I finally got and compiled the final results for Bonhams Amelia. They’re nothing to write home about with a sale total of $6.7 million and a 65.8% sale rate. The 27 lots that didn’t sell brought hammer bids of $8.1 million
The top sale, however, was a marvelous reconstruction of the 15-litre 1904 Napier L48 Land Speed Record car built around the surviving original engine and from archived original Napier drawings of the car. It sold for $742,000 all-in and on the London-Brighton Veteran Car Run will demolish most of its competition.
Here are Bonhams numbers:
| Year | Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Sold < Low Est | Sold > High Est | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ |
| 2024 | 52/79 | 65.8% | 80.8% | 9.6% | $129,722 | $84,000
[64.9%] |
$6,728,722 |
| 2023 | 80/102 | 78.4% | 62.5% | 11.3% | $160,463 | $84,000
[52.4%] |
$12,837,040 |
| 2022 | 74/84 | 88.1% | 67.6% | 6.8% | $194,515 | $67,200
[34.6%] |
$14,394,110 |
More to the point, however, I’ve now pulled together results for all three Amelia Island auctions and the RM Sotheby’s ModaMiami auction in Coral Gables. Here’s how the four that used to be in Amelia stacked up in 2024:
| Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Sold < Low Est | Sold > High Est | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ |
| Bonhams, Amelia Island, February 29, 2024 (1 day) | ||||||
| 52/79 | 65.8% | 80.8% | 9.6% | $139,399 | $84,000
[64.9%] |
$6,728,722 |
| Gooding, Amelia Island Plantation, March 1, 2024 (2 days) | ||||||
| 107/126 | 84.9% | 67.9% | 12.3% | $627,132 | $190,400
[30.4%] |
$67,103,150 |
| Broad Arrow, Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island, March 2, 2024 (2 days) | ||||||
| 131/149 | 87.9% | 53.7% | 6.7% | $416,535 | $142,500
[34.2%] |
$54,566,031 |
| RM Sotheby’s, Biltmore, Coral Gables, March 2, 2024 (2 days) | ||||||
| 92/117 | 78.6% | 67.4% | 6.5% | $533,802 | $240,800
[45.1%] |
$49,109,800 |
| Total over 3 days and 7 selling sessions | ||||||
| 382/471 | 81.1% | 67.8% | 23.3% | $376,874 | $145,000
[38.5%] |
$177,507,703 |
A few things are striking:
- There were four Lexus LFAs, in recent years the hottest thing among recent Japanese supercars, but only one of them sold bringing a successful hammer bid $90,000 under its low estimate
- There were two McLaren P1s, neither sold and,
- The week’s top sale was a 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 60hp with single family ownership from new
- 84 of the 471 lots on offer were built before the U.S. entry into WWII
Collectors are not losing sight of what makes great cars great.
I was in Miami for RM Sotheby’s countervailing auction and ModaMiami Concours d’Elegance. Andrew Newton and Greg Ingold attended and wrote up these cars
Lot # 6 1978 Porsche 928 Coupe; S/N 9288201012; Oak Green Metallic,/Tan leather, Pasha cloth inserts; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $32,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $35,840. – 4,474/219hp, 5-speed, phone dial wheels, Yokohama tires, Halogen headlights, Pasha interior, power windows, Sony cassette. – Sold new in Canada and showing 177,544 km (110,321 miles) but supposedly has had refurbishment work recently including a repaint in the original color, a replacement 5-speed, engine service, refinished wheels, and refurbished seat bolsters. Well-kept paint. Clean wheels and newer tires. Mild cracking in the dash top and pillar trim. The interior is original, showing wear and mild discoloration. Certainly no show car, but Oak Green over Pasha should get Porsche nerds very excited.
– Or, perhaps not. Barrett-Jackson sold this car two years ago for $38,500, driver money at the time, and it wasn’t rewarded in Amelia even at a more Porsche-centric sale. The buyer here paid market price for a driver-quality 928 but the bonus is that it’s more distinctive than most.
