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Microcar Mondays Pt II

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The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

1955 Kapi Jip

1955 Kapi Jip

Another Monday and some more microcars. These are now harder to feature as RM Auctions is doing their best to obscure any information about these cars that might exist on the internet. It’s delightful.

But that just motivates me more. The Kapi Jip was produced in Barcelona from 1955 through 1956. It’s powered by an 8.5 horsepower 175cc single-cylinder engine that propels this miniature Jeep-looking thing to 40 mph. Less than 25 were built and this is the second one I’ve seen go up for auction in the past year. That one sold for $8,500 and this one is expected to sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Not sure where that extra money is going to come from but you can click here for more info.

Update: Sold $24,150.

 

1947 A.L.C.A. Volpe

1947 A.L.C.A. Volpe

The A.L.C.A. Volpe is a very rare Italian microcar built in 1947 only. It was supposed to be a cheaper and smaller version of the already small Fiat Topolino. It uses a rear-mounted 124cc two-cylinder making 6 horsepower. Less than 10 were built – mostly because the company, l’Anonima Lombarda Cabotaggio Aereo, was a scam and was shut down when accused of defrauding potential customers out of roughly €5 million in today’s currency. So it’s a rare car with a weird story of how it came to be. It should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $41,400.

 

1956 Heinkel Kabine 175 Type 153

Heinkel Kabine 175 Type 153

The Heinkel Kabine, which, let’s be honest, shares some similarities with the Isetta, was made from 1956-1958 by Heinkel in Germany. It was later built in the U.K. as the Trojan. This particular model, the 174cc single-cylinder (there were larger version offered as well) was on sale from 1956-1957. It makes 9 horsepower and will do 54 mph. Yes, it is a four-wheeler, with the rear two wheels sitting right next to each other. This one has a targa removable roof, which is cool. Buy it for $35,000-$45,000 and check out more here.

Update: Sold $54,050.

 

1970 SMZ S-3A

1970 SMZ S-3A

Don’t those little go-kart sized tires look a little chunky for a small car like this? Like it’s intended for light off-roading, which it isn’t, as this was a car designed for invalids. The benefits of communism were at play here – the Soviet Union distributed these small cars for free (or at least at a hefty discount) to disabled people through their social welfare system. I would really like to make a political joke here at America’s expense, but I won’t. SMZ is now know as SeAZ and this model was made from 1957-1970. It uses a 10 horsepower 346cc single-cylinder. It should sell for between $15,000-$20,000. For more information, click here.

Update: Sold $12,650.

 

1947 Julien MM5

1947 Julien MM5

Automobiles Julien was founded in 1946 in Paris. Car building materials were scarce in postwar France – especially for an upstart manufacturer hoping to put a tiny little convertible into production. The French government had to approve it and free up the necessary materials – not many were made, so it didn’t hurt France too much to do so. The car was produced from 1947 to 1949. Different engines were used, but at its peak, the car had a 10 horsepower 325cc single-cylinder. I’ve seen performance described as “acceptable.” This one should bring between $45,000-$55,000. For more information, click here.

Update: Sold $54,625.

 

1959 Scootacar Mk I

1959 Scootacar Mk I

This is a two-seat automobile, if you can believe it. The Scootacar exists because the wife of one of the heads of a railway locomotive manufacturer wanted “something easier to park than her Jaguar.” Rough life. So Scootacars Ltd was set up as a subsidiary of that locomotive company to produce, well, something much easier to park than a Jaguar. The Mk I was a fiberglass bubble that is taller than it is wide and just barely longer than it is tall. It’s a single-cylinder engine of 197cc that pushes this thing to 50 mph. And you steered with handlebars. There were other models as well, but production on this one started in 1957. Only 130 Scootacars of all types were produced by the time the company closed in 1964. This one should sell for between $20,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $39,100.

 

1958 Maico 500

1958 Maico 500

Champion was an automobile manufacturer in Germany that made tiny little cars that looked exactly like this from 1952 to 1955. When they went out of business, a small company called Maico bought their assets for pennies on the dollar, er… pennies on the Deutsche Mark. The Maico 500 went on sale in 1955. It used a 452cc two-cylinder making just under 18 horsepower (17.75 to be exact). Maico built a few thousand cars between 1955 and 1958 (both the 500 and 400 model series). They lost money on every one and only quit making them to avoid bankruptcy. Solid business plan. This one will cost you between $30,000-$40,000 when it crosses the block. Check out more on it here.

