Tag Archives: auctions

1948 Figoni/Falaschi Talbot

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1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Decapotable by Figoni et Falaschi

Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 13, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

That’s about the longest headline/car name we’ve ever featured. Yeesh. The Talbot-Lago T26 was introduced in 1946 and was based on a pre-war design. The T26 Record featured hydraulic brakes, a pre-selector transmission, and a 4.5-liter inline-six capable of 170 horsepower. There was a sport version called the Grand Sport that had an additional 20 horsepower.

And there was an even hotter version that was called, somewhat confusingly, the Record Sport, which shared the Grand Sport’s engine but with an aluminum cylinder head. Only 36 were built.

But what really have here is style. Figoni et Falaschi is one of the most exotic and sought-after names when it comes to classic coachbuilders… or specifically classic French coachbuilders. This is one of four Cabriolet Decapotable Record Sports built by Figoni et Falaschi and one of two that remain.

The car was part of the John O’Quinn collection until 2010, when it was bought by the current owner. It’s one of the best examples of rolling French high style there is. It carries a pre-sale estimate of $1,800,000-$2,300,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,875,000.

Kurtis 500C

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1953 Kurtis 500C

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 13-14, 2021

Photo – Gooding & Company

When it comes to classic Indy cars, not much beats a Kurtis-Offenhauser. The 500C was introduced either in late 1953 or early 1954. Only nine were built. Despite their build date, the cars were raced for years at Indianapolis – as late as about 1959.

This particular car is interesting in that it started out as a 500C that debuted at the Speedway in 1954. It ran there through 1957, including:

  • 1956 Indianapolis 500 – 8th (with Rodger Ward)

After 1957, it was sold to a different team, who had Eddie Kuzma cut the car up and update it with Kuzma parts. At that time, the Kurtis chassis was discarded and ultimately purchased by someone who would go on to have it restored in the 1980s to as it was in 1956. So, from that first original car, there are now two cars, one of which is still a Kurtis. Kind of weird, but that’s what happens.

Power is from a 4.2-liter (255ci) Offenhauser inline-four estimate to produce 400 horsepower with Hilborn mechanical fuel injection. The car is expected to sell for between $250,000-$450,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $257,600.

Krotz Motor Buggy

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1906 Krotz Motor Buggy

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | August 2021

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Alvaro Krotz founded the Krotz Manufacturing Company in Springfield, Ohio, in 1903. The company built electric cars under the Krotz Electric brand until the following year. After that venture failed, Krotz relocated to Chicago, where he apparently built this prototype high-wheeler. The story is that he showed it to Sears, who eventually went on to build similar cars. Krotz was also credited with designing the Sears to some degree, but he was gone before production started.

Krotz returned to Ohio, where the Krotz Gas-Electric hybrid was produced in small numbers by the Krotz-Defiance Auto Buggy Company. It would appear that the car above is the only surviving Krotz automobile, and it wasn’t built by either of his to automotive concerns.

The engine is a flat-twin, apparently a Panhard design of unknown displacement or origin. The car has a friction-disc transmission and was restored by its late owner. A note in the photo gallery says that the car can do 50 mph. 50! In this thing. If you’re a big Sears collector (the one or two of you out there) this is sort of a must-have. At any rate, the auction ends tomorrow. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $26,750.

Siata 208 CS

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1953 Siata 208 CS by Balbo

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 13-14, 2021

Photo – Gooding & Company

Gotta love short-wheelbase coachbuilt Italian sports cars from the 1950s. They all look like the exhaust is dragging the ground and the bodywork is being worn by the driver instead of the, in this case, oval-tube chassis. The bodywork here is by Carrozzeria Successori Balbo, which was located near the suddenly closed Stabilimenti Farina coachworks. When Farina closed, Balbo got the orders for a run of the Siata 208 CS coupes.

The 208 was produced between 1953 and 1955 and is powered by Fiat’s 2.0-liter 8V V8, which was rated at 110 horsepower. The CS version was the closed coupe, nine of which were bodied by Balbo. In all, 35 208 cars were produced.

This car was sold new in Italy and came to the U.S. in 1964. It passed through a few high-profile European collections between the 1980s and 2000s, with the current owner buying the car in 2006. The most recent restoration was completed in 2012, and the car went on to win a Siata class award at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours. It is now expected to sell for between $1,400,000-$1,800,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,627,500.

Update: Not sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023.

Hudson Indy Car

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1932 Hudson Indy Car

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 13-14, 2021

Photo – Gooding & Company

The “Junk Formula” was an era of the Indianapolis 500 that lasted from 1930 through 1937. It allowed for a much wider variety of cars at the track, which had the effect of increasing field sizes. It also encouraged race car builders to use production car parts. A mechanic from Saginaw, Michigan, named Jack Mertz decided to build his own Indy car. Using a Hudson chassis, he bodied this car himself.

Under the hood is a 4.2-liter inline-eight capable of 150 horsepower. Mertz then drove the car from Saginaw to Indianapolis to enter the 1932 race. But he arrived too late and missed the field. The following year, Mertz sold the car to a Detroit car dealer named Lawrence Martz, who then named the car after himself. The competition history for the “Martz Special” includes:

  • 1933 Indianapolis 500 – 15th, DNF (with Gene Haustein)
  • 1934 Indianapolis 500 – 30th, DNF (with Haustein)

It actually crashed during the ’34 race, and by the end of the decade the trail of this car went cold. That is, until the 1970s when it was discovered. The restoration was done in the early 1980s, and the car was shown at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours. It is now expected to bring between $250,000-$350,000 and will sell without reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $291,000.