Lot # 7 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Soft Top 4×4; S/N FJ40271607; Olive,/Saddle vinyl; Beige vinyl top; Estimate $100,000 – $140,000; Modified restoration 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $65,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $72,800. – 4,230/135hp 2F six, 5-speed, All Terrain T/A tires, added air conditioning, fog lights, Old Man Emu suspension, power steering, front disc brakes. – Restored by The FJ Company. Very good paint. Perfect top. Fresh wheels and chassis. Beautiful interior. Better than new. – And, deservedly, it brought top dollar for a soft top FJ that was reported bid to $90,000 at RM Ft. Lauderdale two years ago. This Land Cruiser stood out among the scruffier offerings at Bonhams Amelia and was appropriately rewarded for it even though it ended up way short of its pre-sale estimate range, a fail that was common in Amelia..
Lot # 15 1963 Daimler SP250 Dart Convertible; S/N 100929; Blue,/Cream; Cream top; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Enthusiast restoration 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $30,240. – 2,548/142hp, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, store brand tires, boot cover. – Different engine fitted but the original one is included. Good paint at first glance, but there are a few large blisters and some crazing on the front of the car. Tired chrome and brightwork. The wheels are dirty and the tires look very old. Good, lightly worn interior. Dirty underneath. A barely driver quality example of Daimler’s oddball sports car. – Bonhams sold this car at the Audrain Concours sale in 2022 for a similar, and similarly appropriate, $31,360. The SP250 (called the Dart in its home market, but Chrysler objected to using that name over here) is distinctive, relatively rare and reasonably quick for the period, but also a bit of an odd duck and values for drivers like this example are likely to remain reasonable.
Lot # 20 1937 Packard Twelve-Series 1507 Coupe; S/N 1038214; Engine # 905963; Black, Red coachlines/Green leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $180,000 – $200,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $150,000 plus commission of; Final Price $150,000. – 473/175hp, 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, BFG Silvertown blackwall tires, dual enclosed sidemount spares with wheels, Goddess of Speed mascot, banjo steering wheel, dash clock, golf bag door, rear luggage rack, heater. – Correct replacement engine. Older paint with several scratches and touch ups. Good chrome. Very light wrinkling to the leather, a few scratches on the interior wood and light age to the steering wheel, but the interior presents quite well. An aging older restoration, but still a cool and sinister-looking choice for rallies and other driving events. [This is different from the car in the Bonhams printed catalog.] – This 12-cylinder Packard has popped up at auction several times over the years, selling at Meadow Brook in 2005 for $83,600, and at Meadow Brook in 2008 for $110,000. It listed on Bring a Trailer (an odd venue for a car like this) in 2022 but was a no-sale at a $182,037 high bid. It was a $170,000 no-sale at a Worldwide auction last spring and finally sold for $160,500 on Hagerty Marketplace last December. Why it’s hitting the market again just a few months later isn’t clear, but this is a classy, usable Packard that deserves an owner who will actually drive and enjoy it. The offer here is not unreasonable although after auction fees and transportation a few months ownership would cost a pretty penny at the reported high bid. [In the printed catalogue this was a Coupe Roadster and the bidders may have been disappointed to find a Stationery Coupe for their delectation.]
Lot # 26 1961 Morgan Plus 4 Super Sports Roadster; S/N 5020; Engine # TS82252; Black,/Red leather; Black top; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $100,800. – Lawrence Tune TR3 1,991/135hp with dual Webers, 4-speed, burgundy wire wheels, Continental tires, Girling front disc brakes, badge bar, rear-mounted spare, banjo steering wheel, wind wings. – Represented as the 15th of 104 built. Sold new in NYC. Restored by specialists in the 2000s. Good paint that’s showing its age and use a bit. Lovely interior with very light wear on the driver’s side. Clean underneath. An ultimate spec Classic Morgan that should get Morgan people excited, should there be any in the bidder seats. Also, surely faster than it looks. – The Plus 4 Super Sports was a factory-tuned model with a warmed over engine fed by dual Webers, aluminum body panels for a nearly 200-pound drop in weight, and Girling front disc brakes. After building 100 for homologation purposes, Morgan scored class wins at Sebring, Spa, and Le Mans. The result for this one is appropriate for the model, but considering its status as a homologation special for a winning racer, it’s also remarkable value for money.
