Tag Archives: cars

D-Type Jaguar

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1955 Jaguar D-Type

Offered by RM Auctions | London, U.K. | September 8-9, 2013

1955 Jaguar D-Type

The Jaguar D-Type is one of the all-time classics. It comes from the Golden Era of Le Mans competition – the mid-1950s. D-Types, while a descendant of the earlier C-Type, look radically different from just about everything else on track in those years. That big fin was mounted at the rear for stability while it blasted down the Mulsanne Straight. It uses monocoque construction and a lot of aluminium.

The engine is a 3.8-liter straight-six pushing out in the neighborhood of 300 horsepower. Production began in 1954 with a debut at the ’54 24 Hours of Le Mans. Production continued through 1957 with road-going versions (called XK-SS) built as well. This particular example was a works tester from the start. It was the first of five long-nose cars built by the factory in 1955. It didn’t race at Le Mans that year (it was the backup car) but was campaigned by Jaguar on at least two occasions (both were retirements).

In 1957, it was sold to Ecurie Ecosse and they ran it all season. Some of it’s racing history is as follows:

  • 1957 1000km Nürburgring – 11th (with Ivor Bueb and Jock Lawrence)
  • 1958 12 Hours of Sebring – 61st, DNF (with Bueb and Ninian Sanderson)
  • 1958 1000km Nürburgring – 34th, DNF (with Bueb and Sanderson)
  • 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans – 54th, DNF (with Sanderson and Lawrence)

There were many more races, but those are the biggest. Later in ’58, it was sold into privateer hands and raced in more minor events. In 1963 it was crashed in destructive fashion and had to be sent to Jaguar for a new frame (from a Le Mans-winning D-Type, which it has today). It was used as a road car in the mid-to-late-60s. It’s been rebuilt a few times over its life but it looks good now and has both successfully and unsuccessfully competed in historic events.

Of old race cars, this is one of the big ones. It’s a must-have for serious collectors (I think) and they are exceptionally rare and almost never come up for sale. RM is selling another one in Monterey with an estimate between $4,000,000-$5,000,000 – but it was not a Jaguar factory team car nor a long-nose example. This one has an estimate between $8,600,000-$10,100,000.

Only 11 long-nose variants were built of the total of about 71 D-Types built (not counting XK-SS). 18 of the 71 were factory team cars. You can read more here and see more from RM’s Mercedes-heavy London sale here.

Update: Not Sold. High bid of $6,292,000.

S/N: XKD 504.

Chevelle Z16

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1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16

Offered by Mecum | Dallas, Texas | September 7, 2013

1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16

The Chevrolet Chevelle was introduced in 1964 to go head-to-head with Ford’s Fairlane. But the muscle car era inadvertently got in the way and the Chevelle became on of the most sought-after muscle cars of the era and the Fairlane disappeared into history.

While Pontiac and Oldsmobile had muscle car offerings in 1964, Chevrolet was sort of left behind. But they changed that in 1965 when they took the Chevelle and added $1,501 worth of goodies to it and called it the “Z16” (it was an optional performance package). What did that package include? How about the Corvette’s 396/425 V-8 (that’s 6.5 liters for those of you playing at home). But because the Corvette was the revered “top dog” – they had to under rate the Chevelle’s horsepower to 375.

They also gave it bigger brakes, an upgraded suspension, and better steering. It was basically an SS 396 on steroids. Chevy only built 201 of them and this is one of three factory black/black cars. The value of these cars has definitely been on the rise – you’re looking at about $150,000 for this car. Check out more info here and more from Mecum here.

Update: Sold $200,000.

F40 LM

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1990 Ferrari F40 LM

Offered by Gooding & Company | Monterey, California | August 17-18, 2013

1990 Ferrari F40 LM

The Ferrari F40, while not the first “supercar,” can safely be considered the first “modern supercar” – outrageous styling and outrageous performance with exclusivity to top it all off. The F40 threw the gates open for the decades of ridiculous cars that followed it.

But unlike many of the supercars after it, this one went racing. Ferrari is first and foremost a race car builder (or so they’d like you to believe). Even Ferrari hasn’t sent their halo car into competition since. Based on the road car, this racer has much of the same styling, although with more lightweight body panels. Under the rear engine cover is a 760 horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8.

