Tag Archives: classic cars

The First Brabham F1 Car

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1962 Brabham-Climax BT3 F1

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 13, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Motor Racing Developments Ltd, aka Brabham, was an F1 team that competed between 1962 and 1992. That makes this car from their first season as a team. Jack Brabham drove for Cooper the few years before this, and his business partner Ron Tauranac designed this car for Brabham to drive in 1962.

Power is from a 1.5-liter Coventry-Climax V8 that made about 157 horsepower in 1962 spec. The competition history for this chassis (F1-1-62) includes:

  • 1962 German Grand Prix (Nurburgring) – 19th, DNF (with Jack Brabham)
  • 1962 U.S. Grand Prix (Watkins Glen) – 4th (with Brabham)
  • 1962 Mexican Grand Prix – 2nd (with Brabham)
  • 1962 South African Grand Prix – 4th (with Brabham)
  • 1963 Monaco Grand Prix – Did not start (with Brabham)
  • 1963 Belgian Grand Prix (Spa) – 15th, DNF (with Brabham)
  • 1963 Austrian Grand Prix – 1st (with Brabham)
  • 1963 Italian Grand Prix – 5th (with Brabham)
  • 1964 British Grand Prix – 17th, DNF (with Ian Raby)
  • 1964 Italian Grand Prix – DNQ (with Raby)
  • 1965 British Grand Prix – 11th (with Raby)

Imagine the same F1 chassis competing in four different seasons today. This car had many other non-championship races and wins (that Austrian GP race was a non-points race). This car spent decades in the Donington Collection before the current owner bought it in the 2000s. This is a pretty remarkable piece of racing history and has a pre-sale estimate of $590,000-$850,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $471,501.

March 84C

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1984 March-Cosworth 84C

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022

Photo – Mecum

We are making our way back through time with these March Indy Car chassis. Eventually we’ll get back to 1981’s 81C, but for now we have March’s 1984 chassis: the 84C. This one is Cosworth-powered, with a turbocharged 2.7-liter DFX V8 mounted behind the driver.

This car was supposed to be A.J. Foyt’s ride at Indy in 1984. He took the green in qualifying and then blew the engine. So he hopped in George Snider’s car and put it into the show. A.J. Foyt Enterprises swapped a new Cosworth engine into this car for Snider to go make a run in. He made the race as well, finishing 11th.

It’s been restored and is being offered out of Ray Evernham’s collection. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $104,500.

1923 Swift Tourer

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1923 Swift M Type Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | April 27, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

The Swift Motor Company operated out of Coventry, England, between 1900 and 1931. Early cars used De Dion engines, then the company moved into cyclecars. After WWI, cyclecars were gone and more a traditional model range took their place.

This M Type is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 12 taxable horsepower. The model was also known as the “12”. This attractive tourer sports some really cool wheels, the kind you only find on British cars of this era.

It was first restored in 1991 and again in 2013, with just 900 miles having been covered since. It now carries and estimate of $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $11,702.

SS1 Tourer

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1935 SS1 2.5-Litre Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 10, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

The Swallow Coachbuilding Company started building their own cars in 1932. The first model launched was the SS1. Bonhams quotes a total of 2,503 examples produced through 1936. SS, of course, would become Jaguar after WWII and the resulting new associated connotations with “SS”.

The SS1 was powered by a choice of inline-six engines, with this car being powered by the later, larger 2.6-liter unit. There was an SS2 that featured a four-cylinder powerplant. Output in this car was rated at 68 horsepower.

Five body styles were offered, including the tourer shown here. It remained with a single family for about 50 years, being restored early in their stewardship. Now it has a pre-sale estimate of $78,000-$105,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $73,188.

Snowberger-Offy

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1956 Snowberger-Offenhauser

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022

Photo – Mecum

Russ Snowberger competed in 15 Indianapolis 500s as a driver between 1928 and 1947 with one pole position and a best finish of fifth (two years in a row). He was the king of the “junk formula” that debuted in the 1930s that required stock-ish engine blocks.

He built and entered some of his own cars, including this Hupmobile-powered roadster. After his career as a driver ended, he became the chief mechanic for the Federal Engineering racing team based in Detroit. This lasted until 1961 and included prepping this Federal Engineering Detroit Special in 1956.

The chassis is based on a Kurtis 500C, and it’s powered by a 4.2-liter Offenhauser inline-four. No specific competition history is listed, but it was driven in period by Tony Bettenhausen, George Amick, Billy Garrett, and Tom Pistone. It’s currently owned by Ray Evernham, who is thinning his collection a bit at Mecum in Indy. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $220,000.

