Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | March 29, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
Frazer Nash is interesting for a number of reasons, one of which is that they offered quite a few distinct models, none of which were built in any great quantity. And yet, examples of all survive.
The Boulogne was offered in two series between 1926 and 1932. Early cars received Anzani engines, which this car had. But it was at some point retrofitted with a later car’s 1.5-liter Meadows inline-four. The car was raced in the 1920s before being re-bodied as a sedan.
But the sedan body was damaged during WWII, and it was re-bodied again as a Super Sport. Now it’s hillclimb ready. Only 30 examples of the Boulogne were produced between both series. This one should bring between $140,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | March 29, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
Just a few weeks ago we featured another model from the Marcos GT line of cars: the Marcos 1500GT. So what’s the difference? Well, for starters, the 1800GT was the first of the company’s GT cars. It was introduced in 1964 and was built for two years until the 1500GT took over.
The 1800GT was introduced with a plywood chassis and a 1.8-liter Volvo inline-four that originally made 96 horsepower. This car, converted to competition spec, has a rebuilt engine that is said to make 157 horsepower.
This car is historic racing eligible and is one of only 100 built. The pre-sale estimate here is $45,000-$58,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | March 29, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
Calm down, Austin-Healey lovers. This car started life as a 1959 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I. Bonhams lists it as an Austin-Healey with “coachwork by Fiberfab,” which is a fancy way to say this big Healey wears a fiberglass body produced in California in the late 1960s, which is roughly when this car was re-bodied.
The engine is a 2.9-liter inline-six that has been rebuilt and tuned to an impressive 285 horsepower. This thing will scoot. Which is good, because it is being marketed as a historic competition car.
The Jamaican was Fiberfab’s best-looking product, and to see one fitted to a Healey is kind of rare. Many were placed on TR3/4, MGA, or even Volkswagen underpinnings. This one is expected to bring between $58,000-$71,000, which might seem like a lot for what some would consider a fiberglass kit car, but a big portion of that estimate is for the car underneath. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
Let’s start with the fact that this car is listed as a “circa 1897” in the catalog, which is interesting because it is powered by a 2.7-liter flat-twin. This 10 horsepower engine was first found in the Benz Dos-a-Dos of 1899. Earlier in this car’s life, before its late-1980s restoration, it was registered as an 1895. So who knows.
This Mylord-Coupe is one of three known examples. These early twin “contra-motor”Benzes are highly sought after for their increased power. The Dos-a-Dos was gone by 1902, giving way to more modern vehicles. This incredibly rare early car is expected to fetch between $500,000-$750,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Not sold.
1911 Benz 50HP Victoria by Demarest
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
And here we have a larger, “modern” Benz. The 50HP model was introduced in 1906 and was only available to American customers here and there. According to the auction catalog, it was almost a special-order occasion in order to get one stateside.
This particular car was sold new in the US and wears American coachwork from Demarest. Power is from a 7.4-liter inline-four good for, you guessed it, 50 horsepower. It was near the upper reaches of the Benz model line, but by 1911 it had effectively been replaced. This is likely one of the last 50HP models produced, and it cost $10,000 when new.
And it’s the only known survivor of the model. Its first owner perished on the Titanic, and the car was restored in 2014. The pre-sale estimate is $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
And here we have a larger, “modern” Benz. The 50HP model was introduced in 1906 and was only available to American customers here and there. According to the auction catalog, it was almost a special-order occasion in order to get one stateside.
This particular car was sold new in the US and wears American coachwork from Demarest. Power is from a 7.4-liter inline-four good for, you guessed it, 50 horsepower. It was near the upper reaches of the Benz model line, but by 1911 it had effectively been replaced. This is likely one of the last 50HP models produced, and it cost $10,000 when new.
And it’s the only known survivor of the model. Its first owner perished on the Titanic, and the car was restored in 2014. The pre-sale estimate is $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
The Marcos GT remains the torchbearer for Marcos styling. They’ve more or less iterated upon this design since it was first launched in 1964 as the 1800. Part of the charm of that car was that it used a fiberglass body over a plywood chassis and a Volvo-sourced engine.
