Tag Archives: auctions

Torino King Cobra

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1970 Ford Torino King Cobra

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 18, 2013

1970 Ford Torino King Cobra

The Ford Torino Talladega was Ford’s 1969 NASCAR ringer car. It had a highly sloped fastback and a 428 Cobra Jet engine. For 1970, Chrysler seriously upped the game with the Plymouth Superbird, which would dominate NASCAR.

So Ford designer Larry Shinoda designed this aerodynamic coupe based on the Torino. Everything from the firewall back is standard Torino, but that sleek, downforce-creating front end was all new. The grille was relocated to below the bumper and the hood was blacked out. And there were headlight covers planned for the NASCAR teams (this car has them).

NASCAR upped their homologation requirements for 1970, mandating that 3,000 copies of a car must be built in order to compete. This led Ford to abandon the project after only three prototypes had been built. It was never raced. Each car had a different engine: one had the Boss 429, one a 429 SCJ and the other a 429 CJ. So this car has either an engine rated at 370 or 375 horsepower (the lot description is currently blank for this car). It is one of only three and should bring a pretty penny, even though Torino’s are not (for whatever reason) highly collectible. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Failed to sell.

Update: Sold, Mecum Kissimmee 2019, $192,500.

Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix

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1927 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix

Offered by RM Auctions | Lake Como, Italy | May 25, 2013

1927 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix

One of the best Bugatti’s ever. The Type 37 was an evolution of the Type 35 – it used the same chassis and body but used a different, smaller engine. That engine is a 1.5-liter straight-four making 80 horsepower.

This car uses the same formula that Colin Chapman would champion (tongue-twister alert) many years later: you don’t need a big engine if your car is lightweight and nimble. Compare a Bugatti like this to a Blower Bentley. The Bentley was huge and heavy and had to use a huge engine with huge power. This didn’t need big power because it’s small and light.

This car was sold new to Malaysia where the first owner kept it for two years before trading up (or down, depending on your perspective) for a Bentley. It was sold to someone in Singapore, who had to disassemble it and hide it during WWII. Years later it was discovered and taken back to England. In 1965, it was sold to German ownership – the current owner acquiring it in 1983.

The car is mostly original (which is mind-blowing) and has been mechanically sorted and its ready to go. Sure, it doesn’t have an awesome race history, but it’s still an awesome car. Only 290 Type 37s were built. It should sell for between $975,000-$1,250,000. Click here for more info and for some glorious photos. And here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

April 2013 Auction Round-Up

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We’ll start with Mecum’s Houston sale which included our featured, all-original Mercury Voyager wagon, which failed to sell. Our featured pair of NASCAR-themed Mercury Cyclone Spoiler IIs both sold – the Yarborough Special bringing $26,000, while the Gurney special only brought $22,000. Top sale went to this 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback for $220,000.

1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback photo 1970FordMustangBoss429Fastback_zps5e9a2272.jpg

And from the “anything can show up at one of these sales” file, this 1972 Toyota Corona Mark II Wagon, which sold for $8,500. For full results, click here.

1972 Toyota Corona Mark II Wagon photo 1972ToyotaCoronaMarkIIWagon_zpsa6099b8d.jpg

On to Barrett-Jackson’s annual Palm Beach sale. Our featured Opel GT sold for $6,050. I was right on with my “how to buy a foreign sports coupe on the cheap” comment. Our featured Dodge D-100 Sweptside pickup brought $73,700. The top (real) sale was this 1968 Shelby GT500 Convertible for $330,000. (I say “real” because cars sold for charity always bring inflated results. There are no brand-new Corvette convertibles worth $1 million. Not even serial #001. Rich people pay big money for these cars to get a tax write off… I mean “to donate to a good cause”).

1968 Shelby GT500 Convertible photo 1968ShelbyGT500Convertible_zps67206b45.jpg

If I had to pick an “interesting sale” I would go with this gorgeous 1956 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman that sold for $40,150 – which is a good price for a car that looks this good. Check out complete results here.

1956 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman photo 1956DeSotoFirefliteSportsman_zpse7f0f12b.jpg

Next up was H&H’s sale at the Imperial War Museum in England. Top sale went to this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing for $1,021,000.

