Bonhams, Amelia Island, March 5, 2020

This is the first report from the three auctions at Amelia, the last events before coronavirus and COVID-19 upended everything. The reports from RM Sotheby’s and Gooding & Company will follow shortly, along with an extended analysis of RM’s Palm Beach auction March 25-28, which quickly moved to an Online Only format with closing times for lots spread out over a 4-day period.

RM’s Online Only importantly demonstrates both agility in production (they set up and executed the online format in a period of barely two weeks) and in response, with over 900 bidders registered, many of whom were new to RM Sotheby’s. They are reporting $13 million in total sales, a success by any standard even if it is less than the $19 million at last year’s Ft. Lauderdale auction.

And with that, on to Bonhams Amelia Island auction:

As the numbers that follow show, Bonhams had an outstanding Amelia Island auction in 2020.

Headlined by the cars of Dean S. Edmonds, Jr. and his Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport (which sold for $7.1 million including commission) and a viscerally beautiful 1907 Renault AI 35/45hp Vanderbilt Cup racer sold for $3,332,500, Bonhams had five cars bid to $1 million or more and sold three of them.

In stark contrast with the other Amelia Island auctions (just RM Sotheby’s and Gooding & Company this year, others having abandoned the field in the face of adversity) Bonhams had a wealth of early cars. 23 of Bonhams lots (20%) pre-dated the Great Depression with a further 18 (15.7%) from the Thirties.

Not all of them were great (or even recently running) but they were a timeline of the development of the automobile from its earliest and most elemental beginnings.

Although some of the final prices were chintzy, overall the sale showed a healthy market and a good appetite for very good high value cars.

Unless, that is, it was a 330 GTS.

Here are the numbers:

Year Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Sold < Low Est Sold > High Est Average Sale Median Sale Total $
2020 90/115 78.3% 77.5% 6.7% $238,171 $56,000

[23.5%]

$21,435,420
2019 92/108 85.2% 71.7% 7.6% $173,583 $78,400

[45.2%]

$15,969,620
2018 83/101 82.2% 71.6% 10.2% $161,679 $84,000

52%]

$13,419,320
2017 72/86 83.7% 72.2% 4.2% $143,546 $80,300

[56%]

$10,335,330

The observations here are from Rick Carey and Andrew Newton.

58 of the 115 cars are described. They are sorted in lot number order.

Lot # 103 1985 Ferrari Mondial QV Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N ZFFUD14A1F0054691; Dark Blue/Tan leather; Estimate $25,000 – $35,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $20,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $22,400. – 2927/240hp, 5-speed, aftermarket modular wheels with black spiders, sunroof, woodrim steering wheel, later CD stereo. – Sold new in Florida. Represented with a belt service in 2016 but no other specifics on service history. Showing 54,951 believable miles. Small scuff and a large touch up on the nose but mostly decent older repaint with orange peel in spots. Tidy and maintained underneath. Very good interior. A mediocre car by Ferrari standards, but a pretty good one by Mondial standards. – For a Mondial QV with significant mileage, a few unanswered questions and wheels that may not be to everyone’s taste, this is a reasonable result. But while Mondials are relatively affordable to buy, it’s still a Ferrari underneath and that means expensive shop rates and parts costs. If this one needs anything major in the near future, it won’t seem like such an affordable car after all.

Lot # 104 1959 BMW-Isetta 600 Sedan; S/N 148545; Beige, White roof/Tan vinyl, houndstooth cloth; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $22,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $24,640. – 582cc/26hp twin, dual carbs, 4-speed, hub caps, blackwall tires. – Formerly in the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum. Decent older paint with some chips around the edges of the front door and cracks around the rear door hinges. Dry, cracked weather stripping. Good, lightly worn interior. Restored underneath but doesn’t look like it’s ever been fully disassembled. Restored a while ago to microcar standards before these things were worth much money. The rare, “big” version of the Isetta. – It is amazing that BMW thought to build a stretch Isetta with a back seat and side door but they did and it’s a remarkable creation for which this was an appropriate price. Despite being more rare than the 2-seater it has a lower cute factor and the sedan brings lower prices.

Lot # 107 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Flying Spur, Body by HJ Mulliner; S/N BC22LEL; Black/Black leather; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 4+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $75,040. – 4887/178hp inline six, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, Flying B hood ornament, Lucas driving lights, dual mirrors, aftermarket radio and air conditioning, modern tachometer. – Ex-Richard Anderson, who played the Six Million Dollar Man, and driven by him regularly around Hollywood. Rare left-hand drive. Lightly scratched paint all over along with severe cracking and damage on the right front fender. Scrapes on the left rear as well. Large dent in the left front bumperette. Good interior wood and leather, but the front seats are worn and cracked. Unrestored underneath with dirt and light oxidation. Presentable as a driver, but just barely, and it deserves better. One of 431 S-Type Continentals and 218 with Mulliner coachwork. – This Flying Spur hammered not sold at a $110,000 high bid at Quail Lodge last year, in essentially the same condition. It was a low offer for a coachbuilt car with a celebrity story, but apparently nobody that’s not enough to compensate for just how worn out this car is, and the bidders gave it even less attention this time around resulting in this remarkably low price, low enough that the restoration it needs and deserves can be undertaken with minimal financial risk.

Lot # 110 1961 Triumph TR3A Roadster; S/N TS78909L; Silverstone Grey/Red; Black top; Estimate $25,000 – $35,000; Enthusiast restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $20,160. – Painted wire wheels, dual wing mirrors, driving lights, wind wings, heater, tonneau cover. – Good, shiny older paint with a few small chips on the front and a small touch up on the trunk lid. Slightly dull brightwork, and scratches on the rear bumperettes. Clean older restored interior. Tidy underneath, and the engine bay looks maintained but unrestored. This car has gotten major work but was never fully taken apart and restored. A few flaws aside, it needs nothing serious and these are lovely colors on a classic British roadster. – Sold for $9,900 fresh out of long-term storage at Greenwich 2017. How much that buyer spent to get the car freshened up for Amelia isn’t clear, but the price it brought here is spot-on for a TR3A in this condition.

Lot # 111 1956 Austin-Healey 100/M Le Mans Equipped Roadster; S/N BN2L230869; Engine # 1B230869; Healey Blue/Light Blue; Estimate $90,000 – $140,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $69,000. – 2660/110hp, 4-speed, chrome wire wheels, Vredestein tires, dual wing mirrors, Lucas driving lights, badge bar, woodrim steering wheel, overdrive, BMIHT documented – Represented as matching numbers. It “may have been” built to 100M Le Mans specs at the factory rather than at a dealer, but that is unconfirmed. Delivered new in Europe. Light refurbishment last year but mostly original. Faded, thin paint. A few small dents in the body. Dirty and original underneath other than newer exhaust. Newer seats and door panels. Could be left alone for someone who likes patina, but it would also make a suitable restoration candidate. – The Healey market has been a bit soft lately, but Bonhams’ 90 grand low estimate and the owner’s expectations on this car weren’t unreasonable even if its status as a factory-built M Le Mans is up in the air. Its originality is impressive to us but apparently it wasn’t to those filling the seats in Amelia. It may have better luck elsewhere.

Lot # 112 2000 Bentley Continental R Coupe; S/N SCBZB26E8YCX63302; Dark Gray/Beige leather; Estimate $75,000 – $95,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $51,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $57,120. – 6750/420hp turbocharged V8, automatic, wide body, factory radio, tinted glass. – Frankfurt Motor Show car. Then shown at Pebble Beach and used as a press event car in Canada, but not flogged too hard by journalists. There are a few little issues in the clear coat in front of the passenger’s door and another one on the right C-pillar. Otherwise the paint looks fantastic. Excellent interior with hardly any wear on the seats. Cool, fast, rare and expensive, at least when it was new, and the ultimate early 2000s Bentley. – The condition of this Continental R is remarkable for a press car, particularly one with performance enough to encourage members of the fifth estate to hammer it hard. It obviously has had good, consistent care in private ownership and is a remarkable value at this price.

