Tag Archives: classic cars

1926 Arab Super Sports

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1926 Arab Super Sports Low-Chassis Tourer

Offered by H&H Auctions | Duxford, England | April 19, 2012

Arab was a very short-lived marque of automobile manufactured in Letchworth, England between 1926 and 1928. It was born out of a surplus of 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines built by Leyland Motors for use in “speedy delivery vans” that were never built. Enter Leyland engineers J.G. Parry-Thomas, Reid Railton (whose name would later appear on Railton automobiles) and Henry Spurrier, who put the engines to good use in low-slung sports cars. Only six or seven cars were built. This is one of two that survive – and the lone surviving Arab that is road-worthy.

Two models were available. This is the Low-Chassis model, capable of 90 mph (the High-Chassis model was not as quick). The bodywork is attractive and evocative of a Lagonda of similar vintage.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a very rare car in very good shape. The pre-sale estimate is $160,000-$190,000. To read the entire lot description, click here. And to see the other cars offered by H&H at The Imperial War Museum, click here.

Update: Sold, $144,000.

Mecum Kansas City Highlights

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Mecum Auctions’ Kansas City Auction (which ended on March 31) did not have any huge sales that broke any records. In fact, there were numerous sub-$10,000 cars that would have been a lot of fun to buy. As far as highlights go, we’ll start with the Divco Milk Truck we featured, which sold for almost exactly what I predicted at $52,000.

The top sale was a brand new 2012 Mercedes-Benz S600 sedan which sold for $133,000. Not exactly super-exciting.

The next three top-sellers were 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertibles. One sold for $77,500 (a 427/300). One sold for $120,000 (a 427/435). Our favorite, the 427/435 pictured below, brought an even $100,000.

Other highlights include a 1969 Plymouth GTX with the 375 horsepower 440 engine that sold for $52,000.


.As far as cheapies go, this 1955 Chevrolet Ambulance that included period medical response equipment from the 1970s sold for only $3,100.

And finally, two rare Mustangs: a 1984 SVO (top) and and 1978 King Cobra (bottom):

The SVO was from the first year of production and only about 4,508 were made between 1984 and 1986. It sold for $3,800. The King Cobra was one of only 4,313 built and has some very Trans Am-like hood decals. It sold for $7,100.

For complete results, check out Mecum’s website.

Ford P68

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1968 Ford P68

Offered by Coys | London, England

This is the first car we have featured that is for sale, but will not be crossing the block at auction (at least, not yet). And it’s very exciting, being one of only two built by Ford for the 1968 FIA season, where new rules dictated a 3.0 liter engine for the Group 6 cars. This car features just such an engine – a 3.0 liter Cosworth DFV V8, making about 420 horsepower. But with a slippery drag coefficient of 0.27, it was capable of over 215 mph.

While these numbers are impressive, they did not translate into track success. In fact, the P68 program was a disaster with the car never finishing a race. This particular chassis was essentially destroyed during practice for the 1968 1000km of the Nurburgring. The damage was extensive to the point where the car was written off and not rebuilt nor entered in any more races. The other chassis was entered in about six more races. It scored pole position for the 1968 1000km of Spa but DNF’d due to electrical failure – this was easily the car’s best outing.

This chassis was entered in one race prior to the Nurburgring in 1968 – the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch where it did not start due to an engine mount failure in practice. After the Nurburgring disaster (where driver Chris Irwin was able to walk away), the car – or what was left of it – was shipped back to Alan Mann Racing where it sat until Alan Mann Racing shut its doors. The car was later rebuilt and entered in historic events including Goodwood.

After the disastrous 1968 season, Ford opted to develop a sister car called the P69. Only one of these was built. The P69 Spyder had an open cockpit and a system of hydraulically-controlled adjustable aerofoil wings. The handling was so temperamental that Jack Brabham refused to drive it and the car was withdrawn from the only race at which it was entered.

The Ford P68 does not have the glamorous history of its predecessor, the GT40, but it is a rare, awe-inspiring machine nonetheless. And it’s a lot rarer too. I haven’t the slightest idea what the asking price is ($1.5 million would be my starting guess, but it’s a complete guess). Coys is selling it on consignment. For more information, click here.

