Tag Archives: 1980

Buehrig Carriage-Roof Coupe

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1980 Buehrig Carriage-Roof Coupe

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | September 2, 2017

Photo – Auctions America

Gordon Buehrig was one of America’s great automotive designers. He worked for Packard, Stutz, and GM but is mostly remembered as E.L. Cord’s go-to man for some of America’s greatest cars. He designed the Auburn Boattail Speedster and the Cord 810, both for Cord’s little empire. Later successes included the Continental Mk II.

In 1979 – at age 75 – Buehrig was sort of honored by Detroit-area businessman and mega-collector Richard Kughn who decided to go into business with Mr. Buehrig to build this, the Carriage-Roof Coupe. Neo-classics were just becoming really popular and why not have one of the designers of one of the original-classics pen one?

This car is bodied in fiberglass and is powered by a 5.7-liter V-8. The design is decidedly Cord-like, which makes sense given their shared origins. Only three of these were built as the $130,000 price was deemed prohibitive. The first example is now in the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum. Richard Kughn still retains the other two, this being one of them. Interestingly, Auctions America originally had a photo of the other car posted. Apparently Kughn changed his mind and wanted to keep that one because now this is the one in the catalog.

No estimate is available for this car, so we’ll just have to wait and see, but it is the first Buehrig Carriage-Roof Coupe to ever be offered for sale publicly. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $25,850.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Kissimmee 2018, high bid of $35,000.

Ferrari 312 T5

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1980 Ferrari 312 T5

Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 18, 2017

Photo – Bonhams

Bravo on the photo, Bonhams. This shot was clearly captured with a car drifting around Sonoma Raceway in the background. Anyway… Ferrari’s 312T line of Formula One racing cars competed in F1 between 1975 and 1980. This car was the last of the series.

Ferrari’s driver lineup for 1980 was the same as 1979: Gilles Villeneuve and Jody Scheckter. This was Scheckter’s car for much of the 1980 season (even though it has Villeneuve’s name by the driver’s compartment). This car was the fastest of all the 312Ts: it’s powered by a 515 horsepower 3.0-liter V-12. The race history of this car includes:

  • 1980 South African Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with Scheckter)
  • 1980 U.S. Grand Prix West – 5th (with Scheckter)
  • 1980 Belgian Grand Prix – 8th (with Scheckter)
  • 1980 Monaco Grand Prix – 14th, DNF (with Scheckter)
  • 1980 French Grand Prix – 12th (with Scheckter)
  • 1980 British Grand Prix – 10th (with Scheckter)
  • 1980 German Grand Prix – 13th (with Scheckter)

Defending World Champion Scheckter retired at the end of the 1980 season and when he went, so did this series of Ferrari F1 cars, as they moved forward into the turbo era. Bonhams is not publishing a pre-sale estimate with this car, but the T3 we featured a few years ago sold for $2,310,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

The Speed Camel

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1980 Citroen Méhari

Offered by Coys | Essen, Germany | April 9, 2016

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

I feel like trying to explain the Citroen Méhari to someone who has never seen one would be a very amusing conversation:

So is it a car or an SUV? Yes. It’s low like a car, but it has stamped lines down the side of it to make it look rugged and to imply off-roadiness.
Does it have four wheel drive? Three years worth of them do. It’s made of plastic.
Well at least it’s light. Is it powerful? No, it has a two-cylinder engine. But it is implied that it is fast because it is named after a fast camel.
That’s weird. Does it look cool? Is it functional? Well, uh, sorta? It only has two seats and a kind of flat space behind them. And it has kind of a tarp for a roof, and windows. So it’s technically a convertible, so that’s cool, right?
I guess. Who made it? The French.
Oh, now I get it. Yep.

The Méhari could have only come from a French factory. Featuring a 602cc flat-twin, the car was introduced in 1968 and stayed in production for the next 20 years. 4WD cars were only built between 1980 and 1983, with about 13,000 of them made. In total, 144,953 Méharis were built.

This one has been well restored and I can’t tell from the information provided whether or not this is a front or four driver. I’d guess the former as the expected price is listed between $16,860-$22,500. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys.