Lot # 113 1965 Lotus Super Seven S2 Roadster; S/N SB2088; Dark Green, Yellow nose and stripe/Red leatherette; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Competition restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $26,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $29,120. – RHD. 1,498/130hp Ford 105E, close ratio 4-speed, yellow wobbly alloy wheels, Federal tires, side outlet exhaust, woodrim steering wheel, driver’s rollbar, road equipment, full windshield, wind wings, road equipped, bedliner painted rear fender fronts. – Raced in the U.K. and in the U.S. when two years old, restored in 1994, raced afterward in HMSA and VARA events, but showing its age and laps. Chipped and scraped old paint. Clean, orderly chassis. – No one will ever mistake this Super Seven for a show car, but it’s responsibly restored, prepared and maintained and represents a significant value at the result it earned here.

Lot # 114 1980 Toj 206 SC Sports Racer; S/N 206SC001; White, “Yacco”/Black cloth; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $95,000. – 2-liter BMW M12 engine, 300hp, 5-speed Hewland crash box transaxle, Tramont 4-spoke modular wheels, Eagle slicks. – One of a series built by Jorg Obermoser based upon chassis from Jo Marquart’s GRD and its successor Modus with sleek bodywork designed by Achim Storz. This Toj was re-engineered by its first owner Bernard Chamberod for hillclimb events, achieving a series of wins through the early 90s and FFSA Montagne championships. Freshly and quickly repainted and liveried with occasionally wrinkled vinyl graphics. Orderly chassis and engine compartment. – Offered by Bonhams at Quail Lodge last August where it was reported bid to $165,000 it fell upon deaf ears here in Amelia. There were three Tojs offered at Artcurial’s Retromobile auction a month ago and none of them found favor with the bidders. The Toj story is intriguing, but is obscure and exposure except in historic racing where they’re just another shingle sports racer is not riveting attention. A hard sell that came up way short here and needs more wonderful historic races to realize its potential

Lot # 115 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup Coupe; S/N WP0AA0950JN165082; Engine #;/Black; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Competition car, original as-raced, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $47,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $52,640. – 2479/250hp turbocharged four, 5-speed, fiberglass hood, yellow phone dial wheels, P Zero tires, full race equipment, roll cage. – One of 39 of these lightweight high-performance Cup cars built for North America. Raced in the Rothmans Turbo Cup series to several podium finishes and a win in 1989. Gloppy paint on the wheels. Good, bright paint on the body. Good interior. Used, but not a knackered old race car. – It is a race car, though, even if it is technically road legal, and one from a defunct one-make series. There isn’t a lot one could do with it, and the bidders seemed to recognize that. It sold for a premium over a standard 944 Turbo, but only a slight one.

Lot # 117 1971 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe, Body by Ghia; S/N THPNLM02259; White, Black/Black vinyl; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $56,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $62,720. – 351/330hp Ford engine, 5-speed, Campagnolo wheels, Pirelli tires, later cassette stereo. – Represented as a three-owner Pantera with 29,977 actual miles and recent mechanical sorting, with the engine pulled and reconditioned after the car spent years in storage. The original paint is good, but it looks its age with numerous chips and cracks, especially around the engine cover, and surface rust is poking through. Surface rust visible inside the doors at the bottom as well. Clean original interior. Tidy underneath with some oxidation and dirt, but no rot and maintained when necessary. A survivor, and a mostly good one that escaped being cut up and modified, a rare fate for a Pantera. – There are areas for concern on this car, particularly on the bodywork, but its originality is a rare thing. The bidders didn’t seem to care, though, as this middling price is the usual rate for any other tired Pantera.

Lot # 118 1965 Triumph TR4A Roadster; S/N 6654053L; Red/Black vinyl piped in White; Black vinyl top; Estimate $37,000 – $50,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $26,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $29,680. – 2138/104hp, 4-speed, independent rear suspension (IRS) wire wheels, Michelin XZX tires, wood shift knob. – Kurt Tanner restoration. Very good paint and chrome. Clean top with restored, painted top frame. Clean chassis. Restored interior with new dash wood and some of the gauges have been refreshed. Clean underneath with few signs of use. Triumphs aren’t worth a ton of money, so corners are often cut when one gets restored. Not so with this TR4A. It’s gorgeous. – This car sold at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2009 for $37,400, but its restoration doesn’t look much aged at all and if anything TR4s are worth more than they were then. Solid value on a charming car with no needs.

Lot # 119 1967 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy; S/N 117358054; Engine # T0629RB; Tangerine/Black leatherette; No top; Estimate $400,000 – $600,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $410,000 plus commission of 11.22%; Final Price $456,000. – Wraparound Plexiglas windscreen, E.T. 5-spoke alloy wheels with spinner centers, Firestone tires, sand paddle tread rear tires, SW gauges, luggage rack, covered headlights, Corvair flat six, alternator, four GM single-throat downdraft carburetors, Hi-Torque starter, chrome front suspension, drum brakes, individual rear wheel hand brakes. – The “Thomas Crown Affair” dune buggy, featured in a long and dialog-free scene with Steve McQueen and Fay Dunaway. Built by Pete Condos at Con-Ferr with guidance from McQueen. Documented ownership history from the studio to the present. Freshly restored. Very good paint with light orange peel on the lower sides. Good fresh upholstery and dashboard. The engine is orderly but not presented to the standards of the paint, interior and chassis. Very little but the body is original. – In the wake of the “Bullitt” Mustang’s sale at Kissimmee in January this is astute timing and while the McQueen/Dunaway romp on the sands of Cape Cod isn’t as epic as the chase through San Francisco in “Bullitt” it made a big impression at the time and helped establish the Dune Buggy aesthetic. The presentation leaves nothing to be desired and the price is modest, at least when compared with $3,740,000 for the “Bullitt” Mustang.

Lot # 121 1953 Jaguar Mark VII Sedan; S/N 734637; Engine # B11138; Gray/Red leather; Estimate $20,000 – $30,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $12,880. – 3442/160hp, 4-speed, sunroof, fender skirts, hub caps. – In Dean Edmonds’ ownership since new and consistently maintained. Unrestored. Original paint and chrome with just the right amount of patina. The interior wood looks old, but not 67 years old, and the leather up front has been redone. The back seats are original but are still clean and soft. Old tires. Clean chassis. It would make a straightforward project, but it’s also a clean survivor-class type of car that could be enjoyed as-is. Buyer’s choice. – The single ownership, service history and charming preservation did little to inspire anyone doing the actual bidding. It’s a project car bought for project car money, and that leaves the new owner with money left over to tackle the job. That said, even excellent Mark VIIs aren’t particularly valuable, so it will be a labor of love.

Lot # 123 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport Roadster; S/N 55220; Engine # 21; Red, Black/Black leather; Estimate $6,500,000 – $9,500,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,450,000 plus commission of 10.08%; Final Price $7,100,000. – RHD. 2,262cc inline eight, supercharged, 160hp, 8-spoke alloy wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, dual rear-mounted spares, folding windshield, Scintilla headlights, Jean Bugatti designed coachwork. – Sold new to Victor Rothschild, later to R. MacLeod-Carey whose meticulous 32-page notebook about the car comes with it. Eventually auctioned in 1985 by Sotheby’s in London to Dean Edmonds who canceled his Friday classes at Boston University, took the Concorde to London on Thursday, bought it on Saturday (for £440,000, about $570,000 at the time) and returned via Concorde. He was back in class on Monday. Restored in 1993, Class winner at Pebble Beach that year. Good older paint, fair brightwork, good upholstery and gauges. The engine and chassis and obviously used but extremely well-maintained. A gorgeous Jean Bugatti design with an impeccable history. – The Type 55 was, essentially, a Grand Prix car in street clothes, and what gorgeous street clothes they were. This example’s history makes it even better and the bidders in the Bonhams Amelia marquee recognized how extraordinary it is with this generous but completely realistic, result.

