Tag Archives: auctions america

Bianco Coupe

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1979 Bianco S Coupe

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | April 2, 2016

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Here’s another Volkswagen-based car from Brazil. The Bianco was designed by Ottorino Bianco (who designed Formula 3 cars first). It debuted at the 1976 São Paolo Motor Show but would only last through 1979 when the company closed.

It’s powered by a rear-mounted 1.6-liter Volkswagen flat-four. The body is plastic and fiberglass. It certainly looks like a kit car but they were actually built at a factory – by hand. About 20 per month were churned out.

If you’ve never seen one these don’t worry – most people haven’t. This car comes out of a Brazilian collection and has to be one of very few in the U.S. It should bring between $10,000-$20,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $24,750.

Puma GT

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1972 Puma GT Coupe

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | April 1, 2016

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Brazil is on the board! It’s always interesting to add a new country to our geographical list of cars and Brazil is the newest addition. Puma was based in São Paolo and they got their start in 1966. Brazil was a strange case –  it’s a huge country and imported cars were very expensive. Only manufacturers that built cars in Brazil really sold them there: like GM and VW.

So what do you think this Puma is based on? That’s right, a Volkswagen. It’s got a rear-mounted 1.6-liter flat-four. Complete cars were available in Brazil and some were exported to the U.S. in kit form. A convertible was also offered.

The Puma GT was built between 1968 and lasted up through 1995 when the company went under (the car’s popularity across the sea is one reason the company sprang back to life in 2006 in South Africa). This GT is one of 330 Coupes built in 1972 (they built 484 total cars that year). Puma’s total production as a marque was over 22,000 cars. This car is fully restored and comes out of a Brazilian collection. It should bring between $10,000-$15,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $19,250.

November 2015 Auction Highlights

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We’ll jump first into November with Artcurial’s sale. The top sale: this 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster for $888,450. Click here for full results.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Next up, Auctions America’s sale held in Hilton Head on Halloween. The #1 seller was a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC for $638,000.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Both of our feature cars from this sale sold, with the Enduro Mustang coming in at $40,700 and the Nissan 300ZX being the second-cheapest car in the entire sale at $12,100. Click here for more results. And going back to October, we have Dragone Auctions’ Fall sale in Connecticut. Neither of our feature cars (the Mercedes or Exemplar) sold. The top sale was this 1947 Lancia Aprilia Prototype that we should’ve featured but didn’t. It went for $396,000. Click here for complete results.

Photo - Dragone Auctions

Photo – Dragone Auctions

Now, let’s reach way back to August, for Coys’ Nurburgring sale. The top seller was this 1992 Ferrari F40 for $1,315,800. Our featured Giannini failed to sell. Click here for full results from Coys’ much-improved website.

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

And finally, Motostalgia’s Austin Grand Prix sale. The top sale was this 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren for $407,000.

Photo - Motostalgia

Photo – Motostalgia

Both of our feature cars sold, with the De Tomaso Longchamp bringing $39,600 and the Intermeccanica Italia $105,600. Check out full results here.

Nissan 300ZX

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1992 Nissan 300ZX Coupe

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Toyota Supra. Mazda RX-7. Mitsubishi 3000GT. And the Nissan 300ZX. These were the sportiest Japanese cars you could buy in the 1990s. But by the mid-to-late 90s, they were all gone. As the prices came down on used ones, high schoolers took over, modifying them beyond repair. This car is a glimmer of hope.

This generation of Nissan’s Z-car was built between 1989 and 2000 (although they ceased arriving on American shores after 1996). The engine is a 3.0-liter V6 making 222 horsepower. An even-sportier twin turbo model was also offered. This car does have the glass T-tops.

Because so many of these have been driven into the ground by young people desperate to get their hands on something fast, not many remain – especially this clean and in this condition. In fact, Supras and RX-7s are climbing in price and are hardly ever seen. This is the most common of the three but you never see one that really looks like its got its stuff together. It’s a low-mileage, one-owner car estimated to bring $25,000-$30,000. Hopefully it goes to a good home. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Auctions America’s lineup.

Update: Sold $12,100.

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.

September 2015 Auction Highlights

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Classic car auctions are multiplying like gremlins. September is full of sales, so let’s get right to it, starting with Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn, Indiana sale where this 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 Dragonsnake was the top sale at $1,300,000.

Photo - Worldwide Auctioneers

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

Our featured Jewell sold for $29,700 and complete results can be found here. Auctions America also held a sale in Auburn this month. Their top sale was our featured Duesenberg Murphy Convertible Coupe for $1,402,500. The other Duesenberg failed to sell. We’ll call this 1930 Cord L-29 Convertible Phaeton Sedan most interesting (or at least “prettiest”) for $137,500.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Our featured Intermeccanica sold for $159,500 and a previously-featured Buddy Stewart Pickup sold for $20,350. Click here for full results.

RM’s London sale featured this 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France’ which sold for $7,330,400.

