Bonhams Scottsdale, January 18, 2018

Set on the lush lawns of the Westin Kierland, where irrigation seems anathema to the restricted flow of Scottsdale showerheads, Bonhams Scottsdale Auction is an oasis of enthusiasm.

From the full breakfast and hyper coffee on auction morning to the array of vehicles on the grass and in the gravel periphery, Bonhams sets a tone that is distinct.

It is nowhere better seen than in their Scottsdale sale’s performance against the pre-sale estimates, the highest by three points of the Scottsdale auctions with published pre-sale estimates.

Estimates sometimes seem to be set without regard for consignor’s reserves, fluffed up to try to entice bidders to think a realistic bid is meager. Bonhams gets its estimates (and we might infer, its reserves) closer than many of its counterparts.

And here’s the best part from Bonhams 2018 Scottsdale auction: Bonhams presented a much more expedited format. The cars were consecutively introduced by Jared Zaugg (Bonhams longtime U.S. Motor Cars PR guy) instead of the somewhat (a minimization) rambling intros by the auctioneers of years past, punctuated by long pauses while they considered the snippets of catalog descriptions to enunciate.

Oh, blessed relief!

It’s still not compellingly quick and involving, but it’s so much better than in years gone by.

Here are the numbers:

Year Sold/ Offered Sale Rate Sold < Low Sold > High Mean Median

[Median/Mean]

Total Sale
2018 93/108 86.1% 67.7% 11.8% $269,499 $84,700

[31.4%]

$25,063,450
2017 86/106 81.1% 77.9% 2.3% $422,494 $90,750

[21.5%]

$36,334,520
2016 94/112 83.9% 60.6% 7.5% $188,617 $100,100

[53.1%]

$17,730,000

The 37 Bonhams Scottsdale cars viewed on-site by me and Andrew Newton follow, sorted in Lot Number order.

Lot #15 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZTS390226; Silver/Black leather, Blue cloth; Estimate $375,000 – $475,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $330,000. – Carrera RS with modular wheels, Potenza tires, spoilers, power windows, factory cassette stereo. – Sold new in Japan. Chipped up bottom front lip. There is another large one further up the nose as well as several on each mirror. Significant wear on the shift knob, but the interior is mostly good. Appears to have been driven as intended, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It has enough mileage and wear on it that you’d feel comfortable tracking it every now and then rather than leaving it sit. – There were two nearly identical Carrera RSs that were originally delivered to Japan in Scottsdale this year. The one at RM was in notably better condition than this one and sold at a final price of $428,500. Since these cars were never officially sold in the US and are younger than 25 years old, however, that raises some concerns and it would be best to leave this Carrera RS as a track day car for the next two years until its 25th birthday.

Lot #18 1967 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Roadster; S/N 1E15966; Engine # 7E13765; Black/Black; Black top; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $192,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $211,750. – Centerlock wire wheels, cloth boot cover, wood shift knob, 5-speed, aluminum radiator, upgraded suspension, performance exhaust, sports camshafts, Blockley tires. – Represented as matching numbers. Delivered new to France. Very clean engine bay with show polished and plated brightwork. Very good paint and chrome. Very good interior, but the shift knob has some scuffs on and around it and the steering wheel has some scratches. Very light road wear underneath. An older restoration with light age, but in one of the more desirable configurations for an XKE. – The 5-speed and other modifications detract from its appeal to purists but will endear it to those who want to drive, including the bidders here who paid a full price for a modified Jag. The $247,294.62 in restoration receipts are … irrelevant even though the car was bought for free and the restoration is 86 cents on the dollar.

Lot #20 1967 Fiat-Abarth OT 1000 Coupe; S/N 100GC112404; Red/Blue; Estimate $80,000 – $110,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $115,500. – 982cc/100hp, dual Webers, Campagnolo wheels, Abarth steering wheel. – Tidy lightly run engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. The wheels are a little dirty but that’s it. Lightly worn steering wheel rim but the interior is well restored. Redone to relatively high standards, and a neat homologation pocket rocket with a solid restoration holding up well. Delivered new in the Northeast and did hill climbing in period, then restored about 10 years ago. – Sold here three years ago for $90,750 in pretty much the same condition and today showing only 102 more miles on the odometer this a monumentally fast little lightweight fastback that begs to be driven more than the negligible miles it’s accumulated in the past 36 months. It is unreasonable to argue with the price it brought, or with the driving satisfaction the new owner might derive from it.

