Five Additional Military Vehicles

The Littlefield Collection

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014


 1973 Alvis FV721 Fox Prototype

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Fox was Britain’s replacement for the Ferret armored scout car. It was designed and manufactured by Alvis, beginning in 1973. The final Foxes were withdrawn from service in 1994.

The Fox here is one of the original prototypes and remains in original condition. The engine is a 4.2-liter straight-six from Jaguar making 190 horsepower. It should sell for between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $57,500.


1942 Baldwin M3A5 Grant II

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The M3 Lee was designed prior to America’s entry into WWII. They were operational around the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1942, a new variant, the M3A5 was introduced. The “Grant II” – as it was called – used a GM engine and was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works.

This tank was shipped new to Australia and uses a 12-cylinder diesel making 375 horsepower. It will do 25 mph and cost the new owner between $300,000-$400,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $276,000.


ca.1963 Panhard EBR-90

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Panhard EBR (which is the French abbreviation for “Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle”) was designed prior to World War II but didn’t actually go into production until 1950. It was produced in three versions, with the 90-mm cannoned version you see here starting production in 1963.

It’s an impressive setup: eight-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 200 horsepower Fiat 6.0-liter flat-12. About 1,200 were built and the last ones left the French military in 1987. This one should cost between $100,000-$125,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $28,750.


ca.1960 ZiL BTR-152

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The BTR-152 was built by ZiS (from 1950 until 1956) and later by ZiL (through 1962). In total, about 15,000 were built. It’s an armored personnel carrier from the Soviet Union. The engine is a 107 horsepower straight-six.

This example isn’t in the best of shape, but it does run and drive “very well,” according to the auction catalog. This one wears Egyptian Army markings and should sell for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $34,500.


1945 ACF M37 105-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

This beautiful HMC (basically a motorized Howitzer… artillery on wheels) was built in late 1945 and therefore didn’t see action in WWII. It was built by the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF for short). It was based on the American M24 Chaffee tank.

The engine is actually two Cadillac 8-cylinder engines – making it a 16-cylinder monster putting out a combined total of 220 horsepower. Only 316 were delivered out of a total of 448 orders. Everything on this one still works – so if you’re celebrating the 4th of July today, here’s your firework machine. It’ll cost you between $200,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this amazing collection.

Update: Sold $195,500.

Panhard EBR-90

ca.1963 Panhard EBR-90

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Panhard EBR (which is the French abbreviation for “Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle”) was designed prior to World War II but didn’t actually go into production until 1950. It was produced in three versions, with the 90-mm cannoned version you see here starting production in 1963.

It’s an impressive setup: eight-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 200 horsepower Fiat 6.0-liter flat-12. About 1,200 were built and the last ones left the French military in 1987. This one should cost between $100,000-$125,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $28,750.

DB HBR5

1959 DB Panhard HBR5 Coupe

Offered by Artcurial | Le Mans, France | July 5, 2014

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Charles Deutsch and Rene Bonnet began building cars together in 1938. Based near Paris, the 24 Hours of Le Mans became their goal, and in the 1950s, their cars competed there numerous times. This very car raced there three different years.

Their HBR series of cars were produced between 1954 and 1959 and they built several hundred of them with different engines available. This car has a very unique – almost aircraft-like – two-panel windscreen. It had a few engines over the years (depending on which class it was competing in at Le Mans) and was last raced with an 848cc flat-twin. It’s competition history includes:

  • 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans – 31st, DNF (with Alejandro de Tomaso and Colin Davis)
  • 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans – 19th (with Robert Bourharde and Jean-Francois Jaeger)
  • 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans – 21st (with Edgar Rollin and Rene Bartholoni)

This is a three-time factory entry at the 24 Hours. It was active in hillclimbs until 1970 and has been restored to its distinctive “Vitrine” two-windshield configuration. It should sell for between $165,000-$215,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $160,860.