In 1966, Marcos placed a 1.5-liter Ford Kent inline-four under the hood and re-dubbed the car the 1500GT. Output was 85 horsepower. The car would continue to evolve and eventually lose its plywood chassis in favor of a steel one.
This is one of only 82 1500GTs built and one of only eight delivered new to the U.S. They’re a rare sight on either side of the pond, and this one should sell for somewhere in the neighborhood of $50,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
The Renault AI was one of the company’s large luxury cars and was offered between 1905 and 1910. They were powered by large 7.5-liter inline-fours that made about 65 horsepower. The fact that this big power rating came from one of France’s more storied early competition car-builders is probably why this car exists.
Willie K. Vanderbilt, yes, of that family, was a gearhead who started competing in races in the US and Europe about as early as you could. Around 1906, he asked Renault to build him a run of race cars based on their AI engine. He bought 10 of them for $150,000 and all had different coachwork. He sold most of them and kept one for himself.
The cars were successful racing in America, and this is one of five Vanderbilt racers that have survived. It was discovered in 1946 and went to the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum in 1957. Most of the other survivors are locked away in collections. Bonhams won’t even give an estimate on this car, but it’s a pretty incredible, useable survivor. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
Let’s start with the fact that this car is listed as a “circa 1897” in the catalog, which is interesting because it is powered by a 2.7-liter flat-twin. This 10 horsepower engine was first found in the Benz Dos-a-Dos of 1899. Earlier in this car’s life, before its late-1980s restoration, it was registered as an 1895. So who knows.
This Mylord-Coupe is one of three known examples. These early twin “contra-motor”Benzes are highly sought after for their increased power. The Dos-a-Dos was gone by 1902, giving way to more modern vehicles. This incredibly rare early car is expected to fetch between $500,000-$750,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
Adam Opel set up shop in 1862 to make sewing machines. He stuck around through a switch to bicycle manufacturing in 1886, but died before the company built its first car in 1899. Early Opels don’t come up for sale that often, though there are some to be found at classic car dealerships all over Germany. You certainly don’t see them in the U.S. all too often.
This pre-GM 14/38 PS (General Motors took over in 1931) was a model produced between 1913 and 1924. It was a large luxury car that was revised over the years. In 1918, the 3.3-liter inline-four was rated at 38 horsepower.
This one retains its original body and was parked unused in Sweden from 1939 until 1998. It has since been restored and is now expected to fetch between $125,000-$175,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
The Volkswagen project kicked off in 1937 to build Germany a “people’s car.” Well, that plan sort of got derailed with Germany’s other big passion: taking over the world. So Volkswagen got repurposed to build military vehicles. And they produced three different kinds. Two of them are on offer at this sale.
The Schwimmwagen is the most mass-produced amphibious vehicle in history. In all, 14,265 of them were built between 1942 and 1944. They were used by the Germans throughout the war and could obviously be used on land or water. Power is from a 1.1-liter flat-four good for 25 horsepower. The Schwimmwagen even made an appearance in the Gran Turismo video game series. It was not fast.
The whole military history of this car shouldn’t really deter people from having one. They are probably tons of fun. This one was recently restored and is expected to bring between $100,000-$125,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Sold $145,600.
1944 Volkswagen Type 82 Kubelwagen
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 5, 2020
Photo – Bonhams
We said that Volkswagen produced two other military vehicles for Germany during WWII, aside from the Schwimmwagen. This, the Kubelwagen, was another one (there was also a four-wheel-drive version of the Beetle). This is the one the bad guys always drove in WWII video games.
Produced between 1940 and 1945, the Type 82 is powered by a 25 horsepower, 1.1-liter flat-four. Earlier versions had smaller engines. It was the German version of the Jeep. But, unlike the Jeep, this thing is heavily based on Beetle designs and is rear-wheel drive.
That’s right! This thing will go anywhere with just two driven wheels. Part of the trick is that the car is very light, uses portal axles, and has a relatively smooth underside. They built 50,435 examples, and this one has been restored. It should bring between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