Lot #25 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 16473; Engine # B2332; Rosso Chiaro/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $2,400,000 – $2,800,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,400,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,640,000. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, headrest seats, painted nose panel, popup lights, Veglia air conditioning. – Excellent paint, flat panels, meticulous fits with precise gaps. Restored in the 90’s by Junior’s House of Color with mechanical restoration by Norbert Hofer. FCA Platinum in 2007, Ferrari Classiche certified. – The real deal, as opposed to a cut berlinetta, this Daytona Spider was offered by Bonhams here three years ago, in 2015, where it was reported bid to $2,850,000. It didn’t get there today, acknowledging the current market, and went to a new home at a realistic price that is fair to both the buyer and the seller.

Lot #26 1974 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino Spider, Body by Scaglietti; S/N 08474; Engine # 0012054; Giallo Fly, Black roof/Tan leather, Black bars; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $440,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $484,000. – Campagnolo wheels with Campagnolo caps, Michelin XWX tires, black painted roof panel, Chairs and Flares, Momo steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning. – Lots of crazing in the paint, found throughout the body. Some plating coming off the exhaust tips. Long scratch in the roof. Well-kept original interior with some wear to the seats and fading on the dash top. An unrestored chair and flares Dino with 27,797 miles that’s way too good to do anything with other than leave alone. Ferrari Classiche certified. – The preservation of this Dino is remarkable and goes a long way toward explaining the premium of nearly $100K that it brought over an older restored 246 GTS in similar condition. Collectors today place significant value on preservation and unlike so many barn finds this one actually runs and drives well, according to the catalog. It is a result that is fair to both parties.

Lot #27 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 10381; Engine # 10381; Fly Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $2,800,000 – $3,400,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $2,650,000. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Marchal headlights. – Very good paint, decent chrome and interior. Orderly engine showing some age and use. Flat panels and even gaps. Color change repainted from the original Grigio Ferro in the 90’s but otherwise original, consistently maintained and exceptionally preserved in nearly like new condition. Ferrari Classiche certified. – The bid here is appropriate for a restored 4-cam in comparable condition and reflects no premium at all for this example’s preservation. It would have been a sound value at the low estimate and it is a little surprising the consignor and Bonhams couldn’t have compromised on commissions to make it work.

Lot #28 1991 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta; S/N ZFFMN34A8M0088374; Engine # 26308; Red/Red cloth; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,700,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,375,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,512,500. – A/C, modular centerlock wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, Tubi exhaust (factory exhaust included), fitted luggage, tool kit, owner’s folder, car cover. – U.S. spec car with 2,472 miles from new. Thick repaint over old paint, good only lightly scuffed upholstery and belts, cloth upholstered dash top. Assembly number 06054. Clean engine compartment is nearly like new. Ferrari Classiche certified. – Sold by Gooding at Amelia Island in 2015 for $1,622,500 in essentially the same condition as it is today when it has 46 more miles on the odometer. There’s no saying what the seller may have paid in commission (if any) but no matter how that turns out this is a meaningful haircut from the 2015 transaction even though the result is appropriate, and even generous, today.

Lot #29 1962 Ferrari 330 GT Prototype Coupe 2+2, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 4085; Ivory/Black leather; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $204,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $224,400. – Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli tires, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, Ansa exhaust. – Represented as the second of two prototypes for the model and ‘believed to be’ a car used as Enzo’s personal ride at some point during its first two years at the factory. Restored in 2009. Two tiny chips in the nose and a ding in the front bumper. Very light pitting in the headlight bezels. Mostly good paint. Lightly scratched window surrounds. Good interior for the most part, but the cigarette case and switchgear are quite dull. A used older restoration, done back when these quad headlight 2+2s weren’t as valuable. It deserves another round of work, especially if it was Enzo’s car like they say. – It’s telling that Enzo Ferrari, if the claim is correct, chose to drive an Ivory 330 GT 2+2, not one in Rosso Corsa. Even if it wasn’t Enzo’s the amount it brought here is modest for its condition and design and the Enzo story is a bonus.

