Tag Archives: classic car

Abarth TC Race Car

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1967 Fiat Abarth TC Berlina Corsa

Offered by Bonhams, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 19, 2012

This is the ultimate hot-hatch – with the exception that the rear hatch is in the always-open position and beneath it is a 1050cc Abarth four-cylinder engine making about 110 horsepower. This car could take down much bigger and more powerful cars. That much power pushing this little weight makes for an incredibly tossable and fun race car.

And this car is race ready. Buy it and go. That little Abarth scorpion logo is good for a few seconds off your lap time. This car was discovered rotting in a backyard in California in 1997 and period-correct Abarth parts were sourced in order to complete the rebuild.

Bonhams’ pre-sale estimate is $50,000-$70,000. More info here with more on the sale here.

Update: Sold $46,800.

Update: Sold, Bonhams Monterey sale 2012, $30,475.

Update: Sold, RM Arizona 2014, $46,750.

Update: Sold, Bonhams Scottsdale 2019, $16,800.

Yellow Cougar Convertible

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1973 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Offered by Russo & Steele | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 18-22, 2012

The second generation Mercury Cougar was in production from 1971-1973. 1973 was the final year for the Mustang-based Cougar as well as the final year for the convertible Cougar.

This particular example is a heavily-optioned XR7 (the luxury trim) with the GT hood scoop and the 351 Cobra Jet engine making 264 horsepower for 1973 (down 2 ponies from 1972). 1973 production was 60,628 and the 351 CJ made up only a small fraction of that number – the convertible XR7 even less.

Our pre-sale guesstimate is somewhere around $35,000-$40,000 (I mean, that’s a good looking car). More info on it can be found here and more about Russo & Steele in Scottsdale here.

Update: Sold $17,600.

Nash Bridges ‘Cuda

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1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda Convertible

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 15-22, 2012

If this car looks familiar to you, then I am glad to say we share similar taste in 1990s primetime television cop shows. This was one of five ‘Cudas prepared for the CBS series Nash Bridges starring Don Johnson. Of the five built, it was the one personally retained by Johnson after production wrapped in 2001. He sold the car at Barrett-Jackson in 2003, where it was purchased by the current owner.

In the show, the car was supposed to be a 1971 Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible – of which only 11 were built. There was a time in the past five years where a Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible would cost you a cool $2 million. I’m not sure that price would stand today.

But that’s another story. This car is actually equipped with a 340 V8 (5.6 liter) and it’s a 1970. It was one of 64 convertibles built for the Canadian market in 1970. It’s also an automatic – Don Johnson couldn’t be expected to drive, carry on a scripted conversation, take direction from a camera car, and shift, could he? In fact, Johnson did much of his own driving on the series, particularly when doing a dialogue scene and driving through San Francisco (and never hitting a red light!). Apparently, this took a lot of skill – keeping appropriate pace with the camera car and being able to be heard over wind and engine noise. Yes, I’ve watched DVD commentaries of Nash Bridges.

I remember this car selling in 2003 for almost $150,000. Part of me just can’t imagine it bringing that much now. You could probably get a real Hemi coupe for close to that price. The muscle car bubble did burst, despite what certain places will tell you. This is not a $150,000 car. Don’t get me wrong, I want it – bad. But I’m a gigantic fan of the show and Nash Bridges’ ‘Cuda is a car I’ve loved from first sight. You’d really have to love the show to pay more than double what this car is worth, were it any other 340 ‘Cuda Convertible.

More info on the lot car be found here. More on the auction here.

Update: Sold $88,000.

1957 David Convertible

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1957 David Convertible

Offered by Auctions America, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, March 16-18, 2012

Another microcar from Auctions America’s upcoming Ft. Lauderdale auction in the spring. This time, it’s a David – which was made in Barcelona from 1954 through 1958 (not much of a Spanish name is it?). Spain was a microcar hotbed in the 1950s with no less than four fairly significant manufacturers producing these little things. David wasn’t so big, having only produced 60 to 70 of these little convertibles.

The car is powered by a 345cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine making a whopping 10 horsepower. It will hit 42 mph, which I can only imagine is somewhat terrifying in this car. My lawn mower has larger wheels.

There aren’t but a handful of Davids left and cute definitely sells. But microcars have a limited appeal and a low price ceiling. Expect this to come in under $25,000. More info can be found here with more on the auction here.

Update: Sold $25,300.

Pathfinder Touring Car

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1913 Pathfinder Series XIII A Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19-20, 2012

This 40 horsepower Pathfinder is described as “the only one of its kind in existence,” meaning it is the only 1913 Pathfinder in existence – making it sound rarer than it is. It’s a Series XIII Five-Passenger Touring model with attractive, but average for the time, styling.

This model was originally spec’d with all available electrical equipment – but as you can see, there is a hand crank hanging out the front of the car. At this time, the electric starter had only been on Cadillacs for a year. While this car is quite interesting and worthy of being collected, it is not a Cadillac.

Pathfinder was in production for five short years, from 1912 until 1917, as a sub-marque of the Parry Automobile Company of Indianapolis, Indiana. Later cars became more luxurious with V-12 engines, but this early model has a 281 cubic inch L-head 4-cylinder.

This particular car sold this past summer at an RM Auction for $115,500. You have to wonder when a car pops up at auction twice in a year. Either the new buyer wanted to hurry and try and flip it for a quick profit and that plan went south and they needed to just get rid of it. Or there is something wrong with it. I’m guessing the former. With only six months since it’s last sale, I doubt the market for 1913 Pathfinder’s has changed all that much. More about it here, with auction info here.

