Tag Archives: classic cars

Citroen SM Prototype

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1972 Citroen SM Prototype Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 11, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

The Citroen SM grand tourer was introduced in 1970. This coupe version using the same mechanicals – mid-front-engined layout with front-wheel drive – was built by Frua for the 1972 Geneva Auto Show. It has the same 2.7-liter V6 making 170 horsepower. The engine was designed with help from Citroen-owned Maserati (which they acquired in 1968).

This car is one-of-a-kind and in original, un-restored condition with about 26,000 miles on the odometer. It has been privately owned since it left the auto show circuit in 1972. This is a rare chance to acquire a one-off prototype. The pre-sale estimate lists this car at $180,000-$240,000. For the complete catalog description, click here.

Update: did not sell.

Lancia Sport Prototipo Zagato

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1964 Lancia Sport Prototipo Zagato

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 12, 2012

Photo – RM Auctions

Double post! This wickedly-bizarre looking car was a Lancia works race car with one-off Zagato styling. It was entered by Lancia in the 1964 Targa Florio (where it DNF’d). The engine is 1.8-liter flat-four making 148 horsepower.

Again, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a car unlike any other. It was sold from Lancia to one of its drivers in 1967. In the early 1990s, it was acquired by the current owner. Like the Citroen prototype above, it is also estimated to sell for between $180,000-$240,000. For the complete catalog description, click here.

Update: sold $246,568.

Re-bodied Bugatti 57C

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1938 Bugatti Type 57C ‘Cäsar Schaffner Special Roadster’

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 11, 2012

The Bugatti Type 57 was the most popular Bugatti model that the company ever made. It was produced from 1934 until 1940 and there were some very limited editions that are very desirable today – such as the 57SC Atlantic. The 57C, as seen here, featured the 3.3-liter straight-eight – but with a Roots-type supercharged added on, for a total output of 160 horsepower.

This car, chassis 57.577, was originally a Gangloff-bodied Stelvio cabriolet. In the 1960s, it was acquired by Cäsar Schaffner who restored it and, in the process, decided to restore it to the specifications of a different chassis number. So, while 57.577 retains its original chassis (although it was shortened) and engine – it does not retain its original body. The new body was in the style of a Type 57S by Corsica. It looks nice, but you have to question, today, what would be more valuable? A Bugatti with its original body, or a Bugatti with a sort of replica body?

In any case, this car has been freshened over time and is quite nice and it’s eligible for all of the historic events it would have been had the Gangloff cabriolet body remained. It is priced confidently with an estimate between $420,000-$580,000. And if you’re still not quite sold on it, check out the back of this thing:

Pretty nice. For the complete catalog description, click here. And for more on Bonhams in Monaco, click here.

Update: Not sold.

Ferrari 225 by Vignale

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1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Spyder ‘Tuboscocca’ by Vignale

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 12, 2012

When production of the Ferrari 212 ended in 1951, Ferrari introduced the interim 225 model – an enlarged 212 that was produced for one year, 1952, before the Ferrari 250 was introduced in 1953. Mainly sold to privateer sportsmen, the 225 was a successful racer in many parts of the world. This particular example was bought by an Alfa Romeo dealer who split his time between Milan and Buenos Aires. The car remained in South America until 1980 when it was brought back to Italy and restored.

Since its restoration, it has been campaigned in vintage races, but in its day, it also had a few victories. It’s competition history includes:

  • 1952 Bologna-Raticosa Hill Climb (first race) – 1st (with Pietro Palmieri)
  • 1953 Argentine Sports Car Championship – 1st (with José Maria Ibañez, where it won two races and placed on the podium fives more times)

Of all of the super-rare and early Ferraris offered at RM Auctions’ Monaco sale, this is my favorite. It’s not the fastest and it’s not the rarest, but that Vignale coachwork is near-perfect. It’s well-proportioned and don’t even get me started on those portholes.

The 225 features a 210 horsepower 2.7-liter V12 and “Tuboscocca” refers to the frame layout. Just 12 Sport Spyders were produced (and seven Berlinetta coupes) – all by Vignale. There was also one non-Vignale 225S. While fairly rare, a 225 will pop up for sale every now and then. The estimate on this one is $2,380,000-$2,900,000. For the complete catalog description, click here. And for more on RM in Monaco, click here.

Update: sold $3,263,400.

1980 Ferrari Sedan

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1980 Ferrari Pinin

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 11, 2012

Ferrari’s new FF two-door shooting brake seemed to rile some purists when first revealed – for why would their beloved car company build a wagon? Well, the same thing happened when Porsche built, first the Cayenne and then the Panamera. Lamborghini has taken the wraps off it’s new SUV concept – as have Bentley and Maserati. But for Ferrari to think beyond two doors, I fear, would be too much for most purists to handle.

