Bonhams, Quail Lodge, August 24, 2018

On the numbers, this was a fairly ordinary Bonhams Quail auction.

Year Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Sold < Low Est Sold > High Est Average Sale Median Sale Total $
2018 110/135 81.5% 64.6% 10% $345,602 131,400

[38.1%]

$38,016,190
2017 85/106 80.2% 71.1% 10.8% $648,428 $181,500

[28%]

$55,116,400
2016 101/115 87.8% 65% 6.2% $342,998 $121,000

[35.3%]

$34,642,800

But, here’s what was different:

  • The cars were uniformly high quality and desirable;
  • They spanned the collector car spectrum from late model supercars to nearly sublime antiques;
  • They ranged from mega-bucks to modestly affordable;
  • They were accessibly displayed and approachable; and
  • Bonhams specialists were accessible, informed, ready to explain their enthusiasm and even to provide demonstration rides (requests they seemed to be looking forward to with hopeful anticipation.)

You’ll see here how I bought a car (truck?) for a former neighbor. It sold for barely more than half the sale’s median yet a Bonhams specialist on request humped off for the keys, fired it up, tested the power steering and Ford-o-Matic and turned on the A/C (it worked.)

Bonhams long has had a formula that supported modest collector car sales featuring extraordinary vehicles and achieving solid prices for them with solid support from knowledgeable specialists.

It was disclosed this week that Bonhams has been sold to a U.K. private equity firm, Epiris. The official release from Epiris includes this statement of fairly standard “we’ve been bought by financial operators” verbiage from Matthew Girling, CEO of Bonhams

“We are delighted to have found a buyer that recognises the potential offered by this business and its employees. Bonhams is one of the world’s oldest auctioneers – and one of the most ambitious. During the past 20 years we have pursued a growth strategy that has turned the company into a truly global organisation. The value of Bonhams rests with its people, their skills, their extraordinary expertise and their strong networks across the world. Epiris has a demonstrable and successful track record in investment in growing brands and we believe that together we can continue to expand the business whilst still offering the highest possible level of service wherever we operate.”

And, it should be noted, RM Auctions’ formal affiliation with Sotheby’s a few years ago foreshadows an amalgamation of specialist collector car auctions into much larger generalist high end auctions, as does the Leake Auction absorption into construction equipment titan Ritchie Bros.

Christie’s and Sotheby’s both abandoned collector car auctions years ago. Their short-sighted view of the market may now be costing them money and losing clients with art, jewelry and furniture who also have automobiles.

Only time will tell what this means for Bonhams Motorcar Department.

The 61 of 135 cars reported here were viewed on-site by me, Andrew Newton and Greg Ingold. They are sorted by Marque, Year and Model for easier searching. The buyer’s commission is 12% of the first $250,000 and 10% over that.

[There are many missing pictures; we’re attempting to find them.]


Lot # 99 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe; S/N 920002; Engine # 921002; Dark Red/Beige cord; Estimate $3,000,000 – $3,500,000; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,200,000 plus commission of 10.16%; Final Price $3,525,000. – RHD. Silver painted wire wheels, 6.00/17 Englebert tires, sliding side windows, woodrim steering wheel, dash mounted rally timer, trafficators, Alfa Giulietta 5-speed (original 4-speed included), Porsche driver’s seat (original included) – One three built in this style by Alfa Romeo, competed in the 1948 Mille Miglia driven by Franco Rol and Alessandro Gaboardi, 2nd in the 1949 Targa Florio, 3rd overall and 1st in class at the MM in 1949. Represented as the original engine. Stored 40 years in Michel Dovaz’s fabled collection of original cars before restoration by Raoul San Giorgi in the early naughts. Restored again for David Smith who found and rebuilt the original engine. Some modern gauges. Very good paint with some minor scratches, barely used upholstery, sharp, crisp gauges. The underbody and chassis were restored like new and now show some use and road dust but would detail to nearly like new. A gorgeous, sexy, fast Alfa with an enviable competition history. – Sold for $4,840,000 at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction in 2013, a huge result at the time and more appropriately bought here at a still eye-popping price for a 6C 2500 but not for this car’s performance, race history and appearance. It will get its new owner into the same events as a Two-Nine for a fraction of the cost and is a sound value in this transaction.

Lot # 49 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N AR149500647; Engine # AR01684A90834; Green/Cognac leather; Estimate $110,000 – $140,000; Modified restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $79,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $88,480. – 2 Liter engine, dual Weber carbs, 5-speed, 4-wheel disc brakes, uprated suspension, steel wheels. – Light surface rust on the rear brakes. Decent older paint. Good chrome. Very tidy underneath. No wear to speak of to the interior. Regularly used as an event car since a thorough but not overdone 2012 restoration with thoughtful performance modifications. Looks better than your usual event car even if it isn’t perfect. – A bunch of money was spent making this Giulietta drive better than it did when new, but worth less in the collector car market. This is a realistic compromise among performance, appearance and modifications, a sound value for a driving oriented new owner.

Lot # 45 1959 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider, Body by Touring; S/N AR1020400137; Engine # AR0020403439; White/Red piped in White; Estimate $90,000 – $110,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $95,200. – Steel wheels with hub caps, dual mirrors, radio. – Exterior paint and interior are fresh and good. They do not match the fairly grubby engine bay. Non-matching main headlamps. The steering wheel center badge is scratched. Represented as a relatively recent restoration, but not a thorough top to bottom job. – The result here is a modest discount reflecting the less than comprehensive restoration and subsequent use and road grime. The consignor could have prepared it better for the sale, an oversight that resulted in a deserved haircut.

Lot # 86 1974 Alpine A110 Coupe; S/N BA0828; Engine # 784; Red/Black vinyl; Estimate $75,000 – $95,000; Enthusiast restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $74,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $82,880. – Single Weber, alloy wheels, Michelin Defender tires, woodrim steering wheel, wood dash, Veglia dash clock, original wheels included. – Two owner competition car from new, but no verified history from the period. Also noted by Bonhams as being an A110 built under license by FASA in Spain (A110s were also built in Mexico and Bulgaria). Good driver quality paint and chrome. The paint on the mirrors doesn’t match the body. Pitted door handles. Large crack in the bodywork over the right rear wheel. Several paint cracks on the tail. Tidy underneath. Good interior other than some fading on the dash. Plenty of little things to pick on, but has gotten light restoration work over the years and is a proven and solid car for events, tours or just thrashing around, then explaining to people what it is. – A Saleroom Notice called attention to the fact there is no documented early competition history, just rumors, and that took a whack at the value of this Alpine setting up this transaction which is a sound value for the new owner.