Lot # 125 1928 Bugatti Type 44 Cabriolet, Body by F. Gerber; S/N 44857; Yellow, Black/Beige leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $330,000 – $360,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $300,000 plus commission of 11.67%; Final Price $335,000. – RHD. 2,991cc/80hp sohc inline eight, Schebler carburetor, body color wire wheels, Silvertown tires, folding windshield, covered rear spare, Bosch headlights. – Dean S. Edmonds, Jr. estate. Decent older repaint but otherwise aged. Thin windshield frame chrome, dull radiator shell, aged and slightly road grimy chassis. Good upholstery and interior trim. Dull, aged gauges. A wonderful car that’s more than good enough to tour happily. – Hi, old friend. This Bugatti was sold from the Harrah’s collection in 1984 for $65,000, by RM at Boca Raton in 2004 for $155,150 and by RM at Amelia in 2006 for $165,000. Little has been done to it since 2004 and this result is generous even fifteen years after its last sale.

Lot # 127 1931 Invicta 4 1/2 Litre S-type Sports Tourer; S/N S102; Engine # 12371; Dark Green/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $850,000 – $1,000,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $770,000 plus commission of 10.65%; Final Price $852,000. – RHD. Silver painted wire wheels, Dunlop Fort tires, Lucas tri-bar headlights, Hartford friction shocks, outside exhaust headpipes, Schneider Cup seaplane (likely a Supermarine S6) radiator mascot, dual sidemount spares with mirrors. –

Very good older paint, barely used upholstery and bright chrome. Clean, orderly engine compartment but with oil seepage on the block. Dusty but barely used chassis. Replacement crankcase from WWII War Department stock. Restored 1991-1994 by RM Restorations, Class winner at Pebble Beach 1995. Known among Invicta owners as “Sandfly”, owned by Dean S. Edmonds, Jr. since 1982 and sparingly used. – There were some 75 Invicta S-types built of which the vast majority survive, a not surprising circumstance in view of their “low-chassis” appearance and performance. An SS Jaguar 100 is beautiful but the “Low Chassis” Invicta is better. What’s more surprising is that we’ve seen two of them sold at auction in the past month. This one was beautifully restored, albeit with a replacement crankcase, but it brought essentially half of what Bonhams got a month ago in Paris for a peeling original paint, original driveline all-original example at the Grand Palais in Paris. The difference is material [sic] but attests to the appeal of originality. This carefully restored and preserved example is the better value, but the Paris car was sublime and neither is an outlying transaction, just different.

Lot # 129 1962 Aston Martin DB4 S4 Coupe; S/N DB4836L; Engine # 370203GT; California Sage/Biscuit leather; Estimate $900,000 – $1,100,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $655,000 plus commission of 10.76%; Final Price $725,500. – 3,607cc/302hp GT engine, overdrive 4-speed, chrome wire wheels, Michelin X tires, Motorola radio, dual outside mirrors, open Lucas tri-bar headlights, Bosch halogen fog lights. – One of 7 lefthand drive DB4s factory delivered new with the 302hp DB4 GT Weber carbureted engine. Very good chrome and clearcoat paint, inviting older upholstery and interior trim. The engine compartment is orderly, clean but also aged and used. The bottom of the engine and the chassis are oil misted and somewhat road grimy. Obviously cherished, maintained and enjoyed. Dean S. Edmonds, Jr. collection. – An especially desirable variant, this GT-engined DB4 won’t attract eyeballs like a DB4 GT’s distinctive bodywork does but it has all the performance and will be ultimately rewarding to drive as well as to show to those who will realize what it is. The result here is a substantial bump over a standard DB4, worth maybe half a million in this condition, but a huge discount from a million dollar DB4 GT, a realistic compromise.

Lot # 132 1929 Petersen 4 1/2-Litre “Barclay Blower” Tourer; S/N GUJ33; Dark Green/Green leather; Black cloth tonneau cover top; Estimate $200,000 – $300,000; Facsimile restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $220,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $246,400. – RHD. 4,566cc/225hp Bentley Mk IV engine with crank-driven supercharger and dual SU carburetors, overdrive 4-speed, cycle fenders, centerlock wire wheels, burly 7.00/19 tires, wind wings, headlight stoneguards. – Built in the UK by Bob Petersen, one of six, with Rolls-Royce and Bentley parts and retailed through Jack Barclay in London. Ordered new by Dean S. Edmonds, Jr. in 1998. Uniformly dull brightwork. Sound paint and interior. Orderly lightly used chassis and engine compartment. – A toy, but an impressive toy. The burly tires look like they belong on an F-250, but that’s the only jarring note in the presentation and they no doubt contribute to ride comfort and handling. It is what it is, like a continuation Cobra, and should be great fun to drive which was endorsed by the price it brought here.

Lot # 133 1948 Jaguar Mark IV 3 1/2-Liter Drophead Coupe, Body by Langenthal; S/N 611056; Black/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $250,000 – $350,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $175,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $196,000. – RHD. Chrome wire wheels, Michelin tires, Lucas headlights and driving lights, fender mirrors. – Very good paint, chrome, interior and top. One big dirty scuff on the top of the driver’s seat back. The engine compartment and chassis are like new. An attractive body design restored to show quality standards in 2018. – Offered by Bonhams at Scottsdale two months ago where it was reported bid to $220,000, an opportunity the seller missed for this much more modest result at Amelia. The combination of the rare coachbuilt body and a fresh show quality restoration opens up many opportunities for concours and tours. The result here would be appropriate for a Jaguar-bodied 3 1/2-Litre and is a good value for this rare and attractive coachbuilt example.

Lot # 134 1931 Cadillac 452 V-16 Coach Sill Convertible, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 72921; Engine # 702807; Putty, Dark Grey fenders, Red accents/Beige cloth; Taupe cloth top; Estimate $700,000 – $900,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $580,000. – Red chrome spoke wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual cloth covered sidemounts, rumble seat, Pilot-Rays, Tilt-Ray headlights, luggage rack, Grey leather rumble seat upholstery, golf bag door, radiator stoneguard. – Known history from new, display car at the 1931 Chicago Auto Show, restored in its original colors and completed in 2019. One of seven 1931 V16s (of 94 believed built) known to survive with this body style. Excellent paint, upholstery and chrome. Nearly flawless engine compartment and chassis. – The “coach sill” refers to the curved body sill line, an elegant touch emulating the sill line of horse drawn carriages employed by Fleetwood on a wide variety of coachwork. [Thanks to the New Cadillac Database for that information.] This car’s known history, style and performance make it particularly attractive and it deserved more than the high bid it brought here.

Lot # 135 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Coupe; S/N 11304412019017; Engine # 13098312012474; Grey Beige/Chocolate; Estimate $90,000 – $110,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $80,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $89,600. – Automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, hardtop, Becker Mexico radio, air conditioning. – Unknown early history, but restored in the late 2000s. Dull bumper chrome. Good older paint other than some chipping behind the headlights. Very good interior other than a crack in the middle of the steering wheel. The trunk lid sticks up at the back. A lightly driven older restoration. Not perfect, but it looks fantastic from a short distance at least. – The massive run up in Pagoda SL prices that started in 2013 brought a lot of cars to market, including this one which sold for $99,000 at Quail Lodge in 2015. It then brought a more modest $71,500 at Bonhams Greenwich sale two years later. Prices have settled down to more realistic levels for these cars but they are still high, as shown by this rational price.

