Tag Archives: 1970

Cougar Eliminator

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator Boss 302

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 17, 2020

Photo – Mecum

The Cougar was Lincoln-Mercury’s version of the Mustang, and it went on sale in 1967. It was restyled in 1969 to coincide with Ford’s Mustang update, and the ’69 and ’70 Cougars are probably the best of the breed.

Offered in those two years only was the Eliminator, which was the performance-oriented model. It was essentially Mercury‘s version of the Mustang Mach 1, and it came with an upgraded suspension, a front air dam, a rear spoiler, black body trim, and stripes. You could only get it as a hardtop, and any Cougar engine was available, in addition to the Mustang’s Boss 302 motor.

Which is what this car has. The 4.9-liter V8 was rated at 290 horsepower. Only 2,200 Eliminators were built in 1970, and only 323 were produced with the Boss 302 and a four-speed manual transmission. This car is finished in Bright Blue Metallic, one of four colors available on the Eliminator. It carries a pre-sale estimate of $115,000-$130,000, and you can read more about it here. See more from Mecum in Indy here.

Update: Sold $104,500.

Two Three-Wheelers

Posted on by
Reply

1974 Meister K6

Offered by Dorotheum | Vosendorf, Austria | July 10, 2020

Photo – Dorotheum

Fahrzeugbau Ing. Hans Meister was a car company that operated in Austria between 1962 and 1979. They built a few models over the years, including the GN roadster, the K5, and this, the K6, which was offered between 1969 and 1974.

Power is from a Puch-sourced 49cc two-stroke single rated at 3.5 horsepower. Only 205 examples were built, and it features a fixed roof, two doors, and two seats. Meister only built about 700 cars in total, all of them with three wheels.

You can read more about this one here.

Update: Sold $3,680.

1970 Megu Mopetta

Offered by Dorotheum | Vosendorf, Austria | July 10, 2020

Photo – Dorotheum

Megu, whose official company name began “Megu Metall,” which is kind of awesome, was an Austrian company that started out producing cast metal goods. It was later acquired by Ragnar Mathey who had experience selling scooters, something he would apply to Megu’s future products.

From there, things get kind of cloudy. Production of vehicles is thought to have started in Vienna around 1966 and maybe wrapped up in 1974. The company hung around for decades though, not officially dissolving until 2005. I have no idea what they did for the last 30 years.

The Mopetta was one of a few models offered on Megu’s three-wheeled layout. Power is from a 49cc Puch single good for 3.5 horsepower. You sort of rode it like a moped, steering with handlebars, but it has a windshield, roof, a mirror, and a luggage rack! You can see more about this three-wheeler here and more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $2,365.

Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Convertible

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

This is the best Chevelle. These are not the best colors for it, but it’s still the best. The second-generation Chevelle was built from 1968 through 1972. The design got bulky and blocky for 1970, which ended up becoming one of the best designs of the era.

The Chevelle model range in 1970 was confusing to say the least, with a couple of different sub-model lines. The SS packages were only available on Malibu sub-models, specifically the two-door Sport Coupe and convertible body styles. So that technically makes this car a Chevelle Malibu Convertible optioned with the RPO Z15 SS 454 option. The base SS 454 came with a 360 horsepower, 7.0-liter V8. This car was further optioned with the 7.0-liter LS6 V8, which bumped power to 450 horses.

Production numbers are pretty confusing for Chevelles – as are verifying if they’re “real” or not (it’s a nightmare). There were 7,511 Malibu convertibles produced, and there were 4,475 LS6-optioned cars made. So SS 454 LS6 convertible production was somewhere in the middle of that Venn diagram. These also happen to be the biggest-money Chevelles. You can read more about this one here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $400,000.

Buick GSX

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Buick GSX

Offered by Mecum | Jefferson, North Carolina | June 5, 2020

Photo -Mecum

“GS” is Buick-speak for something sporty. It’s been applied to Regals, Wildcats, and Rivieras. In 1966, the Skylark Gran Sport became its own sub-model in the Skylark line. It was broken out as its own model in 1967 in GS350 and GS400 form.

In 1970, Buick updated the model line to base or 445 forms, and it continued in this form through 1972. In the middle of 1970, Buick added the GSX performance package as a $1,196 option on the Gran Sport 455. Equipment included a hood tachometer, a four-speed Hurst shifter, and a 350 horsepower, 445ci (7.3-liter) V8. Only two colors were offered, and this one is finished in Saturn Yellow.

This was the top Buick of the muscle car era, and it debuted right at peak muscle car time. It was sort of downhill after this. In fact, in 1971, the GSX was just an appearance package. This example is one of two offered at this sale (the other one is white). You can see more about it here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Sold $140,800.

Superbird

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Plymouth Superbird

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 11-19, 2020

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

We’ve featured a pair of Plymouth Superbirds in the past. One was a former NASCAR race car, and the other was Hemi-powered. Aside from the 426ci Hemi, Plymouth offered another engine in the “base” Superbird – a 440ci V8.

It came in two forms. One had a single four-barrel carburetor and made 375 horsepower, and the other, as this car has, is the same 7.2-liter V8 but with three two-barrel carburetors (the “Six-Barrel”) good for 390 horsepower.