Lot # 27 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ-1 Coupe, Body by Zagato; S/N AR1012600033; Engine # AR0054800033; Red,/Red piped in Black; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Competition restoration 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $290,000 plus commission of; Final Price $290,000. – Later 1,779/120hp, 40DCOE Webers, 5-speed, alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, roll bar, leather-wrapped steering wheel. – Originally finished in gray. Fitted with a 1750 GTV engine some time in the 1960s or 1970s. Fair, dull paint with crazing, chips and runs. Scratches and light cracking in the side and rear windows. Exterior trim doesn’t fit flush. Old wheels. Cloudy gauges and aged switchgear. A rare, neat Alfa with some period race history in Italy. In current condition it’s more suited to the race track or rally circuit than the show field. – This car received a $390,000 high bid at Gooding Scottsdale in 2020 but stayed unsold. It was a generous bid for the undistinguished racing history, swapped engine and neglected condition of this SZ-1, and with this bid as a reference, a missed opportunity if it has stayed with the same owner these past four years.
Lot # 33P 2004 Porsche Carrera GT Targa; S/N WP0CA29804L001099; GT Silver Metallic,/Terracotta leather; Estimate $1,425,000 – $1,550,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,300,000 plus commission of; Final Price $1,300,000. – 5,733/605hp V-10, 6-speed, yellow calipers, Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, centerlock alloy wheels, fitted luggage, air conditioning, original documentation. – 4,700 miles from new but looks like a car with a tenth of that. – Carrera GTs had a massive runup from 2021-22, but they’re down from their pandemic peak, and the reported high bid was right-on for the condition, colors and mileage relative to other recent Carrera GT results. It could have sold.
Lot # 36 1988 Aston Martin V8 Coupe; S/N SCFCV81C7JTL15644; Engine # V5855644LFA; Dark Gray Metallic,/Tan leather; Black top; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Unrestored original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $390,000 plus commission of; Final Price $390,000. – 7.0/432hp, automatic, alloy wheels, black leather boot cover, wood interior trim, black Nardi woodrim steering wheel, power windows, Becker stereo. – Desirable US spec, LHD model, although the speedo is in km. Restored by specialists RS Williams, including original engine upgraded to 7 litres. Good chrome, but the front rubber bumperettes are dry and a little loose. Several small scratches and chips in the windshield. Very good paint other than small stone chips behind the rear wheels. Good interior other than loose upholstery on the driver’s side. Clean car, lightly used. – RM sold this Volante here at Amelia in 2009 for $49,500, a price appropriate at the time but appreciation for this model has increased a lot since then. It was also a $140,000 no-sale at this auction in 2020, but its high-quality restoration work has been performed in the intervening years. It’s been driven, though, and the reported high bid wasn’t unfair for an automatic even if it was well below the estimate.
Lot # 37 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194677S119348; Engine # T0512JE 7119348; Rally Red, White stinger/White, Black; White vinyl top; Estimate $200,000 – $240,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $201,600. – 427/435hp L71, 4-speed, Rally wheels, TravelStar narrow whitewall radial tires, AM/FM radio, Protect-o-Plate and partial tank sticker documented – Triple Crown (NCRS Top Flight, Bloomington Gold, Gold Spinner) winner in 2006. Very good paint and body. The chrome is shiny and in good order. The engine has been fully restored and shows minimal use aside from some discoloration on the intake from a fuel leak from the front carb. The interior is low optioned and shows some aging. A spartan car that looks good enough, but the obscure brand tires suggests to the savvy onlooker that there could be less to this car than meets the eye. – To all intents and purposes this is a fine example of an L71 Corvette Convertible and the Bonhams bidders recognized it as such. It was offered at Mecum’s Indy auction in 2021 where it brought a high bid of $225,000, then crossed the country to Mecum Monterey three months later where it was bid to $180,000 but not sold, the same successful bid it brought here today and a result that is fair to both the buyer and the seller.