Lot # 137 1925 Bugatti Type 30 Sports Tourer; S/N 4725; Engine # 418; Yellow, Black fenders/Brown leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $400,000 – $450,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $320,000. – RHD. 1,991cc/100hp sohc 3-valve inline eight, dual carburetors, 4-speed, black centerlock wire wheels, Dunlop tires, Marchal headlights, 4-wheel mechanical brakes, single rear-mounted spare, center throttle pedal, raked vee windshield, only two doors: left front and right rear. – Attractive and practical coachwork by an unknown house but as-delivered to the first owner. Sound older repaint, decent brightwork and older upholstery and interior trim. The rear seat cushion has been carefully repaired. The engine and chassis are aged and lightly used. Not fresh but assiduously maintained, with known history and well-documented in Bugatti books. – The combination of the powerful 3-valve dual carburetor engine and the distinctive original open coachwork make a powerful argument for a more generous price than the high bid here.

Lot # 142 1952 Jaguar C-Type Sports Racer; S/N XKC014; Engine # E1014-8; Dark Green/Green leather; Green cloth tonneau cover top; Estimate $6,500,000 – $7,500,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $5,400,000. – RHD. 3,442cc/160hp six, 4-speed, grey painted wire wheels, Blockley tires, low Plexiglas windscreen, two folding aeroscreens. – First owner Jack Rutherford was timed at 134.07 mph on the Daytona Beach in 1953. Later raced by David S. Burtner in the Midwest, at one point with a Chrysler Slant Six. Later restored in the UK with its original engine (with an XK 120 cylinder head) and gearbox. Later owned by Skip Barber, Joel Loeb and Bill Jacobs. Dirty chassis. Cracked door by the lower hinge. Stone chipped nose, scuffed paint all over, cracked by the right taillight. Sound upholstery but dirty footwells. Orderly engine compartment, lightly oil misted and dirty. An orderly but well-used driver, not known to have been wrecked during its long life and highly original – With a relatively benign history for a competitive racing car, but showing its age and miles, the reported high bid is realistic even though it is $1.1 million below the rather extravagant low estimate. This C-Type’s value resides in its many dormant years and preservation, not on race wins and famous drivers who impart much of the value to other C-Types.

Lot # 146 1951 Allard K2 Roadster; S/N K1845; White/Maroon vinyl; Black top; Estimate $85,000 – $135,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $66,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $73,920. – 303/200hp Oldsmobile Rocket V8, automatic, painted wire wheels, Silvertown blackwall tires, dual wing mirrors, Jaeger gauges. – Unknown early history, but first shipped to the US without an engine like other Allards. Used engine bay with plenty of dirt and grime but nothing to be concerned about. Older paint with some cracks on the nose and a light scrape on the right front fender. The windscreens are delaminating. Significant wrinkling on the driver’s seat. A very rare K-Series Allard, more driver than show car. – Less well known and more comfortable than the racier J-series, K-series Allards nevertheless come with the same Allard formula of crude but lightweight Ford-derived British underpinnings with a big thumping American V-8. The Olds engine in this one is an unusual choice in a car that typically got Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford or Mercury power, but it gets the job done. The automatic is another unusual choice, but not unheard of as Allards are supposedly a handful to drive at speed even before you have to worry about switching gear. Even so, the unusual powertrain and the aged presentation led to a modest price.

Lot # 148 1984 March 84G.03 IMSA Prototype; S/N 84G01; Blue, White “Kreepy Krauly”/Black; Estimate $475,000 – $675,000; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $370,000. – RHD. Mid-mounted 2,650cc/650hp twin turbocharged Porsche 962 engine, 5-speed, BBS centerlock modular wheels, Momo suede rim steering wheel, fire system. – Caught fire twice, qualified well but never finished well with a litany of mechanical woes. Never restored. Good older cosmetics with minimal historic racing use, some surface cracks and unfilled holes. Race prepared for Monterey 2019 at a cost of almost $85,000, then at the “24 Minutes of Daytona” historic event before the 24 Hours in2019 and 2020. Current FIA HTP. This is actually 84G.03 but after the fire rebuild at March was inaccurately tagged 84G.01 which is how it is known today, a confusing attribute since there was another 84G.01. – There is a lot of performance in this package even if there’s not a lot of racing success in its history and mechanically it is probably excellent based on the amount of work that’s been done in the past 18 months. That it brought a bid this high is good, but not enough for its potential and condition.

Lot # 149 1958 AC Ace Bristol Roadster; S/N BEX1019; Princess Blue Metallic/Blue leather; Estimate $350,000 – $380,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $295,000. – 1971/130hp Bristol engine, 4-speed, front disc brakes, chrome wire wheels, Avon tires, woodrim steering wheel, wind wings, tonneau cover, books and tools. – Restored in 2017. Not numbers matching. Gorgeous paint. Excellent interior with seats that look barely sat in. Very clean underneath with few signs of age. Imperfect panel fit but probably no worse than factory. Not overrestored and probably not done yesterday, but a fantastic car in great colors. – The Ace first came with AC’s proprietary 90-hp 2.0-liter overhead cam six, the design of which dates back to World War I, but from 1956 the optional 2.0-liter Bristol engine was added to the mix, offering a 50 percent bump in power. This is a gorgeous car and if it were a real Ace-Bristol it could command a lot closer to 400 grand. It isn’t, though, so the bidders offered up a number appropriate to a non-Bristol car in this condition. They did the same at Mecum Monterey last year, bidding the car to a $300,000 no-sale.

Lot # 150 1970 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 13989GT; Engine # 13989GT; Red, Black sills/Cognac leather; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $154,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $172,480. – Centerlock alloy wheels, Michelin Defender tires, Sony cassette stereo, power windows. – Mediocre old repaint and chrome. Worn and surface cracked upholstery. Scuffed wheels. Scruffy engine compartment. Tired, used and erratically presented. Represented as recently serviced with new exhaust, shocks and suspension bushings, 15,676 miles from new but it looks like many more than that. – Even allowing for the already pessimistic pre-sale estimate range the bidders saw little encouraging in this Queen Mother and were even more pessimistic about its prospects than Bonhams. Its history is encouraging but it has added under 2,000 miles since its acquisition fifteen years ago, which isn’t encouraging at all even with the recent service. This result is reasonable.

Lot # 152 1908 Stanley Model F 20HP Side-entrance Tonneau; S/N 3899; Engine # F862; Red, Black fenders/Black leather; Black leatherette top; Estimate $180,000 – $220,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $150,000. – RHD. E&J acetylene headlights, Stay-Lit kerosene sidelights, Solar kerosene taillight, 875×105 Excelsior tires, folded trumpet bulb horn. – Known history since 1951 including Curtis Blake, later in the Wells Auto Museum in Maine. Restored decades ago but widely regarded as one of the best 20hp Stanleys in existence. Sound older paint, upholstery, brass and top. There are several cracks at body panel joints and the brass needs attention. The engine and chassis are oily from use and age. – An honest old car that needs no more than careful continuing care and attention as well as preservation of its steam boiler and running gear, the reported high bid is a thoughtful compromise between cosmetic appearance and the potential for this Steamer.