Lot # 111 1936 Alvis Silver Eagle SG Sport Tourer, Body by Cross & Ellis; S/N 12720; Engine # 13172; Red/Light Beige leather; Light Beige cloth top; Estimate $140,000 – $180,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $110,000. – RHD. Lucas headlights and fog lights, radiator stoneguard, single sidemount, chrome wire wheels. – Restored in the 90’s. One of fifteen built with this coachwork of which nine are known to survive. Very good paint, chrome and older interior. The chassis is as old as the upholstery and road grimy. A sound and unusual car with rare coachwork but the restoration’s age is showing, as is subsequent use. – Reported sold by Worldwide in Scottsdale in 2017 for $99,000 and could have been sold here at the reported high bid. The estimate range is seriously optimistic.

Lot # 89 1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide Roadster, Body by Bertone; S/N 404X3000; Engine # 100D754; Red/Beige; Estimate $375,000 – $450,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $330,000 plus commission of 11.52%; Final Price $368,000. – Hub caps, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, Smiths gauges. – Older red paint with edges around the cockpit chipping. The doors fit but the truck gaps are uneven. Restored in the 1990s using a parts car that supplied the engine, gearbox and rear axle. Starting to show age, but still presents well and this chassis was the factory prototype with some period race history. – Bonhams sold this car in Amelia Island last year for $324,500, which although lower than the result here was still a solid premium for the fact that this was the first Arnolt-Bristol. The Quail Lodge bidders placed even more value on that, but still not a bad value for a rare, quick, handsome and Mille Miglia-eligible sports car.

Lot # 5 1969 Aston Martin DBS Vantage Coupe; S/N DBS5362R; Engine # 4004168SVC; Light Blue/Black leather; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $137,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $154,000. – RHD. 5-speed, chrome centerlock wire wheels, triple Webers, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, Radiomobile AM/FM radio, AM Heritage Certificate documented. – Represented as matching numbers. Nearly spotless engine bay. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Very rare 5-speed Vantage-spec DBS, recently restored top to bottom without overdoing it. – The combination of this Aston’s quality restoration, Vantage specifications and 5-speed gearbox add up to a highly desirable car and it was bought reasonably at this price, a sound value for the new owner.

Lot # 90 1986 Aston Martin V8 Volante Convertible; S/N SCFCV81C8GTL15449; Engine # V5855449LFM; Black/Black leather; Black top; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $156,250 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $175,000. – Fuel injection, 5-speed, alloy wheels, power windows, air conditioning, later CD stereo, European-spec bumpers. – Dry and cracking weather stripping around the quarter windows. Light swirls in the trunk lid paint. The vinyl top edges and seams are dried and cracking. Tarnished exhaust tips. Unrestored and reasonably well maintained given the 47,592 miles on the odometer, but still looks a bit used. – A desirably equipped US-market car with 5-speed that’s been fitted with more attractive euro bumpers, this car ticks a lot of the right boxes. It sold at the Aston Martin Works sale in 2013 for $118,307. These cars have gotten quite a bit more valuable since then and this car has reportedly done only 600 miles over the past five years. This higher result is reflective of how the model has appreciated.

Lot # 66 1929 Bentley 4 1/2 Liter Sports Tourer, Body by Vanden Plas; S/N RL3427; Engine # RL3429; Grey, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,500,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,300,000 plus commission of 10.38%; Final Price $1,435,000. – RHD. Black wire wheels, Blockley tires – Other than paint and upholstery this 4 1/2 Liter Bentley is all original and, other than 90 years of care and maintenance, exactly as it left Bentley. That means engine, gearbox, frame, rear axle, body, everything. It’s been inspected by the experts and confirmed. Good paint on metal surfaces but cracked on the old fabric body. Good upholstery and fresh engine. Aged chassis and suspension. A real Bentley driver. – Sold by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival in 2005 for $339,462 (GBP 186,300 at the time) this result is well over 4 times what it brought thirteen years ago, an eye-opening increase but still a result today that this Bentley deserves.

Lot # 103 2002 BMW Z8 Roadster; S/N WBAEJ13412AH61379; Silver/Black; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $165,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $184,800. – Climate control, power seats. – 7,400 miles reported. Unmarked badges and lenses. Clean and unused interior. Looks like a new car. – More collectible than used exotic these days, the Z8 is worth more than it cost new and this is a fair result over its 130-grand MSRP.

Lot # 132 1972 Citroen SM Coupe; S/N AC7200SB4954; Green/Brown; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $95,200. – Wheel covers, Michelin Defender tires, power windows, air conditioning. – Tired bumpers and brightwork. Good older repaint with some light chips and scratches on the doors. Some light scratches on the console but mostly very good restored interior. A lovingly maintained a California car kept up by marque specialists under the ownership of a Citroen collector. – The huge price here would make a little more sense if this was a totally original time capsule SM, but it has new paint and interior. The price is a bit excessive but for the hopeful coincidence that Citroen is featured at the Pebble Beach Concours on Sunday and they were running around all over the peninsula this year. This was good timing by the seller.

Lot # 95 1946 Delahaye 135M Coupe; S/N 800311; Engine # 800311; Maroon, Light Olive accent/Red leather; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $370,000. – RHD. Chrome wire wheels, Firestone tires, Marchal headlights, vee bumpers, skirts, split rear window, fender mirrors. – Good older paint, chrome and interior. The engine compartment and chassis are orderly but aged and driven. Coachwork attributed (with some doubt) to Van Leersum and has been embellished by addition of the rear window split, decklid fin and thin, blade-style bumpers. An unusual car in mediocre condition. – And with a checkered stylistic history as well. It’s no surprise the Quail bidders weren’t enthused by it.

Lot # 129 1958 Facel Vega Typhoon Coupe; S/N FVSNY258; White/Red leather; Estimate $175,000 – $250,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $112,000. – 354/300hp Hemi, dual quads, Borrani wire wheels, pushbutton automatic, pushbutton radio, power windows. – The trim has faded and the rubber weather stripping is dried and cracking. Dull rear lenses. Small chip in the paint over the left headlight and on top of the driver’s door. A mostly good but older restoration that is showing its age. – This Facel was withdrawn from RM’s St. John’s auction in 2011 because there were two VINs, 258 on the firewall plate and 253 on the frame. It was sold for $200,750 at RM Phoenix in 2014 on VIN 253. Now it’s back, using 258. The confusion is not helping its value, although at this price it is well worth the money and ambiguity.

Lot # 57 1961 Facel Vega Excellence 4-Dr. Hardtop; S/N B104Z; Blue, Stainless steel sills/Beige leather; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Enthusiast restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $150,000. – 361 Chrysler, automatic, wheel covers, sunroof, suicide rear doors, column shift, power windows, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – Pretty dull chrome. Long crack in the sunroof and some masking errors around the rear window, but mostly good shiny metallic paint. Tired weather stripping. Very good interior. Very clean underneath. Represented as a recent restoration and it’s mostly good, but a car literally named ‘Excellence’ should deserve better than this. Another round of cosmetic attention would make a big difference. – This Excellence is not excellent, but the reported high bid should ordinarily buy a much rougher example and holding out for more is understandable.