Lot #30 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster; S/N 1980427500081; Engine # 1989807500097; Anthracite Grey/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,700,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,375,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,512,500. – Chrome wheels, Michelin XWX tires. – Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Freshly and fastidiously restored to showroom condition with better cosmetics. The first 300SL Roadster imported to the U.S. and the 5th built, with many early production details. Originally Fire Engine Red, represented as the matching numbers original engine, chassis and body. Owned for half a century by Dr. James Mozley then restored by the consignor at a reported cost of $610,000. – Sold at Gooding’s Amelia Island auction in 2013 in sound but rather dilapidated condition prior to restoration for $726,000. It is now better than new with its many early production details carefully preserved. It is an outstanding example, even if it is expensive by 300SL Roadster standards. The buyer got full value for money.

Lot #34 1982 Lancia 037 Stradale Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZLA151AR000000106; Red/Black cloth piped in Red; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $410,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $451,000. – Potenza tires, Abarth steering wheel, power windows. – Very good fresh paint, but the door handles and window frames have some light scratching. Newer seats and carpets, but the rest of the interior is original and lightly aged. Like new engine bay. Recently restored in Italy and shown at The Quail last year, it’s an inherently cool Group B car for the road with a reassuringly recent sorting. – The 037 was the last of the great rear-wheel drive rally cars, and Lancia only built 207 road-going ‘Stradale’ versions in order to homologate it for Group B. These cars and their peers from Audi, Peugeot and Ford have seen a growth in interest over the last couple of years, and other 037s have come up for sale. Bonhams sold one for $264,000 at Quail Lodge last year, but that car was in significantly worse condition. This result is obviously much higher and well above other similar cars like Peugeot T16s, but with the rarity of the 037 and this example’s top notch restored condition, it’s not an outrageous number.

Lot #39 1973 Land Rover Range Rover Utility 4×4; S/N 35804428B; Bahama Gold/Saffron cloth; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $57,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $62,700. – 3,532cc/135hp V8, 4-speed, Firestone tires, dual mirrors, Smiths dash clock. – The left mirror is loose and rattles freely. Very good recent paint and like new interior. Spotless underneath. Delivered new in France. Recently restored and about as close to a new Range Rover Classic as is possible to find. – The values of Toyota Land Cruisers is waning in a marketplace that is close to saturated with them. Broncos, Scouts and Blazers are healthy alternatives and Land Rovers, despite their vaunted, and deserved, reputation, have yet to be caught up in the rugged 4×4 craze. That gives this pristine example not only a chance to show its stuff in the mud and trails but also the prospect of being able to enjoy it with the possibility of some appreciation. It is an astute acquisition at this price.

Lot #42 1977 Ferrari 400 GT 2-Dr. Sedan, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 21111; Engine # F101C0000078; Black/Parchment leather; Estimate $110,000 – $140,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $56,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $61,600. – Six 38DCOE Webers, 5-speed, alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, air conditioning. – Sound older paint, chrome and upholstery. A sound and usable old car. – The pre-sale estimate suggests this 5-speed 400 GT is beyond perfect but in the flesh it is far from it. The new owner got this presentable and usable 5-speed carbureted 400 GT for a realistic price. When it crossed the block at the Monterey auction in 1997 its odometer showed 70,326 km. Today it has gained only 3,401 more and is to all intents and purposes as it was two decades ago.

