March 2013 Auction Round-Up

Posted on March 31, 2013 by classiccarweekly

The first auction that happened in March was Bonham’s Oxford sale. Top sale went to this 1968 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Re-Creation that was converted from an original 1968 Ferrari 365GT. It sold for $382,700. A real 250 GT would’ve brought much more.

Other interesting cars included this 1975 Lotus Elan +2S 103/5 Coupe, which for $15,600, seems like a bargain for a Lotus Elan.

Our feature cars both sold. First, the 1922 Benjamin cyclecar brought $29,500. And the Charron Charronette sold for $12,150. Other cool cars included this 1927 McLaughlin-Buick Model 28.496 Master Six Tourer. It sold for $90,200.

This 1989 Royale Sabre Roadster was a throwback car built in the U.K. in the early 1990s based around a late 1980s Ford. It’s definitely interesting for $5,200.

And finally, this 1918 De Dion-Bouton Model HD 15CV 2.9-Litre Charabanc may not have been too expensive. It also wasn’t the cheapest car at the sale. But for the sheer number of doors on this thing, it qualifies as interesting. It could’ve been yours for $13,800. Click here for full results.

Next up was Gooding’s sale at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The top sale there was this 1928 Bentley 4.25-Litre Semi-Le Mans Tourer for $2,750,000.

Among our four feature cars, only the Aston Martin Short Chassis Volante failed to sell. Of the two Duesenbergs, the Model JN brought $594,000 and the Model J brought $462,000. One interesting car was this 1938 H.R.G. Airline Coupe with coachwork by A. Crofts. It sold for $253,000.

The rest of our highlights are all million-dollar cars, most of them Ferraris. At the low end, a 1969 365 GTC brought $1,072,500.

Then there was the 1966 275 GTS for $1,127,500 followed by a 1995 F50 for $1,375,000 (second below).

Two similar million dollar Ferraris – see if you can tell the difference (for $750,000). First, a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 for $1,650,000 (first below). Then, a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy for $2,365,000. They look identical but aren’t (obviously).

Our featured Fiat 8V Supersonic brought $1,760,000. The final million dollar car was this 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Derby Speedster with coachwork by Brewster. It brought $1,980,000. Full results can be found here.

Then we move on to RM Auctions’ sale also held at Amelia Island. The top sale was out featured Duesenberg SJ by Walker-LaGrande for $4,510,000. Our featured Pegaso was the only one of our feature cars that failed to sell. As is normally the case, the million-dollar club featured a few Ferraris including a 1965 275 GTB (below) for $1,375,000 and a 1952 225 Sport Tuboscocca by Vignale for $1,237,500.

The only other million dollar cars were our featured Lozier, which more than doubled the lower end of its estimate and sold for $1,100,000. The other was this 1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible Victoria by Rollston which sold for $1,512,500.

Interesting sales were highlighted by this gorgeous 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Coupe by Langenthal that I so desperately wanted to feature but ran out of time. It sold for $330,000.

A couple of our older feature cars were the Derham Tourster Duesenberg for $825,000. And the beautiful Hispano-Suiza Transformable Torpedo brought $495,000. This 1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Convertible Sedan by Floyd-Derham sold for $473,000.

The three oldest cars we featured all sold. First, the Tribelhorn Electric brought $77,000. The unrestored Locomobile sold for $176,000. And the big, brilliant Austin Touring car sold for $379,500 – shy of its estimate. There were a trio of rare Cord L-29s at this sale and these two were very interesting. First, this 1930 L-29 Sport Cabriolet by Voll & Ruhrbeck sold for $990,000.

Then there was this 1929 L-29 Town Car by d’Ieteren Freres that sold for $154,000. Our featured Marmon Two-Door Prototype sold for $407,000. Check out full results here.

Now on to Osenat’s auction, where the top sale was a 1936 Cord 810 Sportsman convertible, of which there was no reasonably good picture I could snag. It sold for $129,000. Both of our feature cars sold. The Darracq-Italiana brought $32,985 while the the Voisin Flatbed Prototype sold for $23,220. The other most interesting car was another Voisin prototype, a 1956 Biscooter C31 Prototype with bodywork I haven’t seen before. It brought $25,800. Check out full results here.

And finally, Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale sale. Our featured Ron Fellows Edition Corvette sold for $52,800. Our featured Baldwin Motion Phase III Corvette brought $136,400. The 1977 Panther DeVille did not sell. Top sale went to a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL that sold for $880,000, which sounds like a new high sale for Auctions America.

