1910 White Tourer

1910 White Model GA 20HP Tourer

Offered by  Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We’ve become a fan lately of early White motorcars. Steam cars are always interesting, something White heavily invested in for most of its passenger car-building life, but the gasoline cars are interesting too, as they are a little less remembered.

The Model GA was built for 1910 and 1911. It was the entry-level gasoline model and was offered in a variety of body styles. The engine is a 3.7-liter straight-four making 20 horsepower. It’s a nicely-finished driver, perfect for tours. It should sell for between $30,000-$50,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $37,400.

Mecum Kissimmee 2014 Highlights

Mecum’s Kissimmee sale is so huge that it gets it’s own recap. That and because it is sandwiched between the Arizona and Retromobile sales. The top sale was the “Real McCoy” Corvette for $2,300,000. Our featured Duesenberg from this sale failed to sell (as did a previously featured Model J). The second top-seller was this unrestored all-original 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda for $560,000.

1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda

Corvettes accounted for five of the six biggest sales (the Cuda above being the odd man out). This 1968 Corvette L88 Coupe was the third top seller at $530,000.

1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe

Some feature Corvettes that did not sell were the Sledgehammer Corvette, the Corvette Challenge race car, and the Corvette-related Callaway C7R. The ZR1 Convertible sold for $130,000. And now on to the interesting cars. This 1976 Trivette MC certainly qualifies as interesting. It sold for $9,000.

1976 Trivette MC

The Lincoln Quicksilver sold for $27,000. This 1915 White 5-Ton Stake Bed Truck sold for $27,000.

1915 White 5-Ton Stake Bed Truck

And our featured old truck, the FWD Model B, sold for $23,000. This 1963 Aquila is a Volkswagen-based kit car. It looks sportier than the Beetle it replaced. It brought $9,500.

1963 Aquila

There were a lot of cool cars in this sale, but this 1969 Subaru 360 is the last one I’ll show you. It sold for $11,000. Check out the rest of the results here.

1969 Subaru 360

September 2013 Auction Roundup

Barrett-Jackson held a pretty big sale in Las Vegas the weekend of September 26-28, 2013. The top sale (not counting charity cars) was this 1931 Lincoln Model K Convertible. It’s actually pretty exciting to see the top sale at a Barrett-Jackson auction a true classic again after years of muscle cars dominating the headlines. It sold for $352,000.

1931 Lincoln Model K Convertible

Our featured Maharaja Rolls-Royce failed to meet its reserve and thus did not sell. My picks for most interesting are topped by this 1915 White Town Car which sold for $66,000.

1915 White Town Car

Then there was this 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty for $110,000.

1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty

And finally, this 1971 Dodge Demon 340 GSS which sold for $39,600. You can check out full results here.

1971 Dodge Demon 340 GSS

We featured a few tractors over a month ago from Mecum’s August Gone Farmin’ sale. The top sale there was this 1958 John Deere 620 H for $61,000. You can see the results of our highlighted tractors here.

1958 John Deere 620 H

The next sale (based on when I found the results posted) was Bonhams awesome “Preserving the Automobile” sale held in Philly at the Simeone Foundation. The top sale was this 1934 Aston Martin 1.5-Litre Sports 2/4-Seater for $264,000.

1934 Aston Martin 1.5-Litre Sports 24-Seater

A previously-featured Peerless sold for the second time this year, this time for $231,000 (and more than last time). The two Sears motorcars were featured both sold. The Model P brought $38,500 and the Model G Runabout brought a mega-cheap $3,850! Interesting cars were topped by this all-original 1931 Hanomag 3/16 Coupe for $21,450.

1931 Hanomag 316 Coupe

Our featured Stoddard-Dayton sold for $148,500. The related Courier sold for $20,900. Another cool car was this 1904 Knox 16/18hp “Touraine” 4-Passenger Stanhope. It brought an impressive $143,000.

1904 Knox 1618hp Touraine 4-Passenger Stanhope

There was also this really early Auburn. It’s a 1912 Model 30L Speedster and it sold for $49,500. Our final feature car was the Jewel Runabout which went for $25,300. Check out full results here.

1912 Auburn Model 30L Speedster

Next up is Auctions America’s Fall Carlisle sale. The top sale was this 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible for $181,500.

1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible

The most interesting car was this 1928 Plymouth Model Q Four-Door Sedan. It brought $17,325. Check out full results here.

1928 Plymouth Model Q Four-Door Sedan

Yellowstone Park Touring Bus

1925 White Model 14-45 Yellowstone Park Touring Bus by Bender

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 18, 2013

1925 White Model 15-45 Yellowstone Park Touring Bus

In 1925, the National Park Service – or more correctly, the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company (which I guess was a private company and had nothing to do with the Park Service, my bad), purchased 90 of these White Model 14-45 Touring Buses with coachwork by Bender.