Lot # 62 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet SII, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 2039GT; Engine # 2039GT; Grigio Fumo/Beige leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,800,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,525,000 plus commission of 10.33%; Final Price $1,682,500 . – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Dunlop SP Sport tires, dual Talbot mirrors, Marchal headlights and foglights behind the grille, Ferrari Classiche certified, factory hardtop. – Very good paint, chrome and lightly stretched upholstery. The wheels should have been taken off and the inside of the rims cleaned of road and brake dust. The underbody has factory style undercoat. The engine compartment is nearly like new and lightly used, with attractive details like Pirelli hoses and Marelli coils. Runs very well. – There were four SII Cabriolets in Monterey and this was the second most expensive (although Gooding’s would have been more if it had sold.) It is thoughtfully detailed and represents a sound value for the new owner, and a fair price for the seller, at this result.

Lot # 70 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 3337 GT; Engine # 3337GT; Metallic Grey/Dark Red leather; Estimate $10,000,000 – $11,000,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $8,700,000. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli Cinturato tires, Marchal fog and head lights, Ferrari Classiche certified. – Restored like new with better cosmetics. Excellent panel fits and even gaps. The upholstery is flat and smooth. Provenance includes Steve Earle, Harley Cluxton and Chip Connor. Restored (again) for the seller to Cavallino Classic Platinum standards with a number of subsequent awards including class 2nd at Pebble Beach last year. – This should have been an eight-figure Ferrari but neither of the SWBs offered at Monterey sold, and both brought similar hammer bids, remarkable consistency of disinterest.

Lot # 7 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 03496; Blu Scuro Dino/Tobacco leather with Black inserts; Estimate $350,000 – $275,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $335,000 plus commission of 11.49%; Final Price $373,500. – Cromodora wheels, Daytona seats, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning. – Restored in the mid-naughts with good older paint and chrome. Maintained and tidy but not spotless engine bay. Lightly wrinkled seats. A good car in attractive colors and there’s nothing major wrong with it, it’s just not super fresh. – Sold by Gooding at Amelia in 2012 for $214,500 and changing hands here for a generous price aided in no small degree by its unusual and highly attractive colors as well as the confidence instilled by a decade and a half old restoration that is holding up very well.

Lot # 116 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 16519; Engine # B2280; Red/Tan leather, Black bars; Estimate $600,000 – $800,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $520,000. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, Veglia air conditioning, owner’s manual, books, tools, spare Cromodora alloy wheels, Ferrari Classiche certified. – Good paint with a smattering of tiny chips, even under the chipguarded nose. Good lightly stretched upholstery. Faded old dashtop. The engine compartment, chassis and underbody are aged and show miles. A sound, well-maintained Daytona driver showing 24,175 quite possibly original miles. – Other than one of Mecum’s that sold for $825,000, Daytonas weren’t getting much traction at Monterey this year. There were five of them of which only two sold, a disappointing 40% sale rate. For one of the mainstays of the Ferrari market that was a miserable performance.

Lot # 135 1982 Ferrari 512 BBi Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFJA09B000039527; Engine # 110A00058; Black/Black leather, Black bars; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $201,600. – Michelin TRX tires, Borletti air conditioning, power windows, Pioneer cassette stereo. – Stored from 1988-2015. Sound older repaint and original interior. Described as recently mechanically restored but appears largely original under the engine cover with plenty of oxidation and road dirt. Orange peely right c-pillar. Sound but not reassuring. – After sitting for nearly three decades, even with the best of storage and care, a competent Ferrari technician skilled in the idiosyncrasies of these complex cars needs to be kept close at hand. The bidders recognized that issue with this price which is, even though reasonable, recognizes that more will be needed to be done to address decades of storage.

Lot # 67 1988 Ferrari Testarossa Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFSG17A3J0076758; Rosso Corsa/Beige leather, Brown dashtop; Estimate $80,000 – $110,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $78,400. – Polished 5-spoke alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot tires, air conditioning, books, tools, luggage. – Erratic repaint, worn surface cracked original interior. Clean original underbody and engine compartment. Now showing 38,972 miles it had an engine out belt service at 33,000 miles. Gearbox rebuilt and new clutch at 34,000 miles. A generally satisfying Testarossa that has been regularly but sparingly California driven since 1998. – Once a favorite of Ferraristi the Testarossa has fallen out of favor, frequently selling for less than more recent V8 Ferraris (with more horsepower and better driving dynamics). Overlooking that, the Testarossa is still a Ferrari milestone, its five aerodynamic side strakes leading air into the rear wheel wells and engine defining a generation of Ferrari/Pininfarina design. 385hp isn’t, by modern standards, a lot, nor is a 5.3 second 0-60mph time, but it’s pretty good, and good enough for the price paid here.

Lot # 65 1995 Ferrari F512 M Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFVG40A1S0102932; Engine # 40446; Red/Black leather; Estimate $275,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $240,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $268,800. – Modular alloy wheels, Pirelli PZero Rosso tires, books, tools, service records. – Very good original paint and lightly stretched upholstery. A well-maintained and unusual original example. Shows 43,366 miles and represented as engine-out serviced at 41,979 miles. – This is a bargain F512 M by any standard, bought at little more than half its recent market value. It’s more than twice Testarossa money, but far more rare and with 440hp (a healthy 60hp more than a Testarossa) approaching the F40’s 478hp. Even with 43,366 miles (which show’s it’s been driven and maintained) it’s a choice Ferrari at a reasonable price.

Lot # 38 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFXR48A9T0104873; Ruby Red (Rosso Monza)/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $78,400 . – 6-speed, Alpine CD stereo, air conditioning, Pirelli PZero tires – 8,627 miles from new. First owned by comedian Martin Lawrence who kept it for 20 years. Sound original paint with touched up door and hood edge chips and small nose stone chips. Good original interior with driver’s seat bolster wear. – Sold by Mecum at Los Angeles (Pomona) in February for $73,810 and turned over here for a similar but modest price for its 6-speed gearbox, known low miles and overall very good original condition.

Lot # 11 2008 Ferrari F430 Scuderia Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFKW64A980162090; Red, Silver stripes/Black Alcantara, Red stitching; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $170,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $190,400 AN. – SF shields, Pirelli PZero tires, Red calipers, carbon ceramic discs, trolley, carbon fiber door sills, fire extinguisher, iPod, window sticker documented. – “Just under 3,000 miles” (2,898 on the catalog photo) and essentially like new. – Low miles, generously optioned and consistently maintained, this is a premier Ferrari that has consistent, documented service since new and is a good value at this price. It’s not a 488, but 503hp is nothing to trifle with.

