Tag Archives: auctions

Javan R1

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2008 Javan R1 Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | Oxford, U.K. | June 15, 2013

2008 Javan R1

The Strathcarron SC-5A was a track-day sports car introduced in 1999. The company folded in 2001. Javan Smith set up Javan Sports Cars in 2002. In 2006, the company debuted the Javan R1 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – it’s an evolution of the Strathcarron that is aimed at the Ariel Atom, Lotus Elise and Caterham Seven replicas.

This is the second R1 built (which didn’t happen until 2008) and it was the company demonstrator. It uses a 2.0-liter straight-four Honda VTEC making 220 horsepower and screams to a 9000-rpm redline. Acceleration numbers are impressive as 62 mph comes in 3.6 seconds and the top speed is 140 mph.

This was their publicity car and it has only covered about 3,000 miles. It would be a fun track day car for a lot less money than an Elise or an Atom. I’m pretty sure the cars are still available for purchase but I think you have to order one to have it built – but only a handful have been built thus far, so it’s definitely rare. This one should sell for between $11,000-$15,000 – which is extremely affordable for a track day car. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonham’s auction lineup.

Update: Sold $17,068.

Phantom I Ascot Phaeton

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1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Phaeton

Offered by Coys | Athens, Greece | June 15, 2013

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer

Rolls-Royce of Derby, England, set up a manufacturing arm in America which was referred to, surprisingly, as Rolls-Royce of America. They opened shop in 1921, constructing the already-old Silver Ghost. In 1925, Rolls introduced the follow-up model to the Silver Ghost – the Phantom. In 1929, the Phantom II was introduced and the Phantom’s name was changed to “Phantom I” and it stayed in production through 1931.

The car you see here was built by Rolls-Royce of America and they are often referred to as a “Springfield” (which refers to Springfield, Massachusetts – where the cars were built). As it is a Phantom I, it uses a 7.7-liter straight-six that made about 120 horsepower.

What is great about this car is the bodywork. As far as early Rolls’ go this is one of my favorite designs. The body is by Brewster – the Long Island coachbuilder contracted by RR of America to build many of their bodies. It is called an “Ascot Phaeton” to give the buyer an aura of Britishness. It’s a five-seater with sporty looks and I like it.

The car has known ownership history from new. It was restored first in 1970 in New Jersey and is being sold by a European collector who had more work done recently. The car comes without an estimate but is being sold at no reserve. It is one of 28 Springfield Ascot Phaetons built on the Phantom I chassis. RR of America built 1,240 Phantom Is total (of 3,512 built worldwide). I estimate this car at about $300,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Coys’ Greek lineup.

Update: Not sold.

Vignale Samantha

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1968 Fiat 125 Samantha

Offered by Coys | Athens, Greece | June 15, 2013

1968 Fiat 125 Samantha

Photo – Coys

The Fiat 125 was Fiat’s large family car that replaced the 1500 and was introduced for 1967. It was available as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. But some Italian coachbuilders got a hold of it and built some two-door variants as well.

Vignale built the “Samantha” – a sporty-looking two-door coupe. It is said that the car was designed for Alfredo Vignale himself – as he wanted a luxurious ride to drive around. Underneath, the engine has been upgraded from the 125’s original 1.6-liter: it’s a 2.0-liter straight-four making around 112 horsepower. Performance is described as “spritely.”

It comes with a set of spares, but it is in fantastic condition. Vignale ended up building a few more – 100 in total, making this a very rare coachbuilt Italian sports car. It is expected to sell for between $23,500-$32,500. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys in Greece.

Update: Sold for about $35,600.

Bonhams Greenwich Concours ’13 Highlights

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Bonham’s annual sale held during the Greenwich Concours in Connecticut is the first sale of an active June. The top sale this year went to our featured Bugatti Type 43 for $875,000. Our next highest-selling feature car was the Pierce Great Arrow for $243,100. Among interesting sales was this 1917 Reo Model M Seven-Passenger Touring car for $24,750.

1917 Reo Model M Seven-Passenger Touring

And from the I-Should’ve-Read-The-Catalog-Closer File is this 1974 Bentley Corniche. I would have featured the car but I just glanced at the picture and assumed it was a Rolls. I was wrong. Now I’ll have to wait for one of the other 76 Bentley Corniche’s built to feature one. This one sold for $39,050.

1974 Bentley Corniche

We featured a pair of American Austins. They both sold for an identical $9,350 (each). One of the more unusual cars at this sale was this 1969 Fiat Michelotti Shellette Beach Car – one of only 80 built. It sold for $39,600.