Our other feature car, the Lexus LFA, sold for $319,000. Other cool cars included this 1960 Chevrolet Nomad for $26,400.

And finally, this 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 Factory Lightweight sold for $106,700. Check out full results here.

Voisin Flatbed Truck Prototype

Posted on March 15, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1957 Voisin Camionnette Prototype

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 17, 2013

We featured a pair of post-war Voisin prototypes during our coverage of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection. As wide and as complete as that collection was, it didn’t have one of these. This trucklet is a testament to the changes in France between the 1930s and 1950s. Pre-war Voisins were extravagant as can be. This is about as utilitarian and as basic as can be.

Voisin exhibited this very vehicle, the prototype, at an auto show in France in 1957. As you may know from the other Voisin prototypes, no one wanted them and they weren’t put into production (at least not in France, anyway). This car uses a 200cc single-cylinder engine, weighs in at 400kg and can carry 500kg. It is also front-wheel drive.

A man who knew Gabriel Voisin and who saw this car on the auto show stand in 1957, contacted SNECMA, the company that Voisin worked for and owned his post-war prototypes, and asked if there was anything he could get. They told him “come take this little truck that’s taking up space in our warehouse.” Well, sort of. He was able to save this truck though, which is nice because it is likely the only one like it. It should sell for between $13,000-$19,500. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Osenat’s auction lineup.

Update: Sold $23,220.

Artcurial Retromobile 2013 Highlights

Posted on February 16, 2013 by classiccarweekly

Artcurial’s sale at Retromobile in Paris had way too many interesting cars to be able to feature them all here on this site. We covered some of them – the Talbot-Lago T150C we featured was the stop sale at $1,861,738. The second-highest selling car was the Duesenberg we featured from this sale at $1,319,888. The oldest car in the sale, our featured 1898 Fisson, sold for $311,050. The second-oldest car in the sale was this 1908 Hispano-Suiza 12/15HP Double Phaeton for $72,831.

The other Hispano-Suiza in the sale, our featured H6C by Saoutchik, sold for $424,849. The only other million-dollar car was this 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet for $1,077,481.

One exceptionally rare car was this 1975 Bentley Corniche Convertible. While the Rolls-Royce Corniche is well-known, the sister Bentley version is very rare, with only 77 convertibles built. It sold for $133,524.

Other interesting cars included two wonderful French cars from the 1940s. First, a 1949 Citroen 15-Six Traction Avant Cabriolet by Worblaufen (below). It sold for $242,771. Then there was the 1946 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Cabriolet (second below) for $455,195.

The coolest American car in this sale (of the few that were offered) was a 1955 Chrysler ST Special Coupe by Ghia. It sold for $273,117.

The rest of our highlights are French cars (French auction house + French auction location = lots of French rarity). Our feature C.G. 548 failed to sell. This 1928 Voisin C11 (below) did sell – for $103,177. And finally, this 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by Vanvooren (second below) brought $746,472. Check out complete results here.

Microcar Mondays Pt VIII

Posted on February 11, 2013 by classiccarweekly

The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

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

______________________________________________________________

1958 Burgfalke FB250

Photo – RM Auctions

The Brütsch Spatz went into production in revised form as the Victoria 250. When production ceased on that car, the head of Burgfalke (an airplane and glider manufacturer in Germany) bought the rights to the car and put it into production as the Burgfalke FB250. They used a 248cc single-cylinder making 14 horsepower. In all, 60 were built and two of those were shipped to the U.S. This car is one of those two and it is completely original. It should sell for between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $20,700.

______________________________________________________________

1949 Voisin Biscooter Prototype

Photo – RM Auctions

We’ve talked of Gabriel Voisin and his attempt to manufacture a microcar after World War II. When he designed the Biscooter, he built approximately 15 prototypes that he shopped around. Eventually, two of them were given to Voisin to take home. This is one of those two cars. It is completely original. The Biscuter was made in Spain, but this Biscooter was made by Voisin. It’s a pretty big deal. The engine is a six horsepower 125cc single-cylinder. It should sell for between $60,000-$80,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $66,125.

______________________________________________________________

1946 Larmar

Photo – RM Auctions

Larmar built invalid carriages in Essex, England. When this model hit the scene, they were quick to point out all of its positive, road car-like characteristics in order to drum up as many sales as possible. It was about the smallest road car you could buy and perhaps the narrowest ever built, at just two feet four inches wide. The engine is a 246cc single-cylinder making 7.5 horsepower. This one has not been restored (obviously) and is missing a door, the convertible top and the folding windshield. It honestly resembles an airplane tug more than a car, but it is what it is. It can be yours for the rock-bottom price of $3,000-$5,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $4,600.

