Tag Archives: classic cars

AC Ace-Bristol

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1959 AC Ace-Bristol

For Sale by Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

AC’s first post-war product was the 2-Litre, a kind of frumpy-looking thing using an engine that dated back to 1922. In 1953, they decided to put a sports car into production that was based on a John Tojeiro design. That same dated 2.0-liter engine was the initial underhood offering, but things soon got more exciting.

Beginning in 1956, AC offered a 2.0-liter inline-six from Bristol that made 120 horsepower. Sadly, this engine was also based on a pre-war design, but it made the car capable of 116 mph, which really upped AC’s sports car cred. They won their class at Le Mans and were popular on the sports car racing circuit. By 1961, a Ford-based 2.6-liter inline-six was offered for a short time. AC also offered a coupe version called the Aceca.

The Ace ceased production in 1963, but by that point, an American called Carroll Shelby had found the car and stuffed a V8 into it and called it the Cobra. The Ace name would also reappear in the 1990s on a different car.

In all, 463 Aces were built with a Bristol powerplant, the most common of the three engines offered. But it’s still rare, and it’s still “one of those cars.” It’s sports car royalty, and it’s for sale by Bonhams for $423,164. Click here for more info.

Ferrari F512 M

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1995 Ferrari F512 M

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

The F512 M was the final version of Ferrari’s iconic Testarossa, which was actually first introduced for the 1984 model year. It is one of the most mass-produced Ferraris, and, at the time, it was the second-most-produced Ferrari after the 308 series.

In 1991, the original Testarossa was replaced by the 512 TR, which is among my favorite Ferrari road cars. In 1994, that car was supplanted by the F512 M, which was still powered by a 4.9-liter flat-12, capable here of 440 horsepower. The styling changes are the biggest giveaway. The pop-up headlights were gone, and the car was stuck with these ugly wheels.

Only 501 examples were produced, making it the rarest of the three Testarossa derivatives by some margin. Only 75 were built for the U.S. market. You can read more about this one here, and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Sold $396,000.

Auto Union 1000 S Coupe

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1963 Auto Union 1000 S Coupe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Elkhart, Indiana | October 23-24, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Auto Union was a group of German car brands under one umbrella. But strangely, there were never very many cars sold under the Auto Union marque. In fact, in most markets, the 1000 was the only car ever offered by the brand.

It replaced the DKW 3=6 and looked very similar to that car. Power is from a 981cc inline-three making 50 horsepower. It was produced between 1958 and 1965 and could’ve been had as a sedan, coupe, wagon, or, in SP form, a sports car.

These are very rare in the U.S., even though over 170,000 of them were built. The 1000 was eventually replaced by another DKW product as Auto Union continued to waver on its branding strategy. This example is in great shape and will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $27,440.

Hemi GTX

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1971 Plymouth GTX Hemi

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

The GTX was a model produced by Plymouth for only a few years. It debuted in 1967 as a trim level on the Belvedere. It was redesigned for 1968, when it broke out as its own model, even though it remained more or less identical to the Belvedere/Road Runner/Satellite. It was just more upscale than those models.

That continued on for 1969, but in 1970 it became a sub-model of the Satellite. For 1971, the cars were restyled again (and the Belvedere was dropped). This was the final year for the GTX, and it looked just like the Road Runner and Satellite, again, but was a stand-alone model. You could get it with a 440 or a 426 Hemi. Plymouth moved just 2,942 GTXs in 1971, only 30 of which were powered by the 426ci (7.0-liter), 425-horsepower Hemi V8.

This is supposedly the only such Hemi GTX in Violet Metallic, and it’s coming out of a muscle car collection that Mecum is planning on selling in July. We’ll see. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

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

Zimmer Golden Spirit

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1986 Zimmer Golden Spirit

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | July 10-18, 2020

Photo – Mecum

If you say “neo-classic” this is the car that should come to mind. There have been many neo-classics over the years, but the Zimmer is the best (or the worst, depending on your perspective). Founded by Paul Zimmer in 1978, the company produced nearly 1,500 Golden Spirits through 1988.

Bankruptcy followed, and by the strangest of circumstances, the company was resurrected in 1996 by a guy named Art Zimmer. He was not related to Paul. What in the world.

The original Golden Spirits were Mustang-based, and this car is powered by a fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8. It has a car phone and a bunch of horns up front. It’s really everything Cruella de Vil could ask for. Click here for more about this car and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $24,200.