Lot #44 1958 Porsche 550A Spyder; S/N 550A0145; Engine # P90127; Silver/Beige vinyl; Estimate $4,500,000 – $5,500,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $4,700,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $5,170,000. – Wraparound Plexiglas windscreen, woodrim steering wheel, driver’s head fairing, 4-speed (original 5-speed included but not installed), RS60 wheels. – Porsche factory team car, class winner at the Nürburgring 1000km in 1958 driven by de Beaufort/Frankenburg, 5th overall and class second at Le Mans (de Beaufort/Linge), 11th in the Dutch GP (de Beaufort). Later raced in Canada. Original engine. 10-time Mille Miglia Retro participant. Excellent fresh paint on smooth, neatly fit body panels other than a small wave in the lower front corner of the driver’s door. The rest of the car, while thoroughly restored, is largely original and sympathetically presented. The original interior is sound and usable. This is a choice Porsche. – Offered at Gooding’s Pebble Beach auction in 2016 where it was bid to $4.2 million, it appears to be in slightly better condition today than it was presented there and is an exceptional Porsche, almost miraculously complete with its original engine and 5-speed gearbox, a car with an important competition history including Porsche’s sweep of 3-5 places at Le Mans 1958 and the only Porsche 550 to place in a Grand Prix, not mention being a virtually guaranteed entrant in the Mille Miglia. It is an excellent value even a few bids into its pre-sale estimate range.

Lot #48 1956 Porsche 356A 1500 GS Carrera Coupe; S/N 56118; Engine # 90702; Silver Metallic/Dark Blue leatherette; Estimate $750,000 – $900,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $580,000. – Hub caps, Michelin XZX tires, Marchal driving lights, gold brightwork. – Light scratches on the rear bumper. The rest of the brightwork is a little dull. Excellent paint. There is an antenna but no radio. There are some chips and cracks in the steering wheel as well as the shift linkage. Some flattening to the driver’s seat. Light age on a fundamentally high quality restoration, and small niggles don’t take much away from a car when it’s a genuine Carrera with a correct Typ 547/1 engine and the original gearbox. Has Kardex, CoA and FIVA passport. – 4-cam Porsche enthusiasts must have been worn out after the 550A a few lots earlier. They didn’t rise to the bait of this very good, complete and highly original Carrera GS and the bidding came up short of its consignor’s expectations and even its value.

Lot #50 1956 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN2 Roadster; S/N BN2L232856; White, Blue/Black leatherette; Estimate $45,000 – $55,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 4+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $36,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $39,600. – Centerlock wire wheels, Michelin tires, dual wing mirrors, Le Mans upgrades, Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel, overdrive 4-speed, heater, alternator, front disc brakes, oil cooler. – Equipped with some Le Mans upgrades like the aluminum valve cover and louvered hood, but not in period. Worn and mostly original interior. Lightly pitted brightwork. Light rust on the wheel caps. Quick old repaint over old paint. Neglected old engine compartment. This is a largely complete restoration project. Originally finished in black. Maintained but unrestored underneath. – This Healey was bid to a fair price for its mediocre condition. The extra non-original Le Mans goodies didn’t have any apparent effect on the price here, so they were essentially thrown in for free, to the satisfaction of the buyer who got a sound car with many needs for a modest but fair price.

Lot #51 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder; S/N WP0CA2A19FS800290; Onyx Black/Black leather, Acid Green piping; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,600,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,175,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,292,500. – Weissach magnesium wheels, front end lift, Acid Green calipers, chipguarded nose, tools, accessories, documents. – 2,278 miles, one owner, like new. – Worldwide, Bonhams, Gooding and B-J each had a 918 Spyder, two Black like this one and one each in Red and Silver. Half of them sold with this being one of the higher mileage examples and the least expensive. It was priced right for a saturated market, demonstrating that supply and demand still work.

Lot #53 1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Cabriolet, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 915922; Engine # 928329; Burgundy/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $650,000 – $750,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $540,000. – RHD. Silver painted wire wheels, Michelin tires, Carello headlights, column shift, white banjo spoke steering wheel rim. – Original engine. Displayed at Pebble Beach in 2015 fresh from restoration, then Villa d’Este and Chantilly. Freshly and impeccably restored to concours condition aside from light polisher swirl, two tiny blemishes, one at the front of the hood and another on the left door, and two paint cracks at the base of the right windshield post. – Sold at Gooding’s Pebble Beach auction in 2016 for $621,500 ($565,000 hammer) the seller seems to have expected to get out whole including the BP from 2016, an optimistic view of value trends over the past eighteen months. The bid here was reasonable and realistic.

