Tag Archives: auctions

September 2016 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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First up: Bonhams, and their Goodwood Revival sale. The only one of our feature cars that sold was the Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica that went for $785,031. The top sale was this 1956 Porsche 550/1500 RS Spyder that went for $5,976,862.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

That leaves the Daimler Dart, Renwick & Bertelli, and Aston-Butterworth all as no-sales. Click here for all of the results.

Another quick one from Bonhams, the sale of the Robert White Collection. We didn’t feature anything, but of the handful of cars (and larger selection of motorcycles), the top seller was this 1930 Bentley 4½-Litre Tourer for $409,994. Click here for full results.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

On to Brightwells’ September sale. The one and only Murad Sedan that we featured brought $1,557 – quite a price for a one-off automobile. The top sale was this 1978 Aston Martin V8 Series 3 that brought $97,367. Click here for complete results.

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

The Finest had a sale in Aspen, Colorado, and this 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series was the top sale, selling for $220,000. Click here for all of their results.

Photo - The Finest

Photo – The Finest

How about one more from Bonhams? This one is the always-interesting Preserving the Automobile Sale held in Philadelphia. The Willys we featured beat its estimate, selling for $45,100. The Locomobile we featured failed to sell, but the top seller was a different, much rougher (although original) car from the same brand: it’s a 1901 Locomobile Style 5 that brought $121,000 after 80 years of ownership by the same people.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Galloway truck we featured sold for $26,400. Click here for complete results.

Pulse Ground Cruising Recreational Vehicle

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1986 Pulse GCRV

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 12, 2016

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

This is one of those vehicles that, among other things, is 1. something you’ve probably never actually seen and 2. is technically classified as a motorcycle. It’s interesting that you need a motorcycle license to drive (ride?) this thing as it clearly has four wheels. I guess that makes it like a motorcycle with training wheels.

The Owosso Motor Car Company of Owosso, Michigan, built the Pulse GCRV (or Ground Cruising Recreational Vehicle) between 1985 and 1990. Their use of “recreational vehicle” is more akin to something you have in your garage to drive for fun on Sunday than something you’d live in, as the phrase is more commonly used.

This thing is powered by a rear-mounted 400cc Yamaha motorcycle engine and is styled to look like an jet fighter. There is even an active Pulse club that does rallies. Only about 347 Pulses were built, though the first batch of 21 were called Litestars before the name was changed. If you want something unique, look no further. It should bring between $19,500-$26,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $23,192.

Reo The Fifth

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1914 Reo The Fifth 5-Passenger Touring

Offered by Mecum | Schaumburg, Illinois | October 6-8, 2016

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

As of 1975 (when the Reo brand finally bit the dust as a truck manufacturer), Ransom Eli Olds was one of three American men to have both of the automobile companies they founded still producing vehicles (the others being Henry Leland and Walter Chrysler). He founded Reo immediately after leaving Oldsmobile and the company set out to build the best cars they could at specific price points.

In 1912, Reo launched a model called “The Fifth” – it was an evolution of his previous cars and he called it the best car he knew how to build. It was his “farewell” car – the last one he would design before handing over the reigns to his company. It is powered by a 3.7-liter straight-four making about 30 horsepower. The car was interesting in that it introduced a center gearshift instead of those old externally mounted brass sticks everyone else was using.

This car, during a partial restoration at some point, had an electric starter added (though the original crank is included). The interior, which shows nicely, is original. While it might look like a run-of-the-mill WWI-era touring car, it really is a landmark automobile from one of America’s automotive greats. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Chicago.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $9,000.

Deep Sanderson

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1963 Deep Sanderson 301 Coupe

Offered by Coys | Paris, France | October 8, 2016

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The strangely-named Deep Sanderson was a car designed and built by Chris Lawrence. A former racing driver for Morgan, he began by building Formula Junior cars before turning to sports cars. The 301 was the first such car the company offered and could be had fully assembled or a kit, as they were based around BMC mechanicals, namely from the Mini.

These rear-engined cars are powered by a 1.0-liter straight-four tuned to make enough power to push this tiny thing to over 150 mph down the Mulsanne at Le Mans. And Le Mans is an important part of the history of this particular car… it actually ran there in 1963 with Chris Lawrence and Chris Spender behind the wheel. The attempt DNF’d, coming in 26th.

The current owner bought this car in 2002 and restored it – with input from the original designer himself. Only 29 of these were built in total (both kits and turn-key cars). This one, a factory Le Mans entrant, will sell for between $78,500-$90,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys in Paris.

Meteor Rideau

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1957 Meteor Rideau 500 Sedan

Offered by Artcurial | Château-sur-Epte | October 9, 2016

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Meteor was a brand of automobile produced by Ford of Canada between 1949 and, remarkably, 1976 (though they took 1962 and 1963 off and all cars after 1968 also carried Mercury badging).

The Rideau was Meteor’s full-size offering and was produced in a number of series between 1954 and 1961 (and again from 1965 through 1968/76). The 500 was the top trim line and styling cues were on par with the ’57 Ford Fairlane 500. The marque’s positioning was that of a “cheaper Mercury,” slotting in between the Mercury and Ford brands.

