Tag Archives: auctions america

1906 Franklin

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1906 Franklin Model E Roadster

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | July 17, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Herbert H. Franklin founded his car company in 1901 when inventor John Wilkinson convinced him he had a solid design for an air-cooled automobile. Franklins remained air-cooled throughout their lifetime and as time went on, their cars went more and more upscale, which ultimately cost the company its existence when the Depression started.

The Franklin Model E was built between 1904 and 1906. It was Franklin’s light car for 1906 and is powered by a 12 horsepower straight-four. It was only offered as a two-passenger Runabout. This car was re-bodied at some point to resemble one of Franklin’s Speed trials cars.

It is being offered out of a “barn find collection” and therefore is likely not a running, driving example but would be a great little project car. The detail on it is great, right down to the light pinstriping on the suspension. It should sell for between $25,000-$45,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $19,800.

Crofton Bug

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1960 Crofton Brawny Bug

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | July 17, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Powell Crosley’s little automobiles ceased production after the 1952 model year. But the engines his cars’ used – as well as the design of the Crosley Farm-O-Road – wouldn’t be lost forever.

W.B. Crofton was a GMC dealer and owner of the Crofton Marine Engine Company in San Diego and he went into the car business himself in 1958. The Bug was built between 1959 and 1961. It used a similar mini-Jeep style to that of the Farm-O-Road in addition to a slightly modified 35 horsepower version of the Crosley 721cc straight-four.

Only 200 Bugs were produced in total and they’re very rare today, although they seem to pop up here and there. The Brawny Bug was the off-road version that had flotation tires on it and this example is so equipped. It’s a fun, simple off-roader and it can be yours for between $25,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $22,000.

Pope-Hartford Portola Roadster

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1913 Pope-Hartford Model 31 Portola Roadster

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | July 18, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

When one thinks of early 1910s sports cars, names like Stutz, Mercer, and even Marion spring to mind. But not necessarily Pope-Hartford. Yet, of all the companies that bore the name of Albert Pope (and there were many!) this is perhaps the sportiest.

The Model 31 was built in 1913 only (Pope-Hartford only lasted from 1904 through 1914) and the Portola Roadster was the sporty variant, named for Oakland, California’s Portola Road Race. Pope-Hartford did do some factory racing, just not in this particular event.

It is powered by a 40 horsepower 4.9-liter straight-four. This restoration on this car finished in 1999 and it has covered a remarkable (and kind of saddening) 200 miles since. It should sell for between $175,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $181,500.

Sorrell SR-100

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1954 Sorrell-Manning Special

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | July 18, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Sorrell Engineering was a company based in Inglewood, California, in the 1950s and 1960s. Run by Bob Sorrell and his father, they fabricated bodies for a variety of different automobiles – all types of racing cars and even some show cars and customs.

Bob designed a sleek fiberglass body in 1953 that he fitted to a Kurtis Kraft chassis. He called it the SR-100 and he actually ended up building seven of them for customers. But the final one, this one, never made it into a customer’s hands. The chassis was built by Chuck Manning, an aerospace engineer who built customs and racing specials on the side.

Sorrell retained this car until his passing in 2003, despite numerous offers to buy. The car was restored by the current owners and is powered by a Chrysler Hemi V-8, which the whole body lifts up – funny car-style – to reveal. This car is known as the Sorrell-Manning Special, but it is also known as a 1954 Sorrell SR-100. It is expected to sell for between $175,000-$225,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $125,000.

May 2015 Auction Highlights, Pt I

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First up in the month of May, Bonhams’ all-Aston Martin sale where a previously featured DB7 V12 Prototype sold here again, this time for $35,612. The top sale was this 1966 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible restored to Vantage specification that sold for $2,360,784.

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Photo – Bonhams

Our featured DB4 Vantage Convertible was right behind it at $2,332,827. The DB6 Volante failed to sell. Check out complete results here.

Auctions America’s Auburn Spring sale had our featured Ford GTX1 atop the sales leader board, selling for $330,000. Interesting sales were definitely topped by this 1939 Diamond T truck with a really cool beverage trailer.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This sale had some bargains, too – check them out here. Brightwells held a sale in May, as well. Our featured Frazer Nash was easily the top seller at $337,550. Interesting sales included this 2000 Daewoo Musiro Concept car. It doesn’t have an engine, but it did sell for $1,250.

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

One of our feature cars didn’t sell, the H.E. Tourer, but the Dare DZ brought $15,385. Click here for full results.

Mecum’s annual Indianapolis sale always features some big time muscle cars. Unfortunately, our featured low-mileage Hemi Cuda failed to sell. The top sale was a different muscle car: a ’67 Shelby 427 Cobra for a cool $1,000,000.

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Photo – Mecum

Our featured Lightweight Mustang Prototype brought $130,000. Click here for full results. The Veritas from Coys’ Ascot sale brought $263,700 while the Fiat sold for $63,500. Full results can be found here.

Ford GTX1

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2006 Ford GTX1 TT

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | May 7-9, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Ford GTs are hot right now. Like really hot. Try finding one for below $300,000. And with talk of a new GT on the way, they’re about at their peak. So why not roll in an even rarer version with gobs more power?

