Tag Archives: 1970

GS Stage 1 Convertible

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1970 Buick GS Stage 1 Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 17-21, 2016

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The GS – or Grand Sport – began life as an option package on the Buick Skylark in 1965. It was essentially an engine upgrade and it became its own model in 1967 as the GS. In 1973, once the muscle car era had abruptly ended, the name was lengthened to Grand Sport.

The “Stage 1” was the king engine for the GS line and it was introduced in 1969. The 455 Stage 1 is a 7.5-liter V-8 rated at 360 horsepower and an awesome 510 lb-ft of torque. These cars were well-equipped from the factory with just about every bit of GM know-how built into them. That said, this is a relatively low-option car, as it was outfitted for performance and not necessarily luxury.

This car was restored just prior to 2011 and is one of only 67 4-speed Stage 1 Convertibles built in 1970. Only 19 are known to still exist, with this being the lowest-option model thought to have been built. It’s the biggest, baddest Buick of the muscle car era and it should bring between $200,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Indy.

Update: Sold $185,000.

Hemi Challenger Convertible

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1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 15-24, 2016

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Rare Hemi week continues with this, Dodge’s bad-boy muscle car from 1970. The original Challenger model was produced between the 1970 and 1974 model years only. The 1970 model is the most collectible, followed by the ’71s.

What 1970 had and the other years didn’t was a Convertible. The R/T performance package was also available (it included beefy brakes, etc.). Only 1,070 R/T Convertibles were sold in 1970. Guess what, the Hemi makes it even rarer. Long the Holy Grail of muscle cars, the 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible had 14 built. Only nine Hemi Challenger Convertibles were ever made. Of those nine, this is one of four cars equipped with an automatic transmission.

The 425 horsepower, 7.0-liter “426 Hemi” V-8 is a numbers matching example on this low-mileage, restored car. In fact, it has covered less than 1,500 miles since the restoration was completed. It’s must-have muscle if you’re in that game. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Sold $1,650,000.

’70 Hemi Cuda Convertible

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1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 15-24, 2016

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The 1970-1971 Plymouth ‘Cudas are the best muscle cars. Yeah, that’s sort of a sweeping statement (and entirely opinion)… but it’s true. We’ve featured a 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda and a ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible (and a ’70 ‘Cuda Convertible that is supposed to look like a Hemi), but never a ’70 Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible. Which is what this car is.

Hemi ‘Cuda Convertibles are among the rarest of muscle cars: only 11 were built in 1971 and only 14 were built in 1970. That Hemi is a 7.0-liter V-8 rated at 425 horsepower. This car is one of five (of the 14) equipped with a four-speed manual transmission. On top of that, this car is loaded with options and was sold new in British Columbia.

It came back to the U.S. in 1999 and was restored. It’s covered a little over 27,000 miles in its life. Offered in factory-correct Lemon Twist paint, this car will easily break the million dollar mark. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Florida.

Update: Sold $2,675,000.

Marcos 3 Litre

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1970 Marcos 3 Litre

Offered by H&H Classics | Chateau Impney, U.K. | December 12, 2015

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Marcos Engineering Ltd was founded in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin (the brother of Cosworth co-founder Mike Costin). The company built quite the variety of kit cars and sports cars over the years before going out of business in 2007. The Marcos GT was a line of sports cars first introduced in 1964. The first car featured a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine.

But in 1968, the company introduced the 3 Litre model – which uses a 3.0-liter V-6 making 140 horsepower. Most of these were sold as kit cars. This one is in decent shape but could use a freshening.

The GT was built until the company went out of business in 1971 after an aborted attempt to enter the U.S. market. It wasn’t until 1981 that the company re-emerged and the GT went back into production until 1990. This example could bring between $18,275-$22,850. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Cadillac NART Zagato

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1970 Cadillac NART Zagato

Offered by Stanislas Machoïr | Nice, France | October 17, 2015

Photo - Stanislas Machoir

Photo – Stanislas Machoir

Luigi Chinetti and his North American Racing Team (NART) are legends in American (and worldwide) motoring. He was the man who brought Ferrari to America and the initials of his racing team mark some of the world’s most valuable Ferraris.

In 1969 or 1970, Chinetti met with GM with the idea to create something exotic based on one of their cars. So, using a modified 1969 Cadillac Eldorado chassis, Chinetti (and his son, Luigi Jr., who helped pen the body), created this unique one-off creation.

It is powered by a mid-mounted 8.2-liter V-8 making 400 horsepower. The car is rear-wheel drive as opposed to the Eldorado’s standard front-wheel drive layout. The body was constructed out of aluminium by Zagato in Italy. Styling cues are a mix of both European performance and GM parts bin.

Unfortunately, General Motors never really gave the car any consideration for production but Zagato did show it at the 1971 Turin Motor Show and Chinetti showed it again in New York later that year as well. It’s a super unique piece of history – perfect for collectors of Cadillacs, General Motors concept cars, Zagato concept cars – and even Ferraris. It all ties in. It should bring a respectable $280,000-$450,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Porsche 908 Turbo

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1970 Porsche 908/03 Spyder Turbo

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We’ve featured a 1970 Porsche 908/03 Spyder before. While this car sports the same Martini racing livery, it looks markedly different from that car. The difference is this: the 908/03 was built between 1970 and 1971. The first cars were short-tail wedges without wings or any real aerodynamic bits. 1971 cars had vertical winglets out back. The original cars were powered by a 3.0-liter flat-8.