Lot # 153 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS Spider, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 9791; Engine # 9791; Light Gold/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,800,000 – $2,200,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Post-block sale at $1,336,364 plus commission of 10.37%; Final Price $1,475,000. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, power windows, Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified, owner’s manual, tool roll. – Excellent clearcoat paint, chrome and interior. The engine compartment and chassis are like new. A 2013 Cavallino Classic Platinum Award winner. 50,959 miles from new and still in excellent, like new, condition but not in its original colors of Grigio Fumo over Bleu Pelle. – Closed post-block at this result, which is a magnanimous value for the new owner and not at all a good sign for owners of similar Ferraris. It is impossible to fault this 330 GTS’s condition, its limited mileage, its judging history or its documentation and it could have brought nearly 50% more on the hammer without critiquing its sale result. These are not tea leaves any 330 GTS owner wants to read.

Lot # 154 1952 Siata 300BC Barchetta, Body by Bertone; S/N ST427BC; Red/Black leatherette; Black cloth top; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $151,786 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $170,000. – 1,100cc Fiat engine modified with dual Weber downdraft carburetors, Abarth intake manifold, tube headers, fuel cell, dual aeroscreens, woodrim steering wheel, outside quick release fuel filler, dual outside mirrors, silver painted wire wheels. – Restored for Bob Valpey in the early 90’s. Very good cosmetics. Neat, tidy engine compartment and chassis with some age. One small paint defect on the driver’s door. Good chrome. Surprisingly complete and very presentable after a long competition career in New England but the Fiat engine replaces the original Cisitalia unit. – This is a sweet, comfortable, lithe little car wrapped in perhaps the best barchetta body Bertone ever did. Although the original Cisitalia-spec engine would be more interesting (and valuable) the Fiat engine that’s in it is hardly an issue and it brought a realistic price here in this post-block closed transaction.

Lot # 155 1963 Jaguar XKE SI 3.8 Roadster; S/N 878960; Engine # R99829; Red/Black leather; Gray cloth top; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $78,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $87,360. – Chrome wire wheels, dual mirrors, woodrim steering wheel, Clarion AM/FM stereo. – Originally a Silver Blue car, restored in the early 2000s. Numbers matching. Dirt behind the headlight covers. Good older chrome. Good older paint with a few flaws around the panel edges. Good, lightly worn restored interior. A straightforward older restored SI. – While older and showing age, this is not at all a bad car, despite what this low price might suggest. It hammered not sold at Mecum Glendale last year at a $120,000 high bid, a more realistic number that should have been taken.

Lot # 156 1968 Marcos 1500GT Coupe; S/N 5134; Silver/Black; Estimate $50,000 – $60,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $33,600. – 1498cc/85hp Ford Kent engine, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, sunroof, woodrim steering wheel, wood dash, Becker Europa stereo, woodrim steering wheel. – One of eight 1500s delivered to the US and one of only four or five remaining. Some cracks and blemishes in the painted bumperettes. Decent paint. Imperfect panel fit, resulting in the door scraping against the window frame, but the panel fit was probably bad from the factory anyway. Excellent restored interior. Fresh and gorgeous underneath. Fully restored to like-new condition and it must be one of the best Marcoses of any kind on this side of the pond. Marcos (a portmanteau of founders Gem Marsh and Frank Costin’s last names) built some alarmingly ugly cars, but the GT is a stunner. – In those days before carbon fiber, Marcos employed a bonded plywood chassis to keep weight down. The company later switched to steel frames, but Marcos enthusiasts (there are a few out there) prefer these early wood-chassis wonders. And despite the GT’s diminutive size and low height, a tall guy can fit inside and work the pedals. Four-cylinder Marcos GTs are more often seen with 1600cc Ford engines or with Volvo 1800s, but this one’s 1500 still give plenty of grunt and it has had plenty of money spent on it where it counts. It could have sold for more on account of how rare and distinctive it is, but obscure cars don’t always attract a ton of attention. This is a modest but fair result.

Lot # 157 1976 Porsche 911S Coupe; S/N 9116201094; Black/Black; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $86,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $96,320. – 2687/175hp, 5-speed, Fuchs wheels, Pirelli tires, sunroof, Blaupunkt radio. – Represented with one owner from new and 11,562 actual miles. Clean and maintained engine bay. Small scratch on the mirror. Very good paint, claimed to be original, but the hood looks resprayed. New wheels and tires, but the originals are included. Very good interior with barely any wear on the seats. A remarkably well-kept car. – It’s one thing to see a 930 or some other rare-spec 911 with this kind of pampering, but 1974-77 series 911s were the cheap way to get into a 911 for years and most got used up years ago. This has to be one of the best ones in the country and it is largely original. That goes most of the way in explaining this stupefying price, but not quite. It is well over twice what other excellent-condition 911s of this vintage often command and it even soared past Bonhams’ $80,000 presale high estimate.

Lot # 158 1988 Aston Martin V8 Volante Convertible; S/N SCFCV81C2JTL15650; White/Oxblood leather piped in White; Black vinyl top; Estimate $170,000 – $210,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $140,000. – 5340/309hp, automatic, BBS wheels, Goodyear Eagle tires, later Alpine stereo, wood dash and console trim, power windows, air conditioning, dash clock. – Showing 11,198 miles. Out of a museum collection. Well-kept original paint. The plastic bumpers are a bit dull and faded. The exhaust pipes are a little discolored but the underbody is remarkably clean. Tight-fitting, smooth soft top. Good interior other than light wear on the outer driver’s seat bolster. A used V8, but mostly pampered and in the most desirable body style. – RM sold this Volante here at Amelia in 2009 for $49,500, a price appropriate at the time but appreciation for the marque has increased since then. “Museum” isn’t always a positive attribute, however, as sitting around on display for years wreaks its own kind of vengeance on automobiles. The bid it brought reflects a certain, and appropriate, kind of reticence.

Lot # 159 1907 Renault Type AI 35/45HP Vanderbilt Racer Runabout; S/N 8938; Engine # 225; Red/Black leather; Estimate -; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,025,000 plus commission of 10.17%; Final Price $3,332,500. – RHD. 7.5 litre/65hp inline four, progressive shift 4-speed transmission, varnished wood spoke wheels, Firestone tires, dual rear-mounted spares, Warner speedometer, no headlights or fenders. – One of about ten built for Willy K. Vanderbilt and his well-heeled friends to scare chickens and sheep on Long Island’s Motor Parkway and race in early American events. Possibly driven by Louis Raffolovitch in the Brighton (Brooklyn) 24 hours in 1907. Discovered by singer/collector James Melton in 1946, sold to Cunningham driver Bill Spear, Jr. then acquired for the Indianapolis Speedway Hall of Fame Museum for more than 60 years before being acquired by the consignor. Toured and vintage raced since, cosmetically freshened before the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours where it won the Pre-War Racing class, the Phil Hill Trophy and the Revs Institute Award. Sound older paint with touched up scrapes and scratches. Good recent upholstery (original upholstery included.) Dulling brass. Orderly, clean engine and chassis. Excellent running and driving with an impeccable provenance. – Almost a modern “front mid-engined” layout with the gigantic 4-cylinder and gearbox placed far back in the chassis and said to drive and handle exceptionally well (but note there’s no mention of “brakes” in that observation.) An exceptionally complete and well-preserved example in condition good enough to show (q.v.: Pebble Beach) but not so good it can’t, or shouldn’t, be driven. It was bought by Donald (“Assess and Caress”) Osborne on behalf of the Audrain Automobile Museum in Newport, Rhode Island where it will fit smoothly into the Newport milieu among the cottages of the Vanderbilts and their contemporaries. It couldn’t be in a better place, nor one where it will be more frequently viewed and experienced.