Update: Sold $29,900.

 

1958 F.M.R. Tg 500

1958 F.M.R. Tg 500

Known as the “Tiger,” this Messerschmitt-based car differs from its base car in that it has wheels at all four corners, as the Messerschmitt was only a three-wheeler. FMR stood for “Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH Regensburg.” So yeah, “FMR” is way easier to say and fit on the fender. Built from 1958 through 1961, the Tg 500 (Tg stood for “Tiger” but Tiger was trademarked by someone else) used a 494cc two-cylinder making 19.5 horsepower. Top speed was 78 mph and – and this is the first car I’ve come across from this sale that is capable of such a statistic – a 0-60 mph time of 27.8 seconds. Yes, that might seem like an eternity, but hey, it can actually do it. Only 320 were built and apparently they are highly desirable today, as this one has a pre-sale estimate of $125,000-$150,000. Check out more here.

Update: Sold $322,000.

 

1951 Gutbrod Superior 600

1951 Gutbrod Superior 600

Let’s face it: Gutbrod might not be the sexiest name ever slapped on a car. Superiors were manufactured from 1950 through 1954 and they featured a rollback convertible roof (those b-pillars don’t go anywhere). The cloth roof just kind of unfurls backward and voila! a convertible. The engine was a front-mounted 593cc twin making 20 horsepower. They were known as good handlers but they were also loud. There was a “700” model as well, with an extra 6 horsepower and 70 more cubic centimeters in displacement. Of both models, 7,726 were made. This one will go for between $15,000-$25,000 and you can read more here.

Update: Sold $16,100

 

 

1951 Bond Minicar Mk B

1951 Bond Minicar Mk B

The Bond Minicar went through various re-designs during its production run from 1949 through 1966. The Mk B was the second such iteration, made in 1951 and 1952 only. This three-wheeler uses a 197cc Villiers single-cylinder. Of this type, 1,414 were built before Bond moved on to the Mk C. Of all the Bond Minicars offered during this sale, this one has the highest pre-sale estimate of $15,000-$25,000. For more info click here. And to check out more from this sale click here.

Update: Sold $19,550.

Heinkel Kabine

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1956 Heinkel Kabine 175 Type 153

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Heinkel Kabine 175 Type 153

The Heinkel Kabine, which, let’s be honest, shares some similarities with the Isetta, was made from 1956-1958 by Heinkel in Germany. It was later built in the U.K. as the Trojan. This particular model, the 174cc single-cylinder (there were larger version offered as well) was on sale from 1956-1957. It makes 9 horsepower and will do 54 mph. Yes, it is a four-wheeler, with the rear two wheels sitting right next to each other. This one has a targa removable roof, which is cool. Buy it for $35,000-$45,000 and check out more here.

Update: Sold $54,050.

Aalholm Automobile Collection Sale (RM Auctions, 8/12/12)

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RM Auctions no-reserve sale of the Aalholm Automobile Collection in Nysted, Denmark was one of the most awesome sales of the year, opportunity-wise. There were some obscure old cars to be had and, although they were all museum cars they were still able to bring some serious money. None of the cars appeared to be in concours-level condition and some were hardly better than barn finds, but most just seemed to have been sitting in their current state for years if not decades.The top sale was a 1938 Maybach Zeppelin DS8 Roadster for $1,687,000.

There are also a boatload of other cars I wanted to feature, but the proximity of this sale to those at Pebble Beach precluded this. So, instead of a feature article of each of them, here’s a rundown (with photos) of the more interesting cars. First, this pair of three-wheelers. This yellow 1934 BSA Model 9 sold for $10,200.

1934 BSA Model 9 Three-Wheel Runabout

And our featured 1921 Darmont-Morgan sold for $41,700. There was also a pair of nearly-identical microcars, both license-built versions of the Isetta. First, this 1958 Trojan sold for $9,200.

Then its German cousin, the strangely purple 1963 Heinkel Kabine sold for $18,500

A couple of other German cars included this 1939 Adler 2.5-Litre Convertible by Karmann for $64,900.

1939 Adler 2.5-Litre Convertible by Karmann

This 1931 DKW F1 Roadster brought $16,700.

1931 DKW F1 Roadster

One of my favorites from this auction is this 1926 Hanomag 2/10 PS “Kommissbrot.” It sold for $27,800.

