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Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Convertible

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1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

This is the best Chevelle. These are not the best colors for it, but it’s still the best. The second-generation Chevelle was built from 1968 through 1972. The design got bulky and blocky for 1970, which ended up becoming one of the best designs of the era.

The Chevelle model range in 1970 was confusing to say the least, with a couple of different sub-model lines. The SS packages were only available on Malibu sub-models, specifically the two-door Sport Coupe and convertible body styles. So that technically makes this car a Chevelle Malibu Convertible optioned with the RPO Z15 SS 454 option. The base SS 454 came with a 360 horsepower, 7.0-liter V8. This car was further optioned with the 7.0-liter LS6 V8, which bumped power to 450 horses.

Production numbers are pretty confusing for Chevelles – as are verifying if they’re “real” or not (it’s a nightmare). There were 7,511 Malibu convertibles produced, and there were 4,475 LS6-optioned cars made. So SS 454 LS6 convertible production was somewhere in the middle of that Venn diagram. These also happen to be the biggest-money Chevelles. You can read more about this one here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $400,000.

Spyker C8 LM85

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2012 Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Slough, U.K. | July 18, 2020

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

We all know that the Spyker C8 is one of the coolest supercars of this century. It debuted in 2000 and has been produced in a number of different models over the last 20 years, including this, the Laviolette LM85. Laviolette is Spyker-speak for a “coupe.” Specifically, it’s a hardtop with a glass roof and a big air intake.

That air intake helps cool the mid-rear-mounted, 400-horsepower, 4.2-liter Audi V8. This car is a special edition model built to celebrate Spyker‘s Le Mans history and is sort of a road-going version of the GT2 car raced by the factory “Spyker Squadron” race team (which is a badass name for a race team). All LM85s were finished in Burnt Orange and Gunmetal.

Production was supposed to be capped at 24, but according to Historics, only 15 were built between 2009 and 2012. Spyker road cars are already fascinating enough, but a racing-based road car with cool colors is even better. This one is expected to fetch between $158,000-$195,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $281,472.

Lil Red Express

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1979 Dodge Lil Red Express

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

The D-Series Dodge pickup was built in three generations from 1960 through 1980 before being replaced by the Ram (although some Rams still used the “D” nomenclature through the early 1990s). The Lil Red Express was an option package on the D150 Adventurer pickup that was available in 1978 and 1979.

Each Lil Red Express came equipped with dual vertical stack exhaust pipes, wood bed trim, and an 8-track cassette of C.W. McCall’s #1 hit “Convoy.” Okay, I made that last part up, but you can obviously tell this was a pickup for serious over-the-road trucker cosplayers. “Lil Red Express” also doubles as a great name for a ginger rapper (you’re welcome).

This truck is powered by a 360ci/5.9-liter V8 that made 180 horsepower new. Dodge offered a number of special option package (or “lifestyle”) pickups during this era, but this is the most famous. Those exhaust stacks were illegal in some states, so you couldn’t get this truck everywhere. Only 2,188 were built in 1978, and 1979 saw 5,118 takers. Check out more about this truck here, and see more from this sale here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $24,000.

Ferrari F512 M

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1995 Ferrari F512 M

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

The F512 M was the final version of Ferrari’s iconic Testarossa, which was actually first introduced for the 1984 model year. It is one of the most mass-produced Ferraris, and, at the time, it was the second-most-produced Ferrari after the 308 series.

In 1991, the original Testarossa was replaced by the 512 TR, which is among my favorite Ferrari road cars. In 1994, that car was supplanted by the F512 M, which was still powered by a 4.9-liter flat-12, capable here of 440 horsepower. The styling changes are the biggest giveaway. The pop-up headlights were gone, and the car was stuck with these ugly wheels.

Only 501 examples were produced, making it the rarest of the three Testarossa derivatives by some margin. Only 75 were built for the U.S. market. You can read more about this one here, and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Sold $396,000.

Auto Union 1000 S Coupe

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1963 Auto Union 1000 S Coupe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Elkhart, Indiana | October 23-24, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Auto Union was a group of German car brands under one umbrella. But strangely, there were never very many cars sold under the Auto Union marque. In fact, in most markets, the 1000 was the only car ever offered by the brand.

It replaced the DKW 3=6 and looked very similar to that car. Power is from a 981cc inline-three making 50 horsepower. It was produced between 1958 and 1965 and could’ve been had as a sedan, coupe, wagon, or, in SP form, a sports car.

