Tag Archives: auctions america

Vickers Valentine

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

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

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

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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.

Churchill Toad

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ca.1951 Vauxhall Churchill FV3901 Toad

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

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

Scud Missile Launcher

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ca.1959 ChKZ 8U218 TEL 8K11 Scud A

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

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.

Frazer Manhattan Convertible

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1951 Frazer Manhattan Convertible

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | May 10, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation built some cool and interesting cars after World War II. The Manhattan Convertible was among the coolest. 1951 would be the last year for Frazer automobiles, while Kaiser would continue making passenger cars through 1955.

The Manhattan was introduced for the 1947 model year and for 1951, it received all-new styling. 1951 Frazer production was over before 1951 even began (it ended in October 1950). The engine is standard Frazer 3.7-liter straight-six making 115 horsepower.

Production for the 1951 Manhattan totaled only 283 units – and only 131 of those were the large, four-door convertible version that you see here. No one makes four-door convertibles anymore, which is a shame as they are really cool. Wouldn’t a drop-top Accord or Taurus be awesome? The price for this car should be between $50,000-$70,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Auctions America on their home turf.

Update: Sold $27,500.

Ford GT Heritage Edition

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2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 14-16, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Remember when the Ford GT came out and everyone was like “Oh, good for Ford finally doing something cool?” Well while they were doing something cool, they happened to do something even cooler – sell cars in a Gulf paint scheme.

In the 1960s there were a number of race cars that competed in the Gulf livery – that famous blue and orange – the Ford GT40 and GT40-based Gulf Mirage race cars among them. It is the coolest color combination you can get on a race car. Period. Well Ford painted a handful of GTs in this scheme and sold them as “Heritage Editions.” People didn’t want them. But now that the GT has become almost instantly collectible – these are the ones to have.

The GT is powered by a 550 horsepower supercharged 5.4-liter V-8. Top speed is 205 mph. Only 343 Heritage Editions were made out of the 4,083 total Ford GTs built. This one has only covered 80 miles since new. It should sell for between $360,000-$400,000 – far more than the original $139,995 MSRP. You shoulda bought one when Ford was trying to move them originally! Click here for more info and here for more from Auctions America.

Update: Sold $412,500.

September 2013 Auction Roundup

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Barrett-Jackson held a pretty big sale in Las Vegas the weekend of September 26-28, 2013. The top sale (not counting charity cars) was this 1931 Lincoln Model K Convertible. It’s actually pretty exciting to see the top sale at a Barrett-Jackson auction a true classic again after years of muscle cars dominating the headlines. It sold for $352,000.

1931 Lincoln Model K Convertible

Our featured Maharaja Rolls-Royce failed to meet its reserve and thus did not sell. My picks for most interesting are topped by this 1915 White Town Car which sold for $66,000.

1915 White Town Car

Then there was this 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty for $110,000.

1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty

And finally, this 1971 Dodge Demon 340 GSS which sold for $39,600. You can check out full results here.

1971 Dodge Demon 340 GSS

We featured a few tractors over a month ago from Mecum’s August Gone Farmin’ sale. The top sale there was this 1958 John Deere 620 H for $61,000. You can see the results of our highlighted tractors here.

1958 John Deere 620 H

The next sale (based on when I found the results posted) was Bonhams awesome “Preserving the Automobile” sale held in Philly at the Simeone Foundation. The top sale was this 1934 Aston Martin 1.5-Litre Sports 2/4-Seater for $264,000.

1934 Aston Martin 1.5-Litre Sports 24-Seater

A previously-featured Peerless sold for the second time this year, this time for $231,000 (and more than last time). The two Sears motorcars were featured both sold. The Model P brought $38,500 and the Model G Runabout brought a mega-cheap $3,850! Interesting cars were topped by this all-original 1931 Hanomag 3/16 Coupe for $21,450.

1931 Hanomag 316 Coupe

Our featured Stoddard-Dayton sold for $148,500. The related Courier sold for $20,900. Another cool car was this 1904 Knox 16/18hp “Touraine” 4-Passenger Stanhope. It brought an impressive $143,000.

1904 Knox 1618hp Touraine 4-Passenger Stanhope

There was also this really early Auburn. It’s a 1912 Model 30L Speedster and it sold for $49,500. Our final feature car was the Jewel Runabout which went for $25,300. Check out full results here.