Update: Not Sold.

Update II: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016, $121,000.

1971 Ford Torino GT

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1971 Ford Torino GT

Offered by Mecum, January 24-29, 2012, Kissimmee, Florida

The muscle car era was about to end and Ford had the best looking ever Torino on its hands. There were 14 different Torino models available in 1971 and this GT is second only to the Cobra when it comes to sportiness and muscle. The ’71 Tornio GT was available as a convertible or this 2-door “SportsRoof” bodystle. Under the hood, the GT had Ford’s 4.9 liter V8 as standard.

Ford’s competitor to the Torino was the Chevrolet Chevelle – which is far more popular among muscle car types and is generally more collectable. There are dozens of Chevelles at muscle car auctions but there aren’t nearly as many Torinos. This one looks good in light blue with the gray stripe and black hood scoop.

Unless there is something I don’t know about this car (which is possible, the catalog description isn’t up yet), I expect it to bring no more than $35,000. For more info on the car, click here and for more on Mecum’s Kissimmee auction try here.

1955 Flajole Forerunner

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1955 Flajole Forerunner

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 15-22, 2012

Designed by American Bill Flajole, this interesting concept car is one of one. It has a 180 horsepower Jaguar engine from an XK120. The curvy Fiberglas body has sparkly purple paint and curves all over the place.

The car has some unique design features – check out the chrome bumper way out there in front. You’d better be careful not to knick that chrome. And then there’s the rear-view mirror, located above the windshield and above the roof, outside of the car. It might seem strange until you realize there is zero visibility out the rear.

That nice sloping fastback – no pesky window seals to disrupt the airflow back to the rear tire sticking up like a spoiler in the back. The car is definitely interesting and it’s one of a kind. So if you want a car no one else has, this one’s for you.

This car sat at Hyman Ltd in St. Louis for quite a while with a $275,000 price tag. You can read the full catalog description here and check out more from Barrett-Jackson here.

Update: Not Sold. Currently for sale at Hyman Ltd in St. Louis for $295,000.

Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

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1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

Offered by Barrett-Jackson, January 15-22, 2012, Scottsdale, Arizona

Originally shown at the New York Auto Show in 1933 where it gathered much interest. A $10,000 price tag in 1933 made this a car that was definitely not for everyone, and only five were built (three survive today).

The modern-day Mercedes-Benz CLS is described as a “four-door coupe” which Mercedes would like us to think was their idea. But this car is a four-door coupe and it’s a tad older than any CLS. It features a V12 that will take this car to a then astounding 115 mph. It’s a sensational car of which very few exist. Among large 1930s American classics, they don’t come much better than this.

This particular car was restored by the Harrah Collection where it remained until 1987. When it crosses the block in January it will be coming from the Blackhawk Collection, where it sat for years with a price tag of about $1.45 million.

More info on the car is available here and more info on the sale at Barrett-Jackson’s website.

Update: Sold $2,200,000.

1952 Kleinschnittger F125

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1952 Kleinschnittger F125 Convertible

Offered by Auctions America, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 16-18, 2012

This Kleinschnittger (we recommend not trying to say that three times fast as you might actually injure yourself) is one of a handful of rare, interesting post-war European microcars that will cross the block at Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale event in March of 2012.

The model is an F125, the 125 standing for the 125cc single-cylinder engine (two-stroke) outputting a sporty 5.4 horsepower (that decimal is very important). A three-speed transmission will propel this 367 pound roadster to a blistering 43 mph.

In all seriousness, this car is quite interesting because not very many survive of the less than 3,000 that were built. There was an F250 follow-up model with a 250cc engine.

Kleinschnittger only existed between 1950 and 1957 in Germany so their cars never really had the chance to make a huge impact on the world. This car is small and cute – two characteristics that have proven to sell strongly at recent auctions. Christie’s sold one (back when they were still selling cars in 1997) for about $22,000. My guess is somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000. It’s in really nice shape and, well, apparently they don’t come up for auction but every 15 years.

Find out more about it here and more about Auctions America in Ft. Lauderdale, here.

Update: Sold $44,000.

Purple Isotta Boattail

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1927 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Boattail Tourer

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19-20, 2012

Look. At. This. Car. It’s mindblowing. First of all, how many two-tone purple cars do you see? Now, how many two-tone purple cars do you see that grab and hold your attention quite like this. Look at that grille!

This is the second Tipo 8A that we’ve featured that’s being offered in Arizona this January. It is by far the more awesome. The car is immaculate and I’d by dying to put a bid in on it, had I not been aware that RM sold this car back in 2007 for a touch over $390,000. At that time, it undercut the lower end of the estimate by a cool $60,000 – so, by definition it’s a steal. (The car lacked the current grille-work that it has now at that time).

It’s got a 135 horsepower, 7.4 liter Straight 8 engine which isn’t Duesenberg power but it’s no slouch, able to hit 100 mph. The Boattail bodywork is by Carrozzeria Italiana Cesare Sala (not a household name by any means) and it cost $6,000 back in 1927 – on top of the $8,500 chassis price. They weren’t exactly giving these cars away.

RM doesn’t have an estimate handy as of this writing, but $400,000 sounds about right, we’ll see. I’d pay it, conditions willing. More info can eventually be found here and more about RM in Arizona here.

Update: Sold $407,000.