Lot # 41 1994 Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo Coupe; S/N WP0AC2964RS480155; Engine # 61P00930; Midnight Blue Metallic,/Gray; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $410,000 plus commission of; Final Price $410,000. – 3,601/355hp, 5-speed, Speedline wheels, red calipers, sunroof, power windows, factory cassette, Porsche CoA and Carfax documented. – Showing 30,911 believable miles. Several small chips on the nose, hood and mirrors, but the finish is mostly good. Very good, lightly worn interior. A solid, lightly used and well-kept 964 Turbo. – Sold for $275,000 at Gooding Pebble Beach in 2015 when the odometer showed 30,500 miles and sold there again in 2022 for $379,000. Given that last result, which was arguably the peak of the pandemic boom, this higher reported high bid should have been more than enough to sell the car. With 411 miles in nine years, no one has enjoyed the performance of this Turbo in years.
Lot # 42 2002 Ferrari 575 Maranello Coupe; S/N ZFFBV55A620130426; Grigio Titanio,/Grigio Scuro leather; Estimate $400,000 – $450,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $330,000 plus commission of; Final Price $330,000. – 5,748/515hp, 6-speed manual, red calipers, Hankook tires, Daytona-style seats. – Represented with 14,472 miles and presents like a very lightly used 575 should. The big differentiator in value, though, is the 6-speed shifter between the seats. – Although 575s with paddle shifters typically trade in the mid-$100K range, 6-speed cars exist in an entirely different market. Even so, a $330,000 high bid for this one should have been enough to take it home.
Lot # 45 1966 Morgan Plus 4 Plus Fixed Head Coupe; S/N A6373; Engine # CT39673; Green,/Black leather; Estimate $140,000 – $160,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $130,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $145,600. – 2,138/104hp Triumph engine, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, dual mirrors, banjo spoke steering wheel, tool roll, jack, wheel hammer, original literature. – Number 25 of 26 built. Restored by specialists in the 2010s. No major blemishes in the paint but it is showing its age. Very mild delaminating at the edges of the windshield. Beautiful interior. A rare car in good, mildly aged condition. – For the past 60-plus years, almost all Morgans have looked the same. Occasionally, though, this anachronistic English carmaker steps out of its comfort zone and the Plus 4 Plus with its fiberglass envelope body was the first. It turned out Morgan buyers were even more conservative than the company, and few people wanted a streamlined Plus 4 Plus, hence the 26 cars built until the fiberglass body factory at EB Plastics burned. Today, though, they’re prized six figure collectibles and this one sold right on the money for the age and quality of the restoration.
Lot # 48 1968 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 Coupe, Body by Touring; S/N 01321; Azzuro Fiat,/Natural; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Older restoration 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $280,000 plus commission of; Final Price $280,000. – 3,929/320hp, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Avon tires, dual mirrors, wood steering wheel, wood shift knob, power windows. – One of 247 built and an original US delivery car, so it’s likely one of the first ever Lambos in this country. Tired chrome and a few paint chips as well as a large paint run next to the trunk lid. Light wear to the driver’s seat and steering wheel. A few tiny chips in the windshield as well. A very rare, very early Lamborghini, in the kind of condition that’s ideal for tours and rallies. Restored a long time ago, likely before these were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. – Nothing about this quality, restored, Lamborghini 400GT should have kept it from bringing the $320-350K it is worth.
Lot # 50 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500E 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N WDBEA36E4NB799587; Blue Black Metallic,/Anthracite leather; Estimate $55,000 – $65,000; Unrestored original 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $41,440. – 4,983/315hp, automatic, sunroof, 17-inch Evo alloy wheels, Continental tires, power windows, power seats. – Showing 125,439 miles but these cars were built well and this one is represented with a lot of recent maintenance. Other than some small chips the paint looks good. The plastic grille is a little faded. Large chip in the left side of the windshield. The interior looks great for the most part. Small dent on the hood. – Famously developed and hand-assembled by Porsche, the 500E is a collectible sleeper that will eat up high-speed miles with ease, and this one certainly has. But despite an ambitious estimate, this result is appropriate to the condition and mileage.