Ecurie Pozzi was a race team that had campaigned Ferraris for many years. They saw the potential of the F40 and, in conjunction with Ferrari and Michelotto, the F40 LM was born. Ecurie Pozzi received two of the 18 LMs built and theirs were the only ones that ever saw sanctioned racing. This is the second of the two.

The competition history of this car is as follows:

  • 1990 Camel Grand Prix at Heartland Park, Topeka, Kansas – 25th, DNF (with Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Jean-Louis Schlesser)
  • 1990 Grand Prix of Ohio at Mid-Ohio – 3rd (with Jabouille and Olivier Grouillard)
  • 1990 Mosport GP – 2nd (with Jacques Lafitte and Hurley Haywood)
  • 1990 300km Road America – 33rd, DNF (with Michel Ferte)
  • 1990 Lime Rock IMSA GTO – 32nd, DNF (with Haywood)

And that was it for the F40 LM. This car remained in the Charles Pozzi collection until 2000. It has spent the last few years in a New York collection and has remained in race-ready condition in its original 1990 livery. There were other F40 race cars built for customers back in the day, but this is one of only two Ferrari-backed Michelotto F40 LMs that ever raced and it’s the only one in private ownership. Get it now for a cool $2,000,000-$2,500,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Gooding’s Pebble Beach lineup.

Update: Sold $2,090,000.

S/N: ZFFGX34X0K0079891

An American F1 Car

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1966 AAR Gurney-Weslake Eagle Mk I

Offered by Gooding & Company | Monterey, California | August 17-18, 2013

AAR Gurney-Weslake Eagle Mk I

Dan Gurney is one of America’s best historical driving talents. He is one of few Americans to win a Formula One race – along with winning just about everything else imaginable in just about every kind of car. In the early 1960s he raced for a few teams but always wanted to race – and win with – a car that he designed himself.

With a little help from Carroll Shelby, Gurney secured funding to start his own race team in California: All American Racers (AAR). Their original goal was to build an Indy 500 winner but he also wanted to build an F1 car. He developed the cars simultaneously – the Ealge Mk I was intended for F1 and the Mk II for USAC. For engines, Gurney looked to Weslake in Britain who supplied him with a 3.0-liter V-12 that made 390 horsepower at 10,500 rpm.

This car was the second Mk I chassis built (the first chassis used a reliable but out-dated four-cylinder Coventry-Climax engine as the Weslake wasn’t yet available) and its race history consists of:

  • 1966 Italian Grand Prix – 17th, DNF (with Dan Gurney)
  • 1966 United States Grand Prix (at Watkins Glen) – 18th, DNF (with Gurney)
  • 1966 Mexican Grand Prix – 15th, DNF (with Bob Bondurant)
  • 1967 Brands Hatch International Race of Champions – 1st (with Gurney)
  • 1967 Monaco Grand Prix – DNQ (with Richie Ginther)
  • 1967 French Grand Prix – 11th, DNF (with Bruce McLaren)
  • 1967 British Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with McLaren)
  • 1967 German Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with McLaren)

As you can see, this car suffered from a host of reliability problems. None of those DNFs were crash-related. Every one was a mechanical failure, with the exception of Gurney’s blistering win at Brands Hatch (which was not a Formula One-sanctioned race). Gurney would win an F1 race in one of his Eagles, just not this one.

After the ’67 season, AAR focused solely on USAC and this car was sold. It bounced between owners and continents and has been used in many historic events – including the Goodwood hillclimb with Gurney himself at the wheel.

It may not have been successful, but it is a beautiful Formula One car. The color, the big engine and that beak at the front of it – incredible. No pre-sale estimate is available but you can read more here and see the rest of Gooding’s lineup here.

Update: Sold $3,740,000

S/N: AAR 102

Ferrari 275 N.A.R.T.

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1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spider by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 16-17, 2013

1967 Ferrari 265 GTB4 N.A.R.T. Spider by Scaglietti

This is one of the most valuable Ferraris in the world. It was born out of a 275 GTB/4 and Luigi Chinetti’s (correct) feeling that convertibles go over big in America. He talked Enzo Ferrari into building a run of 25 convertibles based on the 275 GTB/4. Only ten ended up being built and Chinetti moved each one of them at $8,000 each in 1967 and 1968. They all carry the name “N.A.R.T.” in honor of Chinetti’s North American Racing Team that made Ferrari such a success in the States.