Lot #54 1995 Ferrari F50 Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFTG46A4S0104799; Engine # 41201; Black/Black leather, Alcantara inserts; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,800,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,050,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,155,000. – Manuals, luggage. – Ferrari Classiche certified. Front end damaged and repaired in Italy before Ferrari Classiche certification. Over 60K miles from new, a U.S.-delivery F50, one of two in Black/Black, once owned by Jim Spiro who doesn’t let his cars sit in the garage and possibly the highest mileage F50 in the world. – Sold by RM at Monterey in 2002 for $528,000 with some 37,000 miles and at least as good now as it was then despite the 23,000 more miles it has covered. It was bought right here and having abundant miles but good stewardship should be ideal for accumulating even more. This is a right car at a right price.

Lot #60 1951 Morgan Plus 4 Roadster; S/N P2188; Engine # V337025F; Olde English White/Black; Black top; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $28,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $30,800. – Steel wheels, hub caps, Avon tires, dual wing mirrors, single Lucas driving light, two rear-mounted spares, wood shift knob, wood dash, woodrim steering wheel, Smiths gauges, tonneau cover, wind wings, stainless steel exhaust. – Good, lightly worn interior. Light road wear underneath. A few chips and scratches on the cowl and around the edges of the hood. Some cracking and crazing on the tail. Pitting on the rack for the spares. Restored in the early 1990s and holding up pretty well after use. A rare first year flat rad +4 in solid driver quality condition. – Morgans don’t offer much in the way of performance or comfort per dollar, but they make up for it in charm, fun and – in the case of the early flat rad cars – rarity. This was a good buy for an eminently usable if not impeccably presented car that looks to have years of enjoyment left in it before needing anything all that serious.

Lot #66 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 16493; Engine # B2356; Blu Scuro/Red leather, black bars; Estimate $850,000 – $950,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $720,000. – Veglia air conditioning, Becker Europe II radio, 5-spoke Cromodora alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires. – Unusual paint that appears to be Black until it is seen in a bright white light that brings out the blue metallic tint. Good paint, chrome and interior with fresh cosmetics by Motion Products and an earlier MPI mechanical restoration. Bug splatter residue on the nose. The underbody has its original undercoat. An unusual Daytona restored to near showroom condition. – The paint was a real surprise to most onlookers, and even though this is not the original color (Marrone Colorado) it has real presence. It was reported sold at Mecum’s Indy auction in 2011 for $280,900 before the restoration(s) but even as good as it is today the reported high bid is appropriate, even on the generous side, for its value today. The estimate range is seriously optimistic.

Lot #67 1962 Sabra Sports Roadster; S/N S200100; Engine # S216251; Red/Red; Black vinyl top; Estimate $50,000 – $70,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $40,700. – Chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, woodrim steering wheel. – Big chip in the passenger’s door, but mostly very good paint and chrome. The seats are lightly worn, but the interior is mostly very good. Nearly spotless underneath. You can’t be picky when shopping for a Sabra, but this must be one of the better ones around. Unsold when it was new in Florida and stayed in storage for 40 years before being restored in the early naughts with 658 miles from new. – Bonhams apparently has the market cornered on these fiberglass Israeli oddball sports cars, which were mostly put together by Reliant in the UK. They sold a coupe version for the surprisingly high sum of $93,500 at Amelia Island two years ago, and that was the only other recent transaction of note to go on. This result seems a lot more realistic for what the car is and isn’t. Sabras are certainly rare, but they’re also obscure and not particularly attractive (like a Triumph Spitfire with a Daimler SP250 bottom feeding guppy mouth.)

Lot #69 1968 Lamborghini Islero 400 GT 2+2 Coupe; S/N 6012; Engine # 1848; Gold/Black leather; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $300,000. – Six Webers, painted Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XZX tires, Ansa exhaust, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, power windows. – Represented as the fifth of only 125 built. Very tiny chip in the nose, but otherwise gorgeous paint and brightwork. Spotless underneath. Beautiful, fresh interior. A recently finished example of one of the earliest Lambos, and the one that was apparently Ferruccio’s favorite model. – There is no arguing that this is not a beautifully restored Islero, but even at that the reported high bid here was reasonable for what it is.

