Tag Archives: auctions

Aston Martin Ulster

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1935 Aston Martin Ulster

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Ulster is one of Aston Martin’s most sought-after and glorious models. It’s also quite manly, isn’t it? It just looks like to takes serious brawn to slide over that big exhaust and into the car. What’s even better is that this car competed in some of the biggest races of its day as an Aston factory racer.

The Ulster was built between 1934 and 1936 and only 21 were constructed, making it extremely rare. It was essentially a lightened version of the Aston Mk II and uses a 1.5-liter straight-four making 80 horsepower (although a one-time owner and specialist said that number is more like 120). It could do 100 mph.

This one has some pretty serious race history, including:

  • 1935 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Eddie Hall and “Marsden”)
  • 1935 24 Hours of Le Mans – 8th (with Maurice Faulkner and Tom Clarke)
  • 1935 Targa Abruzzo – 5th, 1st in class (with Count Giovanni Lurani and Ermengildo Strazza)

The first actual owner of this car was an Aston factory driver, Ian Porter-Hargreaves. Marque specialist Derrick Edwards bought it in 1963. It’s been restored to its former glory. Bonhams says that this might be the “most revered” Ulster there is. That’s a big statement. And it carries a big price: $2,400,000-$2,700,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Nissan R87E

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1987 Nissan R87E

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Nissan built some pretty awesome Group C racing prototypes in the late-80s and early-90s even if they didn’t have much on-track success. The R87E was their 1987 car and their third attempt at breaking into the Group C world. It used a chassis supplied by March Engineering of the U.K. and an in-house designed-and-built engine.

The powerplant is a 3.0-liter twin turbo V-8 making in excess of 750 horsepower. This was a step up from their previous car’s 700hp V-6. 1987 was a disastrous year for Nissan’s program, running only two events and failing to finish both. So for 1988, this car was upgraded to R88C specification and it ran at Le Mans again in 1988. Here is it’s 1988 competition history:

  • 1988 Fuji 500km – DNF (with Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Kenji Takahashi)
  • 1988 Suzuka 500km – 6th (with Hoshino and Takahashi)
  • 1988 Fuji 1000km (May) – 7th (with Win Percy, Hoshino and Takahashi)
  • 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans – 29th, DNF (with Aguri Suzuki, Takao Wada and Hoshino)
  • 1988 Fuji 500 miles – 5th (with Hoshino and Takahashi)
  • 1988 Suzuka 1000km – DNF (with Toshio Suzuki, Hoshino and Takahashi)
  • 1988 Fuji 1000km (October) – 9th (with Allan Grice, Hoshino and Takahashi)

This car was sold and restored to R87E specification with 1988 Calsonic livery and a 3.3-liter development version of the 3.0-liter Nissan V-8 – making 780 horsepower. Bonhams says the engine has been run for less than an hour since rebuild. Only three of these were built and this one should bring between $710,000-$810,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.

A Darracq Talbot-Lago

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1939 Darracq T120 Major 3-Litre Three-Position Drophead Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Someday I’ll have to do one of our “Car Guy History” posts about Darracq’s corporate history, but until then I’ll answer your question: no, this is not a Talbot-Lago. Well, I mean, it is a Talbot-Lago – but the brand name of this car is a Darracq. See, today’s proliferation of brand-engineered mini-SUVs wasn’t the first time stuff like this has happened.

Because of the weirdness in the history of the Talbot name, Talbot-Lago cars were only “sold” in France. The Rootes Group in England owned the Talbot name everywhere except France, so for more generic-looking exports (to places like the U.K. and Sweden, where this car was bought new), Talbot-Lago badged their cars “Darracq.” This is essentially a badge-engineered Talbot-Lago T120 Major.

The engine is a 3.0-liter straight-six and the car has spent most of its life in Sweden and Denmark. In the last 10 years, it came to the U.K. via a sale at Retromobile in Paris. It was freshened (the restoration was done in the late-80s) and used for touring. Bonhams describes this car as “elegant” – which it certainly is. It should sell for between $120,000-$130,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $122,735.

Lotus Type 49B

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1968 Lotus Type 49B

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Remember how bad ass open wheel race cars used to be? Especially in the days before big rear wings when men had to manhandle them around courses. This one is now fitted with a wing, but it wasn’t always.

The Lotus 49 was designed for the 1967 Formula One season by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe. From the onset, this car was amazing. It blew everything else away, and Lotus teammates Graham Hill and Jim Clark dominated the opening weekend with this car.

Only nine Lotus 49s were built. Some of them were built as a Type 49 and later rebuilt as a Type 49B or 49C. The engine is a Cosworth DFV V-8 in 3.0-liter form capable of 408 horsepower. It is one of the best racing engines ever manufactured.

Want the competition history? I do – this car competed in the Tasman Series and Formula One:

  • 1969 New Zealand Grand Prix (as a Type 49) – 18th, DNF (with Graham Hill)
  • 1969 Levin International – DNF (with Hill)
  • 1969 Lady Wigram Trophy – 2nd (with Hill)
  • 1969 Teretonga International – 2nd (with Hill)
  • 1969 Australian Grand Prix – 4th (with Hill)
  • 1969 Sandown International 100 – 6th (with Hill)
  • 1969 Monaco Grand Prix (now in 49B configuration) – 4th (with Richard Attwood)
  • 1969 British Grand Prix – 7th (with Hill)
  • 1969 German Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with Jo Bonnier)
  • 1970 South African Formula One Championship – 1st (with Dave Charlton)
  • 1971 South African Formula One Championship – 1st (with Charlton)

After the 1972 South African F1 season, the car was dismantled and purchased by a renown Australian Lotus collector who had the car restored. It’s been demonstrated and shown and now it can be yours. Only six Type 49s remain. This one has factory-Lotus F1 history and can be yours for between $1,200,000-$1,700,000. Click here for more info and here for more form this sale.

