Tag Archives: classic cars

Cadillac Model S

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1908 Cadillac Model S Double Phaeton

Offered by Artcurial | Monaco | July 20, 2015

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

The Model S was a 1908 model year only car offered by then-five-year-old Cadillac. It was a light car at the bottom of Cadillac’s lineup for the year. Check out this pricing disparity: the most expensive Cadillac in 1908 was a Model H Limousine that sold for $3,600. But a Model S Runabout could be had for $850.

The 1.6-liter single-cylinder engine in this car has a lot of mass to move as the Double Phaeton body is quite large. It is also probably not the original body for this car as no such body style exists in Cadillac’s 1908 catalog. Power is rated at “more than 10 horsepower.”

This car was in a museum in 1997 before entering the collection from which it is being offered. It will require a restoration to be made roadworthy and should sell for between $33,500-$67,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $23,816.

Allard Palm Beach

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1956 Allard Palm Beach Mk II

Offered by H&H Classics | Chateau Impney, U.K. | July 11, 2015

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Sydney Allard starting building cars in the late 1930s to compete in hillclimb events. Not the civilized, paved hillclimbing that we know today, but trials – as in, up nearly-impassible dirt hills. After the war he started building some road cars – and nice ones at that. Then he moved to sports cars.

One such car, built near the end of Allard’s run, was the Palm Beach. First introduced in 1952, the car received a substantial upgrade to Mk II specification in 1956. The body was classed up and fit more with the times. And the engine was bumped up to six-cylinders only. This car uses a 2.6-liter straight-six from a Ford. Jaguar engines were also available.

This car is beautiful, having had a recent ground-up restoration. It was on the stand at the 1956 Earls Court Motor Show. After that, it was an Allard factory demonstrator. The Palm Beach ended production in 1958 with 80 built – only six of which were Mk II cars, making this exceptionally rare. This one should sell for between $125,000-$155,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $138,880.

Gordon-Keeble

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1964 Gordon-Keeble Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

There were some great, low-production British marques of the 1950s and 1960s that had style and performance and perhaps none are better than the Gordon-Keeble. The car came together because of the design talents of John Gordon and Jim Keeble. The steel body was designed by Bertone and it debuted in 1960 as the Gordon.

Production started in 1964 and the coupe was powered by a 5.4-liter V-8 from a Corvette good for 300 horsepower. Top speed was 140 mph and it could hit 60 in six seconds. The price was a little steep and in 1965 the company was re-organized and the final car was built in 1966.

Only 99 of these were built (until a 100th example was constructed in 1967 out of spare parts). They’re good-looking, powerful, fast cars. And their rarity is ensured forever. This example should bring between $92,000-$140,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $125,550.

Isotta-Fraschini Tipo PM

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1911 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo PM Roadster by Pavesi & Crespi

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Isotta-Fraschini got their start selling Renaults in Italy but quickly dropped the French line in favor of their own – which sprouted and grew quickly. By the 1920s and 30s, they were some of the most desirable cars in the world.

But even their earlier models were well sought after, too. Prior to WWI, the company offered a huge range of models, among them the Tipo PM you see here. It is powered by a 6.0-liter straight-four. It was built for two years only – 1911 and 1912. Only 60 were constructed and only three remain.

The restoration was completed in 2012 and the body is by Carrozzeria Pavesi & Crespi of Milan, a short-lived and not very well known coach builder that went bust shortly after this two-seat roadster was completed. This car should sell for between $540,000-$730,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $547,929.

Update: Not sold, Bonhams London-to-Brighton 2023.

Frazer Nash Fast Tourer

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1926 Frazer Nash Fast Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Chateau Impney, U.K. | July 11, 2015

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

We’ve featured quite a few Frazer Nash cars recently, but they’re so rare we can’t help it. The Fast Tourer is actually the first model sold by Archibald Frazer-Nash’s company. It pre-dates the Frazer Nash-BMW cars of the 1930s.

It is powered by a 1.5-liter straight-four and is actually chain-driven. There were two concurrent models sold by Frazer Nash at this point. The Fast Tourer was the long wheelbase version while the Super Sports was the short wheelbase version.

This car has known ownership history since 1933 and it was restored in the late 1980s. It’s in great shape today and would make for a fun driver. These were built between 1925 and 1930 with only 165 built, split between the two different wheelbases. This one should sell for between $125,000-$155,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Alpine A210

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1966 Alpine A210

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | June 22, 2015

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Alpine, the sports and racing car manufacturer, is best known for some of its road-going models, namely the A110. The company, which goes back to 1955, is now part of Renault and the marque is dormant.