1969 Fiat Michelotti Shellette Beach Car

Our final two feature cars both sold. The Mercer Series 5 Sporting brought $121,000. The ex-Harrah 1909 Mitchell sold for $39,600. And finally, one of my favorite automotive marques of all time was represented at this sale – it’s a 1911 Winton 17b Five-Passenger Touring and it’s big and beautiful and sold for $220,000.

1911 Winton 17b Five-Passenger Touring

Check out complete results here.

ASA 411 GT

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1965 ASA 411 GT

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | June 10, 2013

1965 ASA 411 GT

We featured a different ASA earlier this week that was a factory race car and we mentioned ASA’s most popular model – the 1000 GT. Well there was also this which, unlike the RB 613, was a special version of the 1000 GT.

Engine capacity was increased to 1.1-liters (it was a straight-four) and power also increased – to 104 horsepower. The body was aluminium and built by Marazzi in contrast to the 1000 GTs all steel body. It’s a lightweight, hopped-up version of the 1000GT and it was intended for sport – as the plexiglass windows and Momo steering wheel can attest.

Only four 411 GTs were built and this one has been owned by the same family since 1971.  It’s a very rare version of an already very rare car. It is expected to sell for between $64,000-$103,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Artcurial’s interesting auction lineup.

Update: Sold $237,545

One of the last AC cars

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2003 AC Ace Brooklands

Offered by H&H Auctions | Rockingham Castle, U.K. | June 15, 2013

2003 AC Ace Brooklands

The original AC Ace is a legendary car. Introduced in 1953 with a six-cylinder engine, the Ace would later have a V8 stuffed underhood by an ambitious American and he would call it the “Cobra.” AC loitered around for decades, producing low-volume cars here and there (they still build versions of the Cobra) and in 1993, they revived the name “Ace.”

For the 1998 sales year, AC introduced a second-generation Ace Brooklands. They had just come under South African ownership and much of the car was built in South Africa before being sent back to the U.K. for final assembly. Only about 12 were built before production ran out in 2000.

But parts were still available after that and a handful of cars were assembled using factory spares. This is one of those cars (and it’s referred to as a “Series 3”). It uses a mixture of carbon fiber and aluminium for the body panels and has a 5.0-liter Ford V8 under the hood. Horsepower is around 260. It has 1,100 miles on the odometer and it is rumored that this is the last Ace Brooklands constructed. It can be yours for between $18,000-$22,500. Click here for more info and here for the rest of H&H’s auction lineup.

Update: Sold $19,342.

An Unrestored WWI Truck

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1916 Nash Quad

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | June 10, 2013

1916 Nash Quad

Okay, yes, I know. This thing is in rough shape. But let’s step back from condition issues and think about something: when was the last time you saw a World War One vehicle? What about one for sale? What about one for sale in original condition? Wartime vehicles generally don’t even survive the war, yet alone the one hundred years that follow.

World War Two trucks can be found with relative ease. But there’s something so inaccessible about the “War to End All Wars.” Maybe because so many vehicles from that era were scrapped to build things to fight the Nazis. Maybe it’s because no one from that era is still alive (but were as of recently). This truck just blows my mind.

The Quad was designed by Thomas B. Jeffrey and was built as the Jeffrey Quad beginning in 1913. The thing is amazing for the time: it has a 5.2-liter straight-four engine making 29 horsepower and driving all four wheels with solid tires. Top speed is about 15 mph. It also has four-wheel brakes (an absolute rarity in 1913) and four-wheel steering. Four-wheel drive vehicles existed prior to this, but none were this solid or well built. They started out as delivery trucks popular (especially in rural areas) in the U.S. In 1914, war broke out and production picked up (thousands – 11,000+ – were built in total, exact figures unknown). In 1916, Nash Motors acquired Jeffrey and continued production of the Quad as the Nash Quad. So this thing is from the first year of Nash production.

This was undoubtedly a wartime truck. Other Quads exist – some in pristine, restored condition. But you won’t find one “straight out of the war,” so to speak. The engine turns over but it doesn’t run and it could be restored. It’s one of only three in France (if that means anything to you). It was discovered as-is in the 1980s – but think of the life it lived – the people it may have carried into battle – and now none of them are still alive today. It’s a piece of history from another time and so, so cool. It should sell for between $10,000-$20,000. Click here for more info and photos and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Sold $21,456

Renault Nervastella Grand Sport

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1935 Renault Nervastella Grand Sport Convertible

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | June 10, 2013

1935 Renault Nervastella Grand Sport Convertible

The first things that struck me about this car were 1. the lack of a windshield and 2. the wheel covers in the rear. Then I looked at other photos and realized that the windshield actually folds forward onto the hood of the car. Still, it’s kinda striking.