Jensen CV8 Convertible

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1965 Jensen CV8 Convertible

For Sale by Classic Automobiles Worldwide Ltd | London, U.K.

Photo – Classic Automobiles Worldwide Ltd.

The Jensen CV8 was one of the fastest four-seat cars of the early 1960s. A two-door grand tourer, the CV8 was produced in three series between 1962 and 1966. Only 500 were produced, all but two of which were hardtop coupes.

The factory produced two non-coupes: a targa-like Sedanca and a single convertible, which is the car you see here. This car started life as a Mark II chassis and received some of the Mark III touches before it was completed.

Power is from a 6.3-liter Chrysler V8 that made 330 horsepower. The car is now offered in London and has a long detailed story that you can read more of here.

Autobleu 750 MM

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1954 Autobleu 750 MM

For Sale by Very Superior Old Cars | Sassenheim, Netherlands

Photo – Very Superior Old Cars

Maurice Mestivier and Roger Lepeytre’s Autobleu was founded in 1950 as a tuning company focused on Renault 4CVs. They introduced their own car in 1953 and it was based on, you guessed it, the 4CV. It did reach production, but the company was gone by 1959. A second model was introduced, but it’s unclear how many were made.

Autobleu believed in the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” thing, so they developed a racing prototype to help market the brand. It featured a tubular frame and a 750cc inline-four. The streamliner body was designed by our friend Marcel Riffard.

This car competed in the Mille Miglia in 1954, 1955, and 1956 with driver Jean Bianchi. It competed in other sports car races around France and Belgium during that era as well. It was restored a few years ago and is eligible for historic racing. It’s also a very rare example of a product from this brand. Oh, and if you don’t believe it actually went racing, check out the unbelievable period photo below of it surrounded by Italian cars at the Mille back in the day. You can see more about this car here.

Photo – Very Superior Old Cars

McLaren M8F

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1972 McLaren M8F

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

The McLaren M8A was a Can-Am car developed by Bruce McLaren himself for the 1968 Can-Am season. The suffix kept changing all the way down to the M8F as the car’s progression developed. Can-Am, if you recall, was the most badass racing series of all time. The rules were simple: two seats, closed bodywork over the wheels, and a roll hoop. Run whatcha brung.

The M8F was developed for the 1971 season and used a lengthened chassis, an aluminum monocoque, and lower bodywork when compared to earlier cars. The car was designed around a Chevy V8, and this car featured a 7.5-liter unit accompanied by two turbochargers when new. That equated to 930 horsepower. Since being retired, that monster engine was replaced by a naturally aspirated V8.

The car competed in the Interserie Championship in 1972 and 1973. Interserie was kind of like a European Can-Am series that would go even more bonkers as time marched on. The M8F was the final iteration of Bruce McLaren‘s Can-Am creation, and this one can now be yours. See more about it here.

Porsche 912

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1965 Porsche 912

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Online/Somewhere in Europe | June 3-11, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is a car I like. Comically undervalued until recently when their prices started to climb, the 912 was an entry-level model situated below the 911 and was built between 1965 and 1969. Porsche built over 32,000 of them during that time.

It’s a 911 look-a-like powered by a 1.6-liter flat-four, instead of a flat-six like the 911. With 102 horsepower on tap, the 912 was lighter than the 911 and was a great handler. We’ve actually featured a 912 prototype, which was based on a 356, the car whose gap the 912 filled in Porsche’s lineup.

They aren’t rare cars (although the Targa variant is rarer than the coupe by some margin), but they carry all of the contemporary 911’s attractive lines at a steep discount. This one is estimated at $57,500-$79,500. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $61,699.

Lamborghini Urraco

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1976 Lamborghini Urraco P300

Offered by Bonhams | Bicester, U.K. | May 30, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

The Urraco was Lamborghini‘s foray into the word of V8-powered sportscars, an arena in which they do not currently compete. In fact, they only produced two other V8 sports cars: the Silhouette and the Jalpa.

The Urraco was produced between 1972 and 1979 and is powered by a mid-mounted V8 available in three different sizes. The P300 model was the top dog with its 247 horsepower, 3.0-liter V8. Styling was by Gandini at Bertone, the powerhouse of Italian 1970s sporty design.

Only 190 examples of the P300 were built, and the seller of this car rates it on a scale of 99/100, which seems generous for any mid-engined Italian sports car from the 1970s. It’s expected to bring between $74,000-$86,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $75,178.