Update: Sold $26,250.

Mustang Enduro Prototype

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1980 Ford Mustang GT Enduro Prototype

Offered by Auctions America | Hilton Head, South Carolina | October 31, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The third-generation “Fox body” Mustang was built between 1979 and 1993. Ford actually took them racing int the 1980s. In the early 80s, these racing IMSA Mustangs were very boxy and wide. So Ford had three road-going prototypes built in 1982 to “resemble” these boxy racing cars. This is one of them (the other two are red).

The engine is a 5.0-liter V-8 that has been modified to something that more resembles a race engine than the Fox body’s dorky 2.3-liter straight-four base powerplant. Horsepower is generously “more than stock.” Everything else – from the shifter, transmission, drivetrain and suspension – has been customized.

This 14,000-mile car is a very rare prototype and one of the coolest Mustangs built in the 1980s – which, let’s be honest, wasn’t the nameplate’s high point. It should bring between $45,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $40,700.

1980 Tyrrell

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1980 Tyrrell 010

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Ken Tyrrell’s Tyrrell Racing was active in Formula One from 1968 through 1998. That’s a pretty solid run, lined with streaks of fame, including the much-loved, six-wheeled P34. This car isn’t quite as exciting.

Candy Team Tyrrell ran cars for Jean-Pierre Jarier and Derek Daly for the complete 1980 season. The 010 debuted at the 1980 South African Grand Prix. This car, chassis 003 was first used by Daly at the 1980 Monaco Grand Prix. The engine is a 475 horsepower 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth V-8.

This car competed in 17 races over two seasons and was driven by Daly, Jarier, Eddie Cheever, and Michele Alboreto. Its top finish was 5th (four times). It should sell for between $295,000-$390,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $246,597.

Five Classic F1 Racers

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Classic F1 Racers

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

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1974 Hesketh 308

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The recent film Rush really put the spotlight back on James Hunt – one of F1s legendary personalities. It also shined a light on the Hesketh team – the coolest team in F1 history. The Hesketh 308 was the team’s first car designed in-house. And this is the first (of three) examples built.

If you were to believe the movie, this car was designed in a barn by Harvey Postlewaite (it was actually desienged by Postlewaite, location unconfirmed). The engine is a 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth V-8 making 485 horsepower. This car was quick from the outset – shocking Hesketh’s rivals. This car was entered in two non-F1 races before the team moved to another car. It was driven in period by James Hunt and Alan Jones. This is an incredible opportunity to acquire a race car from one of the most storied F1 teams in history. It should sell for between $480,000-$890,000. Yes, that’s a big range. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $385,308.

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1980 Tyrrell 010

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Ken Tyrrell’s Tyrrell Racing was active in Formula One from 1968 through 1998. That’s a pretty solid run, lined with streaks of fame, including the much-loved, six-wheeled P34. This car isn’t quite as exciting.

Candy Team Tyrrell ran cars for Jean-Pierre Jarier and Derek Daly for the complete 1980 season. The 010 debuted at the 1980 South African Grand Prix. This car, chassis 003 was first used by Daly at the 1980 Monaco Grand Prix. The engine is a 475 horsepower 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth V-8.

This car competed in 17 races over two seasons and was driven by Daly, Jarier, Eddie Cheever, and Michele Alboreto. Its top finish was 5th (four times). It should sell for between $295,000-$390,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $246,597.

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1966 Brabham-Repco BT20

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Driver Jack Brabham founded the Brabham Racing Organisation with designer Ron Tauranac in 1960. The team was commonly referred to as Brabham throughout its life. 1992 was the final season for the team that started as Brabham and had undergone a few name changes over the years.

Brabham fielded cars for Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme for 1966. The BT20 used a Repco 3.0-liter V-8 making 300 horsepower. Denny Hulme drove this car on his way to winning the 1967 Championship. Hulme won the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix in this very machine. In my opinion, this is the second-coolest car F1 car of this sale, behind the Hesketh – although it is the coolest looking. It should sell for between $795,000-$985,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,502,701.