Lot # 34 2009 Ferrari F430 Scuderia 16M Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFKW66A490166787; Black, Grey Metallic stripes/Black, Grigio Scuro stitching; Black cloth top; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $240,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $268,800 . – SF shields, Pirelli PZero Corsa tires, matte Grey alloy wheels, black calipers, carbon discs, carbon exterior mirrors and interior trim, Bluetooth, red tach dial, carbon fiber seats. – Very good original paint and unworn interior. The underbody is like new. Represented as under 10,000 miles from new, U.S. delivered. – Offered at Mecum’s Monterey auction last year where it brought an unsuccessful $300,000 high bid, this is nothing less than a great value in a rare, specialized, high performance F430 variant with menacing eye-appeal.

Lot # 102 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFF70RCA9B0176914; Black, Silver roof, Red nose band/Black leather, Red bars; Estimate $550,000 – $650,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $490,000. – Matte Grey 5-spoke alloy wheels, Pirelli PZero tires, carbon fiber interior trim and side skirts, Red calipers, carbon brake discs, SF shields, Yellow gauge faces. – Under 8,000 miles and like new. – Almost 8,000 miles is unusually high for a late model high performance Ferrari, and should have seen this 599 GTO sold for the reported high bid.

Lot # 98 2016 Ferrari F12 TdF Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFF81BFA6G0217723; Grigio Ferro Metallizato/Blue Scuro Alcantara; Estimate $775,000 – $975,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $785,000 plus commission of 10.64%; Final Price $868,500. – Grey 5-spoke alloy wheels, Pirelli PZero Corsa tires, carbon fiber splitter, side skirts, sills and interior trim, Grey calipers, carbon brake discs, SF shields, chipguarded nose, Ferrari Classiche certified. – 4,602 miles and like new with over $100,000 in options. One incident of parking lot damage to the nose was not repaired but instead corrected by buying new panels which were finished in the original Grigio Ferro Metallizato at the factory, the correct OCD response. – The OCD nose repair is complemented by Classiche certification of a 2-year old car. It is a dramatic presence in these colors that display every aerodynamic twist, turn and flounce to advantage. The within-estimate result is fair to both the buyer and the seller.

Lot # 37 1957 Ford Custom 300 Ranchero Pickup; S/N C7KF174433; Red, White/Red, White vinyl; Estimate $55,000 – $75,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $62,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $70,000 . – 292/212hp with added later Holley 4-barrel, automatic, power windows, brakes, steering, Town & Country radio, (cold) factory air conditioning, chrome wire wheels, radial whitewalls, tailored rubber sheet bedliner, dual outside mirrors, vee bar grille guard, hockey stick sill moldings. – Very good paint, chrome and interior. The engine compartment, frame, chassis and underbody are all nearly like new with some chassis black added subsequent to the restoration The glass is unblemished; dash and instruments are high quality. The engine compartment is like new. All the plumbing lines have been replaced and are like new. The driver’s door has some areas of over 2mm filler near the lower rear corner. There is filler elsewhere but only enough for getting flat, smooth panels. The air conditioning blows cold. The power steering is reasonably tight. The best ’57 Ranchero in years, and better than I expected it to be. – Sold by Worldwide at Houston in 2010 for $55,000, then at Bonhams Scottsdale in 2014 for $60,500 and bought here four years later at a significantly, but not excessively, higher price. I raised the bidder’s paddle for this Ranchero on behalf of a former neighbor for whom I’ve been searching for a high quality ’57 Ranchero since 2014. In that period this is only the third one I’ve found good enough for him, and the second one was ludicrously expensive jewelry, far too good for his winter driver in Florida. It was time for him to take the plunge: as his son, Willy, said, “Dad, you’ve wanted one for ten years. You can afford it. Buy it!” He was determined, and was prepared to spend more, which illustrates both how rare the Ranchero is, and how people make bidding decisions. He couldn’t stand the suspense, though, and when I called him a few lots before it hit the block he simply said, “You know what to do. Call me when it’s over.” So I did, and now it’s in Florida, but I forgot to take its picture.

Lot # 73 2006 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S56Y402009; Red, White stripes/Black; Estimate $250,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original, 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $330,000 plus commission of 11.52%; Final Price $368,000. – All four options. – 14 miles. Like new. – This GT sold for $374,000 at Mecum Monterey in 2016. It has been driven just 8 miles since then, but even in the world of Ford GTs having just two digits on the odometer is fairly special. This was still a deservedly strong number for this car even if it was a bit less than what was paid at Mecum two years ago.

Lot # 32 1950 Hudson Commodore Convertible Brougham; S/N 50278280; White, Light Brown/Burgundy vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $87,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $98,000. – 262/170hp, 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, hood ornament, Twin H-Power, spotlight, sun shade, three on the tree, factory radio, dash clock, power windows. – Larger than original engine. An ex-Steve McQueen car that’s largely original. Faded paint with several chips on the nose and hood. Dented passenger side chrome rocker trim. Slightly dirty but complete engine bay. Good but visibly worn interior. Could still be described as having “charming patina” and the McQueen connection is a proven moneymaker. – This car has plenty of needs, but you’d feel guilty stripping away any of the physical connections to the car’s celebrity owner. The McQueen factor in this case is apparently an appreciating asset, because this car sold at RM Phoenix in 2009 for $42,900 and then for $71,500 at Quail Lodge in 2015.

Lot # 85 1948 Jaguar Mark V 3.5 Drophead Coupe; S/N SL3046; Engine # SL3046; Green/Brown leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $50,400. – Painted centerlock wire wheels, Dunlop tires, fog lights, dual wing mirrors, wood dash and door trim, suicide doors. – Older paint with a run and some cracks on the right fender. Older restored underneath. Light discoloration on the top. A few scratches around the grille. A sound older restoration, but it is older and showing it. – These cars are expensive to restore, and there is a big gap in values between good ones and bad ones. This Mk V falls somewhere in the middle but was priced like a bad one here, so it is a pretty good value and the new owner has some money left over to address at least the most serious needs the car has.

Lot # 15 1951 Jaguar XK 120 Roadster; S/N 671514; Engine # F67618; Dove Grey/Burgundy leather; Estimate $110,000 – $140,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $84,000. – Hub caps, fender skirts, dual wing mirrors. – Very good older paint and chrome. Lightly wrinkled seats. Lightly faded original gauges. Nearly spotless underneath. Great colors and a quality restoration, just not done yesterday. The engine is also not original to the car, though it is a correct twin-carb 3.4. – Appropriately discounted for the age of its restoration and lack of matching numbers, this is a fair result for both parties and the new owner has a usable and pretty 120 roadster in good colors without going into six-figure territory. It won’t get JCNA judges excited but it should be a delightful weekend driver and tour car.

Lot # 97 1952 Jaguar XK 120 Fixed Head Coupe; S/N 680278; Engine # W64638; Red/Brown; Estimate $55,000 – $75,000; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $50,400. – Hub caps and trim rings, fender skirts, single wing mirror (one is missing on the passenger’s side), factory radio, aftermarket exhaust. – Total barn find, dust and all, just out of long-term storage in California. Rusty underneath but mostly superficial and not rotting away. Pitted and dirty everywhere. The paint is old and faded enough to look original, but it isn’t. Busted up seats. The rear view mirror has fallen off. Cloudy gauges and cracks in the wood. A total mess, but arguably a salvageable one and plenty of people like a project. – While it would of course make a lot more financial sense to just buy a good example, this isn’t a rational hobby and this 120 is worth saving. At this price it’s a little expensive for what it is, but the barn find premium here wasn’t outrageous.