Bonhams Oxford Motor Cars Highlights

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Whoops. I guess we’ve lost a bit of chronology here, but the results from Bonhams’ Collector Motor Cars at Oxford have yet to be highlighted here on this site. So here we go.

First up is the top sale of the auction, a barn-find condition 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series I Coupe that used to belong to film producer Dino De Laurentiis.

It’s in pretty rough shape, but it’s still a Ferrari 250, so it sold for about $158,000. The Morris Isis that we featured here exceeded its estimate and sold for just a touch over $21,000.

The two other top sales were a pair of Series I Jaguar E-Types. The spectacular yellow one pictured here, a 1966 model with the 4.2-liter engine, sold for $142,000.

The other one, this time a red 1965 model also with the 4.2 liter engine, was formerly owned by Sir Elton John. It brought $128,000.

Other interesting cars sold at this auction included a bunch of American cars. And not your normal exports. There were a slew of 1950s Packards in various stages of disrepair and they appeared to come from the same consignor. It’s more like something you’d find in the yard of an American Midwesterner, not in such a stately place like Oxford. There was even a late 70s Trans Am, screaming chicken and all.

My other picks of the auction include this barn-find 1966 Jensen C-V8 which needs an entire restoration – although it does run as is. These cars are very rare, only about 500 were built. It brought $25,000.

Next up is this 1928 Dodge “Fast Four” Landaulette. This was the final year for Dodge’s 35 horsepower four-cylinder engine – coincidentally, the same year Chrysler acquired the firm. It’s a right-hand drive car that was bodied in England and was restored some years ago. It sold for $36,000.

Now how about this monster? It’s a 1985 Lister Jaguar XJ-S HE 7-Liter Cabriolet. There are Lister-Jaguar cars that date back to the 1950s, but this is one of about 90 Jaguar XJ-S cars modified by Lister with a 7.0-liter V12. It’s a beast and it would’ve cost you $29,000.

And last but not least, this 1937 Bentley 3.5-Litre Park Ward Sports Saloon in a wonderful, vibrant shade of blue. There’s nothing exceptional about this car (if that’s even legal to say about a Bentley), but I just really dig the look. It sold for $79,000.

For complete results, click here.

Cardi Curara

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1998 Cardi Curara

Offered by Coys, Essen, Germany, March, 24, 2012

1998 Cardi Curara

This car is very rare. As in, there was only one built. This Russian supercar is powered by a 5.4 liter BMW V12 making 326 horsepower. The styling doesn’t scream “supercar,” but more of “grand tourer” and with 326 horsepower, I think the latter is more applicable, although top speed is claimed somewhere around 198 mph (although I don’t see how).

When it was built, it cost around $185,000 USD. I’m not sure what it will bring in 2012, but it is relatively attractive and you’re going to be hard pressed to find another one. Plus, look at where the spare tire is stored:

And, for a car almost 15 years old, the interior is in excellent shape:

It would definitely make for an interesting buy. For more information, click here and to see the rest of the cars on offer from Coys, click here.

Update: Not sold.

Mecum Kissimmee Highlights

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Mecum Auctions held their first event of 2012 not in Arizona, but in Kissimmee, Florida – where the weather is also nice. There were a bunch of rare muscle cars crossing the block including the top sale, a 1963 Shelby Cobra Dragon Snake.

This was the 93rd Cobra built and one of only eight Dragon Snakes modified for drag racing by Shelby. Because this car won so many drag races in its day, it is the winningest competition Cobra in history. It cost $8,990 new (a lot) and sold for $850,000 at auction (also a lot).

There were also two ultra-rare 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88s – a convertible and a coupe.

These are the must-have ’69 Corvettes and you could have bought the pair. The convertible sold for $610,000 and the coupe was a comparative bargain at $270,000.

But it wasn’t all muscle cars. Of the top ten sales of the auction there were two gorgeous Packards. The first was a 1941 180 Darrin Victoria Convertible – one of 35 built. It has the Super Eight 180 engine and a good looking red and tan color combo. It sold for $220,000.

The other Packard is a very mean and sporty looking 1930 Eight Model 745 Waterhouse Victoria. If I could’ve taken one car from this sale home, this would be it:

Big pre-war Packards never really had much of a sporting air about them. But this one kind of does. Maybe it’s the slightly cambered front wheels or their hot rod look, but this car says “I want to go fast.” This is one of three known to exist. $225,000.

