Tag Archives: 1966

Ford Cortina Lotus Mk I

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1966 Ford Cortina Lotus Mk I

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | July 8, 2017

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

This one’s a classic – and in a classic livery. The Ford Cortina was a large (for England) family car offered as a two or four-door sedan (or wagon). Built by Ford UK, the first generation was available between 1962 and 1966. The nameplate continued on European Ford vehicles through 1986.

This hot Lotus version of the Cortina came about after Colin Chapman had someone build a twin-cam version of the Kent engine that normally powered the Cortina. Ford must’ve liked it so much that they asked Chapman to fit the engine to some Cortinas so they could homologate it for racing. They were assembled and tuned by Lotus, but sold through Ford dealers in the U.K. It was a factory two-door hot rod that predated the muscle car era, with the first generation of the Lotus Cortina having been sold between 1963 and 1966.

That Lotus-tuned engine is a 1.6-liter twin-cam straight-four that puts out 105 horsepower. There are a bunch of lightweight, go-fast parts attached too, and just about all of the 1,000 examples constructed were painted white with the green stripes. This car was made roadworthy in 2014. It’s a great example of a sought after car that has gained credibility in collector circles on both sides of the Atlantic. It should bring between $45,000-$52,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $56,976.

Costin-Nathan Prototype

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1966 Costin-Nathan Prototype

Offered by H&H Classics | Chateau Impney, U.K. | July 10, 2016

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

The Costin brothers are probably better well known by the companies they founded than by their names themselves. Mike Costin co-founded Cosworth while brother Frank Costin worked at Lotus and co-founded Marcos before joining Roger Nathan in 1965 to build a prototype race car.

Costin did the chassis and body and Nathan worked on the engine. That engine was a one-liter straight-four tuned to the max, putting out 100 horsepower. The chassis is made of tube-framed steel at both ends with plywood in the middle. The body on this prototype is aluminium (later cars were fiberglass). Now a coupe, it was originally an open-top roadster. This is the original Works prototype racer and was campaigned in period by Roger Nathan.

Nathan did win the 1966 Coupe de Paris in this car before selling it in early 1967 (when it was converted to a coupe). The engine was also replaced at this time and now carries a Twin-Cam Lotus 1.6-liter straight-four. The car is being offered from the estate of the man who bought it in 1967. It raced for a few seasons before being parked and is being offered in as-parked condition. It’s the perfect project car for someone who wants a car that is eligible for many historic races. It should sell for between $36,000-$43,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $105,855

McLaren M1B

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1966 McLaren-Chevrolet M1B

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | June 24, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

McLaren has been around since 1963, having entered their first Formula One race in 1966. Today, the company is primarily known for their Formula One team and exotic sports cars. But back in the 1960s and 70s, they built sports prototype race cars for the Can-Am series. Cars like this M1B.

The first Can-Am season was 1966 and McLaren offered customer versions of this car, available with V-8 engines from Ford, Oldsmobile, or Chevrolet. This car carries the latter. It was sold to an American (and in the U.S., these were marketed as the McLaren-Elva Mark 2 as Elva built McLaren’s Group 7 customer cars).

The 1966 season highlight for this car was a 5th place finish at Laguna Seca with Masten Gregory at the wheel (he ran it the rest of the season as well but had a string of bad luck). As an historic race car, it has been used extensively by its current owner and is ready to run. Only 28 were sold in the U.S. and this one should bring between $350,000-$410,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.

Ferrari 275 GTS

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1966 Ferrari 275 GTS

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 14, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

RM is actually offering the other 275 convertible, the NART Spyder, at this sale. That car is much rarer and more valuable (to an insane degree) than this one. This car, while related to the rest of the 275 line, looks nothing like it. The 275 GTB was built between 1964 and 1966 with Pininfarina’s 275 GTS convertible variant available during that same time period.

The car is powered by the same 3.3-liter V-12 in the twin-cam version of the 275 GTB. Horsepower is rated at 260 and the car was built specifically for the American market, though some right hand drive models were also made.

This model was intended as a followup to the 250 GT Series II Cabriolet and its styling reflects that, as it seems “older” than the rest of the 275 series. Only 200 were built and this one was sold new in Chicago for $12,400. It has had only three owners in its life (including one who affixed a trailer hitch to it at one point) and has never been restored. Even the paint is original and it displays beautifully. It should sell for between $1,875,000-$2,100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,026,750.

GT40 Mk I

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1966 Ford GT40 Mk I

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 11, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

The GT40 is the baddest car Ford ever built. It came into existence because Henry Ford II wanted to beat Ferrari. The cars were built in the U.K. and while the cars were initially designed for track dominance, Ford did build and sell road-going models.

The Mk I GT40 was the original design and they used a 4.7-liter V-8 making 390 horsepower. This particular car was built specifically for road use and was used by Ford as a promo vehicle in the Philadelphia area. The original invoice on this car was $10,000. In 1966. Yikes.

It’s had a number of owners on both sides of the Atlantic and was comprehensively restored in 2009. GT40 production numbers can be a little confusing but about 107 were built in total with about 87 of those being Mk I cars. And off those, only 31 were Mk I road cars. They always draw a crowd and road cars aren’t always easy to come by… this one should bring between $3,200,000-$3,600,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $3,300,000.

Maserati Mistral Spyder

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1966 Maserati Mistral Spyder by Frua

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | December 6, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Mistral was a grand tourer built by Maserati between 1963 and 1970. It was Maserati’s true two-seater for the period. The convertible Spyder model was introduced in 1964 (and also lasted through 1970).