1912 Auburn Model 30L Speedster

Next up is Auctions America’s Fall Carlisle sale. The top sale was this 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible for $181,500.

1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible

The most interesting car was this 1928 Plymouth Model Q Four-Door Sedan. It brought $17,325. Check out full results here.

1928 Plymouth Model Q Four-Door Sedan

September Results I

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Before we get to some September auction results, there was one more sale from late August I’d like to cover. It was Silverstone’s CarFest South sale and the top sale was this 1952 Bentley Mk VI Special for $82,520. It might look like a Volkswagen Bugatti replica kit car, but it’s a Bentley. You can check out full results here.

1952 Bentley Mk VI Special

Next up, Bonhams’ Beaulieu sale. The top sale there was this 1926 Sunbeam 3-Litre Super Sports Twin Cam Tourer for $246,605.

1926 Sunbeam 3-Litre Super Sports Twin Cam Tourer

Our featured Chicago Motor Buggy failed to sell. Interesting cars were topped off by this 1913 De Dion-Bouton Type DX Touring. It’s a car I wanted to feature but didn’t get to it. It sold for an attainable $24,185.

1913 De Dion-Bouton Type DX Touring

Our other three feature cars all sold. The Healey Duncan brought $59,119. The Alldays & Onions Tonneau sold for $68,077. And the sole surviving road-going Aster sold for $39,413. Other interesting cars included this 1916 Rauch & Lang Model BX6 Electric Brougham. It sold for $33,143.

1916 Rauch & Lang Model BX6 Electric Brougham

And finally, from the weird category, this 1971 SAVIEM TP3L39 4×4 Gun Bus. I think it’s a hunting car, but I really don’t know. Anyway, it was cheap, bringing only $1,254. Check out full results here.

1971 SAVIEM TP3L39 4x4 Gun Bus

The next auction that this post will cover was Auctions America’s Auburn Fall sale. Top sale was our featured Duesenberg Murphy Convertible Coupe for $1,540,000. Interesting cars included this 1950 Sunbeam-Talbot Mk I Convertible. It sold for $21,450.

1950 Sunbeam-Talbot Mk I Convertible

And how about this 1982 Freeway II? You don’t see these everyday. It sold for $5,225.

1982 Freeway II

Annoyingly, I somehow neglected to feature this 1919 Columbia Six Five-Passenger Touring. This happens every time Auctions America has a huge sale. Something is always overlooked because the catalog is too huge and hard to sort through. This one sold for $11,550.

1919 Columbia Six Five-Passenger Touring

A previously featured Duesenberg Sport Sedan sold at this sale for $962,500 – about $150,000 more than when it sold a year ago. Another Duesenberg, our featured Dual-Cowl Phaeton, sold for $858,000. Our featured Flxible Starliner bus failed to sell. Interestingly, there are about 10 Abbott-Detroit models known to exist. Two of them were in this sale. This 1917 Speedster sold for $19,800. Check out full results here.

1917 Abbott-Detroit Speedster

One more set of highlights: Mecum’s Dallas sale. Our featured Checker Aerobus failed to sell. Top sale was this 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible that happened to be the 1967 NHRA/A Sports Champion. It sold for a ludicrous $3,200,000.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible

Our featured Chevelle Z16 brought $200,000. A previously-featured Duesenberg failed to sell at this sale. Check out full results here.

Duesenberg J-331

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1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy

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

1930 Duesenberg Model J-331 Convertible Coupe by Murphy

The Convertible Coupe bodystyle by the Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California, is one of the most-popular bodystyles on Duesenberg Model Js. It’s on the shorter of the two Model J wheelbases, so the proportions are fantastic.

All Model Js had their bodies outsourced to coachbuilders, but there was a factory catalog for customers who purchased the bare chassis and wanted some idea as to where to go for a body. This was the cheapest body in the catalog – at $13,500. About 60 of them were built.

This car was originally built for a member of the du Pont family and delivered new to New York City. It passed through quite a number of owners over the years, having spent a good deal of time recently in a Chicago collection – until now. The restoration is nice but older and it could a “minor freshening.” Look for a price around $900,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Auctions America’s fall Auburn sale.

Update: Sold $1,540,000.

A Classic Bus

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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)