Tag Archives: classic cars

Ford Zodiac

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1965 Ford Zodiac Mk III

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 25, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Zephyr was Ford of Britain‘s “big car” from 1950 through 1972. The Mark III Zephyr was sold from 1962 until 1966, and it was available as the Zephyr 4 or Zephyr 6, each denoting a cylinder count.

The Zodiac was the luxury version of the Zephyr 6. It could’ve been had during the entire run of the Mark III Zephyr and is powered by a 2.6-liter inline-six that was rated at 109 horsepower, which was more than lower Zephyrs had. Top speed was 100 mph. Styling was also improved: four headlights, a narrower C-pillar, and an upmarket interior.

A Zodiac model would be offered again during the next generation of Zephyrs, but that would be it. This one has spent the last 11 years with its most recent of its seven owners. The estimate is $12,000-$14,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $13,023.

Wanderer W50

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1938 Wanderer W50 Cabriolet by Glaser

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | March 2023

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Wanderer was founded in 1896 by Johann Winklhofer and Richard Jaenicke, with the Wanderer name first appearing in 1911. It became part of Auto Union in 1932, and the final Wanderer-branded automobiles were produced in 1941.

The W50 was introduced in 1936, with two body styles available: limousine or cabriolet. This was the “big” Wanderer, despite it only being a six-cylinder car. It you wanted a larger Auto Union, you had to set up to a Horch. The 2.25-liter inline-six was rated at 55 horsepower.

The cabriolet body here is by Glaser, and this car was founded in a Berlin parking garage in the late 19980s before it was restored. This is the type of car you could only find stashed in a barn or basement of a parking garage in Germany. Bidding is open, and it closes this weekend. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $47,000.

Reliant Scimitar SS1

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1987 Reliant Scimitar SS1

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 25, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Reliant Scimitar debuted in 1964 and was restyled multiple times and produced across various generations through 1986 (and then by Middlebridge through 1990). Most of those were shooting brakes.

The Scimitar SS1 was a mostly unrelated two-seat sports car styled by Giovanni Michelotti and produced from 1984 through 1990 before being renamed the Scimitar SST and later the Scimitar Sabre.

Various engines were offered, and this car has a 1.6-liter Ford inline-four that was rated at 96 horsepower. The car also had pop-up headlamps, independent suspension, and a composite body. Including the successor models, just over 1,500 of these were made. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,708.

Vermorel Type L

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1929 Vermorel Type ZX Torpedo

Offered by Aguttes | Paris, France | April 2, 2023

Photo – Aguttes

Vermorel exhibited their first car in 1899, but production didn’t start until 1908. After just a few years they were a fairly sizable company. Passenger-car production ceased in 1930, and commercial vehicles soldiered on until 1932.

The Type ZX was introduced in late 1928 and was offered in a few different submodels through the end of Vermorel production in 1930. It’s powered by a 1.7-liter inline-four.

This particular example wears torpedo tourer coachwork with two windscreens and rear jump seats. It was restored decades ago and has not been used recently. It will need some work. It also has a pre-sale estimate of $21,000-$32,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $34,202.

Simca Plein Ciel

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1960 Simca Aronde Plein Ciel

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 27, 2023

Photo – Osenat

The Simca Aronde was the company’s first original design and featured unibody construction. It was produced across three series between 1951 and 1964. The 90A Aronde was built between 1955 and 1958.

During that time, a number of special versions were produced, including the Plein Ciel with two-seat coupe bodywork by Facel. Power is from a 1.3-liter inline-four rated at 48 horsepower. Top speed was a claimed 83 mph.

This car is finished in white with a black roof over a red interior. It’s one of about 11,500 produced and carries an estimate of $19,000-$24,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, Osenat July 2023, $22,324.

Citroen BX 4TC

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1987 Citroen BX 4TC

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 27, 2023

Photo – Osenat

There are some really cool cars in Osenat’s lineup for this auction. The one we were most excited about is terribly photographed, so we can’t feature it. Instead, we bring you this. The BX was Citroen’s large family car from 1982 through 1994.

They took the BX rallying in Group B, and to do so required homologating it for road use. So they developed the 4TC, which was a much more extreme version of the ho-hum BX sedan. Ultimately, the BX Group B car was not very good. Citroen sold less than 100 road versions.

Power is provided by a turbocharged 2.1-liter inline-four that made just under 200 horsepower. It’s for four-wheel drive, a five-speed manual gearbox from the Citroen SM, and a hydropneumatic suspension. Osenat notes that only 38 of these cars are known to exist. This one has an estimate of $75,000-$85,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $86,508.

TR2

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1955 Triumph TR2

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | March 15, 2023

Photo – H&H Classics

The Triumph 1800/2000 Roadster was a two-door convertible produced by Triumph after the war. But it was a little frumpy, as if they were trying to design a Rolls-Royce sports car. That model left production in 1949. In 1953, they followed it up with this, the TR2. It was much more along the lines of a sports car. And it started a sports car dynasty that lasted for decades – through the TR8 in 1981.

Between 1953 and 1955, just 8,636 examples of the TR2 were produced. This one was sold new in South Africa. It’s powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 90 horsepower, which was enough for a top speed of 107 mph.

It remained in South Africa until 2005, at which time it was relocated to the Netherlands and later made its way to England. It’s now offered there at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $15,697.

Graber-Bodied Delahaye

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1946 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet by Graber

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | March 2023

Photo – Bring a Trailer

Delahaye’s 135 debuted in the mid 1930s and would remain in production for almost another two decades until Delahaye ceased to exist, and after, you know, taking a pause for the war. The slightly upgraded 135M was released in 1936.

It featured a higher-compression version of the 135’s 3.6-liter inline-six, which on this car is fitted with three Solex carburetors. Output was about 115 horsepower. This car was purchased new by a Swiss banker who had it bodied in his native country by Graber, perhaps Switzerland’s best-known coachbuilder.

This is a post-war body, and it’s a little more restrained than something you may have seen in the late 1930s. It’s still pretty and indicative of the type of coachbuilt classic that would likely be found in a European collection. But! It’s in St. Louis after having been restored in Florida. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $180,000.

’51 Mercury Woodie

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1951 Mercury Station Wagon

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 12-20, 2023

Photo – Mecum

Mercury’s 1951 model line consisted of one model: their eight-cylinder car, the design of which was in its last year of a three-year run. Technically it was the Series 1CM in 1951, and the M-79 two-door station wagon was the only wagon variant they offered.

Just 3,812 were produced for the model year. All of them were powered by a 4.2-liter V8 that was rated at 112 horsepower. The car is finished in a wonderful shade of ’50s teal with real wood bodywork – from the last year for which Mercury used real wood on their wagons.

Obviously restored, the car also features three rows of seating and a three-on-the-tree transmission. Click here for more photos and info.

Update: Sold $53,900.

’55 Nomad

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1955 Chevrolet Nomad

Offered by Mecum | Glendale, California | March 28-April 1, 2023

Photo – Mecum

The Nomad remains the most iconic 1950s American station wagon. Descended from a GM Motorama show car from the year before, the Nomad was a two-door wagon version of the Bel Air, sharing its forward styling paired with forward-angled B-pillars and rear glass. It’s hot stuff.

Their exclusive pricing (they were just $500 less than a new Corvette) helped ensure their rarity. Just 6,103 were produced for the model’s initial model year in 1955. They would remain a two-door wagon only through 1957 before going the four-door route in 1958.

This restored example has been fitted with about every possible option and is powered by a 4.3-liter (265ci) V8 that made 162 horsepower when new. Power could be bumped to 180 with an optional four-barrel carburetor. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $93,500.