Lot # 121 1962 Jaguar XKE SI Coupe; S/N 886489; Engine # R61629; Opalescent Bronze/Red leather; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $170,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $190,400. – Centerlock wire wheels, whitewalls, woodrim steering wheel, JDHT Certificate documented. – The paint is clean but there are light dents on top of the front right fender. Minor paint corrections around rear wheel wells. The weather stripping is dried and cracked. The chrome trim has light scratches and there is a discolored spot on the left rear bumper overrider. Stone chips refinished around the left headlight. Totally original, even the tires, and the 12,418 miles showing are represented as actual. A remarkably preserved SI E-Type in an unusual but attractive color combination. – This result includes an imposing originality premium but its condition, preservation and history immunize it from normal market considerations. It’s hard to imagine a better one and even at this price it is less than a comparable condition restored E-type Roadster.

Lot # 88 1967 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Roadster; S/N 1E15925; Engine # 7E140209; Carmen Red, Black hardtop/Black leather; Estimate $110,000 – $150,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $82,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $91,840. – Series 1 1/2 with open headlights, centerlock wire wheels, hardtop, woodrim steering wheel, original Becker Europa radio, grille and tail guards. – Faded mostly original paint and several unfinished stone chips in the front. Numerous small chips on the bulge in the hood. The original leather is dried and surface cracking but not torn. Worn steering wheel. Scratched up hardtop. The engine bay has been recently sorted and cleaned up, and there isn’t rust underneath. Showing 52,140 miles, which are represented as actual. Just out of long-term storage in Southern California. – Priced appropriately for its condition but not really given any premium for being totally unrestored. Maybe they should have left some dust on to give it more barn find mystique, because it conceivably could have brought over $100K without being expensive.

Lot # 91 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider America, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N B241047; Engine # B24N1131; Red/Beige leather; Estimate $1,000,000 – $1,300,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $900,000. – Nardi performance kit added, Borrani wire wheels, woodrim steering wheel, Veglia gauges, Lancia Storica documented. – Represented as matching numbers. Dull and tarnished wheels. The front badge is scratched. The wood on the steering wheel is starting to crack, as is the badge on the steering wheel. Chips in the paint around the driver’s door edge. Reportedly one of just 59 RHD cars. Restored in the 1990s and freshened in the 2000s. It is definitely showing its age. – Hammered not sold at an $875,000 high bid at Bonhams London last year. This bid is closer to realistic and could have at least been considered even if it is a little modest. A really good Spider America is a million-dollar car, but this used example falls a bit short.

Lot # 36 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Hatchback; S/N ZLA038AR000000033; Red/Tan Alcantara; Estimate $550,000 – $450,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $380,000 plus commission of 11.32%; Final Price $423,000. – Speedline wheels, Potenza tires, 1759cc/300hp Volumex supercharged/turbocharged, 5-speed, Speedline wheels, Bridgestone Potenza tires, Abarth suede-wrapped steering wheel, rear spoiler, Veglia dash clock, digital clock, sliding side windows, air conditioning, power steering, tools, jack, manuals. – Very good paint. New weather stripping. Clean underneath. Very good interior. Restored to like new condition by marque specialist. One of 200 built and custom ordered with the Potenziato powertrain and a works S4 front body clip, now replaced by standard panels. – The Delta S4, a tube frame mid-engine hatchback with its supercharged and turbocharged engine, adjustable suspension and composite bodywork, perfectly encapsulates the performance excesses of Group B rallying. Like other manufacturers, Lancia also only built the necessary 200 examples of their road-going version because they were expensive and not easy to sell. Group B road cars have garnered appreciation in the past few years, with cars like this, the Ford RS200 and Audi Sport Quattro selling in the 400-600 grand range. This one sold for $440,000 at Gooding’s Pebble Beach sale in 2016 and has only done 72km since then, so it was an expensive couple years of ownership for not much enjoyment of the S4’s wild performance.

Lot # 21 1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione I Hatchback; S/N ZLA831AB000581267; White, Martini graphics/Black leather; Estimate $75,000 – $90,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $40,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $44,800. – White alloy wheels, Dunlop Direzza tires. – Excellent repaint. Very good original interior with light wrinkling to the seats. Tidy underneath with recent service. Showing 57,570 km and almost like new. – With these rally-bred hot hatches turning 25 years old, expect to see more of them make it stateside, but good luck finding somebody to work on one. Compared to other Evo models that have sold recently this result was notably inexpensive, and with a recent $27,000 mechanical sorting on it, the new owner won’t have to worry about finding that elusive specialist for at least a little while.

Lot # 128 1961 Lotus 20/22 Formula Junior; S/N 22J901; Green, Yellow stripe/Red; Estimate $50,000 – $80,000; Competition restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $78,400. – Dual Webers, Cosworth Ford engine, Hewland MkVIII transaxle, chrome suspension, Yellow wobbly wheels, HSR, SVRA, VRG log books, SVRA Gold Medallion, FIA paperwork. – Clean, sharp and orderly. Last tech stickers are from 2015 and looks like it. No known early race history but plenty in the U.S. Restored in 2009 and appears to be only a comprehensive check away from being track ready although there may be another Lotus around with the same chassis number. – A sound car from the estate of the late Robert “Bob” Koons, seriously appreciated by the bidders at The Quail and bought for an appropriately healthy price.

Lot # 131 1965 Maserati Sebring II Coupe, Body by Vignale; S/N AM10110295; Engine # AM10110295; Burgundy/Beige leather; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $230,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $257,600. – 3,694/245hp, 5-speed, chrome Borrani wire wheels, triple Webers, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, Blaupunkt pushbutton radio, power windows, air conditioning. – Built for the 1966 Barcelona Motor Show and at Amelia and The Quail after restoration and color change. Clean engine bay with new exhaust. Small crack next to the right headlight. Otherwise very good high quality paint and chrome. Tidy underbody. Lightly faded steering wheel and gauges, but mostly very good interior. Very little to pick on with this inherently desirable and attractive Sebring II, although the restoration is older. – This is a particularly handsome 5-speed Sebring II with its original Lucas injection replaced by triple Weber carbs, as frequently happens in the interest of easier tuning and maintenance. It brought an appropriate price.