Your average car couldn’t traverse the rough terrain of a giant park like Yellowstone in the 1920s. So you’d hop aboard one of these more rugged vehicles that would take you to see everything you came to see. At one point in time, there were hundreds of buses that carried visitors throughout the park. This is one of only a few that survive and it’s “likely the finest restored example.” It is indeed impressive. These open-air coaches were replaced in 1939 by the closed variety, and they were sold off.

The 11-passenger convertible bus is powered by a 3.7-liter straight four making 45 horsepower. The restoration began 15 years ago and turned out beautifully, as you can see. You’ll probably never have the opportunity to buy one of these again. The estimate is $110,000-$130,000. Click here for more info. And here for more from Gooding.

Update: Not sold as the vehicle was withdrawn from the sale.

Update II: Sold, RM Sotheby’s, Hershey 2016 $88,000.

White M16 Half-Track

1944 White M16

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Here’s another good-lookin’ White half-track, this one an M16. The M16 was essentially an M3 (like the Autocar above) but it has a powered, armored turret with up to four .50 caliber machine guns. As with all of the items offered in this sale, the guns have been demilitarized – meaning, they no longer work as guns. But this is what makes something like this legal to own… and drive down the street. Engine-wise, this is powered by a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $95,000.

Update II: Sold, Auctions America Auburn Spring 2017, $82,500.

Half-Track Mania!

Half-Tracked Vehicles from The National Military History Center

All offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

                                                                                                                                                 

1943 Ford Maultier

This Ford “Maultier” (or “Mule”) is one of quite a few half-tracks going under the hammer from the National Military History Center in Auburn, Indiana. I’m not sure of the story behind this sale. The collection is quite astounding and it’s a shame that it’s being broken up and sold off, especially considering they are all available for the public to see. Half-tracks are some of my favorite WWII vehicles because… well they’re just so awesome. I’m unaware of the condition of these vehicles. The paint looks fresh but they are museum pieces so they might not be in the best shape mechanically (some even lack engines). But who cares – they are all rare and all really, really cool.

This one was built by Ford of Germany (this collection includes an impressive number of rare “Axis” vehicles). It’s powered by a 3.9-liter V8 making 95 horsepower. It will do 25 mph with those big tracks on the back. More here.

Update: Sold $42,500.


                                                                                                                                                 

1945 Daimler-Benz DB10 Sd.Kfz. 8

Daimler-Benz was the name of the company that owned Mercedes-Benz in the 1930s. Instead of badging their Sd.Kfz.8s as “Mercedes-Benz,” they went ahead and just called them “Daimler-Benz”es – as were most of their heavy machinery during the war. The front is adorned with the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star, but lacks the ring around it.

These were in production from 1937 until 1945 and used a Maybach 8.5-liter V12 making 185 horsepower, although this particular truck is engine-less. It has a 12-ton payload capacity – in other words, it’s a monster. About 4,000 were built in total by various manufacturers making this one of the most desirable half-tracks you can get. More here.

Update: Sold $200,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1941 Autocar M3

This is, by far, one of my favorites of this sale. It has that classic look – as did most of the vehicles produced by White, Autocar and Diamond T. That slanted front where a radiator would usually be. And whatever that thing is hanging off the front. Classic.

About 12,000 of these were built for the U.S. war effort (about 41,000 half-tracks were built in total of all kinds for the U.S.). This one has a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. It’s quick too, capable of 40 mph. More here.

Update: Sold $38,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1940 Hanomag S.P.W. Ausf. C Sd.Kfz. 251/1

This massive Hanomag is technically a 3/4-track. Whatever. I don’t like fractions. The Sd.KFz. 251 was one of the more popular German vehicles with 15,252 built by various manufacturers, with Hanomag being the most prolific. It uses a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. This is a Model C (they made them in A through D configuration) so it had many improvements over earlier models, such as better engine ventilation. More here.

Update: Sold $160,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1944 Auto Union HL kl 6p

This Auto Union model was the final evolution of the 3-ton half-track. They were made for a short time in 1944 only and, due to material shortages in Germany at the time, the cabs were mostly finished with wood and/or cardboard. Classy. It’s powered by a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $75,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1943 Opel Maultier

This 2-ton Opel Maultier is one of about 4,000 built. It has a 75 horsepower 3.6-liter straight-eight. Opel was a curious case during the war. They  have been a General Motors subsidy since 1929. When the war broke out, Opel’s automobile production ceased so they could help with the war effort. Meanwhile, back in Detroit, GM was building airplanes that could have possibly flown missions in Europe, essentially bombing their own factories. More here.

Update: Sold $65,000.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

1939 Unic Kegresse P107/U304(f)

Unic, the French automobile manufacturer that turned to trucks in 1938 – which was highly convenient when war broke out the following year. Military vehicles are usually an extension of the heavy-truck business. Unic was bought by Fiat in 1966 and was merged into Iveco in 1975.