Lot #75 2006 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S16Y401553; Midnight Blue/Black; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $445,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $489,500. – BBS wheels, painted calipers, stripe delete – Like new with 645 miles. Purchased new by Carroll Shelby, who mostly displayed it in his collection and maintained there. Offered by the Shelby Trust – If you attach Carroll Shelby’s name to anything, it translates to dollar signs. With 645 miles on the odometer, he obviously didn’t use this car much. He owned it, though, and that was all that mattered to the bidders at the Westin who afforded this three-option GT a six-figure premium over what it would bring normally.

Lot #76 1969 Volvo 1800S Coupe; S/N 183451029471; Engine # 1197; Mediterranean Blue/Tan leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $68,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,800. – Hub caps and trim rings, overdrive, Lucas driving lights, dual mirrors, factory air conditioning, factory pushbutton radio, console, rally timers on the dash, tool kit, manuals, original California pink slip. – Represented as a time capsule California car. Showing 68,157 miles, which is barely broken in for these cars. The engine has had thorough cleaning. Remarkable original paint. Excellent lightly worn interior. Obsessively kept clean and loved from day one, it’s all original and regularly used with 68,157 miles showing on its odometer but looks like it’s about a year old. Incredible. – Gooding sold one of these with 10,000 miles on it for 77 grand in Scottsdale three years ago, so it just missed out on a world record result, but this price was still staggering.

Lot #77 1995 Acura NSX Coupe; S/N JH4NA1185ST000105; Engine # C30A15300108; Formula Red/Black leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000. – Chromed wheels, Potenza tires, power windows, air conditioning, factory cassette stereo. – Three-owner car. Comes with service receipts. No chips or blemishes in the paint. Very light wear to the seats. Looks like a new car despite the 21,074 miles, and since this is a hot Honda, it has tons of miles left in it. – The bidders were not at all put off by the chrome wheels and bid this car to a very strong price, although it’s still less than it cost new. It’s cars like the NSX and the Mk IV Toyota Supra that have been leading the charge in interest for modern Japanese performance cars. The low mileage is rather astonishing since these were such wonderful intuitive road cars that begged to be driven.

Lot #78 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900C Sprint, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N AR1900C01647; Engine # AR130800648; Blue/Gray; Estimate $400,000 – $500,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $300,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $330,000. – Centerlock wire wheels, Michelin X tires, bench seat, column shift, Autovox radio, single dual-choke Weber carb. – 29,746 km from new. Well restored and clean underneath. Very good paint and chrome. Lightly scratched window frames and some track scratches in the windows. Very good interior. An older restoration, but with little age to speak of, Class winner at the Carmel Concours on the Avenue and Palos Verdes Concours last year. – Eligibility, style, rarity, performance, low miles and an excellent but not excessive restoration make this a wonderful, practical and enjoyable Alfa that brought a price that is fair to both buyer and seller.

Lot #83 1928 DeSoto Race Special; S/N None; Primrose, Red wire wheels/Red vinyl; Estimate $30,000 – $50,000; Competition restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $27,500. – Dual Zenith carbs on an Edmunds intake, in-out gearbox, transverse leaf spring suspension, hand operated rear wheel brakes, chrome front suspension and radiator shell, cracked old tires. – Good older paint and chrome. Worn but sound older upholstery. Engine spray painted in place with careless overspray. Dry, cracked old tires. Sound and probably usable as is but aged. – DeSoto power is an odd choice for a dirt track car but the speed equipment visible plus anything that might be hiding inside should make it an enjoyable vintage dirt track racer and leaves the new owner with plenty of possibilities at this price.