ASA 1000 GT

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1967 ASA 1000 GT Spider

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 13, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

ASA was an Italian automobile manufacturer that existed between 1961 and 1969. Their 1000 GT model was produced between 1964 and 1967 and features a chassis designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, Colombo V12-derived four-cylinder engines, and styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone. A winning combination, it sounded like.

Many of the cars funneled into the U.S. through Luigi Chinetti, but American customers didn’t know what an ASA was, so not many were sold. Less than 100 1000 GTs were built, with some sources quoting numbers closer to 75. Only 17 of those were Spiders.

Power is from a 1.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 91 horsepower. Not a bad figure for the displacement and the era, but it was still paltry when compared to a period big-block Corvette, which cost less. Today, however, these are more well regarded. This example is expected to sell for between $160,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more form this sale.

Update: Sold $201,600.

Duesenberg J-403

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1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual-Cowl Phaeton by Murphy

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 12-14, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

There are a lot of Duesenbergs coming out of the woodwork for Monterey this year. This is the third Wednesday in a row we’ve featured one. The dual-cowl phaeton is the best Model J body style, and this is a rare variant of the breed.

Murphy’s designer decided to cut the rear cowl (the folding windshield between the two rows of seats) down the middle, so either side could flip up independently, allowing passengers from either side to enter without having to heave the entire cowl upward. It was dubbed the “butterfly” dual cowl, and only three were built.

Power is, of course, from a 265-horsepower, 6.9-liter inline-eight. This car lacks exterior door handles from the factory and rides on the shorter of the two main Model J wheelbases. This chassis originally had engine J-145 in it, but it was replaced early on with J-403. The body was originally fitted to the car with engine J-336. By the 1950s, the car as you see it had come together.

The most recent restoration was completed in 2009, and the car has been used on several long-distance tours since. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $3,305,000.

Miura P400 S

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1970 Lamborghini Miura P400 S

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 13-14, 2021

Photo – Gooding & Company

The original Miura debuted at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show and went into production in P400 guise later that year. In late 1968, Lamborghini upped the ante with the P400 S. It features some slight differences from the base Miura, including chrome window trim, power windows, and revised camshafts and intake manifolds.

These last two changes helped boost power from the 3.9-liter V12 to 365 horsepower. The S would remain in production until being replaced by the P400 SV in 1971. In all, 338 examples of the P400 S were produced.

This particular car is finished in a not-too-exciting shade of silver and was sold new in Spain. It was purchased by the late Neil Peart (the drummer for Rush) in 2014. The Miura is the original supercar, and even when finished in a disappointingly un-flashy color, it still rocks. It should sell for between $1,200,000-$1,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,325,000.

Lola T-90

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1966 Lola-Ford T-90

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, Florida | August 13-14, 2021

Photo – Gooding & Company

The mid-1960s were a time for change at Indianapolis. The mid-engined revolution was in full swing by ’66, and the previous year was the first time that a majority of the field was made up of rear-engined cars. The British cars were back in force in 1966, with Lola leading the way with their Ford-powered T-90.

Three T-90s were built, and all three were on the grid at the 1966 Indy 500. This is one of two powered by a 4.2-liter Ford quad-cam V8. Fuel injected, it makes about 425 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, 90/2, includes:

  • 1966 Indianapolis 500 – 6th, DNF (with Jackie Stewart)
  • 1966 Langhorne 150 – 3rd (with Al Unser Sr.)
  • 1966 Fuji 200 – 1st (with Stewart)

As most old race cars do after their time on track is finished, this car passed around between a few owners. In this case some of them believed this to be the ’66 500-winning car of Graham Hill. The current owner bought it under that assumption in 1995. After much research, it was discovered it was not. In 2017, the car was restored back to its Bowes Seal Fast Special livery that Stewart ran in 1966.

It’s got a pretty interesting history and the 100% right look of an early rear-engined Indy car. The pre-sale estimate is $1,000,000-$1,400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale. Also… can we take a second to ponder the insanity that Stewart finished SIXTH and was still not running at the end of the ’66 500? The fifth-place finisher wasn’t running either. Talk about attrition…

Update: Not sold.

SSC Ultimate Aero

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2007 SSC Ultimate Aero TT

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 12-14, 2021

Photo – Mecum

If you’ve haven’t been following the drama of SSC’s current Tuatara supercar we’ll fill you in: there was a video online in 2020 of the car purportedly breaking the 300-mph barrier. People called it bogus, and very recently SSC admitted it did not actually happen. The company’s first model was the Aero, which debuted in 2004. We featured the second one of those that was built before it was withdrawn from a previous auction.

The upped the Aero to the Ultimate Aero in 2005 and continued piling power on with 2007’s Ultimate Aero TT. This is the first of those built. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.3-liter V8 that was rated at 1,183 horsepower. The top speed was 257 mph, which made it the fastest “production” car at the time.

Mecum notes that 24 were produced between 2006 and 2007. I’m not sure what model(s) that number covers, or even if it is true. Remember that they announced the Tuatara in 2011 but it is unclear if customer deliveries have begun as of 2021.

All that said, this is a pretty cool American supercar. It’s like a 21st Century Vector. It is expected to sell for between $600,000-$750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

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