This Kegresse tracked tractor uses a 60 horsepower 3.4-liter straight-four. Kegresse means that the tracks are made out of rubber or canvas and not metal like most tanks and other half-tracks. I guess it’s gentler on the roads… or enemy soldiers. Strangely, all of these vehicles were built before the Germans took over France – but Germany used them anyway. More here.

Update: Sold $20,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1942 Borgward H kl 6

Carl Borgward’s little (okay, it wasn’t that little) automobile company was drafted into producing vehicles for the Reich. This truck has a 3-ton payload capacity and entered production in 1937. This particular vehicle does not have an engine – it’s more of a static display piece – but back during the war it likely had a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $145,000.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

1944 White M16

Here’s another good-lookin’ White half-track, this one an M16. The M16 was essentially an M3 (like the Autocar above) but it has a powered, armored turret with up to four .50 caliber machine guns. As with all of the items offered in this sale, the guns have been demilitarized – meaning, they no longer work as guns. But this is what makes something like this legal to own… and drive down the street. Engine-wise, this is powered by a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $95,000.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

1943 Opel Maultier Panzer-Werfer 42 Rocket Launcher

This Opel Panzer-Werfer is a tracked rocket launcher. It’s pretty mean looking, isn’t it? It has one 10-barreled rocket launcher mounted in the back – of course it no longer works, so you won’t be able to blast traffic jams out of your way. This piggish brute is powered by a 75 horsepower 3.6-liter eight-cylinder engine. It weighs about 7-tons, so that is probably no where near enough horsepower. Only 300 of these were built. More here and the rest of the auction lineup here.

Update: Sold $60,000.

RM 2012 Hershey Highlights

RM Auctions’ 2012 sale in Hershey, Pennsylvania had a bunch of really old, really cool cars for sale. We featured the cream of the crop (at least from our perspective) and most of those sold. The one-of-a-kind South Bend Surrey failed to sell. So did the Stanley Mountain Wagon and 1915 Peerless. The top sale went to the Barrelside Model J Duesenberg for $1,292,500. Our other featured Duesenberg, the Murphy Sport Sedan, was the second-biggest sale at $792,000. One of the interesting cars we didn’t get a chance to feature was this 1914 Jeffrey Four Five-Passenger Touring that sold for $40,700.

1914 Jeffrey Four Five-Passenger Touring

One big seller was a horse-drawn fire wagon. There were three of these at this sale, but this was far exceeded the other two, at $396,000. It’s an 1894 Silsby Fourth Size Horse-Drawn Steam Pumper. It was pretty decked out and everyone seemed happy when it sold.

1894 Silsby Fourth Size Horse-Drawn Steam Pumper

Other interesting sales included this 1912 Baker Electric Model W Runabout. There’s something about the tires on this thing that make it look like it’s ready to go tackle some trails somewhere. It sold for $85,250.

1912 Baker Electric Model W Runabout

Other alternative-propulsion vehicles included our featured 1900 Milwaukee Steam Runabout for $44,000. The 1906 Pope-Waverley Electric Runabout brought $60,500. And the 1906 Columbus Model 1000 Electric Stanhope sold for $52,250. This 1913 Simplex 38HP Five-Passenger Touring, while not electric or steam-powered, was still cool at $214,500.

As was this 1910 White Model G-A Five-Passenger Touring that sold for $66,000.

There was an interesting selection of American cars from the 1950s and 60s that included this very rare 1966 Studebaker Daytona Sport, which sold for only $10,450.

Kaiser and Frazer were also represented. This 1949 Kaiser Deluxe Convertible sold for $57,200.

1949 Kaiser Deluxe Convertible

And this 1950 Frazer Manhattan sedan brought $49,500.

This 1903 Ford Model A Rear-Entry Tonneau is the oldest known Ford in existence being  one of the first three cars built by the Ford Motor Company. It came from the John O’Quinn  collection and sold for $264,000.

1903 Ford Model A Rear-Entry Tonneau

As many old Fords as you see at auctions, you don’t see too many pre-1920 Chevrolets. This sale had one and its a great looking car. It’s a 1918 D-Series V-8 Touring car and it sold for $46,200.

1918 Chevrolet D-Series V8 Touring

Our featured 1918 Roamer Five-Passenger Touring car sold for $93,500. And the 1920 Premier Model 6-D sold for $63,250. This 1919 Renault Type EU Torpedo seemed especially cheap at $49,500.

1919 Renault Type EU Torpedo

Another car I found interesting was this 1910 Metz Two Runabout. It also sold for $49,500.

1910 Metz Two Runabout

Our other two feature cars were the 1902 Northern Runabout for $66,000 and the 1906 American Tourist Roi des Belges Touring for $110,000. For complete results, check out RM’s website, here.