For complete results, visit Mecum’s website.

1903 Stearns Suburban

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1903 Stearns Suburban Rear-Entry Tonneau

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

Frank B. Stearns organized F.B. Stearns & Company in 1898 with his brothers and they began producing automobiles out of their family’s barn in Cleveland. This 1903 Suburban model featured an 11 horsepower single-cylinder engine. Stearns sold his company to Willys in 1925 and Willys scuttled the company in 1929. In their day, Stearns automobiles were among America’s best – on the same level as Packard. But there are far fewer Stearns’ left in existence.

The car was tracked down in Michigan in the 1950s and restored in 1993. The car has not been driven much since the full restoration and still looks great. It is offered from the estate of John O’Quinn – a massive car collector who died a few years ago and RM has been parting the collection out since.

RM’s pre-sale estimate is $80,000-$100,000. Learn more about the car here (including the possible Astor-family connection). RM’s Arizona sale details are available here.

Update: Sold $82,500.

Mecum Kansas City Highlights

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The Mecum muscle car show recently traveled through Kansas City, Missouri. The top sale of the auction was this 1969 Shelby GT500 Convertible.

The restoration on this car was completed in 1997, meaning it isn’t Concours-fresh so it can definitely be driven. It sold for $165,000. Other interesting cars include a 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible seen here:

Finished in its original, attractive color, Ridge Green, this fully-optioned, 188 horsepower Skylark sold for $120,000. The other big sale was an awesome, white 1970 Plymouth Superbird with a 440 Six Pack which brought $122,500. More info on the sale and results can be found at Mecum’s website, here.

1913 AC Sociable

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1913 AC Sociable Runabout

Offered by Coys | “True Greats,” London, U.K. | December 7, 2011

Autocars and Accessories Ltd. was founded by the Weller Brothers who initially produced a three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the Autocarrier. When they decided to sell it to the emerging motoring public as a passenger vehicle, the replaced the cargo box with a front seat and the AC Sociable was born.

AC produced approximately 1800 Sociables from 1907 through 1914. It is powered by a single-cylinder engine of about 630cc that sits below the driver who sits in the lone seat at the car’s rear. This car has a somewhat perplexing convertible top that can be raised over the passenger compartment. It’s purpose, one could suppose, would be to block the sun – as it does not reach the small half-windshield, therefore not really protecting anyone from the elements.

Curiously, it also obscures the vision of the driver. This picture:

shows that, perhaps if the correct height, the operator could see through the porthole window to drive (assuming the passengers aren’t large enough to cover it up), but their vision is still quite limited. It’s an interesting car, no doubt. But it also showcases that we’ve come a long way so far as ergonomics are concerned.

Coys estimates the price to be between £18,000 and £22,000 ($28,000-$34,000 USD). More info on the car can be found here. And more info on the auction here.

Update: Sold £25,370, or about $40,300.

1928 Isotta Fraschini

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1928 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Roadster Cabriolet by Castagna

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

This particular car, one of a few extremely valuable classics available this year at the otherwise massive custom and muscle car show that is Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, has been located at the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, California, for the past few decades.

The car was was featured on the Isotta Fraschini stand at the 1928 New York Auto Show located at the Commodore Hotel (and sold initially from its spot at the stand). The car has complete ownership history from new and was first restored, with only 9,000 miles on the odometer, in the 1960s. The Blackhawk Collection purchased it in 1983 and restored it to its current condition. The current odometer reading is about 13,350 original miles.

The car was bodied by Milanese coachbuilders Carrozzeria Castagna in this attractive Roadster Cabriolet body style. It proved so popular at the New York Auto Show that 10 more were built just like it – only two are known to still exist. It features a 7.3 liter Straight-8 under the hood with plenty of power and a top speed of over 150 km/h. At the time it was built it cost more than a Model J Duesenberg.

Duesenbergs come up for auction much more frequently than do Isottas. There were slightly more than 1,100 Duesenbergs of all models built. There were about 950 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8As built, which makes them rare, but comparatively not as rare as similar cars. It should bring big money – and it should, it’s a beautiful car (look at the detail on the grille) – but I don’t think it’ll see the multi-millions of some recent Model Js.

See the car at Barrett-Jackson here and info on the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction here.

Update: Sold $1,100,000.