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL photo 1955Mercedes-Benz300SL_zps44f99fcd.jpg

Our featured Jaguar XJ220 Prototype failed to sell. “Interesting results” honors are split between two cars. First this 1969 Mazda Luce R130 Coupe sold for $25,500.

1969 Mazda Luce R130 Coupe photo 1969MazdaLuceR130Coupe_zpsd53e65b9.jpg

And finally, this 1989 Eltrans Mini-El sold for $2,200. Check out full results here.

1989 Eltrans Mini-El photo 1989EltransMini-El_zpsca2f5df3.jpg

Next up is Mecum’s Kansas City sale. Our featured Mitsubishi 3000GT Convertible conversion sold for $14,500. Interesting sales were led by this affordable and attractive 1969 Mercury Cyclone Fastback for $12,250.

1969 Mercury Cyclone Fastback photo 1969MercuryCycloneFastback_zps5135ffa8.jpg

Top sale went to this 1936 Ahrens-Fox BT Fire Truck. Early Ahrens-Fox fire engines are some of the most collectible fire trucks out there. This one sold for $125,000 (yes, I realize the photo shows it crossing the block for $135,000). Check out full results here.

1936 Ahrens-Fox BT Fire Truck photo 1936Ahrens-FoxBTFireTruck_zps65010ff9.jpg

Next up is the Don Davis Collection, which was offered at no reserve by RM Auctions on April 27. The top sale went to this 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS for $1,936,000. Pictured below that was a million-dollar car (just barely): a 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 which brought $1,001,000.

1967 Ferrari 330 GTS photo ScreenHunter_04_zpsea32638e.jpg

1965 Shelby Cobra 289 photo ScreenHunter_05_zpsf4ab5723.jpg

Our featured Toyota 2000GT brought an eye-popping $1,155,000 – surely a world record for a Japanese car at auction. Anther feature car, the Porsche 356 by Drauz, sold for $137,500. This 1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing sold for $1,237,500.

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL photo 1955Mercedes-Benz300SL_zps9f2627c4.jpg

Other feature cars that sold included a pair of Chryslers. First, the Newport Dual-Cowl Indy 500 Pace Car sold for $880,000. Then the GS-1 Special by Ghia brought $616,000. This 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider sold for $1,650,000.

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider photo 1973Ferrari365GTB4DaytonaSpider_zps73f93d7f.jpg

Our final two feature cars are the F-Code Ford Thunderbird which sold for $198,000. And the BMW M1 went for $ 242,000. Check out complete results here.

Now we move on to Auctions America’s 2013 Spring Carlisle sale. The top sale (by a recent margin) went to this 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Big Brake Fuelie for $148,500.

1959 Chevrolet Corvette Big Brake Fuelie photo 1959ChevroletCorvetteBigBrakeFuelie_zpsa16ae50f.jpg

Finally, Bonhams sale at the RAF Museum in Hendon, U.K. The top sale there was a 1955 Jaguar XK140 Drophead Coupe for $194,500.

1955 Jaguar XK140 Drophead Coupe photo 1955JaguarXK140DropheadCoupe_zps0da2f79b.jpg

The most interesting car at this sale was this 1917 Fiat 15/20hp Tipo 2B Wagonette. I love the dually rear wheels. It sold for $34,000. Our featured AC Royal brought $26,900. Click here for full results.

1917 Fiat 15/20hp Tipo 2B Wagonette photo 1917Fiat15-20hpTipo2BWagonette_zps84cbc668.jpg

427 Biscayne

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1968 Chevrolet Biscayne L72 2-Door Sedan

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 18, 2013

1968 Chevrolet Biscayne L72

The Chevrolet Biscayne was the entry-level full-size model for the Chevrolet line. It was positioned below the Bel Air and Impala throughout its life, which lasted four generations from 1958 through 1975. This is a generation three car – the last generation you could get a two-door hardtop (which was only offered through 1969).

It’s a sleeper, really. Biscaynes were intended for the fleet market – just like the Ford Crown Vic was for the last 15+ years. They were mundane and didn’t really stand out. But you could get them with the L72 option – a Turbo-Jet 427 – a 6.7-liter V8 making 425 horsepower. It also had a Muncie 4-speed with a Hurst shifter. No one would see this car coming at a stoplight in 1968.

