Ewing Dean Van Lines Special

1960 Ewing-Offenhauser

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 12-14, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Wayne Ewing worked for A.J. Watson in the body department, and in 1960 he designed and built his own Indy Roadster. The car would be sponsored by long-time open-wheel team owner Al Dean, owner of moving company Dean Van Lines. His race cars were dubbed “Dean Van Lines Specials” and driven by some pretty big names, including A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti.

This car was similar to the dominating Watsons of the era, but had some slight differences. It featured a 4.1-liter (252ci) Offenhauser inline-four mounted ahead of the driver. This car went out and won the pole for the 1960 Indy 500 in its first try. Its competition history includes:

  • 1960 Indianapolis 500 – 21st, DNF (with Eddie Sachs)
  • 1961 Indianapolis 500 – 2nd (with Sachs)
  • 1962 Indianapolis 500 – 3rd (with Sachs)
  • 1963 Indianapolis 500 – 8th (with Chuck Hulse)

That’s a pretty impressive Brickyard resume, especially considering it won the pole in ’61 as well. After 1963, the car remained in the Midwest, where it was modified into a super modified. It wasn’t until nearly 1980 that a future owner realized what the car actually was and set out to restore it. The engine is now a 4.4-liter (270ci) Offy.

This car has participated in many shows and events and has had two long-term owners since 1982. The auction catalog lists this as a “1961” – it was apparently restored to its 1961 spec. Anyway, you can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $500,000.

XK150 S Roadster

1960 Jaguar XK150 S 3.8 Roadster

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

The XK150, which was produced from 1957 through 1961, was the final iteration of Jaguar’s first post-war sports car, the XK120. The XK120 of 1948 featured a 3.4-liter straight-six designed by William Heynes, and that engine remained in various production vehicles through 1992 (!).

The XK150, like the cars before it, was offered in three body-style configurations: coupe, drophead coupe, or roadster. It could also be had in base, SE, or S form. The S and SE cars were either powered by a 3.4-liter inline-six or a larger 3.8-liter inline-six. This car has the latter, which was rated at 265 horsepower with triple SU carburetors – the most of any XK120/140/150 variant.

This roadster, or OTS (open two-seater) in Jaguar parlance, is finished in cream over red and was restored in 1998. This is best of all of the early XKs, and it’s now offered by private sale. Click here for more info.

Mazda K360

1960 Mazda K360

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Elkhart, Indiana | October 23-24, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Mazda Motor Corporation was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Company. In 1931 they introduced the Mazda-Go, a motorcycle-based three-wheeled delivery truck. It had no top and a cargo box out back.

In 1959, that vehicle was replaced by the K360. Production lasted for 10 years, and about 280,000 of them were built in total. Once quite popular in Japan, they aren’t seen very often today, especially in the U.S.

This ex-Weiner Microcar Museum car is powered by a 356cc twin that made 11 horsepower. It sold for just over $25,000 in 2013 and is now selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $34,720.

Lloyd Kombi

1960 Lloyd LS 600 Kombi

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Elkhart, Indiana | May 1-2, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

“He who is not afraid of death, drives a Lloyd.” That’s the sticker I saw on a Lloyd once, and it stuck with me. Lloyds were built under the Hansa marque early on, and the Lloyd marque really appeared in 1950 and disappeared with the rest of the Borgward group in 1963.

The 600 was a range of Lloyd models produced between 1955 and 1961. A two-door sedan and convertible were offered, along with a panel van and a station wagon Kombi. Power is from a 596cc twin making a little less than 20 horsepower.

This tiny shuttle van has three rows of seats and wears Pan-Am branding on the outside. I’m not sure where the luggage was supposed to go, or if this was even a real thing Pan-Am did. In any event, it will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this collection.

Update: Sold $33,600.

250 GT Series II Cabriolet

1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet by Pinin Farina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 17, 2020

Photo – Gooding & Company

There were quite a number of models in Ferrari’s 250 GT range, but only four drop-top models: the short- and long-wheelbase California Spider, and the less pricey Pinin Farina Cabriolets, which were offered in two series.

Pinin Farina’s Series II 250 GT Cabriolet was introduced in October 1959 and was the most expensive car in the 250 GT line when new. It is powered by a 240 horsepower, 3.0-liter V12. The differences between the Series I and Series II were slight but included revised front-end styling and four-wheel disc brakes from Dunlop.

This dark red example has had four owners since new and is the 68th of 200 examples produced. It should sell for between $1,300,000-$1,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,462,500.

The German T-Bird

1960 Auto Union 1000 SP

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Auburn, Indiana | August 29, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Four of Germany’s auto manufacturers joined forces in 1932 to form Auto Union. They were Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. Auto Union racing cars were some of the best of the 1930s, and after WWII, what was left of Auto Union‘s West German holdings began producing cars under the new brand. The DKW brand was still active as well.

Auto Union would eventually be purchased by Volkswagen and merged with NSU. The current Audi brand carries the torch for the history of the four original brands. For a while in the 1950s, Daimler-Benz owned the company, and it was during their reign that the Auto Union 1000 was built (1958-1963). It was a sedan that was essentially a re-badged DKW.

But between 1958 and 1965, they built a version called the 1000 SP. The styling was lifted almost intact from the contemporary Ford Thunderbird, but the cars were powered by an 896cc inline-three good for about 54 horsepower. This example is gorgeous and is very T-Bird-esque, but slightly more exotic.

Only 5,004 coupe versions were built and they’re rarely seen in the U.S. This one was restored in 2009 and should bring between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $23,650.

AC Aceca

1960 AC Aceca

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Enstone, U.K. | May 11, 2019

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

I think the reason it has taken so long to feature an AC Aceca on this site is because they tend to come up for sale with some regularity. Annually, at least. But this one just looked so good in its non-original color of Javelin Grey that I just had to feature it.

Acecas are pretty cars. Think of it as the closed coupe version of the AC Ace, which was also famous for being the car the Shelby Cobra was based on. Different engines were available, including those from AC (151 built), Bristol (169 built), and even Ford (only eight built). This car is powered by a 2.0-liter AC inline-six capable of 90 horsepower. Not the most impressive figure, which is probably why the 125 horsepower Aceca-Bristol outsold it.

This RHD example was restored in 2012 and can now be yours for between $140,000-$165,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Withdrawn from sale.

Update: Sold, Silverstone Auctions, June 2019, $167,096.

Borgward Isabella

1960 Borgward Isabella Coupe

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Toffen, Switzerland | October 20, 2018

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie

The Isabella was a car built by Carl F.W. Borgward GmbH between 1954 and 1962. It was the brand’s volume model and the one they are best remembered for. It was available as a two-door sedan, wagon, pickup, coupe, and convertible.

This car is powered by a 1.5-liter straight-four, as were all Isabellas. Power was rated at 75 horsepower and they were underpowered compared to their competition. The Coupe was not initially available and went on sale halfway through the production run.

Unfortunately, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1961 and various conspiracy theories persist to this day as to why, and Borgward himself died in 1963. It makes for an interesting read, but I don’t really want to go down that rabbit hole right now. This blue example should bring between $24,000-$26,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Alvis TD 21 Drophead Coupe

1960 Alvis TD 21 Drophead Coupe

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | September 22, 2018

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

The Alvis TD 21 was a big jump, design-wise, for Alvis. The TC 21 was a much more old-school British automobile and the TD 21 (and transitional TC 108G) looked thoroughly modern for the late 1950s. Something you could compare to an Aston Martin of similar vintage. The TD 21 was built between 1958 and 1963 before being replaced by the TE 21.

Power comes from a 3.0-liter straight-six that made 115 horsepower. This is a Series I car, which were built between 1958 and 1961. TD 21s could be had as a Coupe or Drophead Coupe and all cars sat four at topped out at 103 mph.

This 17,000-mile example has an automatic transmission which has been rebuilt. It’s a classy British drop-top that’s ready for touring. It should bring between $69,000-$79,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $71,012.

Three Prototypes

Three Prototypes

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Auburn, Indiana | September 1, 2018


2004 Ford GT Confirmation Prototype CP4

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

We’ve featured prototypes of the original Ford GT40, but here’s one of what we’ll call the “second coming” of the GT. The original concept car for this model debuted in 2002 and it’s thought that Ford built nine “confirmation prototypes” of which this is CP4, or vehicle #00007. Its purpose was to be the test bed for ride, steering, handling, and climate control systems.

All black, it was the first GT to hit 200 mph. It’s powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 making 550 horsepower. It joined the collection it is being sold from in 2012 and it is street legal. It’s the only “CP car” from the GT program that is road-registered and not governed to 15 mph. It’s thought that only four GT prototypes remain and this one is selling at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $467,500.


1997 Ford Ghia Vivace Concept

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

Well here’s a weird one. It looks like the love child of a Ford Ka and a last-gen Mercury Cougar (it’s actually based on a Mondeo platform aka the Ford Contour). It’s honestly pretty crazy this car still exists at all. It’s just a rolling concept car – there’s no engine, no interior. It’s just a two-door coupe body with some wheels on a chassis.

Ford and Ghia teamed up for two concept cars in 1997 just to explore new shapes and using aluminium space-frame construction. The body is fiberglass, the wheels don’t steer, and the doors don’t even open. It’s like having a rolling brick. Not much to do with it other than look at it. But hey, at the same time, you’re going to be the only person who has one. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,650.


1960 Seagrave Prototype

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

In 1960, the Seagrave Fire Apparatus, the longest-running producer of fire apparatus in the United States dating back to 1881, decided they wanted to build passenger cars. But not just normal American passenger cars, but economy cars. This in 1960, when American automobiles were perhaps approaching their largest.

This two-door hardtop is much smaller than the photo above makes it look and it weighed in at only 1,700 pounds. Seagrave managed to build three prototypes (two in fiberglass, one in aluminium), and this fiberglass example was powered by a 2.7-liter Continental straight-four engine capable of 65 horsepower. It was pulled out of a barn in Michigan in 2013 and is restoration ready. It’s one of the most interesting cars for sale in Auburn this year. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $11,000.