straight-six making 129 horsepower which can push it to 58 mph. These were used in almost every Commonwealth country up to and into the early-1990s. In total, 4,409 were built and they have become an attainable military vehicle for many collectors. This one should sell for between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $54,050.

AC Greyhound

1960 AC Greyhound

Offered by H&H Auctions | Duxford, U.K. | April 24, 2014

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

H&H Auctions comes up with some really cool, really rare British cars to sell. And this is no exception. In the late-1950s, AC offered the Ace and Aceca sports cars. But the Ace only had two seats and the Aceca had a sloping hatchback. What about the sporting man with kids who needed a little more room? So in 1959, they introduced the Ace/Aceca-based Greyhound – a sporty 2+2 to satisfy the masses.

Four different engines were offered. This one uses the second-most-powerful option: a 2.0-liter (1971cc) Bristol straight-six making 125 horsepower. The Aston Martin-esque body was crafted out of aluminium and with this engine, the car could do 110 mph.

Remember three or four sentences ago when I said this car would satisfy the masses? Well I exaggerated a bit, because AC only managed to move 83 of these cars by the time production halted in 1963. That’s a pretty low number, making them very rare today. Rarer than a Cobra. This one should sell for between $66,000-$82,500. Click here for more info and here for more from H&H’s sale.

Update: Sold $73,850.

OSCA 750 S

1960 OSCA 750 S

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17, 2013

1960 OSCA 750 S

After the Maserati brothers had sold their stake in the company that bore their name, they set up shop just out of town as Officine Specializzate Costruzioni Automobili – Fratelli Maserati SpA. – or OSCA. The company built race cars and a few road cars until it closed up in 1967.

OSCA threw itself into the spotlight after Stirling Moss and Bill Lloyd won the 1954 12 Hours of Sebring in one of their cars. A few years later in 1957, OSCA would introduce the 750 S – a light and nimble little race car.

The engine in this car is an 850cc straight-four making 75 horsepower. This was the last one built and it was purchased by race car driver John Bentley. The competition history for this car includes:

  • 1960 12 Hours of Sebring – 12th (1st in class) with John Bentley and Jack Gordon
  • 1962 12 Hours of Sebring – 23rd (1st in class) with Bentley and Gordon
  • 1963 SCCA Northeast Division Championship

Bentley raced this thing at just about any track he could, piling on miles at SCCA events all over the East Coast. The restoration was completed in 1984 and the car has been cared for and used in historic events since. Yes, it’s an older restoration – but that just makes it easier to take it out on the track. This is one of 18 750 S models built and it is expected to sell for between $600,000-$800,000. You can read more here and check out more from RM here.

Update: Sold $660,000.

A Classic Bus

1960 Flxible Starliner

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | August 29-September 1, 2013

1960 Flxible Starliner

So we just had two weeks of multi-million dollar feature cars. Yesterday was a bunch of farm equipment. And now a bus? Hear me out: a few months ago I had this idea that collecting buses would be really fun and interesting. Buses built prior to say, 1970, have really cool lines and designs. They are rolling examples of Americana.

So if you ever see a GM Scenicruiser come up for auction, you can count on me featuring it because that is my dream bus. Yes, I have a dream bus. Anyway, this bus was built by Flxible (yes, the “e” is missing on purpose – it was easier to trademark). In the 1950s, the company built some of the most classic American bus designs.

The Starliner was an intercity coach built from 1957 through 1967. 1960 was the first year for the flat-roof (earlier models had a window on the raised part of the back half of the roof). The engine is a rear-mounted (check out that giant air scoop on the back) 4.7-liter Detroit Diesel straight-four making 160 horsepower.

This bus is offered as “partially-restored” and there are a few detail items missing, but for the most part it is complete and is entirely usable. I can’t imagine how long it takes to restore a bus due to sheer size and especially one with intricate details. On the plus side, the interior is bus-like and has not been converted to a motorhome. Only 276 Starliners were built in 10 years of production, making them pretty rare. I have no idea what this should bring at auction, but I’m very interested because I still believe having an old bus like this would be really fun and interesting. Click here for more info and here for more from Auctions America in Auburn.

Update: Did not sell (high bid of $14,000)

Birdcage Maserati

1960 Maserati Tipo 61

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 16-17, 2013

1960 Maserati Tipo 61

In my mind, this is the most-famous Maserati ever built. If you want a classic race car from the Trident People, there are no other cars to consider. It’s a Birdcage or nothing.

The Tipo 61 was introduced in 1959 and it uses an intricate space-frame chassis with hundred of tiny steel tubes connecting everything – hence the nickname “Birdcage.” The cars were used for assaults on Le Mans and every other major sports car race in the early 1960s. The cars were very quick – but the mechanicals were unreliable, so they never won the big races they were supposed to.