Apparently, this car was sold new to a Georgia bootlegger. I’m sure the original purpose was to blend in and to be able to get away when need be. It’s the perfect car for that, offering both anonymity and tire-screeching performance. But the owner ended up in jail before he could use it and the car was hidden before it could be seized. It’s all original in preservation condition. It has just 720 miles on it from new! And it is the only black L72 Biscayne know to exist in the world. What an awesome car. This car could bring anywhere from $30,000-$80,000 – there really isn’t a precedent for an original L72 car like this. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Indy.

Update: Sold $165,000.

Saurer Merak

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1975 Maserati Merak by Saurer

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Silverstone, England | May 17, 2013

1975 Maserati Merak by Saurer

The Maserati Merak was one of the “Citroen Maseratis” – one of five models introduced by Maserati while under the control of their French overlords. Strangely, these cars weren’t as strange as most Citroens (thankfully). But they did have their quirks.

The Merak was essentially a V-6 version of the V-8 Bora. The first cars (built under Citroen’s ownership) used a 3.0-liter V-6 making 187 horsepower. Other engine options would come later, but this car has the 187 horse V-6. That was enough power to propel the car to 150 mph. Not bad.

This left-hand drive Merak was sent, from new, to Saurer – a Swiss coachbuilder (not the same company that built Saurer trucks from the turn of the century and into the 1980s – or at least so far as I can tell). The body was re-designed – or, at least tweaked – to the point where you see it now. I’d almost say they “Ferrari’d it” a little bit. It definitely looks sporty with a more prominent grille. It also has a bit of “wide-body race car” look to it. I like it. The interior is red.

This is the only such Merak re-bodied by Saurer. It is expected to sell for between $53,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of the lineup from Silverstone’s sale.

Update: Sold $69,000.

Bugatti Type 44 GS

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1929 Bugatti Type 44 Grand Sport

Offered by RM Auctions | Lake Como, Italy | May 25, 2013

1929 Bugatti Type 44 Grand Sport

The Bugatti Type 44 was the precursor to the Type 49. It was built from 1927 through 1930 and this particular car has a somewhat interesting history. In total, 1,095 were built – one of the highest production totals for any Bugatti model. It is powered by an 80 horsepower 3.0-liter straight-eight engine.

The Type 44 was one of the first Bugattis built as a road-going touring car. It wasn’t necessarily meant for the track. This car originally had a Gangloff cabriolet body on it and was delivered new to Belgium. It bounced back and forth between owners in Belgium and Luxembourg four times before coming stateside in 1953.

It was restored in the 1950s and a tourer body was installed that had come off a different Bugatti. Then, in 1969, the car was bought by General Motors (naturally). Why not? Their purpose of buying the car was to put it on display in the Auto Pub – an automotive-themed restaurant in the General Motors Building in New York City. Shortly after moving the car in, it leaked some gas onto electrical equipment and went up in flames.

The body was destroyed but the engine and chassis were salvageable. A new owner had a new body built in the style of Bugatti by Wilkinsons & Son of England. The car is listed as having a “astonishing” number of original, numbers-matching parts. I guess it would be astonishing, considering the car once burned to the ground. The car is pretty and drivable. Look for it to bring between $390,000-$460,000. Click here for more and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

GT500 Super Snake

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1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 17, 2013

1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake

For 1967, Shelby added a bigger, more powerful Mustang to its current Mustang lineup, which consisted solely of the GT350. The new GT500 used the police interceptor engine – the 428 V8 (7.0-liters) rated at 355 horsepower. It was an immediate success and outsold the GT350 by almost 2 to 1.

This car is special. We’ll start with something I didn’t know: Carroll Shelby was the West Coast distributor for Goodyear in the late 1960s. Goodyear asked him to help showcase their new economy tire. It was to be an extended high-speed demonstration and Shelby decided to build a super GT500 for this task. They pulled a GT500 off the line and equipped it with a racing 427 – essentially the same engine that the GT40 ran at Le Mans. It put out about 600 horsepower.

Then it was equipped with the el cheapo-looking tires you see on it now and run for 500 miles at an impressive average of 142 mph (it topped out around 170!). The car was shipped to a Ford dealership in California afterward and the dealer wanted Shelby to build a run of these cars, but the price would have been exorbitant – being more expensive than the Cobra – and Shelby declined.