Another Batch of Military Vehicles

The Littlefield Collection

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014


 1942 Cadillac M5 Stuart

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Labeling this as a Cadillac might be a little misleading, but Cadillac did build it – so why shouldn’t they get the credit? The M5 was a version of the M3 Stuart – one of the most popular light tanks of the Second World War. General Motors was behind it and the M5 was basically an M3 with upgraded armor.

In all, 2,074 M5s were built – only 1,470 were built by Cadillac in Michigan. This tank has been given a new engine and fresh restoration. It runs and drives wonderfully and is usable. The engines are twin 8-cylinders from Cadillac making a combined output of 220 horsepower. It can do 36 mph and be yours for $100,00-$150,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $310,500.


ca.1975 Panhard M3

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

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Panhard M3

ca.1975 Panhard M3

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Panhard is one of the oldest automobile companies in the world. While they stopped building road cars long ago, military vehicle manufacture has continued to this today. The M3 is an armored personnel carrier that went into production for the French military in 1971. Only 1,200 were built by the end of production in 1986.

This one is in good condition and runs and drives. The engine is a 90 horsepower Panhard four. It’s pretty incredible that this 6-ton vehicle can do 56 mph. You can buy it for between $50,000-$75,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $39,100.

June Auction Roundup

Okay, so June was a busy auction month and this is our final rundown of sales for it. First up was Osenat’s Fontainebleau sale where the highest amount paid for any vehicle (there were some pricey boats) was this 1928 Bugatti Type 37 for $720,500.

1928 Bugatti Type 37

Of our feature cars, the Deutsch-Bonnet race car failed to sell. So did the Fournier-Marcadier Barzoi 2. But the Fournier-Marcadier Barquette did sell – for $32,750. And the B.N.C. Type 53 sold for $104,800. The two most interesting cars also sold were a pair of prototypes. First, this 1986 Citroen Triaxe Prototype sold for $12,445.

1986 Citroen Triaxe Prototype

The other prototype was this 1951 Renault 4CV “Pie” Prototype. It sold for $13,100.

1951 Renault 4CV Pie Prototype

And finally, this attractive 1965 Panhard CT 24 Convertible brought $14,410. Check out full results here.

1965 Panhard CT 24 Convertible

Next up was Russo & Steele’s Newport Beach, California sale. Top sale honors there went to this 2008 Bugatti Veyron for $1,078,000.

2008 Bugatti Veyron

Our featured Tojeiro Barchetta sold for $159,500. Other cool rides that sold included this 1958 Chevrolet Cameo NAPCO 4×4 pickup. It sold for $67,100. Check here for full results.

1958 Chevrolet Cameo NAPCO 4x4

And finally, Mecum’s annual Bloomington Gold sale. It was a small-ish sale this year and the top sale went to this 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 327/350 Coupe for $100,000.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette 327-350 Coupe

Interesting sale were topped by this 1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible – one of 190 built. It sold for $23,500. Our “Entombed Corvette” failed to sell. Check out full results here.

1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

Osenat, June 17, 2012, Sale Highlights

Osenat’s recent sale had a number of unique – at least to those of us not in France – cars that sold. Unfortunately, the D.B. Le Mans we featured, didn’t. However, the other D.B. in the sale did. It’s a 1960 D.B. Type HBR 5 and it brought $28,000.

Top sale went to this 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spider Vignale – in all it’s wondrous Photoshopped glory. It sold for $303,000 – about three times more than the next highest-selling car.

Other interesting sales included a 1926 Hispano-Suiza T49 (below) for $38,000 and a 1951 Talbot-Lago T26 Record for $76,500 (second below).

This 1954 Panhard Dyna Junior convertible really popped in this shade of gold. I can’t tell if it’s attractive or hideous, but it certainly grabbed my attention. It was one of two Dyna Juniors that sold. This one for $19,000 and one in blue for $20,000.

And finally, one car I found quite pretty was this 1962 Simca Plein Ciel – which was the hardtop coupe version of the Simca Aronde. It sold for a touch under $23,000. For complete results, click here.