Lot # 160 1960 Jaguar XK 150 3.8L Fixed Head Coupe; S/N S847017; Engine # VA21628; Cotswold Blue/Black leather; Estimate $80,000 – $110,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $71,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $79,520. – 3781/220hp, chrome wire wheels, Coker whitewalls, dual wing mirrors, Lucas driving lights, Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel, books and tools, JDHT documented. – Represented as the matching numbers engine. Very good paint and chrome. The gaps on the doors are a little uneven. Very clean underneath with new exhaust. The driver’s seat is a little flat but the interior is otherwise excellent. Restored within the past few years, lovely colors and a rare configuration. – Not the greatest XK 150 FHC in the world, but far better than just good enough, and equipped with the more powerful 220hp 3.8 litre engine for better (but not XK 150 S class) performance, this car brought an entirely appropriate result that both the buyer and the seller should find fair.

Lot # 164 1909 Cadillac Model 30 Demi-Tonneau; S/N 17016; Engine # 37621; Royal Blue, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $60,000 – $70,000; Older restoration, 4+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $56,000. – RHD. 226/30 ALAM hp 4-cylinder, 3-speed, Gray & Davis Cadillac script acetylene headlights, kerosene sidelights and taillight, Standard speedometer, folded trumpet bulb horn, folding windshield, Prest-o-Lite tank, electric starter and high ratio axle added. – Generally sound but edge chipped and cracking old paint. Surface cracked but usable old upholstery. The engine and chassis are old and used. Aged but complete and more than usable as-is. The copper water-jacketed engine under the hood is gorgeous. – One of the more important automobiles of the 20th century’s first decade, accelerating Cadillac’s importance as a major manufacturer with a single-model policy. 17016 was offered by Bonhams at Amelia in 2016 where it was reported bid to $49,500, essentially identical to the $50,000 successful bid here, a fair price for an old Cadillac with patina and potential.

Lot # 165 1886 Benz Replica Patent Motorwagen Motor Buggy; S/N MBCC052; Black/Black leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Factory rebody, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $42,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $47,040. – Lefthand tiller steering, solid rubber tires, double chain drive. – Mercedes-Benz Classic Center replica, barely if at all used but aging and in need of some attention as well as a few miles. Featured in Road & Track October 2109. Gerhard Schnuerer collection. – This is a representative result, albeit at the low end of the range, for a MBCC Patent Motorwagen replica.

Lot # 171 1911 Benz 50hp Victoria, Body by Demarest; S/N 7754; Engine # 7754; Blue, Grey chassis and wood spoke wheels/Black leather; Black leather top; Estimate $400,000 – $500,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $280,000. – RHD. 449/50 ALAM hp T-head 4-cylinder, 4-speed, Gray & Davis acetylene headlights, Klaxonette bulb/electric horn, Jones speedometer and clock, patent leather frame skirts – A U.S. export model bodied in New York by A.T. Demarest for Charles Melville Hays, president of the Grand Trunk Railway. After his death on the Titanic in 1912 it was left to its chauffeur, Elijah Gray who retained it until 1968. After restoration in the 80’s it was owned by celebrity bandleader Don Ricardo. Re-restored in 2016, 3rd in class at Pebble Beach. Believed to be sole surviving 50hp Benz and with handsome U.S. coachwork. 1977 AACA National First Prize. Excellent recent paint and top, good older upholstery. Uniformly bright brass. An excellent old restoration with fresh cosmetics. Gerhard Schnuerer collection. – Dealing with the “sole surviving” anything, let alone a 1911 50hp Benz, is fraught with speculation and inference. Nonetheless this is a big, powerful T-head automobile with distinctive and rare American open coachwork. It’s also in very good condition and reasonably could expect to bring more than the reported high bid.

Lot # 174 1918 Opel 14/38 PS Double Phaeton; S/N 13231; Engine # 43695; Maroon, Black fenders/Black leather; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $90,000. – RHD. 3,308cc/38hp inline four, 4-speed, shaft drive, body color wood spoke wheels, Dunlop tires, dual right side spares, bulb horn and electric horn, Bosch headlights. – Represented as the original coachwork. Mediocre old paint with dust inclusions but free of chips except around the hood. Brush painted black windshield frame and chassis. Orderly chassis and engine compartment. Restored to touring standards with some subsequent use. Gerhard Schnuerer collection. – Rare, but the cosmetic presentation has many flaws. With its vee radiator, windscreen and handsome open bodywork it will attract serious attention wherever it goes. It is so unusual that it needs a special new keeper who was conspicuously absent here at Amelia.

Lot # 177 1897 Benz 10hp Contra-Motor Mylord Coupe; S/N Engine No. 74; Engine # 74; Dark Green, Black leather mudguards/Black leather; Black leather top; Estimate $500,000 – $750,000; Rebodied or re-created, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $310,000. – 2,690cc/10hp “Contra-Motor” opposed 2-cylinder, 3-speed planetary transmission, double chain drive, lefthand drive, wheel steering, varnished wood wheels, solid rubber tires, sliding division window, nickel brightwork, candle sidelights, bulb horn, folding top. – One of only two known surviving Mylord Coupes on the Contra-Motor chassis, the other being in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Reproduction bodywork based upon an original engine and chassis, restored in the U.S. by Allan Schmidt for Willis Boyd, shown at Pebble Beach in 1989. Guest participant in the LBVCR in 2008 carrying Jutta Benz, great-granddaughter of Karl and Bertha Benz. An older restoration but obviously cherished and well-maintained. Oily engine and chassis. Gerhard Schneurer Collection. – Surely the most unusual and distinctive automobile of the Amelia week auctions, but it’s a re-creation based on only a few, but important, parts. A marvelous thing and it must have cost a fortune to create but as marvelous as it is, it isn’t what it wants to be, a fact that affected bidders’ willingness to take the big step necessary to own it, at least today.

Lot # 180 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster; S/N 1980428500284; Engine # 1989808500283; Fire Brigade Red/Tan leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $900,000 – $1,100,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $930,000 plus commission of 10.54%; Final Price $1,028,000. – Polished rim wheels with Red centers, hubcaps, Dunlop D8 tires, Euro headlights, Becker Mexico radio. – Represented as the original engine and transmission. The course opening car at the 2015 Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance driven by Sir Stirling Moss and his wife Lady Susie, glovebox signed by the racing legend. Sound older polishing swirled paint. Good interior. Clean chassis and engine compartment Very good chrome. Not super fresh but done to high standards and consistently maintained. Gerhard Schneurer collection. – Appropriately estimated and appropriately acquired in this transaction, the Sir Stirling Moss connection is an added bonus given his history as the winner of the Mille Miglia in the original 300SL in 1955.

Lot # 185 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K 4-Passenger Tourer, Body by Mayfair; S/N 123689; Engine # 123689; Dark Green/Parchment leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $600,000 – $800,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $325,000 plus commission of 11.54%; Final Price $362,500. – RHD. 5,019cc/140/160hpChrome wire wheels, 17-inch Michelin tires, dual Raydyot spotlights, dip beam light, outside exhaust headpipes, dual rear-mounted spares. – Unusual Mayfair alloy 4-seat body with un-Teutonic checkmark-shaped door dips. Originally delivered to the UK as a rolling chassis for Sir Everard Talbot Scarisbrick, 2nd Baronet and 30th Lord of Scarisbrick. It had this body at least by 1939. Later owned in the U.S. by Paul and Barbara Karassik, later yet by Bill Lassiter. Represented as matching numbers chassis and engine. Sound older paint, upholstery and chrome. Everything is aged and polishing scuffed but still highly presentable. The chassis and engine are orderly and clean. – Quite unusual is an understatement, and barely recognizable with this Mayfair coachwork as a 500K, which may account for the parsimonious bid that it brought. At this price it is a great value if not a bargain and could have brought much more without being expensive.