Lot # 104 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; S/N 1980405500543; Engine # 1989805500564; Black/Red leather; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,500,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,730,000 plus commission of 10.29%; Final Price $1,908,000. – Rudge wheels from new, ivory steering wheel and shift knob. – One owner the last half century. All original except for some paint work. The (original) headliner is sagging. The rubber floor mats and rear carpet are faded. The seats are not torn but are dirty, as are the door sills. Stone chips at the lower corners of the grille, with cracks at top left driver’s side front corner of the hood. The front turn signal rubber seals are cracked. Almost all original and the 58,714 miles showing are represented as actual. – This is a million dollar Gullwing with a 3/4 million dollar originality premium, but it is a much, much better car than others seen recently covered in dirt and bird droppings, with tattered rodent-home interiors. This is a car that hasn’t been mistreated or even neglected in its long dormancy. It needs comprehensive mechanical attention but is far too good to warrant restoration, which in fact would destroy much of its value both financial and as an example of originality. It is expensive by most standards, but deserves every dollar of the price it brought.

Lot # 80 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N WDBEA36E4PB949815; Anthracite Grey Metallic/Light Gray leather; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $100,800. – Alloy wheels, sunroof, power windows, air conditioning, wood dash and console trim. – This is a one-owner car showing 14,975 believable miles. Comes with service receipts. Aside from a handful of small chips on the nose and bottom lip, it looks like a new car. – The Mercedes that Porsche built, and a great sleeper. With prices for high-performance Mercs on the rise and with anything having ever been connected to Porsche getting expensive, the 500E was bound to get pricy. This is a big price, but it might not seem that way soon if the model keeps gaining like it has been.

Lot # 84 1949 MG TC Roadster; S/N TC5475; Engine # XPAG6178; Black, Green grille/Green; White cloth top; Estimate $25,000 – $35,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $28,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $31,360. – Painted centerlock wire wheels, rear-mounted spare, single driving light, badge bar. – Recent mechanical sorting. Old but presentable paint with some cracking on the fenders. Light surface rust poking through on the wheel spokes. Tidy underneath. Good older restored interior. Light discoloration on the top. Never fully restored but maintained and still presentable. A driver quality TC, which isn’t at all a bad thing when talking about old MGs. – Despite four TCs being in the sale, all of them sold well. But while this largely original car had a strong result at over 30 grand, the bidders saved all their exuberance for the visually almost identical but completely unrestored Lot 126, which sold for an inexplicable $112,000. That might be the best totally original TC in the world, but it just makes this car seem like a much better value.

Lot # 119 1967 MG MGB Mk I Roadster; S/N GHN3L122653; Engine # 18GBUH75750; Pale Primrose Yellow/Black piped in White; Black vinyl top; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Unrestored original, 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $33,600. – Painted centerlock wire wheels, Pirelli tires, banjo steering wheel. – Original owner until 2011, and the 6,700 miles showing are represented as actual. Original paint with some rub through on the left front fender and a few touch ups on and around the hood but it mostly presents very well. Very good original interior with only light wear to the original seats. There is a little dirt and grime in the engine bay but it’s clearly been well kept under there. Tidy rust-free underbody. About as close to a like-new unrestored early B that you’re going to find anywhere. – Expensive for an MGB of any kind, but for the kind of collectors who really value preservation and originality this was a very rare opportunity.

Lot # 42 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible; S/N 626L07471; Engine # 626L07471; Garnet Mist/Light Gray, Dark Gray; Gray vinyl top; Estimate $55,000 – $75,000; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $32,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $35,840. – 394/345hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, floor shift, tach, pushbutton radio, tach, power windows. – Arizona car from new. Two small paint cracks on the nose and a few light scratches on the front bumper. A few small blisters on the body side trim. Restored underneath. Excellent interior. The seats look new but the rest of the interior just looks well preserved. A few small flaws aside, this is a gorgeous car cosmetically restored in its original colors – This is strong money for a car in this condition that isn’t totally original, but Starfires aren’t exactly a common sight in any condition. An Olds like this is more likely to be seen across the peninsula at Mecum or downtown at Russo and Steele, but sometimes being out of place attracts attention and gets a good result, as in this case.

Lot # 47 1916 Packard 1-25 Twin Six Runabout; S/N 82715; Engine # 82715; Black, Blue/Black leather; Black top; Estimate $250,000 – $325,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $350,000 plus commission of 11.43%; Final Price $390,000. – Ivory wood spoke wheels, spotlight, MotoMeter, Waltham clock, Warner speedometer, MacBeth-Evans headlights, dual rear spares. – There is sadly little historic information on this Packard Twin Six other than that it was bought new by Arthur Velguth in Spokane, Washington and later entombed on an island he owned in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Of subsequent ownership and restoration history there is little specific, but the car is meticulously restored and presented in better than new paint, upholstery and brightwork. – Here’s how this works. I was on my way out of Bonhams on Friday, having bought the Ranchero and completed the paperwork. This Packard suddenly flared in the peripheral vision of my recently upgraded cataract-free eyes. I couldn’t resist taking a moment to write it up. It is beautiful, even seductive. Its V12 engine is eye-candy. Apparently others were similarly captivated, paying an over-high-estimate price for it, a price it is unreasonable to challenge.

Lot # 25 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster, Body by Reutter; S/N 84389; Engine # 68308; Silver/Dark Red; Red top; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $465,000 plus commission of 11.08%; Final Price $516,500. – Chrome Rudge wheels, Pirelli tires, bumper overriders, gold brightwork, tonneau cover, Porsche CoA documented – Represented as matching numbers engine and transaxle, original body panels and factory colors. The Rudge wheels didn’t originally come with the car, but they look great. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Restored like new, with better cosmetics. A fresh and show-ready Speedster, Best Porsche at Hilton Head in 2017, Best in Class at Texas this year. – It isn’t unusual to see a meticulously restored Porsche Speedster, but it is rare as hen’s teeth to see one done like this that is so pure and correct, with complete matching numbers including the body panels. The new owner could have paid well into the estimate range and still gone home clutching tightly to the security blanket of “the best”. At this price it is an astute acquisition that will reward the new owner over and over.

Lot # 72 1963 Porsche 356B Carrera 2 Coupe, Body by Reutter; S/N 123845; Engine # 97236; Light Ivory/Black vinyl, houndstooth inserts; Estimate $650,000 – $750,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $580,000. – Hub caps, Avon tires, sunroof, woodrim steering wheel, Blaupunkt multi-band radio, Kardex and Porsche correspondence documented. – One of 27 with a sunroof and used as a factory press and promo car by Baron Huschke von Hanstein. A replacement engine was installed at the factory under its first private owner in the mid-1960s. It now has another appropriate type 4-cam engine. Small chip in the nose. Good paint otherwise. A little dirty underneath. Good but older interior. Restored in the late 1990s and enjoyed since. – There was some confusion on the estimate range, which showed $500-$600K on-site and online but $650-$750K in the catalog (not the only such mixup this year.) It must have been the latter because it didn’t go away at this bid amount, although perhaps with its accident and swapped engines history it should have.