This car is from 1960 – the final year was 1961. Only 16 were built in total over the three years (this was the 11th made). The engine is a 2.9-liter straight-four making 250 horsepower. It also weighed practically nothing – only 1,300 pounds. This was a team car of the Camoradi squad – headed by American Lloyd Casner. Its competition history includes the following:

  • 1960 12 Hours of Sebring – DNS (blew engine in practice, with Jim Rathmann)
  • 1960 1000km of Nürburgring – 1st (with Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney)
  • 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans – 53rd, DNF (with Giorgio Scarlatti and Gino Munaron)
  • 1960 Swedish Grand Prix – 2nd (with Jo Bonnier)

It then competed in (and won) some SCCA races in privateer hands later that year. It was sold a few more times before ending up in the U.K. in the early 1970s when it was restored and subsequently damaged during a historic event. A few more European owners enjoyed it after that, restoring it again in 1986 and using it in the Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed. The most recent restoration was carried out in 2006.

This is a very rare car and one of the most desirable and legendary race cars of the 1950s/1960s. And if you’re going to buy one – this is the one to have. It has some of the best competition history and the best paint scheme. It should sell for between $3,000,000-$4,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,090,000.

S/N: 2461

Speedwell GT

1960 Austin-Healey Speedwell GT

Offered by Coys | Woodstock, Oxfordshire, U.K. | June 29, 2013

1960 Austin-Healey Speedwell GT

The Speedwell GT was a version of the Austin-Healey Sprite that was intended for racing. It was developed by Speedwell – an outside tuning company – and there were some noticeable differences between the Sprite and the GT.

First of all, the Sprites are commonly referred to as “Bugeye” (or Frogeye) Sprites because of their inset headlights that gave them a unique – if not dorky – look. This car has the lights in a more traditional place and it’s a fixed-top coupe.

Speedwell was founded by John Sprinzel, Len Adams and George Holbert in the late-1950s. The GT was designed by Frank Costin, brother of Cosworth co-founder Mike Costin. This is one of very few factory-built Speedwell GTs and it is based around a 1961 Sprite Mk I. The engine is a 948cc straight-four making 43 horsepower. Many of the new body panels were aluminium to save weight. It’s a quick car for its class.

The car was campaigned in the 1960s. It’s racing history includes:

  • 1966 500 Miles of Brands Hatch – 17th (with Keith Grant and Grahame White)
  • 1966 1000km Nürburgring – 32nd, 2nd in class (with Grant and White)
  • 1966 GP Mugello – Not Classified, 2 laps down (with Grand and White)

In the 1970s, it was raced and then parked and forgotten until it was rediscovered in the late-1980s and restored. It has appeared at the Goodwood Revival three times since and is in race-ready condition. It should sell for between $75,000-$95,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Coys’ Blenheim Palace sale.

Aston Martin Bertone Jet

1960 Aston Martin DB4GT “Jet” by Bertone

Offered by Bonhams | Newport Pagnell, U.K. | May 18, 2013

1960 Aston Martin DB4GT Jet Coupe by Bertone

The year 2013 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of Aston Martin. It’s only appropriate that the rarest and one of the most desirable examples of Aston’s early GT cars would come up for sale to cap off a year of celebrations.

The DB4 was introduced in 1958 to replace the DB Mark III. At the end of 1959, Aston introduced the DB4GT – a sporting, lightweight version of the grand touring car. The engine was an upgraded 3.7-liter straight-six making 302 horsepower – a 60+ horsepower bump over the stock car. The factory-bodied GTs used a body designed by Carrozzeria Touring. They also made for successful race cars.

The next iteration of the DB4GT was made by Zagato. They were even lighter and had a very racy body and are highly sought after today. And then there is this car. The only DB4GT bodied by Bertone. It’s a steel body and it was actually penned by a young man just getting his start at Bertone: Giorgetto Giugiaro. The car resided in Lebanon before coming to the U.S. In the 1980s it was discovered by the chairman of Aston Martin and it was taken back to the factory.

The restoration – which was immense – was completed by Aston Martin in 1988 and the car has racked up over 35,000 miles since. It’s being offered for sale for the first time in nearly 30 years (the time before that spent mostly sitting out of the public eye). Only one was built. The name “Jet” was acquired over the years and it is speculated that Bertone wanted to build a run of these cars, but the premiere of the car was overshadowed by the debut of the Jaguar E-Type at the same show. Talk about bad luck!

The pre-sale estimate is $4,300,000-$5,900,000. That’s a big range but high-dollar cars like this usually aren’t even assigned a reserve. It’s nice to Bonhams to do so, though. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams’ 14th annual Aston Martin auction.

Update: Sold $4,897,334.

Ferrari 250 Competizione

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 18, 2013

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti

This Ferrari 250 GT is a short-wheelbase competition model that was meant to tear up racetracks all over the world. Except this one never did. The original owner just wanted one hell of a daily driver – and that’s what makes the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta so great: it’s balance of race-bred speed and agility and exceptional road manners.

As a “Competizione” model, this car was outfitted with aluminium bodywork from Scaglietti and a race-tuned 3.0-liter Colombo V12 engine pushing out 280 horsepower. This model is one of the best proportioned 250 coupes you can buy.

At one point in its life, this car had a Ferrari Testa Rossa V12 implanted in it, but when it was restored, the original engine was re-installed. The restoration was on-going for years, finishing up in 2010. Ownership history is known from new (it’s a four owner car). Only 72 aluminium-bodied SWB Competizione cars were built, this is #17. RM didn’t publish an auction estimate but prices should be in the $5 million range. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Arizona.

Update: Sold $8,140,000.