Lot #85 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta 302 Coupe, Body by Ghia; S/N 8MA564; Engine # 8MA564; Fly Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $250,000 – $350,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $227,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $249,700. – 302 engine, 4-barrel carb, 5-speed, Radial T/A tires, Momo steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, cassette stereo, dual mirrors. – A few scuffs on the wheels. Light scratches on the passenger’s side mirror. Light scratches on the window frames. Good paint. Sound original interior with fairly flat and worn seats. A mostly original rare Mangusta with a repaint and seemingly regular care. – The combination of backbone chassis and large Ford V-8 resulted in chassis flex and unpredictable handling in the Mangusta, but the Mangusta established the formula that was improved with the later unibody Pantera. While objectively a worse car than its successor, though, the Mangusta looks fantastic and is much rarer with barely 400 produced. This was very strong money for a driver quality example, but you never know when the next opportunity to buy one of these will come up. It was sold by RM in Monterey in 2005 for $63,250 when the cosmetic restoration was fresh, appreciating by a factor of four in thirteen years but this is still a realistic price in 2018.

Lot #88 1963 Maserati Sebring SI Coupe; S/N AM10101841; Red/Black leather; Estimate $225,000 – $300,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $175,000. – Borrani wire wheels, Cinturato tires, Lucas fuel injection, ZF 5-speed, Personal steering wheel, wood shift knob. – Rebuilt engine. Light scratches on the windshield. Excellent paint and chrome. Spotless underneath. Newer seats, carpets and dash, but the rest is original and aged. A solid restoration of a desirably configured car, but a few corners were cut, or compromised in favor of originality. – Despite all the work (and $12,000) invested in rebuilding the Lucas FI it has such a bad reputation it might have put the bidders off this otherwise thoughtfully and thoroughly redone Sebring. The estimate for it is reasonable, the bid not so much.

Lot #89 1930 Bentley Speed Six ‘Le Mans Replica’ Tourer; S/N LR2787; Engine # LR2791; Dark Green/Dark Green leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $750,000 – $1,000,000; Rebodied or re-created, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,325,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,457,500. – RHD. Body color wire wheels, Excelsior tires, cycle fenders, folding windshield, dual aeroscreens, single sidemount. – A genuine Speed Six represented as the original chassis, engine and gearbox. Originally a Harrison saloon, rebodied in this style several decades ago. Very good fresh paint, chrome, upholstery and fabric body. The engine and chassis are nearly like new with scant evidence of age or use. Built to very high touring standards and barely used. – The care and attention to this Speed Six is abundantly evident, as well as the desirability of its specifications. While in most cases a rebody would inhibit value here the quality of the coachwork, the weight reduction and sheer pleasure of the open body as well as the innate appeal of the Le Mans connection more than make up for the loss of the original Harrison saloon coachwork. The bidders certainly felt that way, paying 32.5% over the pre-sale high estimate for it, a magnificent price for a magnificent automobile.

[That’s Jared Zaugg over there behind the media check-in desk rehearsing his lines for doing the block “color”.]

Lot #94 1954 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster, Body by Reutter; S/N 80155; Engine # 62584; Ruby Red/Black leatherette; Black cloth top; Estimate $275,000 – $350,000; Modified restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $220,000. – Later engine enlarged to 1,750cc, high compression pistons, Elgin camshaft, 3-piece crankshaft and later 356 transaxle, chrome wheels, Dunlop tires, black cloth boot cover, gold brightwork. – Cracks in the steering wheel cap. Sizable scuff on the front bumper. Light pitting on the door handles. Very good paint. Originally finished in white. Fitted with a later 356 transaxle and 1600 engine bored out to 1750cc then given high compression pistons as well as hotter cam and crankshaft. Cosmetically restored in the early 2000s. Not a show car and won’t satisfy purists, but a great car to be seen in and ideal for driving events, plus it’s notable as a Pre-A Speedster. – The many departures from the stock and original configuration, even though they add a lot to driving enjoyment, gave the value of this Pre-A Speedster a real but appropriate haircut.