Lot # 107 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe; S/N 9307800407; Engine # 6870425; Desert Beige/Brown; Estimate $120,000 – $160,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $95,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $106,400. – Black painted Fuchs wheels, Dunlop SP Sport tires, later Sony cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning, power sunroof. – Unusual but fitting and very much period colors. The 88,587 miles represented as from new is also a lot, but this car has been pampered in typical Porsche owner fashion and it has had a recent service. There are some small scuffs and scratches here and there, but the paint is quite good. The seats are lightly wrinkled but nowhere near as much as the mileage might suggest and the rest of the interior looks practically new. – Since this car has clearly been pampered and loved, the high mileage shouldn’t have dissuaded anyone from bidding, but it did. The price paid here would ordinarily buy a more neglected and rougher example. The new owner may not have bought a collector grade 930, but it’s an attractive and thoroughly usable example bought at a modest price.

Lot # 71 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo 930 Cabriolet; S/N WP0EB0937KS070289; Engine # 68K00536; Silver/Linen leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $110,000 – $140,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $92,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $103,600. – RUF wheels and front spoiler, Dunlop Direzza tires, G50 5-speed, snorkely brake light, later CD stereo, power windows, air conditioning, heated seats, Porsche CoA and RUF letter documented. – Rare early RUF-tuned 930 with about 330hp compared to the 282 that came with the stock version. A few chips on the nose and a scratch on the driver’s door. Otherwise presents like a well-cared for 930 despite the 56,606 miles it’s covered from new. – The most desirable year and body style for the 930, plus it has RUF enhancements, but despite the solid condition and included service history it sold for less than driver quality money. Generally, 930 prices have been coming down to more realistic levels after a big spike a few years ago. Maybe this was just ahead of the curve a bit.

Lot # 81 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Coupe; S/N WP0AB2965MS411518; Engine # 62M11263; Violet Blue Metallic/Black leather; Estimate $50,000 – $75,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $140,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $156,800. – Alloy wheels, Comp T/A tires, sunroof, cassette stereo and CD, rear window wiper, power and heated seats, original books, tools, documents and Porsche CoA – Clean underneath. Rare color, which counts for a lot with Porsche people. Light scratches on the door handle and a few chips by the nose. Great interior with very light wear to the seats. Two light scuffs on the roof. A one-owner car that’s not perfect for a 4,822-mile 911, but it’s still not much to pick on and it’s hard not to like that color. Walter and Emily Mead Collection. – Rare colors, single ownership and low miles count for a lot in the collector car world. In Porsche world, they count for even more. A lot more. When the cars mostly all look the same, special attributes on a 911 really makes it stand out, and collectors are apparently willing to pay a huge premium, in this case over twice what an otherwise very good Carrera 4 would go for.

Lot # 110 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZTS392151; Grand Prix White/Black; Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,000,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,000,000 plus commission of 10.50%; Final Price $1,105,000. – Modular wheels, Yokohama tires on the back and Kumhos on the front, air conditioning, power windows, power steering, locking diff, roll cage, Nomex-Kevlar covered seats, Momo steering wheel, Porsche CoA documented – German market Club Sport model, one of 20 built. Showing 39,531 km but not showing any wear or age to speak of. Other than the mismatched tires and the mileage, there isn’t much separating it from the other like new 993 GT2s that have popped up for sale recently although this one still needs its DOT Show and Display approval. – A strong price considering the mileage but not unreasonable. Both parties can be happy.

Lot # 35 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Roadster; S/N WP0CA2A18FS800586; Black/Cognac leather piped in Black; Estimate $1,350,000 – $1,750,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,275,000 plus commission of 10.39%; Final Price $1,407,500. – Weissach package, which takes about 100 pounds of weight off the standard car, front end lift, air conditioning, stereo, tools, accessories, documentation, U.S. delivery. – Represented with 7,988 miles which is actually on the high side for one of these cars, but it nevertheless presents like a new car. – Not a huge result, but close to Bonhams’ reasonable presale estimate and other 918s to sell at auction recently have fallen within the $1.3M to $1.8M range, so this result makes sense.

Lot # 56 2009 RUF CTR3 Coupe; S/N W09BM03879PR06002; Chroma Flash Hologram Matte/Red leather; Estimate $700,000 – $900,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $586,364 plus commission of 10.85%; Final Price $650,000. – Centerlock alloy wheels, Pilot Super Sport tires, RUF ceramic brakes, rear wing, diamond quilted seats, aluminum shifter, front end lift, CD changer, navigation, built in telephone. – Represented with 1,562 believable miles and looks new. Finished in special Chroma Flash matte paint that subtly changes color in the sunlight, although most of the time it just looks silver. – Not just a hopped-up 911, the CTR3 has its own chassis made out of exotic materials and a mid-engine layout. The styling cues and engine are all Porsche, though, with a tuned 3.8-liter 700hp 911 Turbo unit behind the driver. The market for these cars isn’t exactly full of comparable sales, but this post-block result is more than the car cost new. That said, RM Sotheby’s just sold a brand new improved CTR3 Clubsport model in Monaco this year for $1.28M.

Lot # 44 1953 Siata 208S Spider, Body by Motto; S/N BS518; Engine # BS078 (see text); White/Tan leather, Beige piping; Beige cloth top; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,800,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,500,000 plus commission of 10.33%; Final Price $1,655,000 AN. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin X tires, 4-spoke woodrim steering wheel. – Excellent cosmetics showing no age or use. The underbody, chassis and engine compartment are like new. Freshly restored with an odometer showing 72 believable km. Replacement 8V engine from BS507. – Sold by Christie’s at Pebble Beach in 1993 as an incomplete restoration project (“Red primer/(missing); rusty silver wire wheels, replacement engine of correct type; very incomplete restoration with several boxes that couldn’t possibly contain enough parts; missing door handles, instruments, throttle linkage, wiring, hand brake and exhaust; new hood and many interior panels, exterior body far from finished; steering rack and attachment to frame look new, no radiator or interior trim; a big project.” You’ve come a long way, baby to this pristine if mixed origin delightful little car which balances a superb restoration with replacement engine (and who knows what else) to result in a price that is fair to both seller and buyer.

Lot # 69 1921 Stutz Series K Bearcat Roadster; S/N 10166; Engine # K10284; Red, Black fenders/Black leather; Black top; Estimate $250,000 – $350,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $430,000 plus commission of 11.16%; Final Price $478,000. – RHD. 360/88hp, T-head, 3-speed transaxle, dual S&M spotlights, Warner-Patterson drum headlights, radiator stoneguard, Red wire wheels. – Owned by the John Wheeler family from new, close enough to a century not to make any difference. Restored by Everett Adams in Sparks, NV in the 70’s. Shown at Pebble Beach long ago. Sound older paint and upholstery, older engine and chassis showing more miles than the cosmetics. Runs well with the thump of four 90 cid cylinders. – This isn’t the monocle-windshield stripped down 4C Bearcat of the Teens. It’s maybe better, having some comfort attributes that make it amenable to modern touring and events. Its history is remarkable, as is the survival of its now four decade old restoration in highly presentable condition. The last one seen at auction was here in 2016, a sound and complete but neglected example (s/n 10555) offered by Wayne Carini that sold for $594,000. This is the stuff of dreams and the bidders’ enthusiasm can be appreciated with the 23% over high estimate hammer bid.