Lot # 54 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N J58S102156; White, Silver coves, White hardtop/Red; Estimate $100,000 – $120,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $78,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $87,360. – 283, 4-barrel, 4-speed, hardtop, wheel covers, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, WonderBar AM radio. – Paint shows well enough overall but with some cracks around the hood opening. The chrome presents well but the rear glass on the hardtop is scuffed up. The engine compartment is aged and dirty and the interior has been reupholstered and is gently worn in. A low option car with an old restoration and little history that presents itself as a driver. – How is it reasonable to offer a ’58 Corvette without identifying the engine that drives it or supplying an engine number. The engine number pad is not even included in the myriad photos on Bonhams website. In the instant case it must be assumed that the bidders satisfied themselves with this Corvette’s bona fides because if there was any doubt this is a generous result.
Lot # 59 1931 Cadillac 370A V-12 Phaeton, Body by Fleetwood; S/N Engine No. 1004709; Engine # 1004709; Evergreen, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Visually maintained, largely original 4 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $65,000 plus commission of; Final Price $65,000. – 368/135hp, 3-speed, painted wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual sidemount spares, radiator mascot, dual horns, wind wings, engine-turned dash, dual windshields. – First year V12 Cadillac. Largely original with repainted fenders. The engine dropped a valve prior to the sale but will be fixed at seller’s expense. Paint is severely faded with surface rust in plenty of areas. Severely pitted chrome as well. Cracked rubber on the running boards. Decent upholstery and faded dash. Engine bay looks tired but complete. Has the right amount of patina for someone into that look, but would also make a straightforward restoration candidate. Dropped a valve just before the auction which will be repaired by the seller, Holman Engineering, in Springfield, MA. – This is a remarkable, unmolested, survivor although the bidders seem to have been uncertain about what to do with it, and the engine’s status after the dropped valve. Suffice to say that there is no better facility to repair it than Holman Engineering. The Fleetwood body is much preferable to alternatives from Fisher and there is no reason why it shouldn’t have brought its low estimate except for bidders’ uncertainty.
Lot # 60 1932 Stutz DV-32 4-Passenger Speedster, Body by LeBaron; S/N DV261454; Engine # DV33170; Blue,/Oxblood leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $650,000 – $800,000; Older restoration 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $540,000 plus commission of; Final Price $540,000. – 322/156hp dohc inline eight, 3-speed, burgundy wire wheels, Firestone wide whitewalls, dual sidemount spares, rear luggage rack, wood dash, radiator mascot. – 1932 New York Auto Show and company brochure car. One of 24 examples of this body style built for the year. Represented with three owners from new and the current owner since 1985. Restored in the 1960s, then again in the 1980s and 1990s and shown at Pebble Beach in 2016. Still a very attractive car with noticeable but very light age to the paint and interior. George Holman collection. – With its distinguished history and Pebble Beach quality restoration this is an impressive example of the later Stutz design and the twin cam engine. It came up short of expectations on the block but still attracted a realistic bid.