Lot # 186 1910 White Model 0-0 Steam 5-Passenger Touring; S/N 10347; Engine # 1070; White, Black/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 4 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $71,429 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $80,000. – RHD. 2-cylinder compound steam engine, 2-speed transaxle, nickel brightwork, Solar acetylene headlights, kerosene sidelights and taillight, folded trumpet bulb horn, single right side spare. – Believed to be the final surviving White steamer. Poor quality old paint over rust pits on the rear fenders. Crude brush chip touchups. Some replaced upholstery, other poor repairs to some original trim. Newer top. Highly original but the catalog notes it was “as purchased [by the present owner]… in ready to use order.” Today it needs everything. – The new owner is taking on an ultimately rewarding steam car project, but one that has many and manifest needs, not least that it is uncertain when the boiler last built significant pressure. The bidders were understandably reluctant to commit to big numbers and this post-block negotiated sale is a reasonable compromise.

Lot # 187 1907 American Underslung 50/60hp Roadster; S/N Engine No. 1402; Engine # 1402; Dark Red, Black accents/Black leather; No top; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,800,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,200,000. – RHD. 477/50 ALAM hp T-head 4-cylinder, 4-speed, Warner drum speedometer, folded trumpet bulb horn, Solar acetylene headlights, leather covered trunk behind the seats, single rear-mounted spare, body color wood spoke wheels, 36-inch Silvertown tires, Solar acetylene generator. – The F.C. Deemer “Honeymoon Roadster”. Burned in a garage fire in 1908 and stored by the original owner and his sons until restoration by Walter Seeley in 1968 along with a 1908 Roadster. Bought by Dick Teague in 1971, then by William Haines in 1986. A quality recently freshened restoration showing its age but sound and presentable as is.1968 AACA National First Prize winner and looks about that old. Sound but cracked, shrinking and chipped old paint. Repaired old upholstery. Aging brass. Mechanical work at specialists Holman Engineering including gearbox and rear axle overhauls, new wheels and brake drums (old wheels included). A sound old restoration with recent servicing of a marvelous old car that’s more than good enough to be toured with happiness and satisfaction. – Sold by RM at Meadow Brook in 2004 for $407,000, then by Bonhams at the Simeone Museum (where another American Underslung 50/60hp occupies pride of place just inside the entrance as the example of the first American sports car) for $1,430,000. Even with a faltering market for collector cars this American Underslung with its recent work is worth as much today as it was in Philadelphia a little over five years ago. It is magnificent.

Lot # 190 1903 Thomas Model 18 Rear Entrance Tonneau; S/N N/A; Red, Black accents/Black leather; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration, 1- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $80,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $89,600. – RHD. 106/8 ALAM hp single, 3-speed, chain drive, wheel steering, white tires, Solar self-generating acetylene headlight, Dietz kerosene sidelights, kerosene taillight. – Very good older paint and upholstery. Sharp, fresh chassis and lightly oil misted engine. The brass trim around the upholstery is loose and fits poorly. Most of the brass is good but the headlight and both front wheel hubs are curiously tarnished. A fine old restoration that’s starting to age, but is barely used. Not VCC dated. Harold Coker estate. – The checkered history of this car, remembered but not documented as once fitted by Thomas with a more powerful 2-cylinder Buick engine but now returned to a reproduction Thomas single-cylinder engine, weighs heavily upon its originality and its potential VCC dating for eligibility for the LBVCR. The result here thoughtfully reflects those concerns while also giving full value to its slightly aged but still magnificent restoration.

Lot # 191 1910 Thomas Model M 6-40 Flyabout; S/N Engine No. M79; Engine # M79; Green, Light Green chassis, Cream accents/Caramel leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Rebodied or re-created, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $112,000. – RHD. 440/64hp inline six, 3-speed, Solar acetylene headlights, kerosene sidelights and taillight, Prest-o-Lite acetylene tank, Warner speedometer, 3/4 elliptical rear springs, Rubes bulb horn, dual right side spares, Light Green wood spoke wheels, 37-inch Michelin tires, Hartford friction shocks. – Built up from parts for Harold Coker including an original 6-40 engine. 1993 AACA National First Prize. The paint and upholstery are recent but the chassis is older and oily. The engine compartment is aged with fluid seepage. The brass is aged and wants attention. A fine, big, powerful car but always with an asterisk. Estate of Harold Coker. – It is a marvelous automobile, but it’s a bitsa with reproduction coachwork and the price it brought here at Amelia reflects its origins. Is it better than five Model Ts? It is by a long shot, and will get down the highway with surprising alacrity. Will it ever grace the lawn at Pebble Beach? Never.

Lot # 195 1968 Porsche 911S Coupe; S/N 11800561; Engine # 4080688; Polo Red/Black; Estimate $110,000 – $130,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $87,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $97,440. – Fuchs wheels, Pirelli P6000 tires, gold brightwork, Blaupunkt radio, tools, owners’ manual. – French market car. Represented as matching numbers. The 1990s repaint has a good shine to it and no major blemishes, but also visible orange peel. Tired-looking, scratched wheels. Tidy underneath but never fully restored. Lightly scratched window frames. Decent seats, but the dash and gauges look tired and there is some wear on the driver’s door panel. A desirable early S let down just a little bit by only a few cosmetic shortcomings. – Sold for $86,580 at Quail Lodge 2008, and hammered not sold at a $90,000 high bid at Bonhams Scottsdale 2013. Much has happened in the classic 911 market since then, more than this modest price would suggest. Bonhams’ $110,000 low estimate seemed reasonable, but it crossed the block at no reserve to a result that is seriously favorable to the buyer.

Lot # 196 1962 Chevrolet Corvette FI Convertible; S/N 20867S106224; Engine # 2196224F0II8RF; Roman Red/Red; Red top; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $61,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $68,320. – 327/340hp, 4-speed, hub caps, Kumho tires, hardtop, WonderBar radio. – Ex-David E. Davis of Car and Drive and Automobile magazines. Represented as numbers matching. Lightly scratched bumpers. Good paint and glass, including on the hardtop. Older restored underneath. Straightforward, lightly aged older restoration, and very red. – Sold at RM Meadow Brook 2008 for $69,300, at Gooding Amelia Island in 2010 for $79,200 and at Bonhams Scottsdale 2013 for $86,250. The result here is driver-quality money but it bought a better car than that. One of the few serious bargains in Amelia this year.

Lot # 197 1974 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 07658; Red, Matte Black roof panel/Black leatherette; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $240,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $268,800. – Cromodora alloy wheels, Pirelli P4000 tires, Daytona style seats, power windows, Nakamichi CD stereo. – Oldenburg Family Collection. Sound paint, chrome and interior. The chassis and engine compartment are aged and used. A quality cosmetically restored Dino, – It’s impossible to fault this cosmetically restored 246 GTS, not because it’s wonderful and beyond perfect but because it’s honest and well-maintained. The result recognizes its quality and reassuring history, although the color is not the original Rosso Bordeaux; at least the interior leatherette is not tan.

Lot # 198 1933 MG J2 Midget Two-Seater; S/N J2932; Engine # 1752 AJ72; Dark Red, Black fenders/Dark Red leatherette; Black cloth top; Estimate $50,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $28,000. – RHD. 847cc/36hp sohc 4-cylinder, 4-speed, black wire wheels, Dunlop tires, folding windshield, single aeroscreen, 4-spoke banjo steering wheel, cycle fenders. – Tired, scratched, chipped old paint. Sound newer upholstery, old top. Broken speedometer needle. Road dirty chassis and engine. A good basis for a straightforward restoration. Oldenburg Family collection. – A pre-WWII J2 Midget for post-WWII TC money is a sound value even if it needs work (none of which is especially demanding for this example.) Someone is going to have a great time with this J2 including the volunteer inspector taking a close look at the engine [see photograph.]