______________________________________________________________

1963 Vespa Ape Model C

Photo – RM Auctions

The iconic Vespa scooter was introduced by Piaggio in 1946. It was great for transporting people cheaply around the windy streets of Italy. It was not so great for transporting things. So Piaggio sent their designers back to the drawing board and in 1948 the Ape came to market. This Model C has an enclosed metal box at the rear and a bench seat up front. Payload was 770 pounds – about all the 5.8 horsepower 145.5cc single-cylinder can handle. The controls are still scooter-like and the rear box actually tips. It’s a useful little commercial vehicle. It should bring between $5,000-$10,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $25,300.

______________________________________________________________

1948 Mochet Type K

Photo – RM Auctions

This Mochet is a little sportier than the commercial Camionette we featured a month or two ago. It uses a single-cylinder engine of 125cc making a paltry 3.5 horsepower. The car is actually a little bigger than it looks, at almost eight feet long. This was the first Mochet cyclecar not to actually be fitted with pedals (what progress!). Everything else was still crude – no front suspension and an external handbrake to slow the rear wheels. And everything comes together at some kind of sharp angle. Only 650 were built. There are two in this sale, this being the nicer. It should sell for between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $35,650.

______________________________________________________________

1957 Messerschmitt KR 201 Roadster

Photo – RM Auctions

Another Messerschmitt? Look closely, this isn’t a KR 175 or a KR 200. It’s a very rare KR 201. Closed-top cars had an occupant baking problem, as they were essentially in a glass oven. Solution? Cut the top off. They gave it a heavily-raked windshield and a cloth top that goes back most of the way. It was a special edition model with other bits of nice trim and they were only built for two years (1957 and 1958) but it was available by special order until KR 200 production finally stopped. It uses the same 191cc single-cylinder engine making 9.5 horsepower. Only 300 were made. This one should bring between $60,000-$70,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $103,500.

______________________________________________________________

1972 Bond Bug 700E

Photo – RM Auctions

The futuristic Bond Bug was exactly what a futurist would drive in 1972. It’s a three-wheeler with a pop-forward canopy for a door. The interior is now dated but was probably modern then. The engine is a 701cc straight-four making 30 horsepower. Bond had actually been acquired by Reliant in 1969 and you can see some of the Reliant Robin-type architecture in this car. Every one of the 2,276 cars built was painted in this god-awful 1970s orange color, which must have helped Bond reach their young consumer target market, or something. This one should sell for between $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $17,250.

______________________________________________________________

1942 Peugeot VLV

Photo – RM Auctions

You might be thinking “Just what in the hell did Peugeot think they were doing trying to build a production car in 1942, under German occupation.” While the first part of that sentence – right up to the qualifier of “trying to build a production car…” is fair game at any point in their history, Peugeot actually had an interesting idea with this car. Gasoline was forbidden once Germany took over unless you had a special permission slip to drive. Literal cyclecars (without engines) were popular. Peugeot went with electricity. They were the only one of France’s large automakers to take a shot with building electric cars. The VLV was interesting – there was a single brake drum for the two rear wheels and the batteries up front made up half the weight of the car. It had a top speed of 22 mph and a range of 50 miles. It got around the fuel-restrictions but was banned by the occupying government after 377 were built. It’s cool, it’s rare. It should sell for $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $20,125.

______________________________________________________________

1949 Crosley Farm-O-Road Prototype

Photo – RM Auctions

Powell Crosley’s cars are all really tiny and all really cool. The Farm-O-Road is one of the stranger cars the he built. It looks like a miniature version of the Jeep that helped America win the war that had just ended. But its purpose was that of a utility tractor, as Crosley “had an interest in farming.” There were all sorts of attachments for this thing: plows, mowers, skis. It was also intended for road use. They were available for three model years: 1950-1952. About 600 were made. This is one of two factory prototypes and the one that was used in factory sales literature. It uses the 724cc COBRA straight-four making 26.5 horsepower. It should sell for between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $32,775.

______________________________________________________________

1957 Iso Isettacarro 500

Photo – RM Auctions

The Isetta was originally built by Iso. They licensed the design out all over the place and used the proceeds to build some wicked sports cars. To make the tiny bubble-car even more appealing, Iso built the Autocarro, a commercial variant available in a variety of bodystyles. This one has a wooden pickup box. It uses a 236cc single-cylinder making 9.5 horsepower. It was built in Madrid by the Spanish arm of Iso (but it’s still an Iso). The only difference is that the Autocarro was renamed Isettacarro 500 in Spain. It is one of 4,900 built and is mostly original. It should sell for between $45,000-$55,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of the lineup, as this is the final Microcar Monday.

