Tag Archives: classic cars

Simpson Swift

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2018 Simpson Swift

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 27, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Simpson Design is a company based in Clinton, Washington, and headed by Jim Simpson. Well he was apparently a fan of the Michelotti-styled Ghia-Aigle Lotus XI of 1957, because he took a 2002 Miata and re-bodied it in the style of that unique Lotus.

The chassis is a custom unit, the bodywork is fiberglass, and the interior is fresh for this build. Power is from the Miata’s 142-horsepower, 1.8-liter inline-four. It’s kind of cool build that, depending on the angle, appears to have some classic-inspired lines or look somewhat awkward.

This presumably one-off car has a pre-sale estimate of $65,000-$85,000, which seems a bit optimistic for a car titled as a Mazda. Bonhams also has the wrong VIN printed in their listing, probably so no one Googles the VIN to discover that the car bid to $39,000 on Bring a Trailer back in September. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $32,480.

Figoni & Falaschi Delahaye

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1938 Delahaye 135M Three-Position Cabriolet by Figoni & Falaschi

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | January 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

We’ve featured a number of examples of Delahaye’s 135, a model that was sold between 1935 and 1954 and over a number of variations. Speaking of variations, there are also a number of different body styles spread across quite a few coachbuilders. A pre-war 135M with a cabriolet body by Figoni & Falaschi is not one we’ve featured to date.

This one is a 135M, which was a model introduced in 1936 with increased output. This 3.6-liter inline-six has triple carburetors, meaning it had the highest possible factory output rating: 115 horsepower. The car was bodied in France and delivered to its first owner in Uruguay.

It was restored between 2014 and 2016, and the bodywork is actually fairly different from another three-position convertible from Figoni & Falaschi that we previously featured (as that one was bodied post-war). The bidding on this car ends next week. Check out more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $250,000.

H6B Skiff

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1921 Hispano-Suiza H6B Skiff by Duquesne

Offered by Osenat | Rhinau, France | January 23, 2022

Photo – Osenat

Here’s another H6B from Hispano-Suiza. This is a very early example of the H6B, which technically debuted for 1922. This car was built in October 1921, and the main differences between the initial H6 and the later B model was essentially a power bump.

Both cars shared the same 6.6-liter inline-six that made 135 horsepower in the H6B. Both had power-assisted aluminum drum brakes on all four wheels. The body here is by little-known coachbuilder Duquesne from Tourcoing, France. The skiff body is attractive with woodwork beginning at the cowl and going rearward. The red running boards and polished hood add a sporting effect.

This car was restored in the 1960s and refurbished as needed thereafter, with a gearbox rebuild being performed in 1992. This rare, fully open H6B now carries an estimate “on request,” meaning it’s probably the biggest dollar car at Osenat’s sale. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, I think?

The First Bohman & Schwartz

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1932 Chrysler CH Imperial Cabriolet by Bohman & Schwartz

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 26, 2022

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The Imperial name first appeared on a Chrysler in 1926, and the eight-cylinder Imperial debuted in 1931. The following year, the model was upgraded from CG to CH/CL spec, the latter being the Imperial Custom.

The CH is powered by a 6.3-liter inline-eight rated at 125 horsepower. Factory body styles included a roadster, sedan, and convertible sedan. In all, 1,402 CH Imperials were built. Only nine were delivered as a bare chassis for coachbuilders to work with.

This car carries a cabriolet body by Bohman & Schwartz. It was the first car bodied under the Bohman & Schwartz name, and it won its class at Pebble Beach after its restoration in 1995. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $940,000.

1902 Darracq

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1902 Darracq 9HP Voiturette

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 27, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Alexandre Darracq’s automotive family tree has a lot of branches. This particular car came from the original French Darracq concern, which was founded in 1896. In 1902, he sold the company to an English company, and from there on things get complicated. But we don’t have to go into that here, as this car came from the Parisian company.

This car is powered by a 1.3-liter single that made about nine horsepower new. The two-seater bodywork was due for restoration during ownership by the Harrah Collection. But it never took place, and the car remained with Harrah until 1986. It’s had two owners since.

