Tag Archives: rm auctions

Pathfinder Touring Car

Posted on by
1

1913 Pathfinder Series XIII A Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19-20, 2012

This 40 horsepower Pathfinder is described as “the only one of its kind in existence,” meaning it is the only 1913 Pathfinder in existence – making it sound rarer than it is. It’s a Series XIII Five-Passenger Touring model with attractive, but average for the time, styling.

This model was originally spec’d with all available electrical equipment – but as you can see, there is a hand crank hanging out the front of the car. At this time, the electric starter had only been on Cadillacs for a year. While this car is quite interesting and worthy of being collected, it is not a Cadillac.

Pathfinder was in production for five short years, from 1912 until 1917, as a sub-marque of the Parry Automobile Company of Indianapolis, Indiana. Later cars became more luxurious with V-12 engines, but this early model has a 281 cubic inch L-head 4-cylinder.

This particular car sold this past summer at an RM Auction for $115,500. You have to wonder when a car pops up at auction twice in a year. Either the new buyer wanted to hurry and try and flip it for a quick profit and that plan went south and they needed to just get rid of it. Or there is something wrong with it. I’m guessing the former. With only six months since it’s last sale, I doubt the market for 1913 Pathfinder’s has changed all that much. More about it here, with auction info here.

Update: Not Sold.

Update II: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016, $121,000.

Jaguar XJ220 S

Posted on by
1

1993 Jaguar XJ220 S Coupe

Offered by RM Auctions | January 19-20, 2012 | Phoenix, Arizona

The Jaguar XJ220 was the fastest production car in the world at the time of its debut, topping out at 213 mph with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine. It was a sensation – a half-a-million dollar sensation with celebrity owners from Elton John to the Sultan of Brunei (of course). 281 cars were built.

Tom Walkinshaw Racing was there from the beginning to aid in development. They developed the XJ220C race car that competed at Le Mans in 1993 – where it won the GT Class with drivers John Nielsen, David Brabham, and David Coulthard. That win was later revoked because the car that competed didn’t have catalytic converters.

Anyway, TWR built 6 road-going versions of the XJ220C dubbed the XJ220S. Power was upped from the standard 542 horsepower to a staggering 680 bhp. Top speed also jumped, this by 15 mph to 228 mph.

There are only a few of these cars, so they don’t sell too often. The last one I can find was at a dealer a few years ago for $295,000. More info on this car is available here with more on the auction itself, here.

Update: Sold $230,000.

Purple Isotta Boattail

Posted on by
Reply

1927 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Boattail Tourer

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19-20, 2012

Look. At. This. Car. It’s mindblowing. First of all, how many two-tone purple cars do you see? Now, how many two-tone purple cars do you see that grab and hold your attention quite like this. Look at that grille!

This is the second Tipo 8A that we’ve featured that’s being offered in Arizona this January. It is by far the more awesome. The car is immaculate and I’d by dying to put a bid in on it, had I not been aware that RM sold this car back in 2007 for a touch over $390,000. At that time, it undercut the lower end of the estimate by a cool $60,000 – so, by definition it’s a steal. (The car lacked the current grille-work that it has now at that time).

It’s got a 135 horsepower, 7.4 liter Straight 8 engine which isn’t Duesenberg power but it’s no slouch, able to hit 100 mph. The Boattail bodywork is by Carrozzeria Italiana Cesare Sala (not a household name by any means) and it cost $6,000 back in 1927 – on top of the $8,500 chassis price. They weren’t exactly giving these cars away.

RM doesn’t have an estimate handy as of this writing, but $400,000 sounds about right, we’ll see. I’d pay it, conditions willing. More info can eventually be found here and more about RM in Arizona here.

Update: Sold $407,000.

410 Superamerica by Scaglietti

Posted on by
1

1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica

Offered by RM Auctions, Phoenix, Arizona, January 19-20, 2012

Sergio Scaglietti, whose Carrozzeria Scaglietti bodied this outstanding Ferrari 410 Superamerica, passed away about two weeks ago. Ferrari built less than 35 410 Superamericas, and this is the only Scaglietti-bodied car.

The stainless steel of the roof and amazing looking tailfins are quite striking. There is much sparkly, shiny silver chrome and steel on this otherwise red car that it makes a grand statement just sitting there.

The 410 used a 5.0 liter V12 that produced 335 horsepower in Series I guise. This Series II car (just one of six) makes even more. In their day, these were the exclusive Ferraris – costing more than twice the amount of a brand new 300SL Gullwing.