Alpine also had a very long history of racing cars. New Alpine-branded racing cars have seen the track as recent as 2014. But if you go back to the 1960s, the company was intent on conquering the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They built a string of evolutionary racing cars for Le Mans, starting with the M63 in 1963.

This was the first A210 built (of seven total). There were at least three different engines used in this model. This car has had different engines over the years and is currently fitted with a 1.5-liter straight-four.

It’s race history includes:

  • 1966 1000km Monza – 18th (with Jean Vinatier and Roger Delageneste)
  • 1966 1000km Spa – 9th (with Delageneste and Jacques Patte)
  • 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans – 32nd, DNF (with André de Cortanze and Jean-Pierre Hanrioud)
  • 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans – 40th, DNF (with Philippe Vidal and Leo Cella)

This car is eligible (and has taken part in) many historic races, including the Le Mans Classic. It should sell for between $325,000-$550,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Sold $524,480.

1990 Williams F1 Car

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1990 Williams-Renault FW13B

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Can you believe the Williams F1 team has been around since 1978? Considering they do not have huge funding dollars from a road-car division and were founded by a travelling grocery salesman and an engineer, they’ve done pretty well.

The FW13 was used in the final four races of the 1989 season and for 1990 it was updated to the spec you see here, and dubbed FW13B. It is powered by a naturally-aspirated Renault 3.5-liter RS2 V-10 and the car was used for the entire 1990 season.

The racing resume for this car includes:

  • 1990 United States Grand Prix – 3rd (with Thierry Boutsen)
  • 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix – 5th (with Boutsen)
  • 1990 Japanese Grand Prix – 4th (with Boutsen)
  • 1990 Australian Grand Prix – 6th (with Boutsen)

This car may never have won a race, but its sister cars did in the hands of both Boutsen and teammate Riccardo Patrese. The Canon Williams livery is a great 1990s F1 paint scheme. If you want to take this to track days, you’ll need to put in a little work as the Renault V-10 is currently inoperable (although it is correct). It should sell for between $140,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $160,748.

1910 Hotchkiss Roi-des-Belges

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1910 Hotchkiss Type X6 Series 1 20/30HP Roi-des-Belges Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Oxford, U.K. | June 20, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This is an ornate machine. Look at that long barrel of an engine compartment and the extra long wheelbase (there is virtually no overhang on either end). It’s a classy automobile, that’s for sure.

Hotchkiss was founded in the 1860s by an American in Paris (or thereabouts) and the company lasted for nearly 100 years. Automobile building ended in the 1950s after over 50 years of production. This Type X6 an early example and it is proof that Hotchkiss built big, expensive cars. The engine is a 4.8-liter straight-six making 20/30 horsepower.

This car was saved from a scrapyard in Australia int he 1950s and the restoration you see here wasn’t completed until 1995. It’s a big, powerful Edwardian touring car – and it’s rare too. Only 27 Type X6s were built in 1910 (with an additional 51 being completed before the end of the model in 1912). Only two are thought to survive. It should bring between $120,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $144,286.

Durant Tourer

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1922 Durant B-22 Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Oxford, U.K. | June 20, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The story of Billy Durant isn’t a super-happy one. It’s a shame that most people don’t even know who he was. He founded General Motors. Then got wedged out. So he attempted to found another General Motors (in the form of the company that bore his name). He introduced a couple of marques and then went bust when the Depression hit.

The Durant marque, under the Durant Motors corporate umbrella, was around from 1921 through 1932. The 1922 model range offered a four and six cylinder car (A-22 and B-22, respectively). The six-cylinder B-22 was built in 1922 and 1923 only and uses a 70 horsepower straight-six. It could be had in four body styles.

You don’t see Durants all that often, especially these early, larger-engined cars. This one made its way to Europe in 2008 and is entirely roadworthy. It’s neat, clean and attractive. It can be yours for between $28,000-$37,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $25,499.

Aston Martin 15/98

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1937 Aston Martin 15/98 Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Every year Bonhams holds an all-Aston Martin sale yet this Goodwood Festival of Speed sale features some incredible pre-war Astons, including this beautiful 15/98 Tourer. I’m severely struck by this awesome color combination, as simple as it is.

The 15/98 was the final Aston Martin model introduced before WWII. It was built between 1937 and 1939 only. It has a 2.0-liter straight-four under the hood which is good for 98 horsepower and 85 mph.

This car has known ownership history from new and a flawless restoration undertaken in 2003. Pre-war 2.0-liter Aston Martins are exceedingly rare, with only 176 having been built between a few different models. The 15/98 Tourer you see here is one of only 24 four-seat versions of this model ever made. It’s pretty and could bring between $180,000-$230,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.