Tag Archives: cars

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.

Ashley 1172

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1969 Ashley 1172 Roadster

Offered by Coys | Athens, Greece | June 14, 2014

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Coys has this car listed as a 1969 Triumph Ashley Special, but I did a little digging and it would appear to actually be an Ashley 1172 – which is essentially a Triumph, but with a sportier body on it.

Ashley Laminates built fiberglass body shells and panels that were turned into a number of “specials” between 1955 and 1962. They found their way onto chassis from Ford to Triumph and some cars in between. In this case, this car started life as a Triumph. The engine was a 948cc straight-four from a Triumph Herald but was replaced in 2006 with a 1.3-liter straight-four from a Mini Cooper.

The 1172 was available as a coupe or roadster and the roadster was available from 1958 through 1961. But body shells were around for years before they were ever actually attached to a car. It’s a pretty cool little ride for not a lot of money: between $13,500-$16,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Coys’ lineup.

Update: Sold $14,225.

1915 Fiat Box Van

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1915 Fiat 18P Box Van

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

One of the coolest parts of owning a classic commercial vehicle is that it is probably pretty easy to get it cast in a movie set sometime in the past. This thing looks like it drove straight out of the flashback scenes in The Godfather Part II. It’s amazing how beautiful old trucks can be. There are new cars out now that don’t have this much style. It’s all in the details.

The Fiat 18P was built between 1915 and 1920. They are powered by a 4.4-liter straight-four. Only 6,354 were built – many of which were for the Italian Army. This one was acquired by Banfield as a chassis and restored as a box van. It should sell for between $37,000-$51,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $52,667.

AEC Double-Decker

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 1922 AEC S-Type Open Top Double Deck Bus

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

AEC is known as the double-decker bus company. Their Routemaster double-decker is one of the most famous of the type. But their double-deckers go back to before WWI. The S-Type was built between 1920 and 1927, with 849 (double-deckers) built for the London General Omnibus Company – for which this example was built.

The engine is a 35 horsepower 5.1-liter straight-four and it is said that this was as good as public transport got in London back in the day. It can transport up to 54 people – 26 inside and 28 up top in the weather.

This is thought to be one of only two S-Type double-deckers in existence. And it had a really cool story, which you can read more of here. The price? $130,000-$150,000.

Update: Sold $477,481.

Alfa Romeo Matta

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1954 Alfa Romeo 1900M AR51

Offered by Coys | Athens, Greece | June 14, 2014

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The Alfa Romeo 1900M was known widely as the Alfa Romeo Matta. It was produced for the Italian Army for a short period in the 1950s. They also produced a limited run of “AR52” models that were intended for civilian use – but those are much rarer.

It was essentially an Italian Willys Jeep – but a little more complex (which is why Alfa switched to the easier-to-repair Campagnola after only a few years). The engine here is a 1.9-liter straight-four making 64 horsepower. All four wheels are driven and it could do 65 mph.

The Matta was produced between 1952 and 1954 only. Only 2,007 AR51 variants were built. This is a very rare automobile and a well-restored, matching-numbers example at that. It should sell for between $19,000-$21,500. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys in Greece.

Update: Sold $31,500.

1904 Talbot Brougham

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1904 Talbot CT4V-B 12/16HP Brougham

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Talbot began life in 1903 as Clement-Talbot – it was a British company financed by Charles Chetwynd-Talbot and Frenchman (and already successful automobile producer) Adolphe Clement-Bayard. Clement-Talbot was to produce Clement-Bayards under license in the U.K. Though after only a single model year, Clement-Talbot would become just Talbot for 1904, making this car from the first year of Talbot manufacture.

The CT4V-B was one of two four-cylinder Talbots offered for 1904. It made an additional two horsepower (16) over the base CT4V model from the 2.7-liter straight-four. The body is a big one – a Brougham with open chauffeur seat and closed passenger compartment. It’s well-equipped and the passenger section looks very much like the horseless carriage that it was in 1904.

This car entered the Michael Banfield collection in the 1970s and had been well restored. It’s a fine example of veteran motoring and can be yours for between $590,000-$760,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

1904 Cyklonette

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1904 Cyklon Cyklonette

For sale at Hyman Ltd | St. Louis, Missouri

Photo - Hyman Ltd.

Photo – Hyman Ltd.

Cyklon Maschinenfabrik GmbH of Berlin introduced their first vehicle in 1902. It was this strange but wonderful little “Cyklonette.” Cyklon would later built more conventional cars before going out of business in 1929, but the Cyklonette is what they are known for.

If you’re thinking “gee, that looks awfully complex there at the front” – you’re right. It’s an unusual bicycle-themed design where the engine is attached above the front wheel – which is the driven wheel. The vertical 1.3-liter two-cylinder engine makes 6 horsepower. Some of these cars actually had four-cylinders! It has tiller steering and a wicker body. It’s like the spiritual ancestor of the tuk-tuk.

If you want more information on the bewildering drivetrain setup, I encourage you to go to Hyman Ltd’s site and read more here. Cyklon built the Cyklonette through 1923 and this early example is said to be largely original, however it has had some cosmetic upkeep over the years. It looks incredible. A fair number of these were built, but you rarely see them. It’s priced between $80,000-$85,000.

Car Guy History – 1940 Census Pt III

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Barney Oldfield

Barney Oldfield Census

“Who do you think you are? Barney Oldfield?” is an expression that isn’t used too often these days as many people really don’t know who Barney Oldfield is/was. He was one of America’s first truly awesome race cars drivers. He got his start in 1902 with Henry Ford and later set records on the beach in Daytona. He raced in the early days of the Indy 500, becoming the first person to run a 100+mph lap.

Sometime prior to 1930 he moved to Beverly Hills and lived at 1721 Chevy Chase Drive. Here’s what it looks like today courtesy of Google Earth:

Barney Oldfield House

Oldfield owned the $47,500 house (now valued at almost $2 million). He lived there with his wife and a 27-year-old Filipino “houseboy.” At this point in time his racing career had ended and he is listed as an “Owner/Manager” of a club. He died in 1946 at age 68.

Merryweather Fire Engine

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1913 Merryweather Fire Engine

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Merryweather & Sons is the world’s oldest fire-fighting equipment manufacturer, tracing its origin all the way back to 1692. Their first self-propelled fire engine came in 1899 (it was steam-powered).

The truck you see here is powered by an Aster engine – a monstrous 8.6-liter straight-four to be exact. It also has some serious pumping equipment on it and the restoration still holds up magnificently. Looking at it, you can see differences between old American and old British fire engines. It’s kind of a weird thing to notice. This should sell for between $76,000-$100,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $126,027.

Tilling-Stevens Double Decker

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1922 Tilling-Stevens TS3A Open Top Double Deck Bus

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Thomas Tilling operated a very large horse-drawn omnibus service in London beginning in 1847. They built their first motor buses in 1911. W.A. Stevens invented a hybrid gas-electric bus and joined Tilling during the 1910s. That’s right, this thing is a hybrid.

This 1922 TS3A was a new model, replacing the original Tilling buses. The gas engine is a 5.7-liter straight-four making 40 horsepower (click here for some crazy technical details). The bus will seat 48 (22 inside and 26 outside).

Banfield rescued this thing from a scrapyard and began the restoration in 1972. It wasn’t finished until 2007. It is the last surviving example of a TS3A. If you’ve always wanted a red, London double-decker, here’s one of the first. It should sell for between $150,000-$190,000.

Update: Sold $367,295.