Mitsuoka Le-Seyde

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1991 Mitsuoka Le-Seyde

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | April 27, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Mitsuoka, the most Japanese of all Japanese car manufacturers, has built some wild-looking cars over the years. And this is certainly one of them. If you’ve always wanted a Zimmer or Tiffany that’s based on a Nissan Silvia. Well look no further.

The Le-Seyde was only produced between 1990 and 1993, with just 500 units produced. Later, a convertible version called the Dore was also built. Mitsuoka sold an updated Le-Seyde briefly in the 2000s (does that make it a neo-neo-classic?).

This car is powered by a 1.8-liter DOHC inline-four from an S13 Silvia that made about 131 horsepower when new. I think it wouldn’t look so outrageous (outside of the whole neo-classic thing) if it weren’t for those convex wheel covers. H&H estimates that $6,500-$9,000 will take this home. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $10,327.

American Bantam Riviera Convertible

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1941 American Bantam Model 65 Riviera Convertible Sedan

Offered by Mecum | Houston, Texas | April 2, 2022

Photo – Mecum

The Austin Seven is the car that put Britain on wheels. It was licensed in different parts of the world, including by Rosengart in France and the less-creatively named American Austin in… America. American Austin launched in 1929, with the first cars sold as 1930 models. So, not great timing, even though they were relatively cheap.

Bankruptcy followed in 1935. Three years later the company relaunched as American Bantam with revised streamlined styling. Bantam sales continued through 1941, with finances being tight the whole time. American Bantam designed the original Jeep prototype, although they didn’t survive long enough to actually produce it. And today Willys gets all the credit.

Power is from a 747cc inline-four rated at 22 horsepower. The Riviera Convertible Sedan was offered in 1940 and 1941 only and retailed for $525. This restored example is one of about 6,000-7,000 American Bantams produced in total. Click here for more info.

Update: Withdrawn.

Kieft Sports

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1954 Kieft 1100 Sports

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 10, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Cyril Kieft founded Kieft Cars in Wolverhampton, England, after WWII. His first car was a Formula 2 machine that debuted in 1950. F3 cars followed, and that’s where their major success was found. It didn’t hurt that one of their drivers was Stirling Moss.

In 1954, Kieft showed a small two-seat sports car. It was based around a Coventry-Climax engine (a 1.1-liter FWA inline-four) and featured fiberglass bodywork. The cars were very low and could hit 110 mph thanks to the 72-horsepower engine.

Only six were built, the first of which ran at Le Mans. This car ran sports car races at Silverstone, among other places, and a later example competed in the Targa Florio. This one was restored in the last dozen or so years and now carries an estimate of $130,000-$170,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $140,746.

1926 Lorraine-Dietrich

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1926 Lorraine-Dietrich A4 Torpedo Sport

Offered by Aguttes | Neuilly, France | March, 27, 2022

Photo – Aguttes

Lorraine-Dietrich cars came about when their parent company, a locomotive manufacturer, branched out into automobiles in 1896. Initial cars were an Amedee Bollee design, and by 1902 the designs were by a young Ettore Bugatti. Later events saw a short-lived merger with Isotta Fraschini and a sweeping of the podium at the 1926 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This A4 is also from 1926. It’s powered by a 12-horsepower, 2.3-liter inline-four and served as the company’s entry-level model. This car was restored in the last decade, starting that time out as a bare chassis and pile of parts.

So the body is a new one, but it looks the part, especially in French racing blue. The pre-sale estimate is $39,000-$60,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $47,234.

Fortin-Jourdain

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1907 Fortin-Jourdain Runabout

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 28, 2022

Photo – Osenat

Fortin-Jourdain is a car that you will not find much information about. It’s not even mentioned in the grandest of automotive encyclopedias. What can be deduced, mainly from the catalog listing, is that Jules Fortin, a Frenchman born in 1856, was an electrician.

He partnered with his son-in-law, Charles Jourdain, to form Fortin-Jourdain. The company sold its first cars in between 1907 and 1909. It’s thought that as few as seven were built, and this is the only known survivor.

Power is from an inline-four sourced from Sultan-Lethimonnier, and the bodywork is sort of a small runabout/convertible with a pickup-y rear end. Hard to tell, as this is the only full-frame angle that Osenat has provided. So you know, bid blind. The pre-sale estimate is $21,000-$27,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $23,368.