That price difference is evident today when Gullwing Mercedes’ are bringing closer and closer to a $1 million each. This car is estimated to fetch between $1.75 million and $2.25 million. More info on the car is available at RM’s site here and more information on the auction, here.

Update: Sold $1,815,000.

1967 Jaguar E-Type

Posted on by
1

1967 Jaguar E-Type Series I 4.2-Liter Roadster

Offered by RM Auctions, Phoenix, Arizona, January 19-20, 2012

One of the most iconic automotive designs of all time, the Jaguar E-Tpye recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. This Series 1 Roadster is equipped with the 4.2-liter straight six that was introduced to the line in October of 1964. The engine produced 265 horsepower, making this car a serious performer in its day.

1967 was the final year for the Series 1 before it became the series 1.5, which carried the same body style with slight modifications. This transitional model was built until the introduction of the Series 2 in 1969. Total production for Series 1 convertibles was 6,749.

Enzo Ferrari called the E-Type “the most beautiful car ever made” and he is not the only person to think so. E-Types come up for auction regularly. Look for this to catch a price right around $90,000-$100,000, the average for a Series I at auction over the past few years.

More info on this car is available here and more on RM in Arizona here.

Update: Not Sold.

Ferrari 512 BBi

Posted on by
1

1983 Ferrari 512 BBi

Offered by RM Auctions, Phoenix, Arizona, January 19-20, 2012

The Ferrari 512 BBi was the last of the Berlinetta Boxers built by Ferrari. The cars used a mid-mounted 4.4 (and later 5.0. for the 512) flat-12 (hence the name “Boxer”) – although a flat-12 is essentially just a 180° V-12. The first of the Berlinetta Boxers was the 1973-1976 365 GT4 of which just 387 were produced.

The 512 BB was introduced in 1976 and lasted until 1981 when fuel-injection was introduced to the line. The fuel-injected BBi was a car that could be more easily lived with on a daily basis. I’m pretty sure I could “live with” a 340 horsepower Ferrari on a daily basis if I had to.

It’s an attractive car that remain desirable – a must have for any Ferrari collector. Just over 1,000 BBis were made between 1981 and 1984. The average auction price for these cars over the past few years is almost right at $100,000. Some more, some less. For more info on this car try here and for more on RM in Arizona, here.

Update: Sold $96,250.

1954 Allard K3 Roadster

Posted on by
1

1954 Allard K3 Roadster

Offered by RM Auctions, Phoenix, Arizona, January 19-20, 2012

The sleek, simplistic style of this 1954 Allard K3 calls back to Sydney Allard’s early trials cars that were built with little more than speed in mind. By 1954, however, style, comfort – as well as speed – were all combined to create this wonderful little American-British car. The cars were built in Clapham, London using a Cadillac V-8 making 325 horsepower. This car has a complete ownership history from new.

Only 63 were made, making this a rare alternative to just about any Triumph, Healey or Jaguar you’ll see at British car gatherings. RM doesn’t have it’s estimates on line just yet, but the last K3 that sold at auction as by Gooding & Co in 2009 and it went for $132,000. I would expect anything between $75,000 and $125,000. This car was for sale recently with a sticker of $125,000.

Update: Sold $57,750.

1953 Nash-Healey

Posted on by
1

1953 Nash-Healey Roadster

Offered by RM Auctions, Phoenix, AZ, January 18-20, 2012

The Nash-Healey was re-designed for 1952 after just one brief year with it’s original design. The restyle is the classic design you see here with the Nash grille and inboard headlights – all courtesy of Pininfarina. The 4.1 liter Nash inline six produces 140 horsepower – enough to make it true to its claim of “America’s first post-war sports car.” The powertrain was sent to Healey in England for installation into a chassis and then onto Pininfarina in Italy to have this attractive body fitted. The European-American collaboration to produce a good-looking and well-performing sports car is a formula that would continue for years to come.

All of this shipping made the car rather expensive at $5,908 compared to the then brand-new Corvette which sold for $3,513. The car is offered by RM without reserve and without a current pre-auction estimate but if I had to guess I’d put it between $75,000 and $110,000… although Gooding & Co. sold one last year in Arizona for $143,000. Anything is possible in Arizona in January.

See more on this lot here and more on the sale here.

Update: Sold $71,500.