I actually had reservations about featuring this car because the “proceeds are going to charity” and at some auctions that’s a big red flag because the final selling price of the car tends to be wildly inflated over the actual value. But this car has an actual pre-sale estimate posted of between $14,000,000-$17,000,000 and I don’t think anyone dropping that kind of cash is really gonna bump the price just to feel good about themselves and make everyone see how great of a person they are (which is what charity cars at auctions are all about – showing you are a decent person even though you’re rich… that and the tax write-off).

The engine is a 300 horsepower 3.3-liter V-12 and the car was bought new by Eddie Smith, Sr. – directly from his friend Chinetti, to whom he traded back a coupe version he had just purchased. Prior to the coupe, Smith owned a California Spider, so he obviously had taste. When Smith died in 2007, the car passed into his son’s hands and has not been used often – which is why they are selling it and donating whatever it brings to charity.

This is essentially a one-owner car – which is something you’ll never see again with regards to a N.A.R.T. Spider. This car is a big deal, and RM is making you register with them specially if you want to bid on this car. You can find out more here and see the rest of RM’s lineup here.

Update: Sold $27,500,000.

S/N: 10709

Maserati A6GCS/53

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1953 Maserati A6GCS/53 Spyder by Fantuzzi

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 16-17, 2013

1953 Maserati A6GCS53 Spyder by Fantuzzi

In the early 1950s, Maserati was winning races in Formula Two. They thought, “if we can win races at this level, why can’t we go sports car racing too?” Their single-seater was based off of their A6 road car – and so is this.

The World Sportscar Championship was what they were after with the clunky-sounding A6GCS/53. The engine is a version of the 2.0-liter straight-six used in the Formula Two racer – it makes 170 horsepower. Most bodies for the A6GCS were built by Fantuzzi using aluminium. You have to admit, this is one good-looking race car.

This car was sold new to an American Maserati distributor and while he never raced it, Juan Manuel Fangio drove this car on a publicity photo shoot. This car did a lot of amateur road racing in its day although the biggest race of its career was:

  • 1954 12 Hours of Sebring – 33rd, DNF (with Don McKnought and William Eager)

The car has had many owners and was acquired by the current one in 2006. The restoration is as old as 1999 and it is eligible for just about every historic racing even in the world. Only 58 A6GCS/53 were built and only 52 had Fantuzzi coachwork. This one should sell for $2,450,000-$2,950,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Did not sell (high bid of $2,200,000)

S/N: 2053

The 1st Ferrari 400 Superamerica

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1959 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Monterey, California | August 17-18, 2013

1959 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe Speciale

If you compare this Ferrari 400 Superamerica to the other one we had featured in the past, you would see that the name “Aerodinamico” is very accurate to describe that car – especially in comparison to this one. This car looks downright boxy by comparison – but it also looks like it has been italicized – like the whole thing is leaning forward, itching to grab a gear and go.

This car was bought new by Gianni Agnelli – then-chairman of Fiat (a company that his family founded). The 400 Superamerica was the follow-up to the 410 Superamerica. It uses a 4.0-liter V-12 making a serious 340 horsepower. This was the first one built.

The styling by Pinin Farina is one-of-a-kind. Agnelli requested that it look like a Ferrari – and it does – but there are custom touches all around. He sold it in 1962 and it quickly became owned by actress Anita Ekberg – who thankfully never drove it through a fountain. It bounced around between owners after 1967 and in the early 1980s was donated to the Harrah Collection. The restoration was completed in 2004 under the care of its current owner.

Only 47 Ferrari 400 Superamericas were built and this is both the first one and the only one with a body like this – not to mention its unique and interesting ownership history. It should sell for between $3,750,000-$4,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more of Gooding & Company’s auction lineup.

Update: Not sold.

S/N: 1517-SA

Hispano-Suiza J12

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1933 Hispano-Suiza J12 Cabriolet by Fernandez et Darrin

Offered by Gooding & Company | Monterey, California | August 17-18, 2013

1933 Hispano-Suiza J12 Cabriolet by Fernandez et Darrin

The Hispano-Suiza J12 is not a car you hear a lot about. You hear about Delahayes and Delages and Duesenbergs and Rolls-Royces (the list really does go on forever). For whatever reason, you don’t hear a lot about Hispano-Suiza – in general. Even less about a specific model.

The J12 was introduced in 1931, replacing the very popular H6 line of cars. It was the top-of-the-line model offered by the company. It used a 11.3-liter V-12 making 250 horsepower. That’s pretty powerful and that’s also a huge engine. Only about 100 were built before the company made the switch to aircraft engines in 1938. Only about 42 to 46 still exist.