This car is finished in Limelight Green, and it looks amazing. Production numbers, somehow, aren’t quite known. Everywhere you look gives you a different answer. It’s thought that about 1,920 Superbirds were produced in total. Only about 665 of those were Six-Barrel 440 cars. This one is selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $313,500.

Ruger Prototype

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Ruger Sports Tourer Prototype

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 10-11, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is the second of two prototypes built by William B. Ruger that bore his name. Powered by a 7.0-liter Ford V8, the cars are built in the style of old Bentleys, etc., and this one very much has some Bugatti looks to it.

According to the auction catalog, the development of the prototypes cost $800,000 in 1969. They were too expensive to ever put into production, but the Ruger family really didn’t need a car company as they were making a killing selling guns.

You’d be hard-pressed to notice that this car was built in 1970 and not 1929. The details are great, and it’s covered almost 15,000 miles since it was built. It’s like if someone tried to build the best 1970-model-year car today with all of the new engine and chassis technology available (oh wait, that’s what Dodge has been doing for the last decade #burn). This isn’t a replica or a neo-classic. It’s a brand-new 1930 Bentley-style tourer. It just happened to be built in 1970.

This car was featured in Motor Trend in 1970. It’s the first time either of the Ruger-branded cars has ever been offered for sale, as the family has retained them since new. It’s being sold without reserve. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $44,000.

Richard Petty’s Superbird

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Plymouth Superbird NASCAR

Offered by Mecum | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | July 13-August 3, 2019

Photo – Mecum

Well here’s something you don’t see every day: an actual ex-Richard Petty be-winged Superbird. Plymouth built the Superbird in the hopes of dominating NASCAR. Also, it had the intended effect of luring Richard Petty back to driving Chrysler products, as he had jumped ship in 1968 to go run Fords.

This Superbird was restored by the Pettys and has apparently been authenticated as the real deal, though he likely ran multiple cars throughout the season as this is described as the superspeedway and large oval car. Petty won 18 races in 1970, leading to the huge wing and other aero effects being quickly banned from competition.

Power is from a 426ci Hemi V8 that was built by Petty Enterprises, which means it is probably producing more than the 425 horsepower quoted by the factory. The top speed of these cars is over 190 mph, which is pretty impressive if you consider the gearing the street cars had.

This piece of NASCAR history should draw inspired bidding. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $3,500,000.

AAR ‘Cuda

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda AAR

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 16, 2019

Photo – Mecum

The Plymouth Barracuda was only built between 1964 and 1974, but it stands among the best muscle cars of the era. While Hemi ‘Cudas and Hemi ‘Cuda convertibles are certainly cool, the AAR is really, really cool. And so is its corporate cousin: the Dodge Challenger T/A.

What it amounted to was essentially an option package. It was supposed to be a street version of the ‘Cuda Trans-Am racing car that was campaigned by Dan Gurney’s All American Racers, hence the AAR designation. They were all powered by 5.6-liter (340) V8s equipped with the “Six Pack” of three two-barrel carburetors. Output was rated at 290 horsepower.

Only available in 1970, the cars could be had in a variety of wild colors, and all of them had a flat black hood and side graphics. This one is finished in Moulin Rouge. Only 2,724 examples were built in a two-month production run. Mecum has a rare estimate on this one: $60,000-$70,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Indy.

Update: Sold $53,900.

Twister Special Mustang

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Ford Mustang Mach I Twister Special

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 14-19, 2019

Photo – Mecum

The first generation Mustang is generally further broken down into four separate generations, including the 1969 and 1970 “third” group. Highlights of this era were the new Mach I and Boss variants. Some of the coolest early Mustangs were produced in these two years.

For some reason, Ford dealers in Kansas had some kind of pull with Ford’s marketing department and managed to get their own special edition Mach I. It was called the “Twister Special” and they were only sold in Kansas. All were finished in Grabber Orange with black graphics and only half of them received the 7.0-liter Super Cobra Jet V8 that was rated at 335 horsepower.

In all, only 96 examples were built. Potential bidders will have to ponder if the tornado graphics on the rear quarter panels are worth a premium over a similarly-equipped SCJ Mach I. They’re still cool, though. You can read more about this car here, and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $180,000.

Monteverdi 375/4

Posted on by
Reply

1970 Monteverdi 375/4 Sedan

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | April 11-12, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Most boutique car companies focus on high-end sports cars. Not Peter Monteverdi’s Swiss shop. In addition to building superfast sports cars, he sold high-end SUVs and extremely lengthy sedans for the world’s elite.

The High Speed line of cars was produced between 1967 and 1976. Most of them were 2-door coupes. There is one surviving convertible. And then there are these, the sedans. Fewer than 30 were built, and after production ceased, the Qatari Royal Family wanted some, so Monteverdi built seven more in the late 1970s. I once saw one of those cars plow into the back of a McLaren MP4-12C. So that was fun.

This car is powered by a 7.2-liter Chrysler V8, which makes a great sound, and the chassis features a 20-inch stretch over the coupe. The wheelbase looks insane, but these are big cars. For royalty. And they never change hands. This one is expected to bring between $225,000-$275,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM Sotheby’s in Essen.

Update: Sold $197,113.