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Our feature cars all sold, with the Bugatti EB110 leading the way at $965,888. The Cisitalia was no slouch either, selling for $224,224. And the Ferves Ranger was apparently worth its weight in gold at $44,845. Click here for full results.

Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale was this month, and this 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible was the top seller at $1,702,210. Our featured Porsche 908 failed to sell.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our other two feature cars both sold. The HRG-Maserati exceeded its estimate, bringing $132,027 and the Scarab F1 car went for $1,053,808. Full results can be found here. And finally, we’ll cover Brightwells’ September sale. We didn’t feature anything from here, but the top seller was this beautiful 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 Coupe for $164,505. Click here for full results.

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

Duesenberg J-394

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1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | September 3, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

There was a time when Duesenbergs were just used cars. Some people knew the value of them, but from about the outbreak of WWII through the early 1970s, these were just big, old cars. Only in the past 40 years have they really become known as the pinnacle of automotive achievement.

Fortunately, there were people who knew this all along and hoarded the things in fields and barns, protecting them. Some of the bodies were lost along the way, but many of the engines survived. This car has a genuine Model J 6.9-liter straight-eight making 265 horsepower. The engine number, 394, is listed as “renumbered.” But it is a true engine.

The chassis has been “remanufactured” (and we don’t know if that means it’s one of the replica chassis or just built from scratch). The current owner has owned this car for many years and, as you can tell, it has been his project car. He basically took one of those engines that survived and decided to get it back on the road. Heroic.

The body is actually a Tourster replica that was built much more recently and is not an authentic Derham Tourster, a car very desirable and expensive. This car might look a little awkward but it’s still a work in progress with original parts mixed in with those that have been remanufactured (the interior is gorgeous by the way). This is a great way to get a Duesenberg without paying “full” price. It should bring between $275,000-$350,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $290,000.

Intermeccanica Torino

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1968 Intermeccanica Torino Spyder

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | September 2-6, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

We’ve featured a couple of Intermeccanica’s cars before and neither of those two really look all that different from this one with the exception that this is a rag top. Intermeccanica was founded in Torino by Frank Reisner in 1959. Since 1981 they company has been based in Vancouver and now specialize in replicas.

But in the late-1960s they were churning out sporty Italian coupes and convertibles, like this Torino. The Torino name was short-lived because Ford protested and the name was changed to Italia. The Torino was new for 1968 and lasted (as the Italia) through 1973. It is powered by a 4.7-liter Ford V-8 making 225 horsepower. The body is hand-crafted steel and the whole car will do 155 mph.

Total production of Torino and Italia Spyders number around 400. This car supposedly escaped the factory badged as a Torino when it should’ve had Italia badges and is thus the “only known” 1968 Torino Spyder. At any rate, these are actually really nice, Italian sports cars from the 1960s/1970s. And they’re rare. This one should bring between $100,000-$140,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $159,500.

Duesenberg J-147

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1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | September 5, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

It’s amazing the history that can be found when you have the right car. It’s sort of like a royal bloodline – you can trace it all the way back. And this car has known ownership history from new.

This Model J (powered by the 6.9-liter straight-eight making 265 horsepower) is not wearing its original clothes. When it was new, it had a LeBaron Sweep Panel Phaeton body on it. The body you see here was originally on J-121, which was owned by one of Chicago’s Wrigleys.

Murphy was the most prolific of Duesenberg coachbuilders and this was their most popular two-door body style. Since its original owner (who owned a radio station in Chicago), this car has spent time at the Blackhawk Collection, the Imperial Palace Collection, and the collection of Dean Kruse. It’s been restored since 2007 and is immaculate. It should sell for between $1,500,000-$1,750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,402,500.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2017, $1,430,000.

July 2015 Auction Highlights, Pt. I

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First up in July is H&H Classics and their Chateau Impney sale. We featured three cars from this sale and two failed to sell: the Chevron B8 and the New Carden. The top sale was this 1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster for $164,920.

1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

Our featured Allard Palm Beach sold for $138,880. Click here for complete results.

The Nautilus from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen sold for $49,411 at Coys’ Blenheim Palace sale. Complete results can be found here. Brightwells July sale had this 1935 Alvis 3.5-Litre Drophead Coupe by Charlesworth as the top sale for $114,700.

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

Our featured Gilbern Genie sold for $7,285 and the Marlin 1800 brought $2,635. Full results are here.

Auctions America’s California sale is up next. The top sale was actually a tie between this 2004 Ferrari Enzo and the following 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster by Nawrocki for $1,870,000 each.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Of our four feature cars from this sale, the top seller was the Pope-Hartford Portola Roadster for $181,500. The Crofton Bug brought a more affordable $22,000. More affordable still was the 1906 Franklin for $19,800. The Sorrell-Manning Special failed to sell. Full results can be found here.

And finally, Artcurial held a small sale in Monaco in July. We featured one car: a 1908 Cadillac. It sold for $23,816. The top sale was this 1989 Aston Martin Lagonda for $174,652. Click here for complete results.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial