Tag Archives: classic cars

BMW M1 Procar

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1980 BMW M1 Procar

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

How do you take one of the coolest “classical supercars” and make it look even more badass? Turn it into a killer race car for a one-make series, that’s how. BMW built 399 M1 road cars between 1978 and 1981, along with 53 race cars.

Those race cars were destined for the BMW M1 Procar Championship, a one-make series devised by the head of BMW Motorsport. Strange homologation rules sort of necessitated the series, which was run as a Formula One support series for the 1979 and 1980 seasons. The cars were also used in different sports car racing series all over the world.

M1 Procars were more or less ground-up race cars. They had big front and rear wings, among many other changes from the road cars, and they are powered by a 3.5-liter inline-six tweaked to make 470 horsepower (the road car made 273).

The race history for this car, #36, includes:

  • 1982 24 Hours of Daytona – 40th, DNF (with Joe Crevier, Fred Stiff, and Dennis Wilson)
  • 1982 12 Hours of Sebring – 19th (with Crevier, Paul Fassler, and Bob Zeigel)

The car was also driven by Al Unser Jr. prior to the 1982 season. It’s been completely restored and used in historic competition. The current owner bought it in 2012 and it’s now for sale in Europe. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2020, $913,000.

Iso Grifo GL

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1968 Iso Grifo GL Series I

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

Photo – Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Grifo GL is a Bertone-styled Italian muscle car. It was designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro. It was introduced in 1963, and a racing variant, the Grifo A3/C, debuted alongside

The grand touring Grifo was slightly restyled before entering production as the Grifo GL. Meanwhile, Bizzarrini got irritated, took the A3/C, and went and produced it as the Bizzarrini 5300 GT.

The Grifo GL road car soldiered on under the Iso marque. Early examples were powered by 5.4-liter V8 from a 327 Corvette that made 350 horsepower. That’s what this car originally had. But later Grifos received a 7.0-liter Corvette 427 V8 advertised at 435 horsepower. It’s what this car currently has under that mean hood with a very serious-looking vent.

This car received a six-digit restoration in 2005 and is now offered at no reserve. Check out more about it here and more from RM here.

Update: Sold $500,000.

Dodge Firearrow II

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1954 Dodge Firearrow II Concept

For Sale by Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Dodge debuted a series of Firearrow concept cars in the 1950s that showcased their Hemi V8s and their relationship with Ghia in Italy. Only two of the four Firearrow cars were convertibles, including this one.

It’s powered by a 150 horsepower 3.9-liter Red Ram Hemi V8. Not the most powerful thing in the world, but proof that Dodge was trying to move into a more performance-oriented territory.

Styling is by Virgil Exner, and the body was built in Turin by Ghia. The car was shown all over the U.S. in 1954, and it marked the first running, driving Firearrow, as this car’s predecessor was just a static model. This Jet Age concept car is fully usable, and it is for sale by Mecum/the Blackhawk Collection. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2021, $1,050,000.

Lancia LC1

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1982 Lancia LC1

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

This car is the predecessor of the Lancia LC2 we features last week. It debuted in 1982 to contest the World Endurance Championship, which was held under the FIA’s Group 6 regulations.

The chassis for this car was designed by built by Dallara (by Mr. Dallara himself at that). It wears a Kevlar and carbon body and is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter Lancia-Abarth inline-four capable of 450 horsepower.

Only four examples of the LC1 were built. The competition history for this car, chassis #2, includes:

  • 1982 1000km Nurburgring – 1st (with Teo Fabi, Michele Alboreto, and Riccardo Patrese)
  • 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans – 36th, DNF (with Fabi, Alboreto, and Rolf Stommelen)

That Nurburgring victory was the highlight for the entire LC1 program, and the car is now presented in its original Martini livery. You can read more about it here.

Voisin C4 S

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1926 Voisin C4 S Two-Door Sedan

Offered by Artcurial | Gibel, France | TBD…

Voisin C4 S
Photo – Artcurial

Voisin built some fantastic luxury cars during its existence. At some point, Gabriel Voisin realized that he would have to build some volume models in order to survive. In 1921, he launched a small sedan called the C4.

It evolved into the C4 S in 1924, and that model lasted through 1926. It is powered by a 1.3-liter sleeve-valve inline-four that made 33 horsepower. This car is said to wear unique bodywork that is quite squared off at the front and more aerodynamic out back.

The car has been in this collection since 1968 and has not been used in recent years. It probably needs a little re-commissioning, but it’ll make for a cheap entry into Voisin ownership with a pre-sale estimate of $28,000-$39,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $37,108.

Amphicar

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1966 Amphicar 770

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

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Here’s one I can’t believe we haven’t covered yet. The Amphicar was designed by Hans Trippel and produced by the Quandt Group in Germany between 1960 and 1965. The model was dubbed the “770” because it would do seven knots on the water and 70 mph on land.

A few different engines were used throughout production. This car is powered by a 1.5-liter Triumph inline-four that was capable of up to 75 horsepower. The same engine drives the car on land or water, and once you splash down, the engine drives a pair of reversible propellers. The car could even drive itself back out of the water.

Amphicars are remarkably usable. They can be found in waterways throughout the world every year (I once saw one on the back of a large private boat in Paris. It’s the ultimate dinghy). And I think their continued use is a wonderful sign of how well made they were. Only 3,878 were produced in total, and it seems like there’s always a few for sale somewhere. This one is selling at no reserve in Indiana. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $128,800.

Subaru 360

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1969 Subaru 360 Deluxe

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

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 360 was Subaru’s first production car. From this came the WRX, the Outback, and every other Subaru passenger vehicle. It was built from 1958 through 1971, and there were convertible and station wagon variants.

Power is from a 356cc inline-twin, and the model’s “360” name is also derived from the engine’s displacement. Horsepower at the end of production was a healthy 25, and the price when new in the U.S. was $1,297.

Subaru built 392,000 of them, about 10,000 of which were sold new in the U.S. This one was on eBay long ago, and that is perhaps where the current collection acquired it. It will now sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $30,240.

Dodge Firebomb

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1955 Dodge Firebomb Concept

For Sale by Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Does this look like a Dual-Ghia to you? Well if it does, that’s because it essentially is. Chrysler had a relationship with Ghia during the 1950s that led to some fantastic concept cars, including this. But Chrysler passed on putting this one into production.

So in stepped Gene Casaroll, a Detroit-area businessman, who arranged to put it into production as the Dual-Ghia. The Firebomb remained a one-off Chrysler concept powered by a 270 horsepower, 5.1-liter V8. This car is also the reason some people refer to the Dual-Ghia as the “Dual-Ghia Firebomb,” which is not accurate.

The car has been hanging around the Blackhawk Collection for years and is now offered for sale as part of Mecum’s “Gallery,” alongside quite a few other Blackhawk cars. You can see more about it here.

Lancia LC2

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1983 Lancia LC2

For Sale at Girardo & Co

Photo – Girardo & Co.

The World Sportscar Championship produced some pretty awesome race cars in the 1980s, including this, the Lancia LC2. Group C was where all the big dogs played during this era. The LC2 was Lancia’s factory-backed entry between 1983 and 1986.

The fun part about this car is that it is actually Ferrari-powered. It’s got a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V8 that can be boosted to over 800 horsepower. Group C cars are not for the faint of heart. Only seven LC2s were built, six of which wore a factory Martini livery like this one. The competition history for this chassis, which was the first one built, includes:

  • 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans – 34th, DNF (with Alessandro Nannini, Paolo Barilla, and Jean-Claude Andruet

This is the LC2 that later spent time in the Blackhawk Museum. It’s now available by Girardo & Co. with a price available upon request. You can read more about it here.

Tatra T87

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1948 Tatra T87

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

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Tatra T87 is a special car. Designed by Hans Ledwinka and Erich Ubelacker, it was based on the earlier T77, which was a very low-production car from the mid-1930s. The T87 went on sale in 1936 and lasted through 1950… you know, with an interruption for the war.

It had a streamlined body, a rear-mounted 3.0-liter V8, and suicide front doors. Horsepower was a modest 85, but the car had an incredibly low drag coefficient and could hit 100 mph. After production ceased, Tatra retrofitted some of the T87s with the 2.5-liter V8 from the 603. This is one of those cars.

Not a cheap car in its day, the T87 was produced in limited numbers with just 3,056 examples completed. It’s a beautiful, streamlined masterpiece, with design elements lifted from the German zeppelins of the era. It’s one of the coolest cars in this sale, and, like the others, it will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $302,000.