This example, purchased new in Canada but now residing in France, is original aside from a respray. It’s powered by Ford’s 4.5-liter V-8 likely making 190 horsepower. Meteor’s are not common sights, especially outside of Canada but their rarity is not reflected in their prices: this one should sell for between $6,700-$9,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Artcurial’s lineup.

Update: Sold $8,004.

Oakland Touring

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1912 Oakland Model 30 Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 6-7, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Oakland Motor Car Company was founded 1907 by Alanson Brush (founder of Brush and inventor of the planetary transmission and the Cadillac one-cylinder car) and Edward Murphy (owner of the Pontiac Buggy Company). Oakland was based in Pontiac, Michigan – foreshadowing of its future. In 1909, after only a single model year’s worth of cars, Murphy sold half the company to General Motors.

In the 1920s General Motors introduced its Companion Make program to fill price gaps between its existing brands. In 1926, Oakland got its partner brand: Pontiac. In 1931, GM announced that it would be discontinuing Oakland – and continuing with Pontiac, giving Oakland the dubious distinction to be the only GM brand to be swallowed and outlived by its companion make.

This early GM-era Oakland is powered by a 30 horsepower 3.3-liter straight-four engine. The Model 30 was Oakland’s entry-level model for 1912 and the five-passenger Touring was one of two body styles offered. It carried an as-new price of $1,250 and 104 years later, well restored, it should sell for between $40,000-$50,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $44,000.

Porsche 911R

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2016 Porsche 911R

Offered by Bonhams | Knokke-Heist, Belgium | October 7, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We do not feature cars that are still in production… generally. The Porsche 911R is currently in production, but Porsche – a reputable company unlikely to go bankrupt in the next 18 months – has already stated that only 991 of these will be built. And we believe them. But why 991? Because this car is sort of the last hurrah for Porsche’s 991 model of the 911.

It’s basically a 911 GT3 RS without the garish wing and roll cage. It’s a little simpler, more streamlined and basic. It’s kind of a sleeper – a pure driver’s car. The engine is a 493 horsepower 4.0-liter flat-six – making the 911R also a last hurrah for the naturally-aspirated 911. Top speed is 201 mph because this thing has been lightened to the max. It also has a pure, three-pedal six-speed manual gearbox. No paddles here.

The color scheme here is fantastic – all 911Rs carry this scheme with different colors available. With Porsche prices rising wildly in the last two years, this is a car that will appreciate rapidly – it already has and they are still building them. This has to be one of the first on the open market and will sell for just a little over the as-new price of $185,950 with an auction estimate of $280,000-$390,000. This is about as cheap as one will ever cost. Happy bidding! Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Belgian lineup.

Update: Sold $538,062.

Willys Silver Streak

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1932 Willys 6-90 Silver Streak Rumble Seat Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 3, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

In 1930, Willys started selling cars under the “Willys” brand again for the first time in ten years (the Willys-Knight continued through 1933). In the 1920s, the company had introduced a sub-brand called Whippet that went out of production in 1931. So for 1932, what was the Whippet became the Willys Silver Streak. Two different models were offered, with this, the 6-90, being the base.

Powered by a 3.2-liter straight-six making 65 horsepower, the Rumble Seat Roadster cost $545 when new. The styling is very nice and will probably be mistaken for a Model A Ford at your local cruise in.

The restoration is over 20 years old and it has spent time in a museum. This would be a fun alternative to the seemingly standard Ford and Chevys of the era – it’s much rarer for sure. The final price will likely be between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams lineup.

Update: Sold $45,100.

Pullman Light Touring

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1908 Pullman Model H Light Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 6-7, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Model H was Pullman’s entry-level model in 1908 – the only year this model was produced. There were four other models above it in the Pullman line but the Model H was the only model available in more than one body style: it could be had as a Runabout or Detachable Tonneau.

Costing just under $1,900 when new, it was not inexpensive… but that should be pretty obvious as it is a big car with a good amount of brass. The powerplant is a 20 horsepower 2.7-liter straight-four. This example was restored a while ago, but the body and interior have been well maintained (though the engine has been rebuilt more recently, making it a great driver).

Only 873 Pullmans were built in 1908 and this is the oldest, known, surviving restored Pullman in existence. That means there aren’t any cars from this manufacturer from 1905, 1906, or 1907 that are still around (or apparently in restored condition). At any rate, opportunities to acquire a car from this rare marque don’t happen often and RM has two of them at this sale. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $51,700.

Chalmers Pony Tonneau

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1911 Chalmers Thirty Pony Tonneau

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 6-7, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

1911 was the first year that Chalmers built cars under the “Chalmers” marque. Prior to that, all of the cars were badged as Chalmers-Detroit, referencing the Thomas-Detroit automobile company that Hugh Chalmers purchased in 1908.

But that doesn’t mean the model was new – the Thirty was introduced in 1909 (and lasted through 1913). A 30 horsepower, 3.7-liter straight-four powers this car and when carrying this attractive and borderline-sporty Pony Tonneau body, the new owner would’ve been set back $1,600 in 1911. It was a mid-range price for the Thirty.

This is a great brass era car that can be driven and used (it had an electric starter and other bits added to it during its most recent restoration to make it livable). It should bring between $125,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Hershey.

Also, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this car in person:

Update: Sold $71,500.