They were powerful so they could carry extravagant coachwork – and this car is no exception. Fernandez et Darrin was the successor company to the more well-known Hibbard & Darrin. Same Darrin, new partner (yes that sounds like the tag line for a bad buddy-cop TV show). The body was originally a Sedanca Coupe from the same coachbuilder, but it was modified to its present configuration by a later owner.

This car changed owners over three continents since it was built and has been restored and taken care of. It’s a performer and a looker and the catalog says it’s an “incredible opportunity to return its body to the original… configuration” in order to display it at the most prestigious of car shows. I have to wonder what kind of price it would bring had it kept its original body – as the pre-sale estimate is $2,000,000-$3,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Withdrawn.

S/N: 14040.

NART Daytona Spider

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1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona N.A.R.T. Spider by Michelotti

Offered by Gooding & Company | Monterey, California | August 17-18, 2013

1971 Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona NART Spider

The Ferrari Daytona is one of the most classic Ferraris. Of the cars they built in the late-1960s and even through most the 1970s, these are the Ferraris everybody wants. And on top of that, there is the 365 GTS/4 – or Daytona Spider. These are exceptionally rare and highly prized and collectible. They were built by Scaglietti.

And then there’s this. Only a handful of Ferrari Daytonas were custom-bodied and this is one of them. It is one of five custom-bodied Daytonas commissioned by Luigi Chinetti (the guy responsible for Ferrari being in America) – though not all were the same. It was built as a 365 GTB/4 coupe and sold by Chinetti in Connecticut. He bought it back in 1976 and shipped it to Michelotti in Italy to receive this custom body.

Michelotti designed it and built three just like it – all for Chinetti. It was finished in the colors you see and given to Mrs. Chinetti as a gift. The car also carries “NART” designation. N.A.R.T. stands for North American Racing Team – Chinetti’s race team that he used to tout the Ferrari marque around America. The engine is a standard 365 GTB 4.4-liter V-12 making 352 horsepower.

The car was acquired by its current owner in 1991. It has never been restored and was refreshed before being brought to auction. Remarkably, it has covered only 1,568 miles in its life (not including when it was a Daytona coupe for five years). As you’ll see next week, this NART Spider is a bargain at $700,000-$1,000,000. That’s even cheap for a 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider. Click here for more info and here for more from Gooding in California.

Update: Sold $720,000

S/N: 14299

The 1974 Indianapolis 500 Winner

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1974 McLaren M16C

Offered by RM Auctions | Monterey, California | August 16-17, 2013

1974 McLaren M16C

I guess I can get right to it: the competition history for this car includes:

  • 1973 Indianapolis 500 – 9th (with Johnny Rutherford)
  • 1974 Indianapolis 500 – 1st (with Rutherford)
  • 1974 Milwaukee 150 – 1st (with Rutherford)
  • 1974 Pocono 500 – 1st (with Rutherford)
  • 1974 Michigan 500 – 4th (with Rutherford)
  • 1974 Trenton 300 Race 1 – 4th (with Rutherford)
  • 1974 Trenton 300 Race 2 – 7th (with Rutherford)
  • 1974 Phoenix – 7th (with Rutherford)

As I think you’ll agree, only that second line really matters. It makes this car huge. Only a handful of Indianapolis 500 winning race cars are in private hands (that won prior to 1996). Rutherford started 25th, battled with A.J. Foyt for 50 laps and then took off, lapping every car on track with the exception of second place Bobby Unser – who finished 22 seconds behind J.R. That’s a beast of a race car and driver.

The M16C was introduced in 1973. This was a McLaren-factory car campaigned for the entire USAC season with Rutherford behind the wheel (Peter Revson was his teammate). This car won the pole at Indy in ’73. It was slightly redesigned for ’74 and Rutherford had to wait until Bump Day to make the field. This car was sold by McLaren to a privateer team, who failed to qualify for the 500 with it in 1977 and 1978.

When it was restored later on, the car was reverted to as it was in victory lane in 1974. It changed hands for a record price in 1991 and has been used (by Rutherford) at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The engine is a 2.6-liter turbocharged Offenhauser straight-four making 800 horsepower. That’s more than current Indy cars. At any rate, it’s rare that a 500 winner can be bought. This one should sell for between $1,250,000-$1,750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monterey.

Update: Sold $3,520,000.

S/N: M16C-5