The Renault Nervastella was Renault’s eight-cylinder model that took the place of the Reinastella in 1930 (the Reinastella remained in production alongside for a few years). Production continued through 1936 when it was replaced by the Suprastella. 1934 was the year in which Renault adopted new super aerodynamic styling, which this car definitely sports. The engine is a 5.5-liter straight-eight.

The Grand Sport (series AMB3) was produced only between March and September of 1935 and only 118 were built. This is the only one left. I think it’s pretty cool – maybe because so many French cars of the 1930s from Renault, Peugeot, Citroen and Panhard rarely cross the Atlantic. Anyway, this one should sell for between $78,000-$130,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $324,844

ASA RB 613

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1966 ASA RB 613

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | June 10, 2013

1966 ASA RB 613

The ASA 1000 GT was a small Italian coupe built through the mid and late 1960s. It used a small 1.0-liter engine that was developed by Ferrari engineers. It was like a mini-Ferrari.

But what’s a small Italian sports car without any racing pedigree? ASA decided to go racing in 1966 and they went to Carrozzera Corbetta for a more aerodynamic and racy body. They integrated a roll bar into the rear bodywork – hence the model name, “RB.” They also upped the engine: this car has a 1.3-liter straight-six making 124 horsepower. (The “613” in the model name ostensibly standing for “6” cylinders “1.3” liters).

Only three of these cars were built and the model was never intended for public sale. They were factory-built race cars. Two of them competed at Le Mans. This one did not. But it does have a historic FIA certificate and is prepped and eligible for some historic racing events. It is expected to sell for between $360,000-$440,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial in Paris.

Update: Sold $291,184

May 2013 Auction Highlights Part II

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And for the second week in a row we recap auction highlights for May – easily led off by RM’s spectacular sale at Villa Erba (Lake Como) Italy. The top sale by a long way was our featured ex-Le Mans Ferrari 340/375. It sold for $12,812,800. Feature cars from this sale that failed to meet their reserve and did not sell included the 1905 Fiat Touring car, the Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix and the Bugatti Type 44 Grand Sport. Million dollar sales included this 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB by Scaglietti for $1,456,000.

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB by Scaglietti

Only two of our other feature cars cracked the million-dollar mark. They were the Ferrari 400 Superamerica which went for $2,839,200. The Ferrari 599XX sold for $1,193,920. This 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster sold for $1,448,720 (it’s not even a Gullwing!).

1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

Other sales included this custom Maserati Fastback Bellagio for $152,880. The beautiful Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster sold for $247,520. This 1985 Ferrati 288 GTO sold for $1,252,160. Below the 288 GTO is a gold 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS that sold for $1,033,760.

1985 Ferrati 288 GTO

1965 Ferrari 275 GTS

Three of our five featured Bugatti ended up selling. They were the Type 30 Torpedo for $407,680, the Type 40 Roadster Luxe for $422,240 and the Type 46 Superprofile Coupe for $873,600. Two more million-dollar Ferraris included this 1961 250 GT Series II Cabriolet by Pininfarina for $1,084,720 and this 2004 Enzo (second picture below) for $1,390,480.

1961 250 GT Series II Cabriolet by Pininfarina

2004 Ferrari Enzo

And the two smallish cars we featured also both sold. The Cisitalia 33DF brought $167,440. And the Moretti 750 Gran Sport sold for $174,720. Below, this 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso sold for $1,266,720. You can check out full results here.

1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso

Next up was Bonhams’ sale held at Spa-Francorchamps. The top sale there was this 1964 Ferrari 275GTB for $1,167,977.

1964 Ferrari 275GTB

All four of our featured cars: the Alfa 6C 2500 by Pinin Farina, the 6C 2500 by Diamante, the Koenig Ferrari and the Davies Special all failed to sell (yikes – didn’t do too well picking them this time). Interesting sales were headed by this 1965 Fiat-OSCA 1600S Cabriolet by Pinin Farina. It sold for $22,318. Check out full results here.

1965 Fiat-OSCA 1600S Cabriolet by Pinin Farina