Three different engines were offered in this car. This car has the smallest, a 3.5-liter straight-six making 235 horsepower (only 20 less than the largest, 4.0-liter engine). This car is thought to be one of the cars shown at the 1966 Turin Motor Show.

The restoration on this car dates back to the mid-1990s with significant work having been completed in 2012. It has covered 88,000 miles in its life. This car has a removable hardtop and is one of 125 Spyders built. Only 12 Spyders were fitted with the 3.5-liter engine and only 20 Spyders were right hand drive, like this car. It should sell for between $610,000-$760,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold for an undisclosed amount.

AMX Prototype

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1966 AMC AMX Prototype

Offered by Mecum | Chicago, Illinois | October 8-10, 2015

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Collectible AMC vehicles are few and far between. The AMX is usually the go to, as it was American Motors’ premier muscle car. But this AMX is special – it’s an original factory prototype from two years prior to the model’s official introduction.

AMC toured a AMX prototype around the country and it generated excitement (a reaction they probably weren’t used to). So they decided to continue with the program and commissioned two fiberglass prototypes built for testing and development purposes. These test mules were lightweight four seaters with a sharp shark nose. The production cars would have two seats and steel bodies and the styling was toned down a bit as well.

In 1971, a worker at an AMC assembly plant walked up to the head of AMC and asked if he could have of the prototypes, since they were about to be destroyed. And they said yes, selling it to him on a scrap title for $50.

It is a fully functional car – powered by a 5.6-liter V-8 making 280 horsepower. The other car was likely scrapped, making this the only pre-production AMX in existence. AMCs are pretty interesting because they are unusual – this one, even more so. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Failed to sell, high bid of $125,000.

Alpine A210

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1966 Alpine A210

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | June 22, 2015

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Alpine, the sports and racing car manufacturer, is best known for some of its road-going models, namely the A110. The company, which goes back to 1955, is now part of Renault and the marque is dormant.

Alpine also had a very long history of racing cars. New Alpine-branded racing cars have seen the track as recent as 2014. But if you go back to the 1960s, the company was intent on conquering the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They built a string of evolutionary racing cars for Le Mans, starting with the M63 in 1963.

This was the first A210 built (of seven total). There were at least three different engines used in this model. This car has had different engines over the years and is currently fitted with a 1.5-liter straight-four.

It’s race history includes:

  • 1966 1000km Monza – 18th (with Jean Vinatier and Roger Delageneste)
  • 1966 1000km Spa – 9th (with Delageneste and Jacques Patte)
  • 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans – 32nd, DNF (with André de Cortanze and Jean-Pierre Hanrioud)
  • 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans – 40th, DNF (with Philippe Vidal and Leo Cella)

This car is eligible (and has taken part in) many historic races, including the Le Mans Classic. It should sell for between $325,000-$550,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Sold $524,480.

Lightspeed Magenta

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1966 Lightspeed Magenta Runabout

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 15-16, 2015

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

There are so many Mini-based cars that have been built since the 1960s. Seriously, a ton. But this is one that isn’t quite as familiar as say a Mini Marcos or Deep Sanderson. In fact, the Magenta pre-dates Lightspeed. Originally, the Magenta was built around an MG 1100.

But Lightspeed Panels bought the rights to the Magenta in 1972 and the branding changed. Most Magentas are based around Minis – this one is actually based around a 1966 Austin Mini 850, but has since been upgraded to a 1,275cc straight-four making 75 horsepower from a Cooper S. It’s probably also down some weight (because, you know, the roof is gone) – which will likely make it quicker than a Mini of similar vintage and specification.

It is thought that about 500 Magentas were sold into the early 1980s. It may be a kit car, but I bet it’s a head-turner. This one came to the U.S. in 2005 and had been restored in 2001. The end result of this car comes from one of four factory prototype kits. So it’s sort of a prototype. If you want to buy it, it will likely be one of the more affordable cars at RM’s auction in Arizona this year. Check out more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $16,500.

Super Snake Cobra

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1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 17, 2015

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

This car will be one of the stars of Barrett-Jackson’s 2015 Scottsdale auction. It comes from the collection of Ron Pratte and he famously bought it at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2007 for $5.5 million. What’s changed since that price was hammered down? Well, we lost Carroll Shelby. How about a little biblical history of this car:

Genesis: AC built a car called the Ace. It had a six-cylinder engine. Carroll Shelby stuffed a Ford V-8 under the hood. The Cobra was born.

Exodus: AC/Shelby built a limited run (23) Cobra 427 Competition models. Shelby converted one of these (this car) into the Super Snake – the Cobra to End All Cobras. It was a competition-spec Cobra made street-legal with the addition of bumpers and a windshield. They also supercharged the hell out of it.

Revelation: They built a second one for Bill Cosby who, appropriately, found it impossible to control and drive on the road. He gave it back. The next owner drove it off a cliff. Shelby retained this car most of his life. It’s the only one left.

The engine is a 427 (7.0-liter) V-8. It has two superchargers and puts out 800 horsepower. Ol’ Shel himself claims that the car will hit 60 mph in just over three seconds but I doubt there is any way you could possibly get the power down smoothly enough for it to happen. The top speed is still likely limited to 165 mph based on aerodynamics.

This is a fairly legendary car in both the auction world and the world of muscle cars. You can buy it this coming January, but you better have a big bank account. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $5,115,000.