These are very rare in the U.S., even though over 170,000 of them were built. The 1000 was eventually replaced by another DKW product as Auto Union continued to waver on its branding strategy. This example is in great shape and will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $27,440.

Hemi GTX

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1971 Plymouth GTX Hemi

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

The GTX was a model produced by Plymouth for only a few years. It debuted in 1967 as a trim level on the Belvedere. It was redesigned for 1968, when it broke out as its own model, even though it remained more or less identical to the Belvedere/Road Runner/Satellite. It was just more upscale than those models.

That continued on for 1969, but in 1970 it became a sub-model of the Satellite. For 1971, the cars were restyled again (and the Belvedere was dropped). This was the final year for the GTX, and it looked just like the Road Runner and Satellite, again, but was a stand-alone model. You could get it with a 440 or a 426 Hemi. Plymouth moved just 2,942 GTXs in 1971, only 30 of which were powered by the 426ci (7.0-liter), 425-horsepower Hemi V8.

This is supposedly the only such Hemi GTX in Violet Metallic, and it’s coming out of a muscle car collection that Mecum is planning on selling in July. We’ll see. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $250,000.

Zimmer Golden Spirit

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1986 Zimmer Golden Spirit

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

If you say “neo-classic” this is the car that should come to mind. There have been many neo-classics over the years, but the Zimmer is the best (or the worst, depending on your perspective). Founded by Paul Zimmer in 1978, the company produced nearly 1,500 Golden Spirits through 1988.

Bankruptcy followed, and by the strangest of circumstances, the company was resurrected in 1996 by a guy named Art Zimmer. He was not related to Paul. What in the world.

The original Golden Spirits were Mustang-based, and this car is powered by a fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8. It has a car phone and a bunch of horns up front. It’s really everything Cruella de Vil could ask for. Click here for more about this car and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $24,200.

Autobleu 750 MM

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1954 Autobleu 750 MM

For Sale by Very Superior Old Cars | Sassenheim, Netherlands

Photo – Very Superior Old Cars

Maurice Mestivier and Roger Lepeytre’s Autobleu was founded in 1950 as a tuning company focused on Renault 4CVs. They introduced their own car in 1953 and it was based on, you guessed it, the 4CV. It did reach production, but the company was gone by 1959. A second model was introduced, but it’s unclear how many were made.

Autobleu believed in the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” thing, so they developed a racing prototype to help market the brand. It featured a tubular frame and a 750cc inline-four. The streamliner body was designed by our friend Marcel Riffard.

This car competed in the Mille Miglia in 1954, 1955, and 1956 with driver Jean Bianchi. It competed in other sports car races around France and Belgium during that era as well. It was restored a few years ago and is eligible for historic racing. It’s also a very rare example of a product from this brand. Oh, and if you don’t believe it actually went racing, check out the unbelievable period photo below of it surrounded by Italian cars at the Mille back in the day. You can see more about this car here.

Photo – Very Superior Old Cars

Porsche 912

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1965 Porsche 912

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Online/Somewhere in Europe | June 3-11, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is a car I like. Comically undervalued until recently when their prices started to climb, the 912 was an entry-level model situated below the 911 and was built between 1965 and 1969. Porsche built over 32,000 of them during that time.

It’s a 911 look-a-like powered by a 1.6-liter flat-four, instead of a flat-six like the 911. With 102 horsepower on tap, the 912 was lighter than the 911 and was a great handler. We’ve actually featured a 912 prototype, which was based on a 356, the car whose gap the 912 filled in Porsche’s lineup.

They aren’t rare cars (although the Targa variant is rarer than the coupe by some margin), but they carry all of the contemporary 911’s attractive lines at a steep discount. This one is estimated at $57,500-$79,500. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $61,699.

Lamborghini Urraco

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1976 Lamborghini Urraco P300

Offered by Bonhams | Bicester, U.K. | May 30, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

The Urraco was Lamborghini‘s foray into the word of V8-powered sportscars, an arena in which they do not currently compete. In fact, they only produced two other V8 sports cars: the Silhouette and the Jalpa.

The Urraco was produced between 1972 and 1979 and is powered by a mid-mounted V8 available in three different sizes. The P300 model was the top dog with its 247 horsepower, 3.0-liter V8. Styling was by Gandini at Bertone, the powerhouse of Italian 1970s sporty design.

Only 190 examples of the P300 were built, and the seller of this car rates it on a scale of 99/100, which seems generous for any mid-engined Italian sports car from the 1970s. It’s expected to bring between $74,000-$86,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $75,178.