Ford EX Concept

2001 Ford EX Concept

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | August 27-31, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Well this is pretty cool, isn’t it? It’s a true concept car – you don’t recall Ford selling anything like this in the past 15 years, do you? It’s cool. It’s wild. It’s extreme.

This is actually a working, drivable concept car. It’s powered by a 4.0-liter V-6 making 375 horsepower and lots of torque. It’s four-wheel drive, obviously, and although they don’t quite look it, those are 33-inch tires. It resembles more of the modern side-by-side ATV than it does a production truck.

If Ford would’ve built this, they would have been off-road legends. Instead, there is just this one example. If go-anywhere is your thing, then this is your ute. It has to be massively entertaining with all that power, no real weight, and extreme off-road capability (although it’s a little rare to be thrashing it on the trails). In any event, it should sell for between $75,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $96,250.

Update: Sold, Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2017, $110,000.

Update: Sold, Mecum Phoenix 2019, $99,000.

July 2014 Auction Recap

Welcome to our July 2014 auction rundown, beginning with Artcurial’s 2014 Le Mans sale. The top sale was this 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL for $1,505,502.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Our feature cars all sold, with the Jaguar Buetler Prototype leading the way and smashing its estimate, selling for $217,162. Both other cars, the D.B. HBR5 and the Koenig Testarossa, sold for $160,860 each. Interesting cars were topped by this 1966 Fiat 1500 GT Barchetta by Ghia for $96,516. Check out full results here.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

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Chrysler Plainsman Concept

1956 Chrysler Plainsman Concept by Ghia

Offered by Auctions America | Burbank, California | August 1-2, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Chrysler had a pretty good relationship with Ghia in the 1950s. The famed Italian design house built some pretty good-lookin’ rides for this one of Detroit’s Big Three during the decade. You might not call this car “good-lookin'” but it definitely screams “1950s.”

The design is by Virgil Exner and it certainly is of the era. I’m not sure about the name, however, and am pretty confident no one would buy a car called the “Plainsman” (although that would be a very apt name for the Camry). The original engine is gone, but since the 1960s it’s used a 440 (7.2-liter) V-8 making 375 horsepower.

This is said to be the only known station wagon concept car from the 1950s still in existence. It has an international history: being sold to a high-ranking Cuban official in the 1950s before the revolution. He had to smuggle the car out of the country when Castro took over and he had to flee. After that, it went to Australia where it was converted to right-hand drive and used regularly. Once back in the U.S., it was re-converted to left-hand drive and used even more. This car is highly original and it sold in 2010 for $90,000. You can see more here and check out more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $176,000.

Update: Sold, Worldwide Auctioneers, Scottsdale 2020, $742,500.

Five Additional Military Vehicles

The Littlefield Collection

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


 1973 Alvis FV721 Fox Prototype

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Fox was Britain’s replacement for the Ferret armored scout car. It was designed and manufactured by Alvis, beginning in 1973. The final Foxes were withdrawn from service in 1994.

The Fox here is one of the original prototypes and remains in original condition. The engine is a 4.2-liter straight-six from Jaguar making 190 horsepower. It should sell for between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $57,500.


1942 Baldwin M3A5 Grant II

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The M3 Lee was designed prior to America’s entry into WWII. They were operational around the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1942, a new variant, the M3A5 was introduced. The “Grant II” – as it was called – used a GM engine and was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works.

This tank was shipped new to Australia and uses a 12-cylinder diesel making 375 horsepower. It will do 25 mph and cost the new owner between $300,000-$400,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $276,000.


ca.1963 Panhard EBR-90

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Panhard EBR (which is the French abbreviation for “Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle”) was designed prior to World War II but didn’t actually go into production until 1950. It was produced in three versions, with the 90-mm cannoned version you see here starting production in 1963.