Update: Sold $97,750.

Voisin Biscooter Prototye

Posted on February 10, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1949 Voisin Biscooter Prototype

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

Photo – RM Auctions

Update: Sold $66,125.

Voisin Biscooter C31

Posted on February 4, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1957 Voisin Biscooter C31

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

Photo – RM Auctions

Gabriel Voisin’s post-war fortunes were not quite as bright as those leading up to war. He designed the tiny Biscooter but, because he no longer controlled his own company, could not get it into production. In fact, no one wanted it – even though he racked up close to 1,000 orders for it. He sold the rights to the Spanish and moved on – sort of. At some point, he went back and designed another Biscooter, an enhanced version – the C31. Some things were different, but it was largely the same. The Spanish were not interested in this model (the one you see here). It uses a 197cc single-cylinder engine making nine horsepower. Still, 16 were built and this one should bring $60,000-$80,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $80,500.

Microcar Mondays Part VII

Posted on February 4, 2013 by classiccarweekly

The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

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

_____________________________________________________

1959 King S-7

This King S-7 was not manufactured by the same “King” company we talked about last week. This one was built in Sweden. The S-7 was originally built as a Fuldamobil in Germany but they were licensed all over and some licensed versions were exported. Sweden received some NWF cars but later they built there own S-7 version of the Fuldamobil and called it the Fram-King-Fulda. When that factory burned down, the assets were purchased and production restarted in 1958 or 1959 and it was called the King S-7. It was built until 1962 and 411 were made. It uses a 9.5 horsepower 191cc single-cylinder and should sell for between $35,000-$45,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $47,150.

_____________________________________________________

1956 B.A.G. Spatz

Egon Brütsch built a small two-seat convertible called the 200 or “Spatz.” He allowed prospective licensees to drive it and one, Harald Friedrich, liked it but realized Brütsch’s car was essentially crap. He hired an engineer to fix the issues with it and then put it into production under the name of a new company he formed, Bayerische Autowerke GmbH – or B.A.G. It was powered by the ubiquitous 9.5 horsepower 191cc single-cylinder Sachs motor that really got around in those days. Brütsch was not amused and threatened to take Friedrich to court (he eventually took the next group of people to court, and lost because the design was significantly improved over his original and therefore not an infringement) and Friedrich left the company – but not before 859 could be built and sold. This one should sell for between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $32,200.

_____________________________________________________

1957 Voisin Biscooter C31

Update: Sold $80,500.

_____________________________________________________

1961 Taylor-Dunn Model R Trident

If you weren’t aware, California was a weird place in the 1960s. Still is, really. But this was their idea of a car. Originally introduced as a glorified grocery kart in 1955, the three-wheeled electric runabout was called the Taylor-Dunn PG. In 1959, the Trident was introduced. It still used a one horsepower electric motor – but it also had road-going capability. In today’s world of SUVs, you would need a death-wish to drive this down the street in suburban L.A. But 1961 was a different time – and you could always just hop up onto the sidewalk to get away from traffic – no one would be able to tell where you belonged anyway. This should sell for between $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $29,900.

_____________________________________________________

1947 Rovin D2

Hard work pays off – the brothers Rovin showed their first cyclecar in 1927 and when France was occupied during the war, the continued to work and design on a new car, knowing that the war and its restrictions would eventually end. They had a prototype done in 1945 and were ready to go once France began to get back on its feet. The production version was called the D2 and it uses a 10 horsepower 425cc two-cylinder engine. Their products were quality and they were able to stick around for a while – until about 1959, producing different models. The D2 was short-lived and only 200 were made. This one should bring between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $43,700

_____________________________________________________

1953 Manocar Prototype

This rough-looking tiny car was one of two prototypes built by Établissements Manom in Saint Ouen, France between 1952 and 1953. It uses a four horsepower 125cc single-cylinder and was supposed to set the microcar world on fire due to its ease of access and “roomy” interior. Needless to say, this was as far as the project got. It’s all-original and should sell for between $5,000-$10,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $6,900.

_____________________________________________________

1963 Goggomobil TL-250 Transporter

We’ve already featured the even-rarer pickup variant of the Goggomobil Transporter. This is the van version. It’s also a TL-250 model, which means it uses the smaller 245cc two-cylinder engine making 14 horsepower. These vans actually had a useful load-carrying capacity for their size and the German postal service used them – in fact, they were more or less responsible for their production, buying up about 2/3 of all vans built. This one (of 3,665 built) has been painted up in Double Bubble Gum colors. All of the Goggomobil Transporters in this sale have some “cute” paint scheme. The price isn’t as cute: $80,000-$100,000. click here for more info.