Lot # 199 1945 MG TC Roadster; S/N TC0275; Engine # 719; British Racing Green, Black fenders/Tan; Tan cloth top; Estimate $22,000 – $28,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $20,160. – Painted wire wheels, Firestone tires, single driving light, Jaeger gauges, rear-mounted spare. – Very early postwar build date. Restored in the mid-2000s. Fully redone underneath with light general road wear. Presentable paint other than very light orange peel on the hood and blistering on the fenders. Clean, tight-fitting top, but there are a few smudges. Clean interior, fully redone other than a tired-looking steering wheel. Seminal British sports car, restored a while ago to appropriate standards for its value and enjoyed regularly like it was built to be. – This is a much better car than the price suggests. It can’t be in all that much worse shape than it was in 2006, when it sold for $34,100 at RM Monterey. TCs are the most desirable and expensive MGs in the T-Series family, so this is a remarkable bargain for the new owner.

Lot # 200 1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II BJ7 Convertible; S/N HBJ7L22747; Engine # 3659; Ice Blue Metallic, Old English White/Blue vinyl; Blue piped in White top; Estimate $55,000 – $70,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $56,000. – 2912/134hp, 4-speed, chrome wire wheels, Vredestein tires, Lucas driving lights, badge bar, Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob. – Remarkable paint and chrome. Clean, tight soft top. Very good interior. Dull rubber on the shifter boot is the only real sign of age in there. Light road wear underneath. A lovely Big Healey in arguably the best colors. – Not much is going on in the Healey market, with prices tracking straight for good ones and flawed cars struggling to find new homes. This one was traded around fifteen years ago, reported sold at RM Boca Raton in 2005 for $57,780, for $54,450 at Russo and Steele Monterey a few months later and for $58,300 at Auburn Fall the same year. Healeys have been up, and down, since them and the result here is soft but still appropriate for the car’s condition.

Lot # 203 1968 McLaren M6B Sports Racer; S/N M6B50; Engine # LG500271; Papaya Orange/Black vinyl; Estimate $250,000 – $300,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $200,000. – 6-litre Chevrolet/525hp, MacKay fuel injection, Vertex magneto, 4-spoke bolt-on alloy wheels, Avon tires. – Uh, quite a history. A spare tub owned by Dick Brown, passed through Gordon Barrett with some parts to Bill Kasmer who finished it as a coupe and sold it to Rex Ramsey who raced it at Sebring in 1980. Next rebodied in the present form with bodywork from the original McLaren supplier, Specialised Mouldings. Later restored in the 90’s and vintage raced. The most recent tech sticker found is 2016. Good paint with orange bedliner painted nose and stone chips on the rest of the nose and front fenders. Clean and orderly engine and chassis. – Colorful and powerful, but built from bits with a modestly powerful modern engine, no one in the Amelia marquee was confused about this. It’s a built-up car with fabulous potential for historic racing enjoyment but essentially an endorphin-producing toy.

Lot # 210 1902 Oldsmobile Model R Curved Dash Runabout; S/N Engine No. 7883; Engine # 7883; Black/Black leather; Estimate $40,000 – $65,000; Older restoration, 4+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $46,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $51,520. – RHD. Tiller steering, stainless steel spoke wire wheels, fat modern tires, removable rear seat. – Largely known history from new, owned since 1977 by Gary Hoonsbeen, longtime editor of the Single Cylinder Oldsmobile newsletter. Re-created the 1903 cross-country Oldsmobile trip in 1985. Cracked old paint, stiff upholstery, orderly but aged chassis and engine. Old but usable as is. Estate of Gary Hoonsbeen. – Owned, restored and used by a Curved Dash expert, this is a superior price for a well-documented car with encouraging provenance.

Lot # 211 1908 Stanley Steamer 10HP EX Runabout; S/N 4108; Dark Green, Black fenders, Yellow chassis/Black leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Incomplete restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $31,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $34,720. – RHD. Rushmore acetylene headlights, E&J kerosene sidelights, nickel Neverout kerosene Safety Light. – Sound older paint, brass and newer upholstery. Dull, spotted brass. Old, neglected and complete, a car that needs plenty of attention but will reward it, an incomplete restoration that hasn’t steamed up yet. Estate of Gary Hoonsbeen. – Let this be a lesson to all us old guys. Gary Hoonsbeen worked on this restoration for six years and never steamed it up even though he thought it was ready to run. We are not immortal, guys (and girls). Finish the project. Get it running. Only then perfect the details, or your $60,000 but unproven car will sell on a hammer bid of $31,000.

Lot # 212 1990 Ferrari Mondial t 2+2 Cabriolet; S/N ZFFFK33A1L0086306; White/White leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $26,880. – 3405/300hp, 5-speed, Pirelli tires, aftermarket radio head unit. – Delivered new in Miami, hence the drug dealer colors. Showing 17,929 miles and represented with a service history. A few chips and touch ups on the nose. Lightly worn soft top. Light scrape on the left front wheel. Wrinkling and discoloration on the seats. Dull weather stripping. A decent used Ferrari. Certainly not perfect, but there are much worse Mondials out there. – The fourth and final version of the underappreciated Mondial series is the Mondial t (the “t” representing its new transverse gearbox arrangement) that arrived in 1989. With a larger 3.4-liter engine it is more powerful than the earlier 3.0- and 3.2-liter Mondials, and it is naturally the most valuable of the series. Even so, they’re still cheap to buy by Ferrari standards and this price, while modest, isn’t a surprise. It is, however, a notable value and the new owner should be pleased with the Mondial t and the price paid for it.

Lot # 217 1985 Citroen 2CV 6 Charleston 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N N/A; Burgundy, Black/Gray; Black top; Estimate $12,000 – $18,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $20,160. – Hub caps. – No chassis number provided. One owner and 4,592 original miles. There is light general dullness to the paint and brightwork, particularly on the headlights and door handles, but there are no major blemishes. The retractable top is clean and straight. The cloth seats are a little wrinkled and dirty. Oxidation underneath with surface rust on the exhaust. 2CVs are fun little cars and these two-tone Charleston models are particularly attractive. This one isn’t perfect, but it has low miles and plenty of life left in it. – The enduring charm of Citroen’s 2CV is evident in its longevity through a period of epic automotive development. It was introduced in 1949 as an inexpensive and expedient mode of transportation during the dire days following WWII, but it continued, albeit with constant development, until 1988 in France, and 1990 in Portugal. The charm factor of the two-tone paint and the delightful weirdness of all 2CVs overcame the wear and tear as well as the fact that this was the last car of the sale. It’s a very strong although not exorbitant price.

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  1. Reply

    Hi Rick, I continue to enjoy your auction reports; frankly, there’s nothing like them on the web.

    RE: Lot # 132, the 1929 Petersen 4 1/2-Litre “Barclay Blower” Tourer: in the year 2000, I participated in Rich & Jean Taylor’s New England 1000 vintage car rally. Dean & Wendy Edmonds were also on that rally, driving this car! This was the early days of the NE1000, when ALL the cars were “old”, unlike today, when folks cruise in high-speed air-conditioned comfort in their new Ferraris and Porsches, while claiming that they are “rallying”. But I digress.

    Dean was the perfect example of what we found so thrilling: someone with an old car who was willing to drive it in all kinds of conditions (I was unaware at the time that the car was a bitsa). I have photos of Dean whipping this thing around on a gymkhana track!

    Thanks for jogging my memory about it.

    Best regards, Richard Reina

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