It’s an impressive setup: eight-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 200 horsepower Fiat 6.0-liter flat-12. About 1,200 were built and the last ones left the French military in 1987. This one should cost between $100,000-$125,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $28,750.


ca.1960 ZiL BTR-152

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The BTR-152 was built by ZiS (from 1950 until 1956) and later by ZiL (through 1962). In total, about 15,000 were built. It’s an armored personnel carrier from the Soviet Union. The engine is a 107 horsepower straight-six.

This example isn’t in the best of shape, but it does run and drive “very well,” according to the auction catalog. This one wears Egyptian Army markings and should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $34,500.


1945 ACF M37 105-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This beautiful HMC (basically a motorized Howitzer… artillery on wheels) was built in late 1945 and therefore didn’t see action in WWII. It was built by the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF for short). It was based on the American M24 Chaffee tank.

The engine is actually two Cadillac 8-cylinder engines – making it a 16-cylinder monster putting out a combined total of 220 horsepower. Only 316 were delivered out of a total of 448 orders. Everything on this one still works – so if you’re celebrating the 4th of July today, here’s your firework machine. It’ll cost you between $200,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this amazing collection.

Update: Sold $195,500.

ZiL BTR-152

ca.1960 ZiL BTR-152

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The BTR-152 was built by ZiS (from 1950 until 1956) and later by ZiL (through 1962). In total, about 15,000 were built. It’s an armored personnel carrier from the Soviet Union. The engine is a 107 horsepower straight-six.

This example isn’t in the best of shape, but it does run and drive “very well,” according to the auction catalog. This one wears Egyptian Army markings and should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $34,500.

Alvis Fox

1973 Alvis FV721 Fox Prototype

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Fox was Britain’s replacement for the Ferret armored scout car. It was designed and manufactured by Alvis, beginning in 1973. The final Foxes were withdrawn from service in 1994.

The Fox here is one of the original prototypes and remains in original condition. The engine is a 4.2-liter straight-six from Jaguar making 190 horsepower. It should sell for between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $57,500.

M3A5 Grant II

1942 Baldwin M3A5 Grant II

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

Photo - Auctions America
Photo – Auctions America

The M3 Lee was designed prior to America’s entry into WWII. They were operational around the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1942, a new variant, the M3A5 was introduced. The “Grant II” – as it was called – used a GM engine and was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works.

This tank was shipped new to Australia and uses a 12-cylinder diesel making 375 horsepower. It will do 25 mph and cost the new owner between $300,000-$400,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $276,000.

Panhard EBR-90

ca.1963 Panhard EBR-90

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Panhard EBR (which is the French abbreviation for “Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle”) was designed prior to World War II but didn’t actually go into production until 1950. It was produced in three versions, with the 90-mm cannoned version you see here starting production in 1963.

It’s an impressive setup: eight-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 200 horsepower Fiat 6.0-liter flat-12. About 1,200 were built and the last ones left the French military in 1987. This one should cost between $100,000-$125,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $28,750.

Howitzer Motor Carriage

1945 ACF M37 105-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This beautiful HMC (basically a motorized Howitzer… artillery on wheels) was built in late 1945 and therefore didn’t see action in WWII. It was built by the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF for short). It was based on the American M24 Chaffee tank.

The engine is actually two Cadillac 8-cylinder engines – making it a 16-cylinder monster putting out a combined total of 220 horsepower. Only 316 were delivered out of a total of 448 orders. Everything on this one still works – so if you’re celebrating the 4th of July today, here’s your firework machine. It’ll cost you between $200,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this amazing collection.

Update: Sold $195,500.

GAZ BTR-40

ca.1958 GAZ BTR-40

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The BTR-40 was a Soviet armored personnel carrier built by GAZ between 1950 and 1960. It was based on the GAZ-63 truck. This one has been restored and wears Israeli colors. The BTR-40 was in service until the 1980s in the USSR as well as China and they were poorly protected from all but the lightest artillery. And they weren’t amphibious.

The engine is an 80 horsepower six-cylinder and it has a top speed of 50 mph. About 8,500 were built. This one should sell for between $50,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $58,650.