Lot # 100 1955 Swallow Doretti Convertible; S/N 1292; Engine # TS5666; White/Light Blue piped in White; Blue top; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $117,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $131,600. – Painted centerlock wire wheels, 4-spoke woodrim steering wheel, Triumph TR2 engine upgraded with bigger valves and larger SU carbs, original owner’s manual, tool kit and sales brochure and comes with the original cylinder head, carbs and top. – Represented as the last one built and one of 80 left out of less than 300 built originally. Matching numbers, even if modified. Stored for almost a half century until 2010, then restored. Spotless underbody. Excellent interior with cool stitched leather padding on top of the dash and doors. Very good paint and chrome. Even gaps. Not done yesterday, but fully restored to very high standards and well maintained. – An obscure but handsome car, the Swallow Doretti combined a proprietary chassis and proven Triumph running gear. They almost never come up for sale because there just aren’t many to go around. This price is about in line with other ones that have surfaced, and for such a rare, pretty and well restored automobile it seems like a solid value even with the engine modifications. If this thing was Italian-built rather than Italian-named after Dorothy Dean, it would have commanded a heck of a lot more.

Lot # 40 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Coupe deVille, Body by Saoutchik; S/N 100238; Engine # 26347; White, Blue/Blue leather piped in White; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,600,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $870,000 plus commission of 10.57%; Final Price $962,000. – Chrome centerlock wire wheels, fender skirts, Marchal headlights, 3-carb 190hp engine, Firestone wide whitewalls, hood ornament, pre-selector, radio, dash clock. – Winner of the Grand Prix du Salon at the 1950 Paris Auto Show, later disappeared for years until 2013 and meticulously restored for the present owner in its original colors. Incredibly distinctive coachwork, more elegant, aristocratic and ingenious than beautiful which describes many Saoutchik bodies. This is also the only one built. Excellent paint, chrome, interior and underneath. Done recently to deservedly high standards and a shoo-in for most concours events as it sits. – A one-of-a-kind Talbot-Lago sold for a deserved price fitting its rarity and elegance.

Lot # 22 1973 Triumph GT6 Mk III Coupe; S/N KF21069U; Engine # KF21039UE; Valencia Blue/Black vinyl, cloth; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $22,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $25,200. – Sumitomo tires, dual mirrors, wood shift knob, factory BL radio but newer speakers in the back. – Final year GT6. Well and fully restored underneath. A tiny bit of orange peel under the headlights but mostly very good paint and chrome. The rear vents don’t quite fit flush. Slightly uneven gaps. Very good, mostly restored interior. Fully taken apart and restored, more than the usual treatment a vintage Triumph gets. Not perfect, but more than good enough standards for what it is and this is still the best GT6 I’ve seen in person. – The final third series GT6 has a flatter and less elegant tail arrangement than the earlier car but still has that ‘poor man’s E-Type’ look to it overall as well as handling improvements over the first cars. GT6s have also always been a good value in that they’ve long been priced similarly to an MGB GT despite being rarer, quicker and more attractive. That’s starting to change, however, and prices for good ones have been creeping up. This is generous money, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one and this transaction may just be slightly ahead of the curve. And if it is generous it is generous by what? $2,500-$5,000? It is the best, or the best’s equivalent.

Lot # 117 1950 Veritas Scorpion Convertible; S/N 5095; Engine # 73095; Blue/Brown leather; Estimate $500,000 – $700,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $450,000. – BMW 328 engine, centerlock wheels, whitewalls, banjo steering wheel, floor shift, dash clock. – The engine bay is a little grimy but presentable. Badges are a little faded. Very good older paint and chrome. Good lightly worn interior. Restored many years ago and more recently cosmetically freshened by BMW Classic. Not a very pretty car, larded up with gewgaws and strange features, but very distinctive and impossible to ignore. – It takes a particular BMW enthusiast to adopt this Kalifornia Kustom styled Veritas that looks vaguely like a Muntz Jet, and two of them weren’t at Bonhams today. If there was money at the reported high bid the seller might have been prudent to take a small haircut from the pre-sale estimate.

Lot # 6 1966 Volkswagen Type 2 Samba Microbus, 21-Window; S/N 256015181; Mint Green, Pearl White/Phosphor, Como Green vinyl; Estimate $140,000 – $180,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $100,800. – Hub caps, Firestone whitewalls, dash clock, folding sunroof, 39hp 1.6 liter crate engine. – Some of the upper window gaskets don’t quite fit right. Very clean fully restored engine. Mostly very good paint but not show quality. Slightly uneven panel gaps. Very good interior other than a few paint chips in the steering column. Very pretty and the colors are good, but not over the top perfect like some of these are, and like you’d expect this one to be given the estimate. – Not sold at the beginning of the year at Worldwide Scottsdale at a $110,000 high bid. It seems like any decently restored Samba van is a six-figure vehicle these days, and it’s becoming an auction staple like the Fiat Jolly or Toyota FJ40 in years past. This was a fair result for a good but imperfect one, even if the money was clearly less than the seller had hoped for.

Lot # 96 1972 Volvo 1800ES Station Wagon; S/N 1836353002451; Engine # 2375; Light Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $82,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $92,400. – Alloy wheels, Silvertown tires, pushbutton radio, dash clock, 4-speed with overdrive, air conditioning. – Very clean, lightly run restored engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. The body side trim doesn’t quite fit flush. Light scratches on the side windows. Very good, seemingly fully restored interior. A gorgeous car to look at no matter what condition it’s in, but this one has been fully and sympathetically restored. Although it might not be the world’s best (that’s always in doubt), it’s close. – While never the fastest thing on four wheels, the 1800 ES was for a long time pretty good value in terms of style and exclusivity, plus they’re built like tanks and will run forever. Nothing stays a secret forever and these cars have gotten more expensive in recent years, but this price is on a completely different level. Bonhams sold an immaculately preserved ES at Greenwich four years ago for the exact same amount as this, but no other auction results come close. This is a curve-setting transaction but for a standard-setting restoration.

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Comments

    • Kevin Walsh
    • September 7, 2018
    Reply

    What’s the old saying”A picture is worth a thousand words.”
    Excellent individual write ups though.

      • rickcarey1
      • September 7, 2018
      Reply

      Yes, I wholeheartedly agree about the importance of the pics, and have had discussions with the less than assiduous collaborators.
      Coming reports from Monterey will be largely complete, except for a few missed at Gooding by a first-timer (who will NOT make that mistake again.)
      It is, however, damn frustrating.

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