Update: Sold $1,147,135.

A Supercharged Alta

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1938 Alta Supercharged Sports

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Alta Car and Engineering Company was founded by Geoffrey Taylor in 1929. Their goal was to build sports cars – and later, racing cars, having entered factory racers in the first three different Formula One seasons. They were – and remain – very rare cars.

This 2.0-liter straight-four powered car has the optional supercharger that allows it to push out 180 horsepower. It could do 120 mph – making it one of the fastest cars you could buy in 1938. It could hit 60 mph in 7 seconds – that’s quicker than the car I drive today!

This car was extensively raced and has had many owners in the U.K., U.S., and Australia. The restoration was completed around 2000. Only 19 Alta cars were made prior to WWII. It’s been used a fair amount and well maintained. This car is ripe for historic racing. It should sell for between $300,000-$370,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $336,390.

1902 De Dietrich

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1902 De Dietrich Type 8 “Paris-Vienna” Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

In Alsace, De Dietrich is more than just a short-lived, early car manufacturer. It’s an old family that owned lots of land and had lots of titles. They entered industry in the 1840s and in 1897 they sold their first automobiles. Strangely, as beautiful and well-engineered as these cars were, the De Dietrich marque would be gone after 1905 as the cars were then sold as Lorraine-Dietrichs.

This particular car has an interesting history – it was discovered during WWII when a German bomb blew apart the barn that this thing had been stored in since 1912. This model is identical to those that De Dietrich entered in the 1902 Paris-Vienna race. It uses a 4.1-liter straight-four that puts out 16 horsepower. It can power this fairly large car up to speeds of 55 mph on level roads.

This car was bought new by a member of the Guinness brewing family. He sold it and it was parked in 1912. In the 1940s, after it was unearthed by the aforementioned German explosive, the car was rescued from outdoor deterioration and a restoration was started in 1946. It has had a few owners since (and spent time in a museum) and a second restoration. This thing is beautiful. I wish I had the $1,300,000-$1,400,000 necessary to acquire it. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,700,349.

Ferrari 375 Plus

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1954 Ferrari 375 Plus Spider Competizione by Pinin Farina

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Ferrari 375 MM was a very exclusive car built by Ferrari between 1953 and 1955. It was a big-engined car – but Enzo wanted an even bigger engine – a faster race car that he could sell to his customers. So he commissioned a run of racing barchettas that used a bored and stroked Formula 1 V-12 engine. The 4,954 cc V-12 was initially underrated at 330 horsepower (later it would be listed as 347 with a top speed of 186 mph).

This car was a factory racer – campaigned by Ferrari’s favorite drivers. The competition history includes:

  • 1954 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Umberto Maglioli)
  • 1954 Silverstone Grand Prix Formula 1 support race – 1st (with Jose Froilan Gonzalez)
  • 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans – 37th, DNF (with Maglioli and Paolo Marzotto)

Ferrari more or less retired the 375 Pluses thereafter (Jose Froilan Gonzalez and Maurice Trintignant won the ’54 race in their 375 Plus). This car was sold to the head of the Kleenex company who later traded it to his friend. The competition history continues:

  • 1955 12 Hours of Sebring – DNF (with Jim Kimberly & Ed Lunken)
  • 1955 Road America 500 – 6th (with Howard Hively)
  • 1956 12 Hours of Sebring – DNF (with Troy Ruttman & Hively)

The car was more or less abandoned in Cincinnati after its racing career ended. In 1989, someone removed it from the land it sat on and it was sold to a French buyer. The guy in Cincy reported it stolen and Belgian authorities impounded the car. A lawsuit ensued but the car was gloriously restored and the suit eventually settled. More litigation followed by heirs over car parts – but thankfully everything has been settled and this car is ready to race in the hands of its new owner.

This was the best Ferrari the company produced up to 1954. The fastest, most dominant prancing horse there was. It is one of five built and could bring a record amount for a Ferrari of this vintage at auction. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams’ Goodwood sale.

Update: Sold $18,315,846.

Aries CB 4

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1929 Aries CB 4 Cabriolet

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | June 22, 2014

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

Aries (which actually has an accent on the “e” but this lovely computer can’t handle that functionality) was a French auto manufacturer that got its start with cars in 1903. The company lasted until 1938, producing about 20,000 cars during its 35 years. The company was known as one of the first French manufacturers to produce their vehicles in left-hand drive.

The CB 4 model seems to have been built in 1929 and 1930 only, before giving way to a slightly larger model. The engine is a 1.5-liter straight-four making 40 horsepower. Only about 290 CB 4 models were produced.

The restoration was carried out a few years ago, and it still looks nice. This is a fine chance to grab a rare French convertible from the 1920s. It will cost you between $34,000-$47,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $50,320.

GAZ BTR-40

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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.

Cadillac Tank

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 1942 Cadillac M5 Stuart

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

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Labeling this as a Cadillac might be a little misleading, but Cadillac did build it – so why shouldn’t they get the credit? The M5 was a version of the M3 Stuart – one of the most popular light tanks of the Second World War. General Motors was behind it and the M5 was basically an M3 with upgraded armor.

In all, 2,074 M5s were built – only 1,470 were built by Cadillac in Michigan. This tank has been given a new engine and fresh restoration. It runs and drives wonderfully and is usable. The engines are twin 8-cylinders from Cadillac making a combined output of 220 horsepower. It can do 36 mph and be yours for $100,00-$150,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $310,500.