In 1972, the racing rules changes and Porsche brought most of the 908/03s back to the factory and retrofitted with upgraded body work and a smaller, 2.1-liter flat-6 that was twin-turbocharged to make 660 horsepower. This was one of those cars. You can see the aerodynamics are much more pronounced here with the big rear wing and giant air inlet above the driver. The competition history for this car includes:

  • 1970 Targa Florio – 5th (with Richard Attwood and Bjorn Waldegaard)
  • 1970 1000km Nurburgring – 46th, DNF (with Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen)
  • 1975 1000km Monza – DNF (with Kinnunen and Herbert Muller)
  • 1975 1000km Nurburgring – 3rd (with Kinnunen and Muller)

It was eventually sold into private hands and spent much of its life on the historic circuit. Thirteen 908/03s were built – this is the only turbocharged 908 that still exists. It is race-ready and should sell for between $3,400,000-$3,900,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Datsun 1600 Roadster

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1970 Datsun 1600 Roadster

Offered by Mecum | Seattle, Washington | June 5-6, 2015

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Some old Japanese cars are becoming very collectible. But then there are those that even Joe Car Guy car afford – and that’s what this is. Generally, there aren’t Japanese cars from before about 1960, so the hottest ones right now are from the late ’60s and early ’70s.

The Datsun 1600 was marketed as the Datsun Fairlady 1600 in its home market of Japan. Fairlady was (and still is) not a term that Nissan has really ever used on export models. The 1600 was built between 1965 and the beginning of 1970, making this a very late example. It is powered by a 1.6-liter straight-four making 95 horsepower. And it’s pretty light.

This car is actually very nice and is claimed to have 59,610 original miles, which seems hard to prove. It has great Minilite-style wheels, chrome bumpers, and driving lights. Think of this as a less-common MGB. It’s light and fairly quick. It would be a lot of fun. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Mecum’s auction lineup.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $12,000.

Low-Mileage Hemi ‘Cuda

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1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 12-17, 2015

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The third-generation Plymouth Barracuda was new for 1970 and the top-of-the-line ‘Cuda, when properly equipped, was the absolute king of muscle cars. The 1970 and 1971 ‘Cudas are particularly collectible, but the 1970 model was a little cleaner in design.

This car has the biggest and baddest engine that was available: Chrysler’s stunning 426 Hemi – a 7.0-liter V-8 rated at 425 horsepower. This car was ordered new just as you see it – in high impact Tor Red with painted wheels. The new owner, who was in his 60s at the time, used the car exclusively at the drag strip.

When he passed away shortly after a handful of quarter miles, the car was sold and the new owner covered just a single mile in the car in 16 years. The next owner drove it the most – 73 miles. That’s right. This car has 81 miles on it. It is the lowest-mileage ’70 Hemi ‘Cuda known to exist and short of Chrysler discovering a warehouse full of unsold cars that rolled right off the factory floor into storage, you will never find anything like this again. It is a time warp car – unrestored but completely roadworthy. It is one of the final 10 Hemi ‘Cudas built in 1970 – but it’s the mileage that sets it apart. Look for a price between $600,000-$800,000 when it crosses the block. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $450,000.

Lotus 59

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1970 Lotus 59

Offered by Coys | London, U.K. | March 10, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The Lotus 59 was a successful Formula 2 racing car built by Lotus for the 1969 and 1970 seasons (although it was replaced mid-1970). The 59 chassis was actually used in Formula 3 as well as Formula B and Formula Ford in addition to F2. The only thing that changed on the car between the series was the engine.

This is an ex-Team Lotus car that competed in the European Formula 3 championship. It was a pay-to-drive ride for up-and-coming drivers looking to make an impression and attract a chance in a Formula One car. This car was raced by Bev Bond and was the winning car at the 1970 Oulton Park British Empire Trophy race.

Later, this car would be used in the Ron Howard movie Rush, where it stared as James Hunt’s F3 car. As an F3 car, this car would be powered by a 1.0-liter Cosworth straight-four making about 100-110 horsepower. You can read more here and see more from Coys here.

Update: Not sold.

Mazda Cosmo L10B

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1970 Mazda Cosmo L10B Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 15, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Race cars notwithstanding, you’re looking at the most collectible Mazda ever built and one of the most lusted after Japanese sports cars of all time. Mazda didn’t build its first cars until 1960 but only a few years later in 1967 they would introduce the Cosmo, a true sports car.

What’s even cooler is that this is the genesis of Mazda’s long history of rotary power. All of the RX-series cars can trace back to this, which was the result of Mazda acquiring the rights of NSU’s Wankel powerplant. It’s a 982cc twin-rotor Wankel making 128 horsepower.

The Cosmo was called the 110S for export and the cars were never officially sold in the U.S. They were built in two series, the L10A being the first and the L10B (offered here) being the second – horsepower was the big difference. The Series II L10B were sold in higher numbers between 1968 and 1972 with 1,176 built. This car spent its entire life in Japan and had its mechanical bits sorted in 2011. It is being offered for the first time outside of its home country and will likely cost the new owner between $140,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $110,000.