Enter Pininfarina, possibly the most famed of all Italian design houses – and the one most closely associated with Ferrari. In 1980, Pininfarina celebrated 50 years of coachbuilding and they did it by building this four-door Ferrari – and Bonhams claims it is the only Ferrari sedan in existence (the Sultan of Brunei has a few Ferrari four-door wagons, but no sedan that anyone is aware of).

The car was introduced at the 1980 Turin Motor Show with a 5.0-liter V12 out of a Berlinetta Boxer. Only in this case, the engine was in the front instead of the rear. The car appeared at a few more auto shows in 1980 and 1981 and then Ferrari removed the mechanicals and the display car was eventually sold to the Belgian Ferrari importer, who showed the car in 2005 for the 75th anniversary of Pininfarina.

The car was sold in 2008 and the new owner commissioned Ferrari to re-install the drivetrain so the car could be driven. Another 360 horsepower 5.0-liter V12 was installed and the car was finally driven in 2010.

If you’ve always dreamed of owning a Ferrari sedan, this is bound to be your only chance. The current owner paid €176,000 for it at an RM Auction in 2008 and then paid God-knows-how-much to get it running. The pre-sale estimate this time around is $660,000-$790,000. For the complete catalog description, click here and for more on Bonhams in Monaco, click here.

Update: did not sell.

Duesenberg J-462

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1932 Duesenberg Model J LWB Custom Speedster

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Houston, Texas | May 5, 2012

Quick, somebody call Fran Roxas or someone similarly talented, ’cause this Duesey needs a new body. Chassis no. 2522 was one of the later cars built and some records show that it may not have actually been completed and sold until 1935, although it is currently titled as a 1932. Engine J-462 is under the hood, making the standard 265 horsepower.

The original body was a Murphy Beverly Berline – which is attractive. It is thought that the original body was removed and replaced by what you see here sometime in the late 1940s or 1950s. Most of the body panels came off of GM cars of the era. Exotic.

The car is often referred to as the “Tom Mix Duesenberg.” Tom Mix was a silent movie star known for his roles in westerns (I’ve seen a lot of silent films, but never one of his. He is kind of the archetypal movie cowboy). As you can see, this car sports a western motif – but it is also thought that Tom Mix had nothing to do with this car – he died in 1940 and the story attaching his name to the car didn’t appear until the 1970s. Make of it what you will. But it is a Duesenberg.

This car is being offered from the estate of John O’Quinn. It failed to sell at a Bonhams auction in Monterey in 2011. It is being offered in Houston at no reserve with an estimate at $400,000-$500,000, which is pretty cheap as far as Model Js go. Then again, who knows what it will cost to return the car to a more… Duesenberg-like state – if you are so inclined. Or keep it how it is and don’t be just another guy with just another Murphy-bodied Duesenberg (if it’s even legal to say that). This one’s certainly one-of-a-kind.

For the complete catalog description, click here. And for more from Worldwide Auctioneers in Houston, click here.

Update: Sold $297,000.

Ex-Ferrari Alfa Romeo

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1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spyder

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 11, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

Enzo Ferrari founded his race team, Scuderia Ferrari, in 1929 and the team entered its first race in 1930. It was the Mille Miglia and they entered three cars. This was one of them. It’s competition history includes the following:

  • 1930 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Luigi Scarfiotti and Guglielmo Carraroli)
  • 1930 Coppa Gran Sasso – 5th (with Scarfiotti)
  • 1930 Coppa Pierazzi – 4th (with Scarfiotti)
  • 1931 Mille Miglia – 6th (with Scarfiotti and Piero Bucci)

The car was used on the road by Scarfiotti for a while before he sold it back to Alfa Romeo. It was registered in Italy until the mid-1930s and then it’s history goes dark. That is, until 1960 when it was rediscovered (in Modena) and restored. The body is probably new (and not the original supplied by Zagato) but in period style but it retains the original mechanicals and chassis. It is also said that five of the pistons on this car are marked with an “SF” – the early Scuderia Ferrari marking, making this the oldest car with such markings.

The 6C was produced by by Alfa Romeo from 1925 until 1954, with the 1750 model seen here produced only from 1929 through 1933 in six different “series.” This is a Series IV model with the same 1752cc straight-six as previous series. However, this was the first 1750 model available with a supercharger, increasing output to just over a claimed 100 horsepower. Of the 2,635 6C 1750s built, less than 200 were Series IV Gran Sport models.

Early Alfa Romeo’s like this are quite valuable on their own, but adding in the significance of this being one of Scuderia Ferrari’s first three race cars, it only makes it more so. The pre-sale estimate is listed at $1,100,000-$1,200,000. For the complete lot description, click here and to see more of Bonhams’ Monaco lineup, click here.

Update: Not sold.

1901 Darracq

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1901 Darracq 6.5 Two-Seater

Offered by Bonhams | Hendon, U.K. | April 30, 2012

Earlier this week we talked about Alexandre Darracq and how he founded the company that would ultimately become Gladiator – and how that company was intertwined with Adolphe Clément’s automotive exploits as well as those of Charles Chetwynd-Talbot. Well, after Darracq left Gladiator, he founded Société A. Darracq near Paris. The first car designed and built in-house by Darracq arrived in 1900 which was a 6.5 horsepower single-cylinder car of 785cc, such as the 1901 model you see here.