Lot # 75P 1904 Napier L48 LSR; S/N Engine no. 1320A; Engine # 1302A; Green, Aluminum/Black leather; Estimate $900,000 – $1,100,000; Rebodied or re-created 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $670,000 plus commission of 10.75%; Final Price $742,000. – RHD. 15L/240hp F-head six, 2-speed, painted wire wheels, rear brakes, copper tubing radiator wrapping around the car’s nose, boa constrictor bulb horn, driver’s windscreen, 130mph speedometer, tachometer, fuel pressure, coolant temperature and oil pressure gauges – Nicknamed “Samson”. Recreation built in the 1980s around the incredible original 15 litre engine. One of the first cars to go 100 mph and one of the first fitted with a six-cylinder engine. Its big achievement was at Daytona Beach in 1905 with the Flying One Mile World Record of 104.65mph (or, 106.64mph) driven by Arthur MacDonald as well as being the first car to record 100 mph on American Soil and the first British car to crack the 100-mph barrier. Later timed at 130 mph on the Brookland Byfleet banking. The original car was scrapped but the engine survived in the speedboat “Nautilus II” which set the world water speed record. Rebuilt in Australia by Alan Hawker Chamberlain in 1982. Sold to Peter Briggs in 1993 for his York Motor Museum in Western Australia. Shows some blemishes and scars from use, and some uneven paint finish, but all looking appropriate to the finish. It’s an impressive car even if it isn’t all original, and it’s the star lot of this auction. – An epic Edwardian race car that has been carefully restored and rebuilt from the original drawings. Often used and demonstrated, it shows the use in its condition, which is entirely appropriate to the history of “Samson” and the intent of Montague Napier and S.F. Edge when it was built. Being most definitely unique it is impossible to question the valuation of the bidders here, or the seller in letting it go at this price and it is a real trophy for the new owner.
Lot # 77 1967 Aston Martin DB6 Mk I Coupe; S/N DB62834LN; Engine # 4002814; Silver Birch,/Black leather; Estimate $140,000 – $180,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $235,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $263,200. – LHD. 3,995/282hp, 5-speed, wire wheels, Pirelli tires, woodrim steering wheel, Blaupunkt stereo, power windows, badge bar, BMIHT certificate documented. – Matching numbers, desirable configuration of LHD with manual, and desirable color of Silver Birch. Delivered new in PA but reportedly spent most of its life in CA. Decent paint and chrome, but the window frames are scratched. Some odd waviness on the dash top and significant wear on the front seats, but the interior mostly looks good. Clean wheels other than light surface rust on the ends of the spokes. Yet another long-dormant Bonhams Aston that needs recommissioning, but this one is at least better than most. – This car sold at RM Monterey 2003 for $96,800 and at Gooding Amelia in 2010 for $286,000. DB6s are worth more than they were when this one last crossed the block, but this one’s condition is also markedly worse after years of neglect. The bidders nevertheless liked the configuration and colors, putting it up to a surprisingly high price that would ordinarily buy a used but clean, running and driving DB6.
Lot # 80 2007 Honda NSX-R GT Coupe; S/N NA28000095; Blue, Yellow/Black; Estimate $240,000 – $280,000; Competition car, original as-raced 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $330,000 plus commission of 11.52%; Final Price $368,000. – RHD. 2,977/440hp, single turbo, 6-speed manual, Volk Racing wheels, carbon fiber wing, slotted brake rotors, Plexiglas windows. – 3rd in class at the Macau GP with a naturally aspirated 3.2 litre engine, later upgraded with the present turbocharged engine. Race car condition with flaws in the paint as well as quickly applied decals and tape in places. There is a lot of body-colored tape on the driver’s door. Scratches in the windows. Nothing special condition-wise and its race history is nothing to write home about, but it’s still a badass build of a badass car by one of Japan’s most famous tuners. – Late in the day at a Bonhams auction heavy on prewar and other traditional classics was an odd placement for a JDM favorite like this, but bidders nevertheless showed up for it. The result is well over estimate and a record price for an NA2-generation NSX.
Lot # 85 1915 Saxon Model A Roadster; S/N Engine No. 7884; Engine # 7884; Green, Black fenders/Black; Black top; Estimate $15,000 – $25,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $9,800 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $10,976. – 85 cid, 12-hp L-head four, 3-speed, 2-wheel mechanical drum brakes. – Fully restored to reasonably high quality quite a few years ago. The paint, wheels, and interior display general age but no major issues or causes for concern. It has been sitting as a display for a few years, but this is a reasonably simple car. Reportedly the fuel system needs reconditioning, but it may not need much else. – Based in Detroit, Saxon was a successful volume seller of basic little cars like this in the early- to mid-1910s, but it was a short-lived marque. This is probably one of the best ones that still exists, and other than some basic sorting, it looks ready to go. And at barely 10 grand, it’s such a fun little neighborhood runabout for so little money.