This is a GTX1, which is not an official factory designation. The GT was built between 2004 and 2006 with 4,038 built. The GTX1 was a concept car first shown at the 2005 SEMA Auto Show. It is special because it is a roadster. What makes supercars better? Why, chopping the top off of course.

The first GTX1 was built by Genaddi Design Group of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Ford commissioned them to build another 30 as a sort of aftermarket conversion. It’s an official car in that it appears in used car price guides and they are listed with the Shelby American Automobile Club.

The base GT uses a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 – but this car has been turbocharged to put out over 1,000 horsepower, hence the “TT” in the car’s name. GTX1s were built between 2005 and 2008 out of original GTs. Does it’s limited production make it more or less valuable than a standard GT? We’ll see: this one is expected to bring between $300,000-$350,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $330,000.

Shelby CSX

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1989 Shelby CSX Hatchback

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 27, 2015

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Photo – Auctions America

The Shelby CSX was built between 1987 and 1989 and was based on the Dodge Shadow. Available as a two or four-door hatchback, they were all powered by a 2.2-liter turbocharged straight-four making 175 horsepower. It offered serious performance for only $13,495. This car is essentially brand new – it still has the plastic on the seats. Only 500 were built and this has to be the nicest one around. It is expected to bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $17,600.

Shelby Charger

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1983 Dodge Shelby Charger Hatchback

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 27, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This was the first car that Shelby got his hands on at Chrysler. They went on sale in 1983 and lasted through the 1987 model year. The engine is a 2.2-liter turbocharged straight-four making 175 horsepower (the Shelby standard while at Chrysler). This model was much more common than some of the other Chrysler Shelbys, with 8,251 built in 1983 alone. Still, it should bring between $12,000-$16,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $11,000.

Chrysler Shelbys

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Chrysler Shelbys

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 27, 2015

 1989 Shelby CSX Hatchback

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Shelby CSX was built between 1987 and 1989 and was based on the Dodge Shadow. Available as a two or four-door hatchback, they were all powered by a 2.2-liter turbocharged straight-four making 175 horsepower. It offered serious performance for only $13,495. This car is essentially brand new – it still has the plastic on the seats. Only 500 were built and this has to be the nicest one around. It is expected to bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $17,600.

1986 Shelby Omni GLHS Hatchback

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This might be the most-famous car that Carroll Shelby’s name was put on during his collaboration with Chrysler in the 1980s. The Dodge Omni was a subcompact car that has essentially disappeared from America’s roads. There was the Dodge Omni GLH (“Goes Like Hell”) which was a Shelby special sold by Dodge. But then there was this, the GLHS (“Goes Like Hell S’more”). This car uses a turbocharged 2.2-liter straight-four making 175 horsepower. That’s a lot as the base Corvette from 1986 only made 230. Only 500 of these were built and this one could bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $15,400.

1983 Dodge Shelby Charger Hatchback

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This was the first car that Shelby got his hands on at Chrysler. They went on sale in 1983 and lasted through the 1987 model year. The engine is a 2.2-liter turbocharged straight-four making 175 horsepower (the Shelby standard while at Chrysler). This model was much more common than some of the other Chrysler Shelbys, with 8,251 built in 1983 alone. Still, it should bring between $12,000-$16,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $11,000.

1987 Shelby Lancer Hatchback

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This was the third product of the Chrysler/Shelby collaboration. The 1987 Shelby Lancer was actually built by Shelby. The 1988 and 1989 cars were built by Dodge. Shelby only built 800 in 1987 – half came with an automatic and the other half had a 5-speed manual (this car included). All were powered by the ubiquitous 2.2-liter turbocharged straight-four making 175 horsepower. The Dodge-built cars are actually rarer than the Shelby-assembled ones, but this is more collectible. It could bring between $20,000-$30,000 as it is essentially brand new. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $16,500.

1989 Shelby Dakota

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This was the only rear-wheel-drive Chrysler product that Shelby put his name on. They were built in 1989 only and this one is fresh – only 23 miles on the odometer. Luckily, it had something other than the 2.2-liter turbo unit used on the other cars. This truck has a 5.2-liter V-8 making… the same 175 horsepower that the little turbo four makes. In all, 1,475 were built, 995 of those were this red you see here (the rest were white). They cost $15,813 when new and this one should bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale lineup.

Update: Sold $24,200.

Renault Delivery Van

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1909 Renault Camionette Delivery Truck

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This old Renault is a good example of how early automakers were able to transform their road vehicles into commercial vehicles without too much undue effort. If you look at everything from the seats forward, it’s very much an early Renault road car. The fact that it has an extended wheelbase and a big box on the back is what turns it into a work truck.

Or more of a van, really, as camionette is French for “van.” Like many early Renaults, this is powered by a two-cylinder engine. The steering wheel is on the right and there is actually a windshield, although weather protection as a whole leaves something to be desired.

If you own a business, this is the vehicle for you. Have it repainted with your logo on the side and use it as a promotional vehicle. It will draw a crowd wherever it goes. This former museum piece is offered with an estimate between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $39,600.