This car was found in France in the 1960s and brought to England where it was restored and has been well known in Veteran car circles since. The body is a period style, but not original. It’s been well kept and is eligible for the all-important London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

So, knowing that this company was founded by Alexandre Darracq, what other names did it go by during it’s existence? Good question. In 1902, the cars were introduced in Germany where they were sold as an ‘Opel Darracq’, in conjunction with Adam Opel and his company. This partnership lasted for but a few years and Darracq began looking for other markets, particularly car-hungry England.

In 1919, Sunbeam merged with Clément-Talbot, the English importer of the French Clément-Bayard cars (see the Gladiator post from Monday for more on this). This created Sunbeam-Talbot, and cars were sold under this name. In 1920, Darracq merged with Sunbeam-Talbot to form Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq (or STD Motors, which is a less-than flattering name). There were cars badged as ‘Talbot-Darracq’. When STD went bust in 1935, the factory and company was acquired by A.F. Lago, beginning the Talbot-Lago make. The name of Alexandre Darracq, who had cashed out in 1913, slowly evaporated from the automotive landscape and was long gone by the time Simca swept up Talbot-Lago in 1958.

The detailed history of the early automotive industry is fascinating and this is a car from a company that played a pivotal role. The pre-sale estimate is $87,000-$100,000. For the complete description, click here and for the rest of Bonhams at the RAF Museum, click here.

Update: Did not sell.

Ferrari 206 S Dino

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1966 Ferrari 206 S Dino Spyder

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 12, 2012

In 1966 Ferrari introduced their gorgeous V-12 powered 330 P3 race car to compete against the big boys in the biggest sports car races on the continent. Alongside the 330, there was a new, smaller race car, powered by a 2.0-liter V6 making 218 horsepower. It was called the 206 Dino S.

With a body penned by Pierre Drogo and built by his company, Carrozzeria Sports Cars, it was certainly a looker. And it was no slouch on the track, placing second at the Targa Florio and taking the bottom two podium spots at the Nürburgring. The car here (chassis #006) was actually the third car built for sale. Some of it’s competition highlights include:

  • 1966 1000km Nürburgring – DNF (with Richard Attwood and David Piper)
  • 1967 Brands Hatch – 6th overall, 1st in class (with Michael Parkes)
  • 1968 Targa Florio – 22nd (with Hans Wangstre and Evert Christofferson)

Most of its brief competition history was at the hands of amateur drivers and it was placed into storage in the early 1970s. When it was removed, it was carefully restored over a number of years to it’s original condition as it was campaigned at the ’66 Nürburgring race.

Ferrari’s original intention was to build 50 homologation examples but they ended up building only 18. And this is a very early example. I love the striking light blue on red color scheme – it’s not something you see everyday. But then again, a 206 S isn’t something you see everyday either, regardless of paint scheme. The price proves it, with an estimate between $2,875,000-$3,600,00. For the compete catalog description, click here and here for the complete lot list.

Update: sold $3,263,400.

Here’s video of a similar car:

Ferrari 375 MM

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1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 12, 2012

When new, the Ferrari 375 was the top dog among Ferraris with the 4.5-liter Lampredi V-12 making a potent 340 horsepower. It was also capable of a speeds in excess of 170 mph – insanity in 1953. This car was shipped new to Argentina where it quickly built a reputation for speed and success. It’s impressive competition history includes:

  • 1954 Argentine Sports Car Championship – 1st (with Diaz Saenz Valiente)
  • 1954 Turismo Carretera – 1st (with Valiente)
  • 1955 Buenos Aires 1000 km – 2nd (with Cesar Rivero and Raul Najurieta)
  • 1955 Argentina Sports Car Championship – 1st (with Najurieta)
  • 1956 500 Miles of Argentina – 1st (with Najurieta)

The car suffered a few serious crashes in its lifetime, but it is a race car, and repairs from racing are kind of expected. The last serious accident was in 1957 and it’s racing career ended. An American V8 was then installed in the car and it was used on the street until it was eventually parked and forgotten.

In 1983, the car was discovered again in Montevideo, Uruguay. It was shipped to Italy and restored under the ownership of Count Vittorio Zanon di Valgiurata between 1984 and 1986. A correct 375 MM engine was found and put into the car – although it is not the engine it came with from the factory. Since its restoration, it has changed hands a number of times and has enjoyed a career of historic racing – including the Monterey Historics and Mille Miglia Storica.
Only 15 Ferrari 375 MMs were built and they are valuable. This one has known (and successful) competition and ownership history. It is simply a killer Ferrari and won worth it’s weight in gold. The pre-sale estimate is (converted to USD) $4,300,000-$5,300,000. Good luck bidding.

For the complete catalog description, click here and for more from RM in Monaco, click here.

Update: did not sell.