The car passed through various owners until the current owner acquired it and performed a “light restoration” – putting back into test mode (and finding a nearly impossible-to-find set of original skinny Goodyears – the same model used in the tire test). This is the only GT500 Super Snake built and it will bring considerably more than the $5,000 that drove it off the Ford lot in 1967. Click here for more and here for more from Mecum in Indy.

Update: Sold $1,300,000.

Update: Sold, Mecum Kissimmee 2018, $2,200,000.

Cisitalia 33DF

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1954 Cisitalia 33DF Voloradente

Offered by RM Auctions | Lake Como, Italy | May 25, 2013

1954 Cisitalia 33DF Voloradenta

Here is another rare, low-volume Cisitalia. Piero Dusio started Cisitalia automobile production immediately following World War II. The first car, the 202, appeared in 1947. There was a follow-up to that model (dubbed the “303”) – and we featured one of those a few weeks ago. And there was also this: the 33DF.

I don’t know what the 33 refers to but the DF refers to it being a Fiat derivative. It is based on the Fiat 1100 – using an upgraded 1100 engine with twin Weber carburetors. The 1.1-liter straight-four makes 69 horsepower and it could propel this tiny car to speeds slightly above 100 mph. “Voloradente” supposedly means “low flying.” The aluminium body was styled by the same guy who designed the Ferrari 206 Dino.

This particular car was restored in 2008 and repainted in its original livery. It was sold an auction about a year ago where it carried a pre-sale estimate of $160,000-$200,000 before being hammered away for $189,665. The estimate this time around is between $175,000-$225,000. This is one of only 14 or 15 33DFs built – covering both coupe and spider bodystyles. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $167,440.

Fiat 600 Viotti Coupe

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1957 Fiat 600 Coupe by Viotti

Offered by Coys | Ascot, U.K. | April 27, 2013

1957 Fiat 500 Coupe by Viotti

The Fiat 600 (or Seicento) is, as you might expect, the slightly larger big brother of the iconic Fiat 500. The 600 was actually introduced prior – two years prior – to the 500, making the Seicento the first rear-engined Fiat.

The “600” refers to the 636cc overhead valve straight-four that was put in the car from the start of production (larger engines would be available later on). It could do 68 mph and made about 28 horsepower. It was a city car – a car for the people – and sold over a million copies in the first six years of production alone. But what if you wanted something a little more stylish?

Enter Carrozzeria Viotti, the Turin-based coachbuilder founded in 1921. They were the first Italian coachbuilder to use an actual production line and while they built bodies for prewar classics like the Alfa Romeo 1500 and Lancia Dilambda, they’re post-war work centered on small cars like this or the Fiat 1100 Giardinetta. (Yeah, they built fancier stuff too). They turned a people’s car into an attractive little coupe here and ran off a few hundred of them, with only a handful in existence today.

This car is expected to sell for between $20,000-$25,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of the lineup from this sale.

Austin-Healey Le Mans Prototype

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1966 Austin-Healey Le Mans Prototype

Offered by Coys | Ascot, U.K. | April 27, 2013

1966 Austin-Healey Le Mans Prototype

Donald Healey remained involved with Austin-Healey until 1968 while the company continued to produce cars until 1972. In 1965, Mr. Healey wanted to go racing at Le Mans, so he envisioned, designed and constructed this Prototype race car to do just that.

The car doesn’t really resemble other Healeys although it was based upon the Austin-Healey Sprite (or so says the Le Mans results from the year in which Healey took on the famous 24 Hours with a two car effort). The engine is a 1.3-liter straight-four from the BMC parts bin that has been tuned for all-out performance and puts out 140 horsepower.

Its race history includes:

  • 1966 12 Hours of Sebring – 18th overall, 1st in class (with Paul Hawkins and Timo Makinen)
  • 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans – 18th, DNF (with Paddy Hopkirk and Andrew Hedges)
  • 1970 24 Hours of Daytona – 34th, DNF (with Williams Harris and Robert Lewis)

During it’s post-competition life, the car has been restored and re-painted in its 1966 Sebring color: DayGlo orange. It has also been brought up to current FIA specification as to make itself eligible for historic racing events. This is one of two such models built and it is expected to bring between $300,000-$335,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys at Ascot Racecourse.