Update: Sold $132,250.

_____________________________________________________

1953 Bond Minicar Mk C

Only the Mark F version of the Bond Minicar outsold the Mark C – and it was by less than 100 units. In total, 6,399 Mark Cs were built between 1952 and 1956. The Mark C was a marked improvement in design and quality over the earlier Mark Bs – it looked more like a car from the front – and less like a rolling coffin. The style really fit in with the times. It used a 197cc single-cylinder making nine horsepower. There were various trim levels available – which also helped make this seem more like a real car. This one should bring between $10,000-$15,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $13,800.

_____________________________________________________

1958 Solyto

New-Map, the motorcycle manufacturer (who also built a few cars called the “Baby”), shifted focus to small three-wheeled commercial delivery vehicles in the late-1950s. They were sold under the “Solyto” name. What separated them from their competitors is the two-seat closed cab design that gives it a more car-like appearance than the obviously-scooter-based Vespa delivery trucks and the like. This one uses a 125cc single-cylinder making 4.5 horsepower. These were also sold under license in Spain as the Delfín. This one should sell for between $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $25,300.

_____________________________________________________

1962 Motobécane KM 2U

Another mini commercial vehicle to round out our second-to-last edition of Microcar Mondays. This has everything a big truck would have – except smaller – even a spare tire underneath. Motobécane was a major motorcycle and bicycle manufacturer in France from 1923 until 1981. In 1962, they introduced a small car prototype called the KM 2 that never made it to production. There was also a utility version produced (KM 2U) – a lone prototype example. It is believed that this is that truck. It uses a 125cc single-cylinder engine making six horsepower. This unrestored mini-truck should sell for between $5,000-$10,000. Click here for more info. And click here to check out more microcars.

Update: Sold $16,100.

Mecum Spring Classic 2012 Highlights

Posted on June 2, 2012 by classiccarweekly

Dana Mecum’s 25th Original Spring Classic Auction held May 15-20, 2012, sold a ton of cars. I mean, it has seriously taken me two days to go through the results and my mind has melted from staring at the computer screen. The top sale was this gorgeous 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible, one of 18, that sold for $600,000.

Muscle cars were the stars of the show. Numerous Hemi Mopars and big-block Chevys went across the block and brought big numbers. One of my favorite Hemi cars to sell was a 1966 Dodge Charger – my favorite Charger bodystyle. It sold for $190,000 – and it’s all original and unrestored.

Another wonderfully rare muscle car brought the second-highest price paid for a car at this sale. It’s a 1969 Yenko Nova and it’s one awesome looking car. It sold for an eye-popping $475,000.

Our featured car, the Baldwin Motion Manta Ray GT failed to sell. Interesting sales of note included this 1978 Jeep J10 Honcho 4×4 that looks great and would’ve only cost you $7,000.

Carroll Shelby’s recent passing put a spotlight on all Shelby-badged vehicles. One of the more obscure models with the Shelby name on it is this 1989 Dodge Shelby Dakota. It’s one of 1,500 built and sold for $9,500.

And finally, there was the 1964 Voisin Biscuter microcar – and it’s about as cheap as you can go on the Voisin scale. It sold for $13,000 – less than half of what it was priced at a month ago at Hyman Ltd.

There are countless – literally – other cars that sold at this sale. Check out the complete results at Mecum’s website.

Share this:

1957 Voisin Camionnette Prototype

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 17, 2013

Share this:

Share this:

The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

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

1958 Burgfalke FB250

1949 Voisin Biscooter Prototype

1946 Larmar

1963 Vespa Ape Model C

1948 Mochet Type K

1957 Messerschmitt KR 201 Roadster

1972 Bond Bug 700E

1942 Peugeot VLV

1949 Crosley Farm-O-Road Prototype

1957 Iso Isettacarro 500

Share this:

1949 Voisin Biscooter Prototype

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

Share this:

1957 Voisin Biscooter C31

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

Share this:

The Bruce Weiner Microcar Collection

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

1959 King S-7

1956 B.A.G. Spatz

1957 Voisin Biscooter C31

1961 Taylor-Dunn Model R Trident

1947 Rovin D2

1953 Manocar Prototype

1963 Goggomobil TL-250 Transporter

1953 Bond Minicar Mk C

1958 Solyto

1962 Motobécane KM 2U

Share this:

Share this: