Tag Archives: 1965

Lotus Elite

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1965 Lotus Elite Series 2

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | May 27, 2023

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

The Lotus Type 14 – sold under the name Elite – was a small, lightweight, classically British sports car sold between 1957 and 1963. Why this one is listed as a 1965 is beyond me. A two-seat coupe, the car featured a fiberglass monocoque and a steel sub-subframe for the engine and front suspension.

It was a pretty wild concept in the day and fraught with some issues, including the suspension pulling out of the fiberglass. Power came from a 1.2-liter Coventry Climax inline-four that made 75 horsepower in standard form and 85 horsepower in twin-carbureted SE spec.

This car has had quite a bit of work done, and its swoopy lines look great in white. About 1,030 Elites were produced before the name was re-used on a 1970s wedge-shaped 2+2 shooting brake. The estimate here is $43,000-$62,000. Click here for more info.

Ford Zodiac

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1965 Ford Zodiac Mk III

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 25, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Zephyr was Ford of Britain‘s “big car” from 1950 through 1972. The Mark III Zephyr was sold from 1962 until 1966, and it was available as the Zephyr 4 or Zephyr 6, each denoting a cylinder count.

The Zodiac was the luxury version of the Zephyr 6. It could’ve been had during the entire run of the Mark III Zephyr and is powered by a 2.6-liter inline-six that was rated at 109 horsepower, which was more than lower Zephyrs had. Top speed was 100 mph. Styling was also improved: four headlights, a narrower C-pillar, and an upmarket interior.

A Zodiac model would be offered again during the next generation of Zephyrs, but that would be it. This one has spent the last 11 years with its most recent of its seven owners. The estimate is $12,000-$14,500. Click here for more info.

DKW-Vemag GT Malzoni

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1965 DKW-Vemag GT Malzoni Race Car

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | January 2023

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

DKW was a German automobile manufacturer that was part of Auto Union and lives on today as one of the rings in Audi’s logo. In 1956, DKW designs (and the name) were licensed to a Brazilian company called Vemag. A couple of their cars were just re-branded DKWs, and a few models were distinct to South America.

One of them was designed by Rino Malzoni. These GT coupes were initially developed for racing, and this car is one of three fiberglass-bodied cars built for Vemag’s in-house racing team. It’s powered by a 981cc two-stroke inline-three. This car was raced in-period by Emerson Fittipaldi.

The cars were produced for Vemag by a company called the Lumimari Company and branded as DKW-Vemags. Only a handful of road-going versions were made before Lumimari changed their name to Puma and continued on with a very similar design. To be clear, this car is not a Puma. It is the proto-Puma. DKW-Vemag shut down after 1967. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $32,250.

DKW Munga

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1965 DKW Munga

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | September 14, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

DKW was part of Auto Union, having joined that group in 1932. The last DKW-branded automobiles were produced in 1969, after which the four-ringed logo would go on to adorn Audis alone.

Known for smaller, more inexpensive cars, DKW products were never built in great numbers. The Munga was an all-wheel drive, multi-purpose off-road car that debuted in late 1956. Production continued on through 1968, during which time 46,750 were built. The trucklets were used by the West German military and border police along with other European countries.

There was also a civilian version, which was popular in Africa and South America. Power is from a 1.0-liter two-stroke inline-three that made about 50 horsepower. This well-used example carries a pre-sale estimate of $3,400-$5,800. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,863.

Lola T70

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1965 Lola T70 Mk I Spyder

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | June 24, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

The T70 was a popular Can-Am car for privateers in the 1960s with over 100 examples produced. Built by Lola in a few different variations (Mk I, Mk II spyder, and Mk III coupe), the T70 was often found fitted with a big American V8. It was a race-winning formula, with drivers like Dan Gurney, Walt Hansgen, and 1966 series champion John Surtees all driving them in period

This chassis, SL70/3, was the first T70 built and was sold new to John Mecom, whose team livery is still on the car today. It ran a number of races that season, including:

  • 1965 12 Hours of Sebring – 52nd, DNF (with John Cannon and Jack Saunders)

Walt Hansgen crashed it at Mosport, and the original Ford engine was removed. It was later restored and part of Mac McClendon’s collection until the 2000s. It currently has a 5.7-liter Chevrolet V8 fitted out back, and that monster is rated at 573 horsepower. The pre-sale estimate is $310,000-$430,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Mario Andretti’s Hawk-Ford

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1965 Brawner Hawk-Ford Indy Car

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022

Photo – Mecum

Clint Brawner was a race car designer and mechanic who worked on the front-engined Indy roadsters before he built this, the rear-engined Hawk. Hawks were all over the American open-wheel grid from 1965 into the early 1970s.

This particular car is powered by a 4.2-liter Ford DOHC V8 with Hilborn fuel injection paired with a two-speed Halibrand gearbox. It carries the Dean Van Lines Special livery that Mario Andretti ran in his rookie year at the Indy 500. The competition history for this chassis includes:

  • 1965 Indianapolis 500 – 3rd (with Andretti)
  • 1965 Hoosier GP at IRP – 1st (with Andretti)
  • 1966 Indianapolis 500 – 18th, DNF (with Andretti, from pole)

That ’65 win at Indianapolis Raceway Park was Mario’s first Indy Car victory. He won a total of nine races in this car as well as the 1965 and 1966 USAC Champ Car championships. It’s being offered out of Ray Evernham’s personal collection. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $2,200,000.

Vanden Plas Princess

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1965 Vanden Plas Princess R

Offered by Bonhams | Bicester, U.K. | December 11, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

Vanden Plas was actually a coachbuilder that was founded in Brussels, Belgium, in 1870. A London branch opened in 1913. Multiple iterations of the company existed up after bankruptcies, etc., and eventually the name was bought by Austin in 1946.

Beginning in 1958, Vanden Plas marketed cars as a marque in their own right, and this continued on through about 1968. Later Jaguars used Vanden Plas as a model/trim name. The Princess R was the second-generation model of the Vanden Plas Princess, and it was built from 1964 through 1968.

Power is from a 3.9-liter Rolls-Royce inline-six that made 175 horsepower. Top speed was 112 mph. This badge-engineered Austin cost as much as a Jaguar Mk X when new. So, it didn’t fare all that well. Only 6,999 were built. Footnote: this was the only non-Rolls-Royce production car to use a RR engine. It now has a pre-sale estimate of $11,000-$16,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $16,599.

Flavia Sport Zagato

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1965 Lancia Flavia 1800 Sport Zagato

Offered by Bonhams | Online | November 19-29, 2021

Offered by Bonhams

Lancia, once one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of interesting cars, is now reduced to a single hatchback. The Flavia was introduced in 1961 and was offered in sedan, coupe, and cabriolet form at different times throughout its production run, which wrapped in 1971, at which time the model transitioned to the 2000.

For 1963, Lancia upped the Flavia’s engine from 1.5 to 1.8 liters. The flat-four was mounted way out ahead of the front axle and produced 104 horsepower in the dual-carburetor Sport model. Alloy bodywork here is by Zagato, and this car is one of just 670 bodied by the firm.

A restoration was carried out on this car in the Netherlands in the 2000s, and it’s been in France since 2006. The pre-sale estimate is $57,000-$69,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Entire auction disappeared from Bonhams’ website.

Falcon Mk II

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1965 Falcon Mk II

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Online | March 27, 2021

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Falcon Shells produced kit cars and fiberglass sports car bodies in England between 1956 and 1965. The Mk II was, well, their second model, and it was a take on the Ashley, which company founder Peter Pellandine produced before starting Falcon.

The model was on sale from the get-go, as the company introduced a hardtop in 1957. The Mk II was really just a body that you’d buy and fit to the chassis of your choice. Their next car, the Competition (or Mk III) was sold as a full kit.

This one is based on a Ford Prefect and is powered by a 1.2-liter inline-four. It’s a cool piece of 50s sports racing history and should sell for between $35,000-$42,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

’65 GT350 Fastback

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1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 15, 2021

Photo – Mecum

Since 1965, there have been quite a few Shelby-branded products that weren’t Cobras. And this is the best of them. They were built around the early, light first-run Mustangs. The first-generation GT350 was technically built in 1965 and 1966, but the ’65s are better.

All 562 first-year GT350s were finished in Wimbledon White, and most had Guardsman Blue Le Mans stripes. Power is from a 4.7-liter (289) V8 rated at 306 horsepower. This particular car was originally used as a Shelby factory demonstrator.

It has less than 7,000 original miles, having pretty much sat in storage with every one of its many owners of the years. Mecum estimates it to be worth between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $500,500.