1926 Hanomag 2/10 PS “Kommissbrot”

This 1965 NSU Wankel Spider was one of the few post-1960 cars at this sale. It sold for $55,600.

1965 NSU Wankel Spider

A couple of the German cars on offer were also military vehicles. The most interesting of which was this 1939 Volkswagen Schwimmwagen. It’s amphibious, although, from the photos, I’d say it might need a little attention paid to it before the new owner takes it out for a swim. It sold for $139,100.

1939 Volkswagen Schwimmwagen

This 1940 Horch Kraftfahrzeug 15 Command and Control Car was also on the expensive side, bringing slightly less than the VW at $111,300.

1940 Horch Kraftfahrzeug 15 Command and Control Vehicle

The final military vehicles may not have ever been used by the military at all. It was produced in the inter-war years, but in all likelihood was used by some military or other. It’s a 1926 Citroen Kegresse Half-Track and it’s awesome. It sold for $38,900.

c. 1926 Citroën Kegresse Half-Track

There were plenty of other French cars at this sale and many of them started with the letter ‘D.’ Like this 1904 Delahaye Surrey-Top Tourer for $111,200.

1904 Delahaye Surrey-Top Tourer

Then there was a 1900 Decauville Roadster for $204,000.

1900 Decauville Roadster

And this 1909 Delaunay-Belleville Belvalette for $269,000.

Don’t forget the biggest of early French automakers, De Dion-Bouton, who were well represented at this sale. I really liked this 1909 Tourer for $78,800.

And another French ‘D,’ the somewhat less-spectacular 1925 Donnet Type G Saloon that sold for a comparatively diddly $16,700.

1925 Donnet Type G Saloon

One of our feature cars was French, the out-of-this-world 1896 Léon Bollée. It sold for $129,800. Another unusually laid-out car is this super-rare 1902 Lacroix de Laville La Nef tyicycle. It sold for $60,200.

c. 1902 Lacroix de Laville La Nef Tricycle

Panhard et Levassor was also represented. Of the two offered, this 1908 Type X1 Coupe Chauffeur by Rothschild was the more impressive. It sold for $153,000.

1908 Panhard & Levassor Type X1 Coupé Chauffeur by Rothschild

And, of course, Renault. This 1925 Type NM 40 CV Coupe de Ville by Kellner brought $278,200.

1925 Renault Type NM 40 CV Coupé de Ville by Kellner

And this 1903 10 CV Limousine sold for $222,500.

Other cars of note included this 1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges Tourer. It was the second-highest selling car of the auction at $871,700.

1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges Tourer

This very strange (I’ve never seen one before) 1954 Arnott Lea Francis Sports sold for $55,600.

1954 Arnott Lea Francis Sports

American cars at this sale included this 1906 Cadillac Model M Light Touring for $70,400.

c. 1906 Cadillac Model M Light Touring

There was also this 1927 Falcon-Knight Sedan for $20,400.

1927 Falcon-Knight Sedan

There was a 1902 Holsman High-Wheel Runabout. It went for $48,200.

1902 Holsman High-Wheel Runabout

This 1914 Packard 2-38 Seven-Passenger Touring car looks great in two-tone blue. It brought $102,000

1914 Packard 2-38 Seven-Passenger Touring

Another car more than 100 years old is this 1902 Rambler Model C Runabout. It was hammered away for $64,900

And this simple-looking 1915 Metz Model 25 Touring sold for $18,500.

Our other feature cars were the 1906 Ford Model N and the 1914 Benz 18/45 Four-Passenger Runabout. The Ford sold for $37,000 and the Benz $370,900. Now on to the weird stuff. We’ll start with this Russian copy of a Cadillac. It’s a 1954 Zim Limousine. It was sold in a lot of five cars, so judging what the buyer thought they were paying for this could vary on which car he/she actually wanted. But a fifth of the lot price comes out to $742. A steal.

1954 Zim Limousine

Next up is the 1905 Invisible Eight. It was not built in 1905, as it has a modern chassis and a Flathead Ford V8. It’s weird, that’s what it is. It cost $46,300.

And finally, a really fun car. This 1965 Hannibal Eight Special was one of four built for the film The Great Race, starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and a stunning Natalie Wood. The Hannibal Eight was driven by Jack Lemmon’s character, Professor Fate, throughout the movie. It sold for $77,900.

For complete results, click here.