Lot #95 1974 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 08450; Blu Dino Metallizato, Black roof panel/Beige leather, Black Bars; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $310,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $341,000. – Cromodora alloy wheels, Borletti air conditioning, Becker Europa AM-FM, Daytona seats, power windows. – Excellent paint, chrome and interior with similar bodywork and fits. The engine is like new, as is the chassis and underbody. Aside from some thin side window chrome it is impossible to fault. – The new owner could hardly ask for more in this Dino, including the realistic price that it brought.

Lot #98 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Convertible Coupe Regent, Body by Brewster; S/N S109PR; Engine # 30090; Putty Brown, Green Fenders/Tan leather; Beige top; Estimate $250,000 – $300,000; Older restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $215,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $236,500. – Disc wheels, Lester tires, dual sidemount spares, suicide doors, luggage trunk, wood dash, rumble seat, golf bag door. – Very good paint, chrome and interior. Spotless underneath. Restored in the 90’s, a former show car whose prime days are perhaps behind it, but would still be showable and eminently drivable in tours and events. – Highly regarded for quality, reliability and coachwork, this Phantom I Regent convertible coupe brought a price appropriate to its quality and the well-preserved age of its restoration.

Lot #99 1988 Ferrari 328 GTB Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFXA19A1J0077394; Rosso Corsa,/Beige leather; Estimate $120,000 – $160,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $115,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $126,500. – Potenza tires, Momo steering wheel, air conditioning – Amazing original paint. Barely any wear to the interior. Showing 27,958 believable miles. Rare ‘1988.5’ model, distinguished by different steering and suspension but no ABS. In remarkable shape even if it has a few miles on it. FCA Platinum, timing belt service in April 2016, cold A/C. – Strong money, but it bought a strong car. The 1988.5 specs are noteworthy and distinguishing features in an otherwise volume model Ferrari, and this one’s impeccable condition pushed the price up further still.

Lot # 100 1965 Sunbeam Tiger Mk I Convertible; S/N B9472881LRXFE; Red/Black vinyl; Black leatherette top; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $47,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $51,700. – Wheel covers, bias ply narrow whitewalls, woodrim steering wheel, Pertronix ignition, aluminum radiator, spare Panasport wheels with radial tires. – Single owner until 2016. Sound old repaint now burned through in places. Good interior and top. The underbody is heavily glopped up with old undercoat. Good chrome. A decent driver. – This is a bargain transaction for such a carefully-maintained and only lightly modified Tiger, a reward to the buyer for waiting until the end of the auction.

Lot # 109 1952 Nash-Healey Series 25 Roadster, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 2217; Engine # NHA1130; Red/Black; Black top; Estimate $70,000 – $100,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,250. – Wire wheel covers, whitewalls, bench seat, pushbutton radio. – One of 507 built. Offered from an estate. Lightly crazed paint. Dull gauges, dash and switchgear, but the seat is in good shape. Sound underneath. A straightforward restoration candidate with all the hard to find trim pieces already present, although it could be enjoyed casually as-is. – Sold at Worldwide Auburn in 2012 for $58,300, then at Auburn Fall in 2013 for $72,600, at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2014 $77,000 and most recently from the Charlie Thomas collection at B-J’s Las Vegas auction in October 2016 for $69,300. The odometer is stalled at 28,665 miles, and has been for years. The seller should be highly grateful for getting out from under it with this little fiscal damage.

Lot # 110 1967 Lotus 41 Formula 2; S/N 41FL29; BR Green, Yellow stripe/Yellow vinyl; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Competition car, original as-raced, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $33,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $36,300. – Big Valve Lotus Ford, Italian Weber 40 DCOE carbs, Hewland gearbox. – Mixed up from many parts, restamped road car ID tag in the wrong place. H8 gearbox tail, H9 case, Armstrong coilovers. A neat Lotus last teched in 1996 that will need to be completely taken apart and redone. – This is a generous price for a 41 that needs a complete rebuild and many new parts before it is safe, reliable and track-ready. [Thank you, Tom Balzarini, for the Lotus 41 education.]

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Comments

    • Tom
    • February 12, 2018
    Reply

    Hi Rick

    I’m truly honored to be credited with providing you an education!!! The transaxle is a MK 8-9 the H on the data plate on the gear carrier is part on the serial number.

    Thank you
    Tom

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