Bonhams describes the car as “potentially London-to-Brighton eligible”, with the model year as “circa 1902.” In any event, it’s selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $100,800.

Chalmers 30

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1911 Chalmers Model 30 Roadster

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 26, 2022

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

Chalmers-Detroit lost the “-Detroit” suffix beginning in 1911, making this a first-year stand-alone Chalmers automobile. The Model 30 was a carryover from the prior year, but now with updating branding, revised running boards, and a new dashboard.

Power is from a 30-horsepower inline-four. Six body styles were offered, including the $1,500 roadster. Not super cheap, but then again the Chalmers was not an entry-level automobile.

This example was restored as needed over the years, the last 20 or so of which were spent in a private collection. It is now offered at no reserve and without a pre-sale estimate. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $36,960.

Voisin C1

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1921 Voisin C1 Limousine

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 3, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Aviation pioneer Gabriel Voisin tried his hand at automobile production beginning in 1919. As the name might suggest, the C1 was the company’s first product. It would remain in production for a few years before being succeeded to quite a few different models.

Like all early Voisins, the car is powered by a Knight sleeve-valve engine. In this case, a 3.9-liter inline-four. The car was first registered in 1921 and was upgraded by the factory in 1925 with C3 brakes.

The body is a limousine with a partition between the front and rear passengers. The car was commandeered by the Germans during WWII and was purchased by the current owner in 1961. This early Voisin carries an estimate of $100,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $143,628.

Duesenberg J-448

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1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster by Derham

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 27, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

It is known that eight Derham Toursters were built on the Duesenberg Model J chassis. This is the fourth that we have featured in the last decade. There have been three other Tourster-style rebodies up for sale in that time as well. So with this car coming to market, you could have had eight in your stable.

The Model J is powered by a 265-horsepower, 6.9-liter inline-eight. The Derham coachwork was styled by Gordon Buehrig, who described it as his favorite Model J. It’s essentially a five-passenger touring car with rear suicide doors and a secondary roll-down windscreen for the rear-seat passengers.

These are sought after cars, even among the Model J crowd. This one was once owned by Andy Granatelli and was restored by RM. It’s been in a private collection for the last 20 years. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $3,415,000.

American Austin

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1934 American Austin Coupe

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 6, 2022

Photo – Mecum

The American Austin. The original cute microcar. Okay, so it’s actually a license-built version of England’s Austin Seven, which was originally introduced in 1923. American Austin was set up in Delaware in 1929, with production beginning the following year in Butler, Pennsylvania. The company eventually went bankrupt, and production ceased in 1935. The company was reformed in 1938 as American Bantam, who would go on to design the original Jeep.

Three different types of coupes were sold by American Austin in 1934 (the company also offered pickups and vans). I have no idea which one this is, but prices ranged from $295 to $385 when new. Coachwork is from the Hayes Body Corporation, hence why the American versions were more stylish than their British counterparts. Power is from a 747cc inline-four good for 15 horsepower.

This one has four-wheel drum brakes and was restored in 2012. Check out more about it here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $20,000.

H6B Tourer by Spohn

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1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B Tourer by Spohn

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Gstaad, Switzerland | December 29, 2021

Photo Oldtimer Galerie

It’s been a while since a great, coachbuilt Hispano-Suiza has come across this desk. But this one is pretty stunning. It carries a body by Hermann Spohn, who was well known as the primary body constructor for Maybach. Well, this very body was lifted from a Maybach Zeppelin around 1930 and applied to this chassis in place of the original Convertible Victoria coachwork.

The H6B was the middle child of the H6 line, debuting in 1922 and being sold alongside the later H6C for a while as well. It’s powered by a 6.6-liter inline-six originally rated at 135 horsepower.

This particular car was in the U.S. for some time prior to 1990, and it returned to Europe in 2003. The current owner acquired it in 2018, and a restoration of some degree was carried out in the last two years. The pre-sale estimate is $380,000-$435,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.