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1989 Ferrari F1-89

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

For 1989, Ferrari’s F1 car was the F1-89 – also known as the Ferrari 640. It was the first Ferrari F1 car for the new, non-turbo era. The engine is a 600 horsepower 3.5-liter V-12. and it was Gerhard Berger’s ride for part of the 1989 season. Unfortunately, F1-89 was plagued with reliability issues and this car DNF’d every race it was in. Which isn’t really a ringing endorsement – but then again, this is a Ferrari Formula One car you can own – and it will cost you between $825,000-$1,250,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $847,678.

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1982 Renault RE30B

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The RE30B was an updated version of – you guessed it – the RE30. The RE30 won three races with Alain Prost in 1981 and the RE30B combined for four wins between Prost and Rene Arnoux in 1982. This was Arnoux’s car for eight races in 1982 – including three pole runs – Monaco, Imola, and Zandvoort. It was a great qualifier but never raced all that well. Its best finish was 10th at the 1982 Detroit Grand Prix. The engine in this car was a 560 horsepower twin-turbocharged 1.5-liter V-6. It is a relative bargain between $175,000-$220,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM’s Monaco sale.

Update: Sold $315,953.

BMW’s Supercar

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1980 BMW M1

Offered by RM Auctions | Fort Worth, Texas | April 27, 2013

1980 BMW M1

The BMW M1 is the most awesome and supercar-y BMW ever built (I guess the 507 would count too, but its sporting intentions don’t quite match those of this car. And it was built in the pre-modern supercar era). It is the only mid-engined BMW built in quantities to this point.

In fact, it is so revered that when BMW’s M-Power in-house tuning division created their version of the 1-Series, BMW forwent their conventional naming system that would have pegged the car as the “M1” and went with the obtuse “1 Series M Coupe” instead. It’s nice to see a company value their legacy so much.

This car is one of 456 hand-built by BMW between 1978 and 1981. There were competition versions and art cars, but the road-going M1 is a thing to behold. It uses a mid-mounted 3.5-liter straight six making 273 horsepower – which doesn’t sound like a lot now, but this was 1980 when big-power engines were being choked out of existence. It could do 160 mph.

The M1 was the first serious performance car built by BMW. It retained halo status for some time and has never really been equaled (the Z8, maybe). They’ve always been valuable and sought after. This one is expected to bring between $150,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from the Don Davis Collection.

Update: Sold $242,000.

1980 Ferrari Sedan

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1980 Ferrari Pinin

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 11, 2012

Ferrari’s new FF two-door shooting brake seemed to rile some purists when first revealed – for why would their beloved car company build a wagon? Well, the same thing happened when Porsche built, first the Cayenne and then the Panamera. Lamborghini has taken the wraps off it’s new SUV concept – as have Bentley and Maserati. But for Ferrari to think beyond two doors, I fear, would be too much for most purists to handle.

Enter Pininfarina, possibly the most famed of all Italian design houses – and the one most closely associated with Ferrari. In 1980, Pininfarina celebrated 50 years of coachbuilding and they did it by building this four-door Ferrari – and Bonhams claims it is the only Ferrari sedan in existence (the Sultan of Brunei has a few Ferrari four-door wagons, but no sedan that anyone is aware of).

The car was introduced at the 1980 Turin Motor Show with a 5.0-liter V12 out of a Berlinetta Boxer. Only in this case, the engine was in the front instead of the rear. The car appeared at a few more auto shows in 1980 and 1981 and then Ferrari removed the mechanicals and the display car was eventually sold to the Belgian Ferrari importer, who showed the car in 2005 for the 75th anniversary of Pininfarina.

The car was sold in 2008 and the new owner commissioned Ferrari to re-install the drivetrain so the car could be driven. Another 360 horsepower 5.0-liter V12 was installed and the car was finally driven in 2010.

If you’ve always dreamed of owning a Ferrari sedan, this is bound to be your only chance. The current owner paid €176,000 for it at an RM Auction in 2008 and then paid God-knows-how-much to get it running. The pre-sale estimate this time around is $660,000-$790,000. For the complete catalog description, click here and for more on Bonhams in Monaco, click here.

Update: did not sell.